IT IS ENOUGH- A HANDFUL OF FLOUR AND A LITTLE OIL by Marion Kilchester

             

A call had been made from our Pastor, to come to the front of the church if we needed prayer. Being the independent soul that I am, I remained seated. There are many with greater needs than mine. So, I sat, but tears welled in my eyes, and I couldn’t hold them back. I stood and made my way to the front.

      My very close friend of thirty-four years, Eileen was dying in Toowoomba, and I made the three-hour trip to spend time with her and her family. She was the third very close friend, as well as my beautiful sister-in-law who had all recently passed away.

      A telephone call came, asking me to play for the funeral of the father of my hairdresser. She was also the mother of three students who I had taught over the years, one of them to diploma level. I said ‘yes’. My two nieces and nephew had lost their parents recently, and now called on me in hard times. Vikki’s husband had just undergone eight hours of heart surgery, the day before I found myself in tears at the front of the church. He was not expected to live, and then my next-door neighbour died two days before Eileen’s funeral.

      I knew they all needed me, but I was overwhelmed. It was too much.

      My Pastor held me by my shoulders and began speaking. I don’t remember everything he said, but one thing he told me seemed to me, as though it was written in neon lights.

     ‘Marion, do you remember the widow at Zarapeth?’ He then went on to recall the story. There was famine in the land. She had gone out to gather a few sticks to make a fire and cook a meal, the last meal, for herself and her son and then they would die for that was all she had left. She had come to the end of what she had and was at that place of desperate need.

      Elijah had turned up and requested some water to drink and a piece of bread.

      She replied, ‘I don’t have any bread, just a handful of flour and a little oil, just enough to make a meal for my son and myself’, but Elijah told her to go, make a loaf for him, and then prepare for herself and her son. He told her, ‘The flour and oil will not fail, until the rains come.’

      She was overwhelmed already, but she was asked to give more. She had to exercise faith, she had to be obedient. She chose to do both and made the bread for Elijah. God came through for her and there was still enough for her to prepare bread for herself and her son.  Day by day she took from the jar of flour and the jug of oil and prepared a meal for the three of them, as God provided the requirements needed to do so.

      If she could do this, then I also could do what I needed to do. No longer overwhelmed, I was able to meet the demands on me. I was at peace. My nephew received a miracle and lived. I went to all three funerals in the space of about ten days.

      I know that many of you are struggling with life’s obstacles, while at the same time, striving to be obedient to your calling to write and whatever else.

 

     Marion Kilchester published her first book, 'Though the Storms Rage, yet I will dance in the rain'. Her second book, 'Ludmila's Story', is in its final stages.  As she is nearly seventy-five, technology really bamboozles her. There are many experienced writers here . She feels she's not qualified to  talk about how to write to many with far more expertise than her in these areas. So she has shared from her own faith walk.

      Her webpage is called ‘www.leavesof hope.com.au’ bringing hope in a loving God and His faithfulness, which she can give.  She loves to encourage other writers and runs a small writer's group.

Marion lives in the northern outskirts of Caboolture with her littel dog, Hope. She is surrounded by family and friends.

                                                                                

                                                                                 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Marion Kilchester is a mum and grandmother. At 75, she loves spending time with family and friends and her little dog, Hope.

    

     Having taught classroom music and piano, now in her retirement, she published her first book, Though the Storms Rage Yet Will I Dance in 2021. Marion has just completed her second book, a biography about her mother-in-law, Ludmila, who grew up and survived in The Ukraine, under the rule of Stalin, before finding herself transported in a ‘cattle-train’ to a forced-labour-camp in Germany, under the rule of Hitler. At the end of the war, Ludmila made another epic journey, this time by boat, to Australia where she made a new life for herself and her family.

 

     Marion’s books are about hope, positivity, and resilience in the face of huge obstacles.

 

Her website is leavesofhope.com.au

 

      

    

 

Title: CWD Member Interview – Marion Kilchester talks to Jo Wanmer

 

Today’s interview is with Marion Kilchester as she chatted to Jo Wanmer.

