Hoofstuk 10 “Berge Om Te Klim”

“Listen! My beloved! Behold, He is coming,

Climbing on the mountains,

Leaping on the hills!”

— Song of Solomon 2:8

 

“Luister, daar kom die man wat ek liefhet!

Hy spring oor die berge,

hy wip oor die rante."

— Hooglied 2:8

 

When faced with difficulties in my life, my spiritual theme song always used to be “Climb Every Mountain,” which many of us heard in the movie The Sound of Music. Then one day, I learned that God often meant for us to move those mountains, rather than to be so quick to climb them. Though this book is about moving mountains, I have found, however, that there are some mountains that block our way that God may have meant for us to climb. What exactly do I mean?

Wanneer ek moeilikheid in my lewe ervaar, was my geestelike tema liedjie altyd “Climb Every Mountain,” wat baie van ons in die rolprent The Sound of Music gehoor het. Toe eendag, het ek geleer dat God dikwels bedoel dat ons daardie berge moet versit, eerer as om sou gou te wees om hulle te klim. Alhoewel hierdie boek oor berge versit gaan, het ek gevind, nietemin, dat daar berge is wat ons pad blok wat God bedoel het vir ons om te klim. Wat presies bedoel ek?

You’ve heard of people who one day go to the altar and are not only gloriously saved, they are instantly delivered from some sin or disease. Yet, in the same church, there are other poor souls who have believed God for years to be delivered from something but are instead called to work through it—in other words, climb their mountain. How many of you, who are Restoration Fellowship members, have had an ePartner who reads just part of the restoration materials, and she instantly gets her marriage restored (within weeks or months of applying them half-heartedly) while you, on the other hand, have been working through the principles, and dying to self, for years?

Jy het gehoor van mense wat een dag na die preekstoel toe gaan en nie net glorieryk gered is nie, hulle word onmiddelik van een of ander sonde en siekte uitgelewer. Tog, in dieselfde kerk, is daar daardie arme siel wat vir jare in God glo om van iets uitgelewer te word maar word eerder geroep om daardeur te werk—met ander woorde, om hulle berg te klim. Hoeveel van julle, wie Herstel Lidmaatskap Lede is, het ‘n eVennoot gehad wie net ‘n deel van die herstel hulpbronne lees, en haar huwelik word onmiddellik herstel (binne weke of maande na hulle half-hartig toegepas is) terwyl jy, aan die ander hand, vir jare, deur die beginsels gewerk het en aan jouself geserf het?    

In this chapter I realized again that God does not always ask us to move every mountain, but will, in fact, sometimes call us to climb it. In chapters 5 and 6 of this book, you learned about the honeymoon that did not take place but was miraculously transferred to another son, but what you didn’t know about was what triggered a chain of events, which became a mountain He asked me to climb.

In hierdie hoofstuk het ek weer besef dat God ons nie altyd vra om elke berg te versit nie, maar sal, in werklikhied, ons somtyds roep om dit te klim. In hoofstukke 5 en 6 van hierdie boek, het jy van die wittebrood geleer wat nie plaasgevind het maar wonderbaarlik na ‘n ander seun oorgeplaas was, maar wat jy nie geweet het nie was wat ‘n ketting van gebeurtenisse geaktiveer het, wat die berg geword het wat Hy my gevra het om te klim.

After witnessing such a magnificent mountain falling into the sea just days earlier, which created an atmosphere of faith so thick you could feel it, I was overflowing with faith that was at an all-time high. However, with one mountain safely in the sea, its absence revealed a new and larger mountain. What was worse is that, as I spoke to this new mountain, it did not fall but stood higher and more foreboding than anything I thought I would ever have to tackle in my lifetime. It knocked me harder than anything, and I mean anything, that I have lived through thus far in my life.

Nadat ek getuig het van so ‘n manjifieke berg wat dae vroeër in die see geval het, wat ‘n atmosfeer van geloof so dik geskep het jy kon dit aanvoel, het ek oorvloei met geloof wat op ‘n altydse hoogte was. Nietemin, met een berg veilig in die see, het sy afwesigheid ‘n nuwe en groter berg ontbloot. Wat erger was was dat, soos wat ek met hierdie nuwe berg gepraat het, het dit nie geval nie maar hoër gestaan en meer afskuwelik as enigiets wat ek gedink het ek in my leeftyd sou moes aanpak. Dit het my harder getref as enigiets, en ek bedoel enigiets, wat ek tot dusver in my lewe deurgemaak het.

