A Persistent Christmas Fantasy

It seems that for all of my adult life I’ve cherished a beautiful Christmas fantasy. In my mind I’ve pictured myself lounging on the sofa in mid-December by a fully decorated Christmas tree. Under the tree are exquisitely wrapped gifts for all my family and friends. Traditional Christmas carols waft through the air, mingling with the scents of my completed Christmas baking.

And I am reading a Christmas novel.

Well, I said it was a fantasy. Actually, over the years I have managed to include reading a few Christmas novels. Not in the idyllic relaxed mode of my daydream, of course, but rather by snatching a few moments for myself in the midst of the rush. And those few moments have provided scenes of delight, opening windows to Christmases in other times and other places—as good novels always do.

Titles I especially recall are Two from Galilee by Marjorie Holmes, Anne Perry’s Christmas novellas such as A Christmas Secret and Liz Curtis Higgs’ A Wreath of Snow.

This year I had hoped— am still hoping— to add to the list of Christmas novels offered to readers with my own entry: An All-Consuming Fire, the culmination of my Monastery Murders series:

A Christmas wedding in a monastery— what could be more idyllic? And Felicity has never been happier, in spite of her over-bearing mother who wants to turn the whole event into a royal affair and Antony’s worries over the television series he is narrating on the English Mystics. Then Felicity takes on responsibility for directing an Epiphany pageant for Kirkthorpe’s wayward youth. At least, most of the vexing disruptions occurring on the filming locations are miles away from the Community of the Transfiguration. Until the threats move closer. Close enough to threaten Felicity’s life.

The strapline is: Will the murderer stalking the Yorkshire Moors shatter the joy of Felicity and Antony’s Christmas wedding?

But at the moment it seems that the more pertinent question is: Will Donna’s Christmas novel be published in time for an idyllic read by the Christmas tree?

Well, much of the message of Christmas is about believing and holding on to our dreams, so I’m still hopeful. And, after all, the wedding isn’t scheduled until the end of the Twelve Days of Christmas, so that gives Felicity and Antony more time to solve the mystery and An All-Consuming Fire more time to make its debut.

Please share with us titles of some of your favorite Christmas reads.

Posted by Donna Fletcher Crow www.DonnaFletcherCrow.com 

The benefits of being a Christian author

Many times over the past few years since I began writing my novels, I have stopped and thanked God for the privilege of doing something I absolutely love. Being an author and speaker feels a perfect fit to me – something I think I was born to be. Yes, there have been difficult and torturous times when I wondered if I would ever be able to craft my current work in progress into something that would even approach being readable and if those novels in my head would ever be published. I still have my times of struggle, as I’m sure you all do too. But it’s my conviction that while we as Christian authors go through the same ups and downs as any other author, we have much greater resources available to us to survive the whole journey than those who do not have any faith in God.

I don’t mean that in any sort of self-righteous or smug way, but I’m so thankful God has been faithfully there for me throughout my writing journey when I would have been tempted to despair and give up. I have met quite a number of authors who find it hard to stay afloat and not become moody and depressed when they suffer yet another rejection from a potential publisher or when their books don’t sell well or when they don’t win that particular competition or award. Of course those things devastate us as Christian authors too. But we have a resource beyond ourselves to turn to – someone who understands rejection, who loves us unconditionally, who will still be here long after all the books on this earth will have crumbled into dust. We might be deeply discouraged, but we have God’s Holy Spirit, the ‘Encourager’ within us, comforting us and urging us on. As Paul puts it in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9:

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed.

I have also found it so encouraging that when those negative messages pound away in my brain, telling me my books will never really make it and I might as well not waste my time, I can stand firm, knowing God clearly called me to write. It was not just my idea. Sure it was something I had always wanted to do, but around eight years ago, God made it very clear, through a specific bible passage at a turning point in my life, that this was his desire for me at that stage. I therefore launched into writing with much greater confidence and experienced God’s close presence and affirmation throughout the writing of my first novel. God was in it all with me – and that was so reassuring.

