Christmas Voices

I am delighted to share my latest book with you: Christmas Voices. I can’t believe that I forgot to post about it here! It is a wonderful book filled with 25 reflections written by me, alongside contributions by 40 other ‘voices’. I do have some copies available, so do contact me directly if you live in the UK and would like to buy a copy from me (happy to sign it too). It is also available on the publisher’s website. Carry on reading for a sample of the reflections…

Day 2 Stretched by a promise

Genesis 12:1–4

The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.

‘I will make you into a great nation,
and I will bless you;
I will make your name great,
and you will be a blessing.
I will bless those who bless you,
and whoever curses you I will curse;
and all peoples on earth
will be blessed through you.’

So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. 

God loves to speak to his people – and to give them promises. Noah, for example, was shown a rainbow as God promised never to send a flood again; Moses was given the promise that God would free his people from slavery in Egypt.

Often God’s promises make us uncomfortable, or necessitate action from us. Here, Abram was given an incredible promise – that he would become a great nation and that God would be behind him all the way – but he had to leave all he had known in order for that promise to take place. As we know, his faithfulness and hope in that promise was tested to the limit (and he made huge mistakes along the way), but God always provided – just perhaps not in the timeline Abram and those in his household wanted! Have you ever experienced that? A promise from God that you have had to cling on to and perhaps step out into in a way that is uncomfortable or slightly scary? The idea of the promises of God seem so appealing, but often the fulfilment of them stretches us in ways we couldn’t have imagined beforehand.

Too often the promise of our coming saviour is sanitised too…into a beautiful nativity scene. I am sure the reality was very different for his parents – tired and dirty, confused and disappointed that there was no room for them anywhere. Jesus was born into messy circumstances – physically but also politically and spiritually.

What reassures me is that God loves to involve us in the outworking of his promises, and he doesn’t disown us when we fail. It is incredible to think that Abram did indeed become Abraham and that through his line Jesus the messiah came. But day to day, Abram wouldn’t have seen the fulfilment of all that God had said to him, although he did receive the promised son and heir he longed for. He is mentioned in the ‘faith hall of fame’ in Hebrews 10, where it also says: ‘They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance…they were longing for a better country – a heavenly one.’

Let us not settle this Christmas season, but press on even when we feel uncomfortable.

Prayer: Lord I thank you that you give us promises; help me not to shrink when you are urging me to action or stretching me. Amen.

A profound encounter with God

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I am thrilled to welcome Kate Nicholas back to my blog, as her new book releases. I had the privilege of reading an early version, endorsing it and also interviewing Kate at her launch event. This book is well worth getting hold of…

How do you write about an experience of God that goes beyond words? This is the challenge that I faced when writing my latest book To The Ocean Floor.

When I was first diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer in 2014, I was given a piece of scripture from Psalm 118:17, ‘I will not die, but live and declare the works of the Lord.’ And when, against all odds, I survived I dedicated to myself to this mission. During the following seven years of glorious remission, God opened amazing doors for me as an author, broadcaster and preacher, and I began to get used to the idea that I was going to live.

Then in 2021, in the midst of the pandemic, a routine mammogram revealed that the cancer had returned with a vengeance. Within weeks of starting chemotherapy I became desperately ill, and on one of the toughest days of that journey, I sank beneath the waves of consciousness – where I had a profound encounter with God.

Recapturing that deep connection

As I recovered, I was left with a powerful yearning for that connection and as I sought to recapture the intensity of what I call my ‘ocean floor’ experience. I began to explore a contemplative practice that dates back to the dawn of Christianity, which points towards a more intuitive connection with God – the kind of connection that I had experienced in the depths.

In this new book, I recount my exploration of a meditative tradition that goes all the way back to the Apostle Paul, Desert Fathers, Celtic Christians and Medieval mystics; a tradition that has been since been developed by modern monastic spiritual masters such as Bede Griffiths and John Main.

Never alone despite isolation

One of the things that I became acutely aware of on this journey was that God was all around me. Perhaps it was because I was so isolated for much of this time (Covid and chemo-induced lack of immunity are not a great combination) that every interaction with the staff and fellow patients at my local hospital seemed charged with meaning.

