We are mooooooving!

Toe ons verlede jaar by Church Plant School was, was een van die profisië gewees: Provision, provision, provision.
Dit was Julie maand.
Ek het later begin dink God het vergeet van ons.
(Nou moet ek eers bysê: wanneer God 'n belofte gee, is dit nie te sê daardie belofte is vir NOU nie.  Kyk na Abraham wat beloof is dat sy nageslag soveel soos die sterre sal wees.  Dit het nie dadelik gebeur nie).
Profisie is soms 'n belofte van "things to come".  Dink aan Romeine 4:17 

"God...wat...die dinge wat nie bestaan nie, roep asof hulle bestaan".  Fisies is dit nog nie daar nie, maar God praat daarvan asof dit alreeds daar is.

God het gesê daar sal voorsiening wees.  Ons het verwag dit sou DADELIK daar gewees het...

Nou ja,  ons moes toe nog 'n rukkie langer wag.

Ek het natuurlik wild daarteen geskop, ek wou net TREK. Maar soos altyd het God eers goeie karakterbou en diep werk in my gedoen.  Ek het besef "it's not about what I want, it is what God wants".  Sy tyd is perfek, Sy tyd is die regte tyd.  En "lo' and behold", toe ek laat gaan en oorgee aan die Here, toe gebeur dinge! 

As ek nou terugkyk na 6 maande se journey-in-a-nutshell is dit amazing dat alles verseker ten goede mee gewerk het vir ons.

En in ons wildste drome so ons NOOIT kon imagine watter planne God vir ons gekoester het nie.

Want nou is Jurie senter-mister-venter in die middel van sy sendingveld, tussen youth, ons kan na 'n huisie op n plaas trek waar ons kan gaan asem skep na n lang dag, Nunu kan saam ons soontoe trek, ons kan Philip help op die kampterrein wanneer nodig met kampe...

die lys gaan aan mense.

God is faithful.

Always.

So ons huisie/kantoor lyk as volg:

Dis net BOKSE ooral!

Dis vir ons 'n voorreg om hierdie journey met jou te kan deel, om te weet ons is nie alleen nie en dat jy ook involved is in ons lewens!

Ons hoop dat jy opgewonde is saam met ons vir die vooruitsig van hierdie jaar, dat jy saam met ons sal rejoice oor die small victories maar ook dat jy saam met ons sal bid dat God se plan in plek sal val soos wat Hy wil hê dit moet.

Die Persboek word ge-youth-ify

Vir dié wat nie weet nie, Every Nation / His People gebruik die persboek.

 Dis n Bybelstudie boek wat handel oor aspekte wat as fundamenteel gesien word: Sonde en redding, Bekering, Doop, Geestelike honger, Dissipelskap...ens

Die probleem is net, jy kan nie daai boek vir n 13/14 jarige in die hand stop en verwag dat dit maklik leesbaar vir hom sal wees nie.

Die oplossing:  Ons "vertaal" hom.
So dis ons een GROOT projek vir hierdie jaar: Vertaal die persboek.
(wanneer ons klaar is daarmee gaan ons dit beskikbaar stel aan ons groter geestelike familie sodat ander ook daarby kan baat)

Sover lyk hy so:

(Ons noem hom "Vulstasie" omdat ons logo F.U.E.L is, so ons sien hierdie as jou vulstasie, waar jy vol kan word.)

Things to come:  Ons logo word finally bekend gemaak!  Hou jou oë oop vir wanneer ons dit gaan post!

20-wealth? 20-delve? 2012!!

It's already the second month in 2012!
So far this year has been just one big blessing for us (hence why I played with the heading...)
We are seeing God's provision in so many ways, and are truly blessed.  But: it all comes from throwing ourselves wholeheartedly into God.