Having been in ministry for so many years (almost two decades now), and the majority of it spent in sowing into helping marriages for most of those years, I always told the Lord the same thing, “If I have gained any rewards at all, then let these rewards be applied to my children—by blessing them with good marriages.” In addition, I (through the grace of God) did all the “right things” when raising them. I know that many of you were not Christians when you raised your children, and often you find that you are reaping some tremendous difficulties that you can merit to what you had sown. However, what if you apparently did everything right, but then you still find that things are not happening according to your plan, or should I say your plans for your children?

Omdat ek vir so baie jare in die bediening was (nou amper twee dekades), en die meerderheid daarvan gespandeer het om in huwelike te saai en vir amper tien jaar te help, het ek altyd vir die Here dieselfde ding vertel, “As ek enige belonings gewin het, dan laat daardie belonings na my kinders toe gaan—deur hulle te seën met goeie huwelike.” Ter aanvulling, ek (deur die genade van God) het al die “regte dinge” gedoen toe ek hulle groot gemaak het. Ek weet dat baie van julle nie Chrsitene was toe jy jou kinders groot gemaak het nie, en dikwels vind jy dat jy geweldige moeilikhede maai wat jy verdien vir dit wat jy gesaai het. Nietemin, wat as jy oënskynlik alles reg gedoen het, maar dan vind jy nog steeds dat dinge nie volgens jou plan verloop nie, of sou ek sê jou planne vir jou kinders? 

Prior to my sons marrying, I had real doubts, mostly due to the “sins of the father” on our side, and on the other side (of one) there was a pattern of a mother leaving husbands and repeatedly remarrying. One day, I sat down with this couple to share my concerns that they would fall into the same sins—unless they completely trusted and relied on God. I remember my son saying, “Mom, you’re scaring me,” and I replied, “Then use it to remain motivated to trust God—because your marriage will end in divorce if He doesn’t stop it.”

Voordat my seuns getroud is, het ek regte twyfel gehad, meesal as gevolg van die “sondes van die vader” an ons kant, en aan die ander kant (van een) daar was ‘n patroon van ‘n moeder wat haar mans los en herhaaldelik weer trou. Een dag, het ek by hierdie paartjie gesit om my bekommernis te deel dat hulle in dieselfe sonde sou verval—tensy hulle heeltemal vertrou het en van God afhanklik was. Ek onthou my seun het gesê, “Ma, jy maak my bang,” en ek het geantwoord, “Gebruik dit dan om gemotiveerd te bly om in God te vertrou—omdat jou huwelik in egskeiding sal opeindig as Hy dit nie keer nie.”

Though I had God’s promises that He would bless my children, I had dozens of promises I believed for them, along with what I thought was a good amount of sowing strong principles into each of their lives. Plus, I had the promise of training my children the way they should go: Proverbs 22:6. To me, there was no doubt in my mind that I had my children’s futures all sown up, and yet, I saw this mountain that was clearly there in my son and his soon-to-be bride’s life.

Alhoewel ek God se beloftes gehad het dat Hy my kinders sou seën, het ek dosyne beloftes gehad wat ek vir hulle geglo het, saam met wat ek gedink het ‘n goeie bedrag van die saai van sterk beginsels in elkeen van hulle lewens. Plus, ek het die belofte gehad om leiding te geen aan 'n jongmens oor hoe hy moet leef: Spreuke 22:6. Vir my, was daar geen twyfel in my gedagtes dat ek my kinders se toekoms alles toegewerk gehad het nie, en tog, ek het hierdie berg gesien wat duidelik daar was in my seun en sy toekomstige bruid se lewens.

When some issues began to appear, coupled with our concerns, I knew all I had to do was watch and wait for God to stop the marriage that was so risky. Not only did I have superb faith, but so did his siblings. Unfortunately, I heard that one went to talk to his brother and tell him that, in light of what was already happening, he simply couldn’t marry her. Yet, my son said he was committed.

