Thursday 28 January 2016

MY Blog Address has Changed

Hi Everyone

After a frustrating time with the company I registered my blog with a year ago, I decided not to register my domain name again. So my blog is now parked at setapartwarrior.blogspot.co.za
With it being a blogspot again, it also offers https, which means your browsing is more secure!

I know there has been some questions and I have received emails from people who thought my blog has disappeared, but be assured I'm not going anywhere! Please just use the new address as the old one doesnt work anymore!

Have a blessed Wednesday all - I'm in bed with flu, sniff....

 

Friday 22 January 2016

When your Heart's not Home anymore

 I was sitting in the passenger seat of the car today and thinking about how my heart has left the place we once called home. The past two weeks have made my husband and I change our thought patterns about where we wanna be. But even before that, something changed. We have been living in this home now for 4 years and we came here to the country, for peace and quiet, to be restored and to be mended. We came here broken but in answering the call, the call to teach people the Bible and to shepherd. We answered that call and did it, now we no longer teach but invest in our online ministry and in to the lives of others via our international reach. We have come apart from what we first did here, piece by piece, web by web, one strand at a time. And we are free, healed, restored and desiring the new thing. Word after word, since mid last year we have received the promise for an open door. We are still waiting faithfully for that door and we are expectant for it.

These passed two weeks however, we have had to endure cruel assualt from a neigbor which resulted in us having to get a protection order but the victimising has not stopped. It has continued, through others in our complex block where we live. In our innocence we have become the outcasts, the people who are treated bad and everyday it gets worse, I dont even want to get in to it. I am a pretty private person, not always sharing my personal problems at length but here we are and this is no longer home anymore.

For years I worked hands on counselling abused women and working as a trauma worker where I went with the police to get women from their homes. It was intense and it was rewarding but I saw first hand the damage secondary victmisation does to people. The community abuse, the church abuse, the way people side with perpetrators of crimes, abuse and all sorts of evil. The victim often becomes the hunted and it was terrible to watch. Now, we face our own valley but we stand deep, stand firm in what God has promised us this week. In these situations God becomes bigger, He reveals Himself deeper and stronger, His magnitude more real.

Home. A place I want to go to, a place only God can give. Home, a place I work from, a sanctuary for God's presence. A Tabernacle, a comfort. Home, God please help us find the new one on the horizon, confirmation after confirmation is here, its time for a new chapter, we know it, we feel it, let your will be done!

FMF - His arms open with Presents

Five minute Friday, this week's prompt is present! GO!


This week, crazy. Beating heart, quick steps. Walk slowly beside the King of Kings. Hearing noises all around - knowing that the situation is hard but walking slowly, companion deep in the companionship with the One who Comforts.

Arms open wide, I run in. Mouth open wide, I drink from His precious words, this week my wall growing fuller from His many promises, stuck up on my wall, painting cool cement. I see them all - His precious words and I touch the paper, more then just words.

God of Peace, The Strong God, Warrior God, God of Justice, the Just God. The never sleeping nor slumbering God. The unfailing, Magnificent God. The Lover, the all Encompassing God. Stand Firm, in opposition to evil - I hear these words and I tremble in my standing, tremble with precious victory. These words, Heaven - birthed, they resound in to my heart, presents from His precious nail - pierced hands, big enough to hold my beating heart. I am an Israelite fleeing through the Red Sea, but on the other side I am safe, tambourine in hand, I sing. Here I stand on a riverbank of victory, armed with Presents of Justice, mercy and Love all from the Loving God, the Great I am.... I drink deep....

STOP! Linking with Five Minute Friday Community

Tuesday 19 January 2016

The Gentle, Just and Righteous One

 It's sweltering here where we live, El Nino is taking his toll. The warm air lifting up its heavy fist and pounding it in to this tip of Africa. Things are dying, fire is eating at vegetation and its hot, oh so very hot. The heat confounds, makes me bump in to things even though I am well hydrated beneath a hot air circulating fan. Not a Summer person but here I am, confounded by heat's marked presence - the sun is straining up there, feeling bad at its tempest shining. It knows we are sweltering, burning beneath its waves, she feels bad up there. You can see it on her face, but I still manage to smile, wink and say thank you that my washing basket is now empty. Only thirty minutes to dry the bedding.

We drove to the grocery store just a few supplies and as we pulled up one of my favourite birds, black and orange was perched on a low pipe. The pipe was dripping and the bird was gaping, opening and closing its mouth, sucking in all the air its tiny lungs could grab. Then she hopped and shifted places, a friend of hers jumped down and took her place on the pipe. Bending over she began to drink and as I strained my eyes to see, little drops of cool, sweet water trickled from the finger pipe and that bird did drink, freely. It was such a precious sight to see these birds hopping, changing positions, sharing free water in the summer heat, clever little angels. There's something about unexpected sights that seem to stir the heart to peace, to wonder. Something so precious in unexpected wonders that stir the heart to believe even if it's carrying weight of wheeze. The God of Wonderful surprises.

