Author to author

Translating author Lynn Austin

Last Thursday night I had the honor and privilege to meet with author Lynn Austin. She came to The Netherlands to promote her first non-fiction title Pilgrimage.

In the weeks prior to her visit I slowly read her latest release and was pleasantly surprised. The book is filled with nuggets of wisdom and truth! Lynn writes with raw honesty about the desert period she went through in her own life. Pilgrimage is a very inspirational book. I can absolutely recommend it. Give it as an encouragement to a friend or family member who is going through a hard time!

It was such a fun evening. Lynn showed photo's from her trip to Israel and shared the spiritual lessons the journey through that dry land taught her. I was asked to translate her message; how cool is that?! Many people came to the event and enjoyed Lynn's message and book signing.

Our very own Dutch singer/songwriter Christian Verwoerd (click on his name to see a video clip from Israel) was present as well, and performed several songs. His music turned out to be just right for this evening.

PS: I just received word this week from two of my foreign translators. The German translation of Breath of Life and the Spanish translation of Grace of Giving are finished and ready to be edited!

I sincerely hope your week had some writing highlights as well!

Physical exercise and more...

Today I am reminded of a blog post I wrote several years back. I think it will be a good start of your Monday :)

"As I spend many hours working behind a desk, I enjoy a good work out. It takes me half an hour on my bicycle to get to work and when the weather permits it, I go for a power walk during lunch time. But nothing beats a spinning lesson at my local gym! The exercise strengthens and excites me and quite often I feel much better afterwards.

Reading through Isaiah I stumbled upon a verse that talks about biblical strength, In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength (Isaiah 30:15). Now, that's a total different story!

Although I am all for physical exercise and building up some muscles, I also realize that our real strength is not physical. It is not intellectual or mental either. The Bible teaches that our strength is in quietness and trust. I really had to think that over because it goes so much against the standard the world has set. Real strength cannot be measured according to the worldly standards. It cannot be found in exercise, education, status or importance. Real strength is in God and in godly attributes like quietness, trust and joy (Nehemiah 8:10).

It is with the psalmist that we can cry out to God: Strengthen me according to your word (Psalm 119:28)

When we can stay quiet during arguments or difficult times, when we can trust God (Read: when we do NOT worry) when all goes wrong, then... we are showing strength. The apostle Paul's prayer for the believers is this: I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being (Ephesians 3:16). What a great prayer! The Holy Spirit will strengthen us with power in our inner being."

Don't you just love it when Monday starts like this?!

No worries (4)

Do you read or write Tweets? Personally I think it is a great exercise to announce something funny, serious or new in 140 words (or less). There is already so much talk, writing and debate. A little shorter doesn't hurt :)

There are few people who seriously master the art of composing a short but powerful message for the public. My greatest example is the Lord Jesus Himself! He was able to silence a crowd with two sentences. He made comments that impacted like a bomb. His words had, and still have, enormous influence and effect on people's lives.

In my previous blog posts I wrote about His words on 'worrying' about someone or something. Let's continue to read in Matthew 6. Verse 34 records one of His most peculiar sayings, Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Tomorrow will worry about itself? Haha, that has to be a joke, right? Days do not worry, people worry. Personally I think this is quite a radical statement Jesus makes here. If there is one thing we worry about, it is the future: tomorrow, next week, next month or even next year. I sometimes feel like Jesus is making a little fun of us here, as in: come on folks, are you serious? You do not even know what this day will bring, so why would you think you have any influence on tomorrow or the rest of this week?

Living per day, completely normal in the biggest part of our world, but an abnormality in the rich West. Possessions, knowledge and activities seem to increase our pain and worries... The words of Jesus are not a joke, but a very serious warning and command: daily manna, daily bread... that trouble is more than enough.

Don't be afraid to pray: Lord, I want to live day by day.

PS: His words do not imply that we should not make plans for tomorrow, but merely that worrying (about those plans) is a sin.

Lynn Austin comes to Holland

I am taking a short break from the no worries series, simply because I have a great news item. Bestselling author Lynn Austin will be doing a book tour in The Netherlands.

She will come to promote her first non-fiction book: Pilgrimage. It is a book about her personal pilgrimage to Israel where she found new passion for prayer and a deeper faith. Why am I so excited about this? Well, of course because I love books, I love writing, I love Israel and.... because I will have the honor to be Lynn's translator during her visit to Alblasserdam, the town where she will speak about her newest book. I am thrilled because I will have a chance to be with and to learn from a great author.

The back matter of her non-fiction debut Pilgrimage says:

We all encounter times when our spirit feels dry, when doubt looms. The opportunity to tour Israel came at a good time. For months, my life has been a mindless plodding through necessary routine, as monotonous as an all-night shift on an assembly line. Life gets that way sometimes, when nothing specific is wrong but the world around us seems drained of color. Even my weekly worship experiences and daily quiet times with God have felt as dry and stale as last year's crackers. I'm ashamed to confess the malaise I've felt. I have been given so much. Shouldn't a Christian's life be an abundant one, as exciting as Christmas morning, as joyful as Easter Sunday?

With gripping honesty, Lynn Austin pens her struggles with spiritual dryness in a season of loss and unwanted change. Tracing her travels throughout Israel, Austin seamlessly weaves events and insights from the Word . . . and in doing so finds a renewed passion for prayer and encouragement for her spirit, now full of life and hope.

The Dutch version of the book will come out next week. In America the book has been released last October. I am wondering, have you heard about her latest book and (just being curious) have you ever met an author you admired?

No worries (3)

Seeking instead of worrying. That is my focus this week. No worries about small or big things, but purposely seeking His Kingdom. In other words: seeking peace, joy and righteousness, because that is the Kingdom of God.

Let us continue to read in Matthew chapter six (verses 31-33), Jesus is speaking here: So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

That is not too complicated, isn't it? But maybe you are thinking, well, it is easy for Jesus to say this. He multiplied bread when there was not enough to eat, He healed everyone who was sick and when a storm nearly shipwrecked the boat He was in, He calmed the storm with his hand. Yeah, it is easy for Him to say this...

Yet, Jesus'message here is very clear and simple. Worrying about daily stuff is a pagan thing, don't fall for that, don't go there. Your heavenly Father knows what you need... So, we don't need to tell Him all the time. Do you recognize this? In prayer we often have a tendency to tell God what is lacking and what is worrying us. Often we feel the need to even explain things to God. Yep, that's us. And God seems to be saying, 'I know, I know...'

Don't get me wrong, we can freely talk with God and tell Him our daily business. But we have no excuse to worry.

I want to change my focus this week from worrying to seeking His Kingdom principles and presence. Is that easy? No. Is it possible? Yes. I want His wisdom, His solutions and His guidance in my daily situations. I hope you will seek this as well.