Travels of a Wimpy Mum: Finding courage through the Book of James

By Vanessa Foran

While Jane juggles the mental load required to wrangle her family away on a trip around rural Australia, she dreams of fourteen weeks where every day is Saturday. Yet she is also terrified.

To her frustration, the road proves no escape from

• Language: English
• Publisher: 598PRESS
• Release date: Mar 12, 2024
• ISBN: 9780645141023

Vanessa Foran

Vanessa Foran is a psychologist living in Melbourne, Australia with her social worker husband and three children. She enjoys travel (preferably when it's easy and comfortable) learning new things, making quilts and slow-stitching. She became a Christian as a young adult when she was also exploring psychology, and ever since then has been interested in the relationship between faith and mental health. Travels of a Wimpy Mum is a memoir of her family's travels around the western half of Australia in 2012, and is her first book.

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Travels

of a

Wimpy Mum

Finding courage through the Book of James

What people are saying

The idea of inserting the extracts from the children’s diaries is a very good one. There are times when their comments are unconsciously - or perhaps consciously - truly funny. Vanessa writes very engagingly, and it is a great strength that means many, many readers with families will closely identify with her.

Adrian Plass

Best-selling Author of The Sacred Diary series

This is so much more than simply a story about a family trip around Australia. It’s about family and faith, marriage and mental health, adventure and honesty. Most of all, it’s about failure, success, and learning to find yourself in the love of God.

Cecily Paterson

Author of Love, Tears & Autism

I have always wanted to journey around Australia. Reading Travels of a Wimpy Mum not only gave me some must see places, but engaged me in the emotion of family life lived in the pressure cooker of the transient campervan family!

Vanessa’s book is totally engaging and funny, and most of all very real. I felt like I was part of their family journey, living the ups and downs with them. I valued the honesty and vulnerability that oozes out of the pages and kept me turning.

The journey through the Book of James brought a stark realization to the reader – faith & the Kingdom life cannot be interchanged. It showed the power of perseverance and the beauty of seeing God in every space. Vanessa’s writing has made me consider how the scripture is being lived out in my own life. It is a beautiful exploration of faith seamlessly interwoven with the tapestry of daily life – encouraging us all to consider how faith is manifested in our own lives.

Reverend Peter Neilsen, Senior Pastor,

Kilsyth South Baptist Church

Vanessa is someone I have always found engaging and willing to discuss the everyday issues in a way that is honest and thought provoking. In her book, Travels of a Wimpy Mum, these positive traits of Vanessa shine through in her writing along with her love for Jesus. As you read this book you will be taken on an adventure which will be deeply enjoyable but will also find yourself relating to different aspects within your own life’s journey. I thoroughly recommend Vanessa and her book, Travels of a Wimpy Mum.

Reverend Tim Dyer, Minister,

Syndal Baptist Church

I’m truly delighted to share my endorsement for Vanessa’s debut book, a work that stands as a testament to her unyielding determination, genuine vulnerability, and unwavering faith in Christ. Vanessa’s literary journey has been nothing short of extraordinary.

With unflinching honesty, Vanessa lays bare her soul, sharing her most intimate thoughts and experiences. It takes remarkable courage to reveal one’s deepest fears, struggles, and triumphs, and Vanessa does so with grace and authenticity.

Vanessa’s storytelling is filled with relatable characters, moments of triumph, and moments of heartbreak, making her book a captivating and emotionally charged journey from start to finish. She captures the reader’s attention right from the first page and keeps us engaged through all her ups and turns.

Throughout the book, Vanessa’s faith in Christ serves as a guiding light in her life, offering a message of hope and resilience to all who engage with her words. Her spiritual journey is artfully woven into the narrative, adding depth and meaning to the story and inviting us to view James 1:2-4 from a fresh perspective while encouraging reflection on our own life experiences.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book, firmly believing it will resonate with a wide range of readers. Vanessa’s journey as an author is just beginning, and I eagerly anticipate her future works.

Vanessa Lister (MBA, MIML)

Most of us are a bit worried about sharing our parenting with the world, because, let’s face it, we’re often making this stuff up as we go along. So, we put on a brave face, pretending we have it all together – and that can leave us lonely and anxious.

This delightful book takes us on a family road trip though Australia, but even better, gives us a look deep inside that family. The mother’s reflections (and often hilarious lack of self-reflection) ease our fears that other families are perfect and it’s only ours that ever struggles.

In a culture that currently features growing anxiety in both parents and children, seeing resilient children and a mother who is trying and sometimes failing and but always growing, is a reassuring reminder that we’ll all be OK.

