FAY ROWE

Most of my friends, on-line and off, know by now, (because I have joyfully spread the word!!) about the win for Keepers of the Testimony at The Word Guild's Canadian Christian Writing 2009 Awards Gala.

Now that I've had time to think about it and about some of the spin-offs from it, I've realized that my feelings about winning the award have been conflicted.

On the one hand, I love the recognition that Keepers of the Testimony is a good book, and I hope that recognition helps make the book more visible. I learned some time ago that it's a waste to spend precious time writing a book with a good message, and then not tell anyone about it! As someone said--and please forgive the audacious comparison--Jesus didn't sit at home in Nazareth when he had work to do.

On the other hand, I think I've been conditioned to disapprove of, or at least distrust, someone who is too happy about his or her blessings. Perhaps as Christians we consider it to be selfish, or worse, self-promoting.

Now, I have to tell you: That's strange and wrong, wherever I got it. The very admonition to "rejoice with those who rejoice" would indicate that someone should be rejoicing about something in the first place. Remember the lady who found her lost coin and called her friends to rejoice with her? See?

So, it official: I'm rejoicing at the goodness of God to give the encouragement of an award when I wasn't expecting it at all (another story). And I'm rejoicing with my friend Donna who won two awards. (I was expecting that to happen!)

And I'm rejoicing that I have dear family and friends who rejoiced with us both!

I'm also rejoicing at the precious "award" I received when, at the Gala, a woman, a fellow author, came up to me and said she was using What's in a Name in a Bible study at her church.

The Lord is good. Every good comes from him.