Hello Sumites, Ian from hot and humid Sydney here. 

Photo courtesy of pexels.com and Quang Anh Ha Nguyen

I thought I’d tell you a story today.

have a frustrating relationship with my mother-in-law. Lyn is a lovely lady and in the almost 30 years we’ve been in each other’s lives, our relationship has been awkward and a little detached. It’s bothered me a great deal as this isn’t the norm in my relationships plus I had a wonderful connection with my mother. It causes me a lot of stress and anxiety and Fiona is impacted as well. Plus, I tend to beat myself up because I feel this relationship is a poor example for Fiona. "Why can’t I get over my pride and simply love Fi’s mum?"

Grace

A few months ago I was reminded of a quote on grace I’d read and heard many times over the years. It goes something like this:

“The true saints (read Christians) burn grace like a 747 burns fuel on take-off.” – Dallas Willard.

It’s a great quote. When I most recently heard it (twice in the same service) I spent time pondering it for a few days afterwards.

I think we all know intuitively that big planes burn through a lot of fuel to get off the ground. The environmental causes of recent years have only emphasised how much fuel aeroplanes burn through on every flight. Willard’s metaphor for describing a vibrant life with Jesus is compelling. We’re supposed to burn through grace and more grace.

Annual Visit

Soon after, Lyn and her husband were visiting for a couple of weeks. As we always do, Fi and I discussed how we (meaning me) would manage this visit. My response was to share Willard’s quote and to say that’s what we’d do: ask God for grace and more grace. Even every minute if we (meaning I) needed it.

Fiona understands the concept of grace. I think all humans understand the notion of ‘unmerited favour’. But for we lovers of Jesus, it really has an added meaning. I like how my Pastor defines grace: ‘it’s God helping us do what we can’t do in our own strength.”

The visit started with me asking God for grace often and repeatedly. My Pastor often encourages us to ask for grace for the next ten minutes. I was doing that a lot in the first few days. It was incredible how more relaxed and calm I found myself. And Fi noticed as well.

I sure was burning through grace that week.

What Happened?

When Fi drove her mum and husband to her brother’s place, her mum commented that she felt it was the “happiest she’d ever seen me.” When Fi shared that with me, I did a little dance! God is good.

The week reminded me that there is this unlimited supply of grace. It’s like an unending river that is never prone to drought or a power supply that never suffers from blackouts. We simply must dive into the river or plug into the socket or whatever analogy you might prefer to use.

How? By simply asking God for it. And not being too proud to keep on asking. Every ten minutes if need be. This is I believe what Willard meant when he wrote those words many years ago. He too had to learn the lesson himself, I guess.

Is there a relationship, habit, a something or other that you keep trying to ‘fix’ in your own strength? May I encourage you to try letting go and dive into the river where Jesus meets you with His endless supply of grace. And see what changes.

Go well, dear SUMites. God is so good and constantly thirsts after each one of us offering us more and more grace through His loving presence.

Big love,

Hello friends, Ann here!

In the last two weeks I've actually been on a cheeky little 10-day trip away -- A trip that turned out to be spiritually surprising.

I went on my own, leaving Bryce and the boys at home; and I can't believe the things I saw on this trip.

The trip was a ten-day stay at a Christian camp for parents and teenagers, where I volunteered on staff. The camp was designed to help parents and teens improve their relationship by doing various adventure activities together.

While not every parent-teen pair on the camp was Christian, the staff were.

So far so good, and to be honest I was in two minds about whether to go, thinking 'Meh...' But wow. Little did I know.

Here's the camp: JH Aotearoa

There is an American branch of it too: JH Ranch – Everlasting Adventure

Those who go on it frequently say it is life-changing. Having now seen it in action, I can see why.

Anyway, instead of taking my own teen on it, as I said, I arrived as staff. I duly got given a gorgeous group of five mothers to look after: all with daughters age 18.

This group of mothers was colorful, diverse, bouncy, and delightful. And they kept me on my toes as we talked about the ups and downs of mothering. 

I also got another job, however, that felt more serious, and this was the most impactful part: I got put on the prayer team. This job involved about eight of us meeting twice a day to literally storm the heavens for these parents and their children.

When I say storm the heavens, that's what it felt like. We didn't put time limits on our prayer time, and so we would linger as long as it took. We would pray, and pray, and pray, and pray ... We prayed specific things for certain parents and children, and we prayed for them by name. Issues would get brought to us, and we would pray through them. Sometimes we wept tears of intercession. Sometimes the Spirit showed us specific things to pray for specific people. And we saw answers to our prayers.

This went on for days. It was deeply moving.

What happens to a guest when they come into that environment for days? What happens when something is saturated in prayer? What happens when you have worship services every single day for those ten days, as well as teaching and ministry? I began to feel we had an open heaven over us. 

Lord, turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers!

That was our foundational prayer, and what we saw, over those ten days were:

(a) Salvations; and

(b) Numerous healed relationships between parents and their teenagers.

It was such a powerful experience for me to see those two things. After all, it can feel very dry when you're in a SUM and you're desperately waiting for just that one all-important salvation, right?  Indeed, this experience was so powerful that I have resolved to go back again next year and make this camp a regular part of my life.

