Darkness

March 13, 2016March 13, 2016 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Spiritual darkness is the absence of God’s truth in our hearts and lives. We can have an education and still be in darkness. We can study philosophy and religion and still be in darkness. We can go to church or do social work in our community and still live in darkness. We can be sincere or be tolerant of others and what they believe and still be in darkness.

Darkness is unbelief. Darkness is deception, keeping us from the knowledge of God. Darkness is separation, keeping us from the fellowship of God. Darkness is isolation, keeping us from the presence of God. Darkness is something we should treat as an enemy, yet when we are in sin, we treat it as a friend. We like darkness – it hides us from being exposed for who we really are. The sin in us runs deep and the darkness is our cloak.

Although we may be hiding from Him, He is not hiding from us. Jesus seeks us out in our darkness. He is standing near us, clothed with white garments…covered with glory…reaching out with arms of mercy…inviting us into the marvelous light of His forgiveness and love.

– Roy Lessin

Because of God’s tender mercy,
the morning light from heaven is about to break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
and to guide us to the path of peace.

– Luke 1:78,79 (NLT)

This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in Him at all.

– 1 John 1:5 (NLT)

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

– 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NLT)

…Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’

– Acts 26:17,18 (NLT)

Photo by Susie Stewart

Adopted

February 18, 2016 / Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

It would be enough if God just cleansed your name, but He does more. He give you His name. It would be enough if God just set you free, but He does more. He takes you home…

Adoptive parents understand this more than anyone. I certainly don’t mean to offend ny biological parents – I’m one myself. We biological parents know well the earnest longing to have a child. But in many cases our cribs were filled easily. We decided to have a child and a child came. In fact, sometimes the child came with no decision. I’ve heard of unplanned pregnancies, but I’ve never heard of an unplanned adoption.

That’s why adoptive parents understand God’s passion to adopt us. They know what it means to feel an empty space inside. They know what it means to hunt, to set out on a mission, and take responsibility for a child with a spotted past and a dubious future. If anybody understands God’s ardor for His children, it’s someone who has rescued an orphan from despair, for that is what God has done for us.

God has adopted you. God sought you, found you, signed the papers and took you home.

– Max Lucado

Long ago, before God made the world, God chose us to be His very own, through what Christ would do for us; He decided then to make us holy in His eyes, without a single fault we who stand before Him covered in His love. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into His own family by sending Jesus Christ to die for us. And He did this because He wanted to.

– Ephesians 1:3-5 (TLB)

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out “Abba! Father!” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

– Romans 8:15-16 (NASB)

But when the fullness of time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, in order that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

– Galatians 4:4-5 (NASB)

Photos by Susie Stewart & Andy Stewart

Tight Grip

February 15, 2016 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

I know your hand is outstretched

and I know You are trustworthy

so I choose to reach up to You

to grasp Your hand tightly

and to follow where You lead

The world is reaching out its hand to me too

with empty promises

and things that don’t fill

and roads with dead ends

I choose not to reach down

and take the hand of the world

for it will never satisfy

and there are many broken, plastic, soul-starved people

appearing fulfilled,

but are not

as they hold the hand of the world

I follow You, Jesus.

For every life has sorrow

and every life pain

and every life has its struggles,

but no matter the road

I want to be holding on to You

and despair will not come

You will strengthen

and comfort

and uphold

and inspire

and defend

and always Love

I am IN this world,

but holding tight to You

I will not be pulled downward

For I am IN it

but not OF it

I am free

My otherworldliness comes

by citizenship

in Your beautiful Kingdom.

I will follow the King.

– Susie Stewart

If I ride the wings of the morning,
if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
even there Your hand will guide me,
and Your strength will support me.

– Psalm 139:9,10 (NIV)

So I let them follow their own stubborn desires,
living according to their own ideas.
Oh, that my people would listen to Me!
Oh, that Israel would follow Me, walking in My paths!
How quickly I would then subdue their enemies!
How soon My hands would be upon their foes!

– Psalm 81:12-14 (NLT)

And whoever does not carry their cross and follow Me cannot be My disciple.

– Luke 14:27 (NIV)

Your own ears will hear Him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left.

– Isaiah 30:21 (NLT)

But Jesus took him by the hand and helped him to his feet, and he stood up.

