“You’re gonna do what?!” We’re going on a tour around the world for 9 months.
“How are you’re going to do that?” We have an around the world air ticket.
“But where will you go?” We don’t go to a place, we go around the world.
“WOW!”
That wow means: you’re lucky, you’re mad, what?!, you must love each other, you’ve got guts, you’re blessed. And yes: the wow for us is all of the above.
This conversation took place quite a few times during the past 6 months, that was when we started talking about our trip. I want to assure you that we know we are blessed and we are thankful that we can do this. (during the past 2 months I often thought that we are a little bit crazy as well.) What I do know is: we are in God’s Will , in His Hands and that is the best place to be….
Let me start at the beginning(I’m writing this on the plane to London because there were no time before this, we were focussing on leaving things behind in good hands and planning ahead and packing etc)
The dream started with Dawie about 3 years ago, even before my Dad got sick.” Lets go away for 1 year and that way have 1 extra year with Tinus still with us. It will be a sabbatical(but obviously it will be a working sabbatical) We cannot go if every person does not have a project.” We talked, we prayed, we dreamt – and it went on like that until Dec’07. We had to make a decision. After lots of prayer and talk we decided that we will go, and the wheels were put into action.
Why do we do this? Lots of reasons:
1. God released us and showed that a year away from Namibia is what He has in mind for us.
2. We wanted to thank Tinus for the son he was for the past 18 years. Always serving us, always giving his best and being an excellent example for his 2 brothers. The cherry on the cake was when he was the best grade 12 student in Namibia with 7 distinctions. We give all glory to God.
3. It will give us 1 more year with Tinus in the house without him wasting it.(he asked for it.)
4. We want to show our 3 sons the bigger picture, the world that is their competition. Everything doesn’t stop in Namibia(although it is the best place to be!)
5. We want our sons to see that what ever culture you’re part of, Jesus Christ is the answer.
That’s a few of our reasons. Here is also a few that God showed us along the way what is on His Heart:
6. We had to physically give our dreams(our ministries) back to Him and hand it over to other (very capable) people. We trust God to equip them to drive the vision even better than we can.
7. We need distance (for a while) to see better.
8. God wants to work IN us now more that what He wants to work THROUGH us.
9. He wants to learn us a new and different type of dependency upon Him.
10. He wants to help us to be better servants.(by serving one another for 24 hrs/day, 7 days a week, 9 months of the year.) That’s almost scary, but lets rather say: it’s gonna be challenging.
What I realized in October 2008 was that 2009 will not be a year of Feasts and mountain top experiences and big events, but it will be a year of being faithful in the ordinary things of life! I realized that it will be important to come back to Namibia having an even closer relationship with God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit
At one stage I was worried that our year will be too busy: moving, packing, new places, always on the run – when God showed me in Is 28 about “Menucha”: resting place, to rest in Him, Peace. I realized that I must make sure that amongst the excitement of it all, to always make time for rest and quietness. God is ready to give me “Menucha”
So yes, it might be a little extra ordinary what we’re doing, but we follow God. We trust Him and will listen to the voice that will speak(Isaiah 30:21). We want to go with His plans. So here we are: GOING!!
We greeted loved ones, friends, soldiers of God’s Kingdom and Namibia. We trust God to come back stronger, wiser, energized and seeing far and clear.
We also trust God to be with my mom. That He will comfort Ouma Himself and through special people who will hug her for us. Thanks Mamma for who you are, what you do and how you love us. We really love you!
May God bless you all as you go into 2009 – for you a new adventure just as much as it is for us. Stay close to Him, listen well and then do whatever He asks. We will do the same.
Remember to live well, love much and laugh often!
Thank you Jesus.
No comments:
Post a Comment