Category: Books

Bearing Fruit, Book Review, Books, Christian Writer, Faith, New Author, The Word of God, Uncategorized

NOTHING BETTER THAN A GOOD BOOK…

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Beyond the Hills by Maressa Mortimer

I love books and I love reading, and one of the absolute delights of becoming a published author is making lots of new friends who are also writers. And who write great books – that they send me free copies of – and ask me to review for them! I am thrilled that my blog this week forms part of the Blog Tour for the new book by Maressa Mortimer, Beyond the Hills.

Beyond the Hills is the second book in the series of the Elabi Chronicles, fiction aimed at young adults but suitable for anyone teen and above. Walled City introduced us to Elabi, a dystopian world set sometime in the future, where society is strictly controlled, emotions are frowned upon, and faith actively prohibited. In the first book, Gax, a young man on a mission to share his faith, infiltrates the city for a time and becomes frustrated at how little he seemingly can do to make a difference. Beyond the Hills picks up from after he leaves, and shows just how much he did achieve, unknowingly, by living a different way among the people he interacted with. And by leaving behind a legacy… in the form of a few thin pages torn out of an ancient book.

I love reading, but the book I love reading the most is the Bible. I make no apologies for that. It has become more and more important to me, particularly over the last few years, to spend time in that amazing book. The Word of God, is exactly that to me. It speaks life and health and strength to me, every day. I was so thrilled then to discover that a major theme of Maressa’s  new book is the power of the Word of God to transform a person’s life.

The central character in Beyond the Hills is a girl called Macia. She appeared only as a minor character in the first book, and when we first meet her she is the perfect Elabi citizen. Her father is a council member and she is aiming for the highest class status she can achieve, through hard work and assiduously keeping the rules. She is outwardly successful in her ambitions and her future seems secure, but inwardly she is struggling. Someone she was once close to mysteriously disappeared from Elabi, and left a letter containing a bundle of thin pages from a now barred book. Macia fights the urge to read the words on those pages but something draws her to them. The more she reads, the less resistant she is to reading more, and bit by bit she finds herself longing to read those life-giving words, returning to them over and over again, memorising them, and letting them change her heart. The changes in Macia do not go unnoticed, and to give nothing away, she finds she has to cling to those words she memorised to survive the devastating consequences of choosing to follow the God they introduce her too.

I asked the author why she chose to have Macia come to faith in God through the Word of God alone, and whether she knew of anyone else who had come to faith that way? This is what she said:

I wanted Macia to be touched by the Word, without any help. I think as Christians we can easily forget how powerful the Word is, and we think it’s up to us to ‘reach the lost’, forgetting God’s Spirit working irresistibly in people’s hearts. Macia has no understanding, or desire, to know God, yet the unfamiliar words, printed on strange paper, draw her back time and again. I found it utterly fascinating, and I felt myself wondering if she would carry on reading or throw the pages away. I have heard of people becoming Christians after reading the Bible only, but I can’t remember exact names or places. In most cases, I seem to remember that those people had met missionaries handing them the books, so at least there was some outside influence. I felt it was a message of hope, a casting your bread out on the water, trusting God to bless it and make it fruitful.

I thoroughly enjoyed Beyond the Hills. It did help that I had read Walled City first, but it does stand alone as a very readable and compelling story. I loved the way Maressa wove truths of scripture into the narrative, and her insights into Macia’s thoughts and feelings. I found myself drawn into Macia’s journey with all it’s twists and turns, and rooting for both her, and her fledgling faith in God, to survive. I am looking forward to book three, and knowing Maressa, it is well and truly in the pipeline!

Maressa Mortimer is Dutch but lives in the beautiful Cotswolds, England with her husband and four (adopted) children. Her debut novel, Sapphire Beach, was published December 2019, and her first self-published novel, Walled City, came out on 5 December 2020, followed by Viking Ferry, a novella. Beyond the Hills is the second book in the Elabi Chronicles, and will be released on 18 June 2021.

