Snapshots of a blessed life

August 15, 2012

You are valuable

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Melissa

I love, love, love this quote! One of my favs. Beautiful graphic, Sue. Did you make that yourself?

Sue

I did, Melissa. Thanks so much!

Stefanie Brown (@stefanieybrown)

I pinned it onto my “Quotes” board:))

Monica

This is a lovely graphic. Do you sell them? I would love to purchase this to frame as a gift! Please let me know if you do and how much it would be! Thank you!

Amy @ Little Adventures

What a beautiful verse/graphic! Beautifully done Sue !

August 10, 2012

I Connect

I’m stepping out of my little boat and am trying something new today.

I’m jumping in with both feet and am joining a community of word-slinging women who gather each week over on Lisa-Jo’s blog to celebrate the art of writing together.

She shares one new writing prompt each week and all who want to participate, take that single prompt, ponder over it, and write about it for exactly FIVE minutes – not a minute more!

Our prompt this week….

Connect

READY. SET. GO!…

We are more connected to the world around us than ever before.

As a blogger, tweeter, pinner, facebooker, and instagramer, you might think that I dwell in a constant state of connection, but I don’t necessarily always feel that way.

Some days I feel like all of this hyper-connectivity, this fast-paced, ever-changing social media orb is noisy and harsh. On those days I feel disconnected and my soul feels assaulted and fatigued by the decimal level of the white noise.

On those days… those white noise, static days… I know I have to shut out the distractions, pull back and renew my mind to my purpose.

Why did I place myself in this position of connection in the first place?

Does this platform that I speak from reach anyone?

If a blogger writes a post in the forest and no one hears them hit “publish” will their words ever be read?

I jest.

Then that heartfelt email hits my inbox. Kind words from an unknown reader that felt brave enough to reach out and let me know that I ministered and breathed some encouragement into her life.

Did I actually do it?

By the grace of God, I connect.

STOP.

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Michele-Lyn

I didn’t realize you had an actual comments section I didn’t scroll down far enough! I am glad that we had the opportunity to connect

Denise

Awesome.

LyndsD

Beautiful, Sue!! Beautiful! I think you connect. I think you are open and real. Over the last year or so we’ve “known” each other through blog posts and twitter you have inspired and changed those around you. For the better. Your words resenate so much with me. I have felt the very same way and wonder often maybe I should just stop. But like you said.. By God’s grace he has you reach that one heart at the one moment he wanted you to. So you continue to connect. Keep it up girlie. I missed you when you weren’t blogging.

Becky

I love this idea! I’m going to go check it out now. And your post about Connect – brilliant. I think that all the time as I check Google Stats on my blog! If a tree falls…

Then I remember that I started blogging because I’ve always journaled, and the chances of anyone reading my journals – well – no one has EVER read my journals, so if one person reads one post, and only one – well, than that’s progress!

Keep it up!

Stefanie Brown (@stefanieybrown)

So glad you connected. Blessed to connect with you thought Five Minute Friday.

Hope to get to meet inRL at Allume:))

Barbie

Hi Sue! So thankful I connected with you today through the 5MF! I just love your blog title. Looking forward to getting to know you more. I am following you on Facebook!

Ginger

Oh, Sue, we hear you. You are reaching us, now all the more!

Michele-Lyn Ault

I love this! I am so glad you took the leap fearless This Five Minute Friday community is so gracious.

Tammy Perlmutter

Hey Sue, thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a comment!! I often feel the same way, and wonder if I’m wasting my time. Then something happens like what you described and makes it all worth it. I’m glad you’re here and still connecting.

Cranberry Morning

It is difficult to keep one’s priorities in order in this day when everything is constantly distracting us. Better to unplug and slow down. I’ve had the same feelings as you, wondering if anyone hears the message.

Carri Schutter

I loved it and it truly resonated with me. Thank you so much for allowing God to use you to connect!

Laurie

Perfect.

Andrea

I am not a blogger, tweeter, face booker…not by any means is there anything wrong with it I simply choose not to:). But like anyone I long to connect with people and although I don’t know any of you folks I am going to post a personal message/testimony because it is about our most important connection, Jesus!
(technically under 5 minutes because I copy/pasted my stuff below)

Have you ever thought, people just don’t like me? Or I am not enough like them to quite fit in? Or why would they like me…what do I have to offer? Etc? Those are thoughts that can be dangerous if not kept in check, I allowed those and many others to roll around in my mind this last while leading to a place of near depression. I couldn’t quite put my finger on why I felt the way I did but had all these random thoughts of people…and was very frustrated because I am the kind of person who just wants to know the problem God-so I can fix it..or You God whoever gets to it first. Haha but God doesn’t share in my way of thinking so He allowed me to wallow in my self pity for a while before revealing the remedy…Him:) now I know it sounds cliche to say God is always the answer but I really do believe that…He knows me through and through, my getting up and laying down why wouldn’t He have the answer to all of my problems?? Me trying harder or not at all- just going about life produced nothing and was really just ‘ striving after the wind’. It was when God spoke to me through His word my thinking began to change…it wasn’t a huge spotlight revelation but just a gentle reminder where I had gone astray. He brought Matthew 4:4 to my eyes
> But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.’” (Matthew 4:4 NASB)
> The Lord said to me saying Andrea you are trying to live on bread, the love and acceptance of people is wonderful but not a requirement for you to live…you feed on My words and what I say about your acceptance and you will really live!
> It was like the truth broke up this dark cloud overhead that just cast a shadow of hopelessness and the truth shone thru and is warming me up even now. I may not feel 100% but my outlook is changing, I have hope because it is in Jesus and what He can do, not what people say or my circumstances….He is far beyond that! I want to encourage you no matter the circumstances to ask the Lord for hope, go to His word and be lifted up by the truth! I am not great at sharing my thoughts/heart with the exception of a few close friends I feel safe with but I think the Lord is pushing me to in this area because that is what the church does, we help each other in our weaknesses,( Corinthians 1:4 NASB) strengthen weak hands and feeble knees and point each other to Jesus.
>
> ‘that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.’
> (Ephesians 3:16-21 NASB)
>

August 1, 2012

Waiting for Wings

I waited patiently out in the sweltering Arizona heat to snap this picture of the ever-elusive little hummingbird that frequents my backyard. With my shutter set on warp speed, I caught him mid-flight quietly feeding on the nectar of my favorite flowering tree.

The thing is this wasn’t the first time I tried to photograph him, but it was the first time I captured such a vivid image of him.

This time, I anticipated his many darts and flits. I knew that I would get my chance to see him if I just steadied myself, heat or not, and didn’t move. Although it felt like an eternity, he finally rose up out of the foliage near the top of the tree and revealed himself to me.

And the reward of capturing this lovely little brown and gold backyard bird reminded me of the importance of waiting.

Waiting on God to reveal a new vison for my life when my own dreams have faded.

Waiting for hope to rise when my soul feels depleted.

Waiting for God’s grace to to give my faith wings.

May you taste the sweet reward of waiting today.

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Emmalee Hoggatt @ Hoggatt Homeschool

Welcome back to the blog world! I have been anxiously waiting to see your new blog home! You always have beautiful pictures and this is one is no exception!

Ann

Beautiful, Sue! Beautiful words. Beautiful photography.

Meghan

LOVELY! I love your new space and you! Excited for you!

Cindy

This is so sweet! I love that picture, and I love that thought. Needed to hear that on this impatient day. (OK. I’m impatient every day. Working on it, though.)