Jul 293 min read

How to Feel God's Love Anew

Guest Blog By Elaine Kelly

How to Feel God’s Love Anew Elaine Kelly – Beacon of Light Podcast

Jesus came to bring life in abundance, yet the church has often inhibited women from living a life full of love and joy. Many of us, especially women and minorities, have moments when we feel broken and discarded in darkness. We need to feel the hope of restoration and the warmth of God’s light and love in a new, more robust way.

My book, Forgotten Followers: From Forgotten to Bold, gives voice to women disciples and healing and hope to readers who feel silenced, alone, or marginalized. Basic Plot: After years of submission, Mara is afraid and unsure about everything—especially her nephew, Jesus. When her neighbors chase him off a cliff, they force Mara into the unknown. Joanna grapples with hiding her biracial heritage or risking the loss of her husband and son. Becoming disciples of Jesus empowers them, but will opposition from the establishment endanger their lives?

Who is Mara, and What is her Healing Journey?

Based on Mary of Clopas, Mara is a character in my historical fiction, Forgotten Followers from Broken to Bold. I created a backstory of her overcoming trauma from her authoritarian father, high-control religion, and abuse. The novel shows how inequality hurts her and the steps she can take to find healing and hope. Like her, I sometimes listen to the negative and ignore the positive.

Christians have been discouraged from recounting our successes, and it’s easy for them to dwell on failures. It is hard for Mara to learn to take compliments and believe in herself. Like many readers, Mara doubts whether God sees her, chooses her, or loves her. The healthy choices Mara makes are actions I take for my mental health and steps that will help others build their emotional resilience.

What motivates you to write?

I thought the Christian church would lead the way in equality, shining the light and showing the worth of every individual. In the 80s and early 90s, Canada, the UK, and India had their first woman prime minister. When I was a student in Western University’s business program, women were a minority, but there was a cultural and societal trend towards equal rights.

My mother was a leader and speaker at events for men and women, and she supervised male and female interns as they prepared for ordination as ministers. With our three daughters, I tried to empower them, build their self-esteem, encourage them to explore ideas, make their own choices, find their gifts, and develop their voices. I felt betrayed to discover the Christian church leading the way in devaluing girls and women in church, society, and workplaces.

Tell us about your historical fiction

My writing aims to bring healing and hope to those who are sidelined or silenced. Followers from Broken to Bold shines the light on women who were eyewitnesses, disciples, and patrons of Jesus. I show them facing trauma and how Jesus overturned society’s patriarchal and racist limitations.

Some people are turning away from the church because the church has taught false or harmful doctrines. They may deconstruct their faith because the church condemned them, limited them based on gender, or protected a perpetrator instead of a victim. A testimonial for Forgotten Followers reflects my aim to show readers that even when they are traumatized, God loves them.

Who would enjoy reading your books?

Anyone who doubts God, Christianity, or the church would relate to my characters. If you deconstruct your beliefs, you will enjoy my fresh take on familiar teachings. Women who have been devalued and the LGBTQ+ folk who have been put down will be affirmed in seeing themselves represented. Readers will experience God’s love in a new way and find hope that they can go forward boldly to fulfill their purpose.

BioElaine Ricker Kelly brings healing and hope to those who feel forgotten, sidelined, or silenced. She writes historical fiction and blogs about women in the Bible, church history, religion and gender, empowering women and affirming LBGTQ+.