What started as a worldwide search for answers ended in a “powerful spiritual experience” for author Trudy Beyak.
The former Black Press journalist tackles a topic close to heart as she released her latest book, The Mother Heart of God: Unveiling the Mystery of the Father’s Maternal Love.
Beyak, an award-winning journalist and a devout Christian, understands questioning the so-called gender of God would raise eyebrows. The book catalogs her five-year spiritual journey researching the Bible and a sabbatical. She interviewed more than 50 leading scholars and celebrities, from Oxford University to the Middle East, to compile her work.
Included in the Beyak’s work of nonfiction include J. I. Packer, general editor of the English Standard Version Bible, Jürgen Moltmann of Germany, and one of the world’s leading Protestant theologians, and Della Reese, co-star of the popular television show Touched by an Angel.
Beyak said she was pleasantly surprised to discover a new, engaging picture of the God she thought she knew, while she tried to answer the important questions of what is God like and what sacred evidence does the Bible reveal.
She said while tackling the issue of the nature of God, she noticed a paradigm shift unfolding all over the world.
“I saw it happen before my very eyes,” noted Beyak, who has won 30 first-place provincial, national, and international journalism awards during her 20-year career as a reporter at the Abbotsford News.
“The year that I interviewed various leaders of faith, very few people were talking about this religious controversy. By the time my book was published, public interest in this issue skyrocketed as Google reported close to 100 million hits on this question – and beyond – a shocking increase.”
She said the issue is becoming more and more relevant.
“As I interviewed leaders and scholars all over the map – whether speaking in Virginia or the Vatican – they shared insights from the Bible about the maternal side of God’s mercy that has rarely been heard or understood before. It was a fascinating experience.”
The book is also receiving rave reviews from her former employers.
Randy Blair, president of Black Press’s Lower Mainland division, said her style of writing is what makes the book so compelling.
“Trudy has a wonderful ability to report on complex issues with clarity, objectivity, and a focus that is appreciated by readers and respected by her peers.”
It was a sentiment shared by her former editor in Abbotsford, Rick Rake.
“Trudy has a journalistic passion that knows no bounds – lively writing, unbridled enthusiasm and a killer instinct to get to the bottom of a story.”
The Mother Heart of God is published by FaithWords, a division of the Hachette Book Publishing Group.
• For more information, please see www.themotherheartofgod.com.