I'm a missionary too!

Local Kommetjie missionaries

Awhile back, Gabe wanted to go to Lifexchange with Shelby and Shelby didn't know if he wanted to bring him that day. Gabe stood his ground and finally said, "Dad, I'm a missionary too! Let me go with you!" And he went with him. We have laughed at that statement and also loved hearing his heart. Our kids are missionaries too, even if just at home or in our neighborhood.

Today the boys came home and told me about their friend that lives across the street. He prays to a god named  khnum. Both of the boys sprang into action. I have to say, I am so thankful for their hearts, I am so thankful that not for a second were they ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Eli full on John 3:16 the kid, telling him about God sending His one and only Son to save us. Gabe argued his point that Jesus is real and this other God is not a real God.

Now, the thing is Gabe could only take his argument so far. But, he came home and told me the story and asked for help. "How, do you prove that Jesus is real and this other God is fake?" I love that he didn't know, but he never doubted and he wanted to learn and equip himself for tomorrows debate.

My kids are missionaries! We all are! I am going to encourage you to look for opportunities to share Christ and don't back down. Don't shrink because it is uncomfortable, don't not put in a good argument for Christ because you don't know all of the answers. There is TONS of study material out there, good sermons to listen to and books to read. You have no excuse for not learning the answers. Go be missionaries, wherever your mission field brings you today. And may the peace of Christ be with you as you take Jesus to others.

Blessings,

Andrea

Savory Specials

I have a confession to make.  I love pancakes.  Always have.  As a child I would say I ate pancakes about once a week.  As parents, Andrea and I used to make them for breakfast for our family quite regularly.  Blueberry, strawberry, whip cream, syrup, chocolate chip, I like them all.  Here in South Africa we do not get to eat them as often, thanks to the lack of bisquick (and lots of other baking stuff) everything is made from scratch.  I know, I know, we are probably better off like that, but it does take away some of the ease and connivence of baking.  Anyway I digress from my topic.  So as a pancake lover I am on the lookout for pancakes anytime we are able to eat out.  But yesterday I was introduced to something that I never thought possible.....Pancakes.....FOR LUNCH????

We were having lunch with LifeXchange to discuss somethings and I look at the lunch specials and see, Savory Chicken Pancakes.  Chicken & Pancakes?  I was shocked and appalled.  In my mind I am picturing Chicken pancakes like you would a chocolate chip pancake.  My friend Cobus says you never had one, you have to have one.  So I ordered one, after all I love pancakes.  So it was one big skillet sized pancake cooked on both sides and then filled with a creamy chicken mushroom gravy, rolled up and put on a plate.  Apparently you can also get one with vegetables instead of chicken (have to admit that still sounds gross).  I was pretty impressed.  Pancakes are no longer just for breakfast, and no longer need syrup.

So that got me thinking.  What else is there that I have only been seeing from 1 dimension?  Let me ask another question, are there areas in your spiritual life that you need to see from a new perspective?  For example a few obvious ones.  Maybe church isn't only for Sundays?  Maybe Prayer isn't only something you do at dinner?  Maybe your Bible isn't only meant to sit on your coffee table?   Ok, lets go a little deeper.   What if evangelism isn't only for Pastors?  What if Jesus really meant it when he said "Go and make disciples?"  We could go on and on, but hopefully you see my point.  I want to live life in 3D not 1D and sometimes that means we have to start looking at things in new ways, venture out and try new things.

Who knows, maybe you will discover the next big Savory Special.

blessings
Shelby

Tourists

We don's often get to act like tourists, but we just had a friend come and visit from Korea and we got to go into Cape Town and act a little like a tourist. It was fun! We went to the aquarium and saw penguins!!! Super cute! Here's a few pics of our outing. Enjoy!

 Gabe as a penguin!

 Brie as a penguin... isn't she cute :)

 the tiniest little sea horse I've ever seen!

 Jelly fish

 penguins... so cool

 Shark!

 Finley looking so super cute

 That is us under a huge guy made out of coke a cola crates

 a really cool ferris wheel, that black car is the VIP car and it has a glass bottom

A view of the V&A waterfront

Pretty cool day experiencing new places. So blessed to live in an insanely beautiful place. I had no idea we had a ferris wheel :) Not that I would go on it. I'm scared of heights.