The author writes aloud things we normally only think - and works through her faith in a far more relevant, real-life way than most church sermons. A fond reminder of the Diaries of Adrian Plass, this book helps us approach our life with more calm, trust and generosity of spirit. Read it to your kids as you plan your next family adventure – if you dare!

Susy Lee,

Prize-winning author of Raising Kids Who Care

Travels of a Wimpy Mum is a heart-warming and relatable story about facing fears and finding courage through faith. The book chronicles Jane and her family’s three-month adventure travelling across Australia, complete with mishaps along the way.

It’s an uplifting read, infused with gentle humour. Jane’s perspective on life will resonate with many, while her husband, Hamish provides a grounding force of reason. Join Jane and her family on this engaging travelogue adventure that’s sure to warm your heart and inspire you to think about life differently.

Nerissa Bentley, The Melbourne Health Writer

Travels of a Wimpy Mum is a delightful ramble. Through the challenges of a three-month camping trip, Vanessa’s understanding and ability to trust God grows, and the joy and beauty of the outback shines through.

Regina Rich,

Growing into Healing and Wholeness, Bendigo

Vanessa authentically describes the many joys and challenges faced in raising children and family life, and vulnerably shares how God challenged and shaped her heart - and her broader outlook on life - as she wrestled with James’ teaching from scripture.

Read this book and not only will you be stirred and encouraged by reflecting on Jane’s story, but you will likely be stirred and encouraged to allow God to do a similar maturing work in your own heart and life as well.

Joel Hawting, Lead Pastor,

Liberty Family Church, Healesville

I have two events in the food truck ministry and it’s probably the biggest day of the year for me and I woke up early not to prepare, but to read this book!!

The author’s vulnerability throughout this amusing account of her family’s adventures is endearing. The pages are riddled with a refreshing honesty as she wrestles with understanding genuine application of scripture, in the everyday, as Mum and wife. This read is light, fun, beautifully descriptive and left me wanting to know what happens next.

Carissa Rash,

Chief Executive Officer, 4Tk Australia

From the very first sentence, the Wimpy Mum draws the reader into her world of complex, quirky and totally relatable thoughts and emotions. This is an honest, raw and beautifully written book. Vanessa’s awareness of her own perceived shortcomings, her devotion to her children and husband, and above all her relentless pursuit of God in the midst of the many challenges she faces on the road touch the heart and inspire at every turn. A thoroughly enjoyable read!

Penny Mentiplay, Mental Health Coach,

Breakthrough to Great Mental Health

Travels of a Wimpy Mum

Copyright © 2024, Vanessa Foran

Cover Design: Cutting-Edge-Studio.com

Formatting & Layout: Kingfisher Design

For more information email [e-mail]

ISBN E-Book: 978-0-6451410-2-3

Paperback: 978-0-6451410-3-0

Travels of a Wimpy Mum is loosely based on the author’s trip around the western half of Australia in 2012. People’s names and some place names have been changed to respect privacy.

All bible quotations are taken from the New International Version (2011 edition).

© 2024 Vanessa Foran. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing from the proprietor(s).

Travels

of a

Wimpy Mum

Finding courage through the Book of James

Vanessa Foran

Contents

What people are saying

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Epilogue

Discussion questions

Note from the Author

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Prologue

Australia is big. In three hectic months of travel, you can only see half of it. The eastern half is full of people, sandy white beaches, and tropical resorts. The western half is mainly desert, with a few isolated attractions that were marked with a red star in our guidebook. I’d told Hamish the eastern half was better: more cities and landmarks and more likelihood of finding cafes serving proper, espresso-machine coffee. But Hamish thought we could do the east another time. We were using his long service leave and we’d never get a chance to do such a journey again, so we should see the vast and barren west of Australia.

I’d learnt that it pays off to take a chance on Hamish’s ideas, like the time he suggested knocking down a wall in the kitchen and installing a breakfast bench. The mess was terrible at first, but the feeling of space it created once all the dust from the demolition was cleared away was liberating. I agreed to go west.

Hamish got busy with equipment. He’d had our old four-wheel drive upgraded, with four new tyres, and a snorkel that ran alongside the windscreen and then pointed forward, like a watchful antenna. He’d bought a camper trailer which hitched to the back of the car and would be our home for three months. I was in charge of communication, which meant telling the neighbours we’d be away, finding house sitters and convincing teachers it was okay to take the children out of school for a term.

My part of the packing was easy. I made sure we all had coats and walking shoes and thongs and bathers and sun hats. Then I let the kids add some of their favourite things. Jenna chose books. Faith insisted on bringing her Tinkerbell T-shirt. Gideon added dinosaur toys and his favourite blue rug with a stegosaurus on it.

