New Joy: Sue Hereford

New Joy – Sue Hereford

Sue Loper Hereford was born and raised in Huntsville, AL, graduated from Auburn University with a degree in economics, and is pursuing an Mdiv from Fuller Seminary. She is married and has 7 children, 5 ½ grandchildren, 6 horses, 13 chickens, 3 dogs and 2000 head of cattle. She is the founder of Graces of Gurley, a group of Christ-followers who have the goal of living as much like the early church as possible:  in community, sharing our gifts, and walking through hard times together. Currently Sue is also the Regional Manager for a local bank in the Mortgage Division and enjoys horseback riding, reading, running, gardening, and especially her sweet community.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8

My ‘family of origin’ is just like yours: loving, dysfunctional, distinctive and filled with people and situations that impact you for the rest of your life.  Here’s what I think I walked away with:  a sense that church might not be the place where you show your true face, a love of family first though I’ve often failed at that, and what I call that Puritan upbringing:  a belief in hard work, tenacity, smarts, hanging in there.  Until my early 20’s, I believed Christianity was for the emotionally needy, unintellectual, dull.  It took some time and wisdom to realize that described me exactly.

I became a Christian when my oldest son was born for the obvious reasons:  it’s hard to go through that experience without realizing the miracle of it.  And for 20 years, I had a faith and life you see a lot, you may even be living:  it was filled with a desire to be obedient, quiet time, struggling with sin, prayer groups, saying the right things, doing the right things, a big house, homework, fun vacations and a faith that was a lot of work.  I could not understand what in the world people were talking about when they spoke of the Joy of Christ or the Peace of Christ.  No earthly clue.  Eventually I decided that the lack of joy in Christ was my cross I to bear, that I was simply never going to know that side of Him.  And despite my self vision of being special and different, I fell right into that standard mid life crisis, threw a nuclear bomb into the whole dynamic, hurt the people I loved the most in this world and then spent 4 years in therapy and church trying to come to grips with my destructive nature.

But from God’s forgiveness and grace, this story has a happy ending.  I am sitting in church maybe 8 years ago where an amazing Pastor was preaching a sermon on the Chronicles of Narnia and he said the most innocent words:  “You do not have to sin again” or something like that, and the indescribable happened:  It felt like being one of those huge doors with the tumble locks in the center.  I could feel the locks tumble inside of me and Joy walked through and it has never left.  Never for one instant.  I walked in one person and walked out an hour later, transformed.  That is not to say I don’t get discouraged and down, obviously I do, but the days of going back to the beginning and saying:  ‘OK which is more likely- is there a God or isn’t there’ are over.  My tent is firmly planted in Christ’s camp.  And this Joy feels so good, I can’t even begin to describe it.  Sustaining, Filling, Happy, Optimistic- it is all that and more. And for many years, I just felt great, tried to rebuild relationships, tried to be the best mother and wife I could be and that was plenty.

As I got close to my 50th birthday the Lord began to do a new work in me.  Partly out of conferences, partly out of an incredible church environment, and mostly from the Lord’s nudgings, I eventually asked God for a bold and audacious ministry for the last half of my life.  I thought I would volunteer in a soup kitchen or something.  I really had no clue how transforming He could be.  So Kathryn’s Kids was born with the help of dear friends and fellow horse lovers: an equestrian day camp to give some of the kids in my town something fun to do on a couple of Saturdays a month, ten kids max.  Fast forward and you see what it’s become:  300 kids and families, cooking out, having fun, riding horses and being served by incredible volunteers who spend a Saturday a month, when they could be doing all the things on their list, serving their neighbors.  And then all that other stuff too:  the clinic, the Bible Study, the Parenting Classes, the Christmas Store- all happened because someone said ‘yes’ instead of ‘no’ or even ‘maybe’.  The Lord opened a door and we walked through. And that’s it.

I am alive, in a way I’ve never been before.  It is hard and it is painful but it is Kingdom work and you and I are designed for this.  We were kissed by the Holy Spirit and we’re positioned to desire to be a part of His plan.  So the feeling is…Joy.  And Joy always, always leads you wanting more.  Amen.

 

Tags: christ, gurley, Huntsville, joy, Our City On A Hill, sue hereford, testimony