Step In Or Step Out

What do you do if you are faced with a situation in your life and you don’t know whether to step into it or step out?

There was a pastor from Europe who led a sermon at CRC one Sunday.  He told a joke about experiencing something quite comfortable that ended up not being the right thing.  He was wearing comfortable clothing that he thought was his own but it was actually women’s clothing that belonged to his mother in law J.  He said just because something is comfortable doesn’t make it right and also that just because you feel uncomfortable about something doesn’t make it wrong. 

We don’t always feel comfortable about the things we have to do in life, but that doesn’t mean we should necessarily walk away from it.  So, what are we supposed to do?

You know the saying “What would Jesus Do/WWJD” which appears on a lot of wrist bands and other accessories they sell at Christian bookshops.  Maybe it would be a good thing to apply it when you are faced with a situation like this.  Pray for guidance.  Relying on your own feelings or outlook might not always be the best thing to do, even if it feels right.  Speak to someone who could be objective about the matter and might therefor be able to lead you in the right direction or at the least give you some advice.   See if it is something you can work through and sort out rather than walking away from something very important that God has planned for you to do in His Kingdom.  His calling for you. 

Choices we have to make in life are not always easy, but with the right guidance and some (or lots J) of patience God will always let it work out for the good.

Today I pray for each one of you for guidance in any situation that you might find yourself in.  Loads of blessings.

Shifting Your Focus

Remember the times when you get up in the morning feeling like you got out on the wrong side of the bed, the wrong side of the room or even the wrong side of the world?  You can’t put your finger on it but something just doesn’t feel quite right. 

You have the basic things you need in life. You have a roof over your head, food to eat, family and friends who love you. So why the feeling that just can’t be explained or doesn’t make any sense?

Maybe in times like these we need to just shift our focus a bit?  Look away from the way we feel and direct our attention to the things around us.  Try and look for positive things, things that might lift your spirit.  In the beginning it is quite tricky.  Tried this one morning.  I started out with colours.  It wasn’t spring so finding flowers wasn’t all that easy.  Did notice that blue is a colour that stands out on advertisements,  just in case you wanted to know J.  Over time I learned to focus on various things and it actually got easier.  Sure some days you might not feel like doing it but it is definitely worth trying.  Saying something nice to someone else also makes the world of difference.  Seeing how their face lights up. 

Last week my boss told me about a few places near Brooklyn where I could look for jacaranda trees with different colour blossoms.  Thought they only came in purple! (Goes to show that we are never too old to learn) 

This morning before work I drove to the one place but forgot the directions in my boot and couldn’t remember the street name L.  I did however come across a

street where the trees overlapped and took a picture with my cellphone.  There aren’t any leaves/blossoms yet but it is still beautiful.  Nature really brings a smile to your face.  There are so many beautiful things surrounding us but we don’t always see them, don’t always look for them. 

                               

   

May you experience inner peace and beauty in your heart today and notice pretty little things around you that bring a smile to your face!!!

How Can We Reach Out To A Broken World

There is so much sadness and brokenness around us.  So many people in need of God’s love, compassion and empathy.  We are the vessels which He works through.

Each one of us has a spiritual gift or a talent that He blessed us with. God gave us that gift to be a blessing to others.  With that comes the responsibility to use and develop it to the glory of God’s kingdom.  To make a difference in the world we live in and in someone’s life.  Whether it is a motivational gift, ministry gift or a gift from the Holy Spirit God has bestowed on you to use at specific time in your life.  No one gift is greater than the next one.  God uses each one of us in a unique and different way and without your help the functioning of the body of Christ will not be complete. 

In order to do all this we need to ask God, on a continuous bases, to fill us renew our mind and spirit.  There is something that I might have shared with you before and would like to do it again.  I am not sure who wrote it.

Maak my heel én vol.

Maak my vriendelik en geduldig,

eerlik en regverdig,

liefdevol en sensitief.

