THIRTY ONE: Issue 6

I S S U E S I X / M E 2 M A G A Z I N EM E 2 M E N T O R I N G1 6 Y E A R C E L E B R AT I O NE D N A E L SD E E H A R R I SL I Z E T T E D U P I E S A N I EA N D M O R E

I SA IAH 43:6-7 (MSG)

# 6 C O N T E N T SP O W E R N OT E F R O M E D N A 1

L I Z E T T E ’ S S TO R Y 7

- Lize t te du Piesanie

P L A N A 1 1

- Lindsay Delmar

K N O W N . LO V E D. C A L L E D 1 7

- Jenna van der Westhuizen

W H E N S H E S P E A K S . . . 2 5

- Dee Harr i s

D I S C O V E R I N G W H O I A M 3 9

- Esthea Mart in i

C R E AT I V E C O L L E C T I V E 4 3

- Col laborat ion

E M M A’ S S TO R Y 4 5

- Emma Smith

G E T T I N G O U T T H E R E 4 9

- Wilma Wibbel ink

W E A R & E AT 5 3

M E 2 M E N TO R I N G R E S O U R C E 5 7

© T h i s p u b l i c a t i o n i s p r o d u c e d b y V i c t o r y M e d i a f o r m e 2

M e n t o r i n g J e f f r e y s B a y. A l l a r t i c l e s a r e w r i t t e n b y m e m b e r s o f

V i c t o r y C h u r c h u n l e s s o t h e r w i s e s t a t e d . T h i s m a g a z i n e i s n o t

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

h e s i t a t e t o e m a i l u s a t m e 2 @ v i c t o r y c h u r c h . o r g . z a

C o v e r p h o t o g r a p h y : J a n a E n g e l b r e c h t

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 r c h . o r g . z a

P h o t o g r a p h y : S h e r a h K r a u s e

1P h o t o g r a p h y : C h r i s t i a n A n s t e y

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Yay for God and us!

We’ve just had a wonderful t ime celebrating our 16th Me2 Mentoring bir thday!

It was a wonderful t ime together! In fact, this Scripture in 1 Chronicles almost looks l ike the blueprint of our program that day:

Thank God! Call out His Name! Tell the whole world who He is and what He’s done! Sing to Him! Play songs for Him!Broadcast all His wonders!Revel in His holy Name, God-seekers, be jubilant!Study God and His strength, seek His presence day and night; Remember all the wonders He performed, the miracles and judgments that came out of His mouth.[1 Chronicles 16:8-12 The Message]

What a party! Our ladies from Durbanvil le, Paarl, Knysna, and Somerset-East came to celebrate with us, as did our precious Carol Cape from the U.S. and Dee Harris

from Fishhoek. We watched stirr ing video greetings from Me2 leaders all over the world, and we even used l ive-streaming to celebrate with our global Me2 friends from other regions and nations who couldn’t be with us in person. It was a beautiful morning of celebrating His goodness together!

The celebration continued as we revisited the very beginnings of our mentoring journey, and l istened to inspiring interviews and testimonies. We laughed so much that our tummies hurt, and we tried in vain to inconspicuously wipe away our tears without smearing our mascara… no luck there.

One thing I know for certain is that God loves it when we laugh at ourselves, and He is ever present through the good, the bad, and the sad times.

There was not a dry eye in the house as Dee shared her testimony and stated in a whisper: “The enemy has tr ied to si lence my voice (unsuccessfully!) through intruder cancer cells!” And then she challenged us to the core when she quietly asked,

> > P O W E R N O T E < <

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“What has i l legitimately invaded YOUR l ife and stolen your voice?”

Powerful words… uttered in an atmosphere where His GLORY was so prevalent and tangible that no one could leave that place without being challenged and changed to look a l itt le bit more l ike Him!

“Transformed through relationship with God and one another” has become more than just a vision statement. It’s a way of l ife that FOCUSES on the intentionality of our relationships to bring Him GLORY and HONOR!

After all, “A win is a changed life!” and change does not happen by chance while we’re casually l iving and happily f loating along on cloud nine.

No! Real change is of ten brought about by challenges, pressure, and hardship. It comes

as a result of the GRACE of God that brings us through the ordeals of l ife, as we lean heavily on Him and one another.

So, we delight in giving Him ALL GLORY (high renown and honor for His notable achievements), and we simply say THANK YOU for the great things He has done in us, through us, and also without us.

“For FROM Him and THROUGH Him and TO Him are ALL things. For ALL things ORIGINATE WITH Him and COME FROM Him; ALL things LIVE THROUGH Him, and ALL things CENTER IN and tend to CONSUMMATE and to END IN Him. To Him be GLORY forever! Amen (so be it).” Romans 11:36 AMP

With much love and gratitude,

Eds

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M E 2 M E N T O R I N G 1 6 Y E A R C E L E B R A T I O N

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LIZE

TT

E du

PIE

SAN

IE

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MY STORY IS REALLY AN ODE TO GOD!

I was born in Mariental, Namibia, to a policeman

father and a nurse mother. We moved to South

Africa when I was about four-years-old, and my

father started working at a mine. As a result of

my dad working his way up in the mining industry,

we relocated many times. I attended five schools

in total; for a little girl, this was devastating. Each

time we moved, I would arrive at a new school

where friendships had already been forged.

Loneliness and the need to perform for others’

approval had a major impact on me. Not only

was I the new girl, but I was also extremely

overweight! So I was the fat, new kid on the block!

After I had matriculated in Potchefstroom, I

stayed there to study graphic design. I lived there

for eight years, the longest amount of time I had

ever lived in one place up to that point. It was a

small town, and I knew loads of people. I had an

extensive circle of friends there.

At this stage, I was Godless, to say the least.

I mocked people who went to church, and

thought the whole reborn-Christian-thing was

a sect whose essence was based on a myth. I

once attended a charismatic church where they

baptised people in what looked like the biggest

aquarium you have ever seen. I laughed so much

at these people with their white cloaks that the

other people in church thought I had been ‘slain

in the Spirit’–which only made me laugh more.

To take the edge off my depression, I fell into

smoking dagga. This progressed into smoking joints

every day, and eventually, I knew I was emotionally

dependent on the drug. It would give me a high,

but on the way down, I would find myself just

seeking to get back to the high again. Like all

drugs, it provided an escape and created a space

to hide from life. To say that I was trapped would

be the truth, because my behaviour continued like

that for more than two years.

In the meantime, my parents had moved to Cape

Town, and it was decided that I would follow them

there after completing my studies. When the time

came, I relocated to Welgemoed: no job, no

friends. I couldn’t find a job. The graphic design

industry in Cape Town was very competitive for

someone who came straight from a university in a

small town with insuffcient practical experience.

