Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Lessons from our vast land

I have just checked out a map of the world and noted that many of us in this writers’ group come from very large countries, geographically speaking. Apparently, my own country of Australia is our planet's sixth largest, yet we have a population of only 22.68 million, most of that number living around the coastal rim. We Aussies live in a vast land—a fact that impacted me again recently when my husband and I undertook two interstate road trips.

Last month, we drove south from our home in Sydney to the edge of Melbourne, Victoria, for me to speak at a special women’s event—a journey of about nine hours. We then headed to Bendigo in central Victoria and home again via a more inland route through Wagga Wagga and Bathurst and back over the Blue Mountains. We enjoyed our trip very much—the countryside was green, the scenery beautiful and, to top it off, we found lots of interesting, old gold-mining towns to explore along the way.
Then this month, we undertook an even longer road trip north to Queensland—around eleven hours of driving. We headed up what is commonly called the coast road, a route we love. There is one spot that is my absolute favourite where, just after cresting a hill, we always gasp in amazement as we gaze at the beautiful hinterland of the Northern Rivers area, with its lush hills and valleys, stretching away to the blue Pacific Ocean in the distance.

We decided to come home via an inland route, through country towns such as Armidale and Tamworth. Again, I was blown away by the vastness of our land, as we drove through wonderful cattle and sheep grazing country, as well as farms where crops such as wheat and canola were being cultivated. We love this route too, away from the lushness that characterises a large proportion of the coast road, but equally breathtaking with its rocky mountain outcrops, typically Aussie bushland and wide, rolling plains.
As we undertook these long drives, I began to realise God was using them to change my heart attitude and widen my perspective on things. These past few months have been very busy for me, with lots of speaking engagements, the launch of my latest novel, The Inheritance, and extra grandchild-minding duties—not to mention my writing! In it all, I had become quite ‘me-focused’, trying to balance everything and being consumed by each little task. I believe God used the vastness of our land to show me how insignificant all my little worries and cares truly are when compared to the vastness and wonder of his creation. Surely God, the all-powerful Creator and Sustainer of our entire country, is well able to empower and sustain me in my little speaking and writing journey!

The psalmist says it all, don’t you think, in these first two verses of Psalm 121:
I lift up my eyes to the hills—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

With the Lord as our Helper, watching over us day and night and over all our coming and going, as this psalm goes on to say, what more do we need in our writing journeys?
Jo-Anne Berthelsen lives in Sydney but grew up in Brisbane. She holds degrees in Arts and Theology and has worked as a high school teacher, editor and secretary, as well as in local church ministry. Jo-Anne is passionate about touching hearts and lives through both the written and spoken word. She is the author of six published novels and one non-fiction work, Soul Friend: the story of a shared spiritual journey. Jo-Anne is married to a retired minister and has three grown-up children and three grandchildren. For more information, please visit www.jo-anneberthelsen.com or www.soulfriend.com.au.

9 comments:

  1. So true Jo. I'm glad you had a chance to get a feel for God's handiwork amongst all your busy travel and speaking engagements.

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  2. Thanks, Rita. We have done these interstate trips many times, but there is always something beautiful to see that we hadn't noticed before. So good to reflect again on God's amazing creativity.

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  3. Lovely post Jo-Anne. In a previous church we used to sing that psalm. It was one of my favourites. I enjoyed The Inheritance, Jo-Anne which I reviewed on my blog on Monday.

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  4. Thanks, Dale. And I'm very glad you enjoyed 'The Inheritance' as well--thanks for the review too which I have now read. God bless!

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  5. Ok, I am coming across the world to visit now.

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    1. I'm sure you'd love it, Jenn--I hope you can one day soon!

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  6. You feel about Australia much as I feel about my part of the United States. They say that Kansas (my state) is full of nothing, but the skies here are beautiful, the beauty of the flora and fauna makes you look at detail, not gross outline, and there is such variety.

    We are nearly equal distance from both the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. And the trip to either makes one cross mountains and plains and hills.

    When you think that God created each and every detail with as much dedication as He created us, the mind cannot fully grasp it. We have a magnificent God.

    Now, to figure a way to get to Australia.... :-)

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    1. There are lots of flights over this way, Judith! Or you could take a cruise ... When we all write those best selling books, I'm sure we'll be able to afford it!

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  7. Enjoyed your thoughts, Jo-Anne, especially as Ray and I only arrived home a week ago tomorrow from our own trip from Tasmania to Brisbane and back - over 5,000 kilometres this time. My blog up today (Nov 4th) is about how God reminded me He is always in control, no matter how carefully we try to plan our journeys. We did see damage as we travelled through some areas of God's creation damaged by fire in New South Wales this year. Thankfully He had also organised our journey not to be delayed by road closures on the Pacific Highway while they were ravaging south of Newcastle..

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