Onaangenaam en Twisgierig “Ten Goede Verwerp”

Onaangenaam en Twisgierig
“Ten Goede Verwerp"

Buite in die Gang

Do you remember reading On the Rock, “Set Apart” when Erin’s desk was moved out into the hallway as punishment? Well, Erin spent a good portion of her school years—rejected. And even though no one wants to be rejected, God chooses the rejected to build ministries and missions.

Onthou jy dat jy Op die Rots, “Afgesonder” gelees het toe Erin se lessenaar in die gang geskuif was as straf? Wel, Erin het ‘n goeie deel van haar skooljare—verwerp spandeer. En alhoewel niemand verwerp wil wees nie, kies God die verwerptes om bedienings en sendings te bou. 

Instead of being with everyone else, Erin was rejected, set apart from her classmates. At her private school, students were only permitted to talk when they were outside during recess—never in the classroom or washroom or in the hallways.

In plaas daarvan om saam almal anders te wees, was Erin verwerp, verwyder van al haar klasmaats. By haar private skool, was studente net toegelaat om te praat wanneer hulle buite gedurende speeltyd was—nooit in die klaskamer of waskamer of in die gange nie.

Remaining quiet all day was difficult for Erin, who was blessed with a God-given passion for communicating. But like all God’s gifts, they’re reserved for His good use—not to feed our flesh and make us feel good. Feeding our flesh is human nature but it falls short of our spiritual nature designed for us as His princess.

Om die heeldag stil te bly was moeilik vir Erin, wie geseën was met ‘n God-gegewe passie vir kommunikasie. Maar soos al God se geskenke, word hulle voorbehou vir Sy goeie gebruik—nie om ons vlees te voed of om ons goed te maak voel nie. Om ons vlees te voed is menslik maar dit val kort van ons geestelike natuur wat vir ons as Sy prinses ontwerp is.

In the hallway, however, Erin wasn’t alone, nor did she feel alone. Remember how she’d learned to be with the Lord, who was closer than a Brother? Sadly, many never realize that the Lord is right next to us—just by inviting Him into our hearts—as I hope you read in My First Love "Closer than a Brother." This means Erin could talk all day long, in her heart, to her Prince of Peace who rescued her from ever feeling rejected.

Nietemin, in die gang, was Erin nie alleen nie, nog minder het sy alleen gevoel. Onthou hoe sy geleer het om met die Here te wees, wie nader as ‘n Broer was? Hartseer, besef baie nie dat die Here reg langs ons is nie—deur Hom net in ons harte in te nooi—soos ek hoop jy in My Eerste Liefde “Nader as ‘n Broer” gelees het. Dit beteken dat Erin die heel dag, in haar hart, met haar Vredevors kon praat, wie haar gered het om ooit verwerp te voel.

SELF-Love??
SELF-Liefde??

Feeling alone is a clever scheme the enemy uses to make us believe the lie that our heavy heart is because we need to learn to love ourselves. The keyword is SELF. When God sent His Son to live on the earth, He came for many reasons. The first was to break the chains of death so we can live eternally, living forever with Him. Another was to leave us an example to know how we are to live. The Good Lord describes Himself saying, “I am gentle and humble in heart” and when we live like this, humbly, we are promised to find rest for our souls. He also says that living humbly means we are yoked or connected to Him and it will be both easy and light.

Om alleen te voel is ‘n slim plan wat die vyand gebruik om ons die leuen dat ons hart swaar is omdat ons moet leer om vir onsself lief te wees te glo. Die sleutelwoord is SELF. Toe God sy seun gestuur het om hier op die aarde te woon, het Hy vir baie redes gekom. Die eerste was om die kettings van die dood te breek sodat ons  vir ewig kan lewe, vir ewig met Hom. Nog een was om ‘n voorbeeld te los van hoe ons moet lewe. Die Goeie Here beskryf Homself deur te sê, “Ek is sagmoedig en nederig van hart” en wanneer ons so leef, nederig, word ons belowe om rus vir ons siele te vind. Hy sê ook dat om nederig te lewe beteken ons is gejuk of aan Hom verbind en dit sal beide sag en lig wees. 

