It was good to get together at our last breakfast/brunch of the year on Friday morning the 21st November at the Riviera Hotel, Velddrif.  A very nice venue and good food, made enjoyable by the lovely company of all the ladies.  Thank you to all those who participated in making it a joyous occasion, from just being there, the place name tags and the gifts for everyone!

Marian (and Johan, her husband) returned to South Africa from spending a few month's in Canada at Prince Edward Island with her son and his wife at the blue berry farm.  She shared some precious thoughts with us.

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The ladies' breakfast we had, the theme was reflections—to think back about what God did in our lives. When I heard the word reflection, I immediately saw the beautiful reflections of the autumn trees on the dam on this big farm. The trees are yellow, pink, red, and orange. It was the most beautiful sight I saw. And God really talked to me a lot about the seasons in our lives.

Springtime with its lovely flowers and green, and new beginnings. But it all starts with the seed we sow. The Lord showed me three principles and three things where you can sow the wrong seed that can influence the rest of your life.

The first one is about Ephesians 6:2, which says to honour your mother and father. And God talked to me about that because I realized I didn’t honour my parents. I was angry at God for taking my mother so early. I was bitter toward my father because he was so strict and without love. And I became the same as him—I became the same angry person until the Lord showed me.

The next seed we can sow is from Galatians 6:7: 'What you sow, you will reap.' Whether it’s blessings or destruction, unforgiveness or hate, according to the seeds that we sow, we will reap either blessings or destruction. The third seed that we sow is from Matthew 7:1: 'With the same measure you judge, you will be judged.' And God showed me how I judged my father because he was so loveless and such a strict parent, and I ended up becoming the same as him. It was also out of his pain that he was like that. But the thing is, if we sow seeds, we will be judged by the same measure. The only way to turn our next harvest into something beautiful is by forgiveness—by forgiving every judgment we’ve made, every hate we’ve carried, and forgiving the people who have hurt us.

And then comes autumn, a truly beautiful season with stunning trees and colorful leaves. That is the time of harvest—the time to pick the fruit of the seeds you have grown. It was so lovely to see, after all the toil and hard work during the summer, how the fruit was in abundance on the little bushes. And by God's grace, it was a record harvest under the management of my son. It was amazing to witness the fruit of your heart and strenuous labor.

And then the next season is winter. After the big harvest and all the fruit, everything becomes quiet, and the leaves die off. They say winter is the season when the cold kills all the pests and plagues, which is so interesting. It’s also a season when we die to ourselves—a time of quietness and coldness, where we feel as if we are dying. But it’s in the winter that the roots grow deep, and God works in a deep way within us, preparing us to grow back stronger again.

So it is good to reflect on what is going on in our lives. What seeds are we sowing? Are we forgiving other people? And are we sowing seeds of love and encouragement? 

What a precious morning we had together at the Farmhouse on this 9th day of May 2025.  Its always so good to be able to get together as sisters in Christ and share our thoughts and growing insight into the scriptures.  Maybe we had to dig a little in finding out "Who am I", with a riddle to give us a clue.  But the important part was saying what we had learnt by being the character in the bible and what our sisters had learnt from us!   A good exercise!  

To crown it all Caroline shared her life's journey and how God has been so good to her and her family in bringing her to the West Coast.  Indeed God is good, all the time!!

Here is a picture of some of the 18 ladies who attended.  

Our second breakfast attended by 17 ladies.  Are'nt we blessed!!

A few testimonies afterwards:

The breakfast and fellowship at the Farmhouse yesterday was absolutely amazing! So wonderful to be part of this community xxx Much love - Ariska

Thank you so much for the lovely breakfast at Farmhouse. Its was a big spoil and thanks for the interesting questions that made us think very deep and to think deeply about the meaning of it!  It was a privilege to attend! 🩵🪼🐠 Marian

Thanks for another fine occasion this morning!  Renate

It was a delicious breakfast and a very successful morning. Truly wonderful to hear Caroline's testimony. Her faith shines through her.🙏❣ Jennifer

It such a blessing to meet with you all again. Oil in lamp and water in my tank.  Bless you all. Keep the Light of the Lord shining bright on the West Coast 🙏  You guys are awesome.... There is so much godly love and grace among you all.  Drew

Testimorny by Caroline :

A GOD OF ORDER

I grew up in a Christian home, where we started out in the Methodist Church and later in my teenage years moved to the Hatfield Church (which became River of Life) in Vanderbijlpark. There was an amazing youth group with such a passion for praise, worship and fellowship.  As the Church grew many of the youth moved away and the closeness disappeared.

