Hot Apple Cider

Dr. Brad Burke's personal essay, "What Was God Thinking?," is on page 93 of Hot Apple Cider. It contains excerpts from his book An MD Examines: Why Does God Allow Suffering?

Brad Burke, MD, is a Christian medical specialist, speaker, and author who took a five-year sabbatical from practicing medicine to research and write the compelling book series, An MD Examines. This four-book series is packed with creative illustrations and stories that share God’s character through the eyes of a medical doctor. Titles in the series include, Is God Obsolete?, Why Doesn’t God Stop Evil?, Does God Still Do Miracles?, and Why Does God Allow Suffering? 

Dr. Brad has been a guest on several radio and TV shows including “100 Huntley Street” and Janet Parshall’s syndicated show, “America.” 

Dr. Brad currently works and resides in the Windsor/ Detroit area with his wife Erin.

Hot Apple Cider came together in a rather unusual way. What made you want to have your work in it? 

I loved the concept for Hot Apple Cider, an inspiring and spiritually engaging book written, edited, and published exclusively by Canadians. When the idea was presented to me, I felt compelled to write a chapter for readers who are struggling with the question, “God, have you forgotten about me?” 

This book is 100% Canadian. Canadian authors, publisher, printer—everything. Is that important to you?

Yes, Hot Apple Cider helps break down the stereotype that the only good Christian authors and editors are Americans. There are many talented Christian writers and editors with Canadian roots now living in Canada and all over the world, helping to spread God’s truth one paragraph at a time. Even though I now live in Michigan, I still consider Canada my home country.  

Brad, you are currently both a doctor and an author. But it was actually at a point where you weren’t sure what was going to come of your medical career that you began to write. Can you share a little bit about what happened?

When I returned back to Canada from my specialty training in the U.S., I discovered that I wasn’t able to practise medicine in any respect. It was at that time the idea of writing a book came into my mind. As a fully qualified medical doctor (with no country to work in) I was living with my parents, making payments on my credit cards with other credit cards, painting bridges in our town, and babysitting friends’ kids for free. I had never written a book, but I had nothing to lose (and nothing to do) so I thought I’d start writing and see where God led. One book turned into two, then into three books (which eventually became twelve smaller books.) 

After all that writing, I believe you had no idea what to do with your manuscript. But one thing seemed to lead to another…? 

The manuscript for my book series, An MD Examines was several hundred pages in length, and I had absolutely no idea what to do with it. I had tried contacting a few publishing houses on my own, but got nowhere. After three years of writing as an unemployed medical doctor, I was very discouraged, wondering if the books would ever be published. Then a Christian publisher introduced me to The Word Guild, and after doing some research, I entered their novice writing competition. I placed second, and used some of the prize money to attend The Word Guild's Write! Canada conference that spring. At that conference I met my agent, and then a year later I met my editor and publisher. By that fall, I had a four-book contract with the royalty publisher, David C. Cook, in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Can you tell us a little about your four published books?

Each book in my series, "An MD Examines," tackles some very difficult and perplexing questions about God. This four-book series is packed with creative illustrations and stories that share God’s character through the eyes of a medical doctor. I wanted to help my readers understand God's perspective on the tough subjects of life. But after my ordeal as an unemployed and discouraged medical doctor, I probably came away having learned the most myself.

Rather than having one book come out, as is the norm, you actually had all four come out at once, just as you were getting back into medicine. That must have been a crazy time for you. How did you manage?

After being out of medicine for more than five years, it was incredibly challenging to return again to my specialty of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. Much had changed, plus I was now practising in a different country. I had to complete 1.5 years of added training in Canada before I could be given an independent license to practise in the Great White North. On top of that, my editor was asking for changes to all of my books: some of the changes were more minor, while some were more extensive. I remember returning some days at 8 or 9 p.m. from an exhausting day at the hospital, and gulping down some food before opening up my laptop to work on my book series. Somehow God managed to help me through this difficult time in my life—and keep me sane in the process. 

In her foreword for Hot Apple Cider, Janette Oke mentions that writers are often asked, “Why do you write?” Now that you are back practicing medicine, and you also now have a family, you continue to write. Why is that?

If someone had of told me when I was twenty that one day I would write four books, I would have said they were crazy. I hated English class all through high school. I think that was primarily because we were always critiquing other books, and writing essays on topics that other people chose for us. I actually began my writing career with full length film screenplays, and then progressed to non-fiction books and magazine articles. Now I’m trying my hand at novels and plays. I love the opportunity to be creative, and to write on topics I’m passionate about. And if God can somehow use my writing for His glory, then that's all that matters.

I’m assuming you get feedback from a lot of people because of the nature of your books, and feedback is great for the author – you know someone is actually reading your words! But I’m wondering if you’ve learned anything from your readers that you could share with us?

I've experienced some very difficult trials and suffering in my life, but nothing compared to many of my readers. I’ve received many emails from readers describing the pain and suffering that they're going through, and sharing how God is working in their lives. Their emails continually encourage my heart that God is real, that He is supernaturally at work all around us, and that He will never leave us, nor forsake us. I can expound upon these truths from God’s Word in my books, but it’s my readers who really bring it to life with their stories that they so kindly share with me—some of which have made it into my books.

Aside from your own piece, is there a particular piece or thought in the book that stood out for you? 

The chapter entitled, “Where Have All the Mother’s Gone” by Thomas Froese and Jean Chamberlain Froese, MD, really impacted me. Even as a trained medical specialist, I had little idea of the plight of millions of mothers on the other side of the world who die every year from preventable complications of childbirth. We are so fortunate and blessed to be living in countries with expert medical care.

A lot of people want to share their stories in order to help others. What advice do you have for someone who wants to write but doesn’t know how to begin?

There are many spiritual, emotional, and even physical benefits to writing—regardless of whether or not the work is eventually published. God may place the desire in someone’s heart to write, but ironically that writing may end up helping the author the most—as I discovered. Journaling is a great place to start, and from there might come ideas for a magazine article—or perhaps even a book. But if someone wants to take their writing skills to the next level, I recommend attending the Write! Canada Christian writing conference sponsored by The Word Guild. Here, beginners and professionals alike can learn what it takes to get their work published. 

What are you working on now?

I was working on rewriting a novel I wrote with a co-author, but I became sidetracked and I’m now writing a 90 page (90 minute) play for our church. My pastor said he was having difficulty finding good, quality plays to perform. He asked if I might be willing to write one. At first I turned down the request. Then God placed an idea in my head that I couldn’t get out. And, well, I just had to write it. Hopefully my pastor won’t be disappointed.

What is your prayer for the readers of Hot Apple Cider? 

My prayer is that they would grow as close to God from reading the book, as those of us who were involved in it grew from writing and publishing the book.

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