Libraries Christchurch Fundraiser / Christian Writers Guild

At the library I was reading in we had six readers and their writing covered fiction, humour, biography, poetry and mine (Christian). A great array of voices from the past, imagination and eternity. I didn't count but there seemed to be over twenty listeners. There were laughs and there was pin-drop silence.

It was difficult reading to such a mixed audience. I could feel disapproval from the front right hand row. In fact those people would hardly look at me afterwards. Isn't it amazing how God's word and even words about Him convict! But there was also genuine interest. One listener came up afterwards and told me he was fasinated by what I had read. It had really made Him think and he was going to get my book KNOW GOD MORE out of the library.

This makes it all worthwhile. God is always working. He is always surprising.

The next day I spoke at the Christian Writer's Guild in the morning.I shared about my life and how God had worked in it in so many surprising ways and how He had impressed on me to transform this into books.I shared counselling theories to help them grow the depth of the characters they wrote about and dig deeper into truth so their writing made sense. I encouraged a greater depth of revelation in their work. God is always willing to reveal. The question is - are we listening?

Pain of tragedy

So much pain! Not only in Christchurch but also Japan. My own children visited that nuclear power station only a few years ago. Their host family are alright they assure me. But so much pain! Thousands of families grieving and most of them don't know God.

And what can we do? We can give money of course but what else? Most of us feel helpless. Tonight I am reading in the Auckland Libraries Fundraiser for Christchurch. I will be reading from the Introduction of 'Know God More' and they will not be a Christian audience. I wonder how they will respond to the questions I bring up about God, the scriptures as part of that text, and my own heart as the book describes my search to know more about God, what He is like, to know Him personally so I can at least try and understand Him a little more.

'Know God More' was the result of me trying to do just this - get to know Him - in the face of pain and tragedy in my own life. And I did succeed. I still don't know Him fully of course but I do know Him so much more than I ever did before even though I had been a Christian for years and attended Bible studies, retreats, home groups, ocnferences and more.

It is a knowing, at the end of the day, that is a revelation. A gift from God. And yet locked in this longing to know Him even more intimately we can continue to explore, read, pray and yes, even in the midst of terrible tragedy we can find Him.

Christchurch Earthquake

Last week a huge earthquake hit Christchurch - the greatest disaster in our nation New Zealand - and very few people are left unaffected in some way. Auckland where I live is at the opposite end of the country. My closest friend's youngest brother's wife's sister is missing - now presumed dead. She was the mother of two small children. It may seem like a distant relationship but this is just one of many, many similar connections. And where is God?

What a huge question to ask in such trauma, pain, loss and grief. And how dare one ask? But we must. For God is always present, always powerful and always loving. People can surmise. Perhaps we will never know why He has allowed this catastrophe to occur. But He has? And He is still always present, always powerful and always loving.

Lord we need more love, more grace, deep healing and Your Spirit of goodwill, of generosity, of loving kindness to permeate even the hardest hearts now at this time. Use even this for Your glory.