Maressa is a home-schooling mum as well as a pastor’s wife, so her writing has to be done in the evening when peace and quiet descend on the house once more. She loves writing Christian fiction, as it’s a great way to explore faith in daily life. Her books can be found on her website and on Amazon in both kindle and paperback format. You can follow Maressa on both Instagram and Facebook @vicarioush.ome

Bearing Fruit, Books, CHOOSING HOPE, Christian Writer, Faith, God in control, Lessons from life, New Author, Rick Warren, Seasons of life, Uncategorized

GOD’S GARDEN OF GRACE

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This is my how my front garden looks at the moment. I took this photo yesterday on our obligatory visit to our home/building site. The overflowing skip and wrecked sofa are especially decorative features I feel (there is a move to more hard industrial landscaping, and ‘outside room’ living in modern garden design, isn’t there?) But actually I would quite like my front garden back – the little patch of well mown grass, with it’s ornamental tubs overflowing with bright summer flowers; and a well managed shrubbery, without cement mixers and scaffolding boards hiding under the bushes. But saying all that, our bright pink Azalea is actually doing really well. We were worried for it, as it had to be moved pre-build, and they don’t like being moved, apparently. It’s lost a few leaves but the flower display is pretty spectacular nonetheless.

I also listened to an interview clip yesterday featuring Rick Warren. The well known ministry leader and author was being interviewed by a Christian television network about how he and his wife dealt with the sudden suicide of their youngest son some years ago. It was a moving interview, especially when he spoke candidly about his son’s lifelong struggle with clinical depression, and the years of seemingly unanswered prayers. But Rick also spoke about how during his too short young life his son had led people to faith in God, counselled some who were contemplating suicide, and helped others deal with their own mental pain. In describing this, the phrase he used that really stood out to me was this one,  ‘In God’s garden of grace, even broken trees bear fruit’. Now he may have said it before, but it was the first time I had heard it and it struck a chord.

There is a lovely scripture in Psalm 1 where it talks about the tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth it’s fruit in season. I love how The Passion Translation puts it,

 ‘they will be standing firm like a flourishing tree planted by God’s design. Deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss, bearing fruit in every season of their lives.’  Psalm 1:3 TPT*

 I love this, because I believe, like Rick Warren, that it is possible for our lives to bear fruit for God whatever season of life we are in, whatever we have gone through, or are going through. In fact sometimes it is even the brokenness itself which causes the most bountiful fruit to appear. My book is that – the fruit of a season of brokenness in my life. By God’s grace, I stayed planted in His garden, even when it felt that my roots weren’t quite as deeply planted as I wanted them to be. Obviously, like that Azalea, my weak, disturbed roots managed to stay held deep enough that my life continued to produce something alive and beautiful for God.

So when I look at my front garden now, I can see that actually little has changed. The cherry tree has blossomed and is in leaf, the shrubs are growing healthily, the grass (and the weeds) are flourishing, and once the build is done – once that season has passed – the garden will return to it’s former glory. But meanwhile, as long as those plants stay rooted, they will continue to bear fruit.

Joy Margetts is new to blogging, and new to being published. Her debut novel ‘The Healing‘ was published by Instant Apostle on 19 March 2021. A work of historic fiction, set in mediaeval Wales against the backdrop of Cistercian abbey life, it is also a story of faith, hope and God’s redemptive power. Joy has also self published a short novella, ‘The Beloved‘ as both a companion to ‘The Healing‘, and as an easy to read standalone story, which is available to buy on Amazon Kindle.

More information on Joy and her writing can be found here www.joymargetts.com

*The Psalms: Poetry on Fire, The Passion Translation, copyright 2012. Used by permission of 5 Fold Media, LLC, Syracuse, NY 13039, USA. All rights reserved.

Book Review, Books, Christian Writer, Faith, God in control, New Author, Uncategorized

‘ARE WE NEARLY THERE YET?’

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BOOK REVIEW: NOT KNOWING BUT STILL GOING by JOCELYN-ANNE HARVEY

‘Are we nearly there yet?’ For anyone who has ever transported young children on a car journey of any length those words will be alarmingly familiar. And yet put yourself in that poor child’s place for a moment. Strapped into a moving vehicle with no idea exactly where you are going, how long it will take, and what you are going to find at the other end; that is, with no control whatsoever. A child in that situation has only one option- to trust the adult driving the car – that they know where they are going, how long it will take, and what is at the other end of the journey.

For many of us life feels a bit like that at the moment. Uncertainties surround us on every side. How long is this pandemic going to last? What are the easing of restrictions going to mean for us and our loved ones? Is everyday life coming out of this going to look very different? What about vaccines and variants, and foreign travel, and homeworking, and schooling, and exams, and church? The questions are endless.

It is into this world of uncertainty that a great new book by Jocelyn-Anne Harvey comes, with such a timely message. ‘Not Knowing But Still Going’ is an exploration of the story of Noah’s Ark, from the perspective of those who travelled in it, the women in particular. If ever a journey was uncertain and an outcome unknown, it was the voyage of the Ark.

