The Golden Thread
GWEN ASTEN
The Golden Thread can be purchased at underthesun.net.au
Reviewed by Mike Phillips
From a bleak childhood in the north of England, to a near death experience on mission in Nigeria, The Golden Thread is a moving testimony to the faithfulness and goodness of God.
Gwen (Gwyneth) Asten traces the story of her life, with many memorable vignettes, to encourage her grandchildren, godchildren and other readers about the reality of God. And God’s hand is indeed evident in many ways throughout her life. Dealing with themes of conflicted family relationships, forgiveness, the leading of the Holy Spirit, the study of Scripture, vocation and service to others, the autobiography is interwoven with the thread of God’s faithful love and sovereignty, from which the book takes its title.
Asten’s life begins in northern England in a controlling and emotionally barren family. She has limited exposure to Christian faith, or kindness of any form. What kindness she does experience seems to leave an indelible mark on her, whereas her experiences of Christian faith have little impact. After migrating to Australia, she comes to faith through high school friends, marries against her family’s will after a providential court order, and trains as a doctor.
Her adult life includes significant reflection on cross cultural relationships and lay ministry, serving God in healthcare, forgiveness, parenting and seeking to follow the will of God. Her gift for gratitude and generous service of others shines through, and all the more brightly given the hardships she endures. Indeed, it is a testament to God’s grace that these hardships haven’t led to bitterness or cynicism.
Many Christians have found inspiration in reading accounts of the lives of missionaries, spurring us on trust God more fully. In some ways, Asten’s account of her life fits into this category. Her faith in the Lord, and that of her husband, is powerfully evident in their decision to move to Nigeria in the late 1970s while she was 6 months pregnant. And the powerful mercy of God is evident in his protection of her through childbirth, a near-fatal illness, and coercive intimidation by airport officials. Such faith, that is willing to take risks to serve God, even at personal cost, is comparatively rare today, and yet inspiring.
But God’s power is also evident in how he has transformed the other, more familiar, decisions of her life. This is not fundamentally the story of an otherworldly missionary, but simply a Melbourne grandmother committed to following Jesus. Her deep love for God expresses itself in many more mundane aspects of her life. She marries and sets up a practice as a GP, has kids and grandkids, and is involved in a local church. But in each of these areas, Asten’s life is made remarkable by God’s work in her, moving her to love others. She resists her father’s will and marries a man who shares her commitment to Christ. She establishes her medical practice, and makes a point of employing doctors returning from overseas mission hospitals, to assist them as they upskill and update their practice. While learning to raise her own kids in a manner very different from her own upbringing, she begins to write and share her insights with other new parents. And in her local church, she and her husband initiate a ministry to welcome migrants and international students to Australia. The ministry helps them to adjust to Australian culture, enables them to read and understand the Bible, and has led to around thirty baptisms. In all these ways and more, her story reveals how God’s grace has transformed an emotionally starved child into a grown woman profoundly devoted to serving Him and others.
Written in 62 short chapters of a few pages each, the story is fast-moving and engaging, with frequent references to apt Bible passages. Some chapters are particularly moving, including those that deal with forgiving her father, reconciling with her mother, and abusive doctors. Other chapters may raise questions and challenge assumptions, including those on hypnosis (including reflection on Acts 10:10 and 22:17) and the Shroud of Turin. Along the way, she grapples with genuine questions and doubts, personal suffering and disability, the reality of evil and conflict, and the consolation of strong friendships and personal prayer with God. In all these ways, she invites curiosity into the reality of God and his imminent presence working for good in the lives of those who trust him.
Her ultimate hope is that readers will see how God has revealed himself, and ‘come to know Him and love Him and follow Him for yourselves’. It’s a commendable aim and a wonderful example of a Christian grandparent seeking to share their faith as a gift – not only for her own descendants, but for many others. While I am neither her grandchild nor godchild, I do know members of the family personally, and I found it a profoundly encouraging and engrossing read, and would recommend it as a wonderful testimony to how God might use our otherwise mundane lives for his glory. It’s also a wonderful example for others who might wish to record their own experience of God to pass on to the next generation.
Mike Phillips is the Vicar of Ormond Anglican Church, and a friend of the Asten family. The Golden Thread can be purchased at underthesun.net.au