Thank you for writing

By Jenny Glazebrook

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel discouraged when I see all the books out there. How can adding one more make any difference? How can my tiny drops add anything to those endless streams feeding into the lake of literature?

Well, these last few months I have been still before the Lord, waiting for Him, and it has been the words of you, my Aussie and NZ Christian author friends, that have added drops that created such a ripple in the quiet waters of the lake that it resounded for days, stirring up my heart and changing who I am deep inside.

The week after conference my son became unwell and was in hospital. For the hours we sat around, I read. And the books I read were a comfort and brought joy in an otherwise turbulent time. Then I came down with my son’s illness and for three months I was deaf in one ear, lost my voice and was in constant pain with no energy.

I decided the best thing to do was write. So as I could, I updated one of my manuscripts. But then the pain in my wrist became so bad I couldn’t do that, either. The Dr. diagnosed RSI – a callous had developed over a tendon and the only answer was to rest or get one of those programs where you speak to your computer. Problem: I still had trouble with my voice coming and going.

So I rested and slept and read. I read Meredith Resce, Susan Barnes, Lucy Thompson, Adele Jones, Anusha Atukorala, Kara Isaac, Anne Hamilton, Jo-Anne Berthelsen, and many many more. Thanks to conference I had a new supply of books, and when that ran out I went back to my shelves and re-read books that had previously blessed me.

There is not enough time or space to share the details of all God did, but here is one example:

I was reading Jo-Anne Berthelsen’s book, ‘Becoming Me’. Everything she said struck a chord with me. I was born into a family of extraordinary achievers, especially in ministry, and I put this expectation on myself as well. Because of my cleft lip and palate and other medical issues I also felt I had to prove my worth and my right to be alive. Despite working through it many times, feeling worthless and unlovable is my default. And those niggling thoughts came back this last year when I and my family were unwell and I was unable to ‘do’ and pulled out of ministry in every official role. My self-worth had become dependent upon my achievements and gifts and how well I perceived myself to be using them. And now I was sick and suffering and couldn't do anything.

Then on New Year’s Eve I was reading chapter 6 of Jo-Anne’s book. She wrote about a beautiful vision God gave her; Jesus was holding her as a baby and delighting in her. 

Picture courtesy Photobucket.com

All her achievements were swept aside and He just loved her before she could even do anything. 

I know Jo-Anne and so I thought, 'Yes, but of course God delighted in Jo-Anne'. I couldn't put myself in that picture as a baby God delighted in because I was deformed and caused heartache for others from the moment of my birth. Yet I longed for it with all my heart - to know that God delights in me despite my weakness and helplessness - despite all the mistakes, the failures, the imperfections ...

Then I read one line. Jo-Anne said of her vision,  

‘ … God had reached out to me in the very final hour of the old year in a way I could never have imagined – and I was so grateful.’ 

This had happened to Jo-Anne almost 30 years ago, the hour before the new year. 

I looked at my clock. It was 11.15pm New Year's Eve. 

And I found myself weeping as God touched my heart and reassured me He feels exactly the same about me, and has done since I was conceived. That picture was for me as well, all these years later as He spoke personally to me through this book. I had been so afraid for the new year and had lost hope, but that is now renewed as the pressure to perform is taken and I am reassured God loves me whether I can 'do' anything for him or not.

God touched my heart in a special way through Jo-Anne’s honesty and humble self-revelation.

Now maybe there are books out there that have the same message. But I don’t know about them and didn’t have access to them. And I doubt any of them have that exact line; those exact words that reached in and touched me in such a profound way at that exact time.

And each of the books I read had a similar impact. I was able to drink deeply from the lake of literature here in Australia and New Zealand and it was these drops – your drops - that satisfied my thirst and drew me closer to God.

So what am I saying? 

I am saying, please don’t be discouraged.

Please add your words. 

Maybe someone else has said what you’ve said, but they haven’t said it exactly the way you have. And God may not have put that other book in the right place for that one person who needs to access it. Or maybe it has a cover that turns them off, whereas yours has something that appeals to them.

God is working. He is using your words. They are filling the lake of His love and purpose and touching the lives He always purposed them to touch. You may never know or hear just how deeply they have affected someone. Each of the books I read touched me in a special way but it is so profound I can’t explain it and haven’t tried. Even as I try to explain what happened with Jo-Anne’s book, words seem insufficient. So you may never know, but God knows and the person they touch knows.

Thank you for your faithfulness in writing.

Thank you.

Jenny Glazebrook lives in the country town of Gundagai with her husband, Rob and 4 children along with many pets. She is the published author of 7 novels, 1 traditionally published, and 6 self published. She writes because words burn within her. She is an experienced inspirational speaker and loves to encourage others to walk closer with God and hear His voice each day. She has a Diploma of Theology and has been a CALEB finalist 3 times. To find out more about Jenny go to her website: www.jennyglazebrook.com