On the wards, I was astounded by the wonderful staff of the NHS whose compassion, professionalism and resilience never failed to amaze me. I knew that somehow Christ was in that place, in the healing hands and the patience but also the cries of pain and fear; unseen but all pervading.

Facing death – finding God

There’s no doubt about it, the road I travelled was not easy and it brought to the very verge of death. But it has also been a time of profound discovery; an inner journey into the mystery of God and what one reviewer called ‘the richness to the be found at the border of life’s journey’.

There is an innate paradox in writing a book about an experience of God that defies description. But when the poignancy of the moment seemed to outweigh my ability to express myself, I found that the Spirit took over and words began to arrange themselves in unexpected ways; prose sometimes morphing into poetry.

While I write openly about some quite difficult experiences as I went through cancer treatment, this is ultimately a book about hope. It’s about the fact that our reality is far more mysterious and exciting than we can ever imagine and reveals a deep and profound connection with our creator.

It’s my prayer that To The Ocean Floor will provide reassurance those who have wondered where God is in the face of challenges and inspire readers to go deeper in terms of their own intuitive connection; to be still and know in the deepest core of their being that He is God.

To find out more about Kate Nicholas’ books, TV series, courses and blog visit www.katenicholas.co.uk

Unity in diversity

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.

How to be a valuable Christian

I am delighted to welcome Liz Carter onto my website today, with a guest post as part of the blog tour for her fantastic new book Valuable. I was thrilled to read an advance copy of it, and delighted to endorse it too. The book shares such a vital message to us all – I thoroughly recommend it to you.

I was really sick again. I’d been prayed for so many times through my life of illness, and I had not been healed. I was still in pain. Somebody in the group prayed for me with these words: ‘Father, please heal Liz so she can be useful again. So you can use her again.’

I felt like I was falling apart as those words churned in my mind. Useful again. Useful. Useful. It seemed to me that in order to be useful to God I must get better, and because I wasn’t getting better, I was useless. I was not valuable to God. I went out of that meeting with my head hung low and my heart heavy. Would I ever be of use to God? Even when people told me God could use me I couldn’t make those words mean good things for me. I couldn’t be used, because I wasn’t well enough. And did I want to be used, anyway? Was being used by someone a good thing?

Let’s look at the words we use

Language is so important, and as Christians we sometimes forget this and we use words and phrases that some might call ‘Christianese’; incomprehensible to the world around us. When we talk in terms of being useful to God, or of God using, people on the outside of faith may look on and raise their eyebrows at the idea that ‘God using’ is positive language. After all, when we talk about a guy using a woman, we don’t mean it in a positive way, do we? We mean he has used her for his own ends. So why do we talk about God like this?

It’s one of those things that we think must be in the Bible, but when we look into it it actually isn’t (a bit like unhelpful phrases like ‘God helps those who help themselves’). The verb ‘to use’ with us as objects and God as the user just doesn’t appear anywhere at all. There are some great pictures about us as honoured vessels, created by God for good purposes, but not to ‘be used’ by God. What if there is a different way of thinking about how God works in us and through us – a way that more accurately describes the love-relationship God longs for with us and has created us for?

What God values v what society does

God’s kingdom is an upside-down kingdom. While the world values productivity and usefulness, God values us for who we are: his beloved children. We do not have to earn God’s love, and we are not God’s tools, picked up and then discarded when the job is over with. Instead, God partners with us and joins with us (John 15) and is delighted in us (Zephaniah 3:17). In God’s economy, we are all loved and all equal (Galatians 3:28). The picture Paul shared of us all being equal parts of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27) was astoundingly radical and counter-cultural in a time where power was valued and the weak were thought of as lesser. It still speaks to us today in a society where ‘doing’ often seems to count more than ‘being’.

Even in church we can find this narrative has taken hold: we see how the useful, the strong, are valued above the weak, and so people who are weak can feel lesser. It plays into the way we talk about healing, too, as I said at the start: somehow we have come to believe that healing and ‘wholeness’ will make us more useful to (and used by) God. Somewhere along the line we have forgotten that God is not interested in how much we do, but in how much we love him and how much we respond to his transformative grace and power. For a disabled, chronically ill person like me, this is so liberating: I am found in Christ and freed in Christ, not for how much I do but for who I am created to be.

