A Year of Discovery - My History in South Africa Part II

To read the first part of this two part series on "My History in South Africa," please click here: My Beginnings in South Africa - History Part I
 
After careful consideration and prayer, I stepped forward with courage to face my fears and to discover and pursue my passions and new ministries. Here are some of the things I've been involved in during 2014.

 

I remembered that I love to mentor and disciple people in life and missions - for people to understand their intimate value in God, to pursue deeper relationship with the Lord, and to be empowered to living fully for His Kingdom. I've been able to step out in mentoring these future missionaries and world changers. 

I helped to implement Creative Communications at YWAM Muizenberg, as it’s a new thing. I believe God desires to use communications (writing, photography, art, film) through the internet and social media to demonstrate how God is moving in South Africa. It’s also a significant way people can come to know Jesus and to celebrate and love people in my community. I love that people can be valued and empowered through communications!

I started the YWAM Muizenberg blog, where our missionaries write about how God is moving in South Africa!

Justice Doll educates and empowers people to fight human trafficking and global injustices. It's also a job creation program for vulnerable women. I built relationships with the women and supported their director through intercession and helped her with vision and to write communications.

“Awake” is a YWAM ministry a day a week to the community, which is open for anyone to come, the homeless, nonbelievers, and even Christians.  We listen, pray, share Jesus, and love on them. It’s amazing how God draws and touches lives!

Praying & sharing Jesus.
Photo Credit: Bethesda House Staff

I had the opportunity to go with a friend to Zimbabwe to paint a mural on a prison wall, interview and film the ladies at the ministry/job creation program Gogo Olive, share from God’s Word, pray for people, bless, and serve however we could. I would love MORE Opportunities to GO to the Nations to love and bring the transforming message of Jesus. I don’t know exactly what that looks like, but it is on my heart for the future.

Working with the ladies at Gogo Olive in Zimbabwe.
Photo Credit: Felicity Davies

I am so thankful for the opportunity this year to receive more training in Biblical worldview, how the Bible is applicable to all areas of today's society, in communications, and in spiritual leadership. It has been an amazing growing experience, and I hope to continue to apply what I've learned in my life! 

I praise God for His hand and guidance this year! He has been so gentle and loving and yet so powerful and healing and bringing freedom in my life. Here's to MORE of Him and His Kingdom revealed in 2015!

*If you'd like to learn more about Youth With A Mission Muizenberg, you can check out their website here: http://ywammuizenberg.org/

The Inspiration of Melodious Words

 Writing has been a journey for me. When I was in grade school, I remember being encouraged with my writing. In 2nd and 3rd grade class we wrote and illustrated books. But I also remember the difficulty of getting past my mental block (and maybe the emotional one too) of writing well. I think I put too much pressure on myself (do you remember that, Jo?) I also journaled from a young age, and still do today, though I go in spurts sometimes. Over the past 6 years, I've experienced intermittent inspirations to write, including poems. Embarking on missions has brought more writing in the form of newsletters. This has been a chore at times, but also a wonderful process of sculpting my experiences and my heart so that you, the reader and friend, can maybe taste, see, and feel a bit of my journey. 

So for my study of the Bible I write everyday but mostly in formulaic form as in facts, and in observe, interpret, and apply. But the part my brain thrives on is the summaries, whether it is a theme summary or the final application for that book of the Bible. This is where my brain and emotions have the freedom to fly - to process down the winding paths of exploration, to paint the picture, and to describe the texture of the inner workings - of me. And with my weekly Psalms assignments I am able to creatively process, which is so life-giving. Even though this school is rigorous study (and I can't emphasize RIGOROUS enough), I believe God is opening up more of what I love, that is, expression through writing. Prose has been escaping from me more often than ever. I thank God for this privilege to play with wonderful words.

"Words are like a melody to me, like music, like good mouth-watering chocolate, like beauty, to name a few. Words crafted together are an attempt to describe sometimes the unexplainable like a breathtaking vista or the emotional depths of the soul." SM

Click below for a link to a Slate article about what I love - the sounds of words:

Keener Sounds How can poetry that doesn't rhyme be so pleasing to the ear? By Robert Pinsky