THIRTY ONE: Issue 2 by Victory Church

ISSUE TWO \ ME2 MAGAZINE P E O P L E W E M E E T: R U T H PA S Q U E S POWERNOTE FROM EDNA BE THE CHANGE WOMEN WHO INSPIRE MOM’S THE WORD E AT + W E A R ME2 GIRLS GETTING OUT THERE C R E AT I V E C O L L E CT I V E

CONTENTS P O W E R N O T E F R O M E D N A

M A G A Z I N E L A U N C H 5 WOMEN WHO INSPIRE

- Suzie Brock 7 P E O P L E W E M E E T

- Ruth Pasques

B E T H E C H A N G E

- Margreet Wibbelink

E AT A N D W E A R 2 1 LY N N S W A R T 2 3 H E A LT H A N D B E A U T Y

- Sun-sensible 2 8 M O M ’ S T H E W O R D

- Janice Gutsche

C R E AT I V E C O L L E C T I V E

- Be Bold 3 3 M E 2 G I R L S 3 7 G E T T I N G O U T T H E R E

-Elmien Hugo 3 9 M E 2 M E N T O R I N G R E S O U R C E

© This publication is produced by Victory Media for me2 M e n t o r i n g J e ff re y s B a y. A l l a rt i c l e s a re w r i tt e n b y m e m b e r s o f Victory Church unless otherwise stated. This magazine is not f o r s a l e . Fo r f u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n o n a n y o f t h e a r t i c l e s , d o n o t hesitate to email us at me2@victorychurch.org.za C O V E R P H O T O G R A P H Y: I M PA C T P H O T O G R A P H Y. C O . Z A w w w. m e 2 m e n t o r i n g . c o m / / w w w. v i c t o r y c h u rc h . o rg . z a This page photo credit: Jenna Crumback

>>POWERNOTE<<

I’VE JUST RETURNED

from a ladies conference in London that was held in a beautiful par t of the world

called Lane’s End. Looking at the address, it sounded a bit like the ‘end of the road’ to me, but as the theme of the conference was ‘Dare to Dream’ and the brochure depicted a beautiful butter fly, I anticipated that there was hope for the future... Surprisingly, the weeks prior to the conference were filled with challenges and things that ‘just didn’t work out.’ For example, as I went for my visa inter view in Cape Town, it was discovered that a mistake had been made in my application and that a new passpor t and visa had to be applied for. Oh dear! Delay upon delay resulted in frustration and confusion, and it soon became clear that ‘this wasn’t going to happen in time!’ Now, my friend, you know how the Word works… Submit to God✅ Resist the devil✅ And he will flee!!! (James 4:7) Well, I quoted the Word… to God, to the devil, to others, and to myself, but it resulted in no movement! Finally, I had to assume that God had ever ything under control and would cause ALL things to work together for good, even though I couldn’t see the bigger picture… yet.

To tell you the truth, this opposition shouldn’t have been a surprise to me. During the past few months, I’ve been ministering on ISSUES OF THE HEART, and in Deuteronomy 8:2 (NKJV) we read, “And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these for ty years in the wilderness, to HUMBLE you and TEST you, to know what was in your HEART, whether you would keep His commandments or not.” Oh! It was one of THOSE times! Proverbs 4:23 (NKJ), reads, “Keep your HEART with all diligence, for out of it spring the ISSUES of life.” As a woman, I know that “Issues and Tissues” normally go together. So, unless I get a grip on my emotions and allow my Spirit to rule over my Soul, my issues will inevitably indulge in blame and shame. I had to put this Scripture to work in a hurr y, especially when I heard that I would only be allowed to enter the UK and that I would be missing the much-anticipated me2mentoring time in Holland. It was terribly disappointing! Thankfully, the ladies from South Africa who were travelling to Holland to attend this time with me, could ‘step right into my shoes’ and save the day! They had an awesome time of sharing and connecting with their ‘Dutch sisters,’ and I am so proud of them all!

quite like it. What God has ARRANGED for those who love him. But you’ve seen and heard it because God by his Spirit has brought it all out into the open before you.” So, mine is a grateful hear t. A happy hear t. An excited hear t with hope and expectation for what lies ahead. In the meantime, ‘Guarding my Hear t’

How about you? What unique set of

became a full-time occupation as I

circumstances has He orchestrated in

anticipated sitting all alone in a London hotel room for the next week, while life went

your life to get you into the secret place, in order to get your FULL ATTENTION?

on ver y happily without me. “The Spirit, not content to flit around on the Surprise! The time that I was dreading

sur face, dives into the depths of God, and

actually became my happy place with God!

brings out what God planned all along.

Alone, but not lonely. I didn’t have enough

Who ever knows what you’re thinking and

hours in my day! I even declined invitations

planning except you yourself? The same with

in order to protect this precious time of rest

God---except that he not only knows what

and reflection… just living, moving and

he’s thinking, but he lets us in on it.”

having my being in Him… not having to

1 Corinthians 2:10 MSG

DO anything for anybody.

