Participant Blogs

8 x 8 = Sitting on my dad's lap

By: Marlene Putter

 

I was a greenish eyed curly blond hair little girl at the age of 10 when life's problems and questions started creeping into my life.

 I realised that people wear shoes everywhere – even on the soft green grass – and within a few years that will be expected of me. I saw the little boy begging for money outside the McDonalds, and I wondered about his life. My friend told me that Santa Clause didn't really exist and I had a hard time convincing her. I started to question why people are always in a hurry to get to the next place while they just arrived a few moments ago. I wondered why people didn't work for fun but for money. I had to eat all my vegetables before leaving the table with mealtimes. And with all of these things swirling around in my mind another big problem hit me – the eight times table.

 

Sunrise. I have always thought about sunrises and sunsets as God's own special living painting for us to show us just a small piece of His greatness and His glory. On this specific day I got up very early and was excited to watch yet another breaking of the day as the darkness will be chased away by the red, orange and yellow colors playing on the horizon. Staring out over the ocean it slowly became lighter and lighter but as it got lighter my disappointment grew more and more -the dark clouds were blocking the rays of the sun. Feeling cheated and grumbling about getting up very early just to stare at dark clouds I asked God were His beautiful sunrise is. The answer? "It is still there, you just have to look at it from above the clouds."

Knowing that the sun will rise again tomorrow I left to go and face the day, not yet knowing that through this sunrise God was preparing me for this specific day and teaching me a lesson that I would carry with me the rest of my life…

 

It is all about perspective - Luke 10 

Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said – "We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience."

 

No human plan, no route, no set destination, no accommodation, not knowing one person's name in the whole country - we stepped off the plane in Cuba as Global Challenge Distant Island pioneering group. We were uncertain of many things, but the one thing we were certain of was that our almighty God was in total control. Few people ever get the chance or create the opportunity for God to be in total control and be totally dependant on him for your next step. And how He did show us that He is in control...

 

 

The End

By: Marlene Putter

 

The end of the circle is usually also the beginning of the next one... depending on how you decide to view it.

The Bible can be a book or it can be God's living words... depending on how you  decide to view it.

A path leading up to a river can mean a dead end or the possibility of a future bridge... depending on how you decide to view it.

Death can mean the end of life or the beginning of eternity... depending on how you decide to view it.

 

God challenged me on the way I view things....

 

"27 March 2012 – 12 April 2012 : Cayman Islands"

This what was written on our itinerary we received for this year, but now looking back, I realize that it isn't the dates that matter but the dash in between those dates. That dash represents all our days and all our hours in Cayman weather it was spend praying, having fellowship with people, practising for the church service we presented, cooking, helping to fix a lady's home after a hurricane or explaining to the kids next door over the fence that Jesus loves them. That dash carries every moment.

Picture yourself under a palm tree with the breeze in your hair looking out into the crystal clear blue green ocean with the waves breaking on the white sand.

Sounds like paradise right? Wrong.

 

The meaning of the word: CHILD

Ever read a well known verse in the Bible, and realized that although you know this verse well, you never before stopped at the verse to let it really have an impact your life? You then also realize that you have never really understood the verse. It is usually at that moment that you and God set offon a new journey of discovery and revelation.

Matt 18:3 “...unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (NIV)

Crowns to Glorify God

Phillipians 4:11-12

"...for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want"

Hong Kong was a country of "plenty" for our team, being spoiled by South Africans with South African products like biltong, droёwors, Woolies' boerewors and even koeksisters and beskuit. I quickly realised how easy it is to get caught up in every day’s things within a “normal functioning home”. It took some discipline to make time to spend with God, but I got blessed with so many new teachings and revelations from Him.

 

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Personally I feel that no human words will be able to describe the past two month's training. We have gone through deliverance, healing of hearts, hours of worship, prayer and just spending time with the Lord. In the past few days God has also blessed group members including myself with spiritual gifts, so we can get to know Him even more intimately and serve His people. I will try to share with you my experience through a poem I wrote yesterday.   Launching of my plane... Now there it stands shimmering in the light of the sun, And so many...