Jocelyn- Anne does a marvellous job of getting us to imagine what life pre-flood, life on the Ark, and life post- flood might have been like, by fictionalising parts of the story, including giving those nameless wives names of their own. I love the cover of this book, it is beautifully designed, but what really caught my attention was the strategically placed washing line! I love that, because in reality the Ark was much more than a floating zoo, or an escape ship, it was those women’s domestic world, their home, for over a year. In that Ark they had to cook and prepare food, for themselves as well as the animals, they had to make comfortable places to sleep and rest, and they would have had to do the washing! Although it probably wouldn’t have been hung outside to dry! How did they cope? Not just with the enormous job of keeping them all fed and cared for (animals included), and living with the in- laws in close proximity in the most strict of lockdown bubbles! But also with the realisation of what the flood meant to mankind. How would it have felt to know that they were the only survivors, and that life, and even the earth itself was going to look very different when they emerged from the Ark? And they were going to be responsible for repopulating the earth, and with only each other to rely on? They had no control over any of this, and no real idea of what any of it was going to look like.

I love animals, but I could not imagine being shut in with a whole menagerie for all that time. In a sense Jocelyn-Anne creates a veritable menagerie of complimentary ideas with her writing. Alongside the fiction and the imaginings there is a wealth of wisdom. Her knowledge of scripture is evident and she uses it very well. She also applies things that she has learnt from her own life experiences and these add real weight to the book (I’d have liked more of these – some stories left me hanging!). It is also rich in other well researched detail about the geography of the earth pre- and post flood, the construction of the ark, changes in weather and diet after the flood. Some things take you by surprise- like getting up in the night and stepping on an escaped snake in the dark would! And others require you to examine your pre-conceived ideas and think more deeply on these things. You may find you struggle with some points of theology or supposition, but it certainly does make you question and go back to the Bible, and that is a very good thing.

The book is divided up into chapters that follow the story of the flood, tackling such subjects as: working with what you know, not pleasing people but leaning into God, being content in the waiting, sensing when new windows are opening, and the importance of family. Ultimately Jocelyn- Anne shows us how it is possible to keep going without knowing, trusting God to know what He is doing, and living the way He would want us to do, amidst the uncertainty. It is aimed primarily at women, and the author does celebrate particularly the way God sees and honours women, which I appreciated greatly. Throughout the book, the author challenges the reader to think and apply things to their own life and experience. I particularly loved that each chapter ends with a really helpful prayer, and some questions as an aid to thinking more. The book even provides blank pages for journaling, if you can bear to write on the pages of a pristine new book!

This is a great debut book from an imaginative and obviously well- read writer. If anything, I found it almost too rich. I read it through fairly quickly so that I could review it as part of Jocelyn- Anne’s blog tour, but I know I am going to have to go back to it, and re-read certain parts again. And maybe, just maybe, bring myself to write something on those empty journaling pages!

Not Knowing But Still Going by Jocelyn- Anne Harvey was published by Instant Apostle on 21st April 2021 and is available from all good bookshops or from a variety of online shops including: Foyles, Waterstones, Aslan , Eden, Amazon  Amazon US and The Book Depository (this has worldwide free shipping).

Jocelyn-Anne loves the Lord, learning and literature. She has a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Chichester, and her flash fiction has been published. Having taken the leap from her senior HR role in the UK Government, Jocelyn-Anne can identify with those walking through uncertain times, and she is passionate about supporting others through theirs and helping them develop. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her in a coffee shop with friends, exploring coastal paths or trying out recipes.

Books, Christian Writer, Faith, God in control, Lessons from life, New Author, Thankfulness, Uncategorized

WHERE DID THAT WINDOW GO?

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We are in the throes of having some major renovation work done at home. This has necessitated us moving out temporarily, but not so far away that we cannot nip back home most days to check on progress, pick up post and phone messages, water the plants etc. I take photos too, lots of them; the advantage of the handy smart phone with built in camera. These photos are creating a marvellous timeline of the changes as they occur and I’m sure we will look back on them in time and wonder, when the final transformation is complete. It also means I can keep the family up to date as well, my son especially, who lives an hour away and thinks he has a vested interest (his inheritance!)  I’m sure he would be project managing it himself if he lived nearer…

One of the photos I took was this one of a blocked up window. There was something about it that really spoke to me, I think especially because of the arch at the top, that showed where the window had been. First they removed the window and then blocked it up with building blocks. Then a few days later the first layer of plaster went up; you could still see where the window had been but it was definitely looking more like a wall. And then the final plastering occurred and now there is no real trace of the window at all. It is in a room that was being used for little more than dry storage and had four windows that all needed replacing.  As this one looked out on to another wall, we took the decision to block it up, and use the resulting wall space for some much needed shelving, in what will become our new office/writing room.

