SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 04, 2006

This gift of mine.

It happens almost every day, like right at this moment. I have no idea what to write about. I then close my eyes and ask God to please intervene and He does. He puts thoughts into my mind and gives me the inspiration to write as He authors.

Somebody said the other day that I am talented, and as much as I appreciated their comment, I replied that "no, I don't have the talent, God does, I merely have the gift of writing for Him." You see, most of the work I write even astounds me. I read through and feel so honoured that I am able to hear and understand when God speaks to me, telling me what to write. I know you may be saying, 'Yeah, whatever,' but believe me, it is so real. God is without a doubt my author and has given me the gift of writing for him. I just love this gift of mine.

PROSPEROh Lord how I love the gifts you give
That allows us to prosper and grow
Please help us with these gifts to live
Let us remember to use them and know
That to you, we owe praise for success
If we use them as we should do
Let us know that it is us you will bless
When we prosper and give thanks to you

Romans 12: 6-7

"Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering, he who teaches, in teaching."

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 05, 2006

Real Life!

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There was a time in my life that I did not have or enjoy a relationship with Jesus, I used to fight every battle on my own, gathering more and more unhealthy, miserable, heavy baggage as I went along. This baggage was my security, it made me feel bitter, fearful, depressed and totally unlikeable. I did not know how to reach out and take advantage of what God was offering, so I stayed cowered in the dark places that I knew. Hiding was one of my favourite pastimes, especially in the dark.

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Then I met Jesus, and although it took me a long time to get over feeling totally inadequate in His presence, I managed to cross the hurdle to allow Him in. My life changed, I started to feel whole and my load was not so heavy anymore, a load that gets lighter as I spend more and more time with Him. Once I gave into Him, He moved into my space very fast to show me what 'real-life' is all about. I became a newborn child of Christ, and what a life-changing awesome experience.

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Today I live every day for Him as I strive to obey His laws, and keep away from temptations. It's not an easy life with all the persecution, evil attacks, temptations on weaknesses, living on the straight and narrow and so on, but its a life that I would never change. The closer I grow in my relationship with Him, the easier the walk is, because living the Christian life, with a heart for God, causes me to want to live by the example of Jesus Christ. It is such an awesome life, try it and learn to yearn to live a 'real-life' with God our Father!

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Lord Jesus, I pray for all those who walk this earth, lost and dreary, looking helplessly for hope in the dark places, Lord that you would shine your light in their space, and reveal your truth to them. Allow them a chance Lord, to learn about a 'real-life' with You. In Jesus name, I pray, amen.

Backwards, Forwards, Upside, Inside down!

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Do you ever get those moments when everything you say comes out the wrong way, with the wrong letters before the words or the wrong word order in your sentence? We have so many laughs because my daughter and I are often guilty of speaking before we think. It is hilarious which causes us to laugh sometimes till we cry. I find it loads of fun and the more we try and concentrate on our speech, the more we mess up. Laughing is a healthy emotion, an emotion that encourages happiness. Even though the laughing causes wet eyes, its wet eyes minus the pain of crying eyes.

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In school we used to have loads of fun making up our own languages, for example we would put a 'B' before every word and speak like that. Bow ba boo means how are you. Wow, we used to laugh our socks off and of course, we caused much confusion with those who were not involved in our crazy conversation.

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Did you know that no matter what language you speak, God understands you and listens to you when you speak to Him. He understands every language on earth and not only understands but can speak them too. How amazing is that? So even if you mince your words or try making up a language, God understands you, and for as long as you pray within His will, He will answer you in your same native tongue.

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1 Corinthians 14:10

"There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance."

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 07, 2006

Was it the Queen.? No
Was it the president.? No
Ok, so it must have been a distressed Comrades runner.! No

So who was it being escorted through the debris and spectators on the 16 June, right in the midst of the Comrades marathon?

It was Cheryl, a distressed mother desperate to get Cherise, her chronic asthmatic daughter to the hospital emergency rooms for emergency medical treatment.

