Don't give up on God

It's a better day Family

Who or what do you turn to in troubled times? Some turn to alcohol, drugs, family, friends, doctors, psychologists, etc. and some just give up on life altogether. 

There is no greater one to turn to than God, who created you, knows you, understands you & most especially loves you. He always has the best plan for your life. People will fail you, hurt you, reject you, abuse you, forsake you but God will never fail.

In times of turmoil when nothing seems to make sense, it is most difficult to stand on the word of God & focus your thoughts on God. There are so many thoughts going on & all you want to do is shut off your mind & emotions. The word of God is the only way out of your darkness. Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. (Psalms 119:105 NLT) 

When someone hurts you & generally it's those closest to you. It leaves you feeling 

like this :

Someone just came pass & punched you in the stomach. You are left holding yourself in pain, crying & on the floor. They walk away with one of these thoughts/ feelings: I've won/ I did it in love/ it's for their good/ that will mature them & make them better/ that's what I want & my way or no way/ that will put them right/ they deserved that or sorry I didn't mean to hurt you!

On the other side, the one on the floor is left reeling from the pain, defeated, humiliated, feelings of unworthiness, helplessness & hopelessness. The most common blows we receive are from words. Words are powerful & they can heal or hurt. Death & life is in the power of the tongue(Proverbs 18:21).

Some blows are fatal where we hurt people & they are left feeling that life just isn't worth living. Other blows leave you broken and depressed. There are also some blows that make you turn to temporary highs that numb the pain. Some blows make you so hard that you become emotionless. Then there are blows that make you stronger & maturer. (For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. (James 1:3 NLT) 

At one stage of our lives we've been in one of those positions. God wants us to transform into the person He has called us to be with hearts just like Him. Love is a powerful 'weapon', it breaks down walls, tears down barriers & changes lives. Anything we do in love must never leave the other person feeling unloved or hurt. Love is patient, love is kind(1 Corinthians 13:4)

Always remember that you matter to God & are precious in His eyes. (Since you are precious and honored in My sight, and because I love you, I will give people in exchange for you, nations in exchange for your life. Do not be afraid, for I am with you(Isaiah 43:4-5aNIV) ) God's opinion/ thoughts about you overrides everyone else's. 

Please don't give up on God, He is your only hope in this life. 

I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace while you trust in Him. Then your hope will overflow by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13 NCV)

God bless you

Love, Heather

A thankful heart to God

It's a better day family

It is a sunny New Year's Eve in New Zealand. Thankful, is one of the words that come to mind when I look back on 2013. It definitely ended better than it started. Thank You Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 -  Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. To be thankful in ALL circumstances is a bit difficult especially when the circumstance seems bad or is heart-breaking at the time. But because God knows the end from the beginning we need just to have faith and obey. This life we have must be lived according to God's will, not our own. God created us, therefore He knows His creation and what's good for them better than they know themselves and think they know what's best for them.

With that in mind, I reflect how the year began, the kids had gone back to South Africa. That was the most heart-breaking circumstance that stood out for us this past year. But, we thanked God in it and prayed that we will see the reason why they had to leave. God was working on all four of us individually and growing us into who He has called us to be for Him, so His plan will be fulfilled. Our kids were going through their own journey in God and learning to trust God in every circumstance. The comfort of their parents always being there and now not having them there physically, was a tough transition but one that grew them in faith and strength. So we see how God's thoughts and ways are far above ours(Isaiah 55:8). They are now the richer for their lessons.

Neil and I had to learn to let go and allow God to be the Great I AM for our kids, we also had to depend on God, having faith beyond what we saw and heard, praying and thanking God always for everything. God really brings you to the point in your life where you either believe Him or you don't. That is a choice you have to make every day with everything.

In the natural, many things seemed like they were a set back, but God was setting us up to fulfil His plan.  At the end of 2013 when we thought, okay, the year is over and nothing big will really take place now, then God shows up and has the final say. This most definitely was the highlight of our year with the planting of a church in New Zealand to the glory of God, our Father.

We are so thankful for who God is to us and all He has done for us and our family. Unto Jesus Christ our Saviour, be all glory, honour and praise.

The word over our church for 2014 is RISE, rise and take your rightful place people of God, for He has called you and chosen you for His purpose, to execute His plan on the earth.

God bless you! Have a PHENOMENAL New Year!

Love, the Adams family

You call me out upon the waters

 It's difficult to imagine my life without God. It's like trying to breathe without air. He has orchestrated my life in such a way that there's no way that I or anyone could take glory for this journey. 

We were sent to New Zealand with the purpose of planting churches here. This is a land we did not know. We wanted to buy a business and asked God to place us where we would be effective for Him. Little did we know that He was going to send us to the country(farm). 

We fell in love with the beauty of God's creation. This is where one could just be still and know that He is God. You slowly begin to understand the greatness of Elohim(God, the Creator). He beautifies the earth and everything in it by His word alone. 

This little village in a valley in Ararimu was on God's heart before we ever turned up on the scene. Godly people were praying for a church and God answered their prayers by sending Neil & I to plant a church there. God was looking for someone who would step out the boat and walk upon the water, who would keep their eyes on Him trusting Him completely. We were just the willing vessels who had faith enough to believe God's word.

When you believe in Jesus, He gives you His thoughts and His dreams for the fulfiment of His plans on the earth. So when God stirs your heart to do anything that would bring Him glory, know that it is from Him and act. Do not think the thought to death. Because as time goes by while you work out the when, the where and the how, there are people who are waiting for you to rescue them from darkness, open their blind eyes and set them free from their prisons.