O, Bron van lewende water,

vul my met Uself…                                                                                            

Gee my moed en deursettingsvermoë.

Gee my geloof en hoop.

Maak my hardwerkend

en help my om my plig goed te doen.

Maak my werklik U beelddraer,

‘n héél mens wat ander sal inspireer,

nié met my woorde nie,

maar met wie ek is in Jesus Christus.

Then reach out to the people around you as God lays it upon your heart.  Enrich their lives while God works on enriching yours.

You are all very unique and special in your own way.  May you never ever forget

Sincere Friendship

God is the best friend that we can ever ask for or dream of having.  He loves us so much and would move heaven and earth for us without asking any questions or thinking about it twice.  Isn’t that a comforting thought?

I believe that other people are placed here on earth to help us experience a little glimpse of the friendship that forms part of something we will experience in heaven,  while we are here for a short while.  

What does friendship mean to you?  There are a few things that I see in friendship:

A friend is someone:

-          you can phone at 3 in the morning without having to explain why

-          you can be yourself with even if it means being silly when you feel like it

-          you can talk to for hours without remembering afterwards what you spoke about for so long!!

-          you are at home with

-          who helps you grow as a person

-          who brings out the best in you

-          who has your best interests at heart

-          who sets an example to lead you on the right path

-          who believes in you

-          who always supports and stand by you, even when you make a mess of things

-          who gives you some tough love when needed

-          who never ever gives up on you, no matter what

This list can go on forever and ever.  I am sure you can add many things to it. Sure, friends are not perfect and yes we do have disagreements from time to time, but that doesn’t mean you just throw in the towel. 

Pro 18:24  A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (ESV).

How then, you may ask, can I have a friend like this?  The first step is to be one. 

May you all experience the friendship Jesus has to offer, love your friends dearly and hold them close to your heart J

 

No Offense

Pastor At used this term quite a number of times on Sunday night and it really stayed with me.

When we see or hear something negative that we think might relate to us, we get offended so easily.  It happens before we even realise it.  Then what do we do?  We think or say something negative about the person who offended us.  We sometimes literally feel like we are going to explode!!!

It can cause such unnecessary destructive emotions and situations.  Sometimes it is intentional other times maybe not, we might never know.  But is it really worth harbouring those negative feelings, hanging on to it?  Let it fester up to the point where you just want to let it all come out at once? 

Why not just give it all to God?  Ask Him to remedy the situation, take the load of your shoulders and clear your mind.  Let Him take away  these emotions you have inside your heart and restore His unconditional love. 

I am not going to lie to you and pretend that it is even remotely easy, and at times might seem impossible to do.  But you don’t have to rely on your own strength.  God is there to help you. Lead you to find peace in your heart.  Michael W Smith has a beautiful song, “I’ll lead you home”.  With a phrase saying: leave it to Me, I’ll lead you home.  His love is stronger than any other emotion we will ever experience. This might be a good time where you can really do with applying the words of the famous saying: “Let go and let God”.

Don’t let other things steal your inner joy, peace or happiness.  It is really not worth it.  Life is too short and precious for this.  Isn’t it so much better to experience harmony than have a heart filled with resentment? 

May God bless you and restore to your heart His love that goes beyond our understanding

Exposure

Ever felt TOTALLY exposed being on the back of a motorbike? 

On Sunday I had the privilege of going on a “breakfast run” with a group of bikers from CMA (Christian Motorbike Association).  It was loads of fun.  Scary at times, but mostly fun J. 

Riding as a pillion (passenger on the back, picked up some lingo during the day) tends to be a bit nerve wrecking if you haven’t done it for a while, this would now be since I was 18. 

If you think about it for a bit.  Should you be involved in an accident there won’t be much protection.  The fact that they tell you: “I am a responsible driver” isn’t much comfort either because it is normally the other drivers on the road that worries me!!!