What is new for us:
 Personally:
 * Jurie started as a teacher at Fields College. We are both so excited, he is now right in the middle of his "mission field" and we believe this is God's will for him
 * We are moving to a new place. WOHOOOOO! Now we can finally have a place we call home and not "live at the office" anymore. We are eternally greatful to the church for letting us stay here when we couldn't afford another place, but the season is long overdue.
 * I've started to work full-day at the church office. I LOVE it! We are both so excited about this year, new things, new promises and new energy to make it all happen

Youth-wise
 * we started to translate the purple book and "youth-ify" it, appropriate for our age group.
 * we have a whole bunch of new ideas to really take the youth furhter. we just need some youth.... :) 
Spiritually
 * God is awesome!!!!
 * We are seeking God's face even more, we are super-dependant on God!

 So people, watch this space...
More WILL follow!

- YoUtH -

Tonight, we had another awesome meeting with our Youth, only three pitched up, but we see these three as our leadership.

What was most exciting was what they discussed happened this week:

Irene had couldn't sleep, and she felt God wanted her to read Revelation 10:18 and to sum the whole journey up, in the end she prayed for boldness to speak God's truth to those who do not know Him. The story behind the story: she and her mom works at the same company, they started a Biblestudy group where they all discuss a short passage, pray and then start the day. Irene wanted to share something specific, but was a little afraid to share it. And then she ended with this prayer for boldness to share God's love with those who don't know Him!

Reinhard is going through an amazing journey to trust God for a DIVINE revelation. (He's going to have a day of solitude tomorrow to spend time with God! What a guy!)

This morning as he was brushing his teeth, he felt he needs to fast. During his lunch break, he sat in his car, started talking to God and could literally felt God's presence filling the teeny-tiny spaces of his Mini (car). He had such an amazing "lunch" with God, how Father sang a love song over him....and knowing the wrestling Reinhard is going through at the moment, it is truly amazing to hear!

This is really just a small post, but I really had to post on how God is revealing Himself in AWESOME ways and how God can talk to the Youth in (sometimes) unconventional ways. Please keep praying for them, they're a great bunch, and God is busy with great stuff in their lives. Also know that you guys have a part in this, if it wasn't for your support, we wouldn't have been here!

(Picture: from left to right: Louis, Reinhard, Lilli, Jurie, Irene)

Some thoughts on prayer

I'm busy reading a book by E.M Bounds, Purpose in Prayer. And this one thought jumped out of the page for me:

"Prayer in its highest form and its grandest success, assumes the attitude of a wrestler with God."

I'm not saying it is the only form, but something stuck in my head: Do we give up too soon in prayer? Or do we wrestle with God like Jacob did until daybreak?

Bounds go further to say: "Prayer is the contest, trial, and victory of faith - a victory not secured from an enemy, but from Him who tries our faith that He may enlarge it. He tests our strength to make us stronger..."

Thus, God is not an "evil" god for sometimes making us wrestle with Him, but He wants us to grow stronger. Think about a coach, he will test your boundaries, drive you further than what you think is possible, because he knows it will make you stronger for the race, building stamina.

Why then do we question God when He delays an answer?

So, in conclusion, when you wrestle with God do not think it's because He is angry, or doesn't care about your position or situation...think about God preparing you for the race, building your spiritual stamina. Wrestle until daybreak, do not let Him go until He blesses you.

And remember, you won't wrestle every day with God...

Speak Blessings Over Your Family

Psalm 5:12
12For You, O Lord, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield.

What do you believe and say to your loved ones every day? For orthodox Jews, on Friday evenings in their homes, the father lays his hands on his children and pronounces God’s blessings over them. No wonder Jewish children grow up to be winners in the fight of life! They become some of the world’s greatest inventors, bankers, musicians and entertainers.