Walk upon the water, because Jesus is right there with you, holding your hand and leading you.

God bless you and your family

Love, Heather

God knows

It's a better day family

It is in our nature to want to know everything and we feel so uncomfortable, anxious and fearful when we don't know things especially concerning our lives or the lives of our family or the future.

I was praying this one particular day about things concerning the future of my family when God said to me 'I know'. He took me to His word, Jeremiah 29:11. He said to me 'Be reassured that I know'.

This was a very comforting word to us because we don't know all the answers but God does. His plans & thoughts towards us are the best. So, because He knows, we can live in His safe arms knowing that He knows. Even if that is all we know, that's good enough for us to live a great life on this earth. 

My prayer for you today is that you rest in the knowledge that God knows.

God bless you & your family 

Love Heather

Love so undeserving

It's a better day family

I was beating myself up for making such a foolish decision the other day. I thought to myself, Heather when will you ever just do things right. So mad with myself, I went to God, saying sorry & asking forgiveness. He reminded me that there's nothing that I could do or ever would do to make Him love me less and nothing that I can do that will make Him love me more.

I realised how much I'm loved by God and that all I can do is just accept and receive that love. The mistake that most of us make is that when we mess up, we think that God is so mad with us that He won't bless us anymore or even use us anymore. That kind of thinking binds/stops us from speaking about God or encouraging people to pray and trust God. We think to ourselves, how can I be a witness when I'm so weak myself. We cannot earn forgiveness, it is our gift when Jesus went to the cross and took all our sins.

Jesus knew that we are still going to sin and fall but He also knew that His love for us will give us the courage to overcome all our weaknesses and sins. We are not perfect yet but each day we are being perfected.

For if your heart condemns you, God is greater than your heart and knows all things. (1 John 3:20)

There's a song that expresses God's love so beautifully, it says:

Your love never fails, never gives up & never runs out on me!

Father, thank You for your love & grace that sustains us & keeps us close to You. You carry us when we feel we can't carry on. You remind us that You are God & in control of everything & our lives are in Your loving hands. 

Jude 1:24-25 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into His glorious presence without a single fault. All glory to Him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are His before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen. 

God bless you 

Love, Heather

Jesus, my Lord and my God

It's a better day family

The past weekend was a remembrance of the death and resurrection of our Saviour and King, Jesus Christ. You can't help but imagine all that Jesus went through, out of love and obedience.

When we stand at the cross, ready to give our lives to the One who gave His life for us, we place at His feet, all our sins, guilt, shame, weaknesses, faults, failings & all that we think we are. It is in that moment that we realise that there is no one in this world who can love us so completely and unconditionally. Many of us really find it so hard to comprehend that sacrifice and even that love but we nullify(make of no effect) the cross when we doubt God's love for us. The bible says that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing but for those who are being saved, it is the power of God. 1 Cor 1:18. God doesn't only display His power by raising Jesus from the dead but displays His power in love.

Who would go through such suffering and humiliation just so that I may not perish but have eternal life? I wonder sometimes what would have happened if Jesus didn't go all the way to the cross. What would have become of us? So every time, I have to face a trial & even though it seems too hard to bear to the point that I want to give up, I remember that Jesus went all the way to the cross. He did this so that I may not lose heart but have the courage to overcome & be victorious in every situation. That I may run the race with endurance, finish the course and gain the prize. Hebrews 12:1-3.

When my life intersected at the cross, it was changed forever, Jesus lives inside of me. He is my Lord and my God.

Hebrews 13:20-21 May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing His will, and may He work in us what is pleasing to Him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Love, Heather

Strength to pass every test Part 2

It is a better day people of God

I am continuing my story about the strength to pass every test.

One of my hardest tests I have had to face while in NZ was my children leaving home and taking their own journey. It is the most painful emotion to say goodbye to your children especially when they are going to be in another country and you don't know when you will see them again.

Truthfully, I am grieving at the moment, grieving their absence in body with me. I'm asking God for strength to pass this test, this is beyond my human comprehension. I need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to go forward.

They have been with us all their lives, we've loved them, nurtured them, provided for them & protected them. Now they are in this big world & away from us and we won't be with them to hug & kiss them and do all the things we usually do with them. These are just some of the emotions that I have been through & are going through.

I take comfort in the word spoken over our lives that we will all be together some day. That, the God we serve will keep them safe in His loving care & be their ever present help in times of need, that what we have taught them & trained them will bare good fruit & they will become who God said they will be. And I thank God for technology of Skype, watsapp & other sources of communication with them. Also, the fact that we have family who love them & care for them.

That was my emotions catching up to the Spirit who knows all things & sees all things and will lead us & guide us into all truth. God is Sovereign & in control of everything and well able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ask or think.

When your children are dedicated to God, it is a covenant you make with God, ' God you gave us these children, we give them back to You'. So now, this is the test of my faith in God, do I trust Him completely or do I walk by sight. Do I believe His word or do I believe lies? Well, being a believer of Jesus Christ is believing in Jesus Christ and His word.

This road is narrow and few travel on it, I pray I meet many more on this road, it can be very lonely at times but I know that I am not alone, God is with me, He will never leave me nor will He forsake me. I can say truthfully say that God has been my comfort in my discomfort.

I pray you will take God on your journey, you cannot do it alone, He will be the I AM in every situation, allow Him to be your everything and trust in His unfailing love for you.

God bless you!

Love Heather