Wearing the right gear changes things a bit.  A helmet, the right jacket, gloves, shoes and so forth.  Just don’t try to walk after putting it on, it is extremely heavy J.  I can now understand how the gladiators felt when they fought way back when. 

Knowing the skills of how to ride a bike helps of course.  Don’t think just because you are the passenger you don’t need any skills.  There are many things you have to keep in mind to make it easier for both you and the driver.  You don’t have to hold on for dear life either as you won’t fall off so easily, or so they say.   And who would have thought that you have to be “bike fit”.  Your back kills you when riding long distance (or in my case not so long). 

Something that I learned from this experience is that we are exposed to so many things in this world today.  What will happen if we are not equipped, don’t learn the skills to protect ourselves?  We are either going to have difficulty fighting the battle or lose it altogether. 

The skills we can learn from fellow christians, pastors at church and things we go through in life, to name but a few.

The gear? 

The armour of God:

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.

Eph 6:12  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Eph 6:13  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

Eph 6:14  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Eph 6:15  and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

Eph 6:16  In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;

Eph 6:17  and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

This doesn’t mean we are not going to be exposed to all sort of challenges or that we won’t need to fight the battle.  It just means we will be more equipped and prepared.

Taking Responsibility

There are certain things in life that we take on.  It could be that it is something that is very important to us, that we are passionate about and is very close to our hearts. 

It is very good to be dedicated to something you believe in.  But what happens if it interferes with other things that are more important?  Doing work for God’s kingdom is awesome and I can’t imagine not doing it.   Moving closer to God and growing in your relationship with Him takes precedence over anything else.  How can you lead other people to God if you are not at peace yourself?   If the work you do for God draws your focus away from Him and the example you should set as His child, then it might not be the right place or time.  Maybe it would be better to remove yourself from it until your peace and focus is in place again.

A wise man told me that the enemy will do everything in his power to attack you where you are most vulnerable.  When you are moving closer to God.  Bad feelings and emotions are never from God (as I am sure we all know). 

(1 Corinthians 14:33) Lord I praise You that You have given me a sound mind. I lay claim to that this day. Thank You that You are not the author of confusion but of peace.

(2 Corinthians 10:5) I choose peace this day and worship You, the God of peace. Thank You that You enable me to cast down every argument and high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of You and bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ

Our first responsibility lies with our relationship with God and all it entails and only then can we take on the responsibility relating to other people given to us as fellow children of God.  You can’t help other people if your own house is not in order.

Wishing you peace, happiness and the awesome passion that a close relationship with God gives you,  in abundance!!!!!

 

Why Do People Care?

Why do people care about us?

Why do we find it so difficult to believe that people genuinely care for us?  Do we anticipate that they might reject us in the long run?  That we might disappoint them at some point in our lives and they will stop caring?  Maybe we are not good enough or don’t deserve their love?  Are we not important enough?  Or have we been hurt one time too many and don’t want anybody to come too close?

Whatever the reason ………….

Letting people in isn’t all that easy for everyone.  Especially when you have gone through any one of the above mentioned situations.  When people have forsaken you or disappointed you one way or another. 

Ever considered that people might simply care for you because they want to?  Because God laid it upon their hearts to be there for you when you might need it the most?  You don’t need to go through everything by yourself.  Jesus had friends who cared for and supported Him, so why should we be any different?

It is understandable that we don’t let everybody into our hearts to the same extent, but don’t shut everyone out that comes across your path.  They are there for a reason.    

People care simply because God cares.

Job 10:12:  You have granted me life and steadfast love, and your care has preserved my spirit.

Letting Go

What helps us grow on a personal level? People we love and care about.  An environment where we experience love, comfort, security and support.  We find that with friends, family and fellow children of God.  It is such an important part of our lives.  We get so many different people that God sends over our paths throughout our lives to help with this process.

But, what happens if God asks us to leave that safe and comfortable environment and move on to the next growing phase that He has planned for us?  Not just personal growth but also spiritual growth? 