Toe sommige kwessies begin te voorskyn kom, het ek geweet dat al wat ek moes doen was om te kyk en wag vir God om die huwelik te keer wat so riskant was. Ek het nie net puik geloof gehad nie, maar so het sy broers en susters. Ongelukkig, het ek gehoor dat een gegaan het om met sy broer te praat en hom te vertel dat, aan die lig van wat alreeds besig was om te gebeur, hy eenvoudig nie met haar kon trou nie. Tog, het my seun gesê dat hy toegewyd was.

Years ago, I learned, and then taught women, that when you try to stand in the way of wickedness, it only increases the intensity for them to seek what you are trying to block. However, with what I learned and understood, with the lack of faith that I once possessed, I would have panicked, thinking that my son (by speaking to his brother) had caused it to happen for sure, rather than stopping it. Yet, instead of worrying, I knew that when it is God’s will, and we simply want His will above anything else, then our trust in Him will cause right to overrule the wrong. Did you know that?

Jare gelede, het ek geleer, en toe vir vrouens geleer, dat wanneer jy in die pad van die bose staan, dit net die itensiteit vermeerder vir hulle om te soek wat jy probeer om te blok. Nietemin, met wat ek geleer en verstaan het, met die tekort aan geloof wat ek eens op ‘n keer besit het, sou ek paniekerig geraak het, en te dink dat my seun (deur met sy broer te praat) veroorsaak het dat dit verseker sou gebeur, eerder as om dit te keer. Tog, in plaas daarvan om bekommerd te wees, het ek geweet dat wanneer dit God se wil is, en ons wil eenvoudig Sy wil bo enigiets anders hê, dan sal ons vertroue in Hom veroorsaak dat die reg die verkeerd oorheers. Het jy dit geweet?

Goodness, mercy, righteousness, all the things that come from God are so much more powerful than evil. There is simply no contest, none. As a matter of fact, God’s power of goodness is so great that He can take the bad and turn it around for good, based on just one promise: Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Now I find that this verse is the story of my life. God has allowed the sins of relationships to invade my life on purpose, to show me, and you, the power of His taking things that are bad and turning them for good.

Goedheid, genade, regverdigheid, al die dinge wat van God afkom is so bie meer kragtig as die bose. Daar is eenvoudig geen kompetisie, niks nie. Om die waarheid te sê, God se krag van goedheid is so groot dat Hy die slegte kan neem en dit omdraai ten goede, gebaseer op net een belofte: Romeine 8:28, “Ons weet dat God alles ten goede laat meewerk vir dié wat Hom liefhet, dié wat volgens sy besluit geroep is.” Nou vind ek dat hierdie vers die storie van my lewe is. God het die sondes van verhoudings aspris toegelaat om my lewe binne te dring, om vir my en jou, die krag van hoe Hy dinge neem wat sleg is en ten goede omdraai, te wys.

Whether or not God chose to turn anything for good, I knew what I had to do: once married, both of my sons’ brides would be my daughters, just as if I had given birth to each one of them. Both of them would each be “one with their husbands,” my sons.

Of God nou kies of nie om enigiets ten goede te draai, het ek geweet wat ek moes doen: sodra hulle getroud is sou my seuns se bruide my dogters wees, net asof ek geboorte aan elkeen van hulle geskenk het. Albei van hulle sou elkeen “een met hulle mans wees,” my seuns.

And so, according to His perfect plan, both weddings took place as planned, just a day apart.

En so, volgens Sy perfekte plan, het albei troues plaasgevind soos beplan, net een dag uitmekaar uit.

It was only after they were married that God reminded me about King David, who had appealed to God for mercy to save his dying son. Everyone panicked when they heard that his son had, indeed, died and wondered what kind of “madman” David would become, because they had seen how he reacted to his illness. But instead, they found David dressed and in good spirits. David explained that when there was a chance that God would hear him, he would lament, but when he saw that God had made His decision, by his son dying, then it was no longer time to mourn.

