Hi everyone, Ann here! Some SUM moments are so tough they’re funny when you look back, and I couldn’t resist sharing one with you. It was the time a well-meant speaker at church said these words from the pulpit: “Every year my wife and I sit down and decide how much to give to church.” I'm afraid that did it for me. I crumpled into a self-pitying heap in the back of church. See, I’d been attending for months, and gave nothing. Not a dollar. I hadn’t felt able to ask it of my husband. It was painful, I guess, because my heart badly wanted to give. I knew the pastor needed to at least eat. I knew God wants us to financially support the one who sacrifices their life for that work, so that they can survive (Gal 6:6). Eventually, I asked, saying to my husband, “Look, I at... Read more →

I hesitated in writing this post. If you live unequally yoked, I think you will understand my perspective. If you aren’t, consider what I have to say. Several days ago, I received a phone call from a woman who lives in Wisconsin ( I live in California). She had heard about our book and took time to call me. She shared that she has lived with her unbelieving spouse now for 33 years. Wow, thirty-three years. She loves him and in the past, fought many spiritual battles and persevered with Christ. She went on to tell me that her strength to walk this road came from a scripture verse she heard as a young woman. Proverbs 16:7 When a man’s (woman’s) ways are pleasing to the LORD, he makes even his enemies live at peace with him (her). She told me that she believed this and this verse has proven... Read more →

A few months ago, a friend of mine shared a short warfare prayer. Every day since then, on my walk-n-pray, I open my phone to the link and read/pray it out loud inserting my name, my husband’s name, children grandchildren, SUM ministries, Centerpoint ministries (my home church) and all my prayer ministries, the leadership and those there-under. I read it aloud and adapt it as led by the Holy Spirit. I’ve found just reading it aloud moves my spirit into a higher realm of authority, prayer and then leads me to pray further about issues in my life that need prayer covering. Read more →

By Martha Bush With their adrenalin still running high right after miraculously crossing the Jordan River, Joshua, Caleb and a new generation of Israelites had to make a “pit stop” for three things to take place before moving forward into Canaan. It happened like this in a little town called Gilgal: 1. Don’t Move Forward Before Building Memorial Stones God instructed Joshua to choose twelve men, one from each tribe to take a stone and carry it back out into the place where the priests were still standing in the middle of the Jordan River. Pile the stones up as a monument. “In the future, when your children ask you, 'What is this monument for', you can tell them it is to remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the ark of the covenant went across. The monument will be a permanent reminder to the people of Israel... Read more →

I messed up! I slipped up…. AGAIN…. I continue to be disappointed in myself because I have this sin, this ugly thing, that I battle on and off.I wonder, Is God mad at me? Is God disappointed with me? I want God to be pleased with me, perhaps he will bless me more if I can just get this right. If I can just do more good and stop this ugly thing. Can anyone relate? Read more →

This is the painting I'm speaking about in the video Hello my dear friends, I have had a heavy heart for all of you who are in the throes of battle right now. So, today, I’m not going to talk about marriage killers. NO! I want to talk about the marriage saver. Jesus Christ. I’ve been in a deep reflection upon my life in the past few weeks. It’s as though Jesus is pouring revelation upon me about the many seasons of my marriage. Pointing to how He used my very own wrong choices to work with. How inside my rebellion, He loved me, taught me, and led me into peace. I’m on a wonderful journey right now with the Savior. And the tension of what waits around the corner of the unknown, is almost palatable to my spirit. It’s BIG… REALLY, REALLY BIG! With that said, I’m not going... Read more →

Photo courtesy of Pexels.com Hello, dear friends. Ian from sunny Sydney here. It seems ages since I’ve written. I trust the New Year has started well for you and you’re excited for what 2019 holds for you and your family. Recently, I was reading something written by Will Graham, the grandson of the late Billy Graham, where he sought some counsel from his famous granddad on navigating the challenges of a ministry that required a lot of travel around the globe. He was expecting some advice on how to run meetings better or how better to emphasize a point but instead received this simple message, “Pray, pray, pray” and “study, study, study.” It made good sense as this was what Will had seen his granddad doing most times he visited, praying and studying. Abiding and Bearing Fruit “I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in... Read more →

.....looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame. While Jesus carried His cross, THIS MOMENT was on His mind.... This moment in time when His bride gathers together in unity! Astounding! Read more →

A lasting power outage yesterday kept me from writing. So I'm sharing two videos that are worth a listen. Turn them on when doing the dishes or driving and I pray you feel the Presence of the Lord and the Spirit of Wisdom in the words. Hugs, Lynn Read more →

Marriage Killers. How do we slay them?Today, I want to talk about …The in-laws. Every marriage brings with it an extended family. My experience with in-laws was a good one. They weren’t intrusive. At the time I married Mike, he had lived on his own for years. He had a health relationship with his parents, and they lived in another state. Their involvement in our lives centered about holiday visits and trips to visit their place in the summer. And on occasion, a trip to the Santa Cruz where his parents and their friends and family would vacation every year.Marriages struggle when either spouse fails to become fully liberated from their parents. Read more →