For He Himself is our peace

[Christ Our Peace] For He Himself is our peace - Ephesians 2:14a

I was so excited. I’d booked a post-Christmas/pre-New Year trip to Paris for a few days with my sister on a travel site. As of the time of writing this, our trip is scheduled for the 27th of December. About a week after making the payment I realised that my first name was missing from the booking so I checked on the British Airways website and learnt that only the travel agency could request my name change. So I contacted them on the 11th of December, and was told that it take 7 days to action my request. I called again on the 18th when I hadn’t heard back from the travel site, and was told by the travel agency that it’s actually 7 business days as the BA Trade Support office do not work on weekends, and that they were working on it. (Not true, by the way). Then I was told to wait another 2 days, which I did and surprise, surprise they didn’t contact me.

Then it was, “someone will call you in 4 hours”, then in “2 days” and then in “2 hours.” This went on, up until Friday, the 22nd. Meanwhile, BA told me that the only request they’d ever received from the travel agency came in on the 22nd. I’m sure you can imagine the level of my frustration. The final straw occurred that Friday, when someone at the travel agency came back to me saying that BA asked them to make the request again on Monday (Christmas day) as their systems were down! But I knew the BA Trade Support office would be closed on both Christmas and Boxing Days and my trip was the day after!

To some of you reading this, it does seem trivial. And in the grand scheme of things, it is. But in the moment I was really stressed about it as I would not be able to travel if my ticket and passport names don’t match. Anyway, in the early hours of Saturday (23rd), in those first few moments of lucidity, just as the realisation that this was the last day that this issue could be resolved I heard in my spirit the words from 1 Corinthians 10:13:

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

The words “…but with the temptation will also make the way of escape that you may be able to bear it” jumped out at me. And I felt a peace and assurance that everything would be fine. Regardless. And it all is. Sometimes we go through things that are beyond our control. Some big, some small. Some life changing, some not. There may be times when it seems like so many things are coming at you at once and you feel like life is dragging you around. Just as many families are revelling in festivities during this Christmas/New Year, there are many people facing many challenges. Jesus did say that in this life we would face trials, but that we should be of good cheer because He has overcome the world. Despite what we face, as believers in Christ we are assured that He will never leave us and that He would strengthen us and give us the grace we need to face life. He is our peace.

Ufuoma Daniella Ojo is a Software Training Manager and a Personal Performance Life Coach.

Looking back, looking forward

Once again, we are almost at the end of another year. How was 2011 for you? Was it a wonderful and fulfilling year when you achieved much more than you even hoped with your writing? Or was it perhaps a difficult year, with many challenges and disappointments along the way?

My year has been an interesting one. Early on, I completed my sixth novel and left it to ‘sit’ while I busied myself with speaking engagements. Then around the middle of the year, I tackled my first work of non-fiction—quite a challenging journey for me. Not long after, I began to experience severe sciatica in my right leg, the result of some longstanding, lower back problems. This kept me grounded at home much more than normal, which did not help personal book sales and also made writing difficult, since I could not sit for long periods at a time. Yet I did manage to complete the first draft of that non-fiction work and am now deep into reflecting on the feedback I have received from my manuscript readers.

So for me, 2011 has been somewhat challenging, yet also very fulfilling. But it is almost past now. It is time to look to the year ahead and be ready for whatever it may hold. And as I do, my mind is once again flooded with many questions. Will my sixth novel be accepted for publication? Will I end up with enough speaking engagements? What should I do with my non-fiction work? Should I stay with my current publisher for that or try another? Is it even worthy of publication?

Recently, I unearthed a poem I wrote way back in November 1985, at an extremely challenging stage of my life. While I am not in anywhere near as difficult a place now as I was then, I still relate to the words it contains as I grapple with the questions I know will face me in my writing journey in the coming year. I share this poem here in the hope that it may perhaps help any of you who may be in some turmoil and confusion right now with your writing. It is really a prayer, a heart cry to God, based on the beautiful words of Isaiah 9:6 (For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace).

Wonderful Counsellor, surround me with your wisdom.

My mind is tired, with indecision torn.

Where is the path prepared for me to follow?

I need you, Lord, to watch, to guide, to warn.

Almighty God, defend me with your power.

My weakness wins, my courage ebbs away.

O Holy One, great Lord of all creation,

For strength to stand secure I humbly pray.

Everlasting Father, how you love me!

I am your child, forgiven, forever free!

O hold me fast, transform me to your likeness,

Till men in me your face more clearly see.

Prince of Peace, bestow your calm assurance.

My heart is troubled, turmoil takes control.

O send your soothing Spirit to surround me.

Speak, Lord, till I am still within my soul!

How amazingly blessed we are to be able to cry out to our Wonderful Counsellor, our Almighty God, our Everlasting Father and our Prince of Peace wherever we find ourselves in our lives! I am humbled yet again as I reflect on the wonder of Immanuel—God with us. And I am even more humbled that God is using me to write books that will touch hearts and make a difference for the kingdom, whatever the difficulties along the way.

Jo-Anne Berthelsen grew up in Brisbane and holds an Arts degree from Queensland University. She has also studied Education and Theology and has worked as a high school teacher and editor, as well as in local church ministry in Sydney. Jo-Anne loves communicating through both the written and spoken word and currently has five novels published by Ark House – ‘Heléna’, ‘All the Days of My Life’, ‘Laura’, ‘Jenna’ and ‘Heléna’s Legacy’. For more information about Jo-Anne, please visit her website, www.jo-anneberthelsen.com.