You might have heard the old adage, in Christian circles at least, ‘when God closes a door, He opens a window’. In fact if you are a fan of the old musicals, like I am, then a very similar phrase occurs in The Sound of Music, where Mother Superior is trying to counsel a distraught and confused, lovesick Maria about renouncing her vocation. The open window in her case is to leave the Order and marry her Captain.

In my experience, sometimes God closes a door and then goes on and blocks up a window too! Just so that we get the message that we are completely in the wrong room!

Some years ago I was faced with a major life decision. The time had come around, as it did every three years, to pay to renew my registration to practice as a nurse. I had not nursed in practice for a while. If I paid up I would have to not only find a job where I could practice my clinical skills, but I would also have to do some refresher courses to get myself up to date. If I did not pay to renew my registration, that was it. I could no longer work as a nurse without an extensive period of retraining. I had to decide whether that would be the end of my nursing career once and for all. It was such a tough decision, but one ultimately that I had little choice in. I was not well enough to work in clinical practice any more. And all the studying and training I had done over the years was seemingly going to be wasted. The window was going to be well and truly blocked up and the door slammed shut.

But like that blocked up window, traces of my past life remain. I can still remember enough to advise friends with medical queries, keep an eye on my husband’s blood pressure, and talk my daughter through new -born baby care from a midwife’s perspective. But nursing is not a window that I am ever going to be able to re-open. And actually I’m fine with that. Because just like that room, and that (once window now a) wall, are going to have a completely different use when all is done, so my life has taken a completely different path. If you had told that nurse/midwife ten years ago, that one day she would be an author of Christian historic fiction, she would have laughed out loud!

I am actually really glad that God plans the ongoing renovation and remodelling of our lives and not us. He knows that closing certain doors, and even blocking up the odd window or two, is not the end of what He has for us. Sometimes it takes time and reflection, to look back and see just how good a building designer He is. So if you are feeling like doors and windows are closing all around you, take heart. He could be that He is leading you into stepping into a whole new room altogether.

Joy Margetts is new to blogging, and new to being published. Her debut novel ‘The Healing‘ was published by Instant Apostle on 19 March 2021. A work of historic fiction, set in mediaeval Wales against the backdrop of Cistercian abbey life, it is also a story of faith, hope and God’s redemptive power. Joy has also self published a short novella, ‘The Beloved‘ as both a companion to ‘The Healing‘, and as an easy to read standalone story, which is available to buy on Amazon Kindle.

More information on Joy and her writing can be found here www.joymargetts.com

Books, CHOOSING HOPE, Christian Marriage, Christian Writer, Faith, Lessons from life, New Author, Uncategorized

A PERFECT MARRIAGE?

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Two weeks ago my hubby and I celebrated our wedding anniversary. I say ‘celebrated’ – the celebrations included a short drive out to a local beauty spot, and a home- cooked steak dinner! Which suited us fine. Neither of us do big gestures, but it was good to mark the day and especially look back and thank God for our marriage, and His faithfulness to us over the years. Is ours a perfect marriage? Well after 29 years it must be pretty good, right? It is! But it is not perfect; it never has been and probably never will be. There have been times when it has been a fight, and times when it has been a joy. But we made vows to one another and before God, and by His grace, we are still here, and still one, and still loving each other.

This week I have also had the joy of reading a new book, ‘Grace-Filled Marriage’, by Claire and Steve Musters. I agreed to be part of their launch team, not entirely sure what I had signed up for! But I have been privileged to be able to read a pre-publication copy of this amazingly insightful and helpful book. I have devoured it. Perhaps having been married a good many years, it seems strange to be reading a book on marriage, but the truth is that we still make mistakes, we still unintentionally hurt one another, and we still need grace – buckets full of it.  I also found it a challenging read. It is heart- breakingly honest in places, and disturbingly convicting in others.

‘Grace Filled Marriage’ is a perfect marriage in my humble opinion. It brings together great scripturally based wisdom and advice, and marries it seamlessly with compelling real- life stories. I found these little snapshots into other people’s marriage struggles particularly helpful, not least the authors’ own candid revelations of their own troubled marriage journey. It is a brave thing to do, to let God use your own ‘warts and all’ story to bring hope to others. And I think that is what Claire and Steve have done. You know that they know what they are talking about. You can trust they have ‘been there, done that’, and come through it all with a stronger, more loving, more God- honouring marriage  -because of His redemptive grace and their willingness to fight. I pray God will honour them for that vulnerability.

