On the way…

Sue’s Views 

Your story is the most powerful story you can share. It may not seem very exciting to you …..but to someone else it may be just the encouragement they need. The valleys ….. challenges you’ve faced ….. even your failures ….. all point towards God’s grace and faithfulness. People identify with a simple testimony and you will realise that everything you’ve been through was not only for you ….. but for someone else! 

Sue’s Views

The beginning of a new year is often a time when new dreams are born. Maybe because we slow down and have time to think! As the year goes on ….. those dreams can become jaded and lost. A dream is like a seed. It has to be planted and watered ….. otherwise it will die. Write it down ….. talk about it ….. think of steps you can take to prepare. If it’s a God inspired dream ….. it will happen!

Sue’s Views

After a full on weekend away with our entire family ….. my cup is overflowing! Swimming ….. playing games ….. eating ….. chatting in the spa ….. making memories! So much to be thankful for! Of course ….. it was raining much of the time ….. but that didn’t stop us. We had planned to have a communion/ worship time before we left and that’s when the sun came out! I was reminded of the song ‘WE BRING A SACRIFICE OF PRAISE’. True praise is always costly. But Jesus gave everything for us ….. so nothing is too high a price for us to pay. The sun was still shining after our service and everyone jumped in!

Sue’s Views

Spotted a new visitor to the Gardens lake the other day! The ducks seemed to give him/her a wide berth. One thing I love about where we live is the wide variety of ethnicities and cultures. Having been an immigrant myself many years ago ….. I know how it feels to be different. Little things that have been inbred from childhood are suddenly challenged and sometimes even mocked. But for the most part ….. we are opened up to new ways of thinking ….. many of which make more sense. There was a time when all mankind lived in one region and became proud and arrogant. God had to separate them and give them different languages and so the various cultures were formed. God wants to be the centre of every culture ….. but many made gods of their own. When Jesus was on earth He commissioned his disciples to  “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation”. Now the world has come to us so we don’t need to go far to reach them. Every single person on the planet has a God shaped void that can only be filled by Him!

Sue’s Views 

We are experiencing some extreme weather events at the moment. It’s the middle of summer so many holiday plans have been disrupted. Even this guy ….. who has been serenading us all day everyday for weeks now ….. has gone silent this morning! Disappointment is a part of life. I’m sure we’ve all experienced it in some way ….. especially over the past few years with so many things having to be cancelled. But don’t let it make you resentful or cynical. Look for the plan B! So often ….. we come to realise that plan B was actually plan A all along! I think I just heard the bird singing again!

Sue’s Views

The year stretches out before us like a blank canvas! I wonder what the picture will look like at the end! Some of it will depend on us ….. choices we make ….. attitudes we adopt. Some of it will be chosen for us ….. decisions and actions beyond our control. But one thing I know for sure is that ‘the eyes of the Lord are always on it, from the beginning of the year to the very end.’ Deut 11:11. We need to go forward in faith!

Sue’s Views

It’s easy to start a New Year with a list of things to do ….. or not to do. We all have a ‘to do’ list ….. but how about making a ‘to enjoy’ list. Before you jump on another treadmill ….. think of factoring in some of your favourite things. Whether it’s seeing ‘raindrops on roses’ ….. walks in a park ….. watching a sunset ….. or catching up with a friend for coffee. Whatever restores you! We often describe our day by the things we got done. How about focussing more on the things we enjoyed? And remember to take it one day at a time!

Sue’s Views

Well ….. we’ve entered into a new year ….. and it has already begun! There are many ‘new things’ awaiting us. Some will be welcome ….. others not so much ….. but they are all to be learned from. Here’s a tip ….. if you haren’t already ….. start a journal! It has so many uses. 1. Keep an account of what you do each day. Very practical (and entertaining) to look back on! It will remind you of details you may have forgotten such as dates ….. events ….. what you cooked (handy to know so you don’t make the same meal twice for guests!) 2. Write down things you are thankful for each day. It will help you focus on the positives. 3. People and situations you pray for. You’ll be amazed how many prayers are answered! 4. Keep an account of what God is saying to you each day ….. either from the Word or just during your day. It’s amazing how quickly we forget in our busyness. You can add to the list and make it as simple or detailed as you like. I try to do it daily because it’s so hard to remember yesterday ….. let alone last week! There are so many seasons in my life when I wish I had kept a journal. Whatever you decide ….. I pray you will make the most of each day ….. and may 2023 be a year filled with blessings!

Sue’s Views

How have you changed this year? Confinement and limitation is never enjoyable ….. but it definitely changes us. A caterpillar may look at a butterfly with envy of its freedom ….. but instead of growing wings ….. he finds himself confined to an even tighter environment. He may even lose sight of the possibility of ever becoming a butterfly. He may think ‘This is as good as it’s going to get for me!’ But God is doing something amazing on the inside of him. Don’t let go of your dreams! But there is a process. There is no shortcut. Yield to the process while holding onto the dream. Nothing and no one can stop God’s plan but you!

Sue’s Views 

We are coming to the end of another year ….. but the journey will continue. With so much corruption in the world ….. it seems the path for those who want to follow Christ is getting narrower ….. while the path for those who don’t is the more popular route. Please don’t be like the frog in the pot who tolerated the heat at first because it felt ‘comfortable’ ….. but ended up cooking him! I urge you to think with your God given brain ….. and take heed to what God has to say:

 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” Matthew 7:13-14