So when those kinds of prayers are prayed over me, I am free to say no, I do not need to be healed to be useful to God. I find God working in me and through me within my pain, and I do not have to always be trying harder, or getting better, or striving away to earn my place in God’s kingdom. I’m so grateful.

Knowing your value

My new book, Valuable: Why your worth is not defined by how useful you feel digs into these ideas and reflects on our stories in God, stories of his infinite love over us rather than stories of how useful we are to him and to those around us. It is my prayer that as you read it, you will find yourself set free from the narrative that you are not enough, and be assured that you are of more worth than precious gems.

That you are valuable.

Liz Carter is a writer and poet from Shropshire, UK. She is the author of Catching Contentment, Treasure in Dark Places and Valuable. You can find her on Twitter @LizCarterWriter, on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok @greatadventureliz, or at her website.

Wheel of Fortune

I have the huge pleasure of welcoming Claire Dunn to my blog today, as part of a tour for the first book, Wheel of Fortune, in her new series: The Tarnished Crown. I asked her about how the series came about, and what writing the first title was like.

Why did you choose to set your new series in 15th-century England?

It was inevitable. It stems from a life-long fascination for the Wars of the Roses – the 15th-century conflict that dominated English political life for over 30 years, and was driven by powerful personalities whose names resonate down the centuries. Men such as Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick (the ‘Kingmaker’), George, Duke of Clarence (he of the butt of Malmsey), and Richard III – remembered, unjustly, for all the wrong reasons. Women, too, make it into public consciousness: Elizabeth Woodville – queen to Edward IV – and Margaret of Anjou, Henry VI’s wife. Historical figures are often rendered into bare, memorable essentials – kingmaker, fickle brother, wicked uncle, she-wolf, temptress – stripped of the nuances that make them real people. And it is the real people  and what motivates them that I find interesting. It is too easy to reduce historical figures to their component parts rather than see them as multi-faceted, yet we relate to people, not attributes, not labels.

What did the characters come to mean to you?

One of the reasons I like writing series is the chance to get to know the characters – both real and imagined – really well. When we first meet Isobel Fenton in Wheel of Fortune she is a young girl with limited experience of life. By the end of the book she has encountered people and events that alter her expectations and the way she views herself and the world. She hasn’t changed, but her relationship with the world has. 

Sometimes my own relationship to my characters changes over the course of writing a book. In Wheel of Fortune, I gave the Earl specific – rather unlikable –  traits; but as I grew to know him my attitude towards him shifted. The man became more complex, with his own values, interests, hopes, anxiety and doubts. He became real and, instead of disliking him, I came to understand why he acted the way he did. 

The Earl is a character of my imagination, but the challenge for a historical novelist is to integrate the real with the imagined in as seamless a way as possible so that a character’s situation and experiences represent the reality for many of those living through a period of turmoil like the Wars of the Roses. Good or bad, for all their faults, people were trying to live out their lives as best they could in a time of hardship and uncertainty. Are we not trying to do just the same now? Faced with similar circumstances, how would we react and what decisions would we make?

How did you go about researching such an enormous topic?

Research is something I relish. Not only is it vital to ensure the accuracy of what I write as far as is humanly possible, it can also suggest new plot lines. Research is like travelling down a long corridor lined with many doors behind which lie endless  possibilities waiting to be discovered. Finding the key to those doors is another matter. Research can be a hard slog through primary sources both physical – visiting castles or museums to understand the built environment, for example – and the written and pictorial – manuscripts and paintings, indentures and parliamentary records. Much research, though, is checking on who did what, when and where – not easy in some instances when the historical record contradicts itself. Gaps in knowledge have to be filled, which sometimes feels like a leap of faith.

Could you give us an insight into how you approach your writing?

Writing is a roller-coaster experience with many ups and down along the way. I ‘write’ one way or another every day, whether it is researching, editing or tackling the next chapter. Some days I will manage only a few hundred words, but on others, several thousand.