After six months, my parents knew I was in a

deep, dark place, and they literally nagged me

to go to church. I was so weak and lonely that I

just decided to go. It was so weird. I remember

watching people during worship and realising

that these people really meant it; it intrigued me.

What did they know that I didn’t? Who were they

connecting with?

After a few visits to church, Louis du Piesanie

invited me to the “White House”–the ‘commune’

he shared with the Year of Your Life students and

certain church staff. He took us on a tour of the

commune, and I remember him showing us his

room, saying that it would be the room he and

his wife would live in one day. I recall thinking,

“Who would be stupid enough to marry someone

without a salary, while hiding in ‘ministry,’ and

staying in this room?!”

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Well, as it turns out, I was that girl.

After some weeks, Louis and Mary* led me to the

Lord and I was radically transformed! Mary* gave

me ‘Jesus lessons’ every Thursday evening. She

would visit me at work and became a lifeline for

me. Louis just so happened to go on outreaches

with his students for the next six weeks, and the

commune was empty and quiet; so, I spent more

time visiting there than usual.

I fell hard for God, and I loved Him so much! I got

baptized (which is a funny story for another day).

I was Spirit-filled and happy for the first time in

years, maybe even ever.

When Louis came back from outreach, we

became friends. He even took me on a date with

another girl. Afterward, I told him we needed to

talk. I took out a cigarette and asked him, “So,

who is the date, and who is the chaperone?” He

said neither and that he just wanted friends.

So, we became really good friends. I even went

on holiday with him and his family. In fact, we

became such good friends that Louis counseled

me out of a relationship with another guy, and

then asked me to marry him the very next day.

I remember that when he asked me, I truly saw

myself in his eyes.

Unfortunately, Mary* turned her back on me at

this stage as she was offended by my relationship

with Louis. It was my first knock in the Kingdom. I

felt confused and hurt. I remember telling God,

“Lord this feels a lot like my life before Jesus.” To

make matters worse, an influential member of

the Bible School wrote a letter to the senior pastor

stating that I would destroy Louis’ ministry. The

senior pastor told us that he would only believe

our relationship was ‘from God’ if we survived ten

years of marriage. I was devastated.

I had made myself vulnerable by serving Jesus. My

defenses were down, and I was getting one blow

after the other. I held onto those hurts for years. I

could remember that letter, word for word. When

I first met Louis and Edna Els, I struggled to open

my heart to them, fearing that they would only

see what the others saw. I feared that they would

confirm that I was, indeed, a threat to Louis’ ministry.

But the relationship I shared with Louis and Edna

actually unlocked the process of me being SET

FREE. By consistently loving me and teaching

me how relationships work, they opened my

eyes–not only toward restoring my relationships

with people, but to helping me understand

God’s unconditional love for me. They helped me

understand that it’s fine to be ME!

This is one of my biggest reasons for doing Me2

Mentoring: to help create an environment, fuelled

by relationships, for people to shine and move

closer to God and who He made them to be!

I realised that all along, through every humiliating

and hurtful moment, GOD SAW THE REAL ME and

was patiently waiting for me to start asking the

right questions. I honour Him, my husband, and all

the people who helped me to journey towards my

Promised Land.

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*Name has been changed.

through every humiliating and hurtful moment, God saw the real me

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P L A N A lindsay delmar

C A N A D A

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I AM HUMBLED AND HONORED TO SHARE MY STORY OF GOD’S GOODNESS AND GRACE IN MY LIFE.

My name is Lindsay Delmar and I am 23 years

old and live in Calgary, Canada. I was born in

South Africa and moved to Canada with my

family when I was 4 years old. My mom put me in

swimming lessons when I was young, and I loved

it so much that I joined a competitive swim club

at age 9. As the years progressed, I became more

and more immersed in the sport and even started

representing Canada on the Junior Tour team

when I was 14.

For many athletes, the pinnacle of success is

competing at the Olympic Games. I was among

the young swimmers who set my sights on

qualifying for the Canadian Olympic Team

in 2012.

By 2012, I was ranked in the top 5 women in

Canada leading up to the Canadian Olympic

Trials. My goal of qualifying for the Olympics was

within reach, and I invested all of my energy

and focus on this dream. For a full year, I trained

harder than I had ever trained, was away from

home for long periods of time, and turned down

large recruitment scholarships to swim for well-

known colleges in the United States.

It was during this time that I started encountering

God in very tangible ways as my faith and hope

grew in Him. I remember seeing prophetic pictures

of my life in the middle of training sessions and

feeling my faith grow in proportion to what

the Lord was saying to me. One of the more

significant words I received was from my pastor,

Peter Webber. He said that “There is no Plan B in

God – He only has Plan A” for my life. I held onto

these words tightly as I entrusted my goals and

dreams to the Lord.

At the Olympic Trials, it all came down to one final

opportunity, but it was an opportunity I missed by

one second. One second. The weight and depth

of that disappointment are diffcult to adequately

describe. My immediate response was to quit

swimming after that race. I was confused by

what had happened because I truly thought that

God would get me onto the team so I could swim

at the Olympic Games in London.

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However, instead of quitting at that time, I

chose to rather lean into my Father and sensed

that He was doing a deep work in my identity

and character. By His grace, I faced my

disappointment and dealt with the failure. It took

considerable reflection and time with the Lord

to realize that the sum total of my swim career

was not about outward recognition and external

success. More importantly, I was learning that I am

not defined by what I DO or what I SUCCEED at,

but rather WHO I AM in Christ.

I went on to swim for another 2 years. Then, in

2013, I felt God speaking to me about retiring

from the sport of swimming. The next Olympic

Games were still scheduled for 2016 and a big

part of me wanted to try again to achieve the

goal that I had missed in 2012. It took humble

obedience (mixed with a lot of faith) to walk

away from the sport that had literally consumed

my life for 12 years.

I understood that my swim career was finite and

that I needed to start committing myself to my

academics so that I could pursue a career path

after university. I clung to the hope that “He has

Plan A for my life;” and if part of Plan A meant

retiring from swimming ‘early,’ then so be it!

Flash forward 2 years… By His immense favor

and goodness, I have been accepted into

the University of Alberta, Faculty of Medicine

program! I’m going to be a Medical Doctor. Over

2,000 people compete each year for only 150

places in the class, and I got in. I believe that

the faith He planted in me when I was training to

make the Olympic team in 2012 really blossomed

into a living experience of His remarkable

goodness in 2016.