Dit was net na hulle getroud is wat God my herinner het aan Koning Dawid, wie by God gesmeek het vir genade om sy seun wat besig was om dood te gaan te red. Almal het paniekerig geraak toe hulle gehoor het dat sy seun, inderdaad, gesterf het en gewonder watter soort mal man Dawid sou word, omdat hulle gesien het hoe hy op sy siekte reageer het. Maar in plaas daarvan, het hulle Dawid aangetrek en in ‘n goeie luim gevind. Dawid het verduidelik dat toe daar ‘n kans was dat God hom sou hoor, hy sou kla, maar toe hy sien dat God Sy besluit gemaak het, deur sy seun wat besig was om dood te gaan, was dit nie meer tyd om te rou nie. 

This was the way God was telling me how we all were to conduct ourselves (my children and myself), once the marriage had taken place. God had made His decision, knowing there was more than enough faith, more than enough time, more than enough opportunity to stop the marriage, if it had been His will. But He hadn’t, so we knew for certain that this was HIS plan for my son to marry. Our only response had to be to embrace, with compassionate love, God’s choice for my son’s wife. Though I had my doubts, concerns and fears, over time, I discovered that this young woman was His clear choice and who would complete my son. It just took time for this truth to unfold, after watching my son be asked to climb a similar mountain to mine.

Dit was die manier wat God my vertel het hoe ons almal moes optree (my kinders en myself), sodra die troue plaasgevind het. God het sy besluit gemaak, wetend dat daar genoeg geloof, meer as genoeg tyd, meer as genoeg geleentheid was om die huwelik te stop, as dit Sy wil was. Maar Hy het nie, so ons het verseker geweet dat dit SY plan was vir my seun om te trou. Ons enigste reaksie moes wees om te omhels, met liefde vol deernis, God se keuse vir my seun se vrou. Alhoewel ek my twyfeling, bekommernisse en vrese gehad het, oor tyd, het ek ontdek dat hierdie jong vrou Sy duidelike keuse was en wie my seun sou voltooi. Dit het net tyd geneem vir hierdie waarheid om te ontvou, nadat ek gekyk het hoe my seun gevra was om ‘n soortgelyke berg soos myne te klim.

Yet, at the time, within an hour of the realization that my son had actually married, which meant that the mountain had not fallen into the sea, I sat in my room, alone, stunned as the reality of it all became just too real, and my tears began to give way.

Tog, destyds, binne ‘n uur met die besef dat my seun eintlik getroud is, wat beteken het dat die berg in die see geval het, het ek alleen,  in my kamer gesit, verstom oor die realitiet daarvan het alles net te waar geword, en my trane het begin rol.

It took only a few minutes for my tears to stop, when I heard the Lord’s still, small, sweet voice say, “Are you done? Now, tell me why you are crying?” If you heard this, you may dismiss it as a sign that this is not God talking to you at all, since, of course, He knows “why” (He knows everything); so why would He ask? But that is just biblical ignorance. You don’t have to get far in the Bible to read that God called to Adam and Eve, when they had sinned and were hiding, asking them, “Where are you?” when, of course, He knew right where they were.

Dit het net ‘n paar minute geneem vir die trane om te stop, toe ek die Here se stil, klein, soet stem hoor sê, “Is jy klaar? Nou sê vir my waarom huil jy?” As jy dit gehoor het, mag jy dit van die hand wys as ‘n teken dat dit glad nie God is wat met jou praat nie, aangesien, natuurlik, weet Hy “waarom” (Hy weet alles); so waarom sou Hy vra? Maar dit is net bibliese onkunde. Jy hoef nie ver in die Bybel te kom om te lees dat God vir Adam en Eva geroep het, toe hulle gesondig het en weggekruip het nie, en hulle gevra het, “Waar is julle?” toe, natuurlik, Hy dadelik geweet het waar hulle was

Knowing His question was more for me than it was for Him, I had to ask myself why. Why was I crying? So, I answered Him saying, “Because I didn’t want it to turn out this way.” “What way did you want it to turn out, Michele?” I really couldn’t express it, so He went on and asked me, “Was it that your son would live ‘happily ever after’—is that how?” Yes, that was really it. I wanted all of my children to have happy marriages: free from all the junk I had fought so hard to not give to them. Yes, that was it.