The book is 12 chapters long, each tackling one area of marriage where we need to exercise God- given grace with each other. They cover such subjects as complacency, forgiveness, conflict, and championing one another. Each chapter contains at least one story from a real life marriage, and ends with a few thoughtful and helpful questions to ask ourselves. As well as being a great read for individuals, it is potentially a great resource – for couples considering marriage, for newly-weds, for all marrieds wanting to be better at it, or for small study groups.

As I said, we don’t have a perfect marriage, and I don’t actually think God expects us to have perfect marriages – we’re not perfect people after all. But in the same way as He is working in us, and changing us as individuals, from glory to glory[1], to becoming more a reflection of Him, the only perfect one, so I believe He also wants our marriages to get better and better, with His help. I read this book alone, although there were times when I paused to share some particular nugget of wisdom, or challenging thought, with hubby. As a couple, many of the things the book deals with we have already learnt, the hard way sometimes, in our nearly 30 years of marriage. But we can still learn more, so we have decided to go through the book again together, slowly and prayerfully, and see how we could be doing better. And by God’s grace we will.

Grace Filled Marriage by Claire and Steve Musters is published today, 7th May 2021, by Authentic Media, RRP £9.99. It is available via all the usual bookselling outlets but you can bless Claire and Steve particularly by purchasing a copy direct at

Bookshop

[1] 2 Corinthians 3:18

Books, CHOOSING HOPE, Christian Writer, Faith, Lessons from life, Medieval Fiction, New Author, Thankfulness, Uncategorized

BIRD’S EYE VIEW

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Out temporary home is a little self contained flat on the top floor of a four storey Victorian terraced house on the seafront. Where I sit to write is by a window, that if you look straight out of all you can see is sea and sky. Some days it feels like you are onboard a gently rocking ship, and a little disorientating to say the least!  However, if you peer over the windowsill and look down, the view is much more revealing.

From where I sit, or stand (to get an even better look!) it really is a bird’s eye view. I can say that, because opposite us is a street lamp that both seagulls and pigeons use as a handy perch, and that perch is a good 6 feet below our window. I have the opportunity here to do what I cannot do at home –  to people watch, and to do it unnoticed! What is it about beaches, and holiday makers, and day trippers, that I find so fascinating? The lunatics who think swimming in the sea on a freezing April morning is a good idea? The hapless novice paddle boarders who paddle aimlessly round and round in circles? The stalwart sea fishermen who sit for hours and seemingly catch nothing? Or perhaps the young couple who don’t realise they have an audience for their amorous canoodling?

No, I am not a voyeur! But it is hard not to smile at the things people do when they don’t realise that they have an audience. It has keep me entertained, particularly on the days when the ME symptoms make contemplating the four storeys of stairs difficult, and I have missed getting out to enjoy the unseasonably warm sunshine, and the cool fresh sea breeze for myself.

We have a magnificent sea view from our own home too. But it is very different. The sea is further away and there is a garden and field between. We can see and hear people, but only at a distance. We are much more likely to bird watch from our windows at home, than people watch. I miss it. And being able to step outside effortlessly, through my ground floor patio door, into the sunny garden beyond.

It made me think about how our views and perspectives can change, dependent on the season of life we are in, and what we are experiencing. In both homes I have so much to be thankful for. It’s different here, but it is still good. I miss my home, but I am blessed to have somewhere warm and comfortable to stay whilst my home is being rebuilt. I have days when it is hard to get a good and helpful perspective; when I feel weary, when the news in the media is sad, when the book sales have slowed down, when the build is delayed… but I have learnt the lesson that Hywel teaches Philip in the early pages of The Healing…

‘Being thankful is a good place to start in order to begin to see thing more positively. Be thankful for the everyday things, big and small. Focus your mind on those good things that you are grateful for.’  

 The Healing , p 29

I am thankful for my bird’s eye view and for the laughs it has given us. Thankful that I live in such a beautiful place, with such amazing vistas. And most of all, thankful that God is with us here, and in it all, book sales included!

The Healing was published by Instant Apostle on 19th March 2021, and is now widely available in both paperback and kindle format.

Signed paperback copies are also available direct from me at www.joymargetts.com for £9.99 including UK postage. Visit my website for more information and do sign up to receive my newsletter.

