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
Thursday, 4 April 2013
Sunday, 3 March 2013
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
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
Monday, 21 January 2013
Strength to pass every test
Happy New Year to all! May 2013 be a phenomenal year for you and your family!
A new year always brings with it some reflection. Looking back at this past year had it's fair share of joy and pain but one truth came out of it all-God is Sovereign and in control of everything. The things that I thought were bad turned out to be some of the greatest lessons and gems collected on my journey.
We came to New Zealand with so many plans and goals and we saw each of them just crushed in front of us. Many are the plans of a man's heart but the Lord's will prevails. And that was exactly what happened. Even though God sent us here, didn't mean that it was going to be a bed of roses. The easy part was getting here, the hard part, staying the course after all the testing.
Now testing comes in all forms and as my husband so wisely put it, a test to become a doctor is more difficult than a test to become a driver. We tried to fight it at first thinking that we were entitled to the blessings and smooth sailing from God because, after all, He sent us! Eish! Our faith was tested to the core. I'm going to give an example of what I'm talking about when I say God is Sovereign & in control of everything. Just keep in mind all we had left behind in South Africa-family & friends, jobs, house, cars, etc. South Africa was our comfort zone.
Neil couldn't get a job for months, the first month we could handle, the second month, we continued to ask & knock, by the third month it was not funny at all & we saw our faith being tested. By the fourth month we were asking God, what is going on. By the fifth month we just gave up, we just said to God we don't know what to say or do any more & just gave it all to Him in exhausted surrender. Then Neil got a job, go figure, that's God for you. We were so 'reservedly' excited because it was a 6 month contract job & not what we had prayed for. I complained to God, I said God, if a child asks for bread will you give her a stone? That was so disrespectful of me & I had to say sorry to God. This is the point where God taught me to be grateful & thankful. God was so gracious in that he allowed Neil to earn in 3 months what he would have earned in 6 months, talk about restoration.
There are a few examples of testing but I will tell you more in the next few blogs. Suffice to stay, I'm still standing, but by the grace of God.
Ephesians 6:10 Finally brothers, be strong in The Lord and in the power of His might.
Till next time!
God bless you!
Love Heather
A new year always brings with it some reflection. Looking back at this past year had it's fair share of joy and pain but one truth came out of it all-God is Sovereign and in control of everything. The things that I thought were bad turned out to be some of the greatest lessons and gems collected on my journey.
We came to New Zealand with so many plans and goals and we saw each of them just crushed in front of us. Many are the plans of a man's heart but the Lord's will prevails. And that was exactly what happened. Even though God sent us here, didn't mean that it was going to be a bed of roses. The easy part was getting here, the hard part, staying the course after all the testing.
Now testing comes in all forms and as my husband so wisely put it, a test to become a doctor is more difficult than a test to become a driver. We tried to fight it at first thinking that we were entitled to the blessings and smooth sailing from God because, after all, He sent us! Eish! Our faith was tested to the core. I'm going to give an example of what I'm talking about when I say God is Sovereign & in control of everything. Just keep in mind all we had left behind in South Africa-family & friends, jobs, house, cars, etc. South Africa was our comfort zone.
Neil couldn't get a job for months, the first month we could handle, the second month, we continued to ask & knock, by the third month it was not funny at all & we saw our faith being tested. By the fourth month we were asking God, what is going on. By the fifth month we just gave up, we just said to God we don't know what to say or do any more & just gave it all to Him in exhausted surrender. Then Neil got a job, go figure, that's God for you. We were so 'reservedly' excited because it was a 6 month contract job & not what we had prayed for. I complained to God, I said God, if a child asks for bread will you give her a stone? That was so disrespectful of me & I had to say sorry to God. This is the point where God taught me to be grateful & thankful. God was so gracious in that he allowed Neil to earn in 3 months what he would have earned in 6 months, talk about restoration.
There are a few examples of testing but I will tell you more in the next few blogs. Suffice to stay, I'm still standing, but by the grace of God.
Ephesians 6:10 Finally brothers, be strong in The Lord and in the power of His might.
Till next time!
God bless you!
Love Heather
Tuesday, 11 September 2012
The shape of things to come
Genesis 1:1-4 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.
It's been a while since my last blog and so much has happened, suffice to say I'm back with a vengeance.
God has taken me right to the beginning of things. He's been reminding me that where there is no form, He is the only one that can bring shape, where there is emptiness only He can fill and satisfy and where there is darkness only His light can shine and disperse it.