The Good Shepherd, our Prince of Peace, came to save the lost. He lived His life in such a way that He never thought of HimSELF. Instead, He lived humbly so we could follow His example and to think of others as more important than ourSELVES. As His Princess, we never need to be concerned about anything since God promised to supply all our needs—nothing close to what we could get from anyone or anything on earth!!

Die Goeie Herder, ons Vredevors, het gekom om die verlore te red. Hy het sy lewe op so manier gelewe dat Hy nooit aan HomSELF gedink het nie, In plaas darvan, het Hy nederig geleef sodat ons Sy voorbeeld kon volg en om aan ander te dink as meer belangrik as onsSelf. As Sy Prinses, hoef ons nooit bekommerd te wees oor enigiets aangesien God belowe het om in al ons behoeftes te voorsien—niks naastenby as wat ons van enigiemand hier op aarde kan kry nie!!

As we pour our lives and love into others, He pours everything into us! It’s just like the Creator designed our hearts to work since we are fearfully and wonderfully made, in His own image, in the image of God!! God designed the heart to pump and give oxygenated blood to every part of our body, then the blood returns back to the heart to receive more oxygen. Each beat pumps or gives more oxygenated blood to every part of our body so we can live! Imagine if our hearts didn’t give and thought only of itsSELF?! Another lie is how we will be happier if we are independent and become SELFsufficient.

Soos wat ons ons lewens en liefde in ander stort, Stort Hy alles in ons! Dis is net soos wat die Skepper ons harte ontwerp het om te werk aangesien ons op ‘n wonderbaarlike wyse geskep is, in Sy eie beeld, in die beeld van God!! God het die hart  ontwerp om te pomp en suurstofryke bloed na elke deel van ons liggaam te gee, dan keer die bloed terug na die hart toe om meer suurstof te ontvang. Elke klop pomp of gee meer suursofryke bloed na elke deel van die liggaam sodat ons kan lewe! Stel jouself voor as ons harte nie gegee het nie en net aan ditSELF gedink het?! Nog ‘n leuen is hoe ons gelukkiger sal wees as ons onafhanklik is en SELFversorgend word.

SELF-Sufficient or Servant of All
SELF-Versorgend of Almal se Dienaar

God’s Word says that we are His body, one body, very dependent on each other to function harmoniously, not INdependently from one another. Our true dependence is on Him, being the branches as He is the vine! Apart from Him, we can do nothing. As one body, He showed us we are happiest when we serve, not focusing on ourSELF and SELFsufficiency but for true happiness being a servant of all. A wonderful way to serve is by doing your family's laundry.

God se Woord sê at ons Sy liggaam is, een liggaam, baie afhanklik van mekaar om harmonieus te funksioneer, nie ONafhanklik van mekaar nie. Ons ware afhanklikheid is op Hom, ons is die takke en Hy is die wingerdstok! Apart van Hom, kan ons niks doen nie. As een liggaam, het Hy vir ons gewys dat ons die gelukkigste is wanneer ons dien, nie fokus op onsSELF en SELFversorging nie maar vir ware geluk om almal se dienaar te wees. ‘n Wonderlike manier om te dien is om jou familie se wasgoed te doen.  

Erin always enjoyed serving her large family of nine and while on their farm, she did the family’s laundry since she was a worker@home and the laundry room was connected to her office. And the way she has been able to keep a grateful and thankful heart when she is becoming weary in whatever she does is to always go to Him and ask Him to remind her of someone else who has it worse than she does. Often she recalled how God had reminded her of the millions of people in the world who don’t have a washer and must walk miles to wash their clothes in streams or other bodies of water! So anytime you need anything, go to God and ask Him.