This is the true story of how it all happened;

The whole family and a friend were packing and preparing to go away for the long weekend. Suddenly Cherise had one of her asthma attacks. Nothing serious to begin with, as she sat on her nebulizer at home with me very close by monitoring. Cherise then decided that her nebulizer was not helping and in desperation, in between trying to gasp for air, she let me know that this was one of those emergency room situations. Well, it was the Comrades marathon and I had heard that roads were going to be closed, but where. Coming from Zimbabwe, I was not sure of the Comrades route so I phoned our security link up control room and requested an escort to the hospital for a medical emergency. Security reacted by saying no problem they would send a vehicle ASAP.

Whilst parked on the roadside, desperately praying and waiting for security to respond, Mike, my husband, called me to say that security has called to say they are unable to assist as this was beyond their means, but they were sending an ambulance. Panic set in as we did not have funds to accommodate an ambulance. By this time, my hands were sweaty, shaking and numb on the wheel.

Then one of the heroes of the day appeared, racing up onto exit 16 to meet me, a security employee. He raced and motioned for me to follow. So the race was on, through red traffic lights, hazard lights on both vehicles flashing. Then the approach of the road closure on Stapleton Road. The security employee won with the first policewoman but then seemed to have problems at Old Main Road with the Metro police there. By this time I was in a state as Cherise sat next to me with red cheeks, white face, blue lips and gasping desperately for air. Just then a group of guys on trail bikes in blue uniforms pulled up next to me. I looked up, (tears streaming out of control down my cheeks), at one of the guys who seemed to be the team leader, and pleaded with him to please help. He lifted his visor, took one look at Cherise and then said: "follow me."

We became the escorted vehicle in our own little motorcade, up Old Main road towards the hospital, three bikes in front clearing the spectators and traffic, whilst the Security vehicle and the rest of the bikes rode behind. The escort was all the way to the doors of the hospital and as we arrived, a hospital employee ran out with a wheelchair. In desperation, I bypassed the chair and raced into the emergency room where Cherise was attended to.

Cherise was now in good care so I proceeded back to my unlocked vehicle, which I had left parked outside emergency, only to find all the bikers, who were SAPS, parked around it with their helmets off. They questioned after Cherise and then left to continue their duties. The security officer stayed to ensure that all was taken care of. Whilst all this was going on Catherine, Cherise's friend, had broken down, I moved in to comfort her but was called into the room where Cherise was being treated and the security officer gallantly took over.

The hospital staff were amazed at the entourage arrival of this heroic group and stressed that they thought the president had arrived. Wow, what an amazing experience, what an awesome God, what an awesome Security company, what an awesome security officer and what an awesome Police Force. My thanks will never be enough as they all took time out to save my 10-year-old Cherise who was having a chronic asthma attack.

This true story was a scary account, to say the least. The last visit before this gallant save was to the ICU where Cherise was put onto heart monitors and 24-hour surveillance.

I had so many prayers going on for her, desperate prayers for her healing, for God to take away her asthma. However, it took for Cherise and her faith to receive answered prayer. She prayed and believed that God was going to take it away from her, she had faith and He had compassion. To date, since June of 2005, Cherise has not suffered another asthma attack, He took it away. God heard her and gave her relief, all because she trusted and believed in Him. What an awesome God we have! Jeremiah 33: 3 is God's number, just in case you need to call on Him.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 08, 2006

Left in 2003!

My dear mother passed away from Leukaemia on the 31 January 2003, after many months of suffering. By destructive means, my mother was somewhat distant from me for many years, a distance that I could never understand. It caused deep pain, pain caused by feelings of rejection and visual knowledge of favouritism.

However, God was instrumental in her last seven months as He drew her and me closer than we had ever been. She cried many tears, regretted much, with many truths unveiled. She shared things that I will take to the grave with me, and I have God to thank for saving me from revengeful truths.