I am totally convinced that He makes ALL things

work together for the good of those who love

the Lord! I also know that His plans and Kingdom

purposes are to bless and prosper me, but they

are also so much bigger than what I can possibly

fathom! He wants to use me in the medical field

and give me a platform to stand on to advocate

for the sick, the broken, and the dying in this

world. Plan A is so wonderful!

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HOWEVER, INSTEAD OF QUITTING AT THAT TIME, I CHOSE TO RATHER LEAN INTO MY FATHER AND SENSED THAT HE WAS DOING A DEEP WORK IN

MY IDENTITY AND CHARACTER.

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16P h o t o g r a p h y : u n s p l a s h . c o m

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KNOWN.LOVED.

CALLED.Jenna van der Westhuizen

EVERYONE’S STORY HAS A BEGINNING. Mine was a bit of a shaky one. I was somewhat of an ‘accident,’ or more like a ‘surprise’ actually. (Yes, of course, I am no ‘accident.’ God knew me, formed me, purposed and planned me – and He certainly wasn’t ‘surprised.’)

You see, from the beginning, I was meant to be. I had a twin, but my mother miscarried. Not knowing that she was, in fact, pregnant with twins, she just got on with life, casually brushing off the doctor’s recommendation for a proper sweep out (if I can say that). Well, my lucky Mummy (or Mommy for those who haven’t had the privilege of growing up in Australia) only found out she was still pregnant when she was 6 months along with me… SURPRISE!

I wasn’t really expected or anticipated by my father, and in my first few months of life (for whatever reasons or issues he had), he didn’t even hold me once. Now, being a Mummy of two gorgeous little girls, with a husband who is a phenomenal loving, kind, and affectionate Pappa – I just can’t fathom how a parent would choose not to embrace and snuggle and cuddle and kiss their own little human. But he obviously had his issues, which inevitably led to me having ‘daddy issues’ and, inherently, issues with Father God.

By God’s grace, I don’t have any real memories of my father. I never knew him as ‘normal’ like my sister and others did. When I was about 3 years old, he was suffering from depression along with alcoholism and attempted suicide by overdosing on his Diabetes insulin. He didn’t die, but he was comatose for a few weeks. When he finally awoke, he had suffered brain damage resulting in short-term memory loss. He spent the rest of his life in a nursing home until passing away in 2009. (Incidentally, that was the year I came to South Africa to attend the Victory Gap Year.)

So, I basically grew up with a biological father who didn’t really know who I was, and in my eyes, was a ‘dad’ who would rather be dead than be around to see me grow up. Thankfully, my Mum later met an amazing man (Bob!) who has always fathered me like I am his own. Nevertheless, I grew up thinking there must be something wrong with me if my own father would rather be dead than be my dad. So, I compensated by striving to be smarter, or sportier, or the best at whatever I did.

We never went to church, but based on our Catholic background, I had an awareness that there was a God out there somewhere. I perceived God and all things in life through my lens of brokenness and rejection – believing that I would never be good enough, worthy or wanted

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by God or by people. Since I placed no value on myself, and from my perceptions, no one else did either, I had no issues trying different drugs in my search to find satisfaction or meaning somewhere else or in something else.

As a teenager, I became part of the pill-popping, fluro-wearing, rave/all-night dance party community. Week after week, travelling around the city to different venues for the big name and underground raves, getting off my face on happy happy drugs, and chasing the bigger and better high. The problem with drugs is that the higher you go the lower and faster you crash.

A few years later, I found myself a month or so before my final Grade 12 exams and my life was a mess. I couldn’t think straight. I was always feeling down and out, not good enough, and that I just wasn’t going to make it.

At my lowest point, I found myself sitting in the kitchen with my Mum and wanting a glass of water. I called out to her from across the bench and asked her to ‘pass me the cup’… except what came out was finger pointing along with grunts and murmurs because my mouth couldn’t even articulate what I wanted to say.

It dawned on me for the very first time that I had truly become an idiot. The drugs had won and I was dumb. Just like my career counsellor had said at school a few weeks earlier, “You’re not going anywhere in life, Jenna, especially not to University. Be realistic.”

I freaked out totally.

I escaped upstairs to my bedroom and I cried.

And cried.

I knelt down by my bed and I prayed. I prayed to ‘God’ that if He existed, if He really existed, He had to save me! If He was real, just like those faithful, churchy, Jesus-loving friends at school would tell me, then He needed to prove Himself, to help me and to save me. Now. I told Him that I didn’t want this life anymore. I didn’t want to be an idiot. I wanted to be someone, become something. I wanted to be proud of myself and to make my Mum proud too.

I bargained with God that if He would save me, like really save me, that I would live my whole life for Him. But He had to completely save me. No more drugs, I didn’t want to be friends with these people anymore, and I wanted to go to University. Then, after He does all this for me, I will promise to live my life for Him, and I will even go and give a year of my life to Him (oh, how generous of me)… but after I finish university, of course.

Well, well, well.

You can’t really bargain with the Creator of the Universe now, can you? He sort of knows everything and controls everything anyway.

So He set me up.

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You can’t really bargain with the Creator of the Universe now, can you? He sort of knows everything and controls everything anyway.

I thought I was going to save Africa, but Africa actually saved me. God

always wins, doesn’t He?

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ALL ALONG, HE HAS KNOWN ME AND LOVED ME AND CALLED ME BY NAME.

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One after another, He answered every one of those prayers and did everything for me. Literally, on the following weekend, I went to catch up with friends, but when I saw them I was instantly not interested. I can’t explain it. These were people whom I had pretty much grown up with, but I looked at them and felt nothing in common with them. I didn’t want to be there. I didn’t want to do what they were doing. I just stopped. I didn’t take more drugs. I think I even flushed my stash of pills, but I can’t really remember. We’ll just say that I flushed them.

I phoned some friends; you know, those faithful friends who, despite all my nonsense, would constantly invite me to church, or youth, or some camp or event. I phoned and told them that I wanted to come to church. I joined a Connect Group that week (met my bestie, Anne Huang!), and somewhere in the mix, I gave my whole heart to Jesus. I was catapulted into this life of learning who God is and who I am in Him.

God got me into University, an absolute miracle on its own. He helped me memorise entire syllabuses in the weeks leading up to my exams which gained me exceptional marks. I was accepted into a University to study a BCom degree. Three years later, I graduate with a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Hospitality Management! How awesome!

Now, what? I had made a deal with God, and so far, He had come through on EVERYTHING.

I spent my first year out of university working to save money because I was going to “give a year of my life” to Him by coming to VGY in little Jeffreys Bay, South Africa.

