Just an old book?

I recently did something I have been putting off for years. With great regret, I at last steeled myself enough to throw my much-loved and much-used NIV bible I have had since somewhere in the middle 1980s into the bin. In one way, it felt as if I was throwing part of me out along with it. My hands had held that deep red cover so often that a lot of the fake leather had worn off and my fingers had turned some of those pages so much that the corners were ripped, with one or two having disappeared altogether.

Now many might think, ‘Why all that fuss? It’s just an old book!’ And at one level, that is true. After all, it is not the book itself that is sacred but rather the words it contains—and they can be found just as well in my brand-new, more recently translated NIV bible I received at Christmas or in any other bible. And yet … and yet …

You see, that old bible symbolised so much to me in so many different ways. It was my companion through countless amazing times in my life, as well as hugely difficult ones. I carted it with me to all sorts of places—on camps and retreats, away on holidays, to lectures at theological college, to nearby parks to sit and reflect, to places where I spoke. When it finally become too risky to use while speaking somewhere because it threatened to fall apart on me, I let it rest on my desk beside my laptop and bought another copy to take with me instead. And there my favourite, old bible has remained for many years now as I have written several more books and many blogs. I have read it each day, then left it lying open so I could look over at any time and be reminded of what God had said to me as I read. And sometimes that re-read turned into a little prayer, either whispered or spoken aloud—perhaps for perseverance in writing or in preparing a message to speak somewhere or as intercession for someone else.

As well as featuring occasional finger-marked and dog-eared corners, some of the pages of that old bible also contained verses I had underlined or highlighted with a little line at the side. At times, I had even put an exclamation mark beside some words that had particularly impacted me or left a brief comment there in tiny letters. And I had read some passages so often that I could visualise where the words I wanted to find were on the page before I even looked them up—so much so that even my other NIV bible of the same vintage did not seem quite right to me at first.

Yet, I know I will soon become used to this other bible now open on my desk. I am familiar with its wording and will keep my more recent Christmas NIV for speaking somewhere. Whichever bible I use, it is still God’s precious Word that I look forward to exploring again in the year ahead and finding great wisdom and encouragement in its pages. And I hope you do too.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalm 119:105

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Those cloudy connections

‘You’re brave, attempting a Facebook Live Book Launch,’ someone told me recently.

I laughed, but wondered if ‘brave’ was the right word to choose. Surely ‘foolhardy’ would be better—or even perhaps ‘slightly deluded’? After all, while I use Facebook often, I have never quite understood it all. As well, our internet connection can be a little hit and miss at times, for unknown reasons. And we also suspected that, when too many people are using the internet at once, the sound quality of a Facebook live video can be affected.

Nevertheless, because of COVID restrictions, we decided to go ahead with an online launch, rather than a face-to-face gathering, which might not be possible on the day. We knew it would not be the same, being unable to see friends and family in the flesh and celebrate together over afternoon tea. And there would be no opportunity for them to pick up my latest novel and decide whether to buy it or not. Yet we realised there were advantages too in hosting an online launch. For a start, friends and family far away could join in. And if someone was unavailable at the actual launch time, they could always watch the saved version later.

At last, the moment came this past weekend for me to sit down at my laptop, take a deep breath and press that red button that said, ‘GO LIVE’. But as I waited for everyone to ‘arrive’ at the launch, I saw some comments from my audience about the poor sound quality. I sat closer to the microphone, but that made no difference. All I could do was forge ahead, hoping everyone could hear well enough.

And they did. To my great delight, even a good friend far away overseas was able to join in at 7.30am her time when it was -6 degrees Celsius where she lives. Undeterred, she snuggled under the bed covers, still in her warm PJs, and watched my live launch via her mobile, as I sat talking at my desk here in Sydney, in the middle of a heatwave!

I’m so glad that sound was good enough for her to understand me. But as I reflected more on my rather heart-in-mouth experience, I began to think how often, in the midst of life’s pressures, God’s voice can sound so muffled and distorted, just as mine did for my audience. Yet that is definitely not God’s fault! God is always there, speaking clearly to us each day through the written Word and in other ways too. Instead, I am the one who muffles or even mutes that loving voice, as I refuse to listen, choosing instead to busy myself with other things. Yet, just as I made the decision to keep talking during my launch, despite that poor sound quality, so God perseveres with us, always reaching out to us in love and grace, always calling us back, longing for us to listen.

In John 10:27, Jesus says:

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me.

May we all be such good listeners and good followers. And may we not let those cloudy connections muffle God’s voice and spoil the beautiful, loving relationship God offers each one of us!

PS If you missed the online book launch of my latest novel Down by the Water, please click here.

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A special celebration

Recently, I did something I have never done before. Each day for one whole week, I deliberately chose to do some special activity I have wanted to do for some time but always had a reason not to. On top of that, I did not cook dinner any night that week. Instead, we ate out or bought takeaway. You see, the whole thing was a unique birthday present for me—and what fun it all was!

Originally, my husband had wanted me to enjoy a few days away somewhere by myself—to relax, recharge and spend time with God. I thought about this lovely idea and even looked up various venues online but did not feel settled about any of them. Then one night, it came to me. I did not want to go away anywhere. Instead, I wanted to enjoy different, interesting experiences within reach of our own beautiful unit, then come home and not have to cook dinner! A win-win situation, don’t you think?

In the end, we called this wondrous week ‘The Festival of Jo-Anne’ (!)—and I thoroughly enjoyed it all. I went shopping, twice over. I went to the movies. I had coffee out. I had a massage. I read. And in between, I had time simply to sit and be and reconnect with God. Yes, it was all very good indeed.

But one reason I enjoyed it even more was that, two weeks earlier, I had finally finished the first draft of my latest novel that had languished on my laptop for over three years, waiting patiently for me to unfold the rest of the story. This special week of mine then was also for me a time when I came up for air, so to speak, when I allowed my poor brain to rest, when I graced myself a little more than usual—and when I sensed God’s love and grace being showered on me from every angle. It was a lovely, hiatus period—a time to gain clearer perspective, not only on my novel, before I plunged into all that necessary editing, but on my life in general.

At one stage in writing this particular novel, I wondered if I should keep going. Should I be content with the eight books of mine that have already been published? Was that where God wanted me to stop? But one day, I sensed God saying gently to me, ‘Jo-Anne, whether you write this book or don’t write it, remember I’ll be just as delighted with you either way!’ What gracious, loving, freeing words to hear! I did not need to feel pressured to produce in any way. Instead, I had permission to write the sort of novel I have wanted to write for some time and to leave the outcome in God’s hands.

Yet I think God was saying more than that too. I think God wanted to remind me that, all the time, whether celebrating the Festival of Jo-Anne or writing or speaking or whatever, I can rest fully in this amazing love of God that accepts me, no matter what.

How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 36:7 New Living Translation

Maybe you too need to hear this reminder right now?

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