Although a minority race, the Jews have produced the most number of Nobel Prize winners. I believe that it is because they bless their children in the same way the patriarchs of the Old Testament did. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob released God’s blessings upon their children by laying hands on them and speaking forth the blessings. (Genesis 27:27–29, 38–40; 48:14–16)

In the New Testament, the apostles pronounced blessings over the churches they were preaching to. To the church in Philippi, Paul declared, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19) John released a powerful blessing upon Gaius when he said, “Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” (3 John 1:2)

Even Jesus pronounced a blessing of deliverance on the daughter of the Syro-Phoenician woman — “go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter”. (Mark 7:29) This was a blessing of deliverance by proxy. The woman took it by faith and found that her daughter was well when she reached home. (Mark 7:30) Likewise, the centurion took the blessing by faith and healing came upon his servant back home. (Matthew 8:8–13)

The parents of a little girl did the same thing while worshiping in our church. Their daughter was in hospital in the final stages of cancer. When I pronounced the blessing of healing that Sunday, they received it and pronounced it over their daughter. She was soon discharged from the hospital healed!

My friend, bless your loved ones. Declare over them, “The Lord blesses you and surrounds you with His favor as with a shield.” Speak forth your own blessings by declaring, “Thank You Lord, You prosper me and I am in excellent health!”

YOUTH ON A MISSION FOR A MISSION

The youth came up with this on their own.

We started talking about how Jesus told us to go out into all of the nations. One thing led to the next, and they as youth decided that we need to go on a mission.
We decided to paint a banner,

that will remind us of what we are busy doing and focusing on.
The fascinating thing is that we do not know where or how we are going, BUT we are trusting God that we will be going in April of 2012.

The painting of our vision was so awesome, and we bonded. I think the saying that a common vision binds one together is actually true.
May God be glorified.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY

Hey Jul almal.

Die amazingste ding het gebeur. Dit het nou die maand so uitgedraai dat indien ek my tiende betaal, gaan ek nie kan uitkom die maand nie. Daar was absoluut geen manier hoe dit sou werk nie.

Ironies genoeg in die tyd lees ek Mal 3 vir my stilte tyd, en die Gees kom herhinder my net aan 'n spesifieke gedeelte van die skrif.
Kerke hou mos daarvan om klem op die eerste gedeelte te plaas, van dat jy moet gee, maar soos wat ons weet is God nie slawedrywer nie. Hy toets jou hart.
Die Gees highlight toe die gedeelte wat lees, "...toets My, en kyk hoe die hemel se skatte vir jou sal oopgaan..." (Jurie vertaling lol).

Anyway, ek betaal toe my tiende, en ek sit voor die rekenaar (ek doen die internet banking ding), en se toe vir Vader, ek gaan nie uitkom die maand nie, maar ek gaan U toets aan U woord.

Nounet het iemand R1400 in my rekening inbetaal met die caption "BLESSING".

Ons Vader ken ons harte.

Victory Weekend

Ons het die naweek wat verby is 'n wonderlike geleentheid gehad waar ons mense kon bedien met die waarhede van die skrif.
Die skrif stel dat die waarheid sal vrymaak. Partykeer is dit nodig om die waarheid te bedien sodat mense kan sien waar daar leuns in hul harte wegkruip.

Daar word vir 'n teller gevra; hoe weet jy dat 'n noot vals is? Die teller antwoord deur om te se, ek werk heeldag met die ware Jakob, so ek weet hoe moet n noot nie voel nie.
Jy word nie vry deur om die heeltyd op die valse te fokus nie, jy word vry deur om die waarheid aan te gryp.

Tydens Victory weekend behandel ons areas waar mense heel moontlik nog moet bevryding ontvang. Ons behandel temas soos: Verslawings, Geestelike verwarring, Seksuele sondes en selfs huidige Verhoudings, en die is verhoudings met God, mens en verlorenes. (Daar is vele meer as net die bogenoemde)

Lilli het 1 les toe kon aanbied wat oor Transformation gaan, en ek self het toe aangebied oor die Kruis, Geestelike verwarring asook seksuele sondes. Daar was ander sprekers ook.
Dit was baie lekker om die kans gegee te word waar ons ons byle bietjie kan slyp sodra dit kom by toekomstige teaching moontlikhede.
Dit was ook amazing om te sien hoe God werk in mense se harte.
Maar dis meer AMAZING om te weet dat dit absoluut niks te doen het met hoe mooi Lilli is en of watse styl klere ek aan het nie, maar dat dit ALS oor die VADER gaan.