I thought I was going to save Africa, but Africa actually saved me. God always wins, doesn’t He? I gave a year of my life to God, and He gave back to me LIFE and life in its fullest. I experienced incredible HEALING from brokenness, ACCEPTANCE in place of my rejection, and VALUE in place of my feelings of unworthiness.

Eight years later, and now I’ve got 2 amazing children with an even more amazing husband. Not just a house, but a home. A family, a church. Meaning, purpose and destiny. Value, worth and acceptance.

He has settled in my heart once and for all that…“Before I was born the Lord called me; from my birth he has made mention of my name. He made my mouth like a sharpened sword, in the shadow of his hand he hid me; he made me into a polished arrow and concealed me in His quiver. He said to me, ‘You are my servant Jenna, in whom I will display my splendour.’“ (Isaiah 49:1-3 NIV)

All along, He has known me and loved me and called me by name. Jenna = little bird = nurtured by God.

And that is my story.

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24P h o t o g r a p h y : u n s p l a s h . c o m

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D E E H A R R I SWhen she speaks, they hear a revolution

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AS I HAVE REFLECTED UPON THE PAST SIX MONTHS, I have found myself totally overwhelmed at God’s amazing goodness, kindness, love, and grace. It has been the most awe-inspiring time in the midst of deep pain and mourning. Though I now have no vocal cords or voice box, I still have a voice. I can no longer laugh out loud, but am still laughing. I cannot sing, but my heart continues to sing. I don’t taste, but I can eat. I can no longer smell, but I can see and hear. I can’t sniff, but I don’t like sniffing anyway! I can no longer breathe through my nose or mouth, and I am now a neck breather. I’m so grateful for this stoma (hole in my neck) as it allows me to live. I told my husband, Mark, I am no longer a pain in the neck – I just have a hole in my neck!

In 2015, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and soon afterwards, on the morning of 10th December, I had my thyroid, trachea and larynx removed. Upon first hearing the news, I can honestly say that my heart was saturated with a blanket of His peace and grace. Even though I didn’t comprehend the enormity of the operation nor its consequences, I knew I was in His hands. Psalm 139 flooded my mind. His hand of blessing was upon me, and I knew that He had every one of my days recorded before I had even lived one. He would flood even my darkest hours with His light.

My darling husband, Mark, and my older sister, Mary-Ann, were with me when I received the news. Mark’s experience was totally different to mine. He understood the severity of the consequences of the operation. When the specialist told us I would lose my larynx, Mark immediately said “No! My Dee can’t lose her voice – I love that voice. Please Professor, not her voice!”

Upon leaving the Doctor’s rooms that evening, Mark needed some time alone to talk to our Father. He is the only One who could bring a sense of order to the tsunami that had just rocked our world. Mark found himself at the Twelve Apostles Hotel in the corner of a lounge. He cried out to the Lord, speaking to Him of all his fears and pain. He shared with me that night how the Lord had asked him “Are you going to allow bitterness and anger to fill your soul? Will you blame Me, or will you trust Me regardless?” Mark said that, as he told the Lord that he would choose to love and serve Him no matter what happened to me, peace and love like he had never experienced flooded his soul.

From that day until now, the support, prayer and love of our family, church family, Church of the Nations (COTN) friends, and people we don’t even know has been humbling. So many precious friends have visited us, encouraged us, and taken care of us, their sole purpose to be His heart toward us and help us find strength in our God.

I had dreamed of having all of our children and grandchildren together for Christmas for years, and now my dream was being fulfilled!• On the day of my operation, our daughter,

Rebecca, and her three children left their home in the USA to come and be with Mark and me. Her husband, Waron, released her to come and serve us for three months! “Greater love has no man than he lay down his life for his mother-in-law!”

• On the day I came home from the hospital, my son, Paul, and his darling wife, Marilet, and their two children arrived from Pretoria.

• My younger daughter, Sarah, had also

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Mark needed some time alone to talk to our Father. He is the only One who could bring a sense of order

to the tsunami that had just rocked our world.

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I went to sleep knowing that my Father was

directing each of them, and watching over me.

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recently returned home after living abroad for five years.

We were also blessed to have my sister and brother-in-law, Val and Rod, along with their daughter, Natalie, arrive from Florida. Their purpose in coming, apart from being a support to Mark and me, was to serve our Church family. To release Mark to be with me until we found our ‘new normal.’ They served the church and us tirelessly.

Our church family and community were also amazing. They fed us for two months – right through Christmas and into the New Year. Even a spiritual daughter living in Dubai arranged to have a meal delivered to us! We have had people we know, and people we don’t know, praying for us.

I have tears streaming down my face even as I type this. Truly, this is “love so amazing, so divine; it demands my love, my life, my all.” I am a blessed woman indeed. Oh, the magnitude of strength and blessing of belonging to the local church and COTN! I’m praying that any who read this story, especially those who may not know or understand the power and blessing of belonging to a local church, will receive such revelation and fall in love with His church. May you be planted and belong.

In the ward, awaiting surgery, His peace flooded my heart, but my body had gone into shock. My hands and legs were shaking like leaves. What to do about that? Aerobics - according to my youngest daughter, Sarah! With music blaring from her cell phone and me dressed in my hospital gown, Sarah and I were aerobicizing.

My precious sister, Mary-Ann, was looking on with delight, and Mark was not sure if we had all ‘lost the plot!’ It worked. Once in theatre, I had the privilege of praying for my thyroid specialist, my E.N.T specialist, as well as the anaesthetist and theatre staff. I went to sleep knowing that my Father was directing each of them, and watching over me.

The journey post-op has been much like a roller coaster ride, full of ups and downs, highs and lows.

I hadn’t spoken a word from the time of my operation until I saw the speech therapist a week later. I had no idea that a prosthesis had been inserted into the top of my stoma during surgery. I had to learn to speak by pushing air up from my gut through my oesophagus into the small prosthesis. I put my finger over the stoma to block any air from escaping, which then causes sound. Now, if that isn’t hard enough, I am also spatially challenged. My neck and chin were still numb, and I had no idea where my stoma was. My speech therapist looked on in amazement as I tried to find my stoma. I had warned her I was unlike any patient she had ever had. She eventually felt so sorry for me that she organised a mirror just so that I could see! We all laughed so hard, but it wasn’t long before I was crying just as hard.

I hadn’t anticipated the difficulty of speaking or what I would sound like. It was a shock and too much for me to bear. I left in tears and so discouraged. The next two days were very dark. I was beginning to lose hope that I would ever communicate with words again. Not being able to speak to our grandchildren was the most painful for me.

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TO BE ABLE TO VERBALISE OUR LOVE AND USE OUR VOICES TO

ENCOURAGE, EQUIP, AND EMPOWER

PEOPLE IS AN AMAZING GIFT!