Writing can be a slog or the biggest high you can imagine, but most of all it requires what the writer Elizabeth George describes as ‘bum glue’ – the ability to sit down and work at the book project, day by day, until it is completed. That is no small task in a busy life where writing is only one aspect of being an author. A writer nowadays also needs to be media savvy, understand marketing, negotiate contracts, attend events…the list goes on. Is it worth it? You bet it is when you hold your new book baby for the first time and it gazes back at you. And then you open the crisp new pages and meet once again all the friends you have made over the preceding months and remember why you are an author in the first place.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book: I share a short review over in the Woman Alive book club Facebook group, which you can access here.

Claire Dunn (C.F. Dunn) is an award-winning English novelist of historical fiction, mystery and suspense. Born in Lincolnshire, Claire spent her childhood moving from place to place with her Forces family, an experience which she believes helped fuel her imagination. It is as a child that she discovered a fascination for the past that led to an abiding interest in the Wars of the Roses and a lifetime of research.

Following a degree in Medieval History she founded and ran a school for neurodivergent children and young people – students whom she describes as inspirational. Embarking on her writing career, she returned to her historical roots with Mortal Fire – the gold medal-winning first book in The Secret of the Journal series (read Claire’s reflections on writing that series here). Claire is currently working on a major new historical series called The Tarnished Crown set during the turbulent period of 15th-century England known as the Wars of the Roses.

She now lives and writes by the sea in Dorset with her family, assorted animals and overworked  coffee machine. 

Book 1 in The Tarnished Crown series – Wheel of Fortune – was launched through Resolute Books in May 2023. Book 2 – Sun Ascendant  – is due for release through Resolute Books in the autumn of 2023.

International Women’s Day 2023

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Happy International Women’s Day 2023! It actually seems sad to me that, in this day and age, we still need a day specifically focused on women to raise the issues so many continue to face. However I know that it is so important that we celebrate all the incredible achievements of women, but also highlight discrimination around the world. This year’s theme is #EmbraceEquity. Here is the explanation as to why (from the official website):

Equity isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have.

A focus on gender equity needs to be part of every society’s DNA.

And it’s critical to understand the difference between equity and equality.

The aim of the IWD 2023 #EmbraceEquity campaign theme is to get the world talking about why equal opportunities aren’t enough. People start from different places, so true inclusion and belonging require equitable action.

It’s not an equal playing field

Just this week I was shocked to read new stats that reveal the gender gap on pensions. ‘The gender pensions gap is estimated to be more than twice the size of the gender pay gap, while women’s retirement wealth averages only one-third of men’s in the UK’ (Now: Pensions).

And there is so much more sobering news, both in this country and further afield. Gender-based violence, slavery, girls forced to marry young and give up their education, those trapped in poverty. The world can feel like a dangerous, horrible place for women – and it can seem utterly overwhelming and paralysing. If International Women’s Day puts these issues at the forefront of people’s minds afresh then I am all for it!

Do what you can

It is when I wonder what on earth I can do to make a difference that I turn to prayer. I cry out for those God puts on my heart. But we need to take action too. Some of us are being called to get involved in changing unjust systems; all of us can give support to those who are (giving, signing petitions etc). But I also want to bring this back round to what I often consider on International Women’s Day: who are the women I can encourage, champion and support? I am raising a hugely courageous daughter, and am so proud of her. I know it is my job to be there for her in whatever way she needs. But I can also offer my kindness, practical advice and listening ear to many other women in my life.

Championing others

We can all get so blinkered in the midst of busy and challenging lives. For International Women’s Day 2023 think about who you can come alongside and cheer on. I LOVE the cover of the current issue of Woman Alive. It shows a striking woman, but making up the background are images of the women who have had a huge impact on the contributors’ lives. My mum appears, which is wonderful as she would have been so excited to be a ‘cover girl’!

That image makes me think of all the women that are behind each individual woman, supporting and encouraging her to be all she can be.

Let’s be those who are quick to champion others, rather than competing or being jealous. There are so many ‘one another’ing verses in scripture: why not look at a few and think about how you can show love to the women in your life today?

