A Book of Hope: 'In His Time'
Are you looking for a new read? Our own Rev. Canon Mike Stewart, rector of Saint Matthew’s Abbotsford, has recently published a book titled “In His Time”. We connected with Canon Mike to ask him a few questions about the book and his experience writing it.
What drew you to writing?
I have long had a love of words, and believe writing can be a form of prayerfulness. God creates through His Word. He has revealed Himself in His Word incarnate, and in His word written. With the right words God can be encountered, and lives can be changed.
I love it when Jesus tells His disciples; ‘The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life’ (John 6. 63.) In writing, I am endeavoring to touch the hem of His garment, who needs only to say the word, and we shall be healed.
What sparked the idea for this book?
The idea for writing the book first came when I was on Sabbatical in 2016. Living with the questions of God’s timing, and how it unfolds in our daily lives, is one that I have been thinking about for a very long time.
It was while on Sabbatical that I first began to try and put down some words to express some of the themes that the scriptures seem to tell us about how God works, and what our posture toward Him should be, as we wait for His will to be revealed.
Particular challenges in my life have brought these questions to the surface. As I mention in the book, it is interesting to note that the Latin verb ‘patior,’ from where we get the English word, ‘patience’ from, means to suffer, to endure, forbearance.
Being patient means going through and enduring the suffering, in order to come to a new and desired place. One of our problems is that we want to get to that new and desired place as quickly as possible! (i.e. without the suffering.)
Did anything surprise you about the process?
As I continued working on the book, I invited written testimonies from members of Saint Matthews who had gone through experiences of living with the challenges of how God’s timing had unfolded for them in a particular situation, and what they had learned from it. Reading these testimonies was a very moving experience for me as a Pastor. A number of these testimonies have been included in the book.
Are there ways your experience as an ANiC priest/rector/archdeacon directly impacted the book?
As a Priest in ANiC, I am called to lead people to Jesus Christ. I hope this little book will help serve this call.
What sort of person or situation did you most write the book for?
The book is a small and simple offering. It is primarily for Christians who are struggling to understand why things have gone the way they have, when they have, and who are still wondering whether God is going to show up for them at all.
What one thing you most hope people will take away from reading the book?
The main thing I want people to take from the book is hope.
For more information or to order the book you can use one of the links below: