How the rain helped to prove a relationship point

I joined a Vietnamese club during week one, but I arranged with the tutor, Jim (not his real name) that I will keep in touch about further attendance. For two weeks I could not go, so I felt convicted on the third week. Just because of the relationship with the unbelievers, and their knowledge of my faith. I did not hide my convictions, and expected continued difference (Notice: The Vietnamese do things according to their felt needs. If it does not fit their schedule to attend a social club, it is fine just to stay away without notice. They also don't believe in being good, for no good comes from being good.). I just felt it rude not to make arrangements.

That Thursday I cycled the 5km to the Café in pouring rain. More than soaked, I was also convinced of not needing Vietnamese classes. I'm only staying a year, and my housemates can teach me. Anyway, I don't like cycling alone at night, or breaking down and having trouble (Ironically, my bike's chain broke on the way back, so I had to walk the 5km home at 21:00 at night. I thank God for my housemate who came to pick me up). 

But, on arrival, Jim was waiting at the door. I explained that I would not stay nor continue to attend the club. Some evenings my friend who attended the club only came home at 23:00, a time I did not feel comfortable with when driving alone. But, I felt it necessary to come to talk with him in person to apologize. Astonished he asked me about the reasons I would go to such lengths and discomfort. Why I would come at night, and in the rain, if this is the main objection.

It was then I realized that God truly changes the way we think. I told him that as a child of God, and follower of Jesus, relationships are very important to me. That it is not my needs that dictate what I do or how I act. That people are not just things or means to ends, they are all individuals and that we as children of God believe that God has personal relationship with each. And because God has relationship with me, loves me, I can love others. That just knocked him over. We took him a Bible the following Saturday, and on the coming Saturday we will meet before club to talk more about faith. 

The Fruit of Searching for Satisfaction in God's Glory - A Testimony

 

 In my previous righting I mentioned about health problems. I am struggling with some lack of digestive problems, impairing the verity of food available for eating. During this time of confusion searching for God's glory, He forced me to surrender my health and food to Him as my sustainer.

I believe surrendering aspects of our lives should not be forces, rather given over. And in asking, I found opportunities for obedience always follow prayers, and never far behind. As the team is struggling with unity and focus we are entering a time of serving some least reached people. We were supposed to baptize 8 newly born believers, but were robbed of the privilege to see this happen.

As our team were together praying, supporting and celebrating the possible baptism waiting on news from our team member, communication confusion set in. We spent time in worship, seeking God's face for peace and guidance. I could open my heart to God that I felt left out, uninformed, and robbed of an opportunity to see this miracle happen. I felt the bitterness and hardness of heart rise up in me towards the team. I confessed my thoughts and lay them down at His feet. In worship and praise I found freedom again.

As I gave away my right to expectation, I also gave away my cross of expectations. I received the cross of Jesus of seeking God the Father glorified.

Now, less than 24 hours later I raise my voice praising God, for He has redeemed the harvest through willing hands and feet. We were blessed to assist some new believers who wanted to submit their lives to Christ. We facilitated them through repentance, helped them clarify what they believe about Christ, were baptized in water and received the Holy Spirit.

Praise God for the harvest that we could help bring in. Please also praise and ask God for the laborers and harvest in the Muslim community that we will be entering in from today. Please also pray for the unity in the team, and for protection and breaking of strongholds here in Zambia, Chipata.

The next step in intimacy: affection and emotions

Looking back over the past two months on the #Trek I praise God for the ways in which I have gotten to know His character, and see my own be transformed by the knowledge of Him. I just felt like sharing some of the character trades that I praise Him for. He truly loves Himself, and in this love us. O, what joy to be loved by Him.

I am His eternal beloved, and I know Him already to be MY:

Healer - He healed me from 2 serious physical conditions
Provider - He provided work, housing, people, money always enough for what He wanted me to do
Humbler - the one to whom I be right sized to, (James 3)
AMEN - according to Isaiah 65:16
Alpha and Omega - the beginning and end of my faith
Blesser of my soul - through the way He created and intended
Dwelling place as I seek, inquire and require by the right of His invitation (Isa 65:19)
Shepard - I shall not want
Light in which all offences taken is right sized and turned into love
ONLY GOD, as deliverer from the idols I set up for myself
Object, source and sustainer of my emotions and affections
Strong tower - Prov 18:10

I am Lientjie, from Magdalena. When Magdalena met Jesus and received His forgiveness she became worthy of the name. The name representing a strong tower of God, a light and place of refuge for others. One whose witness is that God is her strong tower.

By what character do you know God in your own life?

Generational influence - The need for Wisdom

Generational differences have been on my mind for a while now, partly because of my openness to influence, but mostly because of its obviousness. Around the world the technological ground breakers are indicating generational change as they are advancing swiftly in the integration of technology into every part of our lives.  Many still need to engage with the multitude of options to experience it's richness. As an early adapter I seldom hesitate at the sign of adventure. In this I found great excitement about the truth and challenges regarding change in what these ground breakers are bringing to the proverbial table.

I'd like to share a thought from the Learning Community, a group taking the change of technology into account regarding the telling of the Good News. As tweeted by @jackiejvr at a recent Learning Community, "This is the 1st generation that grows up without needing authority to unlock knowledge. Instead, authority should learn to impact wisdom."

This thought is also conveyed by David Kinnaman in his book "You lost me". This book on why young Christians are leaving the church and rethinking faith explained some of my experienced discomforts while growing up. The book placed me within the Millennial or Mosaic generation, those born between 1984 and 2002. I may have been born into the Mosaic generation but were clinging to and believing in the practices of the Boomer generation as demonstrated by my father. Respectful, high morals and values, excellent work ethics; all characteristics contrasting to that which those of my own generation chooses to describe themselves with.

Exploring live at a save distance from the authority of my father, I seldom if ever ventured out to participate along with my own generation. Granted, this gave me insight into the thoughts of previous generations. Yet, once of the leash of this safety, I found my footing and joined my peers. The younger generation are born as technological natives, set on finding, building, and thriving on authentic relationships. Some brave ones break away to find their own voices much earlier. Some need to be moved by pain - when staying hurts more than going.

After reading "Who moved my cheese" by Dr Spencer Johnson, I had a good laugh at myself, was shook back into action and embraced the technology as well as the change. It was here that I found the need for mentorship, authority and especially wisdom.

Who to follow in Twitter:
@ekerk @stephanjoubert @groblerpaul

Jaloers oor ander se liefde vir my geliefde

Ek voel vandag soos die Hooglied vrou wat soekend hunker na haar geliefde. 

’n Kring gelowiges, wat ek verkeerdelik op uiterlike oorweging beoordeel het, het my hart in verlange laat uitroep “Sê vir Hom dat die liefde my verteer”.

Hoe eienaardig wanneer die hart begin bons en spring wanneer ek Sy Naam op ander se lippe hoor.  Die opgewondenheid wanneer sy Naam verheerlik word oor hoe Hy, my Geliefde, ander se lewens aanraak en hul uit die duisternis lei. 

Asemrowend om in daardie oomblik ook te kon weet langsaan my, binne my en omarmende rondom my is Sy teenwoordigheid, net soos vir elk van daardie gelowiges in die gebedskring. 

Laat ons Hom aanroep, want die Een wat ons gemaak het, die Een wat ons steeds onderhou en ons siele innig liefhet is juis opgewonde oor ons liefde vir Hom.  My geliefde het nie van my weg gegaan nie, Hy is altyd hier.  Miskien is ek net die hardkoppige bakleierige dwase vrou wat onenigheid saai in my liefdes verhouding met Hom.  Genadiglik is Hy nie soos ons mense nie, maar juis die Een wat ons kom wys hoe om mens te wees.

Sweet growth amongst street brothers

Throughout the past few weeks, family has been a great challenge for me.  Finding everyone to be a brother and sister, everywhere to be home and One Father and Lord of all, it automatically causes focus on the role I play in the lives of others.  I joined the OMNIchurch #lovedrive this week as we set out to find brothers and if possible sisters sleeping or staying on the streets of Church Square Pretoria. 

As Storyteller for the Kingdom, I believe in using communication as an intentional method of faith formation.  Challenged with this calling, I set out to do a bit of intentional living.  What a surprise!  Treating these brothers just the same as any other, and expecting them to share, contribute and become part of the Omnichurch mission of sharing the challenge of living church, and coming together to share the challenges faced, these brothers impressed me with a desperate longing for true relationship.  Letting go of expectation, and letting the Spirit bind us together, these brothers started asking questions exposing the longing for the body of love. 

There men expressed the thirst for real relationship with God.  Knowing that I in no way can fulfil this, the only support I could give was in living and sharing the relationship I have.  The need for community for these brothers are is more than I can comprehend.  It desperately calls to the body.  The light that was shining in their eyes leaved me astounded as I realised that I may have extended them some of the grace that I have received.   What gets me is the fact that neither they, nor God needs me to build and proclaim His kingdom.  However, to be part of the story of the Kingdom, to be in this loving relationship with God, this is undeserved love, undeserved life!

I long to go back and join these brothers as they start the wonderful journey of getting to know God, being in true relationship with Him, and falling in love with the Son.  