I COULD JUST ENJOY BEING… BEING WITH HIM. ONE ON ONE TIME WITH MY FATHER! It became an exclusive retreat where I could go BACK to what He had already said, to LOCATE where I am at PRESENT, and to STRATEGIZE for where we’re GOING in the season to come. God had it planned all along! It was not my plan, but His… an exceedingly far better plan than I could ever fathom on my own. 1 Corinthians 2:9 in The Message Bible reads, “No one’s ever seen or heard anything like this, Never so much as imagined anything

I’m looking for ward to hearing your stories in the next issues of THIRT Y-ONE: stories of what He has ARRANGED for you, through you, with you, and at times also WITHOUT YOU!!! With love and curiosity,

Eds

Artwork Credit: www.365worshipproject.com

THIRTY ONE: MAGAZINE LAUNCH The ladies of me2 in Jeffreys Bay got together to celebrate the launch of the THIRTY ONE: magazine. We had a great time at Grill & Company, hearing the vision and heart of the magazine from Pastor Edna and Louis, as well as thoughts and insights from some of our girls. We hope you enjoy this issue as we celebrate what God is in the lives of ordinary women who walk in an extra-ordinary God. Love The THIRTY ONE: team

Ev e n t P h o t o g ra p h y : i m p a c t p h o t o g ra p h y. c o. z a

^WOMEN WHO INSPIRE^

Getting lost on the right road - Suzie Brock -

Being someone who doesn’t naturally exude

Poor Tom, he wasn’t the cause of my plight, I did

vision, or have any particular penchant to

that all on my own by choosing constantly to

change the world, it was to say the least, a

partner with the lies in my head whispered in my

turning upside down of my little ‘untraveled’ life

ears by the enemy.

when I met and married my husband Tom. Until our honeymoon I had never been on a

I remember one day sitting in yet another

plane, train or bus, and was disturbingly ignorant

meeting , not wanting to be there, and watching

of the worlds geography.

everyone happy and secure worshiping God

All I wanted was to be a good wife, a good mother someday, and to love God.

with genuineness of heart. I felt so annoyed by everyone, so embarrassed by my own spiritual state, and so sad I no longer had what they had. It was then and there I decided something had

I started out with a passion for Jesus and a desire

to change, I had to overcome my rejection and

to be in ministry alongside my husband, but

jealousy, but even more than that I had to find

somewhere along the way, hanging on tightly

Jesus again. I wanted so bad to remember that

to the coat tails of my very enthusiastic conquer

first love, to be free in that love and to join in with

the world for Jesus man, I got lost. I found myself

the praise from an honest heart. I was so sick of

just trying to survive it all, and to survive it while

the jealousies in my heart, it felt exactly as the

carrying an unnecessarily large amount of

bible says, “a cancer in my bones”, and it was

baggage, and Im not talking about a Samsonite.

making me ugly and causing me great pain. I decided that night that I would seek until I

I was a young woman filled with fears and

found, do everything in my power to get right

insecurities, and crippling jealousy. I spent at least

with God and get rid of the garbage in my life.

the first five years of our marriage wondering if God had made a mistake with me and or with

All I knew was what every other Christian knows

putting me together with Tom. Surely he needed

and is taught, if you look you will find, faith

someone far more qualified, and at the very

comes by hearing hearing the word of God, and

least someone who could play piano and lead

relationships require time together in order to

worship! What kind of ministers wife was I?!

grow. It wasn’t rocket science, if it was I would have been out of luck.

I felt like a failure on most days, and on all days I lived in constant jealousy of every other female

So I read, I prayed, I begged, I sought and I

in sight just sure that anyone else would have

showed up. I stopped using our kids as an excuse

been a better match for my man, Oh what a

to miss gatherings, knowing that the scripture

worm I was!

was clear, He dwells in the praises of his people,

and dwells were two or more are gathered in His

a little better,a little quicker, and a little stronger

name, and I needed to be where He was!

at finding my way back into the light. Its true when the scripture says we are made to go from

I decided finally to believe again what I believed

strength to strength glory to glory, and we are

to start. I prayed until I prayed, I worshiped until

ever being transformed daily as we turn and face

I was actually worshiping. I took my thoughts

Him. Its just true and I know it.

captive and made them obedient to the truth to the best of my ability. I looked up scriptures

Tom and I like many others spend our lives

for the challenges in my life, wrote them out in

running around the globe being witnesses to the

multiples, taped them to walls, cross-stitched

crazy miracle of God in our lives. Travel is not

them on pillows, and read and repeated them

as glamours as some think, but its not the worst

with every attack.

either. God gives you the grace for the thing He has called you to, and this is what He has called

Gradually, just as the word says will happen, I

us to. I wouldn’t trade it for anything, I couldn’t

started being delivered. I found myself in such

NOT do it.

joy and tears as I worshipped and prayed, real joy, real tears with real peace! No faking it for the

I like my life so very much, I am constantly

sake of others or my ‘position’, such a relief

surprised at how well God knew me and how

My faith grew as did my boldness. I felt like

much He loves me. Its certainly the truth that

Peter and John who couldn’t keep quiet. I

He has more for us than we hoped or imagined,

had to speak of what I had seen heard and

because I would have never imagined nor dared

experienced first hand!

to hope for the life we live, the family we have, and the miracles we witness. I love Him for His

I, the shy, fearful, timid, riddled with rejection wife

generosity to all men at all times and to anyone

suddenly couldn’t keep her mouth shut or stay

who calls on Him.

seated! I finally felt genuine freedom, and felt like I had something of worth to share, if nothing

If your not living the more than hoped or

more my testimony of deliverance! I couldn’t not

imagined yet, its coming. Have faith, feed your

tell people about how great God was, and how

faith, fan your faith into a flame! Do what you

awesome it was to know his Son.

know you must to get your feet back on the

I wasn’t made a perfect Christian during that time, I was just made a stronger, one with a little more truth and testimony in my life.

path to finding your first love or discovering Him for the first time! Remember, God gives you the desires of your heart, I think actually He plants them in there to call forward at the right time. Get within the sound of His voice so you can hear when He calls, and see your desires fulfilled and

I have been lost many times since then as happens to us all, but each and every time I get

your life healed by His love!