Om Sy vraag te ken was meer vir my as wat dit vir Hom was, en ek moes myself vra waarom. Waarom het ek gehuil? So ek het Hom geantwoord en gesê, “Omdat ek nie wou gehad het dat dit so uitdraai nie.” “ Watter manier wou jy gehad het dit moet uitdraai, Michele?” Ek kon dit regtig nie uitdruk nie, so Hy het aangegaan en my gevra, “Was dit dat jou seun “vir altyd gelukkig’ sou lewe —is dit hoe?” Ja, dit was regtig dit. Ek wou gehad het dat al my kinders gelukkige huwelike moet hê: vry van al die gemors wat ek so hard baklei het om nie vir hulle te gee nie. Ja, dat was dit.  

Yet the Lord pressed further, deep into the depths of my heart, when He asked, “Is this really what you’ve always wanted?” His question made me dig a bit deeper into the recesses of my heart (that was terribly hurt), when I said, “What I really want, and what has been my passion for as long as I can remember, is that my children have a walk and intimacy with You, my Darling, like no one who has walked the face of this earth. I want them to go beyond where I have gone. That is what I want above anything else.”

Tog het die Here selfs dieper gedruk, diep in die dieptes van my hart, toe Hy gevra het, “Is dit regtig wat jy nog altyd wou gehad het?” Sy vraag het my ‘n bietjie dieper laat grawe in die diepste skuilhoeke van die hart (wat vreeslik seergemaak was), toe ek gesê het, “Wat ek regtig wou gehad het, en wat my passie vir so lank was as wat ek kan  onthou was, is dat my kinders ‘n intimiteit en ‘n wandel met Jou, my liefling moet hê, soos niemand wat die gesig van die aarde geloop het nie. Ek wil hê hulle moet verder gaan as waar ek gegaan het. Dit is wat ek bo alles wil hê. 

My Husband then asked, “And how do you experience this kind of intimacy? Is it by living ‘happily ever after’? Or will deep intimacy with Me develop by traveling through the difficult valleys and experiencing pain that you have experienced?” I didn’t have to answer. I knew how my son would experience the closeness I wanted for him. I knew the only way to learn was to hold onto and embrace His Father—which would happen during the very tough times—valleys, I sensed, He wanted me to know were up ahead.

My Man het toe gevra, “En hoe ervaar jy hierdie soort intimiteit? Is dit deur ‘vir altyd gelukkig te lewe’? Of sal diep intimiteit met My ontwikkel deur te reis deur die moeilike valleie en pyn te ervaar wat jy ervaar het?” Ek hoef nie te geantwoord het nie. Ek het geweet hoe my seun die nabyheid wat ek vir hom wou gehad het sou ervaar. Ek het geweet dat die enigste manier om te leer was om Sy Vader vas te hou en te omhels—wat ek aangevoel het —sal gebeur deur die baie rowwe tye, valleie. Hy wou gehad het dat ek moet weet dat ons vooruit was.

Yes, my son knows Him well, but not in the way that those of us who have held the hand of sorrow and suffering know Him. And, yes, this is what I wanted for him. Yes, this is the mountain that my son was chosen to climb, and I, too, will climb a parallel mountain as I watch him, silently.

Ja, my seun ken Hom baie goed, maar nie op die manier soos die van ons wat die hand van hartseer en lyding vasgehou het Hom ken nie. En, ja, dit is wat ek vir hom wou gehad het. Ja, dit is die berg wat my seun gekies het om te klim , en ek, ook, sal ‘n paralel berg klim soos wat hom dophou, stilweg.

Conclusion
Afsluiting

In all my seeking, the Lord has opened my eyes to some incredible things that all of us need to look at, when we have a mountain that fails to move but, instead, is a mountain we are called to climb.

In al my soektog, het die Here my oë oopgemaak vir sommige ongelooflike dinge waarna almal van ons moet kyk, ons het ‘n berg wat misluk om te versit maar, dit is ‘n berg waarnatoe ons geroep is om te klim.