I am going to practice what I preach now and champion a wonderful woman: Claudine Roberts. She has written an important work on Violence Against Women, which I was thrilled to edit. And she has a blog over on the Woman Alive website I’d love you to take a look at.

Books for Christian women this World Book Day

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Happy World Book Day! Over on the Woman Alive blog, myself and the Woman Alive book club members have put together a list of ‘10 books every Christian woman should add to her reading list this World Book Day’. I was inundated with brilliant suggestions, so decided to continue the celebration of books here. So please find another 10 books recommended by us!

A Grace Disguised by Jerry Sittser (Zondervan)

I first came across this book when my mum died in 2020. It is an honest account of a horrific car accident in which Jerry’s wife, mother and daughter died. He describes how he wrestled with his own grief as well as caring for his children but found a new spiritual depth as he did so. I found it profoundly helpful as did Elayne: “I read many books dealing with bereavement after my husband died suddenly, leaving me a widow aged 40 with three teenagers and this was the one I found most helpful.”

All Along You Were Blooming by Morgan Harper Nichols (Zondervan) 

Morgan is an artist, poet and musician, with a huge Instagram following. This collection of poetry and prose is beautifully presented. Amanda says the book is: “really helpful for anyone struggling with their mental health (or not), to only do what we can, to take one day at a time; to learn self-acceptance.”

Boundaries by Dr Henry Cloud and Dr John Townsend (Zondervan)

This New York Times bestseller teaches how to say no (and yes) and protect healthy boundaries while still upholding biblical principles. Lorraine says: “Boundaries changed my life; it was the first time I got validation, coming from a narcissistic home.”

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality by Peter Scazzero (Zondervan)

Peter asserts that you can’t be spiritually mature while remaining emotionally immature. Having learned this the hard way as a pastor, he encourages us all to take note of our emotional health and to integrate it with our spiritual health by slowing down and learning principles such as letting go of power and control, and breathing by practising Sabbath and rest. Laura explains: “Emotionally Healthy Spirituality is one of only a few books where I have sensed the Holy Spirit working within me as I read it. I was convicted of unhealthy areas of my mind / past and enabled to move forward in a closer relationship with Jesus.”

God Isn’t Finished With You Yet by Catherine Campbell (IVP)

In this book, Catherine retells biblical stories of those such as Abigail, John Mark and the Samaritan woman who had difficult lives and perhaps struggled to see God’s path for them. There are also ‘Life lessons’ sections, which provide key helpful biblical teaching around the theme of each story and reflection questions. Wendy comments that this helps us to “know God is here whatever our struggle”.

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver (Waterbrook)

This book has sold over a million copies. It was one of the first books that I read with my physical book club and we all found its gentle approach about a life of intimacy with God opened up a lot of conversations about striving, needing to learn to rest in him and not worry about what others think of us. Laura says: “I first read Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World when I was overwhelmed with juggling young children, work and ministries at church. It was very easy to read but very challenging in a gentle way and shepherded me back to a more intimate relationship with Jesus, offloading various burdens on the way.”

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp (Zondervan)

This book has sold more than one and a half million copies. It invites the reader on a journey of discovering God’s blessings in everyday life, of being present to God in all circumstances. Liza says: “One Thousand Gifts was given to me by a friend who said: ‘This could be life-changing.’ And she was right. It looks at how we can give thanks in the midst of suffering and open our eyes to all the ways God loves us. I was struggling in lots of areas and it made me see the goodness all around me.”

Reason for God by Tim Keller (Hodder & Stoughton)

Liz describes this book: “In 1 Peter 3:15 we are encouraged to be ready to give answers for the hope we have. In our culture today it’s more and more difficult to speak truth. The Reason for God by Tim Keller helps us to not only think about how we would form answers to difficult questions, but also speaks into the places where doubts linger in ourselves. It’s assuring, encouraging and motivating with rational arguments that address big questions like suffering, origins, the intersection of science and faith and how we can, as Christians, apply God-given reason to matters of faith. It’s also bursting with hope: this book doesn’t outline arguments in the dry and theoretical way of many theology tomes but helps readers connect good apologetics and the deep emotion of knowing and being known by the God who is the creator of the universe. It left me both more certain in my faith and thirsty for more of God.”

