Life Lately

I felt today that I should give a long overdue update on life for us in Muizenberg. February has been so full I am not quite sure where to start to unravel it but I’ll try to keep it simple. If we were sitting across from each other at a coffee shop drinking a nice hot beverage and you asked for an update on life like a loving friend I would probably pour out words and thoughts and lessons as quick as I can talk and jump from one thing to the next and back again. All over the place but with the same underlying truth that God is teaching and growing and refining me in many ways. It has been difficult but good and I am constantly slowing myself down to take a deep long breath and breathe for a minute.

A lot of this month has been discovering and then starting to settle into our ministry roles within Bethesda House. It takes a lot of work to run a ministry especially one with so many dreams and ideas. Since there are many new staff, Jason and I included, we are able to put some into action. Almost everyone heads up at least one department and then we are all part of certain other ones. Jason and I together are leading the fundraising team for the ministry and then he is co-leading the worship and cd production roles as well as being on four other teams. I am also leading the art role and then part of seven other roles ranging from hospitality to prayer and outreach planning. Plenty to keep us incredibly busy. I love it! 

Besides that we have been doing a lot of training, taking multiple personality/strengths tests and are part of a marriage course offered by an amazing couple here with YWAM. I have never been so introspective in my life and am sometimes overwhelmed with all the things I need to work on as a person and in our marriage. Its been as if we have been looking at all of our problems and hurts from many different angles and are just raw and vulnerable but I hear God saying this is where I want you. I am ready to be on the other side if this but at the same time I enjoy the refining and am hopeful knowing God is doing deep healing and giving deep revelation in our lives. 

Lastly we are only one month away from moving into our own place. I can not wait! We have been house jumping since the end of November and although we have gotten to stay with some amazing friends we still don’t feel fully settled. Thankfully time is moving so quickly that we will be in our nice little flat before we know it. Right now we are house sitting for friends that are travelling and it is such a blessing to be able to have their space as ours for the next month. 

Well there you go. A very quick compact update filled with me just rambling out some of my main thoughts. Hope you have a lovely week! 

Happy Valentines Day and A Small Story

This past Wednesday at Awake I was at the prophetic art stall where you pray and ask God for a picture or word for the person you are ministering to and then paint/draw/create it on a piece of paper. It gives them a visual to take away that often speaks deeper than just words. 

At one point there was a man who came and sat before us a bit unsure of himself but there none the less. You could tell he had it rough and was at Awake for some free coffee and a welcoming refuge from the streets. We told him to relax and then we asked God for an encouragement to give him.  I thought my picture a little odd but I quickly painted it and then explained to him what I felt.  

His whole demeanour changed. You could see it in his face. A softening. 

I painted a heart, bright and red, shaped with all the words God was saying towards him. Many words of unending love and delight and friendship. 

It looked like a cheesy valentine. 

But it was a valentine from God Himself and went straight to this mans broken heart and poured in real love. He was full of gratitude and after my friend prayed for him in Afrikaans he sat, relaxed and loved, letting the worship music in the room pour over him. 

It was beautiful. Simple. Beautiful. My heart was so full. God loves so well. His heart is full for each of us and He wants to make it known to us everyday. Don’t get caught up on the world’s fake valentines and instead train your ear to the heavens where love Himself shouts His affections for you unendingly. Steadfastly. 

Happy Valentines Day.