** You can read the Bible with Claire van Ryn as part of Bible Society’s ‘Live light in 25 words’ campaign. Head to the campaign site for more info.**

Claire van Ryn has a one-of-a-kind opportunity in Australia’s media. She writes a weekly column for The Examiner in Launceston, Tasmania, called Keeping the Faith, providing “a Christian perspective on everyday things”.

Claire van Ryn is part of Bible Society’s ‘Live light in 25 words’ 2012 Bible reading campaign. Head to 25words.biblesociety.org.au to find out more.

It’s not often that a journalist gets to write about faith in a secular newspaper. At least not with a positive perspective. But 29-year-old Claire sees it as a ministry.

“I’m still reeling that God’s using me like this. I would never have dreamed that this is what I would be doing. Every week, I’m out there, encouraging people to have a relationship with God,” she says.

Claire says her column was really the result of being in the right place at the right time.

“We had a new editor come on board who was shaking things up a lot, wanting to push boundaries. An older Christian colleague of mine put my hand up for me, suggesting a Christian opinion column would be a good idea. If anything, I wanted to run away from it, but the editor asked me to do it, and it just seemed to happen.”

Of the columns Claire has written since its inception four years ago, some of the most popular have also been the most controversial, topics like abortion, gay marriage and euthanasia.

“I guess they’re the predictable ones, to get the debates going,” says Claire. “Some of those columns get hundreds and hundreds of comments, and the debate often rages a month after its been published. They are such sensitive issues, and the column does stir it up a bit.”

With such a public Christian voice, Claire says a daily Bible habit is paramount.

“Because I am out there, encouraging others to have that relationship with God, the onus is on me to make sure I’m taking heed of my own words,” says Claire.

“Often the things I write about are lessons that I’m grappling with personally too – and it makes me more aware of the need to spend time with God. When I don’t, I find it really hard, I really notice the difference and my columns don’t come as easily.”

Claire believes it’s ok to “wrestle” with the Bible, to question, to delve deeper.

“We don’t have to just swallow it whole. It’s ok for us to look into things, or to talk about the things in the Bible that we don’t understand or are finding it hard to reconcile with,” says Claire.

“It’s something we encourage in my own small Bible study group – to speak out about the things we just don’t get in the Bible, and to talk it over. Sometimes we can’t answer the questions, but we sit better with it by talking about it.”

As an advocate for Bible reading as part of the Bible Society’s Live light in 25 words campaign, Claire has written seven daily devotions so other Christians can ‘Read the Bible with’ her.

“A good study guide is a good place to start with a Bible reading habit. And finding the right time in your day. For those with frenetic lives, we need to be creative in the way we do that.

“So, for example, last summer I did lots of walking trying to get rid of baby weight after I had my first baby, Roman. I found that a great time to clear my mind and spend time praying. Finding creative times like that to read the Bible too can help busy people. Just start with a little bit at a time.”

You can ‘Read the Bible with…’ Claire van Ryn at Bible Society’s Live light in 25 words website here.

Catch up on Claire’s Keeping the Faith columns by visiting her personal blog, here.