Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton: Faith in the Fire
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Welcome to Sunburnt Souls, where we talk life, faith, and mental wellbeing. This week, I had the incredible privilege of sitting down with Lindy Chamberlain-Creighton. If you're Australian, chances are you already know who Lindy is. In 1980, while camping at Uluru, her nine-week-old daughter, Azaria, was taken by a dingo. What followed was one of the most publicised and tragic miscarriages of justice in Australian history. Lindy was convicted and sent to prison for a crime she didn’t commit. Years later, she was released, exonerated, and eventually received a formal apology.
But this isn’t a blog about crime or courtroom drama. It’s about faith. It’s about resilience. It’s about how a woman walked through the fire and still emerged, not bitter, not broken, but with a deeper conviction that God was never far away.
A Life Lived in the Spotlight
Lindy's story has been told and retold across books, movies, and news headlines. Yet few interviews have ever really unpacked the spiritual journey that carried her through. As she puts it, "Most people don't live quite as publicly as I've had to."
Despite the global attention, she lives what she calls a "fairly normal life" these days. She sews, climbs ladders, paints, cooks, watches TV, and catches up with friends. She laughs as she reflects on mending clothes again, something she swore off after prison. But practicality wins out. "Why spend money on replacements when I could use it elsewhere?" she says.
The Unseen Thread of Faith
What many don’t realise is that Lindy's faith in God was not something she clung to out of desperation once things went wrong. It was something deeply rooted and built up over a lifetime. As a pastor's daughter and a woman who has experienced the highs and lows of spiritual life, Lindy has always known that faith is not a parachute we grab in emergencies. It's the daily discipline of trusting God in the little things that builds strength for the big things.
Lindy told a story from her childhood—a story about finding her dad’s lost glasses when her family couldn’t afford another pair. She prayed, specifically, for help. A low-hanging branch slapped her across the face and as she ducked, she spotted the glasses in a crack in the ground. That moment shaped her understanding of God's personal involvement in her life. "He wanted me to ask specifically. Not because He didn’t know, but because He wanted me to know He was listening."
That moment planted something deeper: if God could care about a 12-year-old girl and her father’s glasses, then surely, He would care about bigger things too.
How Do You Survive the Unthinkable?
When Lindy was sentenced to prison, she had already laid down her expectations before God. She recalls praying, "Lord, if there's a reason you want me to go to prison, just please take care of my kids."
That night, she lay on a prison bed, too emotionally exhausted to pray. She simply said, "Lord, I can't. You'll have to pray for me tonight." And she slept—deeply and peacefully.
She awoke to something unexpected: a dingo staring through her cell window. Her immediate thought was, "That's just like the devil, showing up to gloat." But then another truth cut through: "Even though I don't know why I'm here, I know God's got something up His sleeve."
It was in that moment she knew—truly knew—that God was with her.
Not a Victim, but a Witness
Lindy believes that had the system acquitted her early on, people would have chalked it up to "smart lawyers." But because the battle was drawn out and so public, her innocence—eventually proven—was undeniable. "You can't do anything against the truth, only for it," she says.
She would often get letters from people who had once judged her, only to change their minds after watching a documentary or reading her words. It wasn't just a legal victory; it became a testimony.
What About Forgiveness?
If anyone had a right to hold a grudge, it would be Lindy Chamberlain. But she has learned a deeper lesson: forgiveness is not for the other person—it's for you.
"If you don't forgive them, they're renting space in your head," she says. Holding onto anger and pain only prolongs your suffering. "If I made myself pray for someone who hurt me, I couldn’t hate them."
She explained how she even prayed for the people who prosecuted her, for the journalists who twisted her words, for the public who made her a villain. Some days she still gets frustrated, but then she reminds herself: "You're not the judge. God is."
Spiritual Muscles Must Be Trained
Faith, according to Lindy, is like building muscle. You don’t start with a marathon. You train daily. You start small and build up.
"You prove God in the little things. That way, when the big things come, you already trust Him."
And she’s lived it. Fifty house moves. Constant transitions. The glare of the media. Three years in prison. Years of courtrooms. Headlines. Accusations. And yet—a quiet, unwavering faith.
"The only time you can't see God," she says, "is when you're running ahead of Him."
Hope Beyond the Trial
For those listening who have known grief, or injustice, or mental anguish, Lindy has a simple message: God sees you. He carries you. Sometimes, the things we most want removed from our lives are the very things God uses to reveal Himself most clearly.
And she’s seen it again and again.
She mentioned how many of her lawyers went on to become judges, commissioners, and legal leaders. Meanwhile, many of those who falsely testified or pursued her case with unethical bias were later disgraced or discredited. "God has His own way of bringing things to light," she said.
Peace That Surpasses Understanding
Perhaps the most powerful thing Lindy shared was the inexplicable peace she experienced in prison. The kind of peace the Bible talks about in Philippians 4:7—a peace that "surpasses understanding."
"I've only felt it twice," she said. "That first night in prison, and once more since. I can't describe it, but I know when it's there."
It wasn’t logic. It wasn’t distraction. It wasn’t denial. It was God.
So What Can We Learn?
Lindy's story isn’t just for those who have been wrongfully accused. It’s for anyone who has ever been let down, hurt, misunderstood, or betrayed. It’s for those struggling to trust God in the chaos.
She has every reason to be bitter. And yet she isn’t. She has every reason to question God. But instead, she trusts Him more. She doesn’t minimise her pain—she brings it to God.
And if she can, maybe we can too.
So here are a few takeaways:
Train your faith daily – Start with the small things. Watch God show up. Then when the storm hits, you'll already know His voice.
Forgiveness sets you free – It's not about letting others off the hook. It's about taking your life back.
Let go of bitterness – God is a better judge than you. Trust Him with the justice.
Don’t run ahead of God – Walk with Him. His pace. His presence.
Pray, even when you can’t pray – Just say, "God, I can’t. You’ll have to pray for me."
Remember, God carries you – Even when you can’t feel it.
Final Words: A Prayer from Lindy
To close out the episode, Lindy prayed:
"Father in Heaven, we thank you that you're not just an unknown something out there, but you're personal. You really care about each one. You really know when a sparrow falls and how many hairs we've got on our head. You love us, even when the process we go through in life is hard. May those who hear this know how deeply You love them, and may they find peace in You. In Jesus' name, Amen."
If you were encourageed by Lindy’s story, and you're looking to strengthen your faith and mental wellbeing, check out our short course: Loving Life with Faith and Mental Health. It’s $28 for 28 days of bite-sized teaching, reflection, and spiritual growth.
Thanks for tuning in to Sunburnt Souls. Share this story with someone who needs hope. Because healing happens when we're honest. And hope grows best in the sun.