“When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen. “When you come looking for me, you’ll find me. “Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I’ll make sure you won’t be disappointed.” God ‘s Decree. “I’ll turn things around for you. I’ll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you” God ‘s Decree ”bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it!- Jeremiah 29:12-14 MSG 10

F E AT U R E

PEOPLE I MEET > > T H I S I S R U T H PA S Q U E S < < LIKES: FANCY TEA, BIG SCARVES & THRIFTING D I S L I K E S : C O F F E E B R E AT H & P O R K

Photography: Amy Mason

F E AT U R E

T H I S I S M E S I M P LY A N D H O N E S T LY. My name is Ruth and I grew up with a warped perception of God. I wanted as little as possible to do with this so called ‘saviour.’ My first six years of life were filled with various cases of sexual abuse, and as a little girl, I feared for my life. I grew up with only one parent and my life was filled with darkness and dirt, none of which painted an accurate image of a ‘loving heavenly father.’ Growing up, I felt impure, worthless, and absolutely broken. I was desperately searching for love and attention from any place I could find it. I fell into the world and it consumed me; darkness filled my eyes and fear gripped my heart, and so I thought my life would always be. I barely scraped by through my final years of school in Johannesburg. Thereafter, desperate to escape that world, I came to the little town of Jeffreys Bay to embark on a journey that would change my life forever. In 2013, I enrolled in the Victory Gap Year as a broken girl, lost in a

and my fear of rejection made me determined to keep my past in the shadows. I had already thought up the ‘perfect life’ that I would pretend to have. “I will fit in with these Christian people” I thought, as I started the year. However, my VGY leaders and mentoring leaders saw right through me, and my secrets and rebellion did not faze them. They saw potential in me that, at times, I still struggle to see for myself. They picked me up when I fell, and loved me when I hated them. This confused me and drove me crazy at times, but through it all… I found Jesus.

world with little grace and love. I trusted no one, rejected correction, and hated authority. I could not comprehend the meaning of love, nor family,

Jesus... He painted images of freedom and promised it to me and He told me that my heart would be brave. And it’s those images that captivated me, and drove me to work through painful memories and to have uncomfortable conversations. I suppose my turning point was the Ancient Paths course that all VGY students have to attend. It

Photography pg14, 15, 17: Raelynne Blaak

FOR THE FIRST TIME MY HEART FELT

BRAVE

F E AT U R E

was during this week that I had to face terrifying images that I had been hiding away since I was six years old, and I confronted the voices in my head that have tormented me for years. It was also during this time that I saw Jesus for the first time. He showed me where He was when I thought I was all alone. He showed me how He cried over me. He showed me how He had always been reaching out for me. I saw how His heart broke for me, and for the first time in my life, I knew it was all going to be okay. For the first time, my heart felt brave. During that first year of VGY, God slowly started revealing Himself to me. He refreshed me with His love and started showing me how He saw me. He whispered purpose and destiny into my ears, and those words sank deep into my heart. The Word says that “we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony,” and the more I shared about what God had done in my life, the less it hurt and the shame fell away. My heart is no longer stolen by this world, but has been won over by Jesus. For the first time in my life, I am not ashamed of my womanhood, and I can stand tall and free and walk into all that God has for me

“Brave Heart” is what God has spoken over me and it’s what I remind myself of whenever trouble tries to show its face . I suppose difficulties never really disappear, but how I overcome them has definitely changed. So, with forgiveness in my heart, grace by my side, and “Brave Heart” tattooed on my wrist, I’m on an exciting journey with God to discover more of who He is and more of who I am! And hopefully, I am affecting a few others along the way with my story of how GOD MADE ME BRAVE!

MARGREET WIBBELINK H E A LT H Y M O M & BA BY C L I N I C To p a r t n e r w i t h M a r g r e e t a n d t h e wo r k o f t he H E A LT H Y M O M & BA BY CLINIC visit w w w. h e a l t h y m o m a n d b a b yc l i n i c . c o m pray for the dif ferent aspects of the organisation, s i g n u p t o vo l u n t e e r o r d o n a t e a n d p a r t n e r f i n a n c i a l l y.