Books, CHOOSING HOPE, Christian Writer, Faith, Lessons from life, Medieval Fiction, New Author

JUST AN OPPOSING VIEW

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I took this shot whilst visiting the building site that is our home this last week. As I looked at the photo, the word that came to mind was ‘juxtaposition’. I love it as a word – juxtaposition – the way it rolls off the tongue. It starts with a hard, almost jarring, ‘jux’ and then tapers into a soft ‘tion’ at the end. Which is apt when you consider what the word means

Juxtaposition:  ‘The fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect.’

So things or images placed together that create a startling contrast: hard with soft, light with dark, gloomy with cheerful.

I guess my photo is an example of the juxtaposition of two views. There is the pile of slabs, the mess, the indication of the upheaval of the demolition that is going on out of shot, against the calm serenity and unspoilt beauty of the coast, sea, sky and mountains beyond. In fact the whole building site is one great juxtaposition. There are instances of it all over the place – the period windows against the new plasterboard walls, the glorious view looking out of the window, against the not so glorious view looking back in through the same windows!

It got me thinking. We are surrounded in life with juxtaposition. This last year or so has highlighted that more than ever. We live among contrasts and conflicts. There is joy and there is grief – like a sovereign celebrating her birthday within days of burying her beloved consort. There is laughter and there is tears, often in the same day, or at the same occasion. We are socially distanced, and separated by miles, but perhaps closer in some ways via Zoom, than we ever have been before. We celebrate life events and walk through our days of work and family life, and yet around us the world is still in turmoil. Perhaps it is all just one big juxtaposition.

As Christians we know all too well what it means to live in tension. We know the reality of the Kingdom and all that God promises and yet somehow the reality of life, as we perceive it, doesn’t always seem to fit with what we believe. We sometimes have to choose to look beyond the things we see, feel, and understand, and hold on to the truth His word promises and declares. We can have hope because of what Jesus did on the cross and because of what is promised us, in eternity, and in the here and now.

When you look at that photo, or at this one, where are your eyes drawn? I’d like to guess that you don’t focus on the mess in the foreground but instead your eyes are instinctively drawn to the beauty beyond. That’s how it should be with us. We need to learn to live in the juxtaposition that life throws at us, by not focussing on the mess that seems to be closest to us, but by focussing our eyes, hearts and minds on the expansive, light filled, beauty that is Him.

God knows and understands. The cross was perhaps the biggest juxtaposition of them all. Love hung bleeding, for the sins of us all, the righteous for the unrighteous. Separated from God so that we could draw near. Death bringing life. Our reason to hope.

The Healing, my debut novel is described this way ‘impossible to read without encountering hope.’ Part of my healing journey was learning to choose hope in the face of despair and you can read more about it in the book. It was published by Instant Apostle on 19th March 2021, and is now widely available in both paperback and kindle format.

Signed paperback copies are also available direct from me at www.joymargetts.com for £9.99 including UK postage.

Books, Christian Writer, Dealing with Fear, Faith, Lessons from life, Medieval Fiction, New Author

THAT FEAR THING

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It has been incredibly busy week. We have packed up our lives, and moved lock, stock and dog into my parents’ house, so that the builders can start the much anticipated reconstruction of our home. It has been stressful, and exhausting, and frustrating at times. There have been moments of hilarity and also the odd raised voice. We are so grateful for the use of the self- contained flat at the top of Mother’s seafront Victorian house, but that means stairs – lots of them – and that is a challenge for both me, with my limited mobility, and for the old, confused, arthritic dog!

Mother’s seafront flat

The feeling that has been there in the background, for me, during the whole of this process, and finally came to the forefront last night, is fear. I know, as a ‘good’ Christian I shouldn’t let fear overwhelm me (I even wrote about it in my book!) but honestly, it does sometimes. Before I had ME I was pretty fearless about most things, but one of the by- products of my condition is fear (mostly irrational). In the early stages of my illness I became hypersensitive and had strange reactions to things like shampoos, body lotions and some foodstuffs. It has left me very careful and controlling about what I use on, or let into, my body! It is not as a controlling fear as it was – it is one of the things God has been working on with me. A couple of years ago I would not have contemplated the huge changes that are happening in our lives right now. So that is good! Really good.

So what got me so fearful? The jab. Yep, the Covid vaccination. Not facing the needle – as an ex- nurse, they don’t faze me – but actually having a foreign substance injected into my arm. The rational me knows the facts – how safe and important the vaccine is. The irrational fear panicked me about what effect the vaccine might have on my body – would I have a severe reaction, or long lasting side effects? ‘You may feel tired, experience headaches, have flu-like symptoms’ – well that just about describes every day living with ME! I don’t need any more of those type of symptoms, thank you!

