Surfing Through Life

We can't avoid the difficulties of life; they come like waves in the surf of the beach. It's so silly to resist a difficulty and fight against it as it is to resist a wave.

Why is that? Because to resist a trial in your life is like resisting the wave that comes against you and you have an option, get your surf board and catch the wave that will take you to firm land after an exciting ride. So one thing that you considered a bad thing – a wave coming against you – turns into a fantastic thing that you are grateful for.

The secret of the victory in any trial is in the trial itself. 

Holidays for Alan and Jennifer

Since the school demands so much attention, performance and behavior from them it is a basic emotional need to just let go and let them have a healthy time of fun regularly. That need was supplied thanks to the generosity of our friend Barend that gave a special donation for them to have holidays in Durban with their good friends Marilé and Arné that used to be their colleagues in Barberton School.  

 Nothing deep, just fellowship and fun!

 

A lot to be thankful for

The Blessing of Paying it Forward

Every week we make 2 trips to Nelspruit (Saturday and Sunday) to pick up quality food on the expiring date from Woolworths. Then we come home and process it, separate the meat, the veggies and the dry food and store it in different places: the meat goes to the freezer specially got for this purpose, the veggies are stored in a dry and fresh place and the dry products are put in crates.

On Monday morning two workers from CMR (social assistance) come home to collect the products that are distributed next day to needy families represented by one member of each family.

Here in these pictures you see the moment the CMR workers (Julia and Portia) come to collect the goods and next day when they are distributed. We do this for the last 4 years and so far it has been a blessing to many that say they depend almost entirely on these donations.

We are not including here all the families to not bother you with so many pictures. There are 15 families receiving regularly these goods, plus ocasionally the children from the creche and spontaneous families in need.

Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)

Here it is a clip of Jenifer rehearsing for All Africa Students Convention (AASC).
The Convention happened in December 2014 and there were about 1 200 students. She got two awards (both for singing) that permitted her to go to a trip to America for 3 weeks in May this year along with 50 other students. But for lack of funds on our part she had to decline (it would cost about R 50 000).
We hope we can do something special for her instead during the April/May holidays.
This clip is not of professional quality and it's only part of the song but we hope it inspires you.
You can read all the lyrics below.
Love and Joy,
Carlos and Sara

"Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)"

You call me out upon the waters
The great unknown where feet may fail
And there I find You in the mystery
In oceans deep
My faith will stand
And I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine
Your grace abounds in deepest waters
Your sovereign hand
Will be my guide
Where feet may fail and fear surrounds me
You've never failed and You won't start now
So I will call upon Your name
And keep my eyes above the waves
When oceans rise
My soul will rest in Your embrace
For I am Yours and You are mine
[6x]
Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior
Oh, Jesus, you're my God!
I will call upon Your name
Keep my eyes above the waves
My soul will rest in Your embrace
I am Yours and You are mine

A Healthy Love for Yourself & The Princess Identity

Talk about loving myself. Is it still a taboo to talk about it?!

Now I believe – contrary to the traditional teachings of some preachers – that the godly, healthy love for yourself is absolutely essential if you want to perform God's calling, to accomplish your mission in this life.

I heard somebody saying the other day: to love yourself is a lot more difficult than you may think.

I dare anybody to prove me that Jesus taught that you should hate yourself. Can you imagine Jesus hating Himself? How could He have ever performed the works that He did if He hated Himself? That’s unthinkable! Until you have a healthy love for yourself you will just be a depressed mental slave incapable of performing what God call you to do. The minute you find your identity you acquire a healthy respect and love for yourself. And how can you do it?

* * * * * * *

Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess. Her parents were noble people with great influence on the kingdom, and gave her a great upbringing. She was beautiful, very well mannered, with great respect for others and for herself and her future place in the kingdom. She met the son of the king and queen and they fell in love. It was the most beautiful love anybody could ever imagine.

But soon, by some twist of fate, there was a rebellion followed by war and she was taken captive by the enemies and driven to a dark kingdom.

Origins - God knows the end from the beginning

When God created us He wanted to have someone to love, so He didn't create anything inferior to Him, but something just like Him, equal to him so His love could be complete. He didn't create a robot or a machine because that would not reciprocate his love. He created us in his image and likeness so we could in turn love him back.
I say this because I want us to understand our value and our dignity. Jesus came to uncover this value and dignity in each one of us. He came to reveal our ORIGINS and say, "look, you are just like me, what I do you can also do, you are the sons and daughters of the Most High". His message is kind of scary and awesome. It's tremendous!
It's like he was saying: "You've been lied to, deceived into thinking that you are nothing, just slaves and that you deserve to die. I came to wake you up to the truth. My message is of liberation. Believe in what I say, because if you do you will be saved from this soul slavery you have been under ."

From the Foundation of the World

IMPRESSIONS OF A MISSIONARY. 

 

(You are entitled to have your own opinion.) 

We are spirits having a human experience.

 

When Did God created us? 

 Genesis 1, verse 2

1st day:

“The earth being without form and empty, and darkness on the face of the deep.”

1. without form

2. empty

3. darkness

In the same day God "takes care" of the darkness

"God said, Let light be! And there was light." and the darkness was gone.

Some people believe that the light was actually us, the spirits of human beings being created. Jesus said, "you are the light of the world" (Matthews 5:14). He also said: "I am the light of the world". (John 8:12)

John said in the first chapter of his gospel. "In Him was life, and the life was the light of men; and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overtake it".

His life was the light of man. Does this means that light of man was his life? In other words, he was so in love with the light of man, the creation of man that that was his life? He lived for that, his pleasure was in that, and we were his pleasure.