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To really appreciate the loss we’ve experienced, you need to know that I was a real chatterbox before. You would hear me before you could see me! I loved talking. Although my voice didn’t define who I was, it was a huge part of my life. My passion is making His goodness and love known by talking to people and preaching and teaching His powerful Word. Overnight, I could do none of that – at least, not the way I had before. A dark cloud had settled upon my soul, and I shed enough tears with force, together with my Mark, to supply the whole of South Africa with electricity!

It was OK for us to mourn the loss. In fact, it was important. But His word is alive, living and powerful! In the midst of my tears and hopelessness, our good, good Father reminded me of Judges 5:7 which says “Village life in Israel ceased, ceased until I Deborah arose, arose a mother in Israel.”

Holy Spirit spoke to me and said, “Dee, my calling, purpose, and dreams for you have not changed. If you stop being who I have created you to be, certain things will cease. Now arise, a mother in Israel [in this world], and walk with Me. My grace will empower you every step of the way. I have put leadership in you. Now choose to lead with joy and don’t let hardship stop you. I will cause joy in the midst of trial and hardship, and My name will be honoured through that which the enemy meant to destroy. I will cause you to see things you have never seen before, to have a greater sensitivity to Me and My people. Through your words, attitudes, and behaviour, you have the privilege to reflect Me in the midst of pain that will cause people (who previously wouldn’t have heard your voice) to listen to you. Arise my daughter, arise.”

Once again, my soul found itself wrapped in His love and peace. The Word that had been sown into my spirit was speaking to me in the darkest time of my soul. I can’t tell you how grateful I am for His Word. These are not idle words; they are our LIFE.

We decided that, because it was only a few days before Christmas, I wouldn’t return to the speech therapist or practise speaking until the New Year. I would continue to communicate by writing. Mark hadn’t been with me during my first speech therapy appointment, so he hadn’t yet heard my attempts to speak. On the second visit, in the New Year, he came along with my sisters. As he heard my new voice for the first time, he wept with delight. I was speaking with difficulty, but speaking for the first time in nearly a month. In his arms, and with tears streaming down our faces, I once again used my words to tell him that I LOVED HIM!

I learned a powerful truth at that moment: to be able to verbalise our love and use our voices to encourage, equip, and empower people is an amazing gift! I want to value this gift and use it wisely every day of my life.

I have since learned to speak, continue to practice speaking, and am daily learning how to live a full life. I learnt to embrace the process.On Mother’s Day, I had the awesome privilege of preaching for the first time since the operation. My oncologist and speech therapist were both there, along with a few others that I have met throughout this journey. I am overwhelmed at the goodness of my God. I know I keep saying it, but I really am.

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From that day until now, the support, prayer and love of our family, church family, Church of the Nations,

friends, and people we don’t even know has been humbling.

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No one can walk my journey for me.

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Another truth imprinted upon my heart is that “No one can walk my journey for me.” Only I can live my life with Him and for Him. He and He alone will never leave me nor forsake me. When we look to others to give us what we can only get from God, we end up in disappointment and discouragement. Resentment builds and can lead to bitterness. We are looking to others to do for us what only God can do in and through us. I have been acutely aware of this during my recovery process. So often, we can look to our spouse, family, friends, pastors, and leaders to make a way for us that only God can. Mark and I have never been so aware of our need for Him, and never been so grateful for the privilege of knowing Him. When we understand this truth, it is liberating and liberates the people in our world. They won’t feel the pressure to be ‘God’ in our lives. People would call Mark and ask what they could do for us, and he would answer them honestly, “There is nothing you can do that you aren’t already doing. Prayer is the greatest gift you can give us.”

So much good has come out of what appears to be a loss. One thing is that I don’t talk so much! And I listen more! Overnight, our elders and leadership team picked up the weight of our amazing Church family. They are flying and have gone to another level. Within a month, new ministries were born, and people are standing shoulder to shoulder in rank, marching forward and taking ground. New people and families have been added. There is a buzz in the air and a passion for Jesus that is contagious! What a joy for us to see sons and daughters raised and released. Our ceiling has become their platform.

I have had a dream that I would minister His Word with my children and grandchildren. On the 16th December, I was scheduled to do a wedding for some friends of my daughter, Sarah. They had booked the date with me a year in advance, but ten days before the wedding, I realised I would be unable to do it. In an instant, I felt the Lord say to write out what I would do and say, word for word, and ask the bride and groom if Sarah could do it in my absence. Sarah would speak for me, and Mark would do the vows and legal side. Everyone agreed. Sarah had done some public speaking before but never a wedding! The anointing and ability of our Jesus were so strong on Sarah that there wasn’t a person there who wasn’t touched by His love. Our God is incredible. My dream came true, and His purposes in Sarah’s life were released.

Recently, as I was in our church, I heard the Lord speak so clearly to me, saying “Cancer is a rogue cell, Dee. It was sent by the enemy to steal your voice and keep you quiet. You will not be silenced, my daughter. Arise and speak. Ask the people what rogue thing is keeping them silent.” I’m asking you the same question now – is there anything illegal that is keeping you silent?

As you can see, my dear friends, this friend of yours is alive and more than well. God did not do this to me, but He sure will take what the enemy meant to destroy to become an anointing to destroy the works of the enemy in others’ lives. Thank you for praying for us. We are eternally grateful. I love you to bits. Be determined to use your voice to love our God, tell of His Goodness, and build people because they are precious!

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For as long as I can remember, I have compared myself with EVERYBODY else around me. I was never happy to simply be ME.

You guessed it, I was someone who always looked ‘okay’ on the outside, but inside I was a very insecure person. I felt lost and alone, and my biggest enemy was actually me. It was like being a ‘hamster on a wheel’ and getting nowhere fast… exhausting.

Perhaps a better picture to describe my struggle is that of a girl with many different outfits on, all at the same time. I would try to be someone else (put on another outfit), but each time I did so, I would lose a small piece of the true me.

Eventually, I ended up with so many ‘pieces of clothing’ on that I found myself feeling very confused. I had no clue who I truly was under all of the outfits, and an urgency began to develop within me. I had to find out who I really was!People have often told me that I’m special, unique, and loved, but I really struggled to believe those words. I eventually discovered that my biggest battlefield was in my mind! I would read what God says about me, believe it, but a few days later find myself again at a place of

feeling lost, unworthy, and not good enough to be called His child, let alone even dare to think that I could be used by Him.

Me2 has played a significant role in me finding out WHO I AM and WHOSE I AM. No, it wasn’t a quick fix or a one-time event. Rather, this has been a journey of discovery, having people in my life who are willing to • walk with me, • build authentic relationships with me, • believe in me, • speak the truth in love to me because they

truly care about me, and • love me on my good and my bad days.

