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Finding Joy in a January Do Over

Not another January! Count me out!

2nd Thought… It’s okay; God’s got this!

“Trust the Lord in all your ways… ” Proverbs 3:5-6

Pics- Kitty not leaving his post (my January and April). Kitty is eager to face the days ahead, and so am I.

Regardless of circumstances, I praise Jesus for freely giving His life that I might be with Him forever. Praise God for His undying love and mercy. If you do not know Jesus personally, let’s talk!

You recall my January was a bit of a challenge (frozen well, burst pipes, leaky roof, etc.). Through it all, God provided peace in the midst of my storms as He blessed February and March beyond measure.

And then came April! 3. Heavy rains and wind pounded our car as we headed for Kirksville and the annual Missions Celebration, “What Joy“. Well, my joy plummeted as we tried to check in.

“Your credit card has been denied!” Ooops! After the second card was denied and they didn’t take checks, only God could have given me the peace to relax and enjoy the next three days. (And a friend with cash!) Later, I would verify charges on my statement and have new cards rushed to me. (Sounds simple, doesn’t it?)

My first card was delivered the next day. The 2nd card was another story. Most of the week was spent enduring robocalls to get to a real person. Following Robo’s instructions, I canceled all appointments and spent two days in front of my open door awaiting my package. At about 8 pm, the second day, a FedEx truck flew past my house looking straight ahead. A text followed on my phone: “Driver unable to locate the address.” Duh! BOTTOM LINE…I learned my package was in Springfield both days, awaiting pickup.

I want to tell you exactly what I repeated loud and clear each time I was privileged to speak to a live FedEx person. “I have great admiration for your FedEx guys. Every person I talked with has gone above and beyond to help me. I seriously do thank you. HOWEVER, that robo stuff is CRAP!” I will continue to give my delivery guys bags of candy, scripture, and a “God Bless You”. I can’t imagine their job in this computer age.

And so ended the 2nd week of the 2nd quarter of 2025. (I will spare you the details of the next week.) Life! Sometimes it’s messy, unpredictable, not good, confusing! And, I want to stay in my safe place, snuggled by the fence with Kitty, and wait until the storm blows over.

But I am reminded of who I am, a child of the King. I hear Father’s plea, “Come unto Me and I will give you rest…” April had some turbulent times, but as I pen this, we have just celebrated Jesus’ life, death, burial, and glorious resurrection. Somehow, that puts all the “stuff” in perspective.

Just as Christ rose from the grave, I, too, will rise to face what God has planned for me.

Just as Kitty moved bravely forward, ready to climb her mountain, so, too, am I.

I celebrate Easter every day. Christ is risen. Whatever comes my way here pales in comparison to the joy my Father has in store for me.

“What Joy,” indeed.

In a few days, I will be blessed to celebrate 25 years of directing DCASB’s annual women’s retreats: God’s Amazing Grace!

I have more speaking engagements booked this spring. God has sent two dozen amazing stories for our book: What Love Looks Like. (Seriously, prayer is appreciated so that I can hear God clearly as I put it together.)

I am rich! I see His hand at work all around me. I feel His presence. I praise Him for each of you.

How can I pray for you?

Let me hear from you…

Hugs,

Susie

W.I.N.G.S. – Words Worth Sharing

“Storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” 1 Timothy 6:19 NASB

Online books have their place in our busy world. However, there is much to be said for holding a “real” book in your hands. This is especially true if the book contains your personal stories.

When author Dorothy Davidson comes to my town, we make time for lunch and joyful chatter. But, thanks to God’s amazing grace, February 28 would turn into a celebration as well.

Author Virginia Grounds included my story in her latest book, WINGS – Hope for Widows in New Growth Seasons. I had been anxiously awaiting my print copy.

Leaving a few minutes early to meet Dorothy, I grabbed yesterday’s mail from my mailbox. How like my Father to prepare a time of celebration with friends as I quickly unwrapped my copy of WINGS.

I am quite honored to have a story in this timely work. Widowed herself, Virginia has assembled stories from women who have joined the Widow’s Club and not only survived but honored God through the grief and challenges that lie ahead. Each heart-tugging story is filled with emotion and with praise for Father’s unending love and guidance as life takes an unexpected turn.

Click here to check out Virginia’s website and learn more.

With no reservations, I highly recommend this book as a gift to those you love. Not only will it be helpful to widows, but it will also become a valuable resource to families, friends, and all who minister to widows.

A side note: I believe that God has buckets of blessings for each of you as well. Do you realize how much He loves you? Do you know that He would have sent Jesus for you alone?

I thank you for your faithful prayers. Thank you for your meaningful comments. Thank you for your treasured friendship.

Hugs,

Susie

The Time to Talk is Now

2005-6 Promise Point Baptist Church

“For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, And in the day of salvation I have helped you.’ Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2 NKJV

This photo from twenty-five years ago appeared on my memory page today. Obviously, from the gals in red, it was a Valentine’s banquet. I’m guessing Brent McCune, decked out in his finest, honored us with special music. (His proud parents are in the back row.)

Feeling God’s clear leadership, seventeen of us had left Crossroads Baptist Church in Buffalo, MO, to begin a new ministry, and Promise Point Baptist Church was birthed.

Excitement grew as we canvassed the area sharing the Good News of Jesus while working diligently to prepare a vacant church building for Sunday services. God began blessing immediately as one of the young men we visited stood at his front door and asked Jesus into his heart.

The photo stirred happy memories for sure. I treasure each one and long to renew acquaintances and share stories. However, within the photo is another life truth that cannot be overlooked. Only five of the nine in this photo are still living. My time for reminiscing with the other four has passed. (Mr. Bill Ware’s homegoing celebration was today. In his honor I post this.)

Precious friend, this has been a wake-up call for me. I don’t know when I will draw my last breath, nor do you. The time to talk is now.

#1 Do I know, really know, those I meet each day have asked Jesus into their heart?

#2 Do I have my family relationships in order? Are there fences to mend? Stories that need to be told?

#3 Are there people I need to make a point to go see now, and not put off until a “better” day?

The list of questions is endless. I would ask you to pray… seriously pray. Ask God who you might need to talk with today.

As always, I’m praying for you and looking forward to hearing from you.

Hugs, Susie