My Life Revolves Around 4 Passions
Then I was sick for five years, cancer and other stuff. I nearly died. Which gave me a different perspective. Life was finite. I was going to go for it; make my own dreams come true. But where to start and how?
I went to Israel, seeking something. Direction, spirituality… To my surprise, Jesus claimed me in a Jerusalem church where I thought, as a Jew, I wasn’t even supposed to be. He gave me a story and told me to write it. I did that. And I haven’t looked back .
When the sun shines, I know He is blessing me. When it rains, that’s when He’s teaching me. And I am content.
I am passionate about how Jesus claimed me in a miraculous way in a Jerusalem church where, as a Jew, I thought I wasn’t supposed to be. I was in a bad place and had gone to Israel in search of meaning and purpose for my life, after cancer had led to five years of sickness, the failure of my business and of my long-term marriage.
I never thought I’d find my answers there. I only went along to oblige my travelling companion who had graciously come to synagogue with me. I was quite huffy about it with her. But, by the end of the service, I didn’t want to leave.
When we arrived, she began snapping photos: “This is for my brother, Butch. He’d love it here.” I didn’t know her brother Butch then, but Jesus led to meet and marry him, my Boaz.
I wrote my personal Ruth story in She Does Not Fear the Snow.
Israel is the Land where my Saviour walked. I too walked it, after making it my home. I felt I might meet Him at any turn in its biblical landscapes and ancient cities. But I also knew that, as a Jewish believer, I had crossed a line. Seen as a traitor to Judaism, I crept around, worried I might be expelled from my Jewish homeland.
I wrote about the challenges and joys of that time in Love Triangles, Discovering Jesus the Jew in Today’s Israel.
They were expected to return home after the War but that would not be possible, for nearly all their relatives perished. Lena’s, too, except for her birth mother, her Mutti, who somehow survived and is living on a kibbutz in the newly formed State of Israel.
Lena doesn’t know she even exists. The woman she calls Mum hasn’t told her. Now she’s about to find out. It’s 1950 and Mutti has come to claim her daughter..
Now Lena knows who she really is, nothing will ever be the same again. Can she step into the shoes of a girl who would otherwise be dead? Or not?
I believe learning should be fun – a bonding journey that we undertake together.
Tell me about your needs:
Qualifications
Post-graduate Diploma in Creative Writing (London, Goldsmiths)
Post-graduate Certificate in Novel Writing (London City)
PTLLS qualification in Teaching in the Lifelong Learning Sector
Training and mission with StoryRunners, a division of CRU in Orlando and Togo
Philip Project learning to teach from the Bible Course
Biblical Hebrew level Bet, Modern Hebrew level Aleph
Interests
Travel
I have lived and worked in Europe, N. America, Africa and Israel. I love discovering new places and how people live in them. My most exciting short duration trip so far has been to Kerala, India. Such a gorgeous country and welcoming people.
Walking
I maintain that of all the countries in the world Britain is best for wandering, whether lonely as a cloud or deep in conversation. It’s blousy and beautiful, the climate is just right most of the time and there are ancient paths from medieval days and before to explore.
History
History marries well with the walking: ancient churches, castles, towns. It’s the stories of those who lived before me, how they thought and behaved that I find endlessly intriguing.
Reading
I read widely on many subjects, including my interests above, but I am fussy. If I feel the itch to take out a blue pencil and edit, the chances are strong that I’ll abandon the book.
Animals
My grown-up daughter is into dressage in a big way. My fault. I put her on a horse when she was two years old and she hasn’t got off since. We hang out with horses together. I used to have a dog I loved – Bonnie. I’d love to have another. There’s nothing quite like the bond you can have with a dog. But I also love to travel… So no dog at present.
Cooking
This is my relaxation. I may be exhausted by evening, but I will spend some time preparing a healthy supper. The creative doing of it helps me unwind.