I am so grateful for people who pray for me and point me back to God; people who remind me REPEATEDLY who God is and who I am.

God used Me2 in my life to firmly establish my identity in Him. It has been a safe place where I have had the freedom to be vulnerable, and my relationship with God has grown tremendously over the years.

My breakthrough over insecurity came when I chose to…

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PURSUE GOD Through Me2, my desire to encounter God for myself grew stronger. As a result, I searched for Him (not for the people in my church, but for myself) and I encountered Him! Something shifted inside of me, and a deep truth settled in my spirit. I knew that I belonged to God, and to Him alone!

INTENTIONALLY WALK IN ACCOUNTABILITYGod does not want us to journey life alone. He places us in a church family, but we can choose whether we want to ‘live life’ with those people or not, whether we want to allow people to speak into our lives or not, and whether we want to be vulnerable and transparent or not.

I know, I know… it’s so easy to speak about these things, but to live them out and apply them to our lives is a very different ball game.

My breakthrough came when I chose to pursue God and when I intentionally decided to walk in accountability. This meant choosing to ‘put my pride in my pocket’ and risk being vulnerable.

Of course, there were bad days when I would forget where I came from and the old insecurities would wash over me again. It was on those days

that I would phone Pastor Edna and she would pray for me, encourage me, and remind me what God says in His Word about me… OVER and OVER again... until it eventually settled as truth in my mind and heart.

I started to declare those truths to myself and eventually believed them! That’s how God renews our minds. I sometimes wonder where I would be today had I not opened up my life to God and to people.

Galatians 5:25-26 in The Message Bible says, “Since this is the kind of life we have chosen, the life of the Spirit, let us make sure that we do not just hold it as an idea in our heads or a sentiment in our hearts, but work out its implications in every detail of our lives. That means we will not compare ourselves with each other as if one of us were better and another worse. We have far more interesting things to do with our lives. Each of us is an original.”

I am ONE OF A KIND… You are ONE OF A KIND... We are all ORIGINALS!

Let’s embrace who we are in Christ, enjoy each other’s differences, and be who God has called us to be!

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T H I S M E A N T C H O O S I N G T O ‘ P U T M Y P R I D E I N M Y P O C K E T ’ A N D R I S K B E I N G V U L N E R A B L E .

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Someone once asked me if I find it easier to be creative in a group or by myself. I didn’t even have to think about it. “By myself, of course!” I said.

It was at that moment that I realized that creatives like me often like to isolate ourselves and our art to the confined space of our bedrooms where no one can see the raw emotion that goes into our work. I suppose this is because of that deep-rooted fear that someone might not like or understand our work.

Some might not understand this tendency, but for an artist, our work is often the most accurate interpretation of who we are, how we feel, what we’ve been through, and how we view the world. So, of course, being creative alone is so much easier. That way, if it doesn’t work out, no one will ever need to see or hear it.

So, this is where collaboration is most valuable. When we collaborate, we are forced to bring our work out of our bedrooms and into the hands of someone else. It’s scary, but that’s when the real creative juices begin to pour out.

I’ve also realized that along with collaboration comes accountability. I used to think that one could only be accountable with “heart issues” (like, for instance, bad habits or behaviour

problems, whatever they may be). What I didn’t realize is that we can also be accountable with our ART.

I recently collaborated with someone in writing my first song. Haha! Yes, it’s true! It was a truly life-changing experience, and it brought out so much creativity in both of us. In the process of writing this song, I definitely had moments of fear and vulnerability. I could’ve easily swept my ideas under the rug and no one would have ever known that I’d tried to write a song for the first time. But because I was collaborating with a friend, we were accountable to each other in writing, finishing, and performing this song that we’d been working on.

And so, having survived my first experience with collaboration, I can honestly say that I believe that it is the place where the magic happens… where beautiful minds come together to create a colorful explosion of artistic greatness!

“Collaboration” is a beautiful thing; it’s when two different artists with two different talents and ideas come together for one common goal. Where I fall short, someone else excels. And together, we create a product that can only point people to our King.

Don’t be afraid! Go out there and create beauty through collaboration!

By Ruth Pasques

P h o t o g r a p h y : P i n t e r e s t

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My name is Emma Smith, or as I am commonly known, “Emma Smith, the surfer.”

As a competitive athlete, it’s easy to allow your sport alone to become your identity. I used to allow my title to define me, and I would strive to maintain the performance aspect of this. I often felt that there was nothing more to me than just being a surfer, and before I knew it, that insecurity had leaked into all areas of my life.

If anything other than God is your identity, it will always lead to disappointment. As the victories I constantly strived for faded, I found myself in a vicious cycle of trying to perform for success that could NEVER satisfy. This world often leaves one feeling as though they will never meet the standard.

Over the past few years, I have experienced a certain level of breakthrough finding my identity in God alone. I have learned to lean on His picture of me and not on my surfing achievements.

I was recently in Australia competing in the World Qualifying Series. God used that trip to humbly remind me that He was still solidifying my identity. Going into the competition, I felt fairly confident in who I was as a person and as a surfer. I had all the support I needed from my sponsors, and there was a big expectation to perform. And yet, I experienced a string of heart-wrenching losses.

At the time, my failure was painful, confusing, and disappointing. It took a couple of months to process that disappointment, but I can now truly say that “I am so thankful that God has a purpose in every season.” I may have felt stripped of ‘who I am,’ but I came out proclaiming that GOD ALONE IS MY SOURCE. He alone defines me and not my performance.

I am learning to praise God in the wins and the hard losses, and to say confidently that HE IS GOOD, both when circumstances around me are good and when they’re not.

EMMA SMITH “ t he su r fe r ”

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The world defines us by our performance and what we can show on paper, so it’s easy to look for security and affirmation in our career. But when God challenges us to get to a place where our identity is in Him alone, we are faced with two choices: Fear or Faith.

I’ve had to ask myself constantly after every loss, and there were a lot of them, “Do I exhibit an everlasting hope, peace, and relationship in Christ, no matter the circumstances? Do I sit in my defeat, or do I continue to get up and run in Jesus?”

Living for God is such a journey; one I will forever be on. The beauty of overcoming struggles with God, no matter how many times they keep coming up, is that He gives us the authority to overcome them again and again. It’s like Lisa Bevere says, “The enemy doesn’t attack you according to your history, he attacks you according to your destiny.” God has spoken His destiny over all of us.

When I feel like I cannot face another loss, I will keep on running in His peace and authority, knowing that when my obedience meets resistance, my faith must remain persistent. Persistence overcomes resistance.

