Be Still and Wait

Sue’s Views
I couldn’t resist taking a pic of this cute little dog who was standing perfectly still and waiting for it’s master. It struck me as unusual as no one seemed to be around. It reminded me that ….. even when our Master doesn’t seem to be near ….. we need to be still and wait for Him. Our natural tendency is to run around in circles and try to do things ourselves. We then get distracted by other ‘dogs’ ….. and end up in trouble! We may not be able to see God ….. but He sees us and knows exactly where we are. Thanks for the lesson, little pooch!

The Potter

Sue’s Views
It’s the second week of the school holidays ….. and I just want to give a shout out to all the mums and dads who are trying to find ways to entertain their children. It has been a tough year ….. especially for those parents who have had to juggle work plus childcare. But please don’t worry about your children’s future. It is already planned! The Potter knows his clay ….. and sees what it can become. Children are resilient and imaginative. Not all of life’s lessons are learned in the classroom!

Hearing v Listening

Sue’s Views
This little guy is checking out his surroundings before venturing out. His large ears help him detect any predators. When Jesus was teaching his disciples ….. several times He said ‘ He who has ears, let him hear’. There’s a difference between hearing and listening. We hear a multitude of voices and sounds everyday ….. but we only listen to the ones we tune into. We joke about people who have ‘selective hearing’ ….. but really we all need to choose who and what we listen to.

Resilience

Sue’s Views
Well October is here ….. and the signs of spring are everywhere. The wisteria is one of my favourite flowers. Not only are they beautiful to look at ….. but they are also resilient. It seems that they get tested by the September gales every year ….. but hold their own. Spring can be a testing time in many ways. Unseasonal snow falls and frosts are a challenge to farmers ….. and fruit growers. The baby lambs and produce still come despite the weather. We too must be resilient and ready in season and out of season. We are guaranteed trials and hardship ….. but we are overcomers through Christ!

Look Up

Sue’s Views
There is so much clamouring for our attention ….. political debates ….. Covid updates ….. education ….. economy ….. and a million other ‘cares’. It’s no wonder we sometimes feel overwhelmed. Our minds are constantly on overload. It’s hard to see the forest for the trees! But each one of those ‘trees’ is subject to God their creator. He is above the forest of confusion and anxiety. My advice to you today is to look up. Instead of focussing on all the issues ….. lift your eyes to the One who is really in control ….. and whose perspective really matters.

Don’t Give Up

Sue’s Views
Spring is here! After a long winter ….. these pretty blossoms symbolise hope. Hope for a new season ….. hope for better days ….. hope for a brighter future. The trees that looked so barren are now bursting with life. Even when nothing appears to be happening ….. a lot is going on within the branches. Our most unproductive times are often the ones that eventually bring forth much fruit. Don’t give up!

The Return

Sue’s Views
Yesterday was a hugely significant day in history. It was Yom Kippur ….. a day in the Hebrew calendar set aside for the forgiveness of sins. It’s also known as The Day of Atonement. The sins of the nation of Israel were transferred to a goat called the scapegoat which was then taken to a remote place signifying the removal of their sins. Centuries later Jesus Christ became our Scapegoat ….. and carried our sins to the Cross once and for all. In Washington DC ….. a mass gathering took place yesterday called ‘The Return’. It was a day of repentance for the sins of the nation. God is calling His Church to repent. Not only in America but all over the world. The world is in a mess because we have turned away from God and His ways. It’s time to return!

Rest

Sue’s Views
Are you getting enough rest? In our busy world ….. it’s not easy to switch off and do nothing. God rested on the seventh day. What makes us think we don’t need to? Ps 23 says ‘The Lord makes me lie down in green pastures’. Does He have to make you rest? Rest isn’t just about sleeping. It’s about giving your mind as well as your body a break. Out of the word ‘rest’ comes the word ‘restoration’. Just like a computer needs to be refreshed every so often ….. so our brains need to clean out all the information stored there. For you ….. it may mean going for a walk. It may mean lying horizontal for half an hour. It may mean going to bed earlier. It has been proven that the hours of rest before midnight are more restorative than the hours after midnight. That reminds me! It’s daylight saving this Saturday night!

We Walk by Faith

Sue’s Views
As human beings ….. we have a fascination with what the future holds. From horoscopes ….. to fortune tellers ….. to tarot cards ….. many turn to these methods to answer their questions. ‘Will I get married?’ ….. ‘Will I be successful?’ ….. ‘Where will I live?’ These may seem harmless but they are in fact doorways to a deeper darkness that will take you places you don’t want to go! There is only one person who knows the future because every day of your life is written in His book. We are to walk by faith in God ….. not by what we see. He will reveal each step as we go. As has often been said ….. we don’t know what the future holds ….. but we do know who holds the future!

The Little Things

Sue’s Views
One advantage about going through a crisis is that it changes your perspective. You become more appreciative of the little things ….. things you may have overlooked before. A phone call or a text that may previously be seen as an interruption ….. now becomes a highlight of your day. The flowers you drive past every day suddenly make you stop and wonder at the beauty and craftsmanship of creation. These pansies always make me smile! It’s the simple things that make life so wonderful!