Month: August 2023

Sue’s Views

Despite the bad things that are happening in our world ….. there is still so much beauty. It’s easy to allow sadness ….. pain ….. anger ….. fear ….. to dominate our vision. Whatever we focus on becomes clearer. If we focus on the negatives ….. they become the things that stand out in our memory. No matter how many good things happened ….. they will blur in the background. But we can turn that around! No matter how many bad things happen ….. if we focus on something beautiful and good ….. the bad stuff will blur in the background. One way to make this work for you is to stop and thank God for the beauty or goodness you find. It helps to establish it in your mind and memory!

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8

Sue’s Views

Whose footsteps are you following? Are you repeating patterns of destruction ….. or continuing a legacy of blessing? If you recognise negative cycles in your life or in your bloodline ….. they can end with you! Acknowledging them is the first step. Change is never easy but you can change the direction not only for yourself but for future generations. Remember ….. someone is following in your footsteps!

Sue’s Views

Here’s a reminder to encourage us all through the week!

‘I, the Lord am your Shepherd, you shall lack nothing.

I will make you lie down in green pastures. I will lead you beside still waters.

I will restore your soul. 

Even when you walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you will not fear because I am with you. My rod and my staff will comfort you. 

I am preparing a banquet for you in the presence of your enemies.

I will anoint your head with oil. Your cup will overflow.

Surely my goodness and my mercy will follow and be with you all the days of your life, and you will dwell in my house forever.’

Sue’s Views

I read the other day that one in four New Zealanders suffer from mental unwellness. My initial reaction was ….. ‘Wow! That’s high!’ But ….. on thinking about it ….. I decided it’s probably low. Maybe these figures represent those who reach out for help ….. or their behaviour causes others to reach out to them. But if we are honest ….. we all struggle at times. There is a battle going on and our minds are the battlefield. Pressure ….. stress ….. loneliness ….. unrealistic expectations ….. abuse ….. fear ….. anxiety ….. betrayal ….. to name but a few of the weapons aimed at us. It’s a spiritual battle! We are not fighting against flesh and blood but against spiritual powers. The good news is that we have weapons of our own to fight with and they are more powerful than our enemy’s. The thoughts that come to us from the enemy are lies! They only have power if we believe them! We overcome lies by declaring truth which is found in God’s Word. We overcome fear and anxiety by expressing our faith in God through Jesus Christ. We overcome the temptations of the enemy through the power of the Holy Spirit. We overcome the pressure and stress by resting in God and letting Him fight our battles. We overcome hurt and abuse by allowing God’s Spirit to heal us. And  we overcome loneliness and betrayal by knowing God will never leave us nor forsake us. And those of us who are in a good place need to be aware of those around us who need someone to come alongside and support them.

Sue’s Views

No matter how bleak things look right now ….. it’s only for a season. You might be on a part of life’s journey that is difficult. There may be some regrets. You may wish you could go back and do things differently. The outlook may be bleak. The prognosis may be dismal. But ….. just as your past doesn’t define who you are today ….. neither does someone else’s opinion determine where you’ll be tomorrow. This leg of the journey ….. unpleasant as it seems ….. is necessary to get you to where you need to be. Yield to God ….. He sees the end from the beginning ….. and every step in between!

Sue’s Views

Everyone enjoys praise! We’ve praised our athletes for their amazing performances and hard work. We praise musicians ….. actors ….. chefs ….. artists ….. etc. But the one who deserves our praise the most is God! He created the universe ….. He chose us to live on planet earth ….. He provides everything we need ….. He is our Healer and Protector ….. He gives us gifts and talents! We should praise Him from sunrise to sunset ….. in fact the Bible says we are to praise Him continually! That just means that we are always aware of Him and thankful for all He has done. You will never run out of things to praise Him for!

Sue’s Views

Does your future look bleak? Maybe you’ve been given a negative medical report ….. the bank balance shows more is going out than coming in ….. that relationship you once treasured is going downhill? Remember ‘As a man thinks in his heart ….. so is he.’ Don’t allow your negative thinking become a self prophecy. No one but God knows the future! Do what you can to change the situation but never give up hope. He can make the rough places smooth ….. and rivers flow in the desert!

Sue’s Views

Communication is an art that takes practice and effort ….. but it’s vital to every relationship. We can so often assume the other person understands us when they have absolutely no clue! It requires being able to say what you want to say clearly ….. and being able to hear and understand what the other person is saying. It involves so much more than just words. Tone ….. body language ….. eye contact ….. volume ….. can tell us much about how someone is feeling. Also right timing is important. When you are angry or upset might not be the best time to resolve conflict. Neither when the other person is engrossed in some other activity. Good communication can bring down walls ….. and build strong relationships.

Sue’s Views

Have you been let down by someone you love? Has your trust been broken? Feelings of betrayal and disappointment can leave us very vulnerable. By all means ….. take some time to process and heal. But there’s a tendency to become self focussed and that’s when your mind can lead you down a slippery pathway. It may tell you that you are entitled to get even ….. that you deserve to hurt them back. And you can be sure that there will be well meaning friends who will encourage you along that path. But right now ….. your best friend is Jesus! And He said we are to love our enemies and do them good. Ouch! The point is ….. don’t allow their bad behaviour influence you to also behave badly. You ….. dear one who is hurting so badly ….. are In a better place than the one who did the hurting.

Sue’s Views

Have you wandered off the path ….. found yourself in a dark place? Are you telling yourself all kinds of lies to justify where you are? Does it seem too hard ….. and too far to get back on track ….. so you just keep digging a deeper ….. and darker hole? It’s not as far as you think! If you do a 180 turn and take 1 step ….. you’ll find your Father has run the rest of the distance to meet you! In fact He’s been there all the time ….. just waiting for you to turn around!