Friends, do any of you have a relationship with a son or daughter that you'd like prayer for? Post in the comments and we'll gather round you in prayer.

Love,

Ann

p.s. The photo is of me with three of my staff team-mates. Firm friends.

Hello SUM Nation,

If your 2024 sucked (can I say that on a Christian blog?), then this post is for you: Get ready. Bible, pen and paper.

Lynn Donovan with you here. Open your paper Bible and underline this passage:

Nehemiah 8:9-10

And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law. 

Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

So many, MANY Christians experienced a very difficult 2024. We lived through very specific and personal challenges to our family, relationship, finances and health. Sheesh. I lived through my most difficult year of my entire life in 2024.

But this year!!! This is our year to THRIVE in 2025!

And how do we do this. Cast off the old (wineskins) and step into the new. And I have a treasure from scripture to do just that.

If you have been a believer for a while, you have heard this passage over and over:

The joy of the Lord is my strength. Right?

I’ve heard this so many times but until recently I never really comprehended the full revelation of this passage. Like me, you have probably thought about the joy of the Lord as a happy feeling or something similar.

But I’m here to share that the joy of the Lord is SO MUCH MORE. The joy of the Lord, now think upon this, this joy is GOD’S joy. He lives in joy and is joyful about our lives and future. But what is the joy of God?

Glad you asked.

God’s joy is actually all of the following and more: It is of course a happiness, but also it is confidence, surety, provision, deliverance, healing, health, hope, revelation, discernment, power, authority….. All of HIS joy becomes our strength.

His joy gives to us all of these life qualities that lead to thriving. Wow, just WOW!

So, begin your day by praying this: “Holy Spirit, fill me today with the joy of the Lord.”

Then believe you have all these attributes from our good Father in heaven. His joy makes us STRONG.

The joy of the Lord IS OUR STRENGTH. And that is the meaning of this passage.

Now go your way and share your food and drink and know that THIS DAY IS HOLY and not a day of sorrow. But of joy and strength.

Thank you, Lord. Thank you. AMEN

Dear friends,

One of our SUMites, Susan Peterson, recently sent in the attached picture.

She said --

As my husband and I were leafing through an amazing old WWI era scrapbook, we came across this picture of the horse and the ox plowing in harness together because they were all their owner owned. BUT it made me think, "They still got the job done!"

Somehow this gave me hope in our SUM relationship.

Thanks, Susan! 

Ann here.

Whenever I'm praying for an unbelieving husband or wife, I've got a particular prayer I pray. It's this:

In the name of Jesus, I pray for [name] that --

God will set His eyes on him/her for good, and will bring them back to Him.

God will build him/her and not pull him/her down.

He will plant him/her and not pluck him/her up.

He will give him/her a heart to know Him, that He is God.

[Name] will say about God 'He is mine, and I am His'.

And he/she will return to God with his/her whole heart.

I pray this because several years ago God gave our ministry the verses from Jeremiah 24:5-7 - which contained the above words. He said that is what he is going to do for our spouses.

Every time I pray these words, then, I make a declaration of belief, and I know that I am praying in line with the heart of God.

Today, shall we all pray the above words over our spouses? Let's lift our voices to the heavens in unison!

Love you all, and I wish you a beautiful Friday.

Ann

Hello SUMites.  

We have a question for you:

We're compiling a collection of the best of the best of our articles as a resource for future readers, and we need your help.

Many of you have been reading along here for years. So, here's our question:

Do you have a favorite, stand-out article, or story, from our blog?

Is there an article that particularly helped you?

Is there a teaching that has particularly stuck in your mind?

Is there something from one of our books that particularly helped you?

Whatever it is, we'd love to hear it. So please, let us know in the comments, or drop us a line by email.

Many thanks

Ann, Lynn, Ian and team

SUMites, Ann here.

What a beautiful week the fast was. Thank you, LuAnn and Nickole, for leading us through it this year.

During the fast I had a little moment, while sitting on a beach. I was deliberately trying to not read books or engage in hobbies that week. So I simply sat. 

There I was, perched under a shady tree, watching Bryce swim in the ocean by himself. I then watched him walk across the dry and thirsty sand. As he crossed my vision, I thought:

He is my treasure. He is my commission. He is my job. 

And --

If I come to the end of my life and I've loved him well, I know that God will say to me 'well done good and faithful servant.'

Our spouses are like the treasure in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30). In that parable, a master gives different servants different amounts of money, then goes away hoping they will invest the money. When the master returns, two of the servants have invested the money and made a return. But one servant hadn't.

The master said to the ones who'd invested well: 

‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ (Matthew 25:23, ESV)

to the other servant, however, he said this:

‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ (v. 26-30)

The same goes for our marriages: This spouse of ours is a 'little' thing that we're asked to be faithful to God with. 

It's a big thing, really, but in terms of church activity and service it looks small. For, what we do in our marriage goes mostly unseen. It's not like we're going out preaching sermons, or healing the sick. We are simply asked to love another human being, and to quietly honor and cherish them: In their presence and behind their back too.