Life can be challenging sometimes where things don't go your way, your life seems to be so chaotic or it seems so empty, like something's missing. You look around for someone to help you, but there's no one, so you think. God's Spirit is always hovering over you, ready for action, just like in the beginning. Sometimes we have to begin again to realise that God wants you at that place where it's just you and Him.
When you come to that place where you say, 'God my life has no shape, it feels empty and there just seems to be darkness all around. His Spirit knows exactly what comes next, He's been there all this time, watching and waiting for you to surrender. Then God speaks, Let there be light and there was light. Wow! Suddenly, your life starts to take shape, God fills you with His Spirit and His light floods you.
The shape of your life is determined by your faith and reliance on your Creator, so when things are out of shape, let His word bring light and life.
My prayer for you today, is : "May our Great God and Saviour Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit bring shape, fulfillment and light to your life".
God bless you!
Love Heather
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness.
It's been a while since my last blog and so much has happened, suffice to say I'm back with a vengeance.
God has taken me right to the beginning of things. He's been reminding me that where there is no form, He is the only one that can bring shape, where there is emptiness only He can fill and satisfy and where there is darkness only His light can shine and disperse it.
Life can be challenging sometimes where things don't go your way, your life seems to be so chaotic or it seems so empty, like something's missing. You look around for someone to help you, but there's no one, so you think. God's Spirit is always hovering over you, ready for action, just like in the beginning. Sometimes we have to begin again to realise that God wants you at that place where it's just you and Him.
When you come to that place where you say, 'God my life has no shape, it feels empty and there just seems to be darkness all around. His Spirit knows exactly what comes next, He's been there all this time, watching and waiting for you to surrender. Then God speaks, Let there be light and there was light. Wow! Suddenly, your life starts to take shape, God fills you with His Spirit and His light floods you.
The shape of your life is determined by your faith and reliance on your Creator, so when things are out of shape, let His word bring light and life.
My prayer for you today, is : "May our Great God and Saviour Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit bring shape, fulfillment and light to your life".
God bless you!
Love Heather
Wednesday, 9 May 2012
Words cannot explain........ but I'll try!
Everyone who believes in God or even if they don't want the best for their lives and in their quiet time or sometimes express it, how they wish that they were blessed, or they wish that they had this or that, or wish that a sitaution changes. Then, after praying or wishing, wait for an answer to come. When it takes long we either give up or wait patiently or impatiently for the response. God responds, even in the silence.
I have been a believer in Jesus Christ for more than half my life and have prayed for certain things. I would pray expectantly and fervently and was taught to wait patiently. Even when nothing happened or so it seemed, I would still trust God to come through. I have been taught a valuable lesson this past month.(“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts".Is 55:8-9).
It has been the most dumbfounding, mind blowing, breathtaking and incomprehensible past month
since I landed in Auckland, New Zealand. God has shown me in so many ways that this is the place that He has called me to. It is dumbfounding when I soon as you think a thought, God has it ready and waiting for you. It is mind blowing that the blessings come one after the other uninterrupted. Breathtaking because you are so in awe of God that you have to keep on catching your breath to recover from His expressions of love and grace towards you. Incomprehensible because you can't understand why He would take the time to take care of your every need when you are so undeserving.
I said to God, "If You are trying to impress me, it has worked". He has taken impossible situations and made them possible.
Let me just give one example to make you see what I mean :
I was looking for a place for my family & I to rent and was told that I will not get a place because I was new in the country(3 weeks only), didn't have an income as such and also didn't have references. I said, well, I have Jesus and was laughed at. I went to see a few houses. I prayed and got my brothers & sisters to agree in prayer for a house that I saw & liked(only saw photos of it) but when I actually saw it, it wasn't what I wanted. I went to see the second house and really liked it, I filled in an application form there and then and the lady said she'll get back to me. I prayed and said to God, 'I know I asked for the other house, but I really like this one, please can you give it to us, Lord let them just give me a chance'. The lady phoned the next day before noon and said that I got the house, I was blown away and fell on my knees in thanks & praise to our great God. When I went to see her to pay the deposit she asked a few questions about who I am and what I am doing in New Zealand, so I explained that my family and I are on assignment from God to establish churches in New Zealand. I also told her how I prayed for this house to be ours & asked God to let them(owners) give me a chance. She sat back & smiled and I asked her why is she smiling. She said, funny how you are saying those words, because the thought came to me that I must give you a chance. I told her that God put that thought in her to help His servants. I was totally dumbfounded, my mind could not contain the magnitude of this whole encounter.