Wens ek kon vele meer met jul deel.

Vrede en Vreugde.

Back to School

We had an amazing three weeks at the first Church Planting School SOUTHERN AFRICA!

We knew this would be a an unforgettable experience, but I don't think we ever thought it would be life changing! (Like our MPD coach would say: We are 'ruined'! - meaning we would never be the same)

What made this so life changing?

The first week we discussed the essence of discipleship.

And the 'magic formula' is........

Intentional Relationship.

If we were to break down discipleship into it's simplest form, it is relationship. Think about it, why did Jesus disciple His Twelve? Out of need? Out of duty? No, LOVE. I.e. relationship.

The other reason I think this was so powerful was to walk with the Faith Giants: Floyd McClung, Steve Murrell, Bennie Mostert (although only for 10 minutes, it was still powerful!) and other absolutely amazing leaders! You can't stay in their presence and not be influenced!

Jurie and I are fired up, passionate and eager to equip the saints! Let me put it this way, since we have to start the Youth from scratch, it's not always easy to know exactly where to start, what to do, where to go...but this School has given us such clear direction, that we know for sure what we have to and want to do with the Youth. We are praying currently about a specific High School in Rustenburg, we've asked around but it doesn't seem like anyone is involved with this school spiritually. So, if it is God's will, we really want to pursue this and see if we can start something there. Even one small group will be enough.

Another thing that really pierced my heart was Steve Murrells' story (He is one of the co-founders of Every Nation) and in his book - Accidental Missionary - he wrote that he is 'n reluctant leader. And I thought by myself, 'Lilli, now you have no excuse!' This guy saw himself as a reluctant leader and currently their church is 54 000 members!!!!! WOW.

He also said, he only did what he knew he could do: he knew he had to disciple and he knew how to teach. And that is what he did. He would disciple newly believers and teach them how to disciple others and so the process went on (and is still going on for the last 27 years!). As Steve said: "the same ol' strokes".

So, in essence, discipleship is very simple: Build relationship, share your story, introduce them to Christ and tell them to go and do the same.

Of course, this process can sometimes take YEARS or it can take days. We have to be obedient and sensitive to the Spirit.

It's a journey.

But our hearts are on fire.

We love God, we want to obey His call to make disciples.

May God give amazing opportunities this week to build relationship and disciple people!

I DO!

About two weeks ago it was as busy at a beehive here at 44 Mispel Ave!

The bride was awake at 6, ready to beautify herself, radiating with joy and having a glow of "I'm getting married TODAY!" around her!  I, on the other hand, painted a different picture: Scurrying around getting the gazebo up, moving the chairs and then....it started drizzling... Uhm, we had plan B, but we REALLY want this wedding outside, under the trees, with the Chinese Lanterns hanging from the branches and the red carpet as the aisle... I did started praying, nearly making deals with the Lord, if He could just PLEASE hold off on the rain :)

But the day ended in a beautiful half sunny day!

But the story is more than this.

When we met Tammy & Konrad, our concern was their living together. And we didn't how to address the issue without either creating hurt or offense or worst case: disunity amongst the youth (we hardly knew them that time and didn't know how they would take the news).

But God (in His awesomeness) starting working in their hearts and in the end, they were more than just all ears, they were willing to take the step of faith.

This was all three months ago.

What did God do in the time being?

- God provided Tammy with a dress (FOR FREE!!!!!)

- The family provided snacks, so they didn't have to pay for catering

- The venue was free (Oom Louis and Tannie Rina said we could use their garden)

- Their rings' cost was minimal 

- Someone sponsored their honeymoon

And the lists goes on!

Jurie's message the best I have yet heard (and I'm not being biased).  He shared Ephesians 5 and gave such a clear, simple message what the different roles of husbands and wives are.  And then ended with what it means to submit: It's not so much the "bowing down" of yourself, but lifting up the other person.

