Online Book Launch for Our Sisters

Hear stories, ask questions and celebrate at the online book launch for Our Sisters.

Our Sisters … are inviting you

You’ll have an extra hour on Sunday, 26th October, because the clocks will be going back (apologies, that won’t be the case if you’re in the US). So, why not spend your bonus time with me at the book launch for Our Sisters?

Our Sisters … are remembered in prayer

I love Ignatian Prayer and have heard God speak to me clearly through the practice. I get to have a conversation with God about a Bible passage. Depending on His reply, I may feel comforted, challenged or further confused. In which case, I continue talking with Him and allowing the Holy Spirit to direct me until I have some answers. Through Ignatian Prayer I had some clear direction as I wrote my next book ‘Our Sisters’.

Our Sisters … are caught in the crossfire

Can you pray for boldness and opportunity so that Christians can be peacemakers in the escalating conflict between Pakistan and India?

Our Sisters … can hear whispers

I returned from my whirlwind trip to stunning Lahore in Punjab just last week and haven’t been able to think about much else since. Pakistan and its people have enthralled me. I was incredibly fortunate to meet with people working at every level of society to improve the lives of Christian women there.

Our Sisters … are betwixt and between

I have a sadistic Belgian Pilates teacher who loves to put those of us in her classes in stress positions and then make us lift weights. The situation with my book, Our Sisters, feels similar. I’m writing to you while stretched taut between the writing and the revealing. In the meantime, I am going to Pakistan.

Our Sisters … are surrounded by light

Whenever I stare into the abyss of suffering, whether it is through interviews for my books, in my community or on the news, there are always points of light.

Please pray for Shagufta

Yet another woman has been sentenced to death in Pakistan for blasphemy. It is terrible; all Shagufta did was forward a WhatsApp message that she probably didn’t understand. Please, please pray for her; she has four children who need her.

Our Sisters … it’s time to celebrate

I’m jubilant; I just submitted my completed manuscript for Our Sisters, about persecuted #women in and from Pakistan, to my publisher. Woohoo!

It took a little under two years to complete, is 71,543 words long, and spans 138 Word document pages. It includes #interviews with activists, campaigners, journalists, pastors, and girls and women directly affected by oppression. I can’t wait to introduce them to you.

Our Sisters … aren’t finished yet

When does summer end and autumn begin? I lit a candle today, so it feels like autumn has arrived, even though I was basking in the summer sun in Spain only two weeks ago. This weekend, it’s supposed to be getting hot again. Although I love the sun, I also want to know what weather to expect when I wake up. Have you started wearing socks again? Why do we like to have clear distinctions between times and seasons?

Now that autumn has plausibly arrived, the deadline for my book manuscript is looming. I had planned on …

Our Sisters … are part of a bigger story

I love stories. Whether they are fact or fiction, there’s something about a good story that touches the heart and mind in ways analysis and argument don’t.

Are you wondering what to read next?

I am an avid reader and would love to help you find your next book. I’ve compiled three lists to help you choose. You’ll also be helping me if you buy one of them. Thank you.

Our Sisters … have champions

Lighter mornings make me feel joyful. The sun creeping around the shutters and through the curtains gives me hope that the day will go well, and I wake up eager to get started. Thankfully, the succession of dark, wintry mornings might just be over, and I sense the bright hope of spring.

As my previous newsletters have attested, I have gone through a dark writing season. Interviewing girls who have experienced profound trauma was tough. But I have moved on a little and am now speaking to the unsung heroes standing up against persecution and violence. It has been a welcome relief; I sense the light.