By the way, my applications were approved for all the houses I applied for. (But God!). So to understand, or even kind of understand all this, is to say that God overrides protocol, He makes the impossible possible and if He has chosen you for a purpose He will move heaven and earth for you to know that He is with You and will never forsake you.
I know that this will encourage your heart and I pray God's perfect will for your life!
God bless!
Love Heather WW
I have been a believer in Jesus Christ for more than half my life and have prayed for certain things. I would pray expectantly and fervently and was taught to wait patiently. Even when nothing happened or so it seemed, I would still trust God to come through. I have been taught a valuable lesson this past month.(“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts".Is 55:8-9).
It has been the most dumbfounding, mind blowing, breathtaking and incomprehensible past month
since I landed in Auckland, New Zealand. God has shown me in so many ways that this is the place that He has called me to. It is dumbfounding when I soon as you think a thought, God has it ready and waiting for you. It is mind blowing that the blessings come one after the other uninterrupted. Breathtaking because you are so in awe of God that you have to keep on catching your breath to recover from His expressions of love and grace towards you. Incomprehensible because you can't understand why He would take the time to take care of your every need when you are so undeserving.
I said to God, "If You are trying to impress me, it has worked". He has taken impossible situations and made them possible.
Let me just give one example to make you see what I mean :
I was looking for a place for my family & I to rent and was told that I will not get a place because I was new in the country(3 weeks only), didn't have an income as such and also didn't have references. I said, well, I have Jesus and was laughed at. I went to see a few houses. I prayed and got my brothers & sisters to agree in prayer for a house that I saw & liked(only saw photos of it) but when I actually saw it, it wasn't what I wanted. I went to see the second house and really liked it, I filled in an application form there and then and the lady said she'll get back to me. I prayed and said to God, 'I know I asked for the other house, but I really like this one, please can you give it to us, Lord let them just give me a chance'. The lady phoned the next day before noon and said that I got the house, I was blown away and fell on my knees in thanks & praise to our great God. When I went to see her to pay the deposit she asked a few questions about who I am and what I am doing in New Zealand, so I explained that my family and I are on assignment from God to establish churches in New Zealand. I also told her how I prayed for this house to be ours & asked God to let them(owners) give me a chance. She sat back & smiled and I asked her why is she smiling. She said, funny how you are saying those words, because the thought came to me that I must give you a chance. I told her that God put that thought in her to help His servants. I was totally dumbfounded, my mind could not contain the magnitude of this whole encounter.
By the way, my applications were approved for all the houses I applied for. (But God!). So to understand, or even kind of understand all this, is to say that God overrides protocol, He makes the impossible possible and if He has chosen you for a purpose He will move heaven and earth for you to know that He is with You and will never forsake you.
I know that this will encourage your heart and I pray God's perfect will for your life!
God bless!
Love Heather WW
Sunday, 15 April 2012
My journey to the land of my adoption!
I was sitting on the aeroplane from Joburg to Dubai I was overwhelmed with a tidal wave of sorrow. My soul was in anguish over leaving home, leaving the comfortable and familiar and at that moment I felt so alone and forsaken. It was like God had turned His face away from me and I cried out for Him to just surround me with His love, I just needed to know that He was here with me. God showed me the price Jesus had to pay for us and how He felt on the days leading to the cross. He was in anguish and felt forsaken at that moment when He asked His father to take this cup from Him and yet not His will but God's will be done. We all have our own price to pay.
Through my tears, I asked God why do I have to go through this when I was willing to surrender my will for His and He kept on pointing to Jesus.
You know when we talk about being pioneering and spear-heading, nobody knew what that really meant. You find yourself in place where few people tread. It is a lonely place because you are in the front and everyone is coming behind you. It is a hard road but it sets the platform for the ground that needs to be broken and the trail that needs to be blazed.
It is no easy thing to leave your comfort zone with the familiar and family. I wonder how Abraham felt. I believe with everything within me that God who sacrificed His son, sacrifices His children so that the world can be saved. Jesus paid the ultimate price and we have to endure like He did because He did it so that we will not grow weary and lose heart(Heb 12:3).
Eventhough this was a tough journey, I have taken away something that will stay with me forever, God's perfect will over my, oh so imperfect will. He began to pour in His healing balm into my broken & crushed heart.
The in-between part is always not told and that's the part that makes you or breaks you! I know what it means to deny myself, take up my cross and follow Jesus but I know I will have to do this for the rest of my life. I pray that I will run this race with endurance, keeping my eyes fixed on Jesus.
