Author Archives: Janet Sketchley

About Janet Sketchley

Janet Sketchley is an Atlantic Canadian writer whose Redemption’s Edge Christian suspense novels have each been finalists in The Word Awards. She's also the author of the devotional collection, A Year of Tenacity. Janet blogs about faith and books. She loves Jesus and her family, and enjoys reading, worship music, and tea. Fans of Christian suspense are invited to join her writing journey through her monthly newsletter: bit.ly/JanetSketchleyNews.

Review: Let Go, by Sheila Walsh

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Let Go: live free of the burdens all women know, by Sheila Walsh (Thomas Nelson, 2008)

We all need deliverance in one area or another. To receive it, we need to let go: of self-effort, legalism, past hurts or actions, unforgiveness, shame, lack of self-worth, fear, loneliness… the list could go on.

Men need this freedom too, but Let Go is a woman-to-woman book. Each chapter opens with brief quotes and a contemporary parable. Sheila Walsh shares her personal experiences as well as teaching from Scripture. Chapters end with a few questions for discussion or private contemplation, and with a prayer.

Initially I feared this would be a lightweight overview of complex issues, but I needn’t have worried. Sheila introduces each element with a gentle touch and goes deeper in successive chapters. This is a good way to approach touchy subjects like hurt and shame that we may have to chew on a while.

Sheila’s music has blessed me for maybe 30 years now, and a recurring theme is that God loves each of us—more than we can imagine—no matter who we are or what we’ve done.

This is the message at the heart of Let Go. Sheila writes, “God’s love for us is based on who he is. This truth can change our lives if we are able to receive it.” (p. 172)

Sheila Walsh’s transparency and her heart for God make her a woman He can use to touch others. Let Go is an encouraging book that’s well worth reading. To find out more about book and author, you can read the opening chapter of Let Go or visit Sheila Walsh’s website.

One Book / One Conference

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Out of 12 nominations, The Church Library Association of Ontario chose one book for everyone at their 2009 fall conference to read and discuss. It’s quite an eclectic list, and the ones I haven’t read I’ve heard good things about. What a great way to raise awareness of quality Canadian writing.

Nominated books were:

The Book of Negroes, by Lawrence Hill

Broken Angel, by Sigmund Brouwer

The Cellist of Sarajevo, by Steven Galloway

Christianus Sum, by Shawn J. Pollett

Cibou, by Susan Young de Biagi

Hot Apple Cider, N.J. Lindquist and Wendy Elaine Nelles, editors

Love Comes Softly, by Janette Oke

Mohamed’s Moon, by Keith Clemons

One Smooth Stone, by Marcia Lee Laycock

The Shack, by William P. Young

Shaded Light, by N.J. Lindquist

Vengeance, by Donna Dawson

I’ve read a lot of these books, although some were before I started doing regular reviews. If you want to see which ones I’ve reviewed, just click on the “reviews” tab at the top of this page.

Each one would have been a fine choice, and the most votes went to Hot Apple Cider. Since it’s an anthology from 30 Canadian authors who are Christian, covering a variety of topics in non-fiction, poetry and fiction, there’s sure to be something to please each participant in the One Book / One Conference event.

Congratulations to each author whose work was nominated!

Better than Offerings

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The religion scholar said, “A wonderful answer, Teacher! So lucid and accurate—that God is one and there is no other. And loving him with all passion and intelligence and energy, and loving others as well as you love yourself. Why, that’s better than all offerings and sacrifices put together!”
Mark 12:32-33, The Message*

Before I opened the Bible today, I was thanking God for His love. It’s so wonderful that He loves each of us—loves us—and that it’s unconditional. Nothing I can do will make Him love me any more or any less.

But in response to that love, I want to please Him. To bless Him, maybe. That’s where what I do makes a difference.

Sometimes I think once people get over the obstacle of thinking we have to earn God’s love by our performance, there’s a danger in thinking good works don’t matter. We’re saved by grace, not works.

What we do—on the outside and in our hearts—does matter. Loving God, loving others, shows that our relationships with God matter. It lets us grow in our faith.

And it pleases the Father more than offerings or sacrifices. For me, that’s reason enough.

Father, there are no words to thank You for loving me. Please help my heart to truly grasp that Your love is deep, unchanging and unearned. Help me love You, and help me love those around me. Give me a desire to please You—not because it could make You love me more, but to bless Your heart.

Let’s take Paul Baloche’s song, “Offering,” as our prayer today.

Review: Northern Lights: An Anthology

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Northern Lights: An Anthology of Contemporary Christian Writing in Canada, Byron Rempel-Burkholder, Dora Dueck, Doug Koop, eds. (John Wiley & Sons, 2008)

What does it mean to be a Christian living in Canada? Does our national identity affect our spiritual one?

The Northern Lights anthology came together as an exploration of “the many faces of being Christian in Canada” (p. 1). In essays and poetry, the selections attempt to trace out our “spiritual geography.”