Kingdom of God

I've been thinking a lot about the Kingdom of God. It isn't some far away place or some place that will happen later, it is a real place now. The even crazier thing is that probably our dimension exists with in the Kingdom of God dimension. That is how we have angels and evil beings in our dimension with us, how Jesus went thru walls in the New Testament. When you live in the Kingdom of Heaven you can go easily in and out of our earthly kingdom too.

CS Lewis, in The Great Divorce, wrote that our world is like a ghost of the Kingdom of God. It has been also described as a shadow. Just think if our world, with all of it's beauty, is just a shadow. Look at your shadow and look at the real solid you... big difference. Just think for a minute what does the Kingdom of God look like if this is only the shadow?

Let's take it one step more in Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you." Here we are seeking and the Lord gives us this wild desire to further His Kingdom in a way we just cant humanly imagine, what do you do? To many times I come crashing down back to Earth, shackled by things going thru my mind like; I cant do that, I'm not equipped; That would cost more money than I could ever make; it's just to hard it would take a lifetime and still wouldn't work! That is me in my finite mind, but if we stay focused on the Kingdom of God we see that if He wants some crazy thing done on this shadow of an existence then He will complete it. He does not depend on our money, He is outside of our time, He can equip us with whatever is needed, He will direct the paths of others to get on board or get out of the way.

I am so ashamed that in the past I have struggled with this. I get overwhelmed and often try and do it my way, or fix something. This always, ALWAYS, ends up with me being spanked and having to ask for forgiveness. I have seen the Lord do so much in our lives, provision, moving us, working out all the little details, equipping and showing up, HE ALWAYS SHOWS UP! He doesn't always do it the way I think He should, actually He never does it my way, He doesn't worry about time, He knows just when it is needed and often doesn't give us what we need until the exact time, he removes obstacles at every turn. He has built my faith, I actually never want to live without this kind of faith ever again. It makes for the most incredibly exciting life. Trusting God will not disappoint!

We are looking at huge big vision that the Lord has placed in our hearts. I'm not sure how He will work it out, but I have butterflies in my stomach at how He WILL work it out! It's exciting and scary and daring living this Kingdom of Heaven life. Let's just watch how the Lord moves this year, how He provides for His kids, His beaten and mistreated kids, His abandoned and orphaned children, His big kids that have grown up without Him in a godless society, the brokenhearted, the body of Christ, Fathers wanting to be more to their families and in their communities, Mom's wanting to draw close to Christ and be the best wife and mother's they can be, kids stepping it up a notch and serving and doing missions, the Word brought forth in power and salvation, SALVATION! My heart yearns for the Kingdom of Heaven to be here today, that we can give this shadow of an existence a glimpse of what is to come. Pray with us, that the Lord will direct our path as we seek Him and His righteousness.

I'm choosing to live Kingdom minded, I may waiver, but I know it is more real than here. I challenge you to live that way too. What is the Lord asking you to do? If it is Him asking NOTHING is to difficult for Him to accomplish, just walk in it. You will be amazed!

Love you guys,

Andrea

2012 It's all about Jesus and walking humbly!

                                  Taken while driving around Chapmans peak Dec. 30, 2011


Always in the beginning of a new year I take time to reflect on what the last year held for me and where I believe the Lord is directing me for the new year.

He has given me 2 themes, I say this for lack of a better word. They are Jesus and humility! So, this year that is what I will try and walk in. Everything goes back to Jesus, everything is filtered thru Jesus, it is ALL about Jesus. He was there in the beginning, He was there last year and He is here now in this moment and will be here no matter where this year takes us! To walk humbly, if Jesus (Phil 2:7) "made himself nothing, taking on the very nature of a servant." then I can put down all my stuff and put others first too!

Really I just think a lot of being humble can be found in just being real. I am not at all perfect, I don't have a perfect family, my house is messy 90% of the time... the list goes on. So, this year I will not pretend to have it all together and I hope others have freedom to not be perfect either. We all have area's God wants us to work on and we can humbly work on those things and helping others work on their stuff all because Jesus saved us from a mess and we walk humbly knowing we have been forgiven and shown tons of grace and mercy.

Thank you Jesus for who you are, for always showing your self to me and never giving up on me! You are so faithful to all of us! Let this year be a year that we all get to know you even more, that we go deep with you and press in closer to you. Thank you Lord for being an example of humility and a servant, help me to follow hard after you and be able to walk humbly before you. I love you Lord! Amen


Blessings,

Andrea