My new journey begins in the land of my adoption where the execution of His will will take place until such time He tells us His next intention.
Until we meet again!
God bless!
Love
Heather
Through my tears, I asked God why do I have to go through this when I was willing to surrender my will for His and He kept on pointing to Jesus.
You know when we talk about being pioneering and spear-heading, nobody knew what that really meant. You find yourself in place where few people tread. It is a lonely place because you are in the front and everyone is coming behind you. It is a hard road but it sets the platform for the ground that needs to be broken and the trail that needs to be blazed.
It is no easy thing to leave your comfort zone with the familiar and family. I wonder how Abraham felt. I believe with everything within me that God who sacrificed His son, sacrifices His children so that the world can be saved. Jesus paid the ultimate price and we have to endure like He did because He did it so that we will not grow weary and lose heart(Heb 12:3).
Eventhough this was a tough journey, I have taken away something that will stay with me forever, God's perfect will over my, oh so imperfect will. He began to pour in His healing balm into my broken & crushed heart.
The in-between part is always not told and that's the part that makes you or breaks you! I know what it means to deny myself, take up my cross and follow Jesus but I know I will have to do this for the rest of my life. I pray that I will run this race with endurance, keeping my eyes fixed on Jesus.
My new journey begins in the land of my adoption where the execution of His will will take place until such time He tells us His next intention.
Until we meet again!
God bless!
Love
Heather
My journey to the land of my adoption!
One chapter closes $ another opens. It is so strange when you think about life and how you can never predict where you would be in the next few years. But God knows even to the point of your address.
I was sitting on the aeroplane on my way to Dubai when God allowed me to experience certain aspects of Jesus' experience leading up to the cross. What overwhelmed me was the sense of loneliness and it washed over me like a massive tidal wave. I began to cry because I felt why must I go through this when I had already accepted to do God's will. I felt so forsaken and so vulnerable that God took me from my family who I hold so dear and brought me by myself to New Zealand.
Jesus knew what it meant to feel alone & forsaken but only He could do the assignment God had commissioned Him to do.
You know when we talk about being pioneering and spear-heading nobody knew what that really meant. You find yourself in place where few people tread. It is a lonely place because you are in the front and everyone is coming after you. It is a hard road but it sets the platform for the ground that needs to be broken and the trail that needs to be blazed.
It is no easy thing to leave your comfort zone with the familiar $ family. I wonder how Abraham felt. I believe with everything within me that God who sacrificed His son, sacrifices His children so that the world can be saved.
Eventhough this was a tough journey, I know that if Jesus endured the cross, I can endure whatever comes my way. It was not easy for Jesus so I am comforted knowing that our God laid everything aside for us.
The in-between part is always not told $ that's the part that makes you or breaks you! I know what it means to deny yourself, take up your cross $ follow Jesus $ pray that I will run this race with endurance. Keeping my eyes fixed on Jesus.
Your faith just goes from one level to the next with many a test(more like examinations).
My new journey begins in the land of my adoption where the execution of His will will take place until such time He moves us again.
I was sitting on the aeroplane on my way to Dubai when God allowed me to experience certain aspects of Jesus' experience leading up to the cross. What overwhelmed me was the sense of loneliness and it washed over me like a massive tidal wave. I began to cry because I felt why must I go through this when I had already accepted to do God's will. I felt so forsaken and so vulnerable that God took me from my family who I hold so dear and brought me by myself to New Zealand.
Jesus knew what it meant to feel alone & forsaken but only He could do the assignment God had commissioned Him to do.
You know when we talk about being pioneering and spear-heading nobody knew what that really meant. You find yourself in place where few people tread. It is a lonely place because you are in the front and everyone is coming after you. It is a hard road but it sets the platform for the ground that needs to be broken and the trail that needs to be blazed.
It is no easy thing to leave your comfort zone with the familiar $ family. I wonder how Abraham felt. I believe with everything within me that God who sacrificed His son, sacrifices His children so that the world can be saved.
Eventhough this was a tough journey, I know that if Jesus endured the cross, I can endure whatever comes my way. It was not easy for Jesus so I am comforted knowing that our God laid everything aside for us.
The in-between part is always not told $ that's the part that makes you or breaks you! I know what it means to deny yourself, take up your cross $ follow Jesus $ pray that I will run this race with endurance. Keeping my eyes fixed on Jesus.
Your faith just goes from one level to the next with many a test(more like examinations).
My new journey begins in the land of my adoption where the execution of His will will take place until such time He moves us again.
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