Category: Sue’s Views

Sue’s Views

Life is full of ‘Hello’s and Goodbyes’! Catching up with family and friends you haven’t seen for ages is a sweet delight but ‘parting is such sweet sorrow’. One of the greatest things about belonging to God’s family is that this life is not the end. Whether we are parted by distance ….. or by death ….. we will one day meet again. And then there will be no more parting! It’s hard to imagine what eternity will be like but the Bible tells us we will be in God’s presence ….. and there will be no more tearful goodbyes!

  “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

Sue’s Views

The Bible is not a book of fairy tales. It’s a book of true stories about real people who experienced everyday life. It’s about sibling rivalry ….. rebellious kids ….. unfair employers ….. poverty ….. incest ….. adultery.  You name it ….. it’s in there! Somehow ….. many have the idea that God is some kind of magician with a magic wand who is there to make all the bad stuff go away …..and give us what we want. The Bible is full of miracles ….. some of which are instant such as the healing of the blind, deaf and lame. But many miracles are only realised in hindsight. Once we are on the other side of the Red Sea ….. after we step out of the fiery furnace ….. once we reach the other side of the lake during a storm. The actual journey is not that much fun! God doesn’t promise to take us out of the situation ….. but He does promise to walk through it with us. Note in the following scripture He says ‘when’ not ‘if’. Your fiery trial which seems so unbearable right now ….. will one day be your personal testimony to a miracle working God!

“When you pass through the waters,

    I will be with you;

and when you pass through the rivers,

    they will not sweep over you.

When you walk through the fire,

    you will not be burned;

    the flames will not set you ablaze.

For I am the Lord your God,

    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;” Isaiah 43:2

Sue’s Views

In the movie The Sound of Music ….. Maria gets the children to think about their favourite things during a thunder storm. They went from being terrified ….. to laughing and dancing around the room. Sometimes ….. a shift of focus can mean a shift of mood. When our children are little ….. it’s easy to distract them from mischief or danger by giving them something else to look at. As adults ….. we have to be more intentional about it ….. but it still works. When we focus on feelings like sadness ….. anxiety ….. anger ….. low self esteem etc ….. those emotions only deepen. But listening to a favourite song ….. going for a walk ….. doing something creative ….. or blessing someone can create a new pathway in your brain. What are some of your favourite things? Some of mine are walking in nature ….. doing a jigsaw puzzle ….. contacting a friend ….. having a cup of tea! Simple things ….. but things that give me joy!

“Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely, and dwell on the fine, good things in others. Think about all you can praise God for and be glad about.” Philippians 4:8

Sue’s Views

How are you holding up? This tree looks fine from the side where most people walk by. It seems stable and strong. But from the other side …..  we can see it is crumbling under the pressure. Many of us are like that tree. We show a side to others that appears we have it all together ….. while we are actually not doing so well. The challenges of the last few years have affected us all. Some have gone through a storm that was sudden and fierce. But for most ….. it has been a slow process of erosion. One thing after another with little time to process in between. We keep going because we have to …..but the weight we are carrying makes us tired. If you relate ….. know that you are not alone. Sharing your burdens with a friend or someone you can trust is a big part of your recovery. But talking to Jesus is the best medicine. He understands more than anyone. He doesn’t promise to take the trials away ….. but to help us overcome them.

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

Sue’s Views

Yesterday hubby and I drove to the coast and went for a long walk. It was so nice to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life ….. and experience the peace and tranquility of the beach. We were only away for a couple of hours but it felt like a holiday. We walked and talked and ideas started to flow and plans began to fall into place. We returned home feeling refreshed and excited about the future. It’s hard to hear God’s voice when your head is full of noise and other distractions. But time spent with Him can bring you back on track ….. and open your eyes to His plans and purpose. We can’t always physically remove ourselves from everyday life and it’s cares ….. but we can take a mental break. Go outside ….. listen to some uplifting music ….. read your Bible ….. do something that gives you joy! God has so much to say! He speaks to us in many ways and He’ll use whatever opportunity we give him. 