And God is still in it with me now, as I approach the release of my fifth novel. When I wonder if I can keep going and tire a little of looking for every opportunity to promote my books and get out there and speak, he reminds me that it’s not all about me. God has gifted me for a purpose – and that is to use my gifts while I can to point others to him and bring him honour and glory. It’s not all about how many books I can sell. It’s not all about what makes me look good or becoming famous or making lots of money. My writing is definitely fulfilling for me personally, but it has a much larger purpose too – and that inspires me above all to keep going and not give up.

God understands. God calls. God enables. Surely we are of all authors most blessed?

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 four published novels – ‘Heléna’, ‘All the Days of My Life’, ‘Laura’ and ‘Jenna’. She is married to a retired minister and has three grown-up children and two grandchildren. For more information or to contact Jo-Anne, please visit her website, www.jo-anneberthelsen.com.

Pressing on

I have recently returned from a trip to our beautiful, Australian island state of Tasmania, home of another member of ICFW, Mary Hawkins. I had been invited to speak at a conference there, so took the opportunity to set up a few more speaking engagements and interviews while there and also to enjoy some sightseeing with my husband. Our time away was therefore a mixture of ‘work’ and play, both of which I found very enjoyable.

Now I have deliberately chosen to use inverted commas around the term ‘work’, because in one way, my speaking engagements, interviews and book-selling opportunities hardly seemed like work to me. I love speaking. I regard it a privilege to share something of God’s love and grace and forgiveness and understanding and peace and so many other things in this way. And I’m happy to be interviewed about my writing journey and my novels. I even enjoy the hours spent preparing my various talks. It is very different from writing my novels – and yes, at times I resent being pulled away from what my characters are about to do or say – but I still enjoy piecing a good talk together and hopefully hearing what God wants me to say.

Yet all this speaking, setting up engagements, getting to the various places and liaising with those involved can be draining too – particularly if one is already quite tired and also in pain. All through our trip and a few weeks prior as well, I suffered from severe sciatica in my right leg, making walking, standing for long periods and even driving quite uncomfortable. I was glad we had planned some rest days in between speaking engagements so I could try to relax completely. And God showed his great faithfulness in that I felt I was given strength just when I needed it to deliver my input and share what he had placed on my heart to share with passion and conviction. I got there in the end. People were apparently blessed and challenged – and I even managed to sell quite a few books in the process!

On returning home, however, I have found it so easy to slip into discouragement, as I catch up on various chores and deal with the many emails that have piled up. Was it all worth it, I wonder? Did the effort and expense involved outweigh the ministry that resulted from my speaking, not to mention the number of books sold?

But then I realise whose voice I am listening to. That discouraging voice certainly doesn’t belong to God, but rather to the enemy, who, as Scripture tells us, is a liar, an accuser, a deceiver and a destroyer. I should know by now to close my ears to that voice and instead to choose to believe the encouraging, comforting words God longs for me to hear. And as I do, I know God is assuring me I did my best, that yes, it was definitely worth it, even if I did not make any great monetary profit, and furthermore that people will be challenged and changed as they continue to read my books. And I am humbled and so grateful.

Yet I also realise that God is challenging me to press on, to continue to serve him in the unique way he has given me. Having ‘put my hand to the plough’, I am not to look back but to keep working and writing until God tells me to stop. And I am reminded of and encouraged by Paul’s words in Philippians 3:13b-14:

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining forward to what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

May you also be encouraged in your own writing journey to continue to press on and run the race God has called you to run. Whatever the cost, it’s so worth it!

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 four published novels – ‘Heléna’, ‘All the Days of My Life’, ‘Laura’ and ‘Jenna’. She is married to a retired minister and has three grown-up children and two grandchildren. For more information or to contact Jo-Anne, please visit her website, http://www.jo-anneberthelsen.com/.