We’d like you to meet Magreet Wibbelink! She is

The Healthy Mom and Baby Clinic is a NGO, NPO,

a talented, intelligent and passionate woman who

FBO, a ministry, or whatever you want to call it. We

has an incredible heart for women and babies in

are a group of professional midwives and nurses

South Africa. We recently had the chance to ask

who use our profession to reach out to women,

her about her life and work in Jeffreys Bay. Here’s

babies and families as a whole. We walk women

what she said…

through pregnancy, childbirth and motherhood

How did you start this journey, and why?

with our medical expertise and a holistic approach. Each person consists of Spirit, Soul and

Life is one big, adventurous journey! It can’t be

Body, and by the grace of God and the power of

narrowed down to a simple explanation to “how

the Holy Spirit, we minister to women in all three of

I started...” I was born in South Africa of Dutch

these areas. Practically, this means saving the lives

parents who relocated to the Netherlands when

of women and babies through:

I was 14. I had the privilege and opportunity

• medical interventions

to receive a great education in Holland. My

• food donations

early twenties were marked with a desire to find

• empowering families through education and

‘purpose for my life,’ and I dared to listen to the little whispers inside my heart. Those whispers brought me back to South Africa and into a Bible School in Jeffreys Bay.

encouragement, and • bringing healing and salvation through teaching and prayer. We reach out to all women, regardless of whether they are rich or poor, because we all are women

I sensed big things for my life but was clueless on how to get there. So, God took me on a journey

who have the same basic needs.

of finding my identity in Him, of getting planted in

What is the biggest challenge in what you do?

South Africa, and of belonging to a local church

The biggest challenge for me is to stay in-step with

which offered spiritual oversight and mentorship

God’s plans and purposes and not be need-driven

in my life. My time at Victory Christian Church also

or even ambition-driven. I am a go-getter and

included me serving other people’s visions and

a pioneer by nature, and there is so much to be

letting go of my own dreams.

done in South Africa. The main concern for me is to hear the voice of God. If I don’t feel Him in

When does a person’s journey actually start? For me, it was the moment when God resurrected my

what I’m doing, I get nervous.

dreams again. He connected me with Laura Birch

What keeps you going?

who had started a Healthy Baby Clinic in 2002,

The women… I love them! From the poorest of

and we began an amazing journey together.

the poor to the very rich, they are what keep me

What began with serving a few moms and babies

going. Every now and then, when I get tired or

on a Wednesday afternoon, has since become a

overwhelmed, I look them in the eye and I think

fully functioning clinic that sees approximately 300

“YOU are worth it.”

women and 500 baby consultations each month.

Please tell us a bit about your organization and your role in it.

What do you see in the future? I see clinics like this all over Africa! Time will tell if I see correctly.

I am a midwife by trade, and the director and co-founder of the Healthy Mom and Baby Clinic. P h o t o g ra p h y : i m p a c t p h o t o g ra p h y. c o. z a

EAT

AMAZING SWEET P OTATO B R OW N I E S BY CARMEN BURGER

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I still think that one of the pleasantest of all emotions is to know that I, I with my brain and my hands, have nourished my beloved few, that I have concocted a stew or a story, a rarity or a plain dish, to sustain them truly against the hungers of the world.â&#x20AC;? - M. F. K. FISHER INGREDIENTS:

Preheat ovean to 180*C , then peel sweet

(Makes 10 brownies)

potatoes. Steam for 20mins until really soft

2 medium to larg sweet potatoes (600g) 2/3 of a cup of ground almonds (80g)

Add pitted dates and soft sweet potatoes to a

1/2 cup of buckwheat or brown rice flour (100g)

food processor- this will form one of the sweetest,

14 medjool dates

creamiest,most delicious mixes ever!

4 tablespoons of raw cacao

Put the remaining ingredients into a bowl, before

3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup

mixing in the sweet potato date combination.

100 gram chopped pecan nuts

Stir well.

a pinch of salt Place into a lined baking dish and bake for NOTE: These brownies are gluten,egg and dairy free. To make a low carb version, replace rice flour with 3 tablespoons coconut flour, omit maple syrup and dates

20mins until you can pierce the brownie cake with a fork brining it out to dry. Remove the try and allow it to cool for about 10mins! Remove

(add Xylitol to taste) add 1/4 baking powder and 3

the brownies from the try, leaving it another few

whisked eggs.

minutes before cutting them into squares- enjoy!

ONLINE SHOPPING TRENDS AND TIPS Online shopping is such an easy and convenient way to get exactly what you want with a few clicks of your mouse. Here are our top 5 Tips to help you with your online shopping experience: 1. Know your sizes and your exact measurements. 2. Check shipping costs 3. Correct credit card details 4. Check return policy 5. Secure delivery address WE ARE JONAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S top 5 online shops: Asos: www.asos.com Needsupply: www.needsupply.com Dear Rae: www.dearrae.co.za Spree: www.spree.co.za Superbalist: www.superbalist.com

Photography: we are JONA

WEAR C E L E B R AT I N G SIMPLICITY WITH WE ARE JONA

LIFE

VERY EARLY IN MY CHRISTIAN WALK, I remember a dear friend asking me this question: “What will be the defining statement that you will aspire to in your life?” I remember replying “The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.” What I was saying is that my life would reflect integrity in the way I love and how I ‘do’ life. Since that moment, as I have sought to live

Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise. Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails. - Proverbs 19:20-21 (NIV)

‘from the heart,’ I have learnt what it is to live from a place of worship. I have been privileged to be able to inspire others to keep focussed and fascinated with God, and in that, there are constantly new facets of Kingdom living that have opened up for me. Just recently, my heart has been seriously rocked by circumstances regarding the calling and positioning of my life. Kind Father God has