We are not supposed to forget about all the people and experiences that helped us develop or cut them out of our lives completely, that will be humanly impossible.   A part of us will always long for that, want to still be there.  So, what do we do?

We step out of that comfort zone with LOADS  of faith. We trust God.  We give ourselves completely over to Him and believe with all our heart that He will be one step ahead of us leading us on that path He has set out for us.  Sure, it might be a little scary (or a lot!!!!).  He will still send people along the way to help us, but we need to trust in Him first and realise that our help and strength comes from God, He is our primary source. If we don’t turn to Him we might just end up getting lost along the way or not have the strength to do His work.

When I was studying (it feels like way back when :-)), a friend gave me a card with the following words: ”What we are is God’s gift to us, what we become is our gift to God”.

So, when it is time.........  LET GO........  trust God.

Have a day filled with faith and tons of love.

Live Life, Have Fun!

Over the past 3 days I realised how great it is to have fun in life :-D.

A few things happened to trigger it.  On Saturday I met some new people.  Boy was it fun to be around them.  We joked, laughed and just enjoyed each others company.  On Sunday in church there was a little boy (probably around 2 years old) sitting a couple of rows in front of me.  When he looked at me I made a funny face at him.  He started laughing and that made me laugh.  His parents started laughing too.  It was such a nice feeling.  Last night I went to visit two of the people I met on Saturday. We had  a great time.  They have a very interesting kettle (never thought I would refer to a kettle as interesting).  It is see through.  At the bottom of the kettle it has little blue fluorescent lights.  When you switch the kettle on to boil, the lights comes on.  It looks beautiful when the water comes to a boil.  It amused me so much that I actually boiled the kettle 3 times so that I could do a video capture!!!  Silly hey?  Guess I am still in touch with my inner child :-).

It just made me realise how we have to enjoy the little things in life that makes us laugh. Whether it is spending time with silly friends, laughing at yourself when you do something funny, giggling until your stomach hurts.  Or do things that makes you feel happy.  Even if it seems weird.  Anything from watching movies/playing pc games (xbox), spending time with family/friends, going for walks/going to the gym/reading a book/going to work (ha ha)/just looking at something that is beautiful.  Whatever works for you.

Since we don’t have 9 lives like a cat we should enjoy the one we have!!!

Hope you have a great day and get to laugh a little (or a lot). :-) :-) :-)

Who Do WeTurn To?

A friend and I were having a chat one day (girl talk ....).  She asked me:”Who do you turn to when you hurt?”.  My immediate response was, I phone my mom, go visit a friend or sms my brother.  Her next question caught me off guard and I had no idea what to answer.  “What do you do when neither one of them are available.  So I listened to what she had to say.

You can talk to the people close to you when you hurt real bad (and get a hug), but what can they really do to fix it?  What do you do when there is no one to talk to, no one to comfort you or give you advice?

God wants to be your closest friend.  He wants to be your first source of comfort.  He wants to wrap you up tightly in His love and wipe away each tear you cry.  Doesn’t matter how big or small it seems.  He knows every thought that goes through your mind and really wants to listen to everything you want to share everything you need to talk about regarding what is going on inside your heart.  He will reach deep into your heart and touch the part that hurts the most.  If you let Him.

Who will you turn to ...

Without Family And Friends

The past weekend I had the privelage of spending a lot of time with friends and family. Boy was it fun!! (Exausting too a little, but mostly fun). 

On Saturday morning there was a pancake fundraiser with a friend.  We were four ladies who worked together.  We had such a laugh and “jol”.  Was just altogether a great experience. 