– Mark 9:27 (NLT)

Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you.

– 1 John 2:15 (NLT)

“My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given Me, because they belong to You. All who are Mine belong to You, and You have given them to Me, so they bring Me glory. Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to You. Holy Father, You have given Me Your name; now protect them by the power of Your name so that they will be united just as We are. During my time here, I protected them by the power of the name You gave Me. I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold.

“Now I am coming to You. I told them many things while I was with them in this world so they would be filled with My joy. I have given them Your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking You to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by Your truth; teach them Your word, which is truth. Just as You sent Me into the world, I am sending them into the world. And I give myself as a holy sacrifice for them so they can be made holy by Your truth.

– John 17:9-19 (NLT)

A Child Lost

February 13, 2016February 13, 2016 / Susie Stewart / 3 Comments

She was about to be hit by a car

She was unaware

and rode her bike into traffic

And the three-lanes-deep only noticed her small figure

as she entered each lane

We were coming down the hill

and could see the scene play out

from our car

It was terrible

and we couldn’t get there fast enough

to warn the cars,

also unaware,

that a girl of only 10

was riding her bike in heavy traffic

Struggling to pedal,

seemingly in a hypnotic state,

she slowly made her way,

with screeching car brakes beside her

and people watching

as if it were a dream

And what should they do?

This can’t be real

My heart seems to stop

and I let out bursts of,

“No, watch out! No! No! Don’t hit her!…”

and I thought

this would end soon

in horror

As we near the child

and see that each lane has stopped in time

she makes her way to the edge of the road

people moving on slowly,

destinations in mind

And I was in our car

two lanes from her

and my mama heart

could take it no longer

I told my husband to stop the car

“I’ve got to get out!”

and he knew the tone

and he knew this young girl needed someone,

for she continued riding along, swervingly,

right next to stunned but moving-on cars

And me in my heels

just out of church

start across the slow traffic

aware of the danger

and cautiously making my way to the girl

I reach her

and I don’t

She keeps struggling along the side of the road

on her bike

ignoring my voice

Was she drugged?

Was she traumatized?

She stops.

I stand in front of her

holding her handle bars

and she stares through me

as if I were transparent

I speak softly

“Sweetheart, what is your name?”

“Can you tell me your name?”

“Where are you going?”

“Who are your dad and mom?”

Nothing

She pushes my hands off of her handlebars

and lays her bike down,

starting to run along the sidewalk

By now, husband is parked along the road,

another car has stopped,

and a man is also following

trying to help

911 is dialed

And I think to myself,

“What a strange scene I find myself in…”

A young girl

with messed up hair

and pajamas

jogging down the sidewalk,

a man chasing after her,

and me behind,

trying to catch up in high heels

while vehicles drive past

staring

I just want this dear one to be out of danger!

I am motivated along

by a deep concern

for this child’s safety

a stranger’s child

The girl heads back our way

to get her bike,

and as she does

both the man and I

gently but firmly

keep the bike put

The dazed girl straddles it

trying to free our hands gripping

Question after question is met with distant stares

and a noise here and there

And as I look into her vacant blue eyes

beneath dirty, straggly hair,

and she starts to pound on her own head,

I realize

that she is most likely

autistic

and

non-verbal

And my heart saddens

for this precious girl

and her parents

for this is their reality

every day

A deep bond

and eyes lit up with knowing

is not happening

for this family

There is brokenness

and pain

And as the policemen arrive

and so kindly keep this child calm

we find out that her mama is looking for her

and she is on her way

We are no longer needed

“You can go now.”

My heart is heavy

as we drive away

I snap a photo in the rearview mirror

because I don’t want to forget

when God showed me what some go through

and how that must hurt

and tire

and discourage

And how God showed me

that each life matters

and His caring God-image is stamped on my heart

And how this scene,

this confusing

and scary

and hold-your-breath point in time

is a picture

of how our loving God,

Knowing,

Forgiving,

and Just

chases us down the dangerous road

finding at times

people staring

but not seeing

People not responding to Him

to His love

to His concern

to His heart

And these people need to be safe in Him!

These people need to have His protection!

And He keeps pursuing

And He will

For that is His heart

and He seeks to save.