Empty house, confused dog

Fear is real. Even irrational fear. And it can very easily overwhelm our minds, hearts and emotions. It is not wrong to be fearful. It is a natural human response and I refuse to be condemned, as though experiencing fear is some sort of sin or failure. Instead I need to learn how to respond to that fear. I knew that I needed to get some God truth in me to build my faith and fight back. Funnily enough I was prompted to read something I had written myself…

It’s amazing how the things around us can either make us feel at peace inside, or can steal our peace. Storms without can cause storms within.’

‘It is true,’ Hywel replied. ‘The kind of peace I want more and more is the kind that Jesus had, that He promises can be ours. A peace that stays true despite our circumstances.’

‘The peace that Jesus experienced during that storm; how do you think He came by that?’ Philip was keen to know the answer. Was that a kind of peace available to him, he wondered?

‘Several things, I think. It was a gift from God, obviously, but I believe Jesus accessed it by His own will. He trusted God to protect them. He knew enough about God’s plan for His life to know that it wasn’t His time to die, and also that God had a reason for wanting Him on the other side of the lake. He had a God-designed destiny, and a God-arranged destination, and an appointment with a demon-possessed man needing to be freed. He also knew who He was, and that He had the God-given authority to calm the storm. He chose to believe in those things, and not the evidence to the contrary that the storm seemed to present.’

‘So,’ Philip thought out loud, ‘inner peace comes from faith in God.’

‘Yes, I would say so. We choose to have faith in who God says He is, and what He is capable of. We can also take courage from who He says we are, His sons. We can trust that He has plans for our lives, and He has the power to accomplish those things for us.’

‘Were you afraid on the ship?’

‘Honestly? Yes. Fear in itself is a normal human reaction. You would expect to feel fear every time you entered a battle?’ He glanced over at Philip who nodded in response. ‘I was afraid, but I have learned to do the things God requires me to do, even when I feel fear. He promises to ride the storm with me, every time.’ He continued, ‘I prayed the whole time that God would help me, to not let my fear become greater than the faith I had in Him to keep us safe. My mind was eventually able to find a degree of peace, unlike my stomach.’ He smiled wryly.

The Healing , Chapter 7, pp 94-95

I wrote that because I know it is the truth, but it is a truth that I am still learning! Sometimes I get it right, sometimes I don’t. Today I read it again before we left for our appointments, and His peace went with us. We got our jabs, all is well, and even if it gets a bit rough over the next day or two, I know that He will be with us. That fear thing? It’s not going to win.

The Healing was published by Instant Apostle on 19th March 2021, and is now widely available in both paperback and kindle format.

Signed paperback copies are also available direct from me at www.joymargetts.com for £9 including UK postage.

The website also has more about me, the story behind my books, and some historic background which you might find of interest.

Books, Christian Writer, Faith, Lessons from life, Medieval Fiction, New Author, Uncategorized

THE STORY OF ‘THE BELOVED’

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We’re still packing and shifting, sorting and skip filling, and the date the builders are due to start is getting uncomfortably close. I’m also still trying to keep up with my book marketing and writing. I have written two guest blogs this week; one that will appear on my wonderful publishers’ website later this week, and one for the ICFW (International Christian Fiction Writers) which is due out in April sometime. What a great privilege to be asked to write about my book! I have uploaded the fabulously edited video recording of my Book Launch Party (if you missed it – the link to the video is on my website), and sent a few more signed copies of the book out. But probably the most exciting thing I have done this week is published another book!

I know! How awesome is that? If a bit greedy, I guess, when I have only just launched the first one! But actually this one has been ready to go for some time, and I so wanted it to be out there as a companion book to The Healing. So I am really pleased to announce that THE BELOVED is now also available, and I am over the moon to introduce you to it.

The Beloved is a novella, and a short one at that. Just four chapters. It is a love story, but not your typical romance. Set in the years following the events of The Healing, it does feature some of the same characters, and a similar setting, without giving too much away. This is the blurb I wrote for it:

When love whispers, will the heart respond?

A young woman unsure of herself and not ready to open her heart. A young man sure of his feelings but clumsy in his approach. Both have a lot to learn about the true nature of love. This story takes them on a journey of discovery, which causes them both to come to a place of understanding, that will ultimately alter the direction of their lives. It isn’t only an understanding of human love that needs to touch their souls, but the realisation of the unconditional love that God offers them.

