A Note from Susie
Greetings, Dear Friends!
Springtime is upon us and it begs us to look around with anticipation. Flowers are beginning to bloom, trees are beginning to bud, and the birds hold their choruses a little bit longer. I love springtime because it beautifully frames the Easter season. Everything around us declares that God is the God of new beginnings, new seasons, and next places of promise.
And so you have the theme for this quarter’s Ezine…New Places.
God has a next place, a new place of promise for all of us.
Psalm 106:24-25 says, “The people refused to enter the pleasant land, for they wouldn’t believe his promise to care for them. Instead, they grumbled in their tents and refused to obey the Lord.
They refused to believe God’s promises, and then they grumbled because their lives held no promise.
Before we come down too hard on the Israelites, we need to take our own inventory. How often do we pass on the opportunity to seek God and simply move right on to grumbling? How many times have we stayed stuck because it didn’t occur to us that God wanted us free and running through fields of grace?
The Kingdom of God is always on the move, ever increasing, always expanding. And so it goes (or at least it should) with our faith, our Christ-like compassion, our love, our experiences, and even our influence. Are you resting on yesterday’s victories? Are you more loving this year, than you were last year? How about faith, do you have more tenacity in your prayers now, than you did back then? Maybe you’re in a valley and holding on by a fingernail. If so, borrow the faith of your friends and don’t let go of that small seed of hope that declares, “I’ll find my God in this somehow!” You were not born to live and die in the wilderness!
Since change can be challenging, we might prefer to stay in our tents and grumble. But if we call ourselves “Believers” then that’s not an option for us. We take His Word as it stands and we stake our lives upon it. We march forward in faith and we trust that He will make a way for us. And if we find ourselves in a holding pattern, ready and wanting to go, but not released by the Lord to do so, then we keep our eyes on the horizon, our ear bent towards heaven, and a heart ready to move when the Lord says, “Now go.”
What is your sense about your next place of promise? Where do you suppose God wants to take you? Is He leading you to take on a new project, or to lay down a commitment? Is He asking you to climb a mountain, or to rest beside still waters? Is He leading you to pay off your debt and give more to the poor? Or maybe He’s asking you to say yes to a mission trip. He may very well be asking you to increase the amount of time you spend with Him.
Here’s a quote from the wonderful book, “Beyond Jabez”:
“Sometimes people are reluctant to do more for God. They feel stretched beyond their limits as it is. But anyone willing to break through their fears will discover that life is best and most satisfying when we’re living God’s adventure.”
Don’t get comfortable in the sameness of your life!
Look to the Lord and His strength. Seek His face always. Be ready to move to your next place of promise.
Bless the day, my friend.
Susie Larson
Amazing Giveaways:
I love to
give gifts
and I have
so many
people who
have
encouraged
me as I have
worked to
encourage
others, so
what better
way than to
start giving
things
away???
Masterful Messengers:
The winner of the $50.00 Dinner gift card (Maggiano’s, Chilli’s, Macaroni Grill, & On the Border) is (drum roll, please…)
Carrie Kuiken!
Carrie is a dear friend of the family and we love her to pieces. One thing I didn’t know until recently is that on numerous occasions, she went to Amazon and purchased a number of copies of, “Alone in Marriage” to give away. She is not only a faithful prayer partner to this ministry she masterfully puts my books into the hands of those who need them. God bless you, Carrie.
The winner of the $25.00 Visa gift card is…
Andrea Beattie!
Andrea is someone I’ve yet to meet face-to-face but she has been a real blessing to me. Andrea not only sent me a wonderful note of encouragement after reading the Alone book, she posted a nice review on Amazon, and sent out a group email to her friends previewing the book and linking them to Amazon. You truly blessed me, Andrea. Thank you!