Surprised By Hope by NT Wright (SPCK)

Leading theologian Tom Wright outlines the present confusion about future hope in both the church and world, explains the bodily resurrection of Jesus and explores the biblical hope for the ‘new heavens and new earth’. He convincingly argues that what we believe about life after death directly affects what we believe about life before death. Fiona says it “Gave me a reason to remain a Christian when I was tempted to walk away. Gave me hope” and Amy comments: “Tom Wright has deepened my faith so much.”

The Power of a Praying Woman by Stormie Omartian (Harvest House Publishers)

Stormie has written a whole series of ‘The Power of a Praying…’ books, which have sold more than 28 million copies! This one is a bestseller, selling more than two million, and focuses on the fact that many of us can find it easier to pray for friends, family and church family but God wants us to talk about our own lives with him too. Stories, scriptures and prayers are included to encourage women of all ages to find hope and purpose in their everyday lives. Stormie’s books are a real provocation to turn to God in prayer in every situation and circumstance of life.

We know there are so many other books we could have included. Why don’t you let us know in the comments section below what would make it into your Top 10 for World Book Day? And if you’d like to join the Woman Alive book club please do – it is totally free to do so and we’d love to have you! You can get more information here.

Labyrinths

I am delighted to welcome Fay Rowland to my blog, as part of the blog tour for her new book 40 Days with Labyrinths. Here she explains what labyrinths are, why she loves drawing them and how you might like to utilise the labyrinths she provides in her book.

I launched my book at the beautiful Launde Abbey in Leicestershire. If you have a chance to visit Laude, I heartily recommend it as it is a place of peace and beauty, where 900 years of prayer have soaked into the very stones and give off a timeless scent of serenity. They also do fabulous cakes!

One of my favourite parts of Launde is the large grass labyrinth behind the kitchen garden. It’s based on the famous design in Chartres Cathedral, and it’s a delight to see it changing with the seasons.

Labyrinths explained

A labyrinth is different from a maze, although they look similar. A maze is a puzzle that tries to trap and confuse you. It has dead ends and wrong paths and you have to battle the maze and try to beat it. A labyrinth is entirely the opposite.

A labyrinth has only one path, which twists and turns, but always leads to the goal. Because of this, a labyrinth guides and relaxes you. You cannot make a mistake and you cannot get lost. Walking a labyrinth is similar to the soothing rhythm of knitting, as the path leads to and fro and you do not have to worry about where to go next; just follow the path and trust.

Utilising labyrinths in our spiritual lives

This aspect of labyrinths makes them an excellent model of the Christian life, where we cannot determine what the future may hold, but we can trust that God know what he’s doing and walk life’s labyrinth path in his company.

When full-sized labyrinths are not available, drawn ‘finger’ labyrinths are perfect for slowing down and giving ourselves the excuse to spend some time resting in God’s company.

The idea behind my book

I love to draw labyrinths. The act of creating the patterns is very restful, and afterwards I can trace the path with a finger or with colouring pencils and pause at the turns to breathe and reflect – a soothing walk with God. The above picture is a watercolour I made of Launde Abbey’s labyrinth and it was as much a delight to paint as to walk. Labyrinths work especially well with the intricate ‘zentangle’ designs you often see in grown-up colouring books.

I had the idea of combining my love of drawing labyrinths with gentle Bible reflections, allowing people to ponder as they ‘walk’ or colour the drawings. The lovely people at Darton, Longman and Todd have done a fabulous job of making the idea a reality.

Engaging with the labyrinths in the book

The book has 40 short Bible readings groups into topics (eg Bread, Water, Home, Wonder) each with a reflection and short prayer. They’re all written in accessible, relevant language that echoes the hopes, doubts and concerns of real people living real lives. The readings are accompanied by hand-drawn labyrinths, including the popular Celtic knot designs, traditional ‘classical’ labyrinths that have been drawn for thousands of years, and contemporary patterns designed especially for this book.

