I have had the pleasure recently of being involved in a multi-contributor project: The Jesse Tree Anthology. The brains behind the project, Rachel Yarworth, has provided a guest blog today, revealing more about how the idea developed, the ups and downs of the process – and why she is so grateful to God for it. I heartily recommend it as an Advent resource – both for individuals but also for families.
There’s a window in Coventry Cathedral that is simply breathtaking. I say ‘a window’ – it’s actually an 85-foot-tall collection of 198 panels of beautiful stained glass. Each panel has its own beauty when you look at it in isolation, but when you stand back and look at the whole window, it is glorious. And I don’t use that word lightly. No two parts are the same, but the whole is made even more glorious because of the variety. For me, that’s the beauty of unity.
It’s a common biblical theme. Think of the “great cloud of witnesses” of Hebrews 11 and 12 – that vast collective of men and women of faith whose different voices and stories all witness to God’s faithfulness. Or the Body of Christ in 1 Corinthians 12 – each part having its own purpose that serves the whole. Or think of the precious anointing oil in Psalm 133:2 – that precious combination of olive oil, myrrh, cinnamon, calamus and cassia, all contributing to make one powerful blend. So it is when God’s beautifully diverse people unite together for the express purpose of glorifying Him.
It was with these ideas in mind that I embarked on my latest publication: The Jesse Tree Anthology. While considering the possibility of writing a ‘Jesse Tree’ resource that specifically focused on how each Bible story pointed to Jesus, I came across an article about taking part in an anthology as a way for self-published authors to get their books before a wider audience. When I read that, I immediately thought of my writer friends who might benefit in this way. And as the anthology concept and the Jesse Tree subject came together, it seemed to be a match made in heaven.
The Jesse Tree explained
You see, the Jesse Tree tradition is all about using the Advent season to retell key stories of Jesus’ ancestors and forerunners: multiple unique accounts of men and women of faith, each revealing the glory of God in a slightly different way. So what better way to present the richness of those multiple stories, than by using multiple different voices to tell them? Voices of modern men and women of faith! Unity in diversity! Like a weaver intertwines multiple strands of warp and weft to form a single piece of beautiful fabric, I pictured the many strands of ancient stories woven together with the many strands of modern voices to make one God-glorifying piece of art.
The process unpacked
Of course, that’s a romantic picture. In practical terms, keeping track of 25 different authors, and what stages they were each at, was a distinctly prosaic reality. Suggesting corrections to writers with more experience than I required me to face up to the crippling shame of Imposter Syndrome. Editing and re-editing and re-editing again relegated the project at times to the realm of sheer hard work.
But eventually we got there, and when I held the first print copy of the book in my hands, I felt fully blessed. I am thrilled with what we have created, and the way all of our hard work has come together to form something beautiful. What is even more precious to me – and I dare suggest, maybe to God too – is the unity that was displayed behind the scenes. When two people needed to withdraw along the way, it was done in grace with no offense held, and God quickly provided others to take their place. When I was at the height of feeling I wasn’t up to leading the project, some of the contributors (who had no idea how I was feeling) contacted me to say they were praying for me and they believed God’s hand was on it all. When the book was almost ready to be printed and I was feeling exhausted and overwhelmed by publicity demands, some of the contributors started posting their own promotions of the book, which brought me to tears by reminding me of the original vision and how they were all carrying it too.
Each contributor gave of their best to add a lovely, God-glorifying piece of writing, for which I am utterly thankful. But what I appreciate even more is the way they each gave of themselves in diverse ways reflecting their individual graces, to come together as one and produce a unity truly precious in God’s sight. The book is great – I love it. But the unity? That’s been truly glorious.
Rachel Yarworth is the author of Friend of God: The Miraculous Life of an Ordinary Person and The Jesse Tree Anthology. Rachel lives in Worcestershire with her husband Mike, their three sons and their miniature labradoodle. When not writing, Rachel can usually be found home educating her younger two boys, leading a home church or going for long walks in the countryside.