Category: Sue’s Views

Sue’s Views

This year has probably been one of the toughest so far for me. There have been physical problems ….. burdens I’ve carried for family and friends ….. and of course the many concerns Covid has brought to our world. It has been stressful to say the least. I couldn’t have come through without my faith in God ….. and His Word ….. the Bible! The mental and emotional turmoil has driven me more and more to search the scriptures and to hear what God has to say about the situation. I’ve found ….. in those pages ….. ordinary people like me who have been faced with the same challenges and more. I so often see myself and realise I need to change. It rebukes me ….. encourages me ….. and shows me the way forward. At the centre of it all is a God who is constantly saying ‘Return to me!’ Every problem known to man began when we turned our backs on God. Many are waiting for things to get ‘better’. Well they are not going to. Yes! We might be allowed to enjoy summer but then what? He is our only hope! His is the only voice we can trust. Turn off the media ….. and tune in to the God channel. He is your only source of truth!

Sue’s Views

Many are worried about sending their children back to school ….. or passing Covid onto elderly family members. Here’s a reminder of God’s promise through the song ‘The Blessing’.

‘May His favor be upon you

And a thousand generations

And your family and your children

And their children, and their children

May His presence go before you

And behind you, and beside you

All around you, and within you

He is with you, He is with you

In the morning, in the evening

In your coming, and your going

In your weeping, and rejoicing

He is for you, He is for you’

Sue’s Views

In these times of restrictions and ‘new normals’ ….. we can find ourselves slowly adapting and changing our expectations to fit the environment. But don’t lose sight of your dreams! Especially if they are God given dreams. God’s plans for you have not changed. The route might be a bit different ….. but the destination is still the same. The devil’s plan is always to confine ….. control ….. and manipulate. God’s is to release ….. empower and grow!

Sue’s Views

No matter where you are today ….. no matter how you feel ….. know this ….. God loves you! You can’t do anything to earn His love ….. or to make Him love you more. And nothing you do can make Him love you less! But He’s a Dad ….. the best Dad there is. And so He wants the best for you. That means He will give you boundaries ….. and discipline you when you overstep them. If you get lost ….. He will go to great lengths to bring you home. But He will never force you against your will. At the end of the day you have a choice whether to stay under His protection and covering ….. or to go your own way without Him.

Sue’s Views

Life is full of opportunities to learn and to teach. In everything we go through ….. we should ask ‘What can I learn from this?’ Pride and insecurity can hinder us from turning something negative into a positive. We can only pass on to others what we understand ourselves. We can then become better teachers! We learn far more from someone who knows what they are talking about than someone who just reads it from a book. Experience comes from making mistakes ….. and learning from them!

Sue’s Views

Life consists of a series of choices! From the moment we discover we have a will ….. we learn that we have a choice. When Mum or Dad say ‘Don’t touch’ ….. we learn that disobedience has consequences. Mostly ….. it’s for our own good! Sometimes ….. we have to make difficult choices that are not so clear cut. I’ve made one of those choices that bring me today to the end of a 50 year career and 15 years in my current employment. It has been a difficult decision and I empathise with the thousands of Kiwis who are also suffering the consequences of their ‘freedom to choose’. My consolation is that it’s the end of a chapter ….. not the end of the book! I pray God will open new doors for you that will unlock a bright and abundant future. He is our provider and protector and His plans and purpose will not be thwarted.

Sue’s Views

Today is Armistice Day! In 1918 ….. at the eleventh hour ….. on the eleventh day ….. of the eleventh month ….. a peace treaty was signed between the Allies and Germany. It was a decision to end the hostilities of war and we can only imagine the logistics that went into that. Both world wars have left crippling memories all across the world. For many ….. it will mean nothing but a history lesson. But ….. as Winston Churchill said ….. ‘if we don’t learn from history we are doomed to repeat it.’ And ….. as another wise man said ….. ‘ History repeats itself. It has to because no one is listening!’ Whether we are looking back in remembrance ….. or looking forward in prevention ….. let’s take a lesson from the past!

Sue’s Views

When it seems all is lost ….. it’s an opportunity for a miracle! When we see death ….. God sees life. When we see hopelessness ….. He says ‘trust me!’ When we think it’s too late ….. God says ‘It’s just beginning!’ In fact ….. He delights in waiting till it seems impossible. Then He breathes His supernatural power and life into a situation and turns it around. That way ….. He gets all the glory! And we are left in awe. It’s not over until He says so.

Sue’s Views

Are you needing wisdom? Ask God for Heavenly wisdom. Needing clarity? Ask God to remove the confusion and doubt. Needing guidance? Ask God to show you which path to take. Needing help? Ask Him who is a very present help in times of trouble. Prayer is a two way conversation ….. speaking and listening. Ten minutes of prayer can clear your mind of a week of stress! Find a quiet spot and talk to your Father ….. but don’t forget to hear what He has to say as well!

Sue’s Views

Feeling like you are in a shipwreck? Has the job or business you depended on gone under? Are you experiencing loss or despair? Paul the Apostle experienced a few but we are given details of one in Acts 27 & 28. It’s one of the best ‘turn around’ stories you’ll ever read! In the midst of the chaos and panic ….. an angel told Paul that no lives would be lost as long as the crew stayed together. The ship was completely torn apart ….. but every crew member got to shore on the broken pieces of the ship. Not only were they saved ….. but Paul got to share the gospel with the Maltese people. He also healed all the sick people on the island. You could call it a God Diversion! He can use anything to get us to where He wants us. Wait for the ‘turn around!’