Erin het dit altyd geniet om haar groot familie van nege te dien en terwyl sy op die plaas was het sy die familie se wasgoed gedoen aangesien sy ‘n werker tuis was en die waskamer was aan haar kantoor gekoppel. En die manier wat sy in staat was om ‘n dankbare hart te behou wanneer sy vermoeid raak in watookal sy doen was om na Hom toe te gaan en Hom te vra om haar aan iemand anders te herinner wat dit erger het as wat sy dit het. Dikwels het sy herroep hoe God haar herinner het aan die miljoene mense in die wêreld wat nie ‘n wasmasjien het nie en kilometers moet loop om hulle wasgoed in strome of ander waterliggame te was So enige tyd wat jy enigiets nodig het, gaan na God toe en vra Hom. 

What’s wonderful too is that you’re never too young to serve your family. Erin’s daughter, Tara who you will remember from Horses Hoped For (who has traveled all over the world meeting and ministering to women and who co-wrote A Wise Woman in Waiting for young women who are not yet married but long to be) began serving when she was very, very young! Tara began doing her family’s laundry when she was just 3-years-old!!

Wat ook wonderlik is is dat jy nooit te jonk is om jou familie te bedien nie. Erin se dogter, Tara wie jy sal onthou in  Gehoop Vir Perde wie al om die wêreld gereis het en vrouens ontmoet het en vir vrouens geminister het en wie die mede-skrywer van die  boek ‘n Wyse Vrou Wat Wag is, ‘n boek  vir jong vrouens wie nog nie getroud is nie maar hunker om te wees) het begin dien toe sy jonk was, baie jonk! Tara het begin om haar familie se wasgoed te doen toe sy net 3-jaar-oud was!!

One day Erin noticed Tara on top of the washer but before telling her to get down, she watched her reaching in, grabbing some wet laundry, then sliding down and putting it into the dryer! Then Tara climbed back up and started the dryer. But before pushing the basketful of clean laundry into the living room, Tara started a new load of laundry for their family of 8 (since Macy wasn’t born yet). It was Tara’s older sister who taught her and ever since this time—Tara loves to minister and serve others!! 

Eendag het Erin vir Tara bo-op die wasmasjien gesien maar voor sy vir haar gesê het om af te klim, het sy haar dopgehou waar sy haar hande ingesteek het en nat wasgoed gevat het, en dan afgegly het om dit in die droër te sit! Toe het Tara weer opgeklim en die droër aangeskakel! Maar voordat sy die mandjievol skoon wasgoed in die sitkamer gestoot het, het Tara ‘n nuwe lading wasgoed vir haar familie van 8 (aangesien Macy nog nie gebore was nie) begin. Dit was Tara se ouer suster wie haar geleer het en sedertdien—is Tara lief daarvoor om vir ander te minister en te dien.    

So as His Princess, offer to serve others—offer to do the laundry for your family or another task where He leads you to serve! God says that if we want to be first, we need to be last and be a servant of all. God says to find the greatest among you, look for the one who always serves others. Is that you?

So as Sy Prinses, offer om ander te dien—offer om die wasgoed vir jou familie te doen of ‘n ander taak waar Hy jou lei om te dien! God sê dat as ons eerste wil wees, moet ons laaste wees almal se dienaar. God sê om die grootste onder julle te vind, kyk vir die een wat altyd ander dien. Is dit jy?

Amazed and Baffled
Verstom en Verbysterd

When Erin was ten years old, her mother decided to plan a trip driving around the United States and then go north through parts of Canada. They’d just sold the family’s beach house so this was how they were going to spend the summer. Ever since Erin had started finding her way back home alone (as you read in My First Love "Closer than a Brother") her favorite place was being at home where she felt safe and peaceful.

Toe Erin tien jaar oud was, het haar moeder besluit om ‘n reis te beplan om deur die Verenigde State te ry en dan noord te gaan deur dele van Kanada. Hulle het pas hulle familie se strandhuis verkoop so dit was hoe hulle die somer sou spandeer. Vandat Erin haar pad alleen huis to gevind het (soos wat jy in My Eerste Liefde “Nader as ‘n Broer”) gelees het was haar gunsteling plek by die huis waar sy veilig en vreedsaam gevoel het.