Northern Lights is filled with beautiful and often thought-provoking writing. When I picked it up, I was glad to see some authors whose work I always enjoy, like Mark Buchanan, Susan Fish, and Linda Hall, and to “meet” many new-to-me authors. The best-known contributors are Bruce Cockburn, Michael Coren, Preston Manning, and Rudy Wiebe.

These are stories to savour slowly, not to rush. Some you may want to chew on for a bit, maybe mull over and discuss with a friend. I liked the ones in the first section, “Dance to Creation,” best.

The anthology is more an exploration of the significance of ideas and events than a simple telling of tales. It feels to me like a literary journal, or perhaps a university-level discussion—not hard to follow, but treading some deep water in places.

It’s almost inevitable to compare Northern Lights with Hot Apple Cider, since both anthologies of Canadian Christian writing released in the same year. They’re both fine books, and I’m glad to see them raising awareness that, yes, there are plenty of talented Canadian Christians who write. I hope many people will read these books and discover new favourite authors.

Mark Twain is quoted as saying, “My books are water; those of the great geniuses are wine—everybody drinks water.” Northern Lights may be a fine wine. Hot Apple Cider may be more of an “everyman” drink. We need both.

Northern Lights is a book well worth reading, and you’ll probably want to look for more works by the authors you like best. You can get it through your local bookstore or online through John Wiley and Sons, Chapters-Indigo or Amazon.ca.

Knowing God’s Nearness Today

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Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.”
Lamentations 3:22-24, NIV*

As I prayed for a friend who has serious health trouble, the Holy Spirit seemed to prompt me to ask the Father to reassure her that He’d be with her whatever the future brings, but also that she’d know His nearness today.

We all long for some kind of reassurance for the future – specifically that things will be fine – but God asks us to focus on today. That’s the whole “living in the moment” thing I’m still trying to learn.

Definitely, we need a solid faith that God knows what lies ahead and can deal with it, but we’re not in the future. We’re in the present. And as Jesus said, today has enough troubles of its own. (Matthew 6:34)

Father, I’m so thankful that You know what tomorrow holds. Nothing will catch You off guard. Help me to trust the future to You and to live in the present – knowing You’re with me. Open my eyes to what you want to do through me today, who You want to touch. Help me enjoy Your company on the journey.

This week’s song is the classic “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” sung here by the group Selah.

Review: Double Minds by Terri Blackstock

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Double Minds, by Terri Blackstock (Zondervan, 2009)

Parker James is a Christian songwriter who performs when she can and works reception at a recording studio in Nashville. When another receptionist is murdered on the job, her brother is one of the detectives called to the scene. Trouble is, Parker helped him study for his exams and she seems to remember better than he what needs doing.

As well as dealing with the emotional fallout of her co-worker’s death, Parker faces pressure to rewrite her latest worship songs as love songs. Long-time friend Serene has gained so much attention singing Parker’s songs that she’s been approached by a mainstream recording executive.

I like how author Terri Blackstock shows Parker’s conflict over this issue. While on the one hand it’s fine for Parker to be a songwriter who’s Christian—even if she writes mainstream lyrics—on the other hand, the songs she’s been asked to “tone down” were written as acts of worship. Would changing them be selling out?

Theft and a second murder raise the suspense even higher, until it comes to a satisfying and unexpected conclusion. Parker also finds perspective on her song-writing and performance abilities, although I was disappointed not to see an epilogue of where the future would take her.

Double Minds gives readers an interesting insider view of the Nashville music industry. Parker is a genuinely likeable young woman. She and the other characters feel like real people, with interesting quirks and backgrounds.

One of the things I always appreciate about Terri Blackstock’s writing is her honesty about Christians. Double Minds is no exception. Within this fictional Christian recording community, we see believers like Parker who do their best to live as they think Jesus wants them to live. We see characters like Serene and Pete who each know Jesus at some level but are still in bondage (anorexia and alcoholism). And we see others who fall under the “Christian” banner but may have little or no interest in living to please God.

Instead of setting them up for judgement, Terri Blackstock presents them as they are and lets them fall or grow according to their own choices. She treats each character with truth and compassion.

The book’s final pages offer discussion questions about Double Minds, as well as the opening chapter of the author’s next novel, Intervention, releasing September 2009. Looks like another good one!

Peace in Trials

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Many are asking, “Who can show us any good?” Let the light of your face shine upon us, O LORD. You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound. I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:6-8, NIV*

Reading these verses in 2009, it occurs to me that troubled times are hardly a new thing. Personally and globally, they come and go. Just as they did for King David and the people of Israel.

David found peace in the midst of fearful situations by trusting God. He couldn’t change what was going on, but he anchored his faith in the One who could.

It reminds me of the little girl I read about, who was afraid of water but trusted her mother to carry her safely through it.

Michael Hyatt shares a quote from Max Lucado, taken from his new book, Fearless. Max writes,

Imagine your life, wholly untouched by angst. What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats? If you could hover a fear magnet over your heart and extract every last shaving of dread, insecurity, and doubt, what would remain? Envision the day when you can trust more and fear less. Can you imagine your life without fear?

This one’s on my to-read list for sure!

Fear steals our peace, and makes us feel helpless. Fear is not from God, but faith is.