Later that day I went to a birthday lunch with my aunt who turned 50.  It was so nice seeing some of the family that I haven’t seen for ages and I even met one of my cousins/nephews (in afrikaans it is called “nefie”, so I have no idea which one to choose in English), that I have never seen before!!!  It is my uncle’s (my moms brother’s) son.  I never had a lot of contact with my biological moms family.  Only got to know them after her funeral about 2 years ago.  It is really a good experience seeing what they are like and where I come from.  Having foster parents opening up their hearts and home to you is a wonderful experience and I am so greatful for that.  They will always be my parents and I love them dearly.  It is also great if you are able to have contact with your biological family.  My foster mom agrees on this. There is a special bond that no one can take away.  It was so nice to see the similarities between us.  The facial features and so much more.  Hearing them talk about childhood stories etc. I am so blessed to have two families.  God is so good!!!!

On Saturday night I went to another friends birthday party (‘n braai).  There I got to meet loads of new people.  So exciting!!!!!

Then one of my highlights every weekend is on Sunday going to church.  Experiencing fellowship with the cell members and the other children of God.  There is no words to describe that bond, that feeling.  Wow doesn’t even do it.

So , there is my wonderful weekend in a nutshel. 

There was research done (don’t know the details) to indicated that having friends and family in your life helps you lead a less stressful life.  Having that support system makes such a big difference.  Not just in tough times but also to share all the great times you are going through. 

Someone explained once that friends are like invisable angels that helps us get back on our feet when our wings forget to fly.

Cherish, respect and love your friends and family dearly.  Spend as much time with them as possible while you still can. 

Pro 17:17            
Friends always show their love. What are relatives for if not to share

trouble?

Eph 6:1 - 3: 
Children, it is your Christian duty to obey your parents, for this is the right thing to do. "Respect your father and mother" is the first commandment that has a promise added: so that all may go well with you, and you may live a Long time in the land."

Mar 3:32 - 35: A crowd was sitting around Jesus, and they said to him, "Look, your mother

and your brothers and sisters are outside, and they want you." Jesus answered, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" He looked at the people sitting around him and said, "Look! Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does what God wants is my brother, my sister, my mother.

Having a brain like a sieve is not always a bad thing.....

Doesn’t sound too complimentary now does it?

Had quite a funny experience the other day.  Well, I thought it was funny anyway.  I had a choice between being offended or laughing about it.  I chose the latter.  It immediately gave me a thought to share with you guys.  My boss asked me to print a document for him while he was out of the office.  It was a big pdf document that he was busy downloading and he was in a rush to go somewhere and couldn’t wait to start printing it.  I sat there for a bit and realised that I could do other things while waiting for the document to download.  When my boss returned he said one word to me, “sif”.  At first I had no idea what he was referring to and thought it was something odd to say.  He gave no explanation and walked away.  It was then that I realised that I totally forgot to print the document and that he was now busy doing it himself.  Oops!!  I went to him to apologise saying I got busy with other things.  He said no that was not what happened, what happened.  I repeated that I got busy.  Again he said, no that is not what happened.  I then said to him that I got busy and then forgot.  “Ah”, he said and then smiled.  Fortunately for me he has a wonderful sense of humour. He said that sometimes people’s brains are like sieves.  I just laughed and apologised again.

When I returned to my desk I thought, well maybe it is not always such a bad thing to forget about things from time to time.  Well not in the work environment of course (that might get you into trouble :-)), but in life in general.  Can you imagine if we remembered every little thing that happened in our lives in detail?  Especially the bad things that we are supposed to leave behind us and move on.  We might not always forget them completely but we do deal with them, put them behind us and move on.

Hope you guys get to be very sharp and alert at work and the grace to forget the details about the not so pleasant things that happens to you throughout your lives.

Fear. Should You Be In Control?

Isn’t it scary to think how the media in today’s world make use of fear to catch our attention? Think about it for a bit.  If you see a statement about “10 Factors that could shorten your life span” or “Cute little kittens”, just before a commercial break. Which one is going to catch your attention?

We are all driven by fear in a certain extent.  Sometimes it keeps us on track.  A certain amount of fear will stop you from crossing a busy road, giving your best at work if you don’t want to get into trouble or be successful, help you not to do the wrong thing as there will be consequences.

