Librarian, science and Bible study teacher, Suzanne Marshall, possesses unique insights into Scripture through God-given spiritual gifts. Ten year old Suzanne fidgeted on a pew, yawning and commiserating with her growling stomach, when out of nowhere, a thought pierced her mind, “God loved me enough to send His son to die, but I don’t love Him back.” The congregation thumped the kneelers on the ground. As Suzanne sank onto her knees, she squeezed her hands together, “God, help me love you.”
Two years later, she met a girl who talked about Jesus as if she had just finished a phone call with Him and couldn’t wait to call Him back. Suzanne pounced on her new friend, plying her with questions about how she could know God in Heaven and love Him so tangibly. That is how Suzanne’s lifelong quest to “see Him more clearly, love Him more dearly and follow Him more nearly” began.
Insatiably hungry for Scripture, she immersed herself in the Bible and attended studies, reflecting on passages’ relevance to every-day life. Writing intimate prayers provided her a means of honest communication with God. God seemed to give Suzanne spiritual glasses that revealed His fingerprints all over creation. She walked in the woods and along the beach picking up feathers, leaves and shells, marveling at the patterns and brilliance in such functional yet beautiful treasures.
Teaching sciences seemed the best avenue to inflame others with her passion for God and His creative works, so she earned a degree in secondary education. When Suzanne was hired to teach sixth through ninth grade sciences, the school board recognized the Holy Spirit's gifts of Biblical wisdom and teaching in their young employee and assigned her to also teach the Bible classes.
She was invited to present a workshop at the Association of Christian Schools International's annual conference in Dallas. Suzanne took her own curriculum, which demonstrated Biblical truths married with practical applications. After each conference session, comment cards most frequently stated attendee’s amazement at the uncanny wisdom of someone so young.
Suzanne later earned a Masters of Library and Information Science and used her degree as a reference librarian. An avid reader, Suzanne’s job taught her to discern readers’ needs and quality writing. She expanded her writing from prayers to essays, and her article, “A Hidden Story,” won the front cover of Documents to the People. Most of her essays aimed to make spiritual sense of difficult issues and to infuse the reader with wonder at God's creative genius.
For over thirty-five years, Suzanne continued leading and participating in Bible studies as well as absorbing expositional preaching. Reading literature by respected Christian theologians, such as R. C. Sproul, C. S. Lewis, Francis Schaeffer, Dorothy Sayers, Henri Louwen, Thomas Merton, John Piper, Philip Yancey, and many others accompanied her meditations of the Bible. She felt God’s strong pull to share her gifts of wisdom more broadly with the body of Christ, for whom they were intended. She now devotes her time to writing in answer to His call.