Judgement Call

There were certain things I missed when I walked away from God and Church. Faith in God brings great comfort which is one of MANY reasons why I went back to Him. But judgement from "Holier than thou" Christians was NOT one of the things I missed, in fact it's one of the reasons I left. I was a goody goody to the max! I didn't, smoke, drink or chew or hang with those who do. I did not sleep with any other man for 51 years but MY HUSBAND AND I was still judged! I was never good enough for those in church or my husband! These are verses that those judgmental Christians seem to skip over: Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:1-6 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------We used to say this sometimes in the Presbyterian churches I attended as a child and teen: It correctly states that GOD is the judge! I also had my oldest children memorize it in our homeschool. Yeah, I was THAT ZEALOUS! The Apostles’ Creed I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of Heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, His only Son Our Lord, Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sits at the right hand of God, the Father almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic (Just means Christian) Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen...................................................................................................................................................................Also Peter The Apostle said that judgement will begin with CHRISTIANS. ! Peter 4:17........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... "For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?" I think it's time for Christians to stop JUDGING and start LOVING PEOPLE TO CHRIST!

The Party: In memory of Joyce Alexis Hewitt June 27, 1952-January 9, 2021

More than just a sister-in-law she was a great friend. Rest In Peace Joyce You are so loved!

He Loves You Snow Much...More

Last Friday I answered a letter; It was from my new step mother (she is not “legally” my step mother- they just had a “ceremony” with their pastor). In it I told her many things I don’t believe she knows. One thing I said was that my Dad doesn’t know how to love me. I told her how God has helped me through that in the past and how He continues to sustain me. I told her about the trials my Dad and family went through in February of 2010. These things happened partly because of bad decisions made by my Dad’s church, my Dad and because of a novice con-artist. And my Dad had got mad at me? Me? I live 2000 miles away and had nothing to do with it! It hadn’t even been a year since my mom passed away (April 2009)- once again (as this has happened before) my family sunk into anger, confusion and chaos. It was the week of February 7th and it was about the worst week I’ve ever had in my life! (it’s definitely in the top ten!)I would talk to my sister and we’d both work ourselves up talking about this “problem” and what to do about it----- but there was nothing we could do! “Let go and let God” By the week-end I was so aggravated that I “unfriended” some of my dad’s “friends” on facebook (After all THEY got him into this mess, it stands to reason THEY should get him out) Then I stopped answering the phone and instructed my family to do likewise- my sister didn’t call anyways- I think she was sick of talking about it all too.







Then that Sunday it snowed! It was beautiful and we spent the day playing in the snow with our kids- (all but Teddy who was playing in the snow at the University of Georgia).That was February 14th. I said (in my letter) to my step mother that it was like God saying to me, “I’m sorry your Dad doesn’t know how to love you Susan, but I love you” That’s good enough for me! Then on Monday (January 10, 2011) God told me again (with this ice storm) and now I realize that He says it to me everyday…like when my husband, Bob or my children say, “I love you”, when He answers my prayers, when I get what I asked for for Christmas (or my birthday), when I spend an evening playing “Taboo” with the family and laugh so hard that I cry, when I hear a song or read something that speaks to me personally– even when my dog wags her tail and my cats purr…..it’s all God saying, “I love you.”







I rediscovered an old book of my mom’s in November (2010), it’s called, “Letting God” and it was written by A. Philip Parham. It’s a devotional with an entry for every day of the year. One of the first one’s I read was from November 17th; Mr. Parham tells the story of Mr. Kline; “He was a sad, sorrowful sort who felt that no one, especially God, cared for him. One Sunday he walked by a church and heard the words to an old hymn; ‘Saved by grace alone, this is all my plea, Jesus died for all mankind, and Jesus died for me’
When he heard the third line, ‘Jesus died for all mankind’ he thought he heard, ‘Jesus died for old man Kline’ He shouted ‘Why that’s me!’ Stopping in his tracks, he went into the church, accepted Christ’s special invitation and love, and became a Christian.
Whenever we feel a special and personalized call or prompting from God, it is no mistake. Individuals are brought to salvation one by one, and each encounters and then embraces Christ. Mr. Kline heard correctly. Jesus died for each unique individual. His love is reserved for each of us. Our recovery from addiction depends on believing that our Lord truly loves us, each one, with a special kind of attention that fixes on us- as if we were all that mattered.”



