5 minutes with Dawn

A little bit about me I am a wife and a mother, I have been incredibly blessed to have been married to my husband for 35 years, and we have two amazing adult children. I also have the cutest Pomeranian fur baby called Lucy, who we all treat like our favourite child. I am also the author of 4 Christian books that I have written over the last few years, I see this as the legacy that I can leave behind to share Christ and encourage others to follow Him. For the last 20 years I have worked in the finance department of a Christian College in Melbourne, this has been a wonderful blessing to be part of a community of like-minded people, sharing God with the next generation.

My favourite bible verse is Matthew 11:28-30 (MSG)

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

In recent years I ran Christian womens retreats on Phillip Island in Victoria. During this time I encouraged the women to learn how to truly rest in God, how to walk in His grace, and how to recover their lives. We all need to take timeout with God, we need to learn how to stop, say no, and put some boundaries around what we do or what is expected of us. Burn out is not a badge of honour, and it is only by resting in God and learning from Him that we can experience full and complete peace.

How do you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus? I like to start my day with God. I am fortunate enough to have a room in my house that is dedicated to time with Him. It’s there that I pray, read my bible or devotional, cry, journal, write and worship. I find that my mornings are the only time when I’m not distracted by ‘life’. It’s then that God has my full attention, and I am fixed on Him. When I start my day this way I find it easier to continue the conversation with Him as the day progresses and issues come up.

What would you like the next generation of Christian women to know? One of the books that I have written is called ‘Behind the Picket Fence - The Lies Women Believe’, and it is in this book that I address all of the complex issues that we as women face. One of the biggest hurdles for a woman, across all generations, is comparison. We somehow buy into the lie, that behind the picket fence of our neighbour, sister, or friend is someone who is living a better life than us. I want all women to know, you are enough! Don’t compare yourself to someone else, don’t compare your children, or husbands, or careers, for doing so will be to your detriment. Once you start looking over the picket fence and seeing what someone else has you will become jealous and bitter. Your life is a gift from God, use it to glorify Him and to give back. You may not be in the same position as someone else, but believe me when I say they have problems too, they might not be the same as yours, but they are still there. Be who you were created to be, and learn to love that person. What’s one thing that you love about your local church?

My local church is incredible. On the property of the church is a school from Prep-Year 12, as well as an Early Learning Centre, and a basketball stadium. Each and every day the gospel is being shared and lives are being changed. The leadership holds firm to the teachings of the bible, and are not swayed by what is popular or woke, but rather, they are focused  on God, on creation, and on Jesus Christ. What did you learn about God during a time in your life that you found hard?

In 2016 I was diagnosed with Melanoma, twice. It came as a shock both times, and for the next 10 years I was treated at Peter Maccallum Cancer Centre. Although this was a very hard season, it was also an incredible blessing and time of growth. My medical team were amazing, and each time I visited (and it was a lot!) I sat in that waiting room and prayed for all those around me. God taught me so much during that time, and He walked with me each step of the journey. I learnt what it was to have to trust Him when I had no control over what was happening. I realised just how much I was loved, and knew that He was holding me through each surgery and subsequent biopsy. I learnt that God is faithful, that He brings good out of bad situations, and that through all things He can be trusted. It was during this time that I started writing for God, and here we are 10 years later with 4 books now published, and an Instagram page (Hope Faith Truth) that is dedicated to encouraging others through the Word of God. What are you passionate about?

I am passionate about encouraging women to be all they can be in God. To walk with them as they find their feet and learn who they are. I love to pray with others, to do life with them and to share my own story in the hope that it would give women strength and faith when life has worn them down. I am a firm believer in using the gifts God has given us, and as I believe He has given me the gifts of writing and encouragement I try to use both of these for the benefit of others, and to glorify Him. What do you enjoy doing when you rest?

In my rest time I love to read and write. I absolutely devour books, so I am a very frequent visitor at my local library, as well as online. I also love to spend time at the beach, walking along the shore is the best medicine for life’s problems. It’s the most peaceful place for prayer, and is good for the soul. I love spending time with my family, as well as travelling. My bucket list seems to be getting longer instead of shorter. I also love to spend time walking in nature, God has created for us the most beautiful places to not only enjoy just for the sake of it, but to see Him reflected through it all.