Tears of astonishment in finding holy change on platform faith

Daring to step upon the platform of facing that which I used to call who I am, and how I serve, I did not expect nor were I prepared to meet Jesus there waiting for me.

With great joy, excitement and anticipation I picked up my mother at the bus station yesterday.  We are so much alike it is sometimes scary.  This I say with great love in my heart for this special woman.  With a deep need do really get to know her I have been blessed to have time truly away from the hold my parents had on me.  I loved them to the extent that they became my idols.  After some time, growth and perspective apart and looking to the Truth for truth, I can truly get to know them.  This short two days have already been filled with grace and love as I came to see her as the darling daughter of our Father, in her own right being loved for who she is. 

My burning subjecting experience of detachment was only in truth my misunderstanding of who she is, and who I am.  Seeing her strengths and gifts that she has to offer to the body, I come to see that we are indeed not the same.  We are separately special for God, and indispensible for the functioning of the church.  Yet which is unmistakably true is the need that we both harbour for our loving Leader, Husband and Friend directing us towards our loving, faithful Father. 

No amount of words can undo the loss of these past years of misunderstanding, and no amount of tears can communicate the anguish felt for misguided detached families.  This may be my own display of the deep change and movement God works within me to understand something of His love for the church.  But staying in this unfulfilling lie is not just a denial of who Jesus is and what He has done for us, but it is also a denial of what is to be seen in the church as family.  How willing are we to experience holy discontent with what is undeniably in contrast with what true family should be, what the church truly should be. 

Intimiteit as afbeelding van verhouding met God.

Ek glo die hartseerste sonde van die kerk is die houding teenoor ander van “Don’t know, don’t care”.   As liefde omgee en sorg is, dan is om nie om te gee of daaroor om te gee nie die mees liefdeloosste daad.  As sonde optrede buite die verhouding met God is, impliseer verhouding met Hom omgee, sorg, belangstelling en dus liefde. 

My ouma het altyd gesê: “Love begets love”.  God is liefde en sy opdrag aan ons is om ander so lief te hê soos wat ons onsself het. Ek ervaar dat God vir my die allerbeste keuse en diepste verlange is.  As Hy dan vir my die allerbeste is en sy hart is dat almal dit kan ken en ervaar, dan moet ons omgee of ander dit ook ken en ervaar.  Ons word dus opgeroep om in verhouding met ander om te gee of hulle ook in verhouding met God staan.

Verhoudings het ‘’n wedersydse dinamika.  God gee, maar ons moet genoeg in verhouding omgee om te ontvang wat ons nie by magte is om self terug te gee nie.  God ken ons goed genoeg om te weet ons kan nie terug gee in dieselfde mate nie.  Hy vra wel dat die hart in dankbaarheid ontvang en van daar leef na ander.  In oop verhouding kan ons vrymoedig tot God nader om die liefde ontvang wat ons bring tot bekering van die ou mens na die nuwe lewende mens.  Omdat God deur mense werk, ongeag waar, wie en wanneer, moet ons dus genoeg liefde in verhouding hê om Jesus in ander te soek.  Wat meer is, ons moet omgee of hulle ook na Hom soek en smag.

Oop verhouding deur ander lief te hê, skep geleentheid om intimiteit te ontdek.  Dit bowenal met broer en susters.  In intimiteit lê die sleutel tot dissipelskap, want daar is liefde deur die Gees se bindende werking die afbeelding van verhouding met Jesus. Inderdaad verhouding met God.

Host and guest of honour at the same time

Growing in intentional personal relationship with God got new meaning in a quest of evaluation of my intentions for spending time with God and studying the Scriptures.  In Rev 3:20 God reveals something mysterious and wonderful about the joy of intentionally spending time with Him.  There is something about the Kingdom to be found in being the host of God when searching for His life-giving light in our lives.  The metaphor of sharing in a festive meal with Jesus where you get to converse and have fellowship with God becomes a life changing event. 

Eating together is never only about being filled, but also exchanging words and sharing lives. In any conversation or time spent with anyone there comes a point when the relationship deepens as the parties present open their hearts to be shaped by each other.  In Matthews Jesus calls to open our ears. In John the call emphasizes putting the taken Word into action. 1 Peter reminds us that this hunger to come to the festival with God can have no compromises and should fill our lives with a desperate searching therefor.  

Reminded by the refuge we have in Him, we have the privilege to not only pour out our hearts before Him, but to truly trust in Him.  This points us to an address for our hearts, whatever the burden.  It seems that God yearns for us to want to have fellowship with Him.  As though He waits for the time when we open our hearts to be hosts in the festival with Him, where He becomes the Host in treating us like His guests of honour when He opens His heart to us. 