“Align yourself with people that you can learn from, people who want more out of life, people who are stretching and searching and seeking higher ground of life”- Les Brown

begun to take me on a journey of revelation regarding alignment and how imperative ‘being aligned’ is if I am truly going to know more about the ‘heart of the matter.’ I have felt God calling me to “Act Justly and Love Mercy” and I have been wrestling with great questions about what that means exactly. I have also recently had a dear friend and colleague who I thought would help spearhead the NGO with me, decide that she was unable to commit to the mission and suddenly resign. This was a huge shock to me, and over the last few months the storms of uncertainty and self-doubt have washed over me in a very real way. I was faced with that deep fearful question “Have I made the biggest mistake of my life in terms of understanding my calling?” “Have I missed it, God?” And with that came anxiety, confusion, lack of sleep, and deep exhaustion. 24

I have a future and a hope, and I’m in a safe and secure place. Not just open and honest, but submitted and aligned. There is still much work to be done with regards to the vision and calling that God has given to me in this season, but what a joy to know I’m not walking through this alone! It was in the middle of that ‘dark night of the soul’ that Ps. Louis Els phoned me. As I poured out my heart to him, he suggested that I come to Jeffreys Bay and spend some time with him and Edna. They kindly gave me a safe place and time to be able to talk through all that I was grappling with… and help clarify the God vision I was carrying which seemed so cluttered and confusing. They quietly and lovingly listened to me, and I had such a deep sense that, not only was I being heard, but that they in turn were also hearing what Father was saying. After all was said and done, my dear friends smiled lovingly and, with such kindness and wisdom, began to speak and encourage and confront the matters of my heart. It was as if, suddenly, the crooked road began to be made straight and my beating heart came to a place of peace. It was in this space of love and acceptance that hard truths could be faced, and I could safely repent. In that moment, my heart was hit with the revelation of how essential, safe and liberating alignment is! It was as though I could feel again, and the ‘breath of heaven’ began to fill my lungs. In the aligning with, and under, kind and safe spiritual governance, I moved from exhaustion to exhilaration… from fear to future… from panic to purpose… and I experienced an assurance of being secure in a holy, relational family.

It has become so clear to me that ‘Yes, our first alignment is with God!’ But Heaven’s grand design is that we all need to be in a God-family, where “Kingdom Come” is worked out together. What a joy to understand that because of right alignment, I have wise counsel, loving support and apostolic oversight. I’m on tip-toes of expectation! Aligned and alive! Present future thinker! I’m so grateful!!!! By Lynn Swart // www.newdayunited.org

I was faced with that deep fearful question “Have I made the biggest mistake of my life in terms of understanding my calling?” “Have I missed it, God?”

I moved from exhaustion to exhilaration… from fear to future… from panic to purpose… and I experienced an assurance of being secure in a holy, relational family.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.â&#x20AC;? - Numbers 6:24-26

EA LT H

AND BE A

TY Let’s be “SUN SENSIBLE” for a moment…

of bone growth, and that vitamin D can only

The sun’s rays make us feel good and for a short

be found in supplement form or by exposure to

period of time, make us look good. However, its

sunlight. However, the FDA’s recommended level

long-term effects can be very damaging, and in

of daily vitamin D is only 1,000 IUs, the equivalent

some cases fatal.

of 10-15 minutes maximum in the sun per day.

What is a tan? A tanned and glowing look is what

The bottom line is that quick exposure to the

we are all after during holiday seasons. Who doesn’t want that sun-kissed glow? But a tan is actually a constant, gradual sunburn. • Once skin is exposed to UV radiation, it increases the production of melanin in an attempt to protect the skin from further damage. • The increase in skin pigment, called melanin, causes the ‘tanned’ colour change in your skin. • It may look beautiful, but it’s a sign of damage. Interesting fact: The extra melanin in tanned skin will only provide a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of about 2 to 4; far below the minimum recommended SPF of 15 which should be worn daily. We need some sunlight. It’s true. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) acknowledges that we all need a daily dose of vitamin D because it is vital for the absorption of calcium and promotion

sun’s UVB rays is a healthy, natural way of getting Vitamin D into your body, but prolonged exposure causes havoc on your DNA, and can result in cancer, premature ageing, eye damage and immune system suppression. HELPFUL TIP: To figure out how often to reapply SPF, use the following equation: Take the SPF number ÷ 2 and then reapply that many minutes after sun exposure begins. For example, if the SPF is 30, sunscreen should be reapplied once after 15 minutes of exposure. Reapplication is only necessary after activities such as swimming, sweating, or wiping. SO REMEMBER TO BE SUN SENSIBLE AND ENJOY HAVING FUN IN THE SUN! Natalie DeBruin // Beauty Therapist Spa, Beauty & Personal Care

JANICE GUTSCHE

{ mom’s the word} TIPS AND THOUGHTS ON MOTHERHOOD

B E I N G A M O M H A S B E E N M Y G R E AT E S T J OY A N D , AT T I M E S , M Y G R E AT E S T C H A L L E N G E! F O R T H O S E W H O D O N’T K N OW M E Y E T , I A M A M O M T O A B L E N D E D F A M I LY. I H AV E T W O A D U L T STEPCHILDREN AND T WO BIOLOGICAL CHILDREN WHO ARE T W E LV E A N D T H I R T E E N Y E A R S O L D .

