Left Out In The Cold

Been thinking about how much pain, rejection and persecution Jesus went through when he was on this earth. He was treated terribly by so many - and for what? For choosing to be our saviour. That's how humans treated their real life hero.

Every day there's reports of bickering, angry people who refuse to see the good in life - instead focusing on the negative and always putting one another down.

We sometimes fool ourselves into thinking, 'I'm not like that'. Yet we decline to see past our own nose.
We fail to notice the person we spoke down to the other day or the friend we ignored when we knew they needed us. The friend who we were unable to show happiness and joy for because we were filled with jealousy and envy. The person we threw those harsh, hurtful words at when we saw them doing well and didn't like to think they were doing better than us.

We each know what lies deep down inside us.....It's only one of two things - love or hate.

These are all choices we're faced with. Do I get angry, feel intimidated and less than, therefore reacting with hard-as-stone responses? Or do I realise we're all different and feel content with what I have, showing excitement in seeing that person prosper?

Is it so difficult to look at someone and just love them? Not for what they do or don't do, but because they're a fellow human being - who's just as important as you.

None of us can claim to be better than the other; we all fall short.

It's a rotten feeling to be despised by so many.....especially when it's due to being a person of integrity.

How to cope? How to deal with the hate?

People have their own choice whether they want to live a life of hatred, jealousy and bitterness towards others - or whether they choose to be loving, considerate, caring and accepting towards them.

Whichever you choose - it all comes down to what's embedded in your heart....and there's no denying that.

When Dreams meet Careers

I am proud to announce my hubby is working full time as a writer!

It's not quite as elaborate as it sounds - yet......but we know God is in control and finally we are on the right path and heading for a future Chris has dreamed of for years.

It's so great to know that Chris is fulfilling his passion - his dream!

We don't begrudge small beginnings and have had to use our faith to trust God that it will all work out - after all, wanting a career as a writer isn't exactly a 'normal' job to do full time, but it's the one God has placed in Chris' heart and Chris knows it's his destiny.

For years now Chris has been waiting for the day where he's able to be a full time writer - and now he's been given the opportunity. He recently began working as a copy writer for a real estate agency, writing their property ads and newsletters. At this stage he's only working a few hours here and there through the week but he loves the work and is so excited at how God dropped this position in his lap! When you see something you've been longing for, come to fruition, you know that God had His hand on it all and we are so thankful to Him for answering our prayers.

It's times like these when you're able to enjoy the rewards of using your faith. Taking the leap of faith and leaving his old job was a difficult one to say the least - so now to have this opportunity, an opening to a job he hasn't done before, only happened because of God's favour. We are well aware of that and give God all the glory.

If money were no object, then it'd be alot easier - but of course where's the fun in that? Or what I meant to say was, where's the learning in that?

In these trials, God is moulding and shaping us and that's what matters.....and more importantly, we're standing firm on what we know God expects of us - to use our faith and trust Him, even when we don't see the results immediately. 

This journey is one we're still riding, still having to trust God that it will continue to grow and we'll get to the top of that hill eventually -

Book Reviews on Harvesting Hope

As requested by one of my blog followers, I have attached two book reviews that were written by people in the industry, which gives the appropriate information on what 'Harvesting Hope' entails. I hope you enjoy reading these reviews and gain more of an insight as to what this book's purpose is.


First let's begin with a few quotes from what others have said about the book:

Quotes from readers:

'Reading 'Harvesting Hope' helped me see the person that exists under the veil. A real eye opener!'

'Make sure you have a few hours spare before you begin this book, once you start reading it, you won’t want to put it down until you’ve read it all!'  

'I didn't want the book to end.'

'This book is very diverse, covering topics such as, friendship, marriage, racism, families, death, love, and of course hope.'

'It will take you on a journey where you feel the main character’s pain, happiness and romance.'

Book Review 1
Title: Harvesting Hope
Author: Christian Ayling
Publisher: Ginninderra Press
Review by: Kathleen Stewart of Authors’ Ally - http://www.authorsally.com/index.html


Yasemin Sandulli’s life is turned upside down when her brother is accused of murder. Until then, her life had plodded along at an enjoyable, if somewhat frustrating, pace but there was nothing particularly untoward in the life of this typical modern young woman. Conflict with parents and culture set the pace.


Yasemin is Muslim in a predominantly Christian country, trying her best to fit in despite cultural differences. Not only does she have to contend with the normal conflict between younger and older generations, but also with the tension between Christian and Muslim.


She manages admirably until her younger brother Issy is accused of a brutal attack on a young gay who subsequently dies. Yasemin is caught up in the unreasoning clash of ideologies that results. Harvesting Hope presents the human face of what it is like to be a Muslim in a Christian country.


Issy’s arrest and subsequent trial have a huge impact on the family, with Yasemin falling in love with the young and dynamic lawyer representing her brother, and her father succumbing to the stress of Issy’s arrest by having a heart attack after being set upon by a stone-throwing mob.


Yasemin’s mother, while always subservient, shows another side to her character when the chips are down. She proves to be resilient and determined, fighting to preserve her family. But will it be enough to save her son?


Yasemin is deserted by work colleagues and friends, notably by her best friend and ally, Danni, and has to come to terms with the fickle and often transient nature of affections.


Yasemin’s story comes to a climax when Issy’s verdict is read and she has to decide whether to re-establish contact with Danni or write her off as yet another bad friend. Her dilemma leads to a surprising and moving conclusion to a very human story.


The twists and turns in this thought-provoking young-adult fiction will keep the reader enthralled to the end.

Book Review 2
Title: Harvesting Hope 
Author: Christian Ayling
Publisher: Gininderra Press
Reviewed by: Kathryn Duncan - http://www.celapenepress.com.au/review_harvesting_hope.html


Happy with her life, young Muslim woman Yasemin Sandulli and her family are thrust into the media spotlight after her brother Ismet is wrongfully accused of murder. Until then, Yasemin had not been subjected to the racial torment sometimes faced by Muslim's in today's society and her experience can only be described as eye opening and frightening.


Novella Harvesting Hope is a compelling story of the Sandulli family as it faces a difficult experience of how the community reacts to a crime where the media manipulates information and people make judgments based on that information and treat it as fact.


Yasemin begins to lose faith in her community and religion, her father accuses her of turning against the family and her religion, she feels abandoned by her friends and is soon faced with the reality that she has made judgments of others in the same way she has been judged.


Racial tension is all too common in today's society and Harvesting Hope provides an insight into it from the victim's point of view. What is interesting is how author Christian Ayling has portrayed the way that the community takes the media reports, gossip and rumour as fact when often what we see and hear in the media is manipulated to portray what they want us to believe to be the truth.


Underlying the racial theme in the book is also friendship. The friendship between Yasemin and her best friend, Danni, is put under stress, but in a way that Yasemin had not seen. What needs to be taken from this is that we should not make assumptions about why other people act the way that they do - there maybe underlying issues we know nothing about.


Whilst Ismet's alleged crime is the catalyst for the events in the story, it is not the main focus or theme and Ayling distinguishes this, preferring to examine the human relationships and interaction that come about as a result of the alleged crime.


Christian Ayling is a relatively new writer having previously published several picture books. Harvesting Hope is his first book for the young adult/adult market and Ayling shows a lot of potential as a writer.

If you have read this book and believe you could write a review on it, all feedback is welcome so please contact me.

To purchase this book, please click this link: http://www.christianayling.com/