By the age of twenty-one, I had finished studying and started working as an Assistant Supervisor at the local public swimming pool and this is where I met my husband. I was teaching swimming, and he was a professional canoe triathlete wanting to learn another discipline. He and a group of canoe triathletes came for swimming technique lessons. I was head over heals from the at first sight, but he did not make it easy for me. A week after, asking me out he left for a two week visit to his parents and switched off his phone. Later he told me he wanted to see how I would react. Apparently, I passed the test. Long story short we got married 2 years later.

Growing up with a single mother, I never got to see the model for marriage and therefore no point of reference for me. I stepped into marriage as a quite independent person with a very Afrikaans husband. Culturally we were vastly different, this was a recipe for some surprises. I was extremely grateful that his wonderful person had chosen me, that at any hint of disagreement I would already apologise no matter where the fault was.

I believe marriage is a state in which imperfect people often hurt one another; forgiveness can allow God’s redemptive power to transform that marriage. I remember one of our biggest challenges was time. He was always on time for everything, and I was always finishing something to rush of to the next. I remember after teaching swimming in the evenings and closing the pool at the place I was hiring from, I would often be a few minutes later than he would expect and this would upset him greatly. This went on for years, deep down I was feeling resentment and anger. At boiling point, I began to rebel, feeling very caged in.

Life became so busy, with my husband working and training and I would work and then teach swimming, that we barely had time for our children. But this could only carry on for so long. By this time, I was already starting to feel tired and the load got heavy. I know God already then heard the cry in my heart. Not realising the toll this busy life was taking on my children who were still small and yearned to spend time with us. Later, when God had intervened, I learned my daughter prayed that I would stay home with her.

Thankfully, Covid happened (although when it happened, I felt the walls come tumbling down for me) and our “normal” lives were thrown upside-down. A whole sequence of events followed. For the first 5 weeks we all (my husband, I and my two children) stayed home. I continued to work from home and started homeschooling my children. This was challenging and frustrating for me as I was so used to my routine of getting up going to work, returning home and teaching swimming. It is all I had known for twenty odd years. As the weeks past my employer started putting on the pressure for me to return to the office and this is where the humbling process first started.

I held on tightly to my security of a salary as I felt it was my responsibility to bring in money for the home and family. During the first few months of Lock-down, God was already working in our lives. He had laid on our hearts to move to the Western Cape. This meant selling our house, every worldy security we held on to God wanted us to let go of. My husband encouraged me to leave my job, but I really did not want to. I finally resigned, a bit grudgingly, but God has work so much in my heart to heal and make me whole again. About a year after lock down had started, I was able through Jesus to focus on what was important to God and no longer myself. It is still a daily process of humbling myself before God, but it is no longer grudgingly. I became submissive to my husband, not out of duty but out of respect.

The sale of our house took a lifetime for me. I thought it would sell within 3 months, but once again God had other plans. God knows far better, than we could even imagine, what he has planned for us. Our house sold after more than a year. We had to move to my sister’s weekend house as our new house was not yet built and would not be for another year, although we did not foresee this. We ended up staying there for about 8 months. This was again change but God drew us closer and closer to him. I learnt to rest and listen and wait on God. But our journey to the Cape was not over. The children and I then moved to my parents-in-law in Bloemfontein for another 6 months while my husband continued to work in Vanderbijlpark which was about 4 hours drive. It is incredibly humbling to live with people under their goodwill and not having your own home. This was also the first time we had been separated in our then 21 years of marriage. He would come to Bloem on weekends with the traveling becoming a financial strain and the distance and emotional strain. We continued to lay it before God and trust Him and in May 2023 we gave up all security and my husband resigned to move to the Western Cape. Our entire move, from the sale to places to stay and finally to our new house has taught us to trust God with everything. It has taught me to trust my husband as the leader of our family.