Like the parable of the talents, some people take care of their marriages well, and some don't.

So yes, this man is my responsibility. 

I feel I quite often don't do a great job at this. He doesn't always either. So we can have grace for each other and ourselves. But I guess all I'm thinking is that he's like a treasure that God has popped into my outstretched palm, and what kind of job am I going to do at it?

That's my thought for the day. 

How do we steward a SUM marriage well?

Are there other people in your life you've been asked to steward?

I look forward to seeing you in the comments!

Love,

Ann

By LuAnn Wendover and Nickole Meierotto

Trust in the lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

This past week has been an amazing time in the annual corporate fast. When Nickole and I were asked to lead it, I jumped at the opportunity without a whole lot of thought or prayer. I knew it was an honor as well as a big responsibility. However, I didn’t take it on without some trepidation next to the elation. In the meantime, Nickole expressed a need to take a little extra time in contemplative prayer, not because she wasn’t honored to be asked, but because she wanted to be sure she could handle all that would be expected of her.

I had hoped to do a 5-day water only fast. I was looking forward to writing a couple of pieces for the blog. And knew that this would be a stretching experience. I was right on the money with that one! Nickole did a liquid daytime fast, having dinner with her children at night.

I KNEW that this fast was supposed to be centered on abiding in Christ: in using this time of fasting and praying to rest in Him. Warfare in a Sum can be a daily part of our lives and usually is. Many times, we get worn out with constant battling. I was excited to learn what abiding during a fast would mean. I thought of abiding as simply resting but it is more than that…it can also mean enduring. And my word for the year was abiding!

The first two days of the fast were great. Some hunger but not uncontrollable. By the third day, I needed to hydrate and added a hydration pack to my morning water. It helped tremendously. But by day four I knew I needed to switch to a Daniel version for the remaining two days.  And so I did, without self-condemnation or recrimination. Fasting is a wonderful way to get closer to the Lord.

Nickole here. I didn’t know what I expected other than an opportunity to focus on my time with Abba during my fast. As I began the week jumping back into school routines, the Lord showed me that I have had an enduring habit of allowing myself to zone out and live life unintentionally, on autopilot. This revelation led to my word, Intentional. If I am to be sanctified for the Lord, I must be intentional, in everything…how convicting.

The Bible says to fast in secret. But in leading a corporate fast that is not possible, although the particulars of any fast should be spirit led and individual. Both Nickole and I had been holding a Wednesday fast and prayer for several years in the Sumite Sisters group, so we were used to posting for prayer requests and then praying together for the needs of the group. But leading a 5 day fast was a different experience for both of us. Eye opening and challenging.

As we reflected and wrapped up our corporate fast, we wanted to encourage those of you who fasted with us this year to remember to apply what was revealed to you during the fast. Too often we lose focus, return to our daily lives and get caught up in the repetitive day-to-day living. Let us be intentional in ALL we do…whether it’s washing the dishes, folding laundry, our outside jobs, or our recreation and amusement. To learn to be consecrated and connected to Christ 24/7 is truly a part of abiding in Him and being intentional in living for Him.

How do you intend to move forward from this fast? How can you become more intentional in abiding in Christ?

By Nickole Meierotto

I might be dating myself, or maybe just letting out a bit of my weird, but do any of you remember DC Talk from back in the 90s (late 19^th century according to the kids these days)? I used to listen to the album “Free at Last” on repeat and one of my absolute favorite songs was ‘Luv is a Verb’. And while an incredibly fun song, “Luv is a Verb”  has a profound message that I didn’t truly understand in application until years later.

Love is action upon an unselfish, benevolent concern for another's well-being. John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” God’s action is the gift of His Son. The Bible also states in 1 John 4:19 “We love Him because He first loved us.” But what’s the action on our part? What do we have to give the God who created everything?

John seems to have the answers today. In chapter 14, verse 15, Jesus is speaking and says “If you love me, keep my commandments.” And….Action! But now I have more questions. How do we even arrive at the prospect of loving God, anyway? And how does that change my perception of that if-then command in verse 15?

Aside from my children, because they are a literal piece of me, therefore impossible to NOT love, I think the first step in arriving at love for someone is getting to know them. Once we get to know them, we begin to understand what behaviors speak "love" the loudest to them, and in order for them to know we love them, we begin to go out of our own way to do those things that will show our love the best. I believe that changes my perception of Jesus' words to "keep my commandments". I love Jesus, because I know Him. I know the sacrifice He made for me, and I see the unselfish, benevolent concern He has for me. Keeping His commandments becomes a desire to show God my love, rather than proving I can obey rules. Because I know Him and love Him, I want to act. I want to grow deeper in relationship with Him. I want to let the Holy Spirit influence, guide and direct me better. I want to love the Lord with all my heart, soul and mind. I want to love my neighbor as myself. I want those things because I know they are what He wants.

How do you define love? Has your definition of or approach to love changed as you grow deeper in your relationship with God?

Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 'Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?' Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.' (Matthew 22:35-40)

Love

Nickole