In my 2007 Christmas letter I wrote on the theme of “Love” and things that had happened to me that year: “I rediscovered my old weight loss seminar (The Weigh Down Workshop) this past spring and lost 20 lbs. I was dismayed to find out, however, that the founder has turned this weight loss seminar into a cult! Gwen Shamblin has strayed from her initial focus of loving God (instead of food) with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, to legalistic rules and coming out from all other churches (where her classes used to be taught!) to her church because she thinks it is right and all other denominations are wrong.” What I didn’t say though, was that Gwen Shamblin was “into” asking God for “signs” – even though in Mathew 12 Jesus says, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign.” He does not say, however, that He won’t give a sign. There are many places in the Bible where God gives His people “signs”. But there are also many warnings about them, like in Matthew 24:24 Jesus says, “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.” Bob and I were recently sharing with someone how Christians are supposed to, “test the spirits” because everything that is really “supernatural” is not from God. (I John 4:1) The Bible says that Satan can transform himself to appear as, “an angel of light” (I Cor. 11:14) So we, as Christians need to be especially careful because we can even be deceived! With all this in mind and my doubts about Gwen Shamlin and her new church, however, I said a crazy thing to God. Since Gwen’s questions to Him were always about Him showing His personal love to her, I said, “God, do you love me as much as you love Gwen Shamlin?” He answered me with a Matthew West song I heard on K-Love : “Susan” He said to me, “I love you MORE”


“…I'm always thinking of you, Take a look around you, I'm spelling it out one by one…I love you more than the sun And the stars that I taught how to shine You are mine, and you shine for me too, I love you yesterday and today And tomorrow, I'll say it again and again I love you more….”
Ironically or rather Providentially next Sunday is “Snow day” in Awanas; One craft idea I had seen before is “Jesus Loves you Snow Much”

To read Part 2 of  "He Loves You Snow Much...More" go to my May 27th post (2011):
The Warrior Princess

Trust Him in the Dark

My Facebook status was : You can rise from the ashes again You can rise to the morning that breaks in your eyes For what looked like your heart's demise Has turned out to be a blessing in disguise. Susan Ashton






It is really neat how God will get across to me a point from several different sources:















In “My Utmost for His Highest” July 16 (sometimes I read ahead!) Jesus said there are times when God cannot lift the darkness from you, but you should trust Him.
Then in, "God Calling" July 15th-
Many of My disciples have had to stay on in the dark, alone and friendless. They struggled on, singing as they went.
I recently read this in another old treasure I found, “The Disciplines of Life” copyright 1948 by V. Raymond Edman:

Reflections by Florence White Willett
I thank God for the bitter things;
They’ve been a “friend to grace”;
They’ve driven me from the paths of ease to storm the secret place.
I thank Him for the friends who failed, To fill my hearts deep need;
They’ve driven me to the savior’s feet, Upon His love to feed.
I’m grateful too, through all life’s way, No one could satisfy,
And so I’ve found in God alone, My rich, my full supply!

And finally, in E. Stanley Jones, “Abundant Living” copyright 1942; Where I’m at in the book, he’s been talking about, “Making Irritations into Character”, “Making Calamities Serve”, “Gaining Grace in the Dungeon” and “Great Movements Born Out of Troubled Times” Like what I said before in a status; “That which does not kill us makes us stronger.” (Friedrich Nietzsche) This is only true if we choose to make it so, you choose! No matter how bad it was! Were you abused as a child? Choose to let it make you better and not bitter! You have to forgive and move forward!
If we trust in God in the “darkness” as Oswald says He can and will bring beauty from our ashes!













Oh my Father, Thou has shown me the indomitable way, even in the hell of frustration and pain Thou art there, inspiring, creating, and making victorious Thy surrendered children. How very grateful I am that the dungeon can do for me what the fire did for the Hebrew children- only burned off their fetters! Free me, even by fire. Amen
E. Stanley Jones