It is a completely natural human emotion and it doesn’t mean that you don’t trust God.  The question is not whether it is ok to be afraid, it is what you do with that fear that is important?  Do you let it take control of your heart, your thoughts?  Do you maybe try to control the things that cause fear in your life?  We don’t always know what the future holds and there are some valid things to be uncertain about.  Will I still have a job tomorrow?  Will I be able to make my budget balance?  Am I going to be single for the rest of my life?  Will my children be ok in the unsafe world we live in?

What would be your first reaction when thinking about these things?  How am I going to work this out?  What should I do?  Will I be able to get through this? How can I control this?  As soon as we feel that a situation is out of control we start worrying about it and try to fix it.

Wouldn’t it be more practical to try and give the responsibility to someone else?  Put the ball in someone else’s court for a change?  There is prayer that reads:

“God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference”

Not an easy thing to do, but definitely something to consider.

Complete Surrender

Today I would like to dedicate the “Random Thought” to a friend that has been such an inspiration in so many aspects of my life.  Seeing the passion and dedication made me want to experience it too, opening up so many doors in my life.  I remember asking how it is possible to be so passionate about God and life in general and still seem so calm and at peace.  I could not understand that concept.  Can you really have both at the same time? 

Last night at church I started understanding.  It doesn’t have to be either, or.  You can definitely be totally passionate about and dedicated to living a life close to God while experiencing the contentment and peace this life with Him brings you.  I noticed how many babies there were at church last night.  The fact that amazed me was that through the loudness (joyful noise off course J) they seemed so peaceful, so serene.   

Giving yourself over to God completely is really a wonderful experience.  I have quoted Hillsong United so many times, but boy can they sing!!  Here are some phrases from one of their song about surrendering:

So what can I say

What can I do

But offer this heart O God

Completely to You

So I'll stand

With arms high and heart abandoned

In awe of the One who gave it all

So I'll stand

My soul Lord to You surrendered

All I am is Yours

God can work in your life in such amazing ways if you give your all to Him, even if it is bit by bit.  One step at a time.

Saw this morning on my way to work that the first Jacarandas are blooming!!!!  How beautiful.

May your heart bloom with God’s love today J

Multitasking.... Good Or Bad?

Remember at some stage I said that I am going to ask God for an extra set of hands so that I can do more?  Don’t think so anymore.

A friend said the other night that we need to be very careful what we ask for when we talk to God because he might just give it to you :-).

There are so many things we try to juggle in life all at the same time.  Eventually we are going to drop something.  The question is what?  And at what cost?  We work double shifts to try and get everything done at work.  We excercise for hours a week because we want to be healthy and try to relax.  We try to get to everything and everyone and there are only so many hours in a day. 

Sure we need to do all these things as they are important, we just need to try and be more balanced in life.  Decide which things are really important and to what extent we need to spend time on what.  Of course this is no easy task.  Must admit I tried to fit a lot of things in little time and it does not work for me at all!  I have no idea how people do it.  Tried going to gym early in the morning, but then I don’t get to bible study and there is no way that I will be able to get up at 04h00 in the morning to do it.  It is simply not possible to start the day without it.  So, now I will have to go after work and maybe not everyday.  Tried spending extra time at work to get and keep up to date with all the work but that is not working either.  The work doesn’t get any less, I just get exausted.

Some time ago I read a book (total heart health for woman) where they said that it is important to split your day in three sections.  8 hours for work, 8 hours for relaxing, 8 hours for sleep.  This is not always possible but we can try.  That you need to focus on mind, body and soul.

Someone at work asked for some information that he needed to do some work.  I only got to the e-mail about 5 minutes before I went home.  Sent the info via e-mail and apologised for it being a bit late.  He sent a smile back and said tommorrow is another day.  That is so true!  The funny thing is that sometimes someone at work asks you to do something very urgent.  You know when you get work today that should have been done last week, and is enough to keep 3 people busy? Only thing is you only get a couple of hours today.  You work like crazy to get it done only to see it lying in someones office for days for approval or before it is used!  How frustrating. 

