Sue Duke counts herself blessed that her youth was saturated in Jesus through the faithful teaching and relationships of others, allowing her to grow in her understanding and love of Christ year on year. In this episode, Sue shares honestly about the fears she has as she faces a year of challenges that includes caring for an elderly mum and her family who have all experienced great trauma in the past 18 months. She also shares stories of trusting God even in the midst of personal weakness.
EPISODE NO...
Sue Duke counts herself blessed that her youth was saturated in Jesus through the faithful teaching and relationships of others, allowing her to grow in her understanding and love of Christ year on year. In this episode, Sue shares honestly about the fears she has as she faces a year of challenges that includes caring for an elderly mum and her family who have all experienced great trauma in the past 18 months. She also shares stories of trusting God even in the midst of personal weakness.
EPISODE NOTES:
While Sue counts raising her children in Christ as her biggest ministry, she also serves her home church family, Tokai Community Church, in Cape Town, South Africa in various ways, including serving on the women’s ministry team, opening her home to bible study ministry, and closely loving and supporting a missionary family. Sue is married to Kevin and they have three children, 17, 15 and 11 years old.
Education has been a big part of her working and home life, starting out with over a decade as a maths and English teacher and switching over to the role of a home-educating mum for the past 17 years. Books also form an integral part of her Christian walk and she takes courage from the stories of others who have faced trials of many kinds. Ultimately, however, Sue is grateful that it is the Word of God that forges her path and thinking.
After a year of great sadness, it is no surprise that one of her favourite verses is Philippians 4: 6 – 7: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:
In this episode, Sue mentions two books that have encouraged her in this year. Both detail the lives of extraordinary women serving Christ in extraordinary circumstances. Sue speaks of being encouraged by the work of God’s grace in their lives and their commitment to continue to serve Christ through great tragedy and heartache.
Daring to Hope, by Katie Davis Major
Joni and Ken, by Joni Erickson
At the end of this episode, there is mention that you can win a beautiful devotional book this Christmas called A Jesus Christmas, by Barbara Reaoch. You can read a review here on The Gospel Coalition, Australia. Head to The Lydia Project’s Facebook page to find out how you can win. CONTEST CLOSED.
SHOW SNIPPETS:
"God has carried us through hard times … We still have a road to travel … I have moments of fear… But then you look back and you see where God has taken you and how he has helped with seemingly insurmountable problems all those years ago and you have to just trust that he has been faithful in the past and he will be faithful in the future – whether or not our prayers are answered the way we want them to be."
"We had a very tough year, and walking an elderly parent through death and bereavement has been a challenge. Just all the decisions and complexities and heartaches of that stage of life … no one really has any answers … that is a new phase of life for us."
"The best part has been working on a committee with other women who are passionate about where God has placed them, being involved in the lives of the women at our church."
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