But we'd rather have Tammy and Konrad share their hearts with you maybe next month!

Irene shares her heart...

Irene (one of our cellgroup members - see picture) was kind enough to share her heart with us. It is still a privilege to be amongst them! Over the next couple of months we will regularly post a piece written by the Youth themselves. And keep your eyes open for the wedding pics of Tammy & Konrad!

What connect group means to me

Im Irene, Im turning 21 this year, and I want to tell you what connect group has done for me.

Wow, if I have to say what connect group and youth means to me,I wouldn’t know where to begin.

The first night I met Jurie and Lilli they asked me so who am I and where do I come from, what is my story basically. They were so eager to get to know each one of us. So they started to lead the connect group.

They encouraged me to go to prayer hours, and not to feel ashamed of the way I pray, because God knows my heart. Im the kind that can talk on and on for hours, but when it gets to praying before people, hehe I climb into my shell. They did’nt give me even chance to think about it. I went and I felt amazing, it felt as if I took a huge step into my future.

That same week, I led 3 girls to our amazing Jesus Christ, I asked Jurie to pray for them at connect group to give their hearts. And they did without hesitation. The girls went through so much, but I couldn’t stop telling them how their lives would change for the better, they started to join me at nights to worship in my room and to do Bible study. I could see how much God worked in their hearts,aswell as in mine, I never thought that God could trust me so much.

That Sunday I gave a testimony in church, which I could never do !!! But Lilli asked me if I would feel comfortable, and I just asked God to speak through me, my nerves were up !!

I also learned what it meant to be silent so you can hear when God speaks to you, Lilli talked to me what it means to anoint your room,as I had to,and didn’t know the first thing about it. Talking to Lilli is like therapy for my soul.

Jurie once talked to me and gave me like a whole paper full of verses out of the Bible for how u can pray for someone, it wasn’t a week later and my sister started to go to connect group with me, after praying for a year. But she still didn’t want to go to church with me. Jurie said I should just be patient God will work with her. In this month she came twice to church, and there is a major change in her.

Connect group is one of my highlights in my week. I can be Irene there, I can cry, laugh or whatever , it’s my home. I can ask a question and get answers, straight answers. Connect group is my family, and I can truly say that everyone there has climbed so deep into my life and heart, I never want to be the old Irene. Each week, I can feel how much I grow in Faith, I just want to say thank you for Jurie and Lilli for allowing God to work through them with me.

GOD SE GLORIE

Op die ou end, is ek en jy niks nie, maar God in ons, is ons nuwe skepsels, skepsel vir eer, skepsel wat die AMAZING WONDERLIKE GLORIE VAN GOD KAN UITDRAE IN DIE WERELD. 

mense se harte kan rik vir die koninkryk, die ultimate lewensversekering makelaars wees, want al die premies is klaar betaal in bloed, mense moet net teken op die dotted line.

Gits, God is net te dinamies.................

KAROLES EN LENTE

Wat 'n fees was dit nie, om herhinder te word wat dit is om soos 'n kind ons Vader te aanbid.

Oom Karoles en Lente het kom optree die Sondag by ons kerk.  Ek het gedag dit gaan boring wees en onvolwasse, maar to hul eers Jesus se soldaatjie sing, toe spring die klein kind uit my uit, en ek begin net soos die 5 jariges my voete te stamp en my hande te swaai.

Wat n vreugde om so God te eer in aanbidding.  Niks wat jou terughou nie, geen status wat jy moet behou nie, net jy wat jou alles vir jou Pappa gee.  Ek het skoon vanoggend wakker geword met 'n kinder liedjie in my kop. Prys Home met die tromme, Prys Hom met die harp.

Ek sal nooit vergeet van die dae wat ek my male se ore seker doof gesing het in die kar, toe ek die loflaadjie baantjies so geluister het, dat hul al begin trek het, (ek verstaan nou hoekom Jan de Wet bietjie vals geklink het c",  ).

Die Vader kan ons so baie leer deur om net na 'n kind te kyk.