First, how many of you have had an “unplanned” or even “unwanted” pregnancy, only to find that, once your unwanted or unplanned child was born, that child was more of a blessing than you could have ever imagined? Not only did it change you, and improve your quality of life, but it also changed your entire family and everyone whose life that child of yours touched.

Eerstens, hoeveel van ons het ‘n “onbeplande” of “ongewenste” swangerskap, net om te vind dat, sodra jou onbeplande of ongewenste kind gebore is, daardie kind meer van ‘n seën is as wat jy jou ooit kan voorstel? Nie net het dit jou verander nie, en jou kwaliteit van lewe verbeter nie, maar dit het ook jou hele familie verander en almal wie se lewe dardie kind van jou geraak het.

This also happens with children who are taken from us prematurely: it changes our family, often an entire community, and sometimes the world, but especially—us. Though we would never have chosen that path or circumstance for ourselves, it was something that, though difficult, changes lives and makes us forever different.

Dit gebeur ook met kinders wie voortydig van ons geneem word: dit verander ons familie, dikwels ‘n hele gemenskap, en somyds die wêreld, maar spesiaal—ons. Alhoewel ons nooit daardie paaidjie of omstandighede vir onsself sou kies nie, was dit iets wat, alhoewel  moeilik, lewens verander en ons vir ewig anders maak.

How many of you have a child that was injured or harmed physically, mentally and/or emotionally, either in the womb, during childbirth, as a baby, in their early years, or maybe just recently? I can say with a small measure of experience that these children are so trying, and take so much additional energy, that it keeps us clinging onto God—but that’s the point, isn’t it? So much of the heartache is due to our wanting that child to be made right or made whole; however, in most of the cases that I know or have personally experienced—I see in these special children a “childlikeness” that causes them to be especially sensitive to the things of God, spiritual things, and an intimacy that very few of us realize in our lifetime.

Hoeveel van julle het ‘n kind wat fisies beseer of benadeel is, geestelik en/of emosioneel, of in die baarmoeder, gedurende kindergeboorte, as ‘n baba, in hulle vroeë jare, of miskien net onlangs? Ek kan sê met ‘n bietjie ervaring dat hierdie kinders so probeer, en neem soveel addisionele energie, dat dit ons aanhou aan God vashou—maar dit is die punt is dit nie? Soveel van die hartseer is omdat ons wil hê daardie kind moet reggemaak word of heel gemaak word; nietemin, in meeste van die gevalle waarvan ek weet of persoonlik ervaar het—sien ek in hierdie spesiale kinders ‘n “kinderlikheid” wat veroorsaak dat hulle spesiaal sensitief is vir die dinge van God, geestelike dinge, en ‘n intimiteit wat baie min van ons in ons leeftyd besef.

Since this is what we, as Christian mothers, desire more than anything in the world for our children (to know and experience the Lord in a supernatural way), then in many ways, these children are the ones we should be the happiest for, shouldn’t we? And yet, we can’t help wishing, hoping, praying, and yearning that God would heal them, make them whole, so that their “quality” of life might be like everyone else’s, like our other children perhaps. Here I am speaking to you, when the truth is, I am speaking to myself as a mother.

Aangesien dit is wat ons, as Chisten moeders, meer as enigiets in die wêreld vir ons kinders begeer (om die Here te ken en te ervaar op ‘n bonatuurlike manier), dan in baie opsigte, is hierdie kinders die vir wie ons die gelukkigste moet wees, behoort ons nie? En tog, ons kan nie help om te wens, hoop, bid, en te smag dat God hulle genees nie, hulle heel maak, sodat hulle “kwaliteit” van lewe net soos almal anders sin sou wees, miskien soos ander kinders. Hier is ek en praat met jou, wanneer die waarheid is, dat ek met myself praat as ‘n moeder.