I serve a Father who will do anything it takes to become my identity alone.

Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.”

In a world that daily tries to define me according to what I do and what ‘I am,’ He has given me authority to overcome!

WHEN I FEEL L I KE I CANNOT FACE ANOTHER LOSS, I

W I LL KEEP ON RUNN ING IN H I S PEACE AND AUTHOR ITY

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I SERVE A FATHER WHO WILL DO ANYTH ING

I T TAKES TO BECOME MY IDENT I TY ALONE.

P h o t o g r a p h y : K a t h e r i n e Fu s s e l l

M a r i s h k a D i e b o l d & m x m s u r f p h o t o

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T H E N E T H E R L A N D S

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EVERY JOURNEY BEGINS WITH A FIRST STEP.

Mine began way back in 2003 when I worked in a coffee corner after high school. I only worked there for about a year, but since that time, I find myself always looking for a nice place to drink coffee. It’s become a passion of mine.

In 2008, I graduated with a degree in Sports Psychology and worked in the industry for about four years. As a sports psychologist, I loved to help people with mental or psychical [relating to the human soul or mind] problems. I believe that we are created with a spirit, soul, and body. All three are connected to each other and need each other to work perfectly. When one part is not working well, the other two won’t be working well either.

In my profession, nutrition is something that doesn’t get a lot of attention, but I believe that a healthy lifestyle, including proper food, is essential for our well-being.

So, I began to dream of opening a place where people can TASTE, SEE, and EXPERIENCE what healthy food actually is. A place where they can be educated in HOW to take care of their bodies. I believe it is God’s desire for us that we are healthy in all areas of our lives. I also believe that He will show us how to do that and how to live in His kingdom.

In 2014, I was looking for a new job but felt that it was time to start my own business. I didn’t have a big bank account; on the contrary, mine was completely empty. I couldn’t rely on my strength or abilities because I was about to start a business without any experience of running one.

So many times, I wanted to quit because I just couldn’t see success happening for me. I felt so little. But God told me every time “Just take the next step.” So, that’s what I did.

To make a long story short, I got everything I needed to start. There were friends, family, and

WILMA WIBBELINK THE AMBASSADOR

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people from my church who helped me out so I wouldn’t need to go into debt. God faithfully supplied furniture, finances, and help!

In July 2015, I was delighted to open the doors finally to a coffee corner called “The Ambassador Coffee & Lifestyle.” It’s amazing and wonderful to see dreams and visions come together!

But it’s more than just a coffee corner. It’s a place where I can represent His Kingdom and teach people how they can live and celebrate life, and how they can take responsibility for their lives and bodies. I’m able to use my influence there to be a voice in my community on healthy food, exercise, relaxation, and being connected to our Creator, who loves to see us healthy in a world where there are so many distractions.

I offer individual coaching programs to help people to make little steps toward a healthy lifestyle, and with that, I also give workshops in The Ambassador. Sometimes, they are just

informational workshops, but other times, I combine the workshop with an opportunity to eat a meal together. It’s about learning to live a healthy lifestyle - spirit, soul & body.

As I look back, I’m so thankful to God for this incredible journey. It was a hugely humbling process, giving up all of my human securities and letting go of my pride. I am so grateful that, from the very first moment until today, there has never been one day where I have been in debt.

It has taken me more than ten years to get to this place. Ten years of collecting dreams, visions, prophetic words, and photos of my favourite coffee spots, without even realising that I was, in fact, collecting something that God was already birthing inside of me.Yes, it is a journey… but it’s still simply about taking a risk and taking the next step.

Like and follow:http://theambassador.nlhttps://www.facebook.com/ambassadorhattem/

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BUT IT’S MORE THAN JUST A COFFEE CORNER. IT’S A PLACE

WHERE I CAN REPRESENT HIS KINGDOM AND TEACH PEOPLE

HOW THEY CAN LIVE AND CELEBRATE LIFE,

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S N E A K Y AT TAC KThis 90s fashion trend has taken the world by storm again and has probably become one of the most popular items on any girls Pinterest board. Sneakers, they’re back!

Sneakers have kind of become one of the coolest shoes in fashion and we’re loving it! It’s something that looks good on anyone regardless of age, shape or form, perfect for all four season and it’s something that can we worn with anything, jip anything, even a skirt ladies.

It basically like walking on air. This is one trend that we hope will stick around for a while because we are sick of uncomfortable shoes!

P h o t o g r a p h y : P i n t e r e s t

WEARB Y R U T H PA S Q U E S

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INGREDIENTS:• 1 large chicken cut into 8 pieces• 700g new potatoes, cleaned• 3/4 cup dry white wine• ½ cup chicken stock• 1Tbsp Dijon mustard• 4 cloves garlic, crushed

• ½ cup finely chopped herbs (rosemary, thyme and sage)

• 3T olive oil• salt and freshly ground black pepper• sliced lemon (optional)• a couple of nobs of butter

EATB Y A N N E H U A N G

R OA S T C H I C K E N I N W H I T E W I N E , H E R B S & GA R L I CRecipe from www.drizzleanddip.com. It’s one of the first receipes i ever tried from pinterest and it worked! I’ve adapted it a little to my preferences, I’ve made it numerous times for dinner parties and everyone loves it! It’s super delicious combined with a fresh salad and cous cous.

Preheat the oven to 200°C and place the chicken pieces and potatoes (and lemons if you are using) in a large deep sided roasting pan. Mix the wine or verjuice, stock, mustard, butter, garlic and herbs and pour over the chicken. Drizzle over the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast uncovered for an hour, or until cooked through.

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Then he told the people to sit down on the grass. Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he gave the bread to the disciples, who distributed it to the people. They all ate as much as they wanted, and afterward, the disciples picked up twelve baskets of leftovers. About 5,000 men were fed that day, in addition to all the women and

children! - Matthew 14:19

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DEAR FRIEND,

This month, we will be focusing on the topic of The Glory of God. What IS the Glory of God, and how do we allow it to change our lives?

The unifying and central themes of the Bible are the Glory of God, and the Kingdom of God which is forever advancing through His sons and daughters.

Psalm 103:19 NKJV says, “The LORD has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.”

Louis Giglio (public speaker, author, and pastor) defined the word “Glory” as: ‘The sum total of God’s magnificent attributes, and the eternal fame of His mysterious works.’

Glory can also be defined as Splendor, Majesty, Weight, Significance, Honour, Abundance, Riches, Dignity, Reputation, and Reverence.