We took the big leap of faith and moved down to the Cape to camp for what was supposed to be a 2 month holiday while the builder built and finished the shell of our house. It became 4 months through a very raining winter season. I remember waking up one night and praying “God please calm the storm”. I was sure our tent was going to blow away. Another night I was awoken to the stirring in my heart to read Job and what a blessing this book was for me. How through loss and illness Job continued to praise God. Wow.

Then the Character building started, or should I say the builder who God used to build my character. After 4 months in the caravan park with many tears (the builder still not showing signs of completing our house) we moved to our property to live in our caravan just under the floor of the house. It was supposed to be for 2 weeks and ended up being another 4 months. Patience, faith and humility is something I thought I had lots of. God, through his Word and the situations we had to go through, has taught me these three things. Every time my human nature pops out God quickly corrects me to keep me on the correct path.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not see.” To have faith as Abraham did: Hebrews 11:19 “Abraham reckoned” – to believe God was able to raise Isaac up again.” He never tried to negotiate or simply refuse to do as God had told him. All because he reckoned.

Proverbs 3: 5-6  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

Ephesians 5:22 – 25 “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,”

Colossians 3:18-19 “ Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them.”

Corinthians 11:3 “But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”

Thank you to Marian who invited the ladies for fellowship, tea and eats on the 14^th and 28^th March 2025 respectively.  What a special time spent together, getting to know one another just a little bit more! 

Besides enjoying the amazing spread of dainties and refreshments lovingly prepared, we were each presented with a question relating to our walk and experience with the Lord Jesus, which challenged us to give an “on the spot” response. It was a good exercise for us to dig a little deeper and share something in our hearts.  One is reminded of Paul’s exhortation to Timothy to “be instant in season and out of season”!  Our prayer is that as women, our "wells" will be deep with the living water, which comes from knowing Jesus who is the way, the truth and the life.

LADIES BREAKFAST AT REACH CAFE, BLAAUWBERG

Saturday morning 8 ladies from Langebaan travelled through to join with a group of sisters from different fellowships to enjoy a good breakfast and precious time of testimony and ministry.  

Ruth shared with us about Sarah and Hagar.

One has different seasons in one’s life. As a child where we learn about life and learn to respect our parents. As adults as we study and get jobs that use the skills we have learned, maybe being in charge of situations. Having our own husbands and families and what that entails. Bringing up our own children to the best of our ability, then letting them go as they become adults and get jobs and get married and have their own children. Then we get to that point in our lives where we need help and our children take over looking after us.

During our lives we come into contact with people who hate us for whatever reason they have, or we find that there are people who we find very difficult to like.

It made me think of Sarah and Hagar. Hagar was a slave to Sarah, so had no say in how she was treated and was often not seen at al,l as she performed her tasks every day. Today one could look at the guards at the shop doors. Do we see them as we enter the shop or are they just there?

Sarah, knowing that she was beyond child – bearing, makes a decision that was going to change her life for the worse. She gives Hagar to Abraham for wife and Hagar becomes pregnant. She, Sarah, thought she was “helping God.” That never works. She begins to make Hagar’s life unbearable because I think deep down in her spirit, she knew that that had been a mistake. She will have to live with her decision for the rest of her life.

Hagar cannot handle the treatment and runs away. In the desert, God sends an angel who asks her, “What are you doing here!” She tells the angel that she cannot bear the treatment she is receiving from her mistress. The angel tells her to return and submit to herself to her mistress. She would have a son who would be wild, hating everyone and being hated by everyone.

She returns and has her son. He must have been a very difficult boy. Sarah continues to mistreat Hagar for 13 years. She, Sarah, must have been very bitter.

Then God tells Abraham to circumcise all the males which he does and at 99 years of age the three angels visit Abraham to tell him that this time next year Sarah would have a son.