Hamish’s packing took weeks. He stowed cutlery and plates, sleeping bags and beds, boxes of cereal and an oven mitt. He packed things I didn’t recognise. I didn’t ask questions. I needed to conserve my energy to prepare for what was coming. Would we really get to go whale spotting, see the red sand of Broome, and marvel at the magnificence of Uluru? It was thrilling, but I was still terrified. In the week leading up to our departure, my heart went into spells of beating wildly. What if we couldn’t get the camper trailer to open and there was no-one around to help us? What if I hadn’t packed the right clothes? Were we doing the right thing, taking the children out of school and away from their friends? Life as a full-time parent to Gideon wasn’t easy, but it was predictable. On the road, with no permanent home for three months, would I cope?

Chapter 1

Monday, 4th June 2012

When the alarm went off, my heart beat even more wildly than it had all week. Had we remembered everything? I woke the children while Hamish put the last of the food into the car fridge. I locked the back door and turned off the power. I gave the house a loving look before ushering the children to the car. We’d promised them breakfast on the road.

We’d gotten away by 6.10 am, only ten minutes later than we’d agreed on thanks to Hamish’s good planning. My heart rate slowed to a more regular rhythm once we reached the freeway. Maybe we did have everything we needed and the trip would go smoothly. Even though he has crazy ideas, Hamish is organised. At least the first stop would be Adelaide, which is a city, like Melbourne or Sydney. I didn’t have to worry about being somewhere remote, with no one to help if we got bogged, or Hamish had accidentally left the cereal behind.

The children were well-occupied with the new DVD players Hamish had installed behind front-seat headrests. After two movies, two food stops, and eight hours on the road, we arrived at the Squiggly Creek Caravan Park, on the outskirts of Adelaide, late in the afternoon. My heart sank. The caravan park was not like a city park at all. The amenities were tiny and makeshift. The camping area was in an unmarked field. It was raining and the ground was soggy and covered in duck poo. It wasn’t the comfortable start I’d hoped for.

We put our raincoats on and stood around the camper trailer. We’d practised setting up in our backyard, but it felt different doing it for real. Hamish unzipped the trailer cover. It opened easily. Phew! Then we unfolded the bedrooms on either side of the trailer. So far so good. Next came the poles. They became slippery in the rain. Jenna and I shuffled into position under the canvas and held the poles in place while Hamish extended guy ropes and hammered in tent pegs. Eventually the tent was standing, with Hamish and my bedroom above the trailer and two other rooms extending out either side.

We abandoned our plan to heat tinned soup in the camp kitchen and went to the little caravan park restaurant instead. The plastic menus were sticky and there was a noisy video game in one corner called the Wild West. The girls chatted excitedly and wrote in the diaries I’d brought along to occupy them. It was hard to keep Gideon away from the Wild West game, where you had to shoot deer and other wild animals, but he was eventually persuaded to sit at the big wooden table with us. He drew a scary-looking dinosaur in his new scrapbook, while we waited for our food. The meals tasted like they’d been microwaved from frozen packs, but I was grateful I hadn’t had to cook.

When the children had gone to sleep, Hamish and I sat up on our bed in between them. We’d been so busy getting ready, we hadn’t had a chance to share how we were feeling about the trip.

Do you still think it was a good idea, Hamish? I’d forgotten it was going to be winter all across the southern part of Australia. Even though I had thermal pyjamas on and was inside our sleeping bag, I was freezing.

Of course. We’ve put ordinary life behind us. We can focus on the important things. I can forget about work. We can do something different, together, as a family.

Hamish had a point. It was hard being the stay-at-home parent while he went to work. I’d enjoyed mothering the girls, apart from the hard bits, but Gideon was difficult to connect with. As a toddler he had no interest in toys or books unless they related to dinosaurs. When he reached preschool, I bribed him with lollies to get him to go to the park, to stop him from watching shows about dinosaurs all day. Ten-year-old Jenna and eight-year-old Faith were neglected while I tried to work out how to engage Gideon in wholesome, educational activities. It was awful. I was sure I was a terrible mother.

So perhaps Hamish was right about doing something as a family. He knew how to discipline the children and still have fun. I had a mental picture of three pleasant, simple, easy-breezy months, where I shared all the responsibilities of child wrangling with Hamish: fourteen weeks where every day was like a Saturday.

Hamish stretched out on the bed and stared up at the canvas ceiling. I’ve told you our family moved to Cyprus when I was eight.

Mm-hmm. I knew all about Cyprus. Sometimes at family get-togethers his parents, May and Richard, would bring out a slideshow about their time there.