It might be that healing or being made whole has nothing at all to do with my children or yours, but it has everything to do with you and me. Whether it is in dealing with someone in your family or if it actually is you who needs to be healed and made whole, God has a road to health and healing that I personally have been asked to travel along for quite some time. But that is another book perhaps. Coming back to this topic…

Dit mag wees dat daardie genesing of om heel gemaak te word glad niks te doen het my jou of my kinders nie, maar dit het alles te doen met ek en jy. Of is dit om iemand in jou familie te hanteer of dit eintlik jy wat genesing nodig het en heel gemaak moet word, God het ‘n pad na gesondheid en genesing wat ek vir ‘n geruime tyd persoonlik gevra is om langs te reis. Maar dit is miskien ‘n ander boek. Terug by die onderwerp. . .

Though the wife my son married caused me great concern, and their marriage was a mountain I desperately wanted to send to the depths of the sea, I know full well that she will end up being the most blessed “unplanned” event, who will turn out to be the daughter of my dreams. Her presence in my son’s life, in my family’s life, and especially in my life, I’m certain, will prove to be what changes us and increases our quality of life—I know, because it already has! One of its first blessings has been in watching my children accept and love (beyond measure) their new sisters, both in exactly the same way, which I can’t even express on paper.

Alhoewel die vrou met wie my seun getroud is my baie bekommernis veroorsaak het, en hulle huwelik was ‘n berg wat ek desperaat in die dieptes van die see wou stuur. Weet ek dat sy sal opeindig om die mees geseënde “onbeplande” gebeurtenis te wees, wat sal uitdraai om die dogter van my drome te wees. Haar teenwoordigheid in my seun se lewe, in my familie se lewe, en spesiaal in my lewe, is ek seker, sal bewys om te wees wat ons verander en ons kwaliteit van lewe vermeerder—ek weet, want dit het alreeds! Een van die eerste seëninge is om te kyk en sien hoe my kinders (buite maat) hulle nuwe susters aanvaar en lief het, albei op presies dieselfde manier, wat ek nie eens op papier kan uitdruk nie.

This mountain is one that my son is just beginning to climb and one that I am now excited to climb by his side, silently watching. I know how it will change all of us, by creating the greatest of intimacy with my HH and their Father, which truly has been, and will always be, the deepest desire of my heart.

Hierdie berg is een wat my seun begin het om te klim en een wat ek nou opgewonde is om langs sy sy te klim, en stilweg toe te kyk. Ek weet dit sal ons almal verander, deur die grootste intimiteit met my HM en hulle Vader te skep, wat werklik, en altyd sal wees, die diepste begeerte van my hart.

Epilog to this Chapter
Afsluiting tot hierdie Hoofstuk

Soon after my son and his wife were married, they were blessed with a son. Months later, just as I’d forewarned, my daughter-in-law left my son and filed for divorce. Remember what I said prior to the conclusion? When I said, “I, too, will climb a parallel mountain, as I watch him, silently.” I suppose that was my mountain to climb. To watch but to remain silent, watching the suffering as my son lost his wife and baby boy. Nevertheless, even though my son never sat down and read the men’s Restore Your Marriage book, I began to see how its truths were followed. I realized that as I lived and spoke about the principles so often, as my son was growing up, without planning to, he instinctively began following its principles.

Gou na my seun en sy vrou getroud is, was hulle geseën met ‘n seun. Maande later, net soos wat ek vooraf gewaarsku het, het my skoondogter my seun verlaat en ‘n egskeiding aanhanig gemaak. Onthou wat ek gesê het voor die afsluiting? Toe ek gesê het, “ek, sal ook, ’n parallel berg klim, soos wat ek hom stilweg dophou.” Ek veronderstel dit was my berg om te klim. Om te kyk maar om stil te bly, en die lyding dop te hou soos wat my seun sy vrou en baba seuntjie verloor het. Nietemin, alhoewel my seun nooit gesit het en die Herstel Jou Huwelik boek gelees het nie, het ek begin om te sien hoe die waarhede gevolg was. Ek het besef dat soos wat ek die beginsel dikwels uitgeleef en daaroor gepraat het, soos wat my seun groot geword het, het hy instinktief begin om die beginsels te volg.

Months after their divorce, after I was back living in the U.S. again, was when my son chose to confide in me. He shared how he’d “lost his faith” not in God, but in His desire to restore his marriage, after he’d fasted and begged God not to allow the divorce to go through. But it had. It was while I was in Europe that I experienced something quite similar, falling into applying a well-known belief that we needed to tell God what we wanted, claim it and it would happen. Yet, like my son, it hadn’t happened and it completely broke me.

