5 minute read
The Power of Living Stories
Lynette Love never imagined herself becoming an author and illustrator. Kelly Cooper sat down with Lynette to explore how her life story was crafted by God and why she writes stories to encourage and inspire others.
‘God made me a storyteller!’ says Lynette, laughing at her own unexpected story. ‘Growing up, I really struggled with school, especially with the basics of reading and writing. I remember being punished for not understanding the alphabet and I learned to dislike English. I was a shy and quiet child, and I grew up believing that I had no voice,’ shares Lynette.
‘Never in my wildest dreams did I think God would reveal to me both how much he loves me and his plan for me to become an author and illustrator. God definitely has a sense of humour!’ she says.
Faith had always been important to Lynette, and as she approached her 49th birthday, life as she had known it was about to radically change. One Sunday, while attending the Napier Salvation Army, Lynette clearly saw Jesus shining brighter than the sun walking behind people as they knelt at the mercy seat. This was the first of many transformative experiences where Lynette began to experience God’s love for her in a totally different way. ‘I remember saying to myself, “Who is this Jesus that I thought I knew?” I developed a thirst that only he could quench,’ says Lynette.
Overcoming obstacles
Despite her later in life dyslexia diagnosis, Lynette felt God asking her to write her encounters down. ‘For me, the difficulty lies in reading and spelling. It took me so, so long to write,’ Lynette recalls. ‘I had no idea why I was writing it all down, but I committed to do whatever he asked me to do. This is how I began to write my first book.’
Lynette, who has now authored four books for adults and eight children’s books, describes her creative process as a collaboration with the Holy Spirit. She also marvels at the practical support God has provided on her writing journey, which has included a connection with an English teacher to support her in writing her first book, and an app that enables Lynette to talk to type. ‘In the natural world, this is all impossible, but God has shown me that his greatest power is truly revealed through our greatest weaknesses,’ shares Lynette.
Lynette’s children’s books, which include Back to Front Weta and Rainbow Bug, are now found in school libraries all over New Zealand. The True Story of Joshua the Teddy Bear holds a special place in many Cantabrians’ hearts, as it tells the real-life adventures of a giant teddy bear that brought comfort and hope to many, following the Canterbury earthquakes.
Earthquakes and teddy bears
Previously from Christchurch, Lynette was keen to be part of The Salvation Army’s earthquake response team. Before leaving on her first trip, Lynette was given a teddy bear named Joshua to take with her. Joshua was well received by the people she met and quickly gained popularity. ‘People reached out to hug him and the oldies smothered him with kisses,’ Lynette recalls.
Joshua accompanied Lynette and the response team to many locations around Christchurch, including the packing stores (where much- needed supplies were boxed up for distribution), supermarkets and many retirement homes. On one visit to a local supermarket, the response team met a child who hadn’t spoken since the earthquake. The child reached out to grab hold of Joshua and spoke for the first time in many weeks.
It was on her second visit to Christchurch that Lynette was encouraged to write a children’s book about Joshua’s adventures and the way he positively impacted the people of the city. ‘This story is based on events that actually happened,’ shares Lynette. ‘Joshua was just an ordinary bear who didn’t think he had much to offer. He learns that he is special and can offer hugs that bring happiness to people. My hope is that this book will bring encouragement to many just like Joshua did with his hugs.’
Hidden images
Within each children’s book, Lynette has included hidden insects in her images. ‘They are just waiting to reveal themselves,’ she says and likens these insects to the process of storytelling with God. ‘At the beginning I had no idea how I was going to write, but whenever I encountered an obstacle, I trusted that God would provide the solution,’ says Lynette.
‘Our Heavenly Father really is the best storyteller and artist of all. He inspires me to bring a little bit of heaven to earth through my books. God writes the stories and I’m the caretaker of them. I feel honoured to be part of God’s living story by telling stories myself,’ shares Lynette.
Book Giveaway!
We have two copies of Lynette’s children’s books to give away. To enter the draw, email us at salt@salvationarmy.org.nz before 1 September 2024.
To learn more about Lynette and her books, visit lynettelovebooks.nz
