Hi family
Sharing some thoughts in another blog here. I haven’t written a blog since March of 2020. That feels like such a long time ago. Thought to myself before leaving this time, January 23, that I would try to do a blog a month again. Now its been three months and one blog. I didn’t really know where to start, maybe, but also just a bit guilty that most of my team mates have written a few. Just going to mention it here, there’s been some really great detailed blogs written about everything we’ve been up to these three months here in South Africa.
The Key Story
Keys for the journey. The mission of keys for the journey is to see personal spiritual growth to unlock the kingdom in yourself and others. It’s about purposefully and prayerfully choosing a word and wearing it as a tangible and daily reminder of what you are journeying towards, what you are fighting to gain in your own life and what you hope to be able to empower others with.
After covid sending my world race team and I home in March 2020, I spent about two months at home. I got an email from keys for the journey. Asking if anyone that hadn’t gotten a key at launch would like to do so now, the opportunity is open. This key being what they call a prophecy key. I shared about being sent home early without having the expectation filled, from God as his plan to move forward in my life after the mission.
I answered yes and shared about plans of spending a few months in North Carolina, and anticipating another relaunch date, rather sooner then later.
After praying into my situation they sent my key with the word, from God, “Stand Firm”. I got the key back in July 2020.
Stand Firm on what exactly? And what does it look like to stand firm? Those were my first thoughts, when I got my key. There’s so many things to stand firm for right? After arriving in Jeffery’s Bay in January, I started looking for and finding scriptures with stand firm and wrote them down.
Stand firm on who you are in Christ.
Proverbs 4:26
Give careful thought to the paths of your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.
Ephesians 6:11 NLT
Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
Stand firm in obedience to him.
2 Corinthians 1:23
I call God as my witness and I stake my life claim on it that it was in order to spare you that I didn’t return to Corinth. Not that we Lord it over your faith, but we work with you for you’re joy becuase it is by faith you stand firm.
Stand firm in your faith.
2 Corinthians 1:21
Now it its God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his spirit in our hearts as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come.
Stand firm in your choices.
Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm then and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
Stand firm as a man of God.
Ephesians 4:14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the wave and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
Stand firm for your family.
1Peter 5:9 NIV
Resist him standing firm in the faith because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of suffering.
Stand firm with/for my team.
1 Corinthians 15:58 NIV
Therefore, my brothers and sisters stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord becuase you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Stand firm with maybe only a few words he gives me to share, from day to day. Maybe we’re called to stand firm with an act of kindness
1 Corinthians 16:13-14
Be on your guard; Stand firm in the faith be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.
Stand firm in the peace and joy of knowing God does not change, and will never stop loving you.
Hebrews 13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever.
James 1:17
John 3:16
1 John 4:16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God and God in them.
I believe standing firm applys to all believers. There comes a time for all of us to stand firm for his sake.
Covid has solidified that this last year took alot of standing firm in faith and trust with the new crazy of pandemic life!
Colossians 4:12
He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.
Patience was a theme I had throughout the month of Febuary in a place, in very rural Africa, called Zithulele.
I had to stand firm through a refining and new understanding of patience…with people.
We had the joy of experiencing the culture to the fullest. We lived in (ronahvals) mud and cinder block round huts. With thatch (grass) roofs and floors made with a mixture of concrete and cow dung. Cattle, sheep, donkeys, dogs and a donkey all had the freedom of crapping everywhere and on the path to the long drop toliets, the showers and each hut.
Most ministry happened at and around the NGO’s in Zithulele. Ministry included a great effort in us being placed according to our gifting, at each of these NGO’s.The leaders mission there is to raise up and empower local young leaders. That will be a part of and continue with all the work that happens at these NGO’s or wherever life leads them outside of Zithulele.
Those include: Sihamba Sonke which means, (Walking together). They exist to support local mentors to live inspiring lives, raise up, and enable the next generation of value driven and purposeful leaders. Who will be a part of creating inspiring platforms of education, sports, agriculture, skills development, character development, and small business support.
Axium, has the main office building for administration work of the NGO’s and also the after school program to raise student achievement, focusing on language , english, and math.
Sister’s for Life, program for empowering and uplifting women.
Jabulani, The majority of Dave and I’s time and skills were used at Jabulani (library refurbishment). We built and modified bookshelves and tables plus a few other projects.
There’s also a school and hospital that some of us had the opportunity to serve at.
Most local people there walk everywhere they need to go so we also got to experience that part of the culture. Felt like we were walking all the time but I’m sure it was good for us.
Shout out to Paul & Engela, a long term missionary couple from Africa. They also lived in a hut on the homestead with us and not only served alongside us but also served us in every way possible, with many rides back and forth to ministry and plenty of food to eat.
We were also blessed to serve, learn amd grow with four young South African ladies. They are on their own journey called Global Challenge. Which is basically the Africa version of our own world race journey.
I just touched on the rural living conditions through the month in Transkei. (Here again some of my squad mates have written blogs that I highly recommend reading.)
We’ve now been here a week longer than expected as traveling back home requires a negative Covid test and God granted us all negative tests the second week. Im excited to be coming home even though I’ll miss everybody that we got to know so well in our short three months in South Africa. However life goes on with it’s ups and downs. In the end Jesus has taken a small part of our life and made beautiful testimony of his love for us, for his glory.
Proverbs 10:25
When the storm has swept by the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.
Blessings to you all
