On Thursdays we want to give you an insight into the lives of some of the women involved in the Scottish Women’s Bible Convention.  Some of these women are involved in full time ministry in the local Church, while others balance serving in the church with a secular job.

Meet Jean, one of our seminar speakers from Donaghadee, Northern Ireland.

Can you tell us a little about yourself?
I am married to Brian, a retired Presbyterian minister, and have two children and four grandchildren aged between 3 and 12. Three of our grandchildren live in Scotland so we come across from Ireland regularly. I love reading, writing, walking and travel.

What area of ministry do you work in?
I am an author and speaker. The two roles fit together well, as people like to meet the author, hear the background to the books and how they came to be written.

How did you come to work in this particular area of ministry?
God called me as a teenager through Romans 10:14 – 15, “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Over the years this has meant teaching in a theological college in Kenya, working with the Presbyterian church in Ireland, heading up the organisation Care for the Family in Northern Ireland and now full time writing and speaking. I see my writing as a way of spreading the good news of the gospel in a wider sphere.

What are some challenge and some joys of working in gospel ministry?
Continuing to put God’s word out there, whether spoken or written, can be a challenge when we don’t always know how God is using or blessing what we are doing. We go forward trusting him to look after the outcome. The joys come when we hear from those who have been blessed, maybe months or years after the word spoken or the book written.

What one thing has the Lord been teaching you about yourself and himself in recent times?
He has been teaching me the value of carving out oases of stillness so that I can hear him speak. This is a lesson I constantly need to relearn in various seasons of my life, as commitments change and the pace of life varies. No matter what else changes in our life, our quiet times with God are paramount.

Tickets can be purchased from Eventbrite here – Tickets