I THINK THE FIRST TWO VERSES that I memorised after becoming a mom were… “For God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 and “because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

It’s a battle that I believe many of us have faced, but the victory is not found in our efforts to be ‘perfect.’ We need to model a life of dependency on Christ Jesus because we are not perfect. We need to be confident in our identity in Christ so that He can continually minister to us

Lamentations 3:22-23

in our weaknesses and imperfections. If we don’t

These verses have encouraged me whenever

will our children see it? We need to model a life

I’ve had moments like…“I must be losing my mind” or “I’ve got no idea what I’m doing” or “I don’t know how I’m going to get through this

model a life of dependency on Christ, where else of repentance, especially when we ‘miss it’ with our children. There is nothing quite as humbling as when you go down on your knees, look your

next week.”

child in the eye and ask for their forgiveness. By

In light of our Me2 resources about the “Enemies

dependency on God, our children learn to do

of the Heart” (anger, guilt, jealousy, greed & pride), I wanted to highlight something that has really challenged me specifically in the area of

modelling repentance and forgiveness and a the same. Life is a journey. Kingdom Life is an amazing

being a Mom.

privilege because we don’t have to go through

GUILT… When I became a parent, there were

with the Holy Spirit who is there to guide us when

some things that I promised myself I would never do! For example, I would NEVER forget my children at school or at ballet! Well, guess what? I did just that. Not often… but it’s happened. Reality is tough. As perfect as we’d like our children’s worlds to be, life just happens. Mistakes are made. Parents aren’t perfect. And even though we’ve wisely taught our children about contingency plans (“If I’m not there, what can you do?”), still the guilt comes. That voice that says, “You are a bad mother. What kind of mother would forget her child?” Then come the inevitable comparisons with other people’s children and other people’s parenting styles… “Why is my child not doing as well as her child? Why isn’t my child good at that, or that, or that? All children can do

life or parenthood alone! A lifetime of adventures we are overtired, feeling inadequate, or simply to give us a reality check when we start acting like a ‘supermom.’ Our lives are not our own; neither are our children’s. We are all in the loving hands of the Father. I’m so grateful that Jesus never called me to be a mom because I’m ‘perfect’ or because I have all the answers. I don’t, and He doesn’t expect me to. Rather, He says : “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 1 Corinthians 12:9

When I’m weak, He’s strong! Thank God for that!

that at this age… Why isn’t mine?”

‘FREEDOM LIES IN BEING BOLD’ has been a personal motto of mine as of late. It’s challenging and reminds me that there’s no true freedom in staying safe, in holding onto the mundane and normal, or clinging to fear. Dying my hair was never about rebellion... Ok, maybe it was a little. I became tired of people saying what I could and couldn’t do with my hair and that I would ruin it. As though, who I was as a person is wrapped up in those thin threads of cells attached to the top of my head. Some even said that it wasn’t natural and if God desired that I have pink/purple/blue/whatever hair colour, I would have been born with it. I didn’t realise how stifled I felt being told I could “be artistic,” and “be myself,” but not that way. “Nope, that’s not the true you.” “It’s just not allowed.” “You’re too young to know what you want.” And that’s what I rebelled against. God CREATED colour and light. He CREATED nature and this incredibly bright and bold world of ours, and He’s the most original and expressive being out there. I am simply dipping a bit of myself into a pool of His colour palette. I’m discovering and experimenting, expressing God’s unlimited creativity flowing through my veins.

P h o t o g ra p h y : i m p a c t p h o t o g ra p h y. c o. z a

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand fast therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 Our identity is not dependent on our appearance, in rules, or in other people’s opinions. We have the freedom to express ourselves and be joyful in who God made us! Why submit to a yoke of fear? Legality? Selfdoubt? Self-expression is an opportunity to be the real you. A free you. James Cromwell stated, “Often we’re recreating what we think we’re supposed to be as human beings. What we’ve been told we’re supposed to be, instead of who we authentically are. The key about the creation of full self-expression is to be authentically who you are, to project that.” I want to be heard and seen as the real me… the free me. All in all, it’s just hair… IT’S HAIR. How on earth can I experience true freedom if I’m fearful of the risks? My identity is secure regardless of hair colour, but I choose to risk, explore and dare! It’s exciting that way. BE YOU. BE BOLD. BE BRAVE.

WHY DO I FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE RECEIVING COMPLIMENTS? Let’s be honest, the compliment “You look great!” can inspire a variety of negative responses. It’s usually met with a selfdeprecating comment of “Oh, this old thing,” or perhaps “I got it on sale,” or my personal favourite “Oh no, I’ve gained so much weight lately!” Most of us are programmed to think that being humble and modest means staying away from compliments altogether. But the word of God tells us, “Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.” Romans 12:3 (MSG) So what does the Word say about you? Here are a few verses to help you get a clearer view of what God sees when He looks at you. “How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful!” Song of Songs 1:15 (NIV) “You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.” Song of Songs 4:7 (NIV) “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:13-14 (NIV) So, the next time that you receive a compliment, remember what God has already said about you and simply reply with a gracious “Thank you.” By Anne Huang

GETTING OUT THERE

We did a quick interview with one of our local Physios, Elmien Hugo. A brief glimpse into what she loves about her work and some of her struggles.