– Susie Stewart

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.

– Luke 19:10 (NIV)

Jesus told them this story: “A man had two sons. The younger son told his father, ‘I want my share of your estate now before you die.’ So his father agreed to divide his wealth between his sons.

“A few days later this younger son packed all his belongings and moved to a distant land, and there he wasted all his money in wild living. About the time his money ran out, a great famine swept over the land, and he began to starve. He persuaded a local farmer to hire him, and the man sent him into his fields to feed the pigs. The young man became so hungry that even the pods he was feeding the pigs looked good to him. But no one gave him anything.

“When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger! I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.”’

“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.’

“But his father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.

“Meanwhile, the older son was in the fields working. When he returned home, he heard music and dancing in the house, and he asked one of the servants what was going on. ‘Your brother is back,’ he was told, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf. We are celebrating because of his safe return.’

“The older brother was angry and wouldn’t go in. His father came out and begged him, but he replied, ‘All these years I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat for a feast with my friends. Yet when this son of yours comes back after squandering your money on prostitutes, you celebrate by killing the fattened calf!’

“His father said to him, ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!’”

– Luke 15:11-32 (NLT)

Photo by Susie Stewart

Love Always Hopes

February 10, 2016 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Love always hopes…

– 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NIV)

Love is hope when reason despairs.

– Jack Hyles

If you’ll quit moaning and crying, I’ll use the things to make you into someone I can use in the lives of others to show them that no matter where they’ve been, no matter how deep the hole, no matter how painful the trial, there’s hope. There is victory.

– Kay Arthur

Love always points to a brighter day ahead. Love is the lifeline that the hurting can hold on to.

– Philip Ryken

Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.

– Romans 5:2-5 (NLT)

Photo by Susie Stewart

Not Safe

January 13, 2016January 13, 2016 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

We are not all called to go to El Salvador, or Moscow, or Calcutta, or even the slums of New York, but none of us will escape the moment when we have to decide whether to withdraw, to play it safe, or to act upon what we prayerfully believe to be right, knowing that with all our prayers we may be wrong, and knowing that we will probably be punished by those who do not want universe-disturbers to stand up and be counted. Perhaps what we are called to do may not seem like much, but the butterfly is a small creature to affect galaxies thousands of light years away.
– Madeleine L’Engle

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, He saw two brothers—Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew—throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow Me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed Him.

A little farther up the shore He saw two other brothers, James and John, sitting in a boat with their father, Zebedee, repairing their nets. And He called them to come, too. They immediately followed Him, leaving the boat and their father behind.
– Matthew 4:18-22 (NLT)

Life is short, hell is hot and eternity is forever!!! The world has NEVER been impacted by Christians who spend their whole lives in a car seat and beg God to never let anything bad happen to them!

Ask HIM to set you on fire with HIS plans…and THEN GO FOR IT!

– Perry Noble

My biggest fear, even now, is that I will hear Jesus’ words and walk away, content to settle for less than radical obedience to Him.

– David Platt

Photo Taken by Arik Stewart

His Love

January 12, 2016January 13, 2016 / Susie Stewart / 2 Comments

“I have trouble recognizing and absorbing God’s love for me,” my husband shared as we were eating leftovers together.

“Tell me more,” I said.

“Well, you know how the Bible tells us over and over about how much God loves us? I don’t know. I just have trouble applying that to myself.”

A good, honest assessment.

“Sweetie, think about how much you love your kids, and how they make you so proud, and you love to be with them, and how that video on Youtube about daughters growing up made you cry the other day?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, God sees you that way. And He loves you even more than you love those kids.”

Pause…. He’s thinking…

I go on.

“And what if I responded mechanically and business-like to your love for me? How would you like that?”

“I’d hate it.”

“Well, I don’t think we should be responding to God’s love like that either.”

Thinking some more….

“You need to let God love you and let it make you smile. Really smile! And respond to His love.”

I think things started to sink in for Mr. Logical. And I so appreciate that he has always been a good listener.

He knows what love for others feels like.

He knows he doesn’t want to receive a mechanical or distant response from the people he loves.

And he also knows how good and encouraging it feels to be loved by people.

God put this love in our hearts.