There are also suggestions for how you might like to walk the labyrinths, although there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way. Some people like to pause at the turns and say a short prayer; perhaps a line of The Lord’s prayer or a short phrase such as ‘Come, Lord Jesus’. Another way is to imagine placing your guilt and regrets along the path – you could draw them if you wish – and reaching the centre as John Bunyan’s Pilgrim, free of your burdens. Ask God’s forgiveness and walk back out of the labyrinth, leaving the rubbish at the side of the path. Or, very simply, you can use the labyrinths as an excuse to sit in stillness for a while and ponder the passage or listen to God – busying your hands to still your mind.

Fay Rowland is a mum and mathematician, Trekkie and theologian, scientist and sewing ninja. She writes intergenerational Christian resources, including a number of books, and her interests include the overlap of science and faith, children’s spirituality and beautiful algebra. She lives in the English Midlands with her pet dragon.

To find out more about Fay, and read more from her, visit her website.

Writing as an act of worship

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I am delighted to welcome Rob Seabrook to my blog, as part of the blog tour for his book Beneath the Tamarisk Tree, which is a fictional retelling of the story of the penitent thief who met Jesus on the cross. Awaking in heaven, he is welcomed by Jesus and looks back over his story… At the start of the book Rob provides a ‘Note from the Author’, in which he says: “This book is ultimately an act of worship, to bring glory to God. It is attempting to help us understand more of who God is and what he had to endure for each of us.” Over to Rob…

Reflecting God’s creativity

I am not musical in any way, I cannot sing well and I am certainly no dancer! But I like to think I can write, and even if no one else likes my writing then at least it gives me pleasure to be creative. And creativity is a reflection of God. It is His very nature to be creative, infinitely creative. His imagination is unlimited, displayed in the endless creativity we see around us, as well as the way He has created each of us to be unique. Billions of souls, all made in His image but all unique. What depth of imagination that takes. So to me it makes sense that our imaginations are a gift from Him, which, if well directed, can be used as an act of worship to bring the glory back to Him.

The power of storytelling

This concept of my writing being an act of worship was new to me when I began the writing process. As the story developed, the characters became real to me, the images of each scene began to grow in my imagination and I began to see how the creation of a novel could be an act of worship. Especially if I kept hold of the overall mission, which was to communicate the good news of Jesus to the reader and help to bring them on in their relationship with God. After all, storytelling was a tool that Jesus often used to communicate His message, each time bringing the focus back to the Kingdom of God. For millennia, people have used storytelling to communicate important truths…stories grab our attention, spark our imaginations, engage us in the narrative and help us to associate with the message.

Writing biblical fiction

My chosen genre for my first novel was ‘biblical fiction’ – two words that Christians don’t really like to put together! I certainly felt the responsibility of creating a work that in no way presented an alternative narrative to the Bible, that did not detract from the Word or add to it (Deuteronomy 4:2 and Revelation 22:18-19 are quite clear on this). However, I read quite a lot of other biblical fiction books as a part of my research, mostly very good but a few that made me wince as I read them, and I began to see a way through it. The genre can certainly be used to expand the reader’s understanding of a Bible story and bring deeper understanding. In many cases, when it is well researched, it brings cultural context that is often not clear to us as we read the Bible text, and hence it can clarify the meaning and improve our understanding.

Asking for feedback

There was one element that I found especially hard to write, which was when Jesus needed dialogue. Who am I to put words into the mouth of Jesus? I felt the weight of responsibility to pitch this right. As much as I could I tried to keep the dialogue brief, but using sentiment and phrases that were aligned to His words as quoted in the Bible. At all times I kept in mind the character and intentions of Jesus, and how He was most likely to have approached the conversations. And then I read, re-read, edited and re-edited many times, then ensured that a number of much more qualified theologians than me read it and gave me whatever feedback necessary to fine tune it. My measure of success was that they would read it and the words would not grate, or feel out of place. They indicated that they were the sort of words they could imagine Jesus speaking. I was thankful for a great team to support the writing process.