When Erin was older, she also realized this was her nature, the way God designed her, so that later He could use this for good. God formed and created Erin and you, shaping and weaving all your traits together in a secret place, in the safety of your mother’s womb, carefully and skillfully each of us was made!

Toe Erin ouer was, het sy ook besef dat dit haar natuur was, die manier hoe God haar ontwerp het, sodat Hy dit later ten goede kon gebruik. God het vir Erin en vir jou gevorm en geskep, en al jou eienskappe saam gevorm en geweef in ‘n geheime plek, in die veiligheid van jou moeder se baarmoeder, versigtig en vaardig was elkeen van ons geskape!

The skillful way God designs us is so that He might reveal many amazing things others will witness and be baffled about. Those who knew Erin’s nature were the most baffled when God called her to travel around the world many times and actually had no “home” to return to! When people are amazed and baffled, it is when they seek to know God, and we can introduce them to their Savior, the Prince of Peace!

Die vaardige manier wat God ons ontwerp is sodat Hy baie ongelooflike goed waarvan ander sal getuig en verbyster oor sal wees openbaar. Die wat Erin se geaardheid geken het was die mees verbysterd toe God haar geroep het om om baie keer om die wêreld te reis en eintlik geen “huis” gehad het om na terug te keer nie! Wanneer mense verstom en verbysterd is, is wanneer hulle daarna  streef om God te ken, en ons hulle aan hulle Redder, die Vredevors kan voorstel!

Driving around America was challenging for Erin because for 3 months she didn’t see or talk to her father, who she adored, and she couldn’t be at home where she felt safe. Nevertheless, she didn’t voice her feelings to anyone but her Heavenly Father because she’d learned to trust Him and this increased their closeness even more.

Om rondom Amerika te ry was uitdagend vir Erin omdat sy vir 3 maande  nie haar vader, wie sy adoreer het, nie gesien of met hom gepraat het nie, en sy kon nie by die huis wees waar sy veilig gevoel het nie. Nieteenstaande, sy het met niemand behalwe haar Hemelse Vader gepraat oor haar gevoelens omdat sy geleer het om op Hom te vertrou en dit het hulle nabyheid selfs meer vermeerder.

About halfway through their trip, after they’d traveled all the way from the West Coast of California to the East Coast, they got to stay awhile in the tiny seaside town of Ocean Gate—a house by the shore that had been in their family for generations. It was there that Erin had her first experience rescuing someone. No, not spiritually or emotionally rescuing them as you read in On the Rock but physically rescuing a teenager—becoming his only lifeline.

Omtrent half pad deur die reis, nadat hulle al die pad van die Weskus van Kalifornie tot die Ooskus gereis het, het hulle vir ‘n rukkie in die klein seekant  dorpie van Ocean Gate gebly—’n huis by die strand wat vir geslagte in hulle familie was. Dit was daar wat Erin haar eerste ervaring gehad het om iemand te red. Nee, nie geestelik of emosioneel nie om hulle te red soos wat jy in Op die Rots gelees het maar om fisies ‘n tiener seun te red—en sy enigste lewenslyn te word.  

Disobedience is Dangerous
Ongehoorsaamheid is Gevaarlik

That day Erin had been swimming all morning, jumping off of a very long pier when she noticed a group of teenagers who were teasing a boy. She couldn’t hear what they said, but the next thing she heard was a splash and noticed this boy was on the bottom and wasn’t coming up! Right away Erin could sense he couldn’t swim!! Hoping there would be someone to help, Erin watched the group of bullies running away. The lifeguard hadn’t noticed what had happened—and was much too far away to help. Erin knew she was this boy’s only hope of being rescued or he’d drown.