Maande na die egskeiding, nadat ek terug in die V.S.A woonagtig was, was toe my seun gekies het om my in sy vertroue te neem. Hy het gedeel hoe hy “sy geloof verloor het” nie in God nie, maar in sy begeerte om sy huwelik te herstel, nadat hy gevas het en God gesmeek het om nie toe te laat dat die egskeiding deurgaan nie. Maar dit het. Dit was terwyl ek in Europa was dat ek iets taamlik eenders ervaar het, geval het in die toediening van ‘n welbekende mening dat ons nodig het om vir God alles te vertel wat ons wou gehad het, dit te eis en dit sou gebeur. Tog, soos my seun, het dit nie gebeur nie en dit het my heeltemal gebreek.

Sharing my understanding, because I really did understand, led to my son then opening up to me that he was at a loss to know what to do next. Because he asked, I knew it was time to help guide him the rest of the way. “…always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:13-15).

Deur my verstandhouding te deel, want ek het regtig verstaan, het gelei daartoe dat my seun sy sy hart vir my oopgemaak het en gesê het dat hy verlore was om te weet wat om volgende te doen. Omdat hy gevra het, ek het geweet dat dit tyd was om hom die res van die pad te lei. “ . . . wees altyd gereed om 'n antwoord te gee aan elkeen wat van julle 'n verduideliking eis oor die hoop wat in julle lewe. Maar doen dit met beskeidenheid en met eerbied vir God” (1 Petrus 3:13-15).

I explained that He would create a type of crisis, allowing him to follow the Lord and navigate through it using wisdom, and it would result in God restoring his marriage. A crisis did follow just days later, and even though I was speaking, sharing principles and listening to what my HH and His Father was saying, I did much more “watching” my son climb, until, I watched, we all watched, GOD restore his marriage. And, just as He promised, a double recompense followed. Not only was my son reunited with his son, soon after their restoration, God blessed them with a second son.

Ek het verduidelik dat Hy hierdie soort krisis sou skep, en hom toegelaat om die Here te volg en daardeur te navigeer deur wysheid te gebruik, en dit sal resulteer in God wat sy huwelik herstel. ‘n Krisis het net dae later gevolg, en alhoewel ek gepraat het, en beginsels gedeel het en geluister het na wat my HM en Sy Vader besig was om  te sê, het ek baie meer “gekyk” hoe my seun klim, totdat, ek gekyk het, ons almal gekyk het, hoe GOD sy huwelik herstel. En, net soos wat Hy belowe het, het ‘n dubbele vergoeding gevolg. Nie net was my seun met sy seun, kort na hulle herstel, herenig nie, God hom geseën met nog ‘n seun.   

Today we all are one family, living under one large roof, closer than ever, with more love for each other—more than anything I could ever have dreamed way back while looking at a mountain that He meant for us to climb.

Vandag is ons almal een familie, en bly onder een groot dak, nader as ooit, met meer liefde vir mekaar—meer as enigiets wat ek ooit lank terug kon droom terwyl ons gekyk het na ‘n berg wat Hy vir ons bedoel het om te klim.

Ephesians 3:20, “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us…”

Efesiërs 3:20, “ Aan Hom wat deur sy krag wat in ons werk, magtig is om oneindig meer te doen as wat ons bid of dink…”

TLB, “Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires,

NLV, “Hy moet geprys word – Hy wat mag het om deur die krag wat in ons werk, oneindig meer te doen as wat ons vra of dink om te vra.

The Message, “God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!”

Die Boodskap, “God is so magtig en sterk. Juis met daardie krag werk Hy ook in ons. Hy kan en het dinge vir ons gedoen waarvan ons nie eens kon droom nie.

And finally, Isaiah 30:18, “Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; how blessed are all those who long for Him.”

En finaal, Jesaja 30:18, “Tog is die HERE gretig om julle genadig te wees en wil Hy Hom oor julle ontferm: Die HERE is 'n God wat reg laat geskied, en dit gaan goed met elkeen wat op Hom vertrou.