Divine encounters

I am thankful and thank God for a weekend that HE gave me: I was invited to a prayer and encouraging weekend by a dear friend. Another lady joined us and I feel that it was a divine encounter. God led us into prayer and fellowship with HIm and HE directed the weekend!!

19th of January 2000- Lausanne/Switzerland

I found this picture and my heart bounced! This was right after I was welcomed into God's family 8 years ago in a very nice little appartment in Lausanne at a Bible study. I loved that appartment. When I entered that appartment for the first time, I sensed such peace in there. I had been longing for that kind of peace for all my life. It was in december 1999 for a Christmas party. Man, I was so glad that there was no CHristian style ...any Christian stuff around, only games and fellowship. Good party, Christine!!! I do remember well :) I still sense this peace when I enter appartments....it is like my soul exhales and I feel God's peace! Good stuff!!!!Good times!!!

My 8 years with JESUS!Wonderful celebration!

Yes, I am now proud and 8 years old = 8 years with Jesus-8 years with so many experiences...mostly to see that I can trust my GOD. GOD my heavenly Father has proven HIMself faithful to me every day. It is not about feelings although I am a very emotional person. Thus I had to learn a lot at the beginning of my faith life. In my first 3 months, I followed Jesus showing me I should break up with my longtime boyfriend and fiance M. for HE had something better in mind for me. It was hard to see for me but my yearning for Jesus was stronger than everything else. Through depression and confusion Jesus guided me and led me to wonderful people in Frankfurt. I found my first real church family in a small town near Frankfurt where I learned and learned and learned so much. After 3 years Jesus led me on to a Foursquare church in Fankfurt where I have been til this very day: Ichthys Gemeinde. It is there that I got baptized again following the Lord's voice. 8 years of such life!!! I cannot live without Jesus although it is not always easy (and that is the truth) but without Jesus it would be hell. I was close to that place for years and so appreciate the light Jesus has brought me to. Yes I heard God himself say to my heart that HE would take care of things. That was on a little tiny road in Lausanne Switzerland 8 years and 10 days ago.So much more has happened since then: Jesus is alive and I am so honored to be able to witness this. 8 Years full of life...you know...life with Jesus is so much more lively than without....it is ......full of sense...of hope and of love. God is helping me to learn that HE loves me...I have been learning of HIS Love and cannot get enough for I don't seem to get it that well ( it is a process). So yesterday was the 19th of January. I celebrated my 8th birthday with Jesus like this: My mom and I had a long and good German breakfast. She wanted me to have a good start into that special day (WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!), then I met my very good friend Ines for lunch and coffee and then 4 other good friends joined us downtown Frankfurt to have coffee and chat and fellowship. I was so happy...no...that is the wrong word....I felt so full of joy, so honored to spend that 8th birthday with special friends. See I do that every year, I celebrate my birhtday with Jesus every year for it is something special!!!!!!!! If you want to you can read about how God got a hold of me 8 years ago right here.

Glory to God in the Highest! He uses me with all my flaws, I don't have to be perfect for HIm to touch people through me!!!!!

I am honored in the midst of a storm

So, monday I was able to send in all my papers needed for the visa. BUT today I got a call from the consulate in Berlin saying they need 2 more documents that are not that easy to get. !!!! Yes, it is a storm and I am learning to live in this, not to survive or to die in it BUT to live in this storm. My nerves are pretty thin and I hang on to Jesus because that is the only thing I know. As I am processing all this, I went on my friend Christine' blog and found a beautiful little blog entry about me. I am honored, Christine and humbled at the same time!! Look here: BLOG to read the short blog entry. I was thrown back thinking of God being so gracious to give me the courage and strength to embark on this adventure of my life.

I can only say: 1 Corinthians 10:13!!!!!!!

Misty Edwards song I'M YOURS

Here is the song I blogged about just before- enjoy! In the middle of the night, my heart it yearns.....

I AM YOURS dear Lord of mine!

I've just listened to a powerful song I totally forgot about. I listened to it 2 or 3 years ago when I was in the States and nearly had a nervous breakdown from too much. My pastor told me to listen to the songs of Misty Edward and to paint hidden away from everthing and everyone. I did. It was hard at first to be alone with God wihtout any other person BUT God knows I needed it badly. I painted and sank away in the Lord's presence and I listened to one song in particular- it is called: I AM YOURS by Misty Edwars. It is beautiful and strong...just touched my heart so much again and pulled me before the throne in such a good and healing way. Tears are wonderful and healing tears are the best. I want to share this song with you,here are the lyrics:

Though I sleep, My heart is awake Though it's night, on You I wait (Repeat) It's been a long night, And I am weary It's been a long time, And I am hungry So I'll wait in the stillness again I'll wait in the quiet again When I heard Your voice When You said my name When I heard Your voice My heart it yearned (Repeat) In the middle of the night In the middle of the night In the middle of the night My heart it yearns (Repeat) Though You're far away, Still I'm here to say I am Yours, I am Yours And when You feel so far away, Still I am here to say: I am Yours, I am Yours (Repeat x 3 set) And I pay my vows, No turning around I'm burn the bridges that can't be found (Repeat) For when I heard Your voice And You said my name When I heard Your voice My heart it yearned… For You…

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers- Liebe ist stark!!

Wow, this book took my breath away-it let me read until dawn and not want to sleep or eat until I had finished it. It made me come closer to understand God's love for me. I am moved to tears thinking about my God. This book is about a prostitute's life and how after years in slavery God told a righteous and Godfearing man to marry and love her unconditionally. Michael Hosea did and this love totally got through to me. It is God's love for me, a sinner, for me, someone who always runs back to her pride, to the ways I know best, to sin and lies sometimes. I am so glad to be called Daughter of the KING, daughter of the MOST HIGH God. I am so glad that I finally heard God's soft voice talking to me nealry 8 years ago on that road in Lausanne, Switzerland. I heard HIM say: it's all right, I am going ot take care of it. Oh and how He has since then!!! 8 Years of change, of healing , of pain but of hope and love.

God, help me to understand your love for me better and better. I do not want to run away form you or mistrust you anymore. Here I am, your little Angel! My Beloved!!!

The book is simply stunning

H.E.A.L. with Jesus - a diagram

This is what I see Jesus showing me for my calling...in South Africa and beyond! May the broken be healed, may Christ be proclaimed!!!

H.E.A.L. with Jesus- the five finger mission statement

The following will help us all to focus on what God has called me to in South Africa and beyond. As simple as a hand, so is what I believe the Lord is showing me for my life. A hand has 5 fingers, four fingers and one thumb to bind them together. When I see a hand, I see four fingers showing the mission statement and one thumb to bind all together symbolizing Jesus through whom I am able to do this. Only with Jesus I am able to point to healing and restoration, to encouragement and accountability and to healthy leadership as well. The hand is only complete with the thumb.

One finger stands for H.ealing and restoration- this means the process a person needs to get unstuck, to see change and to be restored inside out. Another finger stands for E.ncouragement and exhortation- this means the importance of giving encouraging words during a healing process. Another finger stands for A.ccountability and Application- this means to stay in reach of others, to share deep thoughts and emotions with others and to let specific people talk into our lives. Application is a very important component. It means that I need to be practical and to have tools ready to be applied in real life! The fourth finger stands for L.eadership and constant learning- It is important to know what healthy leadership is and also that we need to learn constantly. The thumb symbolizes Jesus and HIS role in this mission. He is the beginning and the end and through Him I will be able to be God’s hand extended.

This hand shall be extended to an aching world in need of healing and restoration, in need of a change, in need of life, in need of JESUS.