 Tells us three things about who you are and where you come from.

Firstly I’m a mum and a grandma. I live at Elimbah in Queensland. I was a music teacher for fifty-six years and an examiner in later years. Though retired, I am still teaching four students. I now live in a snall Grannie cottage on my son’s property with my little dog, Hope.

Tell us about your writing (or editing/illustrating etc).  What do you write and why?

My first book, Though the Storms Rage, is the personal story of my faith as I danced through life’s storms. When God spoke to me the words, ‘Dancing in the Rain’, I knew He was asking me to write a book, though I shelved it for a year. Then a pastor at my church asked me if ‘Dancing in the Rain’ meant anything to me. I knew then I had to write and began writing that night. Although I’d filled countless journals and written a few short stories, writing a book was a huge learning curve.

I am also a composer of music and 2014 I published a collection of twelve pieces, five arrangements and seven originals which are listed with the guild of music, examination syllabus for piano. At the same time, I released a CD, Reflectons, of myself performing these works.

 Who has read your work? Who would you like to read it?

My target audience for my writing is anyone who has gone through tough times. My book was launched on 12^th June. It has already been read by women and men of varying ages and beliefs. It has been well received with many sharing the story. One woman is now reading it to her mother who is in a nursing home. I’m excited that God has moved the book into the homes of many who don’t have a Christian faith.

 Tell us something about your process. What challenges do you face? What helps you the most?

I hand write my story because my thoughts flow more easily when I have pen and paper. Mostly I write at my dining room table which has a great view our to my garden.  Later I transfer it onto my laptop.

My biggest challenge is technology. Computers aren’t my favourite things! My oldest son, Tim, designed the cover for me and a friend Rick has helped me out with most of my technological difficulties. I’m still learning to dance in this area!

If you were to give a shout-out to a CWD author, writer, editor or illustrator – who would they be?

Jo Wanmer, who mentored me from the beginning and encouraged me through to the end.

 Nola Passmore (aka Nola Larraine), who edited my book, taught me many things in the process. Click link to read about her editing skills and see Nola's recent release, 'Scattered.' https://www.nolalorraine.com.au/

What are your writing goals for 2021? How will you achieve them?

I’m currently working on a second book about two strong women in my family’s ancestry. Both succeeded against huge odds. Ludmila, my mother-in-law, was born in The Ukraine during the rule of Stalin. She and her family endured eviction, starvation, forced communal living and countless atrocities. She was captured by the Germans and taken by train to a forced labour camp. After the war she, along with hundreds of others, was transported by ship to Australia where she spent five years in a migrant camp at Bonegilla, Victoria. Hardships don’t end here however. She endures flood, loss of a child and other obstacles. But despite all, she learns a new language and succeeds in her life in Australia with her husband and children.

How does your faith impact and shape your writing?

Hugely. My first book is about faith in difficult circumstances. Being able to dance through the storms of my life was and is made possible through my relationship with my God. Both of the women in my next book also had a faith in their God, which enabled them to survive and thrive.

In the process of writing my first book, there were stories I’d decided not to include. However, God impressed upon me that I needed to tell these stories as well. When I questioned God, ‘Really! I haven’t even told my children.’ I felt God instructed me to tell my children and then include those stories. These episodes added depth to my book and I’m sure God will use them to help others.

Marion and Jo have been friends and writing encouragers for ten years. Most of that time they worshipped together at  a church simply know as The Barn. 

Marion is a great gardener and until recently maintained a very large garden that she developed as a 'Garden of Hope,' which was open to the public. 

As well as being a teacher of music, she is a gifted pianist though rarely shares her talent with others.

Marion and Jo both live on the northern outskirts of Brisbane. They love to get together to share their common love of God, their adventures around writing, and stories of grandchildren. Marion can be contacted via mkilchester@gmail.com. 

Jo can be easily contacted via facebook.