I am privileged today to have not one, but TWO special guests hanging out on the blog! At the same time even đ
Laura Dellosso, with whom I review over at Straight Off The Page, recently had the chance to chat with Bible study author Erin Pavlicek about research, guilt, and what’s up next.
Erin Pavlicek is a Kansas City native whose passionate call to writing and speaking began at the age of three. Throughout her formative years she studied Art, English and Writing, becoming known among her peers as a “wordsmith”. She is a passionate advocate for the Native American people, and promotes unity in the Body of Christ with Israel. As the founder of Appointed Time Ministries, Erin authors diverse works in various genres for the express purpose of preparing the Body of Christ for the LORD’s return. She speaks passionately with a prophetic edge to this very cause, and her teaching is centered upon biblical literacy and accuracy through a Berean approach, facilitating intimacy with Christ that brings genuine transformation. Her favorite place in the whole world is Ireland, although she currently resides in Native America with her family.
Laura Dellosso is 17 years old and comes from a family of six (all girls but for her Dad). She has five rabbits and a Halfmoon Betta fish named Mushu after the dragon in Mulan (one of her favorite Disney movies).
Laura enjoys biking, drawing, dreaming, the internet, movies, and reading (of course). She spends way too much time fangirling and hopes to one day have a job in the book industry. She wants to blog because she has grown frustrated with the lack of book reviews on secular books that include a full content review. Plus, gushing/fangirling about books is one of her favorite things to do.
(Carrie’s note: Basically, Laura is my people.)
| Laura’s blog |
Now that everyone knows one another, I’m just going to get out of the way and let Laura take over đ
Laura: What inspired you to first write Bible study material?
Erin: I always been a writer, and I’ve always been studious. At the age of 19 I was born again and ever since that time God has given me an incredible passion for His Word. God never led me to do bible studies, but to write them. He took me under His wing and into His Holy of Holies and I would spend hours upon hours with Him digging into the scriptures. As I did, He brought revelation, and I began to write material.
Much of the material I now have has long been written over the past twenty years. I’ve simply waited on God to release me to publish it. That release came when I was 40 years old with the founding of Appointed Time Ministries.
Laura: Your book Effectual Repentance is about guilt and freedom from guilt. Is there any moment in your life where the idea for this book sprang?
Erin: The moment this particular study sprang to life was in the Summer of 2014. I awoke one morning and very literally received a heavenly “download” from the LORD by which I was compelled to write the study. It was so alive in me that I fleshed it out in a few hours. However, the subject matter of repentance was a topic I had both lived and studied for years with the LORD. I have an incredible testimony of what repentance can do in the life of a believer.
The entire Gospel of Christ is predicated upon repentance, which is an extraordinary gift from God motivated by what He termed to be “passionate compassion”. Repentance restores the believer. It’s entirely redemptive. However, for it to be effective, one must understand that it’s a lifestyle we consistently practice. And that is where I believe the Body of Christ has often misunderstood repentance. It’s not a one-time event that happens with our initial salvation when we receive Christ. Rather, it’s a daily lifestyle that keeps us humble, tender, and clean. It allows us to be sanctified by His Spirit.
The book discusses this process thoroughly and walks the student through it in a step-by-step format that continually leads them back to the Great Physician who is Christ Jesus. The genuine fruits of repentance will always be liberty, transformation, and the holiness (purity) in Christ that is achieved through sanctification by His Holy Spirit.
Laura: At what point do you decide that you have enough information on a topic to write a whole book about it?
Erin: Excellent question. The works I produce require an enormous amount of time spent in the presence of God, His word, prayer, and diligent biblical research. As for having enough information, that is entirely at the LORD’s discretion. I’ve many times thought I was done with a particular topic or work only to find that He wasn’t.
I never know until He says it’s time to release it. He is truly the One writing through me. I try very hard to listen for His voice and patiently wait upon His leading. I fear the LORD too much to take these works into my own hands, because I’m very aware of the fact that they are not mine. They are His. He is the Teacher, and He’s authoring them through me.
The spiritual responsibility I bear as one who teaches His Word is something of which I’m very acutely aware. I will be held to a stricter judgment, and that is something I take very seriously. There is a great fear of the LORD there, which I wholeheartedly embrace. Therefore the works produced are only presented to the masses once He authorizes their release.
Laura: What advice can you give to those who struggle with guilt?
Erin: Guilt is the initial response to sin produced by a healthy and tender conscience toward God. The purpose of guilt is to bring both an awareness and acknowledgement of the fact that we are indeed guilty of wrongdoing. Guilt brings us to a place of sincere confession, leading us toward repentance. But if we don’t understand guilt and its divine purpose, then it can cripple us, bringing the entire redemptive process to a screeching halt.
It can hold us captive, and when it does it breeds nothing but condemnation, shame, and defeat. And that is a place which is completely counter-productive to what the Holy Spirit wants to accomplish. Christ not only bore our guilt, but also our shame. His intention is that we acknowledge our guilt, confess our sin, and finally progress through the process of repentance so we can be fully set free and sanctified in Him.
Laura: Your campaign for Appointed Time Ministries this year is texting while driving. What are you doing to raise awareness?
Erin: Thank you so much for asking that very vital question, because in doing so, you are helping me do just that: raise awareness. As an RN, I have seen the devastation of these traumas firsthand. And I take care of these patients on a daily basis. The survivors are often left paralyzed, maimed, or mentally disabled. Aside from death, the devastating effects are traumatic and permanent. Families are torn apart because children lose parents, and parents lose children. I’ve even seen children awarded to state once a parent is dead or debilitated.
To raise awareness I have developed a page that reveals this devastation and its effects, prompting people to take a personal pledge that they will not text and drive. Upon doing so, I ask them to share their decision by sharing the page. The spread of this message is vital, because texting while driving is equivalent to driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
For the duration of 2016 I will be uploading stories of various kinds each week and posting the page to social media. I’m talking with everyone I know. We are asking people to simply take the pledge and share. Super simple. My prayer is that it will continue to circulate and save lives.
Laura: What can we look forward to from you in the future?
Erin: There is a lot planned. I’m actually working on several genres of material which are all at different stages. Much of what I have is already written. It simply requires editing for publication. This year I plan on releasing my first non-fiction work titled, Unshaken, which is about building a foundation in Christ that will enable you to stand despite any possible storm that may come. The Body of Christ needs to be ready because storms are indeed coming.
Later this year I have another bible study being released titled, The Seven Churches, which is still in the writing and research phase. It’s a Revelation study that focuses strictly on repentance and sanctification by hearing what the Spirit says to the churches. It’s going to be powerful! In 2018 I plan on releasing my first children’s book, which as an artist I also plan to illustrate.
I also have a powerful trilogy of fiction that will be released tentatively between 2018-2020. All of my work is centered upon Christ’s Word with the goal of preparing the Body of Christ for His return. This is not light fare for the faint of heart. I anticipate that those who are serious about their walk with God will embrace the material I offer the Body of Christ.
My goal is to bring Christ the glory and honor He so deserves, helping Him prepare His bride for His return through the teaching of His Word in unadulterated truth. Writing is truly a missionary work. I’m merely one person, but books multiply, reaching people globally. That is a legacy worth living for in Christ which will continue long after I’m gone. And I’m so humbled and honored that He would call me to do it.
Thank you, Laura and Erin, for stopping by the blog today!Â
Now it’s your turn, dear readers – What’s a truth you’ve learned in Bible study that has stayed in your heart?
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