We can’t see Him

but He loves us extravagantly

in so many ways

not the least of which was the ultimate sacrifice –

Life.

Soak in His love!

Notice Him loving you through people

notice Him loving you through nature

notice Him loving you through the Bible

notice Him loving you through “coincidences”

even notice Him loving you through difficulties

and discipline.

Notice Him

and love Him back.

There is nothing better in this life

than to know that God loves you and to love Him in return.

– Susie Stewart

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind;

and,

Love your neighbor as yourself.

– Luke 10:27 (NIV)

Love must be sincere..

– Romans 12:9 (NIV)

Photo taken by Nicole Stewart

Best News

January 3, 2016January 13, 2016 / Susie Stewart / Leave a comment

Jesus’ apostles were beaten and murdered for their bold witness, and they rejoiced to suffer for the name of Christ.

What was my reason again for not opening my mouth to speak the Good News?

– Susie Stewart

They called in the apostles and had them flogged. Then they ordered them never again to speak in the name of Jesus, and they let them go.

The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus. And every day, in the Temple and from house to house, they continued to teach and preach this message: “Jesus is the Messiah.”

– Acts 5:40-42 (NLT)

He preached without fear in the name of the Lord. He talked and argued with the Jews who spoke the Greek language. They kept trying to kill him.

– Acts 9:29 (NLV)

They stoned Paul and dragged him out of town, thinking he was dead.

– Acts 14:29 (NLT)

Always think about Jesus Christ. He was brought back to life and is a descendant of David. This is the Good News that I tell others. I’m suffering disgrace for spreading this Good News. I have even been put into prison like a criminal. However, God’s word is not imprisoned. For that reason, I endure everything for the sake of those who have been chosen so that they, too, may receive salvation from Christ Jesus with glory that lasts forever.

– 2 Timothy 2:8-10 (GW)

The Best News

must be shared

boldly

passionately

graciously

lovingly

for it is not by your own power

that you speak this News

but by the power

of God’s Spirit

He will quicken your mind

give you discernment

make you strong

and give you compassion

for those lost

and in bondage

You are the witness

to something glorious

something amazing

something unheard of

Sacrifice

Grace

Forgiveness

Heaven

Forever with God

The Best News

Sharing what He has done

for you

is a privilege

Speak

open up your mouth

and speak

trusting that when you do

regardless of the outcome

you have been obedient

and you have spoken

Hope

You are not a proselytizer

but an enthusiastic messenger

with the Best News

– Susie Stewart

Photos taken by Susie Stewart

Lyla

May 15, 2013January 13, 2016 / Susie Stewart / 3 Comments

“We as a family are saddened, but also at peace knowing that God is in control.”

I read over those words in a message from my cousin Scott today. His mother, my Aunt Lyla, was just diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic and liver cancer. My heart is heavy because I love Lyla. She shines Jesus.

As I thought about writing something about this very difficult news on my mom’s side of the family, the word from this sentence of Scott’s message that has stayed in my head, amazingly, is “but”. This tiny, little three letter word.

It is the word that seemingly connects heaven and earth right now.

We as a family are saddened, BUT…

Not everyone says this little word when there is a cancer diagnosis. Only God makes this word possible. Only God.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There is sorrow and there is suffering here.

But.

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair…” 2 Corinthians 4:8

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our hearts and minds grow faint with grief.

But.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Life is hard here.

But.

“But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like His glorious body….” Philippians 3:20

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bad news will come.

But.

“They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.” Psalm 112:7

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Life doesn’t always go the way we planned.

But.

“‘I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord…” Jeremiah 29:11

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Life seems to have kicked me down.

But.

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.” 2 Corinthians 2:14

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My Aunt Lyla. “She’s an amazing example of God’s peace and comfort. She’s confident in her faith and knows life doesn’t end here,” Scott says of his mother. That’s because she knows she is a victor, no matter what!

“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And here is why……. “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son…” Galatians 4:4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heaven and earth connected.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I love you, Aunt Lyla. You are an example of Christ to me and countless people who love you. You may have been given a diagnosis, but you are a victor, conqueror, dearly loved by God, redeemed, precious. You are in the palm of His hand, just as you have always been.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

– Susie Stewart

Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest.

– Hebrews 3:1