This week’s author interview is with Neil Tolsma, author of This Is Love: Tracing The Love of God throughout the Biblical Story.

• Ques­tion #1 — Tell us a lit­tle bit about your­self: where you’re from, fam­ily, job, per­sonal inter­ests, unique hob­bies, what do you do in your spare time, etc.

I was born February 5, 1935, and grew up in New Jersey. I am a graduate of Westminster Theological Seminary class of 1965. This year will mark the 50th anniversary of my graduation and of my ordination.

My wife, Lenore, and I were married in August, 1959. We have three daughters and eight grandchildren. One of our daughters, Liz Tolsma is also a published author. She and her husband Doug Cain have three adopted children Brian (from Vietnam) is serving in the military as a marine,  Alyssa (from South Korea), and Jonalyn (from the Philippines). She writes historical fiction. Our second daughter Carolyn Tews is a labor an delivery nurse. She and her husband Greg Tews are the parents of three girls, Sarah, Becca, and Hannah.  Our youngest daughter Elaine Harlow is an artist and she and her husband Rick Harlow are the parents of Olivia and Daniel, who is adopted from Guatemala.

After serving as pastor of Bethel Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida from 1965 until 1974, I was installed to serve Falls Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin until my retirement in 2004. In my retirement, along with my work as a writer, I substitute preach at various churches fairly regularly.

• Ques­tion #2 — What inspired you to write this book, about this topic?

While at seminary, Professor John Murray urged us as his students to get a subject in mind, research it and maybe in time write a book on that subject. After counseling a number of people and also “as I prepared sermons, I again and again found myself dealing with the idea of love. It pervades the Scriptures.” [Quoting from the preface of my book This Is Love and you can find more about how I came to write my book there] This prodded me to write a book on love. Especially after I found how few people truly understood what godly love is all about. My book This Is Love seeks to define godly love. The book I am now working on will deal with the practice of godly love.

• Questions #3 & #4 — Did you always enjoy writing? How do you deal with writer’s block?

My interest in writing came early. While in grade school my teacher read a story I had written to the class. I remember how she she complimented me on it and how the kids in class were excited as she read it. In college I was also complimented on my writing. I do enjoy writing but also find it a grind at times especially when hit with writer’s block. I find it best to overcome the block simply forcing my to get on with the research and write even though I may end up deleting what I write.

• Ques­tion #5 — Which writ­ers inspire you?

Authors who have had the most influence on me in my life as a pastor: early in my ministry Edmund Clowney‘s Preaching and Biblical Theology, and Herman Ridderbos‘ The Coming of the Kingdom, and later his book on Paul’s theology. Since I am retired, writing as become my chief occupation. At the present I am teaching an adult Sunday school class using the outline of the book I am presently working on. I did this while writing my first book too and found it very helpful in organizing my thinking and the content of the book. Some good suggestions came from those attending the study.

• Ques­tion #6 — Favorite sport to watch? Why? Favorite sport’s team?

I’m not much of a sports fan although I do like watching bike racing on TV and particularly the Tour de France. I used to run and earned a couple of medals and some ribbons for my running. Including a gold in one run for best in my age group (70s). The laugh is that I happened to be the only runner in that age group. But I had the last laugh since I ran faster than all the guys in the next younger group. I’m not running now because of a sore knee. I would like to start again but my knee isn’t cooperating.

• Question # 7 — What is your favorite animal?

I love giraffes. I think they are the coolest animals. My grandchildren kid me about it. When she had an opportunity to feed a giraffe at the local zoo, my granddaughter, Alyssa Cain, asked me to go with her. That was fun. My youngest grandson, Daniel Harlow, even made up a book about giraffes for me, carefully cutting out pictures of giraffes to paste in the book along with facts about the animal.

• Question #8 — What is your favorite food?

My favorite food: eggs, Leyden cheese, and peanut butter. Not at the same time of course. My wife is a great cook and she rarely makes something I do not like.

• Question #9 — Do you have a favorite passage of Scripture?

When preaching I’ve often remarked that the text of my sermon is my favorite passage in the Bible. I am in love with the Bible plain and simple. But there are parts of Scripture that resonate with me: Psalm 27, the Gospel of John, and Philippians.