Category: Sue’s Views

Sue’s Views

The camellias are looking fresh and vibrant at the moment. I love how God designed some flowers to bloom in winter when most are past their season. I also love how their petals fall to make a beautiful pathway. We don’t all shine at the same time ….. but we can enjoy someone else’s moment knowing our’s will come. And we can also be sure that the lessons we learn will pave the way for others ….. even when we are gone.

Sue’s Views

The difference between those who thrive and those who give up lies in knowing who you are. You are not defined by your family ….. culture ….. or past. You are defined by your Maker! His unique plan for your life takes into consideration every challenge ….. obstacle ….. and mistake you may have made. So don’t use those as an excuse! You have what it takes to be an over comer because that’s who He made you to be. 

‘we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.’ Romans 5:3-5

Sue’s Views 

Despite the amount of information at our fingertips ….. we’ve become a pretty dumb species! The human mind is incredible! It’s the part of us that is able to think ….. feel ….. and choose. It manages thousands of thoughts each day. But not everything we think is true! Neuroscientists are now discovering what the Bible has said for 4000 years: ‘As a man thinks so is he’. In other words ….. we become what we think. The recent documentary ‘What is a woman’ proves this. Apart from people being confused about their gender ….. it also portrays a woman (whatever that is!) who thinks she’s a wolf! She crawls on all fours and howls ….. and even spent time with wolves studying their habitat. Some have used their brilliant minds to help make the world a better place. The mind will always be a battle field. But we also have the power to choose.

Sue’s Views

Words have great power! They don’t just disappear into thin air. They have an impact on our bodies ….. and the world around us. For instance ….. when someone asks ‘How are you?’ ….. we might reply ‘I’m a bit under the weather’ …… or ‘ I’m ok under the circumstances!’ On our recent flight back from the South Island ….. God gave me a wonderful illustration. We flew above the clouds in bright sunshine and blue skies. I tried to imagine what it was like for those under those heavy clouds. The thing is ….. we can’t always change our circumstances any more than we can change the weather. But we can change the perspective we choose to view them from. God is always above the circumstances! And He’s always in control. Choose words of life!

“What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words.” Proverbs 18:21 (GNT)

Sue’s Views 

Did you know that God created you for a specific and unique purpose? No one else can do what He designed you to do ….. and you can’t do what He designed someone else to do. That’s why it’s so important that we discover our own pathway. But ….. at the same time ….. you have gifts that others need. We are not designed to live separately ….. but to live in relationship with others whose gifts we can encourage and enhance. So there’s no point in comparing or envying! Your gift is just as valuable as everyone else’s so long as you use it for God. Receive your gift with thanksgiving ….. and then share it with others!

 ‘But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.’ 2 Cor 10:12

Sue’s Views

What does God’s plan for our lives look like? Probably very different to what we’d expect! I would have chosen a nice straight path with few obstacles. But ….. in all honesty ….. it probably looks more like this picture! Winding roads ….. traffic ….. and mountains! Part of the reason for that is the choices I make. I don’t always follow the A road! Therefore ….. in His mercy ….. God has to open up the B road! Then there are other peoples choices. They don’t always follow plan A either and their choices may clash with mine. But I also believe that God is more interested in my character than in my comfort. It’s the winding roads that develop prudence ….. the traffic patience ….. and the mountains strength and perseverance. His ways are higher than mine!

Sue’s Views

I like to find out the origin of some of the sayings that are commonly used. When I took this photo ….. ‘having your ducks in a row’ came to mind! I discovered there are many different stories as to where it comes from. Mostly sporting terms from ten pin bowling ….. to pool ….. to actual duck shooting. But the common thought seems to be to be prepared and organised before tackling a project. Great advice! It’s always good to be prepared and to count the cost. It reminds me of this passage from the Bible:

“For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?” Luke 14:28-31

Sue’s Views

I love this pic of Asaph holding on tight to his Daddy. He looks like a koala hugging a eucalyptus tree! It’s an illustration of our attempts to ‘help God’. We say we trust Him ….. but then we arrange a safety net ‘just in case’. We plan for all the possible scenarios. Sometimes we hold on for dear life ….. not realising that He is holding on to us ….. and will never let us go! Put yourself in this picture. Your Father is looking lovingly at you. He’s got you!

Sue’s Views

As a child ….. I remember going to a fun park where there was a ‘maze of mirrors’. You had to find your way through pathways lined with distorted mirrors! Some made you look tall and thin ….. others made you look short and fat ….. and then there were mirrors that made you look wavy or deformed. It’s said that ‘the mirror never lies’ ….. and that’s true as long as the mirror is genuine. The Bible is likened to a mirror. When we read it ….. it gives us a true reflection. Not of our outward appearance ….. but of our inner person. It reveals bad attitudes ….. wrong behaviour ….. and sinful desires. It’s purpose is not only to show us what’s wrong ….. but how to make it right. Just as a mirror tells us our hair is out of place or our face is dirty …..  the Bible tells us when our thoughts are out of line. We would do well to fix the problem before leaving the house. If we don’t we will start to accept the distorted image as normal. There are many concepts prevalent in our world today that we have come to accept as normal. But they are way off the truth! I recently watched the podcast called ‘What is a Woman’! It’s unbelievable to think how deceived our world has become. But it didn’t happen overnight! It happened over time as we accept what we see in the mirror as normal!

Sue’s Views

It was great to catch up with my workmates last night! I worked with these lovely ( and a little crazy) ladies over the past fifteen years. We’ve seen each other go through the highs and lows of life. Some have moved on ….. others have joined the team ….. but we have remained friends. Most of the conversations were not about work ….. but about grandchildren and plans for the future. I’m thankful for every one of these women. When you spend a lot of time with people ….. their lives impact you. Looking forward to the next get together, Girls!