So, is it really worth it running this rat race.....

The Ripple Effect

Ever notice how the things around us affects our mood?

How bad weather makes some people “gloomy”.  How revived you feel after a spring rain.  The excitement you feel when you see a stunning sports car?  The list goes on and on…….

What about the way we affect the people around us?  Good or bad. 

Let’s say you are stuck in traffic on your way to work. Someone passes you on the left, in the yellow lane!!!!  Immediately you are sooo upset. You get to the office all worked up.  The normal pleasant “hi” you give your co-workers around you is not present at all today.  You might even seem rude to some people.  That in turn puts someone else in a bad mood.  And the ripple effect carries on.  Stretches further and further in the pond of your surroundings. 

Now we change the scenario.  You pick a flower in your garden and give it to a lady at the office.  Just because you feel you want to.  It makes her smile and feel all warm and fuzzy inside J.  Someone else walks into her office and see the joy on her face.  That person smiles when they walk out and feels good without necessarily knowing why.  The whole simple act of picking a flower had a positive outcome in a couple of lives. 

The next time you react in a certain way what ripple effect will it have on the people around you …

May you all be touched in a positive way today

Redemption

We have all experience lost in our lives.  Whether it was a relationship, work, a life of a friend/family member, friendship, love, trust, hope, faith or anything else.  It might have left such a whole where it should have played a significant role in your life.  You feel that the void you have because of that can never be filled.  So often we try to replace that emptiness with things that are not lasting and probably not good for us in the long run.  It is only natural to grasp onto the things that make us feel better at that point in time.  It might help us to get through the phases we need to go through to heal, but pray very hard that you don’t hold on so tight that you never want to let go. 

God can restore those things in your life.  He is our Redeemer.  You can ask Him to restore anything  in your life, doesn’t matter how big or small it might seem.  He wants to see you happy and fulfilled.  He wants to meet all your needs.  He is the one after all who gave you those needs and desires.  He might not provide the things you need in exactly the same way or the way you ask Him to.  If you lost your mother for example you might not have another relationship with a woman figure in the same way, but you might be a mother yourself someday and have the opportunity to have that bond with your child.  God works in mysterious ways.

We must just believe and have faith that God wants to help us.  Will help us.  And off course be very patient.  God doesn’t work on our clock (like we have all realised one way or another J). 

Just don’t ever lose hope or stop praying about it.  Doesn’t matter how desperate and lonely you might feel.  God will make it feel better.  He always keeps His promises.  He is committed to us. 

May God touch you and comfort you in a special way, now and always.

Enough Is Enough!!! or is it...

A couple of years ago someone and I were having a conversation about a situation I was going through.  Afterwards she asked me if she could pray about anything in specific.  Yes, I said.  You can ask God to take this situation away, make it disappear.  She smiled and said that’s not the way it works but she will pray for God to lead me through it.  Off course I knew she was right even though I didn’t want to hear it at that time.  Stubborn aren’t we? J. 

It wasn’t something life threatening.  Just something that really complicated things, something I didn’t think I needed right at that point. 

                                                                                                                                                                                                 

During times like these we sometimes feel “ok, I am going to get through this, it’s not so bad”.  Then something happens that brings it all back and you say to God, “really, isn’t it time for this to be over and done with now?  I honestly can’t take this anymore, I don’t need this!!”  It’s then that He reassures us that we are not alone in this, we must just take His hand, hold on very tight and He will help us get through it.  Every time. 

I must admit that to date there are some of these things that still doesn’t make complete sense or I don’t understand exactly why it happened the way it did or even why it happened at all. God definitely won’t take us out of it just because it gets rough or we think we don’t want to be in it, but He will guide us when we ask Him to.  Like pastor At says so often, all things turn out for the good, even if it is not revealed to us.

