Ann Hutchison
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Keep Playing The Christian Music
Hi friends, Ann here! If there’s one passage in the Bible that brings a SUM moment to life, it’s the one where David dances to the Lord, his wife Michal sees him through a window, and she ‘despises him in her heart’. Gulp — Let’s take a look:
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Salvations in Our Community: What’s Next?
Hi friends, Ann here! There’s a curious thing happening in our ministry right now: We’re seeing significantly more spouse salvations than we have before. For years we’ve known it would happen, and now it’s visible. We’re seeing it mentioned in emails or on closed Facebook groups; that’s how we know. It started about a year…
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I Asked God Some Questions …
Hi friends, Ann here! We’re spending time talking over on Facebook about intimacy with God, so I thought I would follow suit in today’s post. Many years ago, I observed another Christian’s intimacy with God, and it was so eye-catching that it kick-started my own relationship with Him. Here’s what happened:
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To Cherish …
Hi friends, Ann here! The other day I noticed something new about marriage in scripture. It was like a big flashing light-bulb going off in my mind, so I thought I’d share it. See what you think of this: In the Bible there are a few key scriptures about marriage, as we know. But what…
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Jericho — Coming Soon!
Hi friends, Ann here! Like many of us, I’ve been watching the launch of Lynn’s new book, Marching around Jericho, with interest and am looking forward to cracking open its fresh pages. Today, I thought I would tell you some of what I’ve seen from the side-lines.
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SUM Fast Day 4 – Promises and Memories
Ann here! We have reached day 4 of the fast. It’s Thursday afternoon here in New Zealand and, remarkably, I’m still going foodless. I’m pinching myself as this is officially the longest I’ve managed to go without food. I’m praying that I can inch across the finish line tomorrow. Now to us: I have my…
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SUM Fast Day 3: He Gathers and Covers Us
I would say us SUMites identify strongly as people of covenant. We dig deep to make our marriages great, we’re intentional about staying connected to our spouse, and the whole concept of covenant drives us deeply. Our faith difference necessitates it. This covenant mindset helps us sympathize with Jesus’ covenant that He carried so deeply.…
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God’s Voice: The Faintest Whisper
Two Christmases ago, I was sitting alone in a spacious old church in Edinburgh, enjoying a family service. I’d been visiting that city on a solo trip, and it was a treat to go to a new church. I chose one I’d like to visit and as I took my seat it warmed my heart…
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When God gives us a Promise
One of my favorite stories is that of Elizabeth in Luke chapter 1. We probably all know her story, but there’s a curious detail within it that is currently hitting me, and it’s this: Her promise had a plot twist. It took the form of her baby having a surprise name.
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Some Thoughts on Arguments Against the Bible
Recently a reader posted a question for the SUM community that many of us would relate to. I thought it would be a good one to share on here, and I wonder if we could add any answers to her question in the comments? Her question was this: “My husband is reading and using a…
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The Day My Church Friends Came to Dinner
“How would you and your husband like to come for dinner?” A dear church friend threw her arm around my shoulder one Sunday, extending her hospitality. My heart began to pound. Not this again. Inwardly, one word hit my brain. “Noooooooooo!” I smiled as best I could and said, “That’s really nice. Um. Can I…
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Spiritually Mismatched: Been There, Got the Shirt
Ann here! On this blog, we’ve been through many an adventure. Well, today, I'd like to share an insight God gave me about some of the purpose. I hope what I share will spur you on. The insight came in the form of a dream I had in 2016. At the time I was a…
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One Flesh: Stop Tugging Me!
By Ann Hutchison I have an analogy that I often use when I begin to feel challenged by spiritual difference in marriage. It’s this: My husband and I are like conjoined twins. We're one flesh. Does that resonate with you? I pull in one direction, spiritually; he might say ‘No!’ and before we know it…
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A Shiny New Legacy
Hi friends, Ann here! It’s my turn to write this week and I thought I’d take the opportunity to tell you a crazy story. I hope it makes you smile. Back in April, after our ‘Hear the Roar’ conference, I landed home with a spinning head. So much had happened, and I had a…
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Our Story is His Story: History in the Making
What does the SUM ministry and the blue-bottle jellyfish have in common? What a strange question, but it’s one that God gave me back in 2016 while our community was fasting. For those who are new here, we fast each year together and it’s not unheard of to hear a word or two for us…
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What is Your Life’s Impact?
By Ann Hutchison “Come to my prayer group!” a lady sidled up to me one day at church, eyeing me closely. It was early in my faith and I had questions. I’d been attending for weeks but still couldn’t help wondering if Christians were nuts to believe. Hers was an invite I decided to accept:…
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Endurance Training
Hi everyone, Ann again! In Monday’s post I described how my children had sat at a table with me, my husband and friends and heard my testimony. Well, this week something crazy but parallel happened: My children sat at a table with me, my husband and friends and this time saw persecution. Yikes! We were…
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A Road Well Worth It
Hi friends, Ann here! Have you ever looked in the rear-view mirror, glimpsed the road behind you, and realized that something’s changed? That happened to me recently in relation to a friend who didn't want to know about faith. I thought I'd share the story today. When I first turned to God, I began to…
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How Amazing
Ann here! Lynn’s news last week was so amazing and today I just feel like speaking from the heart and sharing a little more about last week’s summit. Our summit intersected with a long-awaited baptism. What an almighty ROAR this was, one that we will now carry into our future. Our summit was called ‘Hear…
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“And My Hands Dripped with Myrrh”
If you were to open Google earth right now, you’d see a picture of earth from on high. Zoom in, and you’d see New Zealand, Auckland, then a suburb. Zoom in. You’d see a house. Oh, and there inside that house, there’s a girl, me, where God placed her. Zoom out. Zoom in again. India.…
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A Full Coffee Measure
Hi everyone, Ann here! Some SUM moments are so tough they’re funny when you look back, and I couldn’t resist sharing one with you. It was the time a well-meant speaker at church said these words from the pulpit: “Every year my wife and I sit down and decide how much to give to church.” …