ELMIEN HUGO My name is Elmien Hugo, I’m 31 and i’m a

me, yet, I have to give my control over to Him. I

Physiotherapist and Mom.

mean, give His control back to Him… Sometimes daily, sometimes hourly.

I love being a physiotheraspist, the biggest joy for me is when i get to help someone gain

Getting out there in the community and working

something they thought they’d lost forever. I love

with different types of people has changed my

being part of changing lives.

perspective on people and God. It has taught me how the same we are! I’ve realised that it

One of the biggiest struggles for me in both my

is such a privilege and honour to be allowed to

work and personal life is control. How I love being

work with someone’s body. I’ve learnt how big

in control. How I love planning and perfecting

God is, how He intricately weaves the body,

MY plans. When I have everything on a list I

the spirit and soul into one perfect human. How

feel safe. But I realise how false it is and how

“working” on the physical inevitably influences so

it’s very, very, prideful. I went through a season

much more. Over continents and through cultural

where every single day was completely out of

differences, we are all the same. Everyone has a

my control and God graced me so. He graced

broken piece. Everyone needs someone.

me with a double portion. He carried me. So I know in my deepest parts that He will never fail 37

Everyone needs God.

MENTORING RESOURCE

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Dear Friend, Have you ever bought something that promised one outcome but delivered the total opposite? Horror! Something that was supposed to make you bigger, stronger, better… instead made you smaller, meaner and uglier. If that were to happen, we would immediately run to Customer Service to return that item! “Refund please!” Well, that’s pretty much what happens when we buy into the lie of Pride! Obadiah 1:3 NKJ reads: The pride of your heart has DECEIVED you, You who dwell in the clefts of the rock, Whose habitation is high; You who say in your heart, ‘Who will bring me down to the ground?’ The fact is, pride deceives us. It cons us into believing that the lie is the truth. The enemy ‘sugar coats’ it and we swallow the bait… hook, line and sinker! None of us are immune to pride. It manifests in different ways depending on your personality, and that’s why it’s so deceptive. When our identities are not fully grounded in God, pride manifests in two ways1. It either shouts arrogance- thinking too highly of ourselves, feeling superior. 2. Or it calls itself ‘humble’ but is really false humility - battling with low self-esteem, feeling inferior. Let’s take a closer look: 1. BOASTFUL ARROGANCE - thinking too highly of ourselves. Romans 12:3 AMP reads: For by the grace (unmerited favour of God) given to me, I warn everyone among you not to estimate and think of himself MORE HIGHLY than he ought, not to have an EXAGGERATED opinion of his own importance, but to rate his ability with sober judgment, each according to the degree of faith apportioned by God to him. Boastful arrogance is our strategy to make us look bigger and better, but it only makes us smaller and meaner. Arrogance diminishes us. Our capacity to truly connect with others gets impaired. Pride becomes a prison, that shuts us in and others out! Pride is easy to see in others, but almost impossible to see in ourselves! How can we recognize it? The KEY is… YOU are the CENTER! It’s all about Me, Myself and I. Self sits firmly on the throne.

RESOURCE

Clues that will help us identify boastful arrogance: 1. Do you justify behaviour and battle to receive correction? 2. Can you apologize, regardless of being wrong or right? 3. Do you keep arguing, even if you DON’T have a good point? 4. Do you publicize your own ‘sacrifices’ and speak about all you have done for a God and others? 5. Are you honest with yourself and others about your failures, shortcomings and sin? 6. Are you impressed with your own achievements? 7. D o you sometimes lie about your past, your relationships and qualifications to make a good impression? 8. Do you always have to have the LAST/FINAL word? 9. Do you buy things to impress others, or to fill a void on your inside? 10. Do you feel happy (if only fleetingly...) when others fail? Can you identify with any of the above? 2. FALSE HUMILITY - thinking too lowly of ourselves You may have just arrived at a place in your life where you’re so proud of your humility, or the things that ‘you’ve suffered for the King and the Kingdom,’ only to have God shine His light on the motives of your heart and uncover a great big chunk of pride, neatly wrapped in self-righteousness and false humility! Ouch. The key to understanding False Humility lies in the word ‘False’. False is something that is NOT true. Pretending to be something we’re not. This form of pride manifests in a way where we constantly depreciate our value and worth. We pride ourselves in our ‘modest opinions’ of ourselves! But the truth is… it’s still ALL ABOUT ME!!! Clues to uncover false humility: (Be merciless with yourself. Freedom is within reach.) 1. Are you fearful of other’s opinion of you? 2. Do you believe that rejecting money or fame is spiritual? 3. Are you easily hurt or offended? 4. Are you a people pleaser? 5. Do you often belittle your achievements or yourself?

