Letting down the nets

How do you honestly feel as you face the new year ahead? Right now, for some at least, everything is swinging into top gear again as school begins and as church programs get under way. For others, perhaps it is more of the ‘same old same old’, with nothing much changing. For some, this may be a time full of anticipation and excitement at the thought of new experiences and fresh challenges waiting to be conquered. For others, the year ahead may seem far too daunting – or, alternately, perhaps too dreary a prospect to contemplate for long.

This year began with a bang for me, with the release of my third non-fiction book, Swansong (click here for more details). But, after the initial excitement of launching a book, hard work of a different kind begins – not writing and editing this time but speaking at various places and promoting my book in whatever way I can. I knew this would be the case – this is my tenth book, after all – and I am happy to tackle most aspects at least of the whole marketing side of things. I enjoy meeting people as I promote my books at Koorong, for example, and I particularly love speaking at all sorts of places – community clubs of various kinds, church groups, whatever. Yet, even when one likes doing something, there are still hours of preparation involved, not to mention hours of emailing and talking to people, in order to set up speaking engagements or organise some other event.

On days when I am a little more tired than usual, this can all seem like a very high mountain to climb – so perhaps that is why I resonated with some words Simon said on one occasion, in response to a request Jesus put to him, when I came across them one morning. In Luke 5, we read how Jesus boards Simon’s fishing boat and asks him to push out from the shore a little, in order for him to be able to teach the crowds better who have gathered around Lake Galilee to hear him. The story continues:

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.’

Simon answered, ‘Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.’ Luke 5:4–5

Immediately, Simon’s last few words caused me to sit up straight and listen carefully to what God wanted me to learn. Simon must have felt so weary already and discouraged as well – to the point where he is unafraid to tell Jesus how hard he has worked already, for no result. Yet he does not refuse to do what Jesus tells him to do. Even at this early stage, before Simon leaves everything and follows Jesus (5:7), he bows to Jesus’ authority and does exactly what Jesus says.

There is so much hidden in those few little words ‘because you say so’, isn’t there? Respect. Honour. Trust. Obedience. Humility. Hope. May all these characterise our own attitudes to Jesus in the coming year. May we too willingly ‘let down our nets’ again, whatever shape or form they may take and however Jesus tells us to, as we trust him for the outcome.

Read Full Post »

Sharing the joy

‘Congratulations, Jo-Anne!’ a friend said as they greeted me one recent Sunday at church. ‘You must be so excited that your book has finally been released!’

Her comment warmed my heart – and, with relief, I realised I could indeed feel some excitement at least bubbling up inside me. You see, only two days earlier, my latest non-fiction book, Swansong: Start creating your legacy of life-giving words, had been released by Authentic Media UK, an event I had been looking forward to for almost a year since signing a contract with them Yet, those months of waiting had held unexpected challenges on various fronts, leaving me rather depleted in energy and strangely unable to muster much enthusiasm at all on the release of my tenth book.

But God had things in hand. The previous Sunday, as I had moved to serve on our church’s prayer team, another team member turned to me.

‘I think God wants me to pray for you today, Jo-Anne. Is there something you need prayer for?’

Immediately, I told her about my upcoming book release and how much I needed more energy to complete all the various promotional tasks awaiting me at this stage. This lovely lady then prayed earnestly for me – and I was so touched. That afternoon, I managed to organise the invitations for just a small, intimate-sized book launch this time around and, as the week unfolded, I was able to deal with even more book tasks needing to be done. In the days that followed, I let this lady know how God had answered her prayer – and I thanked God myself too for strengthening me and sustaining me.

On the actual release day, after sharing my book news online via email and other ways (please click here for further information), friends and acquaintances began contacting me, congratulating me on having yet another book published. One after another, those messages kept flooding in – and, despite my tiredness, I was so touched. These people, I realised, truly wanted to share in the joy of this moment with me and, as I let that fact sink in, joy gradually rose up inside me too, along with so much gratitude to God, not only for these ones who had sincerely reached out and connected heart-to-heart with me but also for my writing journey as a whole.

