Suzanne Schaffer

As a pastor's wife the hardest thing for me in ministry has been observing the people around me in church and wondering why they are happy with a little, with just enough Jesus to get by. I see their potential. I see what more could do for them, but they're content.  Krista was one I'd watched for a while. I could see the pain in her eyes and could feel the longing in her for something more but I wasn't able to get it for her. She had to get there on her own. It was free. All she had to do was reach out. When I look at the above picture it makes me think of our walk with the Lord. A plate of decorated cookies and a cup of hot chocolate piled high with whipped cream. Yeah, I want all of that. Not just the whipped cream, I want more. Not just the pretty candies on the cookie, I want more. I want it all. A couple years ago I noticed a change in my friend Krista. Suddenly she went from being happy with just showing up at church each week to being e...

Announcing the release of my book, Simple Things .  We tend to complicate the Christian life. At it's heart it's loving God and loving people. The easiest way to do this is to be Christ-like in all we do. Simple Things explores how to do this in daily life, in our relationships, online interactions, and at home. Through wit and wisdom, Simple Things will nudge you closer to your creator.    All proceeds from Simple Things go directly to Convoy: Women, a division of Convoy of Hope that gives women around the world tools and training to make better lives for their families. For more information on Convoy of Hope please visit www.convoyofhope.org What people are saying about Simple Things : "What Suzanne has accomplished in writing Simple Things is nothing short of genius. She has taken several relevant topics within the circle of the Christian faith, and brought them to light with thoughtful prose and fun stories. What made reading this book particularly ...

I have a confession.   Sometimes I don't invite people to church. This sounds a little odd coming from the pastor's wife, but there have been situations in which it's best if I don't because I've learned from past experiences, and yesterday I didn't invite someone to church. I saw her glittery rhinestone, "I Love Jesus" pin perched on her shirt. I knew we were destined to be BFFs. When she got close to me I told her I liked it.  I mean, it was Jesus and it sparkled. What wasn't to like?   She was thrilled that someone noticed her pin. Her face lit up and she immediately began talking to me. After a few minutes I asked her where she went to church because a little of what she said lined up with my beliefs. She replied, "I don't go anywhere right now," and let loose into her entire testimony which was just enough to sound okay, but by listening closely I heard what she wasn't saying.   It was then I made my deci...

While walking my dog this morning my eyes caught the new growth on the evergreen tree. I snapped the above pictures and was struck by how noticeable the young part of the branches seemed. It occurred to me that this is how our lives as Christians should be. The new growth in us should be able to be witnessed by others as we mature in the Lord.  These trees not only grow in height each year but also in girth. While we don't notice the vertical change we are able to see the change in their shape due to the fresh color and the unmarred branches reaching in all directions. They haven't been weathered or pruned in any way.  Weathering happens when the world wears us down. Too many winds thrash us and we either push through the wind or let it keep us from moving forward.  Pruning happens when a piece of us needs trimmed in order to grow stronger and stand taller. We've a pear tree in our yard (that I wish was an apple tree because, ew ) that my husband prunes ea...