Daardie dag het Erin die heel oggend geswem, en by ‘n baie lang pier afgespring toe sy agter gekom het hoe ‘n groep tieners ‘n seun terg. Sy kon nie hoor wat hulle gesê het nie, maar die volgende ding wat sy gehoor het was ‘n geplas en het agter gekom dat die seun op die bodem was en nie opgekom het nie! Onmiddellik het Erin aangevoel dat hy nie kon swem nie! In die hoop dat iemand haar sou help, het Erin toegekyk soos wat die klomp bullebakke weghardloop. Die lewensredder het nie agter gekom wat gebeur het nie—en was gans te ver om te help. Erin het geweet dat sy die seun se enigste hoop was om gered te word of hy sou verdrink.  

Erin was very aware of the real dangers of drowning because Erin’s mother, Grammy (who you read about in Macy's Barn Cat) told her and her siblings one story many times. It was the story of how Grammy and her younger brother had disobeyed their parents by playing in a rowboat tied to a dock. When she noticed the boat had started drifting far from shore, Grammy, whose name was Grace, told her little brother, Richard, to wait in the boat. Grace said she would swim to shore to get help since she was a good swimmer but Richard was just learning to swim.

Erin was baie bewus van die gevare van verdrink omdat Erin se moeder, Grammy (van wie jy in Macy se Skuur Kat gehoor het) het vir haar en haar broers en susters een storie baie keer vertel. Dit was die storie van hoe Grammy en haar jonger broer haar ouers ongehoorsaam het deur in ‘n roeiboot te speel wat aan die kaai vasgemaak was. Toe sy agterkom dat die boot van die strand begin dryf het, het Grammy, wie se naam Grace was  gesê sy sal na die strand toe swem om hulp te kry aangesien sy ‘n goeie swemmer was maar Richard het net begin om te leer swem. 

Sadly, when 7-year-old Grace got help, Richard wasn’t in the boat. He had disobeyed not just his parents but also his older sister and didn’t wait for help. While trying to swim back to shore Richard had drowned. Disobedience is dangerous. This is what Erin taught her children each time she told the story of how her mother, Grammy, grew up as an only child, losing her only brother when he was just 7-years-old. Grace and Richard heard from their Quaker aunts that children are to obey their parents in the Lord, for this is right and so that they would live long on the earth because it’s not God who says the good die young but the world.

Hartseer, toe die 7-jarige-ou Grace hulp gekry het was Richard nie in die boot nie. Hy het nie net sy ouers ongehoorsaam nie maar ook sy ouer suster en het nie vir hulp gewag nie. Terwyl hulle probeer het om terug te swem na die strand toe het Richard verdrink. Ongehoorsaamheid is gevaarlik. Dit is wat Erin haar kinders elke keer geleer het wat sy die storie van hoe haar moeder, Grammy groot geword het as ‘n enigste kind, en haar enigste broer verloor het toe sy net 7-jaar-oud was. Grace en Richard het van hulle Quaker tannies gehoor dat kinders hulle ouers in die Here behoort te gehoorsaam, omdat dit reg is en sodat hulle ‘n lang lewe op die aarde kan leef. Omdat dit nie God is wat sê die goeies gaan jonk dood nie maar die wêreld.   

So when Erin saw this boy on the bottom of the very same bay, she quickly swam to the boy, stood on the sandy bottom, and pushed the boy up to the surface to get air! Erin hadn’t learned any lifesaving skills but when she grew up and became a lifeguard, she taught these skills to very young children—one was a little girl who saved her younger brother— a boy who was younger than Richard. This little girl was awarded a medal for saving her little brother and Erin’s reward was seeing this little blonde-haired boy very much alive at his summer swimming lessons where she taught swimming!!