In Romans 12:15, we find a simple, clear instruction from the Apostle Paul:

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.’

In the past, I think I have more easily understood the need to do the latter but have ignored the former a little. I know how important it is to walk beside someone who is grieving, to reach out, share their pain and try to comfort them. Yet, since my book was released, I have also realised what a loving, healing experience it can be when others step out and rejoice with us over some happy event in our lives or some milestone we have reached. These people are not acting in a self-centred or uncaring or jealous way. Instead, they are sincerely glad something wonderful has happened for me – and their caring words have encouraged and affirmed me so much. May we all learn to reach out in love and share more readily in the joy of others as if their successes were indeed our own.

Read Full Post »

The legacy of words

Last Friday, my third non-fiction book, Swansong, subtitled Start creating your legacy of life-giving words today, was released by Authentic Media UK. This was a surreal moment for me. When I started writing in 2004, I would never have envisaged that, twenty years on, I would have seven novels and three non-fiction books published. In fact, I was sure I would never write any non-fiction. Yet, as things unfolded, it seemed God had other ideas – including this latest book of mine.

In a nutshell, Swansong is a gentle challenge to consider carefully how God’s words and the words of others have impacted us and how the words we in turn speak and write can best honour God and build others up. The little video below gives a further brief glimpse into the theme of the book:

Copies of Swansong are available from my website, Koorong and Amazon (print and e-book).

Two years ago, I began to wonder if God wanted me to write something about the power of our words and the potential they have to be truly life-giving to others. I played around with various titles for such a book and wondered how I could organise the chapter ideas that were beginning to percolate in my mind, but still found myself quite confused as to how to move forward with it all.

Then one Saturday in March of that year, at the beginning of a Retreat Day at our church, we were encouraged to write down what we hoped God would show us or teach us as we spent time in prayer and reflection that day. I remember I described how confused I felt as to how to proceed with my book and how I hoped God would show me clearly what shape it should take. A few moments later, to my amazement, the word ‘swansong’ came clearly to mind as a title for the book, along with a possible sub-title – ‘leaving a legacy of life-giving words’ – which the publisher later suggested changing to ‘start creating a legacy of life-giving words today’. As a result of this experience, I truly believe God’s hand has been on all aspects of this book from the beginning – and indeed on my whole subsequent journey to publication with the wonderful team at Authentic Media UK.

As I launch Swansong, my heart is full of thankfulness for the way God has enabled me to bring this book into being, despite various challenges along the way. My sincere hope and prayer for any of you who may read it is that you will sense God’s Spirit drawing you closer, revealing more of Jesus to you, the very Word made flesh (John 1) and that you will hear Jesus’ own gentle voice speaking encouraging words deep into your heart. May you be strengthened to speak and write all the words of empathy, mercy, wisdom, forgiveness, comfort and so much more that God has uniquely equipped you to express. May your heart’s desire be the same as David’s when he wrote:

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart

be pleasing in your sight,

Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

And when you reach the time of your own swansong, may God enable you to be at peace, knowing you have done your best to leave a legacy of life-giving words that will continue ministering to others.

Read Full Post »

Letting the past speak

I wonder if you have ever kept a journal of some description. I have done so for years but, these days, I tend to wait until something I experience or read either in Scripture or elsewhere truly impacts me, before putting pen to paper. Yet however many or few entries I have made, it is always enlightening to stop and reflect on them all as the new year begins.

My first observation on reading through my 2023 entries is that I worried far too much about so many issues – those other people were facing and some in my own life. Yet what did all this worrying do, especially where others were concerned? I could not control their actions or responses – they had to make their own choices. But I could pray for them and certainly did, just as I prayed about the issues in my own life – and God did indeed answer, often unfolding things in ways I would never have imagined.

