Month: October 2022

Sue’s Views

Do you struggle with anger? We all do at times ….. but we also all know that nothing good comes from it. It leads us to say and do things we wouldn’t normally say or do. It leads to regret and can do a lot of damage. There is some very good advice in Psalm 4:4-5

 “Don’t sin by letting anger control you.

    Think about it overnight and remain silent. 

Offer sacrifices in the right spirit,

    and trust the Lord.”

Anger doesn’t have to lead to sin if we deal with it in the right way. ‘Sleep on it’ is always a good thing to do ….. or at least go and find a quiet place to cool down. Talk to God about it. Tell Him you are sorry and ask Him to help you get to the root of your anger. Was it something that sparked an old painful memory? Trust Him to help you pull that root out and replace it with truth. ‘Ferdinand the Bull knows how to cool off!

There’s an old Indian proverb that says, “Great Spirit, help me never to judge a man until I have walked a mile in his moccasins!” One thing I’ve learned ….. is that ‘hurt people’ hurt people. There is usually a reason why people get ugly ….. and it’s usually because they believe lies! If we can help them know the truth ….. we can help set them free! Don’t judge what you see on the outside ….. look deeper at what’s in the heart!

A huge Happy Birthday to my beloved! You are a legend! And what a legacy you are leaving behind you. One of faithfulness ….. responsibility ….. and most of all ….. faith in God. Thanks for all the prayers and wisdom you share. Some of your grandies wanted to say Happy Birthday!

Sue’s Views

Do you know that Almighty God ….. the Creator of the Universe ….. sees you? There is nowhere you can go to escape His gaze! Now that can be comforting ….. or alarming ….. depending on where you stand with Him. If you are one of His children ….. that is wonderful news. It means you never have to be afraid of danger ….. or worry about provision ….. or be anxious about your future. It means knowing who you are and whose you are. Above all ….. it means knowing you are forgiven from all your wrongdoing ….. and have God’s Spirit within you to guide you through life. However ….. if you don’t know God as your Father ….. you are missing out on the life He intended for you. There is only one way to change that and it’s through His Son, Jesus. In His words ‘I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’

Sue’s Views

After a long winter ….. it finally feels like summer is on the way! With that comes a desire to get outside and deal with those weeds and overgrown shrubs in the garden. It’s also a great time to look at some of the ‘weeds’ growing inside of us! Things like negativity ….. self indulgence ….. resentment ….. and other nasties that choke the good stuff! One thing I know about weeds is that you have to pull them out by the roots ….. otherwise they will come back even stronger. Don’t just try to do better ….. look for the root lies that have given life and power to the weeds! Pull that thing out and put it on the rubbish heap. Then replace it with a plant of truth!

Sue’s Views

We all have a story! Some are more dramatic than others ….. but they are each unique and powerful in their own way. Your journey may have been difficult ….. but there are people out there who need to hear it. It becomes your testimony. It can be an encouragement to ones who are on a similar journey. It can be a warning to those who are heading the wrong way. But most of all it can prove to them how amazing God is ….. and how He can make something beautiful out of an ugly situation. If a butterfly could talk ….. it would have an amazing story to tell!

Sue’s Views

The most valuable treasures are never on the surface. Gold ….. precious stones ….. minerals are hidden underground.  They have to be dug for! The same can be said for people. We have to dig down deep sometimes to find the true character and beauty that is hidden there. But we can help them discover it by getting to know them and taking am interest in them. The most valuable treasures though are found in the pages of the Bible. Again ….. we have to dig for them. We do that by reading ….. asking questions like ‘who’ ‘when’ ‘where’ and ‘why’? ….. applying it to our situation ….. and by chewing it over several times. Like a cow chewing the grass ….. it takes time to make it become part of us. But once it does ….. we will be changed forever!

Sue’s Views

Another poignant message from our beach walks last weekend. It says, “You thought these phoneboxes would be around forever? Call your parents!” It’s so easy to take things and people for granted ….. especially those closest to us. We do tend to think they will always be there. But life is short ….. and new technology that is supposed to save us time ….. ends up robbing us of time and relationships. Is there someone you need to call ….. visit ….. or contact? Do it while you can!

Sue’s Views

Who likes having to wait? And yet we all spend a lot of time waiting. Waiting in queues ….. at the traffic lights ….. waiting for someone else to get ready ….. waiting for an answer to prayer. These surfers amazed me at how much time they spend just waiting for the right wave! And yet ….. when it comes ….. it makes all the waiting worthwhile. Waiting definitely has its challenges ….. but it also does a lot of good in the process. It teaches us patience ….. perseverance ….. and trust. Waiting on God doesn’t mean doing nothing. It means seeing what you are hoping for in your mind and believing you have it. It means doing other things while you wait to help others. It means continually praying and thanking Him for all He is doing in and through you. And it means getting ready. Because when that wave comes ….. you won’t want to miss it! It could be the ride of your life!

Sue’s Views

After a few lovely days at the beach ….. we are heading home today. One thing I’ve learned this weekend is that resting is a vital part of life. God intends for us to rest. But it’s more of a state of mind than a posture or place. I’m sure we’ve all had sleepless nights where we were lying down but unable to turn our anxious minds off. We can be in the most idyllic environment and still unable to relax. It’s not about the absence of activity or turmoil. It’s about the presence of ‘the peace that surpasses all understanding’. And that can only come from the Prince of Peace Himself. He is with us in every situation ….. through every storm ….. every moment of every day!