Sue Cedrone
My husband Jerry and I have attended Grace Church for 36 of our 65 years. We raised our children at Grace, and now our daughter Elisa is raising her two beautiful daughters there also.
Elisa works for WFISD as a paraprofessional in Deaf Education. She loves her students and views her job as a ministry. Elisa is currently enrolled in Sign Language classes at VRJC. Our son Tony lives in Plano with his precious wife Amy and handsome sons Carter and Tanner. Tony is an engineer at Texas Instruments. Amy trains youth workers for churches and is a guest speaker at women's conferences. Tony and Amy both have hearts for missions, especially for the people of Cambodia.
I'm a wife of 45 years, a mother, grandmother, and homemaker. My hobbies are reading, sewing, carpentry, home decorating, and travel.
Jerry and I serve on the Grace Church Community Outreach Team. I also counsel brides-to-be as they plan their weddings.
Scripture Passage
Psalm 8:3–4 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?
Big Idea
When it seems as if our private world, as well as the world at large, is spinning out of control, where do we find the peace that passes understanding? How do we trust in God our Savior when the prince of this world appears to be flourishing? We beg to see Jesus's face, to feel His protective arms around us, but instead we feel fear and emptiness. How do we trust Him in the trial when there seems to be no end to it?
Devotional Reading
I am a bit of a cup-half-empty person. My husband, on the other hand, sees his cup half full. How I have envied him and others for their ability to be positive in the toughest of circumstances. So, what to do? I want to be a woman of great faith. I want to have peace and courage in spite of my Eeyore personality.
Years of great teaching by the amazing pastoral staff at Grace, as well as my wonderful sister in Christ, Charma Rodgers, and the mentoring from godly women like Dottie Rogers, have helped me move forward in spite of myself.
Many years ago, I heard a former atheist/astro-physicist speak about how the book of Job proved to him that there is a Creator, particularly when the LORD reveals His omnipotence to Job. In Job 38:31, God says to Job, “Can you bind the cluster of the Pleiades, or loose the belt of Orion?” I had read that scripture before but didn't give it much thought until the speaker explained that only in the past century has there been a telescope powerful enough to see far enough into the heavens to witness stars in Orion's belt actually moving away from each other. Something about that scripture startled me. How incredible that God spoke those words to Job when Job probably had no understanding of what they meant. However, we do understand. God's message was to me. It's as if God was saying to me, “I've got your back, I truly am the Creator, I truly am in control, I do have a plan and you are part of it.”
So what to do with this crazy world? I still have my fears. I know my faith will not be perfected in the here and now, but in the place being prepared for me (and you) in the heavens. Job 38:31 reminds me to look up. Look up at the beauty of the heavens, whether it is a clear blue sky, or clouds like white cotton. Whether it's angry, stormy, swirling clouds with suspicious tails hanging down, or an amazing rainbow spreading magnificent color across the sky. At night, it may be a black canvass with stars like diamonds, or a full moon that casts a silver glow on the trees.
One day we will look up and see Him as He is in all of His majesty. We will be able to witness when His plan all comes together. For now, we wait, and while we wait, we study and learn more about Him. We serve. We become the arms of Jesus as we love each other.
Questions for Reflection
- What can I do to please Him while I wait?
- How do I love (seek the highest good for) those who are hard to love?
- How can I serve with a heart of gratitude in spite of my circumstances?