Margam Abbey

 So where did the inspiration come from for the story? I wanted to write a short story to provide a snapshot of the world of The Healing, perhaps to encourage new readers, definitely to satisfy those clamouring for more, and to give me a bit of breathing space to finish the other novel (more on that another time!) Who to base it on? A character barely mentioned in The Healing caught my attention, and they became my person to build a story around. I knew what the person looked like and their character traits already, because of their parentage. And I saw a great deal of myself in them too, as writers often do in their character creations. I knew it was going to be a love story, but I’m not a romance writer, and I didn’t want it to be sloppy or fluffy. I also knew I wanted it to teach spiritual truths, as The Healing does.

Then the idea began to formulate, because again it was based on my own life experience, and the convoluted courtship my now husband and I embarked on many moons ago. The feelings and the frustrations, the questioning and the confusion, as described in the book, are true to life, if the setting and exact events differ somewhat! I will leave it there to not too give much more away. I wrote it some months ago, and then got the manuscript copy edited by the incredible Sheila Jacobs, and a stunning cover designed by David Salmon. The same people who had worked on The Healing were kind enough to invest in The Beloved too. So the two books sit really well together.

I do hope you will get yourself a copy of The Beloved and enjoy reading my little love story. It is currently only available in Kindle format. It is free to download if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, and will cost you less than the price of a cup of coffee if not. You will find it here

It is also available on Amazon sites worldwide.

If you do read and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review of the book on Amazon.

I am still taking orders for signed paperback copies of The Healing via my website http://www.joymargetts.com, where you can also sign up to receive my email newsletter.

The Healing was published by Instant Apostle on 19th March 2021 and is also available on Amazon, in paperback and kindle formats, and from other online book sellers worldwide.

Books, Christian Writer, Faith, Lessons from life, Medieval Fiction, New Author

A MESSY OLD PROCESS…

joymargetts

I realise with horror that it is over two weeks since I last wrote a blog post! Needless to say, life has been hectic. The last two weeks, leading up to and including my book launch were a roller coaster ride, in the sense that each day seemed to hurtle by, sweeping me along with excitement, a definite adrenaline rush. It all went so well! The blog tour was AMAZING and I am so grateful to all of those who wrote such glowing reviews, and designed such creative interviews. And the Book Launch went better than I could have imagined, with my high class tech team beside me. It was a truly lovely evening and so many came! I was left feeling well and truly launched!

This week is a whole other kettle of fish. We have long planned to have extensive building work done to the house, but as with most things recently there have been delays, and more delays. Suddenly, and unexpectedly, a builder was available and willing to start at Easter! So panic stations have ensued. We agreed… ‘let’s get the book launch out of the way, and then it is all systems go’. The whole ground floor has to be emptied or packed away. So we have been hurriedly packing, and sorting and shifting. Yesterday we finally emptied the kitchen cupboards and hubby started to demolish them…with relish! It is a very old kitchen and desperately in need of updating.

I hastily took some pictures so that we could have some for the obligatory before and after pictures, once the work is completed. The reality is that will be some weeks before I have a proper kitchen back. It has been a dilapidated kitchen, and a quirky one, but it was my kitchen, and I have managed to feed my family from it successfully for over 10 years (we thought we would be replacing it long before now!) Now the kitchen is a true mess, and the next few days before we are forced to move out, will be a bit like cooking whilst camping.

Transformation is always an unsettling and often uncomfortable process. It can get very messy in the middle. It might be that we know that change is necessary, and it will be worth it, but the pain of the process can be daunting, off putting even. So it is spiritually. God is in the business of transformation. We come to Him with all our imperfections, functioning ok maybe, but definitely with room for improvement. And He begins a transformation process that bit by bit makes us more and more like Him. And this process can be messy, painful, unsettling, but we need to allow Him to make those changes, and not resist or hold back out of fear of the process. We need to trust Him and allow Him to do what He needs to do in us. The mess will be worth it.

Another thought struck me as I took those photos of my half demolished mess of a kitchen. I can picture what the new kitchen will look like, imagine the shiny new cupboard doors and silky smooth worktops, the flashy new stove and the wood effect floor. I am trusting that what I picture in my mind WILL actually become a reality. When God looks at messy old me, He doesn’t see the flaws and imperfections that I see, instead He already sees me as He has designed me to be. In His eyes I am already perfect. The finished article. Because when He looks at me, He sees Jesus.