Ich liebe dich - I love you

This song is one of my favourite songs rightnow. Sorry guys that it is in German: here is the translation: "Jesus, ...I don;t have a lot for you but your also appreciate the little that I bring to you from deepest heart. Jesus, what could I do your you? Your hand guides me and prepares the way. And I know you see me as I am standing here before you. Your GRACE is sufficient although I can see my weakness and I am coming just as I am because I am not able any other way and I look up to YOU and praise YOU. I love you because you have loved me first yes I love you because you have paid so much for me yes I love you, I love you, I love you! Jesus, what would I be without YOU. YOu have given me so much. Your love lets me live! Jesus, you know I need you. YOu are the air in my throat and the breath of my soul. And I know you see me as I am standing here before you. Your GRACE is sufficient although I can see my weakness and I am coming just as I am because I am not able any other way and I look up to YOU and praise YOU. I LOVE YOU because you loved me first, yes I LOVE YOU yes I love you because you have paid so much for me yes I love you, I love you, I love you!

Face like a flint (Isaiah 50:7)

Isaiah 50:7 (New International Version) 7 Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.

I was reminded of this verse yesterday. God gave it to me years ago when I was an intern in Oregon.Yesterday as I was praying, I was thinking of this verse again. You know, the first time that I came across this piece of Scripture was actually in my first weeks of being a Christian. I did not know the Bible really then. But I knew that I needed to persevere. All hell had broken lose after I declared Jesus the Lord of my life. One thing in particular was my relationship to my fiance back then.I was bombarded with really evil stuff. Especially my mind was a battle ground of its own.I knew I had to hold on to Jesus - that was all that made sense to me. The friend that had brought me to Christ, prayed for me that Jesus might set my mind like a flint. I really liked that prayer for that is what I so so needed. I could actually picture it and made it my daily prayer to Jesus:

Please make my mind like flint!

That is when I first got to know the verse. Later as I learned more and more to read the Bible, I studied this vese, this passage. Having a mind like flint is all about an attitude just like Jesus had on the cross (Phil 2). He set his mind like flint when the darkness came and HE for -the first time- felt the loneliness and seperation from HIS Father...He felt all our sin and shame...HE needed that mind to be set like a flint!

So here I am and I say: Because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.

My mind is hard now against all the lies ot the enemy..... and my heart knows that I won't be put to shame because I trust in Jesus and Jesus alone!

On Eagle's Wings

It is said that the eagle is the only bird that actually flies higher when a storm is coming. The eagle flies higher and higher to be in the end above the storm

It's tuesday and today I am with Jesus 9 years, 8 months and 6 days. I realize I live in the time and day of God's grace and mercy (Psalm 145). I come before HIM with a heavy heart.It's hard to define even really why my heart is heavy. I kind of know why but still I know that my God is with me in everything. I have a lot to be thankful for and I am thankful!! (a new appartment and the end of a nomad life living out of 1 suitcase this week!!) At the same time, I know that I can fly on HIS eagle's wings higher than this storm, higher than this storm of transition that rattles my soul, higher than this storm of worry. Up there, I will be able to focus again, up there my soul can rest knowing that my God, my Deliverer does not only take great care of me but of my friends and my family as well!I love to be on HIS eagle's wings. So that's where you will find me today! And only through His mercy and grace, I can find myself there. He is faithful, His words are sure, He never changes and HE knows me. He knows YOU , too!!

YOuth-Worship

It's monday today , so today is YOUTH night here at Coastlands Community Church. In the office I was asked to create some youth slides for the announcements at church. I had fun playing around with some pictures and what you see here is what I came up with. We are currently in a series about WORSHIP. I pray that God's Spirit transforms us all as we draw near and worhsip...with all we have and wherever we are. I can worship God by being good at the things I do, by thanking HIM, by trusting HIM... All those things have not come that easy to me in the last few weeks. I let the god of WORRY reign way too muc. I was confronted with some fears that run really deep. I could see how the limbic system in my brain would kick in again and again. I let doubts come in which made it harder to trust. I am so thankful that Jesus loves me irrespective of all that. He is outragously in love with me and I receive this today!

I worship God Adonnai, my Jehovah Jireh, my Strong Tower, my FOREVER.

likePartners

This morning as I was eating my breakfast at the guesthouse, I was looking outside. What a beautiful day, I thought. The sun was shining; I could see the mountain clearly; and the color green was absolutely stunning. Then my gaze fell on the two trees standing very close to each other. I thought: " Each tree is different, yet they grew very close to each other. They keep each other company, they share life with each other". It is a beautiful picture how I view two partners in life. Both different from each other, yet close to each other. My heart longs for such a person and God knows. I was encouraged by how nature again could display a picture of God's truth and my longing so perfectly.