Ever see what happens to a child that gets his every wish granted?  Gets whatever he wants?  Everything happening in life shapes us one way or another.  If God is not done shaping you in the situation you are in, then He won’t take you out of it.  Not yet anyway. 

We shouldn’t try to outrun situations in our lives or even attempt to retreat from it, just stand still and let God help you through it. He always finds a way.  Let Him be the lighthouse in your storm. 

I pray that you may always be protected and strengthened no matter what you are going through

Caring Isn't Always Easy

Caring for other people is part of our daily lives. 

It is great when we can share happy times, laugh and have fun together. 

But what happens if we are going through rough patches.  Then caring is not always so easy.   Caring for that person might mean feeling what they feel, really hurting when they hurt.  Who would want to open yourself up to hurt when you are not the person suffering?  Even thinking about that person or praying for them might not be easy, as you do get involved when doing that, especially if it is for a long period of time.  Making that commitment even if you don’t always feel like it might not be a walk in the park.  Even tiring at some point.  United Hillsong have beautiful and very inspiring songs. There is a phrase in one of their songs that describes this feeling quite good:  “Break my heart for what breaks Yours, everything I am for Your kingdom's cause, as I walk from earth into eternity”. 

Let’s reverse the roles a bit.  Imagine you are going through a difficult time and there is no one you can turn to.  No one to help you carry the load.  Wouldn’t it make things so much harder, even seem impossible to get through it? 

A good example would be God sacrificing His only son because He cares for us.  That defenitaly was not an easy thing to do at all, but I am sure that God didn’t even think twice about doing it.

What would happen in this world if we stopped caring… 

But can you imagine what would happen if we do care, always!!!  Whether it is through walking a road with someone through prayer or physically being there. God uses all of us in different ways, but He wants all of us to care.

May God bless and keep each and everyone of you safe, now and always

Your Happy Place

The past week there were so many things around me that referred to happiness.  A book I am reading spoke about a child wanting her parents to buy her a new “Happy Meal” at McDonalds that she simply had to have.  She promised it would make her happy for life and she will never ask for one again.  The second one was last night at Ster Kinekor. Their slogan says : ”Your happy place”.  Not sure if it is new or not as I normally go to Nu Metro.  Then this morning when I was doing bible study the subject was about celebrating life and happiness. 

Isn’t it amazing how God brings certain things to our attention?  Sometimes time and time again until we get the message. 

We all have a “happy place” that we go to when things get tough and we don’t feel ok.  Some of the short term solutions are shopping, partying, and other things that leads to a destructive lifestyle.  Basically things you chase after that brings immediate relief.  The question is, is it the right place for or manner in which you should address this feeling?  Unfortunately when these things come to a very abrupt stop most of the times they leave you feeling even emptier than before (and not to talk about the emptiness in your wallet!!).  

The happy place that I go to from time to time is in my thoughts/mind.  More like an image, a place where I see myself at.  One for when I need to quiet down, one for feeling lonely and another one for when I am scared.  This is however not a permanent solution, just like the above mentioned ones.

This doesn’t mean that you are not supposed to do fun things in life.  What would life be without loads of fun in it?  Just for the right reason, because it is fun!!  James Kavanaugh suggested how we should live life, “I was born to catch dragons in dens.  And pick flowers.  To tell tales and laugh away the morning.  To drift and dream like a lazy stream.  And walk barefoot across sunshine days.”

The best and only way for on-going happiness is inner happiness.  That can only be achieved with help from God.  And it is not a once off thing.  You have to work on it when things are rough.  It is not something that you say “if this happens then I will be happy” or “if my situation changes I will be happy”. With that kind of approach you will never experience it or maybe only for a little while.

Like Margaret lee Runbeck says: “Happiness is not a state to arrive at but a manner of traveling".

Wishing all of you happy thoughts to colour your horizon each day!!