The Inside Story

By Karen Wilson

When it comes to facing who we are inside, there is a reason most of us run from the task! It can get a lot worse before it gets better. It's as if we have an inner child who insists on being heard. Just ignoring him or her will only add to their frustration and then we can spin downward into a deeper spiral feeling misunderstood and isolate

• Language: English
• Publisher: Karen Wilson
• Release date: Nov 27, 2019
• ISBN: 9780992380311

Karen Wilson

Karen Wilson is Professor of Catalysis in the School of Science at RMIT University and was previously Chair of Catalysis and Research Director of the European Bioenergy Research Institute at Aston University (2013-17), where she also held a Royal Society Industry Fellowship in collaboration with Johnson Matthey. She holds a BA and PhD from the University of Cambridge, and MSc in heterogeneous catalysis from the University of Liverpool and has held academic positions at the University of York and Cardiff University. Her research interests lie in the design of tunable porous materials for sustainable biofuels and chemicals production from renewable resources. She is currently Associate Editor of the academic journals Sustainable Energy & Fuels, and Energy & Environmental Materials.

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Recently I have been travelling all over the world for work and ministry. Because of that, I have spent many hours on airplanes. It was on one of those flights that I felt led to begin writing this book.

I was on my way to Germany and had been journaling whilst listening to worship music. I realised I was being given the gift of time on each flight and the opportunity to embark on this venture presented itself.

Hovering above the Earth has a surreal nature to it. You feel strangely cocooned – just you and God. Those times have been some of the most precious I have spent with Him. The following pages are the result of those times. I invite you to join me on the journey I have travelled.

THE INSIDE STORY

Copyright © 2015 Karen Wilson

All rights reserved. Apart from any fair dealings for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission.

All enquiries regarding this publication to be made to Karen Wilson: email: [e-mail]

www.karensinsidestory.com

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978,

1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations from THE MESSAGE. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission."

Artwork & Design by Belinda McCullough Indieya Designs www.indieya.com.au

Third Edition re-format and e-publication conversion by Kellie Parsons Kellie Book Design kelliemaree.com

Edited by Joanne Moore www.theimprovingpen.com

Printed and bound in China by Everbest Printing Co. National Library of Australia, Canberra, Australia.

Print ISBN 978-0-9923803-0-4

eBook ISBN 978-0-992380-3-11

Karen is one of those remarkable leaders whose strength, candor and conviction are authentically and beautifully permeated with warmth, kindness and laughter. I love and respect her integrity, humility, spirituality and practicality – and how she gives herself wholeheartedly to following Jesus and serving those he places in her path. That I get to serve alongside her in church ministry is a privilege that is now mine. That you get to laugh and learn – to find wisdom and gain insight through her book – is an opportunity that is now yours. So, don’t miss it!

- DR HAYDN D. NELSON

BA DipEd BD(Hons) PhD

Senior Minister, Riverview Church, Perth, Western Australia

Karen is a remarkable wife, mother, pastor and leader who writes from her experiences over many years. The profound insights she shares from personal understanding are issues that every leader needs to face and work through. I highly recommend The Inside Story as a very practical resource that gives solutions on how to live life well.

- MARK WILSON

D

ipTeach BachEd GradDipTheol MA

Director Of Ministries, Baptist Churches Western Australia

Pretending we are fine when we are battling with insecurity and brokenness can stop us enjoying life to the full. In The Inside Story Karen Wilson courageously shares how she wrestled with her inner child and discovered fresh joy and contentment.

The book is packed with real-life stories and strategies that will ‘allow the child within to speak and to express things that may have been locked away for a long, long time.’

- ELAINE FRASER

Author: Beautiful: Beauty Tips For The Soul

I have known and greatly admired Karen for 15+ years since I arrived in Western Australia. Karen is an inspiring leader and her passion for God and people is contagious! Karen is a warm, fun, transparent friend and I have greatly valued and benefitted from her influence in my own life.

The Inside Story is a beautifully honest and open book about the journey of Karen’s heart and her pursuit of God for healing and freedom. The journey inward is often referred to as the most courageous one of all. I believe this book will give many people the courage and determination to allow God to ‘search their heart’ so he can bring them into the fullness of all he has for them!

- PASTOR SUE KEEHAN

Co-Senior Pastor/ Founder Globalheart Church Joondalup Perth, WA Women’s Director For Australian Christian Churches

How brilliant. How down-to-earth is the title of this book, The Inside Story. For many years I have been looking for a godly role model for women in leadership. Karen is this for me. She displays godly traits and walks the talk. She is strong and yet feminine, sacrificial, inspiring and real. She can be strong to fight every spiritual battle and yet displays a soft and loving heart. She has literally transformed my leadership thinking and philosophy. I count it a privilege to be associated with Karen and I highly recommend this book to all women leaders. We are not alone out there!

