Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Introducing Emma Pfahlert



Emma Pfahlert is our July contributor. She will be reviewing “In Trouble and In Joy: Four Women who lived for God” by Sharon James. We asked Emma some questions ...

Can you tell us a bit about yourself
I’ve been married to Ben for 18 years, a Christian for 20 years and am approaching 40 – yikes! Our four children bring us much joy and constantly show us up in their knowledge of everything from computers to flags of the world!! I have spent most of my life in Melbourne and miss it heaps, but Sydney is a much-loved second home. I spend my days leading a women’s bible study, doing housework, working alongside my husband Ben in the M.T.S. head office, helping at the kids’ schools, ministering to women in an informal capacity and ferrying kids to sport. And I love it all … (even the housework!)

Favourite books?
I love reading (both Christian and non-Christian) and my tastes are eclectic – crime (PD James), fantasy (Tolkien), whimsy (McCall-Smith), and my favourite at the moment – historical fiction (Rutherford).
I have to say that I’m currently going through a famine when it comes to reading Christian books. There have been times in my life when I’ve feasted, voraciously consuming book after book, month in month out. But this year, I’ve hardly read any! It’s hard to admit that, especially to an online book-club world! I’ve really missed it! I miss the encouragement of learning from wise, godly, men and women. So I’m looking forward to sharing that experience with you!

Why did you choose this book to review?
I am a big fan of Christian biographies. It’s bed-time reading, cup-of-tea-in-the-morning reading, toddler-playing-at-your-feet reading. They’re often easy-to-read (this one is!) and incredibly encouraging.
The thing that hits me when I read historical Christian biography is that people are people ... past, present and future, we’re all the same – same longings, temptations, joys, struggles and hopes. The only thing that divides is a calendar date (and iphones!).
Sharon James’ biography of 4 incredible Christian women is WORTH READING! It’s clearly set out, easy to read and has the characteristic Sharon James’ reformed-theological bent. She doesn’t just state the facts, she helps us by interpreting them and she doesn’t pull punches. The depiction of her subjects isn’t always positive, but it’s always encouraging! Grab a copy and join me each Monday in August as we are encouraged by the lives of Margaret Baxter, Sarah Edwards, Anne Steele and Frances Ridley Havergal.

“…encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness” (Heb 3:13)

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