BOOK WORM 672 words

A “Gift” of Love and Hope

By Antoinette May Herndon

Whether we think of the Old Testament as a collection of colorful myths, an oral history or divine scripture, most of us will agree that those powerful writings have left their impact on much of the world.

King David, is—to me at least—the most fascinating man in history. Imagine: a poet, a warrior, a statesman, a spiritual teacher; but let’s admit it, also a womanizer, even a killer. Talk about flawed!

And then there was his son, Solomon.

As a child, I marveled at Solomon’s story. Imagine a young man who is offered his heart’s desire. Oh, the possibilities! But Solomon didn’t ask to put a number out on his enemies (not such a bad idea, in those dicey times). He didn’t ask for a long life either, or even wealth.

Instead, Solomon’s request was for wisdom and understanding. It came in handy too for Solomon was not only Israel’s king . He didn’t just run the country, he had also to be it’s judge and jury. You can say that the buck stopped with Solomon. He was the ultimate arbitrator.

Jeff Mitchell, pastor of the Good Samaritan Community Church in Valley Springs, has long been fascinated with the challenges and teachings of David and Solomon as well as by the richness of Ethiopian history

and culture. He dreamed of the fabled Ark of the Covenant and wondered: did this holy of holies really exist.

When offered a sabbatical and a grant from the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Program, Jeff and his wife, Gael, a kindergarten teacher at the Hoover School in Stockton, were of one mind. They had to go to Ethiopia.

Once there, Jeff taught at a bible seminary and Gael in a school for deaf children. Before long Jeff’s spirit of adventure conspired with his devotional calling. The result was the breathtaking challenge of climbing a 100 foot rope to an obscure plateau in northern Ethiopia. What waited for him at the top was a 4th century monastery where he received both personal revelation and the inspiration for a book.

It was as a result of the spiritual awakening he experienced at Debre Damo that Jeff has written and Gael illustrated “The Gift,” an insightful retelling of the stories of David and Solomon along with own travel adventures and divine insights. The book’s message is both mystical and practical for it incorporates seven secrets of Solomon applicable to every day life today.

By using Solomon’s life as a backdrop, Jeff has woven a provocative parable about the nature of God’s wisdom and man’ss struggle to embrace it that is both timely and poignant.

“I wanted to get people in touch with their own hearts,”

Jeff says. “When I went to the monastery I had conflicts of my own. I was suffering from burnout. The insights I received resulted in a tale that is part memoir, part fiction. The gift of ‘The Gift’ is love. If we first love and cherish ourselves, we will in turn love God and those around us.”

The book, priced at $11.95 is available at Glad Tidings in Angels Camp or at www.jeffmitchelltakingheart.com. “The Gift” is reminiscent of both “The Shack” and “The Alchemist”—two long timers on the New York Times Best Seller list. Let’s wish the same for Jeff.

* * *

IN OTHER NEWS: March 31 is the last opportunity to register for the Gold Rush Writers Conference at the low, low price of $145. On April 1 the cost of the three-day confab jumps to $175. Once again the annual event will be held at the Hotel Leger in Mokelumne Hill. The dates are May 4, 5 and 6.

The conference offers a choice of 16 workshops plus a picnic supper, dinner and brunch. Headline speakers are mystery writer Cara Black and HarperCollins debut novelist Michael David Lukas.

The event is presented by the Calaveras County Arts Council with additional grants from Poets & Writers and the Mokelumne Hill Trust. For more information go to www.goldrushwriters.com or call 286-1320. CAPTION: Jeff Mitchell, a Valley Springs pastor, is author of “The Gift.”