Why Do I Read–and Write–Christian Fiction?

Why do I read Christian fiction. The answer is simple—well, to me anyway.

Although I also read many other books, I especially enjoy books of the kind I enjoy writing myself of course. Most important to me though are books published by Christian publishers. I know I can trust them not to contain scenes and language I find so offensive they drag me right out of entertaining stories so much it makes me regret spending my money. I love books and it does take a lot to make me want to throw a book at the wall, or even into the garbage bin.

I’ve been a bookworm as long as I can remember. After being old enough to devour all the books on my parent’s shelves, the first actual Christian novel I remember reading was a gift given out to students of my Sunday School. I was only nine years old when given “The Open Door” written by Eileen Heming in the Gateway Series released by Lutterworth Press (London) way back in the 1940s.

As you can see, I still have that book. Over the years I read it so many times the cover became so tattered I carefully covered the book in brown paper and glued the photo of the poor young girl confined to bed on the front. This book had a profound affect on me. It told me how hard it is for anyone confined to lie flat in a bed for many, many months and how different folk from her own church either helped or upset her Then of course there is the day her spine was healed enough for her to actually be able to sit up for a while at the Easter church service.

The injured girl’s name was “Mary” and perhaps also may have been another reason the ups and downs she had to face made me, at such a young age, think deeply about being a Christian.

On the last page, her father tells Mary, “We can look back, now, and see the blessings hidden in everything that’s happened...” and goes on to sum up the good and bad things which had happened to her and the family.

And then these last words were so important for me at that very beginning of my own journey with Jesus:-

     “I’m sure I’ve learned more in these last few months than in all the years before,” said Mary. “I feel as if I’d been at school with the Lord Jesus.”

     “That’s a very good way of looking at troubles,” said her father. “At school with the Lord Jesus—well, only good can come of that.”

Only six years after being given that book my own father died. Was this perhaps one way God was preparing me to know the truth of Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

About that same time I read the first Christian novel by an Australian author, Marjorie Buckingham, called “In All These Things”. It was based on the verse from Roman 8: 37: “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

As I look back now over many, many year of the ups and downs of my life, with a full heart I can say I have proven time and time again the truth of these verses.

So, hopefully now the reason why I write Christian fiction is obvious.

As these books and many others have done for me, my hearts desire is that readers may not only be entertained by my books, but that God will use them to show the truths of His Word in their own lives.

Here January 26th is called “Australia Day”. This is a special historical time of looking back down through our years to the European settlement of the Great South Land. However, also today we have many ceremonies across my beloved country to recognise and welcome new naturalised citizens to Australia. With them, we look to the future. My prayer is it will be one that includes devotion to God and His ways.

And so as I look back, I also look forward to reading—and writing—more Christian fiction.

I would love to hear from other readers and writers about any books that have had a significant affect on them over the years.

Book Readings, Organs and Spires

I saw the notice on the Tasmanian Writers Centre news.
".... any writers interested in reading during an event planned for the 150th anniversary celebrations of the charming St Mary's Anglican Church... Dr Lindsay Hutchinson will be presenting an organ recital on the beautiful 1860 pipe organ..."

I play (kinda) organs, Ray also loves classical music, we are both published, Hagley’s small village less than an hour’s drive away.

                                  “Why not?” thinks Mary.

We are just so honoured to have been able last Saturday evening to share together in this beautiful old church. This is a painting on a card available for sale at the church (and also with the photos used here with permission). Perhaps to many of you reading this, 150 years may seem only a very few compared to the old church buildings where you live. It is certainly not the oldest church here in our comparatively “new” Australia.

Ray and I only fully realised this when visiting a cathedral in England for the very first time. We stood in awe before the plaques on walls of Canterbury Cathedral with names and history going back to the first century AD. And after living for two years in England and able to meander through the beautiful countryside, we could not get over the fact it seemed every village, no matter how small, had a church spire reaching to the heavens as a testimony, a reminder of the God who loves and those who gather to worship Him.

And the book readings? Well, Ray was able to choose a reading from each of his devotional books relatively easier than I could from my novels, especially from his From Eden with Love. How many weddings have been celebrated here and how many will in the years to come. How many times has that wonderful pipe organ of only about three octaves and a relatively few stops peeled out for both weddings, funerals as well as lead in worship songs?
In this celebration of the years of a church where so many, many people have worshipped, I ended up choosing a couple of pages from my Return to Baragula set in that small village’s old wooden building. It certainly did not have a beautiful area for an altar and paintings as does St Mary’s and my second reading was harder to find. We all know only too well that saints and sinners sit in church pews. I decided on a passage in Justice at Baragula that mentions the heroine’s sad attitude to going to church when her own spiritual life has lapsed.

The prominent spire reminded us of our God who deserves all our worship, honour and commitment. The old organ sounded out reminding us of the many faithful who over many years have sung out their faith and love. We can only pray our writing efforts God also used to remind folk that He loves us despite all our failings, that He has placed us in the Body of Christ who gather together all over the world to worship and praise Him together – and that whether in a grand cathedral, a beautiful but smaller church like this St Mary’s, simpler wooden structures – or perhaps even under a tree or a hidden room in dangerous places in our crazy world where being a Christian is a death sentence.

Whenever and wherever we can, let us never neglect opportunities to gather together to worship, to pray, to hear the Word of God that nourishes and guides us to walk closely with Him.

Oh, and when you visit Tasmania, don't forget to find St Marys at Hagley, a testimony to generations of faithful folk in our beautiful Island State seeking to honour our Lord.