She laughs, (it must have been a very bitter laugh) but soon realises that she is pregnant. Isaac is born and when he is weaned, Ishmael mocks Isaac and Sarah hears him. Sarah is given the task to do something about it and sends Hagar and her son into the wilderness. Hagar has nowhere to go so places the boy in the shade of a tree. His crying is heard by God. An angel comes and says to Hagar. “The Lord has heard the boy crying. What are you doing here?” She tells him that she has nowhere to go. The angel tells her that her son will become a great nation, and opens her eyes. There is a spring of water. She gives God a Name. You are the God that sees me.

Maybe we are in a situation, at work, at home, with family, (inlaws)  where we face hatred because of past circumstances that continues to fester. As Christians we know that God expects us to forgive and forget as He has done to us. Maybe we need to ask God to show us how He sees the situation from His point of view so that He can restore relationships. Travelling here in the car. It was spoken of as to how God has been restoring relationships in families.

We just have to give it over to the Lord and humble ourselves, and allow God…………….

Barbara shared about the fruit of the Spirit.

Today, I would like to share with us about something we all have. – Emotions! The Word refers to our emotions as the soul.We live in Muizenberg, so have easy access to the sea.  Whenever we drive alongside the ocean is always different. Sometimes the sea is incredibly calm, another time the waves will be quite choppy.  The other day we went to a restaurant in Kalk Bay.  We sat by a window which was next to the rocks and the waves were crashing down.  It was high tide.  The sea reminded me of our emotions.  Different circumstances affect us daily.   Our emotions are either calm, disturbed or turbulent depending on the situation.  How do we as women cope with our emotions??

There is much that is said about the woman in the last book of Proverbs.  One verse in Proverbs 31   caught my attention.  Verse 26 says …….She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

This chapter speaks about an amazing woman.   Picture perfect!!!!!I wonder how picture perfect, we are??????   When our emotions are running high, like high waves?  Then are we also wise?  Are we always kind?  

 In   Galatians 5 vs 22 & 23    It speaks about the 9 aspects of the fruit of the Spirit, which is the nature of Christ.

There is someone who was and is and will always be perfect.  His name is Jesus. God says that no one is perfect except God.  Jesus is God.  Jesus died on the cross, was buried and rose again.   He died to free us from ourselves and wash away our sins.  When we believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for us personally.  The Spirit of Christ unites with our spirit and we are born again. He lives within our hearts.  We are a new creation. Born again. We cannot save ourselves no matter how hard we try. Only the blood of Jesus has the power to wash our sins away.

 When Jesus lives inside of us, He desires that His fruit - His nature starts to show in our lives.

 So, what is this fruit   …………. there are 9 aspects

Love    Joy   Peace   Longsuffering     Gentleness   Goodness    Faith    Meekness    Temperance (self-control)  

Interesting Gods Word says that against this fruit there is NO LAW!!!!

It does not matter how long we have been born again; emotions are and will always be part of our lives.

Life is full of twist and turns.  The unbeliever depends on positive thinking. The power of the mind.  We as believers have our hope and rest in our God. We call out to a living God.  Hebrews 6 vs 19 We have an anchor to our souls. Steadfast and sure.

I have heard believers saying.  I have forgiving someone but I keep thinking about the issue.  The Lord has the answer for us in Matthew 5 vs 44   Pray for them!!!!  Not that fire and brimstone would fall on them.  Every time the situations come into your mind - Just pray.   In time you will realise that you are no longer thinking about that situation. What a blessing to be free of that stronghold of the mind

We as women are precious to the Lord. He wants us to be the quiet still waters firstly in our homes, in the Church and wherever we are.  A useful vessel filled with the love of the Lord.  If we are married, supporting our husbands as we serve the Lord together.  If unmarried, we serve the Lord.  He will help us and give us grace in every situation.

If we take a cup and fill it with water.  That is what Jesus’ love is to each one of us.  Full and perfect. He says He has loved us with an everlasting love.

I encourage each one of us to examine our hearts and lives.   Are we wise and kind and is the fruit of the Spirit of Christ part of our daily lives?  I pray that the Lord blesses you all.