Dear dear Jesus, my Jeshua, my forever, thank you for this picture and thank you for being here with me. Thank you. I love you with all my heart, soul and mind, with all I have! Kerstin Sunshine

favor

I am back in Cape Town and on the mission to relax and find rest. I am able to do so in a very nice guest house I was booked in because I have not found an appartment yet. That guest room (roomS) is amazing, really great and I will take the most of it. I am experiencing the Lord's favor in many ways. I had a good reentry back here. My car started after 7 weeks of no movement without a problem. I am proud of Snowflake, ma own car. I missed it. On my flight from Frankfurt to Johannesburg, I got Champaign and a rose as the winner of the day (I was challenged to guess the volume of liters put into those waggons the flight attendands have to push).

Carrying that rose, everone smiled at me, so I had no problems at customs or anything. I take it slow

Germany09

Here are some impressions from my time in Germany! Enjoy!!!

Africa (live, HQ)

Please check this one out! It is an amazing version of the song AFRICA by ToTo....even the thunderstorm :=) Thank YOU God for calling me to SOUTH AFRICA

MOVIEwithPARENTS

This time my parents and I went to a movie. We did that the last time I was here. Then we went to see Ratatouille. Now we went to see ICE AGE 3. It was a fun time although my mom had problems with her back and legs. My parents are absolutely fun-loving people. My mom enjoyed Ice Age 3 immensely. I am glad for she really had a hard time with her back. I love my parents and it is fun going to the movies with them 

HONORcareSERVE

HONOR – CARE – SERVE These three words have formed in my heart. God is talking to me about those three words. It’s about my stay here in Germany, here with my parents, here in God’s will. Honor your parents – Care for your parents and let them see you care deeply – Serve them with all you have while Jesus will show Himself to them in it! I am thinking about it, I am meditating on it: What does HONOR mean? I respect my parents; I love them so much that I want them to have dignity. I am thinking about the words I utter in front of them. I encourage them and help them see the good things in a day. I give them my attention, listen to them and help them feel important with all their thoughts and worries and fears. What does CARE mean? I am there for them. I help my dad to understand how things work with the computer. I don’t take them for granted. I help my mom with everything in the kitchen. I love on them and utter my appreciation for them. They are my priority. What does SERVE mean? I wash their feet. I guess these 3 words play into each other. I serve them by giving them time…quality time. God told me to MAKE IT COUNT when I am here. That I is what I want to do. God has let my heart swell with Love for my parents and now is the time to show it, now is the time to let them see it, now is the time to practice it! HONOR – Care – Serve!!!!

In Frankfurt now!

Yesterday I flew in. It is still like a dream but I am sitting in my parents’ apartment right now. The jetlag hits me pretty bad in the afternoon. I am glad I made it through the evening and went to bed after 10pm which was good to get my body to the European Central Time Zone. As I went for a walk yesterday I listened to the birds. There are some birds that are pretty local here which means I don’t hear those in South Africa. One example is the AMSEL aka blackbird I love this bird. It can mimic the whistle you give and learn it in seconds. I read an article once that those birds were even able to mimic a ring tone of a cell phone. Yeah , they are pretty sharp. It was so refreshing to hear them. I am thinking about what BEING A SERVANT mean; what it means in my life right now. How can I care with God’s love without getting dry inside…without becoming overwhelmed. I always come back to God’s Sovereignty. Boy, am I glad for that. I want to do what I see the Holy Spirit do. I want to make it count! Every day! In the hands of God I will fall, rest for the restless and the weary, hope for the sinner. In the hands of God I stand tall- His hands are mighty to deliver, giving me freedom (Newsboys).

My time in Gresham/Oregon

All those wonderful 3 weeks in Gresham are behind me now. ALREADY! It was such a joy coming HOME again. I met friends and new people. I had time to relax while walking in a park or lying on the green green grass looking up into the sky. I felt extremely blessed to see friends that now live in Phoenix and Bend while I was there. God gave us an opportunity to meet. It all widened my heart, it made my heart swell. It made me feel so thankful of knowing all those people. Things that I had missed while in South Africa were Coffee from the Pacific Northwest (Star bucks/Coffee People/Seattle’s best/Silk etc.), Taco Bell (Yes, Taco Bell!!) and long chats with friends. I took lots of pictures but took even more with the camera of my heart. Many of my friends had a baby now since I had been there last. So every day a new Baby and were really great!!!! I loved and treasured my friends sharing their lives with me!!!! A weird little tummy bug got me for a day or two which made it hard for me to prepare for the weekend I was scheduled to share from the platform at East Hill Church. I gained new insights, was able to function in new gained truths and prayed with dear dear people. I won’t forget some really great divine appointments (Megan, blessings to you, Lady!!).