Peace and Joy from South Africa!
Many of you know we recently came thru a very challenging, but miraculous season. While still running a very busy ministry base/MCV, we hosted the Iris Mission School for three weeks. This included organizing outreaches and practical ministry for 220 people while doing the everyday stuff for MCV (like chasing down a Health Inspection certificate and finishing four major reports for Social Services with help from our team) and keeping up with an very active Preschooler and toddler:)
Sadly, we cannot share that we soared victoriously thru the season. Instead, we got the balance wrong towards the end and experienced an epic crash and burn. We were blessed with a vacation house on the beach for two weeks, but Jean still ended up hospitalized with tonsillitis and I struggled getting out of bed in the morning…
Some people might say we were crazy to even do it. Maybe we have a ‘lack of boundaries’ or need to say “No” more often. There is some truth to the above wisdom. We confess to doing a few things wrong and desperately want to learn from this season. In the future, we hope to delegate more and take better care of ourselves/family time. However, we got something very right too.
The Bible is full of people who said ‘Yes’ to God in the midst of great personal sacrifice, persecution, and trails. Paul even despaired of his very life at one point. Talk about unhealthy ministry! Tent-making, beatings, prison- God asked Paul to do some pretty hard and ‘unreasonable’ things.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed- always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the LIFE of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. 2 Cor 4:7-10
I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me. Phil 4:13
Please pray with us to keep our YES fully/holy unto God- not moving into self-preservation. Most missionaries pack their bags at this point. We have watched them do it over and over. We may be a bit battered, but there is no other place we would rather be than in His will. What about you dear one? Does God have your wholehearted “Yes?” Or do we offer Jesus a limited contract based on personal terms and conditions? No matter what we face- Jesus is worth it! As we go into the best time of the year- let us proclaim CHRIST-A-MUST this Christmas!
We love you so much! We are together in His many expressions of love transforming South Africa. One day, we will all stand before our Beloved Jesus and every act of love/sacrifice/obedience shall be richly rewarded. So until He thanks you, we do!
