Curate completes joyful journey with third book
AN ABERDARON curate who ministers in the Bro Enlli area has launched her new book.
Last week, at St. Pedrog’s Church, Llanbedrog, The Rev’d Naomi Starkey launched her latest book, The Recovery of Joy: Finding The Path From Rootlessness To Returning Home.
It is the third in the series following 2012’s The Recovery of Love and 2015’s The Recovery of Hope.
Each chapter of The Recovery of Joy has a story element as well as a reflection on a Psalm, taking the book’s protagonist, an anonymous wanderer, to a new island, where they have the opportunity to realise things about their life and grow through them.
The book was partly written on Bardsey Island, where Naomi stayed for a week as a Chaplain, and where she wrote with pen and paper, rather than using a computer.
Prior to her ordination Naomi was a commissioning editor for the Bible Reading Fellowship, while living in Llanidloes before coming to Aberdaron.
Naomi said: “In our lives we can end up carrying quite a load – an emotional burden – that needs sorting out.
“This happens, in part, through forgiveness. Not just forgiving others for what they’ve done to us but forgiving ourselves for what we’ve done to others.
“As I thought about this, I began to see the importance of recognising the burden we are carrying around with us, acknowledging it and then finding a way of setting the burdens down – and leaving them put down!
“I’m looking forward very much to hearing what readers make of this book and whether they like it or not!”
The Bishop of Bangor, the Right Rev’d Andy John, said: “It was a privilege for me to be one of Naomi’s proofreaders for this excellent book.
“As Christians we are called to be people who radiate God’s joy, yet very often we may not feel particularly joyful at time. Naomi’s story and reflections on the Psalms map a journey which shows how joy can be recovered and restored in our lives, even when we’re starting from rock bottom.”