Wow it feels like forever since last I wrote my thoughts down. My life has been a steam roller of work, work and sleep. feelings and emotions are optional extras at times. We have secured a house to house the programme Beth Shan. What a wonderful statement to make. Sure there are problems - perhaps more like challenges but they are just sent to keep you humble and totally reliant of God. God makes me want to giggle when he sorts a problem out almost immediately or when he whams you with an aha moment as he sorts something out overnight that has kept you up most nights.

We are praying to open Beth Shan in February. Many are saying it won't happen but I know God has a trick or two up his sleeve- I like the idea that God smiles at our roadblocks. the most exciting aspect of the new Beth Shan is that it will be a place of healing of Agape love and understanding, a place of quiet from a terrible life and a place of shelter from the storm. We will also have the element of women who had been through the horrible experience of being trafficked. I guess that will be one of our biggest challenges. They are survivors and have learnt how to be tough and how to get what you want in desperate ways. God must give us the wisdom to work lovingly with these ladies but also restorative. Making sure they will once again be able to live in a "normal" society after being so badly abused by fellow human beings.

As I look at the world today I see not much has changed. The corporate conscious of society has just dulled even more then it was in the past. Now we turn a blind eye to so much more then our forefather's did. Apartheid was terrible but slavery has to be worse. Genocide was disgusting as we look at it in history but we allow it in our life time and for me in my own continent.

The truth of power corrupting and absolute power corrupting absolutely is so evident in Africa. How we pray that God would bless Africa and we thank Him for men like Angus Buchan who stands and preaches repentance and confession of sins.

Africa has a bleeding heart that needs fixing but the eyes of those living in Africa will tell you that hope has almost left us. almost but not completely. God bless Africa!!

Christmas has come and gone and 2008 has closed its door. I loved Christmas this year. After our morning service which was well attended we headed out for the Free State and spent a few days (3) at Moreson in Vreda. Its a hunting lodge - canned lions no less !!!!!- But also a camping site with an indoor pool and the kids got to play with lion and tiger cubs. they had free access to them and the boys in particular loved that experience. it was only as we stayed there that we discovered the true nature of the lodge. But I am pleased to say that a law has just come out banning canned lion hunting. so maybe moreson will become a lion sanctuary I hope so!

We came back in time to prepare for Old Year's eve service. We decided to hold it at our home and the young people brought their guitars and keyboard and drums and we sang praises to our Great God. We looked at new hopes, new desires and new decisions. We asked God for direction for 2009 and thanked Him for his Faithfulness in 2008. It was a great evening at midnight we were singing -"You are awesome in this place Mighty God" to the sound of an incredible thunderstorm hitting our garage - where we moved to when the rain began to threaten). It was amazing just to bow before the king of the universe and offer to him ourlives for another year.

Our verse for this year is Luke 4:18-19 taken from the Message
God's spirit is on me; He's chosen me to preach the Message of good news to the poor, sent me to announce pardon to the prisoners and recovery of sight to the blind, to set the burdened and battered free, to announce, "this is God's year to act".

So allow me to announce to you all "this is God's year to act". As a church we are beleiving this so much and standing on it as our foundation. We know that God has great things in store for us and we are going to preach it, announce it, do miracles in His name and shout from the roof tops this is God's year to act. We are taking God at His word and know that that's a good thing to do.

So pray for us. As a family we are doing well. Nicole (my second eldest ) has just past matric. She passed really well and we are really proud of her. She start at university this year studying Bcom accounting. I know that even in this God will undertake to make sure she is financally able to get through her studies. We praise him for the 10 thousand already received.

matthew and Mark start with the senior phase of their high school career and are very excited. natalie has a job at Truworths (a clothing store) and a steady boyfriend so she too is beginning to be settled. jeff and I love each other more every day. We are so interdependent on one another its a little scary at times. I thank God for my life partner and ask that I may know how best to serve him.

So from us to you all God bless and keep true to Him. My hightest prayer for 2009 is that I may be worthy of His love and that he may continue to work His work of grace in my heart so that I can be more and more like him. I want to be holy even as he is holy. Too high - well I'm striving toward that goal.