Dad was stationed there with the Air Force for two years, and it was fun experiencing something different as a family. Every Sunday after church for two years his parents took them to a different beach for a picnic. They would bring a gazebo, chairs and tables, and a badminton set, and Hamish and his brothers and sister would help set it up. It always made me feel tired watching the slide show and looking at the equipment they’d brought for a Sunday outing. But nothing was too much trouble for Hamish’s family. They were smiling in all the slides.

His parents had moved a lot with the Air Force, living in Cyprus, and Ireland, and all over England, while Hamish and his brothers and sister went to boarding school. They always spent holidays together. Family was important. After retirement, Hamish’s parents had moved to Melbourne to be close to their grandchildren. They were our family’s biggest supporters.

Hamish folded his hands over his chest. He looked happy thinking about the trip ahead of us. This trip is a chance for us to help the kids with their faith. Instead of them going to Sunday school, we can learn things together as a family. Maybe have family church services.

I frowned. I couldn’t imagine how we could fit in running church services as well as all the hiking and four-wheel driving Hamish told me he’d planned.

It will be good to visit an indigenous community too, don’t you think? I really want the children to see a different way of life. Like I did. Hamish had arranged to visit missionaries in an indigenous community in the Northern Territory. He wanted to teach the kids about indigenous culture. I was worried about that too.

What do you think, Jane? What are you looking forward to? Hamish rolled over and looked at me.

Teaching the children new things will be wonderful. I forced a smile. I didn’t want to ruin Hamish’s happy moment. I wouldn’t tell him that I didn’t want to have family church services and I was worried we’d be a burden to the indigenous community. What I was really looking forward to was not having to deal with the kid’s arguments and a four-year-old’s challenging behaviour all on my own.

I would keep my commitment to the girl’s teachers though, to make sure they kept a diary. I didn’t want them getting in any trouble.

I picked up Jenna’s spiral bound journal. Her first diary entry was written as if the trip had finished and had been a wonderful success. I hoped her teachers wouldn’t mind her using the past tense.

Probably when you think about journeys and adventures, the thoughts that go through your mind are of tropical resorts, or jungles and rainforests, or maybe even life at sea, but you must understand that my story is set far from any of those places. In fact, my stories are about the outback. I’ve never been out of this incredible land of Australia but my travels to the western part when I was ten years old were quite extraordinary.

On our first day my heart was pounding as I got into my seat, and as we slowly left Melbourne, the only home I’ve ever known, I knew that our adventures had only just begun. In Adelaide, we stayed in a place called Squiggly Creek. Although it took such a long time to get there, and it was raining, there were trees everywhere and a perfect spot to park. We frantically set up the trailer. When we were done, we went to the restaurant where the food was delicious. We went to sleep in awe of the sights we had already seen, and excited for all the adventures that lay ahead.

Perfect spot to park! Food was delicious! Excited for all the adventures that lay ahead! I couldn’t believe how positive Jenna’s diary entry was. And I felt a bit guilty, as I turned off my torch and let my eyes adjust to the dark. I’d gone along with what Hamish said about getting closer as a family. I hadn’t told him that was the last thing on my mind. I must be a bad wife and mother. I wriggled down further into my sleeping bag. My mental image of fourteen weeks of easy Saturdays was starting to fall apart. I was worried about what lay ahead.

Tuesday 5th June

I woke up before daybreak in a panic. I could hear rain, and the wind was shaking the canvas of the camper trailer. I thought of our friends who were looking after our house while we were away. They’d be sleeping in our bedroom with four solid walls. I wished I was home. What had we done?

It was still dark, and the rain was pouring. I remembered to read the Book of James again. I’d felt anxious over the past year. Gideon’s behaviour had been particularly challenging and I didn’t know how to manage it. I felt overwhelmed and inadequate. I’d turned forty in May, but I still didn’t feel like a competent mother. There were a few verses that always helped. Hamish had installed a Bible app on my phone—he’s good at that sort of thing—and in the dark I scrolled down the screen and found my favourite verse:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds. (James 1:2).

I’m sure the verse was written for early Christians facing serious trials, like persecution or even death; not for mothers who struggled with mothering. I also didn’t know what James meant. If something was a trial, then how could it be joyful at the same time? Yet I was fascinated by the verse. I loved the possibility that a trial could bring about benefits.

The panic subsided. By the time everyone else had woken up, I was able to help them figure out where their clothes were and organise breakfast. We ate cold cereal in collapsible space-saving bowls that Hamish had bought especially for the purpose. I looked at my red bowl and thought about how much organising and planning he had done. I took a few deep breaths. I owed it to Hamish not to panic and wreck this for him. After breakfast, we walked across the soggy ground, avoiding the duck poo, to shower in the cold and draughty amenities block. We were finally ready to explore Adelaide.

We drove along a