My second observation is that, linked with all this worry, there was far too much fear in me about how things would work out for all concerned, including for me. Yet, I also noticed with some relief the many times I turned to Scripture for the comfort and strength I needed – and God did indeed speak strongly to me through it in different ways. Even now, as I look back on the various verses that particularly ministered to me, I am filled with gratitude and strengthened all over again as I read them:

• The account of the Lord appearing to Abraham and Sarah with news that Sarah would have a child (Genesis 18:1–15), especially verse 14a: ‘Is anything too hard for the Lord?’
• The closing words of a psalm of David, written in the middle of battle:

With God we shall gain the victory,
    and he will trample down our enemies. Psalm 60:12

• The account of how Jesus calms the storm on the lake and reassures his disciples (Matthew 8:23–27), especially verse 26a: ‘You of little faith, why are you so afraid?’
• Various parts of Matthew 9 where Jesus shows his supreme authority through the amazing healings he performs and through his wise words.

My third observation is that, through all the ups and downs of the past year, God steadfastly enabled me to keep going with my writing and speaking and continually reached out to me with such understanding and encouragement. I am sure that, without God, I would not have been able to work my way through the whole editing and publication process of my latest non-fiction book Swansong, due for release very shortly, with my new publisher, Authentic Media UK. As well, God enabled me to complete and submit yet another manuscript to this same publisher and to experience the joy of seeing it too accepted for publication, hopefully later this year. To me, this has been a miracle – I truly feel I have received such favour and mercy from God’s hand.

May God’s favour and blessing continue to rest upon us all as we step into 2024 and seek to love and serve God however we can.

May the favour of the Lord our God rest on us;
    establish the work of our hands for us –
    yes, establish the work of our hands. Psalm 90:17

Read Full Post »

In the right spot

I wonder what your thoughts and feelings are as you look back on the past year. Recently, someone shared with me that most people they spoke to seemed to have had a difficult 2023 in all sorts of ways. Yet, whatever this past year has brought us, here we still are. For all of us, 2024 lies before us, filled with all sorts of possibilities we are yet to discover. What joys will the months ahead hold for us? What challenges perhaps too? Only God knows.

For me, the one thing I do know about the future from past experience is that I want to live it the way God wants me to. I want to do the things God still has for me to do on this earth – and I want to face whatever hurdles I may happen to strike in God’s strength and with God’s help. To do that, I know I need to stay close to God at all times, taking note of those wise words of guidance I find in Scripture and hear as I listen to the Spirit’s voice. In other words, I want to step into 2024, facing the future in the right way, with hope and joy in my heart, whatever is happening around me.

Perhaps that is why I noticed an interesting phenomenon in the garden area around our unit recently. Directly outside our windows, I can see various pretty shrubs and flowers that have been added to as our lovely neighbours have planted a few extra things they like. Slowly, two slightly taller plants began to grow there. At first, I wondered if they were in fact weeds, until I discovered our neighbour had strewn some sunflower seeds around in various spots. Sadly, though, the spot where these two sunflowers are trying to grow does not see much sun, situated as it is between two buildings. Just around the corner from this garden, however, in a different spot, another of these same seeds took off and is now flourishing. I thought it was huge enough and cheered it on as it grew – it looks as if it will flower very soon. But then I rounded the next corner of our garden area and came across its older brother or sister, almost as tall as some nearby trees – and already sporting the beginnings of a huge sunflower. Its seed had indeed found the right spot, exactly where it flourished best and was able to face the sun easily.

Noticing all of this so close by caused me to ask God what I needed to learn as a result. Surely it must be that you and I need to find the spot where God wants us to flourish in 2024 – the best way we can use our gifts to bless others, serving both them and God? Surely too, it must be that you and I need to keep our faces turned towards the Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ, throughout 2024, loving him with all our hearts, listening to his voice and following where he leads?

May we do exactly that in 2024.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.
Seek his will in all you do,
    and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5–6 NLT

Read Full Post »