Cling to Hope with Joy: Messages from Scripture by Janet Klasson

Cling to Hope with Joy: Messages from Scripture is a dialogue with the living God of Scripture. In these excerpts from the author's Scriptural prayer journal, the voice of God speaks to the reader's heart. Through words of love, hope, joy, encouragement, correction, and consolation the reader feels drawn into the heart of God, the Breath of Love. These powerful messages are intimate, profound, and prophetic. In these reflections, the Word becomes flesh once again and dwells among us. He is near and He brings a message for our time: Cling to hope with joy!

Janet Klasson is a freelance writer and regular contributor to the newsletter of the Brothers and Sisters of Penance of St. Francis. In over eleven years of practicing prayerful lectio divina, she has come to know in a personal way the Word made flesh. By being open to the still, small voice of the Spirit, she has been given a pearl of great price—a collection of reflections and teachings that have helped her navigate through the treacherous waters of this age. Through a series of excerpts from the Pelianito Journal, readers are invited to draw near to the Beloved, who is "as near to you as your own breath." Come and see.

All proceeds from the sale of this book go to Ephphatha House, a retreat center in the Archdiocese of Edmonton, Canada, which features a perpetual adoration chapel. Ephphatha House will be the main distributor for the book in Canada.

U.S. orders may be placed through www.lulu.com. U.S. $10.00/Canada $12.00. For more information or to contact the author, please visit www.goldleafword.com.


An Interview with Janet:

Why did you write this book?

“'I have neither silver nor gold, but what I do have I give you.' (Acts 3:6)

For several years, I have been practicing lectio divina and keeping a Scriptural prayer journal. In remaining open to the still, small voice of the Spirit, I have been given a pearl of great price—a beautiful dialogue with the living God of Scripture. Almost from the beginning, I felt that the messages in my journal were not for me alone. And since many of them were written during a time of personal trial, they translate very well into this age of uncertainty and global instability. Indeed, there is a providential timeliness to them. Some of the messages speak about a time of trial for the world, one which is seems now to be well underway. I feel our Lord's purpose in revealing such things is not to instill fear, or even to predict future events, but to build hope and trust in the God who is with us to the end of the age.

What was the best part of writing this?

The best part of writing this book was walking with our Lord on the road to Emmaus and having Scripture opened to me. Scripture tells us that the disciples who met Jesus on the road to Emmaus recognized him in the breaking of the bread. In my experience, Scripture became the bread, broken through the reflections to reveal the Lord and to draw me into a deeper relationship with him. It is my great joy now to be able to share this bread, and through it I hope that many others will also come to recognize Jesus in the breaking of the bread.

What was hardest?

When you agree to follow Jesus, it shouldn't come as a surprise when he hands you a cross. The hardest part for me is making public something so deeply personal. My instinct is to hide my light under a bushel basket, to take no risks. But Jesus tells us to set our light on a lamp stand where it will give light to the whole house. He doesn't give us gifts for our own secret pleasure, but for the building up of his Body, the Church. In answering the call to publish my journal, I had to pray for the courage to answer, “Here I am, Lord, send me.”

What do you hope readers will get from this book?

Simply put—hope, that spring of living water whose source is the heart of Christ, the hope that no earthly trial can take away. When times are bad, people ask, “Where is God?” This book answers, “He is as near to you as your own breath. Cling to hope with joy.” That is the essence of the Good News.

What's next for you?

I am now working on getting more of my journal into print. This book is a very small sampling, bits and sips from the past eleven years. There is much more to share, many more pages of the beautiful words of love and encouragement that have helped me to navigate the treacherous waters of the age. I pray that God's will alone may be done in this project and in all things.