The Apostle Paul says “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7, NIV* ). God gave us a spirit of confidence in Him.

Father, as I look around at the fighting, the economy, the sickness…help me remember I’m not alone. You’ve given me Your Spirit. Help me—teach me—to live confident in You. You are more powerful than anything the world or the evil one can dish out, and nothing can separate me from Your love.

Let’s sing to God, “You Are My Strong Tower,” done here by Kutless.

Battle for the Soul of Canada, by Rev. Ed Hird

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In Battle for the Soul of Canada Rev. Ed Hird pairs readings from 1 & 2 Timothy with historical and cultural vignettes in a series of messages challenging us with the importance of raising up the emerging generation of Christian leaders in Canada.

Ed writes, “the key to renewing the soul of Canada — and the heart of this book — is to be found in raising up Timothys”. And that’s exactly what Battle for the Soul of Canada sets out to equip us to do.

Each chapter is short and informative. There’s also a companion study guide available: Seeking God’s Solution for a Spirit-Filled Canada.

For more information or to contact Ed, visit Battle for the Soul of Canada. To read more of Ed’s writing, see Canadian Authors Who Are Christian, where he’s a regular contributor.

Jesus is in My Boat

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But the disciples forgot to pack a lunch. Except for a single loaf of bread, there wasn’t a crumb in the boat… the disciples were finding fault with each other because they had forgotten to bring bread. Jesus overheard and said, “Why are you fussing because you forgot bread? Don’t you see the point of all this? Don’t you get it at all? Remember the five loaves I broke for the five thousand? How many baskets of leftovers did you pick up?”
They said, “Twelve.”
“And the seven loaves for the four thousand—how many bags full of leftovers did you get?”
“Seven.”
He said, “Do you still not get it?”
Mark 8:13-21, MSG*

The disciples have a loaf of bread. Jesus has recently demonstrated that He can multiply a little food to feed a lot of people. Yet they’re hung up on not having enough.

But Jesus is in the boat with them! If they stop to think, they’ll realize He’s all they need.

Many times I feel inadequate or uncertain about situations, afraid I’ll mess up or won’t do well. That fear can freeze me up and become self-fulfilling. I feel alone.

These verses tell me something precious: Jesus is in my boat, and He’ll be all I need.

Whether it’s energy, love, ideas: whatever’s needed, no matter how small my loaf, I need to offer it to Jesus, and to remember what He can do.

Father, I know You promised to never leave us, and You’ve given us the Holy Spirit to live in our hearts. Forgive me for the times I panic and believe the enemy’s lies. Thank You for using these verses to finally help me see I’m never alone. Help me remember and be confident in the truth that Jesus is in my boat, and that He is enough.

Our song this week is my prayer: “Presence (My Heart’s Desire)” by the newsboys, from their Devotion CD.

Review: Exposure, a novel by Brandilyn Collins

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Exposure, by Brandilyn Collins (Zondervan, 2009)

Exposure is the sixth Brandilyn Collins novel I’ve read, and I think it’s time to officially call myself a fan. After reading Dark Pursuit, I started asking “when’s the next one coming out?” and picked up Exposure and Always Watching (co-written with daughter Amberly Collins) as soon as they released.

Always Watching is a fast-paced young adult read, and it’s now circulating among my nieces.

In Exposure, Kaycee Raye’s syndicated column on fighting fears helps a lot of people. But the realization that a person’s worst fears can come true has turned her private world into a terrifying place. A fearful woman… doesn’t sound like an ideal protagonist for us to bond with, but Brandilyn Collins pulls it off in her usual “seatbelt suspense”® style.

As terrified as Kaycee is, she’s determined to fight this inner battle because something more important is on the line. Her best friend’s young daughter disappeared on the way to Kaycee’s house. Hannah is nine years old—the same age as Kaycee when she realized she’d absorbed all of her mother’s fears.

But Kaycee’s mother never saw things that weren’t there—someone watching, a camera, images. Is Kaycee cracking up, or is the old joke true: “Just because I’m paranoid doesn’t mean there isn’t someone out to get me”?

Kind police officer Mark says he believes her, but he’s also the one who accused her of making money from other people’s fear. And she can’t offer proof of what she’s seen. Even her trusted friend suggests it’s a product of her own mind.

As these scares pile up, the search for Hannah intensifies. And there’s another plot thread running through the novel, complete with stolen money, mobsters, and a mother and child on the run.

Brandilyn Collins brings everything together for a tense and satisfying conclusion that I did not see coming. I was so pleased with myself for deciphering some of her clues… and completely missed the twist at the end.

Exposure is a fast-paced read that I didn’t want to put down. Yes, it’s intense, thanks in part to the author’s masterful use of deep point of view to pull readers into Kaycee’s heart and head, but it’s not the traumatic type of scary.

Brandilyn Collins is a multi-published, best-selling author. For information on her other books, visit her website. Click here to read an excerpt from Exposure. Better still, grab a copy of the novel, buckle your seatbelt, and as Brandilyn Collins’ tagline warns, “Don’t forget to b-r-e-a-t-h-e!”®