So toe Erin hierdie seun op die bodem van dieselfde baai sien, het sy gou na die seun toe geswem, op die sanderige bodem gaan staan, en die seun na die oppervlakte toe gestoot om lug te kry! Erin het nie lewenreddende vaardighede geleer nie maar toe sy groot geword het en ‘n lewensredder geword het, het sy hierdie vaardighede aan baie jong kinders geleer—een was ‘n klein dogtertjie wat haar jonger broer gered het—’n seun wat jonger was as Richard. Die klein dogtertjie was ‘n medalje toegeken omdat sy haar klein broertjie gered het en Erin se belonging was om hierdie klein blonde-haar seuntjie spring lewendig by sy somer swemlesse te sien waar sy swemlesse gegee het!!    

So having no skills, but trusting God, ten-year-old Erin began walking along the bottom holding the teenager's legs, as she kept walking towards the ladder until she couldn’t hold her breath any longer. That’s when she’d let him go, resurface for more air and then swim back down again to lift the boy up to get air while she continued walking towards the ladder.

So om geen vaardighede te hê nie, maar op God te vertrou, het 10-jarige Erin begin om langs die bodem te loop en die tiener se bene vasgehou, soos wat sy aanhou loop het na die leer toe totdat sy nie meer haar asem kon inhou nie. Dit is toe dat sy hom laat gaan het, opgekom het vir nog lug en weer afgeswem het om die seun op te lig om lug te kry terwyl sy voortgegaan het om na die leer toe te loop.

After repeating this several times, she finally reached the ladder, and thankfully, the lifeguard was there to pull the boy up out of the water. Erin also noticed there was a large crowd watching as she clung to the steps, coughing from swallowing so much water. Embarrassed, Erin assured everyone that she was fine, as she slipped past everyone and began hurrying back to the house, not wanting the attention or the praise.

Nadat sy dit verskeie kere herhaal het, het sy uiteindelik die leer bereik, en dankbaar was die lewensredder daar om die seun op en uit die water te lig. Erin het ook agter gekom dat daar ‘n groot skare was wat toekyk soos wat sy aan die trappe vasgeklou het, en gehoes het van soveel water sluk. Skaam, het Erin almal verseker dat sy reg was, soos wat sy verby almal weggeglip het en begin het om terug na die huis te haas, en nie die aandag of die lof wou hê nie.

This is one of the many benefits from receiving the unjust corrections you read about in On the Rock —God uses unfairness for good so that we are trained and no longer affected by criticism—nor praise—which can easily make us proud. And though the world says being proud is a good thing, God says the opposite. He says having pride comes before destruction, and being arrogant before a fall.

Dit is een van die baie voordele om die onregverdige korreksis te ontvang waarvan jy in Op die Rots gelees het—God gebruik onregverdigheid ten goede sodat ons opgelei is en nie meer deur kritiek affekteer te word nie—of lof nie—wat ons maklik hoogmoedig kan maak. En alhoewel die wêreld sê dat om trots te wees ‘n goeie ding kan wees, sê God die teenoorgestelde. Hy sê op hoogmoed volg ondergang, op selfverheffing volg die val.

When Erin got back to the house, she never mentioned what had happened to her mother or aunt. But by the end of the day, everyone in town was talking about it but didn’t know who the little girl was who saved the boy. When Erin’s aunt asked if the little girl was her, she nodded and her mother only tearfully smiled and said, “Erin you did a good thing today” no doubt thinking of her own brother.

Toe Erin teruggekom het by die huis, het sy nooit vir haar moeder of tannie vertel wat gebeur het nie. Maar teen die einde van die dag, het almal in die dorp daarvan gepraat maar nie geweet wie die klein dogtertjie was wat die seun gered het nie. Toe Erin se tannie gevra het of die klein dogtertjie sy was, het sy geknik en haar moeder het tranerig geglimlag en gesê, “Erin jy het ‘n goeie ding vandag gedoen” sonder twyfel aan haar eie broer gedink.

On a Mission
Op ‘n Missie

It’s important that we learn that our weaknesses are what He longs to use for GOOD and it’s where we gain our real strength, spiritual strength. It’s our trust in Him that helps us not be SELFconscious. It’s only when we focus on others that the SELF in us will fade away. Rather than worrying about what others think of us, follow His example and put others first, make sure they are the ones who feel at ease.