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27

Sue’s Views

When it comes to chocolates ….. we all have our favourites ….. and our least favourites. But whether or not you like Turkish delight or cherry ripe ….. you get to choose one over another. With that knowledge ….. I used to find it hard to understand the principle that I am chosen by God. I would look at all the other people in the world who were doing amazing things and were far more loveable than me ….. and think ‘How could God choose me?’ I would try harder ….. but still stayed at the bottom of the list in my eyes. I came to accept the fact that there would always be people more popular ….. smarter ….. and attractive ….. but at least I was part of God’s family. But as I got to know my Heavenly Father better ….. I realised He doesn’t see things through my eyes! Through His ….. we are all chosen ….. we are all His favourites! He doesn’t compare us with anyone else. He doesn’t pick one over another! He made us all uniquely different so who are we to reject ourselves ….. or allow anyone else to reject us? 

“For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” 

Psalm 84:11

Sue’s Views

What makes young people so wreckless and foolhardy as we’ve seen in our nation recently? I can only think that the powerful desire to belong is greater than the desire to be safe. The devil is ….. and always has been ….. a liar! Lying is the only language he knows ….. and he is very smart to use it for his own ends. He twists ….. questions and manipulates ….. the truth. One of his greatest schemes is the Spirit of Rejection. Through family breakdowns ….. damning words ….. drugs etc ….. very young kids get the message they are unwanted ….. useless ….. and hopeless. They will do anything to belong! 

Listen to God’s Words to the nation of Israel ….. a nation of rebellious people who continually turned their backs on God and wanted to do things their way.

“But now, God’s Message, the God who made you in the first place, Jacob, the One who got you started, Israel: “Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I am God, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! That’s how much you mean to me! That’s how much I love you! I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.” Isaiah 43:1 (Message Bible)

Sue’s Views

Being a parent is one of the most challenging ….. but rewarding roles in life. The first year of a child’s life is full of changes. From a helpless baby needing constant care and attention ….. to a child with his or her own personality. It amazes me that babies come filled with potential and purpose. It’s like unpacking a gift! But it’s a gift that keeps on giving. Each life is uniquely designed by God. It contains all the elements required to become a successful person. Our job as parents is to discover what’s inside ….. and help nurture and encourage them in the right direction. Of course ….. they come with their own will ….. and will present many challenges ….. as they grow and learn. But praying over them will help you see them through God’s eyes. Make the most of each stage ….. it will never come back again!

‘Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.’ Proverbs 22:6

Sue’s Views

What is faith? The dictionary defines it as ‘complete trust or confidence in someone or something.’ There’s a story about a man called Charles Blondin who walked across Niagara Falls on a tightrope! He even did it pushing a wheelbarrow while wearing a blindfold. Crowds watched from below in absolute awe. But when he asked for a volunteer to sit in the wheelbarrow ….. there were no takers! They believed that he could do it ….. but we’re not willing to put their lives in his hands. This story illustrates the difference between ‘believing that’ and ‘believing in’. Many believe that there is a God. But trusting Him with their whole lives is a different story. 

The Bible defines faith this way:

‘Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.’ Hebrews 11:1

‘And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.’ Hebrews 11:6

I hear people say ‘I believe God can do anything but I can’t see how He can help my situation!’ As long as what you are hoping for is within God’s will ….. you can be confident. The ‘how’ is His business!

Sue’s Views 

Many years ago ….. I was asked a very profound question. The question was ‘Why do you do the things you do ….. and who do you do them for?’ It’s a question that I have revisited many times over the decades. There are days when I can answer confidently ….. ‘I live to please God and to do His will’. But then there are many days when ….. the truth is ….. I do what I want to do ….. or what others want me to do! The battle is real! We are constantly fighting against our own flesh and the devil. Jesus experienced this battle in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before he died. He settled it by praying ‘Not my will but yours be done!’ He knew His Fathers will was best. I’m so glad He did! He opened the way for each of us to know God in a personal way ….. and to discover His purpose for our lives. I hate to think where I’d be today if I had my way!