As relationship forms with openness, intimacy develops.  In studying the Bible for informational purposes we may just be missing the intimate relationship derived from knowing God.  Time spent with God is much more important than what you do while you are with Him. Getting to know Him is much more important than getting to know about Him.

Die Bistro op Kerkplein

Maandag het ek begin werk by 'n pikante  Bistro op Kerkplein in Pretoria, Café Riche.  Wanneer jy die oerwoud van verkeer en onplesierig norse mense aanpak  sal jy hier vind ‘n juweel in die hartjie van die stad.  Hier, met Oom Paul se standbeeld net agter die bome weggesteek, is een van die ou geboue omskep in ‘’n restourantjie.  Wel, die plekkie is nou al 17 jaar hier, so imagine die atmosfeer!  Teen sesuur die oggend word die deure geopen. Die geur van varsgebakte brood en opregte koffie verwarm en omskep die stil grou oggend in ‘n teater soos die plein wakker word.  Soos in My Fair Lady, deur Frederick Loewe, waar die plein stuk vir stuk wakker word, so kan jy hier ook die stad sien wakker word.  Die verskil is net die lieflike koffie en die aangename personeel wat jou begroet en bedien. 

So hou elke stukkie van die dag ‘n verrassing in.  Van die blommestalletjie se spotgoedkoop blomme, tot die solder wat vol water is.  Daar is nie ‘n plekkie om te kyk of gaatjie om in te krap waar daar nie ietsie moois te vinde is nie.  Die pragtige argitektuur, die interessante stories van die gaste, die samesyn agter in die kombuis; die lys is nimmereindigend.

In die hele proses van aanpas en inpas in ‘n nuwe sisteem het ek ‘n paar goedjies agtergekom. 

• Nuwe uitdagings is slegs so vreesaanjaend soos jy sit self maak. 
• ‘n Breë glimlag breek klaar die ys, maar die ’n koue hart kan jy nie warm maak nie.
• Die beste manier om deel te word, is om deel te wees.  Gee van jouself weg sonder om te verwag dat jy terug sal ontvang.
• Jy het nie baie tyd nodig om ‘n inpak te maak op iemand nie, so gebruik die tyd verstandig met die groter prentjie ingedagte

Ek is wel alreeds weer op pad weg.  Ek het ‘n fantastiese geleentheid en is baie opgewonde oor die uitdaging.  Tog is my hart swaar om hierdie plekkie te moet agterlaat.  Daar is so baie wat ek gaan herroep in die vervolg, soveel mooi en aangename dingetjies.  Dis nie so lekker om die vriendinne en familie wat ek in die afgelope 3 dae gemaak het te moet agterlaat nie.  Kort, maar so kragtig die invloed wat gelowiges op mekaar het.  Die versterking is onskatbaar in waarde en ek is bly om te weet ek kan altyd hier kan inloer, my hart oopmaak, en geestelike en vleeslike verfrissing ontvang. Broers en susters in Christus het nie velkleur, taal, sosiale status of enige sulke snert aan nie.  

Kerk is wanneer Christus werklik vir jou is oral en in almal!  Hier het ek iets van daardie verhoudinge leer verstaan.

'n Nuwe Verwysing op Verhoudinge

Ek beskou myself as verhoudings gestremd.  Lag maar lekker, dis my persepsie daarvan.  Ek het groot geword om nie goeie mense verhoudinge te ontwikkel nie, nie dat dit werklik sleg uitgedraai het nie, dis net onder ontwikkeld.  Genadiglik is ek nie onveranderbaar nie, want gelukkig behoort ek nie aan myself of my eie lot nie...

Na baie trane in eensaamheid het ek hierdie tekort reguit in die oë gekyk, en hardop verklaar dat ek totaal onvermoënd is om daaraan enige iets te kan verander, omgedraai en dit gelos om te vergaan.  Met die verklaring het my hart en my fondasie gebreek, ek het deur my verwysingsraamwerk geval en die mure van my eie koninkrykie het neer getuimel.  Jip, ek was 'n gemors.  My woorde was swaarde, en my houding het gestink.

Moet nie te jammer voel nie, want die issues wat ek tot op daardie stadium gedra het het al veroorsaak dat baie mense met my kon vereenselwig...  Dis mense wat met mense kan bemoeienis hê.  

Nie soveel dag en datum as keerpunt nie, maar om in verhouding te kom met alles wat ek is, dis keerpunt.  In totale oorgawe met die wete dat my persepsie, paradigmas en verwysings nie ooreenstem met die genadige liefde van ons Vader nie, is ek gebring om 'n hele paar lesse te leer oor verhoudings.

Hou bietjie 'n ogie oop vir wat ek met julle gaan deel.  Dit is interresant hoe God Homself as verhoudings Skepper die voorbeeld kom stel.