Romans 11:36 (Amplified) says, “For FROM Him and THROUGH Him and TO Him are all things.For ALL things originate WITH Him and come FROM Him;all things live THROUGH Him, and all things CENTER INand tend to consummate and to END IN Him.To Him be GLORY forever! Amen (so be it).”

If all things originate with Him, are from Him, center in Him and end in Him, and there is only ONE who will receive the glory (God), then surely we want to live our lives in such a way that our lives reflect back to Him and not to ourselves!

1. ALL THINGS WERE CREATED FOR HIS GLORYYou and I were created by God…• to magnify His glory, • to display His glory, and • to make His glory look greater!

God didn’t create us to increase His glory through us; He wanted to DISPLAY His glory through us!

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Colossians 1:15-17 NKJV says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him, all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”

In Isaiah 43:6-7 (Amplified), God said this: “Bring My sons from afar and My daughters from the ends of the earth, even everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, whom I have made.”

He has created us to carry His glory… His splendor, majesty, significance, presence, and reputation.

2. THE PROBLEM: SEEKING OUR OWN GLORYAt this point, it’s crucial that we be on our guard against any forms of distortion, whether big or small. Instead of us carrying God’s glory, there is the danger of starting to seek our own glory.

Deception doesn’t mean that you are evil or wicked, but simply that you have believed the lie to be the truth.

When our identities are not securely and firmly rooted in Christ, and our focus isn’t completely on bringing Him glory, it’s easy to become deceived! In our search for feeling significant, we try through our own efforts to gain dignity and honor.

3. THE DISTORTION• We start looking at our own gifts and beauty.• We start to believe our own ‘publicity’ and end up seeking our own glory. • We get so impressed with ourselves that we forget that it’s all about HIM.• We easily exchange the Glory of God for our own images.• What we see in people’s eyes when they look at us becomes more important to us than

giving God the glory.• We begin to devalue other people in order to feel better about ourselves. • We are unable to bring Him glory because of the fear of what people may think of us.• We are more worried about stepping out and failing than loving and obeying the One who

deserves all glory.• We wait for an ‘increase’ of more glory to be visible in our lives, so we can be more gloriously

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‘perfect,’ and yet God wants to display Himself in and through us, despite our imperfections and weaknesses.

‘Look in the mirror’ timeWhich of these distortions can you identify with?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Where have you believed a lie to be the truth when it comes to seeking God’s glory instead of your own?__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear friends, let us remember to never take for ourselves that which belongs to God! It’s not about us… It’s all about Him.

Jesus died on the cross and paid the full price for our sins, sicknesses, and diseases. He has poured out His love, grace, and anointing on us. He is the one who has gifted us and created us to bring HIM fame!

Take some time and reflect on who God is and what He has done for you.___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

It’s about HIS glory and HIS fame. Remember to always reflect His glory back to Him!“And one cried to another and said, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” Isaiah 6:3 (Amplified)

Much love from,Edna and the Team

DEAR FRIEND!

This month we will be focusing on Growing in Maturity from Glory to Glory!

For many of us, one of the first phrases we learned when we became a Christian was “going from glory to glory” or “from strength to strength.” It’s something Christians often say when encouraging each other, but what does it really mean?

1. TRANSFORMED BY HIS GLORYPart of God’s strategy for us is: • TO BEHOLD HIM, • TO BE TRANSFORMED by the Spirit of God (not through self-effort or self-improvement),• TO EXPERIENCE HIS GLORY, and • TO GO FROM GLORY TO GLORY!

HOW CAN WE TRANSFORM AND CHANGE?

Change comes by beholding HIM, not by doing. It is a result of intimacy with God. “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.”II Corinthians 3:18 NKJV

This Scripture mentions, “beholding as in a mirror.” The verb translated “beholding” can also be translated “reflecting.” The passive and middle forms of the verb literally mean “to be mirrored.”

So… 1. We behold the glory of the Lord as if we are looking in a mirror. 2. We look closely, examining carefully the glory we see. 3. By doing so, we see God’s glory and, subsequently, reflect that glory as a mirror of God’s image. 4. When we see Jesus for who He is, we become Christ-centered in everything we do. 5. Change comes through the Spirit of God, not through self-effort.

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The word “transformed” indicates the continual nature of our transformation, and the passive tense reveals that someone is doing the transforming for us. This means that transformation is a process!

2. TRANSFORMATION IS A PROCESS!Do you remember that phrase we mentioned earlier… going from Glory to Glory? It kind of sounds like we supernaturally jump from one awesome experience to the next awesome experience, doesn’t it? Who wouldn’t want that?

Unfortunately, between those two places of GLORY, there is a place where there is NO GLORY - a spiritual ‘Ground Zero.’ It’s a dangerous place where we actually risk moving from a place of ‘Glory to GORY’ (from strength to weakness).

Here’s what happens…A. DeclareDeclaring means ‘to make known, to formally state your intentions, or to clarify.’ We receive a prophetic word about our lives, whether from another person or in the quietness of our own hearts. God loves to speak to His children and make known His intentions and plans for them. He declares, makes known, and clarifies His plans for our lives.

B. DisasterThen, after the prophetic word has been declared to you, in the hearing of your family, your friends, your world, and even the enemy, what often happens? It’s as if the wheels fall off and everything that was going well is now a disaster. Distress. Disappointment.

The prefix ‘dis’ means to go in the opposite direction. Where there was unity, there is now dis-unity. Where there was like, there is now dis-like. Where there was comfort, there is now dis-comfort. C. DevelopmentThis is part of the process of forming a man and a woman who can be entrusted with Godly things, but we look at ourselves and feel that we have failed. There is no glory… it’s just GORY.

It’s in this very place of distress and discomfort that God starts to develop those parts of our character that do not glorify Him. He identifies those parts of us that are looking for the approval,

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praise, and accolades of men. He gives us the opportunity to look into the mirror of His Word and find ourselves lacking.

James 1:2-4 NKJV says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

God says, “You are in the process of development in order that I may bring you into the fullness of the destiny that I‘ve got for you.”

D. DestinyThe Latin word ‘destinare’ means to ‘make firm, establish.’ Therefore, destination means ‘the action of intending someone or something for a particular purpose.’

We grow in maturity and change when we are desperate, experiencing hardship, and have come to the end of ourselves. Very little true change happens casually.

‘Look in the mirror’ timeWe are all in the process of transformation! Can you identify where you are in the process? Why did you think so?• Declare • Disaster• Development • Destiny

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Let’s pray and ask God for a fresh desire in our hearts to BEHOLD HIM (to focus on Jesus), so that we can reflect His glory in everything that we do.

GOD IS MOST GLORIFIED WHEN YOU ARE MOST SATISFIED IN HIM!

Much love from,Edna and the Team

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