RESOURCE

6. Do you feel insecure around confident people? 7. Do you battle to take initiative, fearful of what others may think of you? 8. Does correction and critical feedback make you feel like an absolute failure? 9. Do you often think or say these words, “I can’t. I’m worthless. What will they think of me?” 10. Do you feel self-conscious regarding your appearance? What you look like, what you wear, what you have and don’t have? ZOOMING IN: Pride is an IMAGE built to COVER feelings of REJECTION and WORTHLESSNESS. When we feel deprived of love and acceptance, it results in deep feelings of rejection. This causes us to believe the LIE (remember, Satan is the father of all lies- John 8:44) that we are worthless and of no value. It infiltrates and defines who we are. In truth, it strips us of our true identity and creates in us a need for false identity and worth, so that we may feel accepted, loved and esteemed. Any imperfections, mistakes and failures must be covered and hidden, because when we make mistakes, we believe: “I AM A MISTAKE!” Because of shame, we hide our true selves behind apparent self-confidence or false humility! The only way to be free from a lie is to embrace The Truth! Hebrews 4:16 AMP Let us then fearlessly and confidently and boldly draw near to the throne of grace (the throne of God’s unmerited favour to us sinners), that we may receive mercy for our failures and find grace to help in good time for every need (appropriate help and well-timed help), coming just when we need it. Take some time in worship to come BOLDLY before the throne of Grace and receive grace and mercy from our Heavenly Father! He alone is able and willing to wash and cleanse us from all unrighteousness and restore us to a place of true humility and unbroken fellowship! Much love

Edna & Team 42

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H U M I L I T Y, T H E A N T I D OT E T O P R I D E Dear Friend, Over the past few months, we’ve been on a purposeful journey with God to reveal the true condition of our hearts and the grace to help us deal with it. Have you ever wondered why it’s so easy to clearly see pride in others, but we battle to identify it in ourselves? And yet, to live freely at our Higher Vantage Point in Christ, we have got to identify pride and deal with it mercilessly! The ANTIDOTE to Pride is HUMILITY. Our example, Jesus, taught and lived a RADICAL approach to Humility… and it’s that kind of humility that has the power to set us free from the layers of lies that imprison us. What can we learn from the life of Jesus? “That Jesus, knowing (fully aware) that the Father had put everything into His hands, and that He had come from God and was now returning to God, Got up from supper, took off His garments, and taking a servant’s towel, He fastened it around His waist. Then He poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the servant’s towel with which He was girded.” John 13:3-5 Jesus was fully aware of WHO He was, WHERE He came from, WHERE He was going to, and WHAT He was called to do. Plain and simple: •

Jesus gave the example to serve others.

•

Jesus regarded others better than Himself.

•

Jesus looked out for the interests of others.

•

Jesus chose to do nothing without hearing the Father’s voice.

•

Jesus was God, yet He chose to obey His Father - even to the point of death on the cross.

James 4:10 says “Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and He will exalt you.”

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How do I humble myself? •

I acknowledge that I am sinful and broken.

•

I confess my sin, weaknesses, and brokeness to my Father and to others.

•

I accept God’s full atonement for my sin and embrace His love.

•

I embrace the truth of who God says I am.

•

I use every opportunity to humble myself and declare my need for God by acknowledging Him.

•

I humble myself before GOD and MAN!

•

I admit my shortcomings to mentors and people I walk with.

•

I thank God for difficulty and challenges in my life that provide opportunities to keep me humble and totally dependent on Him.

As purposeful, powerful women (that’s us!), we know that… Attitude is everything!!! “Let this same attitude and purpose and humble mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus: Let Him be your example in humility: Who, although being essentially one with God and in the form of God possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God, did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped or retained, But stripped Himself of all privileges and rightful dignity, so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men and was born a human being. And after He had appeared in human form, He abased and humbled Himself still further and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross!” Philippians 2:5-8 (AMP) Yes, we may have various opinions regarding what constitutes greatness. However, Jesus clearly and simply defines greatness as SERVANTHOOD. “...whoever desires to be GREAT among you must be your SERVANT, And whoever wishes to be most important and first in rank among you must be SLAVE of all. For even the Son of Man came not to have service rendered to Him, but to SERVE, and to GIVE HIS LIFE as a ransom for (instead of) many.” Mark 10:43-45 (AMP)

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Where does that leave you and me? “If I then, your Lord and Teacher (Master), have washed your feet, you ought, it is your duty, you are under obligation, you owe it to wash one another’s feet.” John 13:14 (AMP) Oops, that makes it very clear... Jesus did what pleased His Father. I once heard the following powerful statement from Andy Stanley... “He was RIGHT and we were WRONG. Yet, even as the Son of God, He INITIATED RECONCILIATION. Pride says wait... JESUS says initiate!” So, where to from here? Let’s initiate that conversation. •

Say sorry first.

•

Repent, regardless of others and their actions.

•

Forgive and release!

We need to have the same mindset as Jesus… Say NO to Pride! Pride will no longer be your master! Humility opens the door to freedom! He is the door - walk right in! Much love

Edna & Team Reflecting questions: 1.

Are you fully aware of WHO you are, WHERE you come from, WHERE you are going to, and WHAT you’re supposed to do? Is your identity completed rooted and grounded in Christ?

Can you regard others as better than yourself and look out for their interests instead of your own?

Are you completely dependent on hearing your Father’s voice for every detail of your life?

Do you choose to take the lowly place of a servant? What is your motivation for serving?

Can you obey your Father, even to the point of facing your death on the cross? (As we well know, dying to self is not exactly a popular pastime)

{ YO U A R E LOV E D }