G'day, and Merry Christmas!

I'm so glad you're here.

Summer has finally hit South Australia, just in time for Christmas. It's shaping up to be a warm one, which means a BBQ lunch and an afternoon in the swimming pool. BUT I am going to make a pumpkin pie! It'll be my second attempt and hopefully this one will be less burnt on top and the crust a little less wonky. If it's photo worthy, I'll be sure to share my victory against the oven on my socials!

This passage has been on my heart this week - and I just love the Passion Translation. It's a wonderful reminder that we may have different backgrounds and passions, but we can all be 'faithful stewards of the many-coloured tapestry of God's grace'...

Every believer has received grace gifts, so use them to serve one another as faithful stewards of the many-coloured tapestry of God’s grace. For example, if you have a speaking gift, speak as though God were speaking his words through you. If you have the gift of serving, do it passionately with the strength God gives you, so that in everything God alone will be glorified through Jesus Christ. For to him belong the power and the glory forever throughout all ages! Amen.

1 Peter 4:10-11 (TPT)

Writing Update

Azure Blaze will be "officially" available for pre-order on New Year's Eve, but some sites are already ahead of the curve, which means it's available NOW through Barnes and Noble! Azure Blaze is the first book in the Spirit Flame book series (Christian Young Adult Fiction) and releases 17 January 2023. Here's a bit about the book:

When the identity of “Azure Blaze” is thrust upon Crystina Santos, she must overcome her survivor’s guilt and follow the divine call to become the Spirit-led heroine of Juniper City.

However, there is more than one spiritual force at work to influence the hearts and minds of the people and Crystina must claim the blood of Christ over her life—and the lives of those she loves—to face the unimaginable.

Meanwhile, Jeremiah Sanderson, her best friend since childhood, is acting unusually secretive, and Crystina can’t help but notice that time is changing them both, for better or for worse.

As for my split-time novel, I'm still in the drafting stage but I'm hoping to send it to beta readers early-mid next year. So, if you are interested in a South Australian historical split-time set between 1919 and the present day, just reply to this email and I can add you to my list! Speaking of all things historical...

Aussie Fact

The name 'Kaurna' refers to the Indigenous tribe who are the traditional owners of the land now known as Adelaide in South Australia. The last living Kaurna woman's name was Iparrityi, meaning gentle, misty rain. She was also known as 'Princess Amelia' or 'Tuku Ngangki' which means mother of many. Iparrityi was born in the 1840's and died in 1929. Since then, it has been a battle for Indigenous Australians to keep the Kaurna language and culture from becoming completely extinct. Iparrityi's portrait is on display in the Adelaide museum. Evidently, she insisted upon wearing a rug-like fur around her shoulders for the photograph. This fur now hangs alongside her portrait to commemorate the last traditional Kaurna woman.

Your Gift

If you missed my October newsletter, I wrote a novelette just for my subscribers. It's a prequel to the novel I'm working on. I hope you enjoy it!

Follow the link to download your copy of A Desert Rose

Love & Prayers,

Elizabeth x

P.S. Don't forget to connect with me on Instagram and Facebook or visit theworshipdesk.com

P.P.S. My current reads are In the Midst of the Storm by Latisha Sexton and A Mark of Grace by Kimberley Woodhouse.

P.P.P.S. In an effort not to overload inboxes, I only send newsletters every second month. So, I'll chat to you in February! Have a blessed New Year x

In the spirit of reconciliation, I acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. I pay my respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.