I miss her so much and would love to share where I am in my life today, with her. She was instrumental in bringing me to God, as you may have read in a previous post on my blog. I know it is said that time heals, but I can honestly say, that when you need someone you need them, and when they are not there to respond to that need, it hurts, really bad. This is a poem I wrote for her whilst I watched her slowly withering away. I read it to her in her hospital bed:

IF
If I could give you health
And take away your pain
I would do it with stealth
And rejoice in your gain
If I could give you more years
And be with you in all
I would take away your tears
And with you stand tall
If I could turn back time
And fill you with joy
I would make you feel fine
And let you enjoy this new ploy
If I could stop you being sad
And give you a life so bright
I would make you so glad
And help you enjoy this new plight
If I could I surely would
And I would do it all
But I think it’s time I should
Respect that maybe it’s God’s call
If I could know this for sure
And be at peace about you
I would know no better cure
Is ever going to do
If I could hear God’s voice
And see his beautiful smile
I would know it’s the best choice
Cause to him you’re so worthwhile

ACTS 5:39
“But if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it”

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 09, 2006

Hugs galore!

Have to share something so awesome and it goes like this.

I am a leader at our Sunday Promiseland, and I am responsible for the 10-year-old girls. There are about +- 15 of them. I have been there now for two years and love it to pieces. Every Sunday I walk in there, I feel a high in my spirit, a high for the innocence of all the children and their desire to be there. One of the main highlights for me is when my girls see me, nearly every one of them, including their little sisters, come running towards me and we share big hugs, I love it. I am sadly leaving year-end due to other commitments and I have been receiving little letters, such sweet loving letters. I will miss my place there extremely and most of all, my girls.

Then I have written the end of year play for my daughter's junior school and am consequently directing it to. Again, I am obviously working with young children, approximately +- 40 of them, whom I meet every Friday afternoon. There are many from this group that run to me as they see me and we share big hugs too. I have received a loving letter from this group too. My time there will end after the play and I will again miss my children so very much.

I am helping out with the Thursday swimming training and am responsible for the younger group. Today as I walked towards the pool area, I saw little bodies come charging towards me and again big hugs were shared. This group, however, might still be on the agenda for next year, unless of course, the school brings in a pro, something I am not. Then I will be missing them too.

HUGS
A hug is a loving touch
A hug should be given without reason
A hug just means so much
A hug should be more than a season

God is so awesome, He changed my heart and He changed me. When you think where I started off with little children, and where I am today. If you are wondering what I am talking about, then you should go to www.calledtowrite.com This is the downloadable outreach magazine, 'Reflections', that I write for. Amongst many other awesome Christian writers works, are mine too, testimonies, stories and devotionals. If you enjoy reading then you should visit the site, its fantastic healthy God-driven works for great reading.

Psalm 27:3

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, The fruit of the womb is a reward."

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2006

How many Hits?

I tell you, I get so stressed when I watch loved ones getting hit over and over and over, causing them to go down, down, down. What is it, why do people just sit back and take it, knowing full well that they could change their lives?

I have been sitting back, just pouring out love and more love. I have not pushed the 'God' issue but have not kept quiet about Him in my life. I have never pushed or caused any to leave my company. Today though I could not keep quiet.

We had an accident in our family, not serious but serious enough, a vehicle is written off. This was about the fourth blow in 2 weeks. I called up and said, "right, enough is enough, how many hits are you going to take before you give in to God before you allow Him to take over?" The answer was, "I am being taken to church on Sunday." Awesome, one baby size one step forward is better than any steps backwards. Now I will pray for God to work His miracles, for His mercies and for His love to settle in the hearts of those that are keen to give in and give it up to Him.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your grace and mercy, for allowing us all a chance to grasp your holiness. I pray Father God for all those out there that know they should move into your space but are not. I pray that they would move today Lord, and start a new life with you as their leader. In Jesus name, I pray, amen.