Cell Group Meeting

Howdy folk

First of all, sorry for the long time since I posted anything on our blog.

I need to tell you though about the awesome cell meeting that we had the other night.

One of our youth members came and asked us that we need to pray more in our meetings.  So to honor his request we did just that.

We first of all started with communion and spoke about Jesus' wonderful gift that He gave us by dying on the cross.

After that, we started to pray, and the Holy Spirit started to minister to us youngsters.

The amazing prayers that came out of that, was so refreshing, and it filled us with hope and joy.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

AMEN

BY GODS GRACE HE WILL ADD

Lilli and I needs to update you as our followers on the brilliant spectacular amazing .....

Some in our youth group was unfortunately on the receiving end of people that did not honour their privacy and discussed their spiritual struggles with some other people in the church. (and others just do not have any transport)

This caused them to get hurt and they decided not to attend any meeting again.

Thankfully they started to come to our cell group.

Lilli and myself knew that only by Gods' grace will they be able to set this behind them and join us for services and the stuffs.

Well this Sunday this specific youthful person out of the blue, without letting us know, joined us for service.

And the others that do not have transport, WALKED to church.

May God be glorified, for He is the One that heals and changes hearts.

Lilli was in tears with joy, and I was amazed to see that God was honouring Lilli and my self's handy work.

Gal 6 teaches that what you sow you shall reap.

OM DIE GELEENTHEID TE MIS

Die storie kom nou al 'n lang pad.

God is besig om in my hart iets te openbaar van die outoriteit wat ek/ons as gelowiges het in die liefde van ons Vader.

Matt 28:18 lees dat Jesus se dat alle outoriteit in hemel en op aarde aan Hom gegee is.

As ek/ons wedergebore is, en ons lewens is neergele, en ons leef dus in Hom dan, dan beteken dit dat ons het deur Sy genade alle outoriteit in hemel en ook op aarde.

Outoriteit oor wat?

Wel die Woord stel verder dat ons ( 2 Cor 10:4-6) wapens nie gevorm is in die vlees nie, maar magtig is en alle gedagtes tot Jesus tot gehoorsaamheid sal bring.

Wat van gedagtes/vestigings van siekte?

Wat van gedagtes/vestigings van armoede?

So word ek toe aangespoor om te begin loop in die wete dat dieselfde Heilige Gees wat Jesus uit die dood opgewek het, leef nou in my.  So dit is belangrik om volgens Markus 16:16-18 en 1 Cor 2:4 om nie net die goeie boodskap te gee nie, maar dit met liefde gestig met die Gees se krag.

Maar ek moet se, ek het so n geleentheid gemis, om vir n man wat seergekry het tydens n touch-rugby wedstryd te bid.

Gelukkig het God my toe convict en nie condemn oor dit nie.

So wat het God vir my gese?

Ek moet meer by Sy voete gaan sit.  Wat n mens is in sy gebedslewe is wat die mens is in die samelewing.

Ek por jul aan.  Moenie God se geleenthede mis nie.  Gaan berei jouself voor met ywer om altyd in gereedheid te staan.

Vrede en Vreugde vir jul

God is working!

It was our last Bible teaching class of this term. I have to admit, I feel a bit sad, the girls have crept into my heart with their typical Gr. 8 vibrancy and being inquisitive!

Normally they ask me loads of questions regarding evolution and do we really come from apes etc, and I still steer a bit clear of that subject - I have to do LOTS of studying before I can teach about that, Jurie is awesome with this topic being very apologetic, but eish...not my scene!

But I felt this week to share with them what God is busy sharing with me: Faith Confessions.  What are we saying? What do we fill our hearts and minds with and then speak?

I haven't been talking for 10 minutes, when I saw one of the girls are wiping away tears.  At first I thought, no, maybe she has something in her eye?  But afterwards she couldn't get to me quick enough to chat!

What a beautiful girl! She is a natural beauty, but you can see she has the Spirit in her, and she shines!

