Subtle Seeping

Lately I've realized that popular ideas and beliefs of our culture have been subtly seeping into my thoughts and heart. It's a scary reality that this can happen so sneakily that I often don't even know it's happening. In a recent class about heaven and hell, I was taken back by reading some Scriptures on the subject. It bothered me that I was surprised by what I read...And then it hit me- I've not immersed myself in the Word of God to learn what He says, but had allowed my thoughts about this subject to be influenced by other voices. This happened again through a study in Scripture about how valuable I am to God. The more I dug into His truth, the more I realized how I have allowed the world to form my ideas about my value. Wow... I am so vulnerable to the messages around me. Romans 12:2 keeps coming back to me: we must renew our minds! I am acutely aware of my need to study and allow God's word to be my counselor, strength, delight, life, hope, freedom, comfort, light for my path/ direction, understanding, truth, and peace (Psalm 119).

Merry Christmas from Colorado

Suzy's 2011 Highlights:

Journeying with several Lao friends who started their own personal journeys with Christ.

Singing karaoke and eating red ant egg soup on a river boat with CAMA friends.

Continuing through "Search the Scriptures", a helpful Bible study tool.

Having running water again after five months of frustrating water issues. Priceless!

Performing Justin Beiber's "Baby" song as a farewell to my Candlelight friends.

Attending a helpful re-entry seminar for my transition from Laos back to the U.S.

Diversifying my workouts: Lao Aerobics, P90X, Zumba, Wallyball, & climbing a CO 14-er.

Becoming the proud new owner of Toby, the 2000 Toyota Rav4.

Starting a new job as Coordinator for Candidate Development with The Alliance.

Enjoying God's provision of sweet community with friends, old and new.

Eating turkey and putting up the tree with my parents for the first time in several years.

Moving into an adorable, fully furnished home to rent with two great roommates.

A sneak peek into Suzy's 2012 Highlights:

Visiting my two nephews in central Asia in January! Oh, and their parents, too. :)

Beating my brother down the ski slopes, as usual. See photo below.

May you experience His PEACE this season! (Isaiah 26:3)

Love,

Suzy

Beiber Fever?

Or Bobby Fetherlin?! Yep, that's my dad... with a Justin look-a-like hairdo! I found this in his senior yearbook from Nyack College. How good-looking is he? And as Thanksgiving approaches, I am definitely grateful for my dad. He leads our family with love and wisdom, works hard to protect and provide for us, and is an amazing example to me of a godly man.

And check out the beauty he chose for his bride! This was taken the first year my parents were married. Seriously, my momma is stunning. And she radiates from the inside out. I am so grateful for my mom. She is an awesome helper/completer to my dad, a life-giving mom and nana, and she continuously shows me what it means to be a godly woman.

And who would you say I take after more?! ;)

I am very grateful for the rich blessing of faith-heritage in the Lord!

Sisters

This is classic- such cute sisters those Hufford girls!

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=316282418388833

On the right- my 87 year old grandmother, Judy (dad's mom).
On the left- my 95 year old great-aunt, Katy (dad's aunt).

Provider

This past week I traveled to Kentucky to assist with a booth to represent our organization at a medical missions conference. Since I flew in on Thursday afternoon and flew back to CO on Saturday afternoon, I really didn't want to spend money on a rental car... Especially since my hotel was only a mile from the conference location. I know money is tight in our organization, and I want to do everything I can... Even if it seems small (like bringing my own breakfast bars... Hey that saved over $20 which the hotel would've charged for breakfast)!

I find that most modes of transportation put me right to sleep if I'm not driving or involved in a conversation. And my flight to KY was no different... I was pretty much unconscious for most of the trip. I woke up as we were about to land, and found out the gal next to me happened to be going to the same conference! After getting to the baggage claim area, I sat down to make a quick phone call... And before I could get a cab to the hotel, the gal who sat next to me asked if I had a ride. She insisted that I go with her rather than pay for a cab. And so I did.

I was really blown away by God's provision. I am so overwhelmed by His love and care... That He pays attention to the little details like a ride from the airport. But as I thought about how blessed I am by the ultimate Provider, I was so aware of how amazing his provision has been during this time of transition. To name a few:

-friends to process life with, play with, laugh with, and pursue God with
-places to live (with my parents from June through November, and 2 great roomies to share a lovely furnished home with starting in December)
-a job I enjoy and a great team of people to work with
-a reliable vehicle in great condition with superb gas mileage

And that list barely skims the surface. In each of those things listed above, I have to admit that my natural default wasn't to trust... I spent some time worrying about those details before even moving back, and spent significant time trying to orchestrate details myself. But over and over again, God provides something that is better than any of the options that I'd considered or worked on. You'd think I'd learn to trust my Provider more... the One who promises to provide everything we need for life and godliness.

How awesome is my Provider? Thank you Lord. I am so undeserving of your love! Teach me greater trust.

Pics

I haven't posted pictures for a while, so here are a few. No real connections or theme...

Jenny and I are still working on P90X... our workouts aren't as regular as we'd like between our crazy schedules, but we keep at it. One night we were feeling particularly overwhelmed and pleased with our arms. Ha, ha!

My wonderful sister-in-law Debra Joy sent me this really fun top! She's a great shopper and gift-giver- I love it, and her. And I recently made plans to visit Dave & Deb and my cutest red haired nephews in "Green Mountains" this January for my 28th birthday!! :)

I enjoyed catching up with Maria (a girl who was in Jr. High youth group when I was a sponsor and I can't believe she's now a senior in high school)and her family while cleaning up trash on some park trails here in Colorado Springs- a church project to serve our community. I was amazed at how much trash we ended up with!

I could barely breathe on my way to work the other morning- the snow blanketing the mountains was SO glorious. Thank you Lord! I'm spoiled to see this beauty every day (I took this picture on the front steps of the office where I work so I wouldn't wreck Toby).

"Harp"

I like to change things up in life. Take a different route on the way to work, eat something different than I usually do for breakfast, put together a new clothing ensemble with clothes I already own, etc. Well, I also like to change up my "alarm sounds" with the hope that I won't get so used to a particular sound that it fails to wake me up. So I put my alarm on the "harp" setting. Not my best move to "change things up." It was so calming and did not aid one bit in getting this non-morning person out of bed. Total fail. I do not recommend you try this at home.