Hello
Everyone loves a good story. I know I’m far more willing to listen when someone frames things that way. Maybe that’s why I chose to study History in undergrad—it’s really just a collection of stories. The Bible is too, but too often its stories get overlooked or lost. In the Beginning, Again is my attempt to bring them back to life and make them meaningful for the everyday reader.
My Story
During my years of work in youth detention centres, I observed the challenges that arise when encouraging young people to simply “read the Bible.” For many modern readers, the Scriptures are difficult to approach, not because of a lack of interest, but because the historical and cultural contexts in which they were written are largely unfamiliar. Without that background, the meaning and richness of the text can be obscured. This realization led me to draw together my undergraduate degree in history and Masters of Theology in order to craft re-tellings that illuminate the world of the Bible and invite readers to encounter it as its earliest audiences might have experienced it.
​
I approach this project with the conviction that the Bible is the inspired Word of God, intended not only for its original hearers but also for every generation thereafter. Yet, I recognize that readers today often struggle to connect with Scripture. The Bible was composed in times and places far removed from our own; understanding those contexts is essential if we are to hear the text with clarity. Indeed, if we sometimes struggle to comprehend the world of our parents or grandparents, how much more effort must be taken to understand the lives of people who lived millennia ago?
​
For me, Scripture has long been a source of both profound questions and enduring faith. The questions have never diminished my reverence; rather, they have deepened my desire to study, research, and listen attentively to the text. This book arises from that ongoing pursuit. It reflects my belief that the historical and cultural worlds of the Bible are not barriers to understanding, but doorways into a richer and more faithful reading. My hope is that these modern re-tellings will help others not only to appreciate the Bible’s historical depth, but also to rediscover its beauty as the foundation of Christian life and faith.
​
When I'm not researching and writing, I'm parenting, farming and trying to be a good wife/friend and family member. My husband and I steward a farm two hours north of Toronto with a cow/calf operation. I grew up in a suburb of Toronto but moved to the country with cows as soon as we could! As a farmer, I'm practical and very pragmatic. And I hope this book is practical for you. I hope I can do some of the heavy academic lifting for you, so you can just enjoy the beauty of the scriptures.
​