But I had the opportunity to really minister to her.  The enemy has come to steal from her, and she didn't know how to "retaliate". And just there on the lawn, we gave her some advise, prayed for her and as soon as I got home I sms'ed some Scriptures. Hopefully she'll come to join us at our Lifegroup or youth events on Fridays!

I feel so privileged that God trust me with these amazing, wonderful, beautiful girls.  Even when they are not part of Kruislig, they still want the Living Water.

I still can't believe that I doubted whether we really have to be here and work with the youth...the need is sooooo big!  I wish I could cut myself in 3 pieces to go and do the work at once :) And that is exactly why we need to disciple people and empower them to go and do the same!

God, You are awesome!!!

FiRsT LiFeGrOuP

This past Wednesday was our first official get-together with our youth. (for the moment there is a couple of young adults also joining us, but hey, the more the merrier!)

We send out an sms to say come one come all (and bring a friend or two) and they really surpassed my wildest expectations! We were a full ELEVEN! (and for me that is awesome, because we only have 5 youth in our church...)

But the one, most amazing, thing for me that I want to share, is the fact that 3 girls commited their life to Christ! So I know there was definitely one big party in heaven! When I drove back after dropping them off at the hostel, I thought in my heart: we may not have lots of money, but we have SOULS!

So now they are being discipled and I want to say WATCH THIS SPACE! :)

Please pray with us: we want the youth to really grow in their walk with Christ, to know and understand God's amazing love for them and to discern the Truth (and not live according to the lies in this world).

I read Colossians 1 yesterday, and what the writer prayed for the church there, I really want to pray over the youth:

1. that they may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

2. that they may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him , being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

3. strengthened in all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;

4. giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints.

In just a short time span with our amazing peeps, i have picked up on alot of hurt and uncertainty. I'm trusting God for major spiritual breakthroughs!

(we'll upload a picture shortly!)

CHURCH CAMP

What an amazing opportunity to spend with our spiritual family!

We strategically don't plan any spiritual sessions, as we want the congregation to build stronger family bonds, get to know one another and have fun (of course!).

And it is just what we did!

(Just to explain, when one organise a camp with spiritual sessions, people tend to focus inwards, and since our goal is not to be focused inward, but to really get to know one another, it will defeat the purpose we are there.  We still gave everyone the freedom to minister if they feel the need to).

It was such a privilege to work with our "partners in crime" - the other two families whose responsibility it is to organise the camp.  For both Jurie and I it was a whole new, different experience (even if we had previous camp experience).

Riaan mentioned the other day about doing what we do in excellence, well people, these two families taught me a thing about excellence!  

We started camp with some icebreakers and Potjie! (I think it is a number 10 pot?? It's the biggest one I've seen in my life!)  Saturday we had some fun and games with a GPS treasure hunt and raft building.  You could easily spot the "competitive" ones amongst us! But it was worth while.  Francois is a keen Geo-cacher (please google it, it is amazing!) where you hide things in obscure places all around the world (apparently the games started as a test, to see whether GPS is really so accurate).  And he hid the clues in logs, in a stone (with a hole in), in a tap....Truly remarkable!  (the clues are hidden in small containers like pill holders).

The raft building was just as much fun. I have to say, it's a whole other story when children build it! It went by so quickly (and we tried to make it difficult...)

On Sunday we had informal church. we broke up into smaller groups and shared communion with each other. It was special for me to see how families use it together!  (the group we were had a little boy in.  And as we are drinking the grape juice, explaining it is Jesus' blood, he asks, "Why does Jesus have purple blood?" It was a precious moment!) 

And we ended camp with a baptism.  It's always such a big celebration for me personally, so I have to admit I was crying like a baby!  We are doing a "marriage course" with this couple, and the change in Shaun's life after the baptism is amazing.  We serve a God that is so intricately involved with EVERYONE.  When you truly follow God, you can't stay the same, you HAVE to change.  And by the change I see: They are definitely serving God !!

All in all, it was great to meet the bigger family, to socialise together and to know we all love God to bits.  Can't wait for next year!