A single photo to my phone, a ring, a tissue and something too big to describe. Did they get engaged after 14 years? Did my brother finally propose to this woman who has persevered through all his reservations and wedding - no's! Yes they did and tears filled my eyes, the God of wonders, of ecstatic miracles.

A heavy, shiny wooden bench, we shifted our weight outside the office door, beside the man with the broken shoe. Do you think we got it? my husband asked. Sure, I smiled trying to hang on to belief as its thread dangled in the wind that tried to tear it apart. Our turn. We smiled at the clerk and took our seats, he carefully handed over our forms. Court date end Feb, protection order granted, HalleluYah!
The Strong God, the Just King.

Cool water, swirling leaves, we dip our bodies beneath the shedding tree. Casual conversation, my eyes with tears, so much burden but shared beneath the wilting leaves. Lighter, cooelr in the shade, where the squirrels dance and the doves coo. The sun begins to dip and evening shade brings us to this place where it is cooler, and peaceful. The God who brings friendship.

My life is wrapped up, held up by the Everlasting Arms. Arms raised up by the Strong God, the God of Peace, the Righteous Judge, the Great I am. A single smile from the heart praises to God, the God of Happiness....

Sharing with small wonders

Friday 15 January 2016

It takes time - I tell myself

Five Minute Friday! Go!

 
"It takes time," I tell myself, right before I fall asleep. "It takes time" as I hold my hubby's hand and finally fall asleep. The same words I told so many other people when I saw them for trauma counselling, it takes time. To get over traumatic situations, just like we encountered this week when my husband and I were verbally and emotionally threatened and intimidated by a couple who attacked my husband in our apartment block, just because my husband was doing his job. It takes time, to finally receive our restraining order from the courts, something we had to apply for, to protect us against this crazy duo downstairs. And it takes time to allow the trauma of the situation to settle. Taking time to allow God to heal, to cry and to go through those emotions, trauma brings. I know them, I studied them, I helped others breath through them and I tell myself time. And I know all the time, God has been so amazing this week, deeper in to His Love, deeper in to the heart whispers inside of me. It takes time. For justice to be done, when there just is so litte of it and that's the world we live in. People harm others with no remorse or no let up but we are still standing, in God's embrace, with greater hunger and desire. It takes time and I am so thankful God that You own all of time.... and that You hold me so tight, all of the time...

STOP!
 Linking with Kate FMF

Wednesday 6 January 2016

China Ends its One - Child Policy


Last year I took on a writing position to bring more amazing content to a local online Magazine here where we live! I am really enjoying bringing more content to this platform. Today, they published a short article I wrote on China and its One Child Policy. This is an issue so close to my heart and I just want to tell everyone about it! Please give the article a read! 

China and its One Child Policy

Friday 1 January 2016

"Word" for 2016 - Wide Open Space

I have drawn with bated breath, the calm excitement within to know and to share the word my Gracious God has given me for my life this year. Mid - December, I started praying about what He would have me know for the coming year ahead. And He led me immediately to Psalm 18.

  He brought me out to a wide-open space.
        He rescued me because he was pleased with me.

  I waited for the further confirmation and He led me to Isaiah 54: 2 - 3.

Enlarge the place of your tent,
    stretch your tent curtains wide,
    do not hold back;
lengthen your cords,
    strengthen your stakes.
For you will spread out to the right and to the left;

    your descendants will dispossess nations
    and settle in their desolate cities.

When I started studying the words so much jumped out at me, truly God has promised me "wide open space." This is my "word" of promise this year and I have need of it. As in years gone by, no one can know how their road of life will pan out, and I know this wide open space will unravel in ways I never expected, but my heart is in it!
This afternoon as I drove out in to the Winelands to meet a friend, I followed the winding road and suddenly I was looking out at the beautiful farms. The vineyards, the green fields, horses and ponies and I breathed in deeply, I felt my breath catch and my soul was refreshed. This is what wide open space looks like. As the natural space overtook me, I heard the words of a random song playing on my car radio - "Spirit, lead me where my trust is without borders...."

Without borders? That's wide open space! And I love to sing this song and belt this part of the song out with intense emotion. Yes, as I drove in to the Winelands, I had been feeling sad somewhere inside, waiting on God for something specific but sensing the sadness there. Then this beautiful picture and a beloved song. Wide open space is trust without borders. That's lesson 1.

To 2016 and all God has for us, on our winding journeys of life. I pray you will know HIm deeper, hear Him clearer and just know that you are deeply loved and special! Big Hugs from the winding road to open space!