Leading others

I would like to encourage others to use their God-given gifts to create worship. Our first thought is so often that worship is for others to lead us into, but those of us who like to write can do so with a clear purpose to bring glory to God and help to lead others into a place of worship. Short stories, novels, teaching books, poems, prayers, blogs, newspaper articles and even church newsletters – all can be written as an act of worship.

Rob Seabrook lives and works in beautiful Devon, is married to Gemma, with three grown-up children, Bruno the dog and some chickens. As foster carers, together they have gained insight into the impact of trauma on children, and have seen that rebuilding a life takes endless patience, full acceptance, love and care, and there is always room for second chances. It is this experience that part inspired the context for Beneath the Tamarisk Tree.

A keen reader, after a few years of procrastinating he finally felt challenged to have a go at writing a book for himself. Beneath the Tamarisk Tree is his first novel.

Visit Rob’s website and/or follow him at: Instagram: @rob_seabrook, Facebook: @authorrobseabrook, Twitter: @SeabrookRob

Rob is running a giveaway up to 15th February, offering five copies of the book or eBook to new subscribers.

More spiritual practices for this year

Over the last few weeks, we’ve begun to look at spiritual practices that we can incorporate into our daily lives, starting with lament and how we can utilise the psalms when we need to lament ourselves. I want to round off this mini series by looking at a few more spiritual practices I have found useful over the years.

Simple one-phrase prayers

This practice is so easy to do as it really is as simple as praying a short phrase. This actually came out of a challenge that someone in the small group I was in at the time shared with us, and I have found myself coming back to it again and again in recent years. We were encouraged to pray these two simple phrases at different points: “Order my day” and “What’s the one thing?” For someone prone to self-sufficiency, the very simple act of praying “order my day” reminds me that God is in charge of my life. As I pray I sometimes visualise taking my hands off the steering wheel and allowing God to sit in the driver’s seat.

The idea of asking God to help us focus our day helps bring order – for those of us with too much to do in a day and feeling overwhelmed, but also for those for whom days stretch out endlessly and we feel lonely – asking God for that one thing he wants us to focus on brings a clarity, a focus and a closeness to him.

I have also found offering up my daily ‘to do’ list to God, and asking: “What’s the one thing you want me to focus on today?” helps me to lay all those things I might think are important before him, actively seeking what his priority is for my day. I have seen him open up some unexpected opportunities to help others that I believe I would have missed otherwise.

One word

Another ‘one’ that I’ve incorporated into my year since 2017 now, is prayerfully choosing ‘one word’ that I feel God wants me to be the focus of my year. It is a really helpful practice and, while I know many people will already have their word for the year, if you haven’t chosen one yet, do take a look at this blog where I explain how I choose my word, over on the Premier Woman Alive website.

Lectio divina

Finally, I want to share how life-enriching I have found lectio divina – in fact, the book club I run usually engages with a lectio at the start of each session and we have all come to enjoy the chance we have to slow down and really engage with the text, and with Jesus.

Lectio divina is a Latin term meaning ‘divine reading’. It is a traditional Benedictine way of reading scripture, giving time and space to really connect with it. In the 12th century the Carthusian monk Guigo II formalised the approach into four steps: read, meditate, pray and contemplate. The emphasis is on lingering over a passage and allowing it to affect us. It isn’t about theological study; rather it is about encountering Jesus and allowing him to speak directly to us. This approach can be done with any portion of scripture.

Utilising lectio divina

Pick a portion of scripture then use the following steps:

1. Read: Sit in a comfortable chair and relax. Take time to slowly read your chosen verses, paying attention as to whether a particular verse or phrase jumps out.

2. Meditate/Reflect: This time when you read the passage, focus particularly on the phrase (if you have one). Rather than analysing its meaning, ask Jesus what he wants to say through it. Are there any insights he wants to share with you from this passage and/or phrase?

3. Pray/Respond: Read the passage again then offer up all your feelings and responses to God in prayer. Ask Jesus for guidance on how to pray as necessary. Journalling can be helpful too. Be open to any changes that God may be instigating. This is where you can start a dialogue with God.

4. Contemplation/Rest: After a final read through of the passage, sit before God in silence. The emphasis here is on ‘being’ rather than doing.