There’s a joke in our family about my writing efforts. When my first novel was published, a certain son of ours maintained he would buy some copies when they were outside in the three dollar bargain bins at our local Christian bookstore! He did redeem himself, however, and ended up purchasing quite a few for work colleagues—at full price!
Then there is another joke about my books I suspect one of our daughters started. The conversation that began it all went something like this:
‘Would you like me to sign your copy?’
‘Oh yes! That way, when you’re really famous, after you die I can auction it on e-bay and make my fortune!’
A rather flattering sentiment on the surface—yet not when said with a wicked grin and a twinkle in the eye!
Some years back, not long after my second novel was published, I drove to a nearby suburb to check out a venue where I had been invited to speak to make sure I knew where to go. I had just crossed the busy road opposite the building when a woman on the footpath stopped dead in her tracks and stared intently at me.
‘Oh … are you Jo-Anne Berthelsen?’
‘Yes,’ I responded, somewhat disconcerted.
‘Oh, it’s so wonderful to meet you! I’m so excited—I love your books! I recognised you from your photo on the back of your novel!’
Now to be fair, it turned out this lady was the one who had invited me to speak, so she had no doubt scrutinised that tiny photo quite closely. But when I mentioned this event in an email to a friend who lives overseas, I received the following response:
‘Well … you’ll just have to start wearing sunnies whenever you go out so people won’t recognise you, won’t you? That’s the price of fame!’
This then became another running joke about my writing career. Alas, five novels and one non-fiction book later, I have not yet felt the need to invest in a pair of designer label sunnies to remain incognito!
Any wonder then that some words in Philippians this week caught my attention. Actually, it was a heading in that chapter that I saw first—‘Shining as Stars’! I read on and came to the following:
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life … (14-16)
Now that’s the sort of star I really care about becoming. Forget the sunnies and the amazing prices for my signed books on e-bay! I haven’t arrived yet—I certainly can’t lay claim to doing everything ‘without complaining or arguing’. But I want to honour God in all I do and to continue holding out that word of life to others, not only through my writing and speaking but also through the way I live my life in general. I want to be the sort of star that really matters—the sort that reflects the pure light of God, shining brightly and making a real difference in our dark world however I can.
How about you? Are you on your way to stardom too?
Jo-Anne Berthelsen's Blog 
Wow Jo- Anne, can I have your Autograph too before I have to pay for it but to be honest I have to wear sunnies all the time too 😎 but not because I’m famous, it’s the Sun in my eyes, oh well we can’t win them all but I do take comfort and inner joy in my qualifications to do God’s good works (see below) as I’m sure you do too….
1 Corinthians 1: 25 31 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in His presence. But of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
The Scriptures tell us to stand up for God’s Truth even if others reject it and us, so sometimes we will need to do the same as Jesus did, Paul and His other disciples even at the risk of death, which is to present the facts firmly without wavering, so what is the difference in regard to complaining or arguing, their all about us, not God’s Truth, His good works, injustice or what He calls evil.
Does that mean we can’t present our case when we are being badly treated ect No but it is how we do it, does it mean we don’t get upset, No, our emotions are God given, we don’t have to be Happy Clappy all the time but we don’t hurt others or become bitter and resentful and seek revenge.
I also remember that words used in modern translations of the Bible are not always how they were presented in the Greek, some words change over time and so does their meaning, so I Trust in God to show me the difference.
Thanks for the opportunity to share with you my heart thoughts Jo- Anne.
Christian Love – Anne
Thanks so much, Anne, for your thoughtful comments. I love that Corinthians passage you quoted. And I think you express yourself very well. I don’t really think I’ll ever have to wear sunnies because I’m famous (!) but it’s fun to joke about it!