Tale Of Two Audreys
Good morning... Yesterday I wrote about Eating With Audrey, Audrey DeShetler who has suffered through cancer treatment after cancer treatment, scan after scan, relapse after relapse, hospital stay after hospital stay, for nearly fifteen years. Recently, Audrey has experienced God's divine healing, sensing from Jesus, "Audrey, you are well." "Hi Sue," a faithful friend wrote, "right after I read your devotional this morning, I read the one below which reinforces yours about Audrey🙏🏻♥️" [...]
Eating With Audrey
Good morning... Last Monday, our Fab Five friend group shared lunch with nineteen year old Audrey DeShetler. Audrey's nearly fifteen year cancer journey with neuroblastoma has brought her to a divine healing in recent months. "Audrey, you are well," she sensed during a personal encounter with Jesus. Now she is living into the manifestation of God's miracle. Healing is happening. Small steps are evident. Audrey's ability to yawn has returned. She's walking more [...]
Julie Harlan Smiles
Good morning... Julie Harlan smiles in heaven as she prepares for today's special day. Today, her oldest son Charlie will graduate from The Lovett School with a stadium full of his classmates. When Charlie was ten, his amazing mom died of stomach cancer at age forty-one. It's an honor to remember her bright shining spirit and to revisit Julie's lovely obituary. Julie's legacy continues to influence so many of our lives. Her firm [...]
We Store Up Anxiety
Good morning... When I am left without answers to the anxious questions stirring in my heart, I can totally relate to the words of Psalm 13. How long will I store up anxious concerns within me, agony in my mind every day? (Psalm 13:2a, CSB). For a few freeing moments, the clarifying voice of Alisa Turner helps me to surrender every single jumbled thing. ...Sue... [...]
What’s Wrong With Me?
Good morning... "Sue, the full moon is setting over the water this AM in Cape San Blas," texted my friend yesterday morning. "Not a bad spot to spend the week of work!" Her gorgeous photo made me excited all day, looking forward to seeing the nearly full moon from our back porch tonight. Curious, I stepped out to greet the big ball of light, and instead I experienced this. [...]
A Full Moon Fills Us
Good morning... Beneath tonight's full moon, my mind is filled with prayers for the recovering women safely sleeping at the Ignatius House Retreat Center. I don't know them by name and I will never meet them on earth, but I know they are precious in the sight of our Lord. Recovering from homelessness and addiction, I imagine that some may have lived on the streets, under bridges, on the move. Some may have [...]
Welcome Women In Recovery
Good morning... I spent much of my Mother's Day afternoon assembling and delivering welcome bags for today's ISP (Ignatian Spirituality Project) retreat at the Ignatius House Retreat Center. Now, on this special morning, fifteen women recovering from homelessness and addiction will arrive at the MARTA station and be transported to Ignatius House by kind volunteers. Fifteen of you generously offered to donate items for the bags, bags designed to welcome women into their [...]
My Mom. Her Mom.
Happy Mother's Day... After sharing photos from my dad's 88th birthday party last week, one friend wrote me a very kind email. "Sue, did you know that you and your mom both have a physical glow about you that comes from the inside?" she wrote. "I've begun to notice that in a very few people I meet. I'm sure it's Christ's light and love. It's [...]
Unknown Path Ahead
Good morning... After yesterday's post, Our Dog Has Cancer, I responded to twenty four loving texts about Tate's diagnosis and twenty encouraging emails. Each kind word exchanged added weight to my ballast, that deep down place where inner strength settles. One email in particular helped me to envision the unknown path ahead. ****** Good morning ☀️ I have indeed walked this road. It can be a journey as dogs teach us about living [...]
Our Dog Has Cancer
Good morning... Our dog Tate came to us from Adopt-a-Golden at eight weeks old. That was nine years ago this month. At the time, our youngest son had just gotten his driver's permit, our youngest daughter was finishing her junior year in high school, and our oldest two were in college, one finishing her freshman year at Ole Miss and the other finishing his junior year at Georgia Tech. That special summer, all [...]
May Is A Mess
Good morning... The down-to-earth words of Kate Bowler come into my inbox every Wednesday. Kate is a professor at Duke Divinity School, a writer, a podcaster, and a cancer survivor. Yesterday, Kate shared with me, and millions of her regular blog readers, this tender word of encouragement. ****** Dear Sue, Is it just me, or does May always sneak up wearing a flower crown and carrying a bullhorn? There’s Mother’s Day. And Nurses [...]
Faith Walks With Doubt
Good morning... As the light of the moon thickens in the sky, we sense the presence of the Almighty God. In the morning, the conclave will begin the process of electing the 267th Pope, following the death of beloved Pope Francis. The Holy Spirit will lead this secretive process, drawing a two-third-plus-one majority vote from among the 133 cardinals gathering from throughout the globe. There will be one vote of the assembly today, [...]