Dit is belangrik dat ons leer dat dit ons swakhede is waarna Hy hunker om ten Goede te gebruik en dit is waar ons ons ware krag win, geestelike krag. Dit is ons vertroue in Hom wat ons help om nie SELFbewus te wees nie. Dit is net wanneer ons op ander fokus dat die SELF sal vervaag. Eerder as om bekommerd te wees oor wat ander van ons dink, volg Sy voorbeeld en plaas ander eerste, maak seker hulle is die wat gemaklik voel.  

Being set apart means we are often put in uncomfortable situations so we gain a better, closer relationship with our Forever Best Friend and find the comforting protection of our Heavenly Father. Once Erin met her friend Liesel who you read about in On the Rock, the next year and the next and the next she went to a new school where she knew no one. At one new school, she ate alone for six long weeks and determined once she made friends that she would never ignore someone eating alone!

Deur afgesonder te word beteken dat ons dikwels in ongemaklike posisies geplaas is sodat ons ‘n beter, nouer verhouding met ons Vir Ewig Beste Vriend kan win en die vertroostende beskerming van ons Hemelse Vader vind. Toe Erin haar vriendin Liesel ontmoet het van wie jy in Op die Rots geleer het, het sy die volgende jaar en die volgende na ‘n nuwe skool toe gegaan waar sy niemand geken het nie. By een nuwe skool, het sy vir ses lang weke alleen geeet en vasvaslote dat sodra sy vriende gemaak het dat sy nooit iemand wat alleen geeet het sou ignoreer nie.

Erin’s mission would be to walk around the cafeteria and the courtyard at lunchtime looking for anyone who was sitting alone. She’d simply walk over and say, “Hi, I’m Erin, would you mind if I eat with you?” and then agree to meet them the next day. That day Erin would suggest eating and meeting some of her “friends” whatever friends were most like her new friend.

Erin se missie sou wees om om middagete om die kafeteria en binnehof te loop en vir enigiemand wat alleen sit te soek. Sy sou eenvoudig oorloop en sê, “Hi, ek is Erin, sal jy omgee as ek saam jou eet?” en dan instem om hulle die volgende dag te ontmoet. Daardie dag sou Erin voorstel om saam haar nuwe “vriende” te een en te ontmoet wieookal die meeste soos haar nuwe vriend was.

In each difficulty, each challenge and each of our trials there is a hidden pearl—an opportunity— once we believe in our hearts that God causes all things to work together for good. God created each calamity to allow us to bless someone—becoming our mission, our calling which comes directly from the Father.

In elke moeilikheid, elke uitdaging en elkeen van ons beproewings is daar ‘n versteekte pêrel—’n geleentheid—sodra ons in ons harte glo dat God alles ten goede laat meewerk. God het elke rampspoed geskep wat ons toelaat om iemand te seën—en dit word ons missie, ons roeping wat direk van die Vader afkom.

What’s funny is that most people believe that Erin is outgoing and has a lot of SELF-confidence, but the truth is that she simply looks out for others, because He looks out for her and her assurance is the best assurance anyone could have! The assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen because her hope and trust IS the Lord.

Wat snaaks is is dat meeste mense glo dat Erin spontaan is en baie SELFvertroue het, maar die waarheid is dat sy eenvoudig op die uitkyk is vir ander, omdat Hy op die uitkyk is vir haar en haar versekerheid is die beste versekerheid wat enigiemand kan  hê!  Om seker te wees van die dinge wat ons hoop, om oortuig te wees van die dinge wat ons nie sien nie omdat haar hoop en vertroue IS die Here.

If you’ve been rejected, take heart—you’ve been rejected for good—and as you look to Him and trust Him I promise it will turn out for you and as you serve others!

As jy verwerp was, hou moed— jy is vir goed verwerp—en soos wat jy na Hom kyk en op Hom vertrou belowe ek dit dit sal vir jou uitdraai soos wat jy ander dien!