- PASTOR PITEULIA FOO

Associate Pastor Of Enjoy Church, Singapore

Long-term Member of the Singapore Global Leadership Summit (GLS) Steering Committee

Regional Producer For GLS Asia For The Willow Creek Association

This is a beautiful book which is extremely well written and claimed my attention through its relevance from the very beginning. Karen has combined significant Biblical, spiritual, psychological and personal themes into a deep challenge to each of us about ‘the child within’.

- DR KEITH FARMER

Former Principal Australian College Of Ministries (ACoM) Mentor To Christian Leaders

All of us find the road of life rough at times. It was my privilege to share a ‘rough’ time with Karen. I learned to appreciate her determination, her desire for the best for God, and the struggle to know, grow and respectfully love her beautiful inner person. What courage to share it with the rest of the world!

- JOY EICCHORN

M. Psych (Clinical)

This book is dedicated to my husband Mark

and my two children Daniel and Katie.

They have patiently walked this journey with me. They have been through the ups and downs and have remained loving, supportive and always encouraging. The call over my life has not always been easy, yet they have stood with me and navigated through every challenge.

I draw strength from their love and am forever grateful to God for the gift of these three people in my life.

The Inside Story

Foreword

I am stirred up whenever I see a remarkable leader in action. In the past decade, I have had the privilege of observing Karen Wilson in several settings – I saw her rally a volunteer team to create a fabulous women’s retreat, and then breathe encouragement into each and every one of them at the close of that experience. The eyes of those women shone brightly as Karen gave them a vision of what they had sacrificed for. A year later, I listened as Karen boldly challenged thousands of church leaders, calling them to be sacrificial as we give to the greatest causes in the kingdom. She was the first woman to speak to that audience in that hugely significant role, and though her knees were shaking, her words and spirit soared with vision. She did not apologise for asking us to step it up!

I also know Karen as a strategic planner of ministry advancement in Asian countries, winning over the trust and gaining favour with male leaders who at first did not know quite what to make of her. She displayed tremendous emotional and relational intelligence with those men. Then there is Karen the mum – I have seen her up close with her daughter Katie, the two of them laughing together and opening up to one another with a high degree of trust and mutual respect. Karen’s investment in Katie, and in her son Daniel, are among her greatest legacies. Those moments and many more cemented my assessment of Karen as a leader who is making a tremendous difference and operating in her sweet spot.

There are many leaders who seem to be flourishing, but who harbour deep secrets; who are unaware of their shadow side, who have not been willing to pay attention to their souls. Karen, as you will see in this book, is not one of those leaders. What I admire most is how she refuses to skim through life, but instead authentically wrestles with what is going on in the deep places, her inside, private places of loss, her shadow side that creeps in and threatens her joy. Because she has been willing to explore and face her ‘stuff’, Karen is far better equipped to serve others with empathy and truth.

I invite you to join Karen on her journey – to courageously look at your own inner life, at the parts we all try to suppress or escape or deny. Such a journey is both terrifying and, ultimately, freeing. The apostle Paul urged his disciple Timothy to pay attention to his life. This book is a wake-up call for those of us who are tempted to avoid looking at what we most need to see. If we will engage in the process of going deeper, God invites us to a life that will be fuller, richer, and more joyful than anything we have imagined.

Nancy Beach

Leadership Coach, Slingshot Group

Author Of Gifted To Lead: The Art Of Leading as a Woman In The Church

A Note From Karen

Have you ever had a child throw a tantrum in a supermarket? It is my experience that they wait until the most inconvenient time and then they always do it loudly. Everyone notices!

Having had two children, I remember well the planning and coaxing that went on before heading to the shops when they were toddlers. I would make sure they were fed and watered, that they weren’t tired, that they were well rested (if possible). I would think I had all the bases covered but somehow, just when I thought I was going to make it through the excursion without drama, they would hijack the moment. It wasn’t usually over anything huge, just some small request that they weren’t granted, or some treat they thought belonged in the shopping trolley that I didn’t agree with, then it would start: the whining, the complaining, the louder complaining, the tears, the even louder complaining, until it was a full-blown tantrum that had me making a quick exit to the car park!

Now that my children are adults, I am not quite as affected by the tantrums that I see happening around me by children who belong to other people. They don’t have the same psychological ‘meltdown’ effect on me that I remember so vividly. Though now not reduced to a quivering mess, I remember the feeling of being faced with this little person who was totally out of control.

When a child is in full tantrum mode, there is no reasoning with him or her. They are out of control. All their world is focussed on themselves and they are intent on having their needs met, and having them met immediately.

I was on holiday recently, in a beachside town, when we came out of a grocery shop and heard a high pitched wailing that filled the shopping centre. It was as if it were amplified by every hard surface around us. I looked to see the source of the commotion and there was the tiniest little figure, dressed in a princess outfit and stomping her foot because she didn’t get the teddy bear she wanted. My eighteen-year-old daughter and I burst out laughing at the sight, clearly thinking that what she was wearing added to the scene. I was not thinking of the poor mother or father and their task to subdue the child, just of how comical tantrums can look to a bystander. As that child grows, she will surely drop the loud wailing, and most likely the princess costume, but I suspect she will always have a strong nature that may need direction.

Our inner child is like that. When we are confronted by