“He will speak against the Most High

And oppress his saints

And try to change the set times and the laws.

—Daniel 7:25

 

"Hy sal teen God die Allerhoogste te velde trek en die

heilige mense van God die Allerhoogste onderdruk.

Hy sal daarop uit wees om die vaste tye en wette te verander."

—Daniel 7:25

 

 You might as well face it—if you want to move a mountain in your life you are going to encounter opposition. But, the problem is not the “source or intensity of the opposition”; the problem is how we respond to it. Let's be honest; when opposition stands in the way of our miracle, our mountain moving, we all respond in the same way—we resist it or push against it. When we do, we are doing the complete opposite of what will move our mountain. What is worse is that the resistance will wear us out, so that we will all too soon give up, because this is exactly what the opposition is meant to do.

Jy mag dit net sowel aanvaar—as jy ‘n berg in jou lewe wil versit gaan jy opposisie ervaar. Maar, die probleem is nie die “bron of itensiteit van die opposisie nie”; die probleem is hoe ons daarop reageer. Kom ons weer eerlik; wanneer opposisie in die pad staan van ons wonderwerk, ons berg wat versit, reageer ons almal op dieselfde manier—ons staan dit tee of stoot daarteen. Wanneer ons dit doen, doen ons die teenoorgestelde van wat ons berg sal versit. Wat erger is is dat die teenstand ons sal uitmergel, sodat ons alte gou sal opgee, omdat dit presies is wat die opposisie bedoel is om te doen.

In speaking about the enemy, this verse alludes to the fact that this is one of the enemy’s schemes: when it says in the book of Daniel 7:25 “He will
wear down the saints of the Highest One.” In other versions of the Bible, it says that “he will wear out, he will be cruel, he will make it hard, and he will oppress.” Oppression was always something I had trouble dealing with. Oppression is defined as: “to subject a person or a people to a harsh or cruel form of domination, to be a source of worry, of stress, or of trouble to somebody, and to hold something in check or put an end to it; to coerce, tyrannize, dominate, repress, subjugate”—the antonym, however, is liberate!

Wanneer ons oor die vyand praat, sinspeel die vers die feit dat dit een van die vyand se gekonkel is: wanneer dit in die boek van DaniĂ«l 7:25 sĂȘ “ Hy sal...die mense wat aan die Allerhoogste hoort bitter swaar laat ly.” In ‘n ander weergawes van die Bybel, sĂȘ dit “ hy sal hulle bitter swaar laat ly, hy sal hulle onderdruk”. Onderdrukking was altyd iets waarmee ek moeilikheid gehad het om mee af te reken. Onderdrukking is gedefinieer as: “om ‘n persoon of persone onderdanig te maak tot ‘n harde of wrede vorm van dominasie, om ‘n bron van bekommernis, of stres, of moeilikheid vir iemand te wees, en om iets in bedwang te hou of ‘n einde daaraan te maak; om te forseer, tiraniseer, domineer, onderdruk, onderwerp”—die antoniem, nietemin, is om te bevry!

Let me counteract all your oppression and liberate you from being worn out, worn down, or troubled, so that you will no longer feel the opposition, by telling you it is as simple as this: never resist opposition, never.

Laat my al jou onderdrukking teenwerk en jou bevry daarvan om uitgemergel, afgemergel, of bemoeisaam te wees, sodat jy nie meer die oppossie sal voel nie, deur vir jou te sĂȘ dit is so eenvoudig soos dit: moet nooit opposisie weerstaan nie, nooit nie.

Jesus told us this very thing, do you remember? “But I [Jesus] say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two” (Matthew 5:38–40). In other words, we are not only told not to resist when someone opposes us; our response, He says, is to go along happily and go beyond what is asked for or demanded of us.

Jesus het vir ons hierdie einste ding vertel, onthou jy? “Maar Ek sĂȘ vir julle: Julle moet julle nie teen 'n kwaadwillige mens verset nie. As iemand jou op die regterwang slaan, draai ook die ander wang na hom toe. As iemand jou hof toe wil vat om jou onderklere te eis, gee hom ook jou boklere. As iemand jou dwing om sy goed een kilometer ver te dra, dra dit vir hom twee kilometer” (Matteus 5:38-40). Met ander woorde, ons word nie gesĂȘ om nie te weerstaan wanneer iemand ons teenstaan nie; ons reaksie, sĂȘ Hy is, om blymoedig saam te gaan en bo dit wat van ons gevra of geeis word te gaan.

Yet, instead, when meeting the mountain that stands in our way, we foolishly decide that the way to move it is to push against it. This is ridiculous when you really think about it rationally. The picture on the cover of this book shows us doing this very thing—trying to do something ridiculous. All of us know that there is no way, no amount of time, and no human strength capable of moving any mountain, big or tiny, by pushing against it. Nevertheless, we women often foolishly think that to push against something or someone (like resisting the men or the children in our lives) will get us what we want. We keep doing it, because—at times—we may get what we want. However, as a result, those same men or our children turn a bitter heart against us, and relationships we cherished are ultimately broken.

Tog, in plaas daarvan, wanneer ons die berg wat in ons pad staan ontmoet, besluit ons dwaas dat die manier om dit te versit is om daarteen te stoot. Dit is belaglik wanneer jy rasionaal daaraan dink. Die prentjie op die omslag van hierdie boek wys hoe ons hierdie einste ding doen—probeer om iets belaglik te doen. Almal van ons weet daar is geen manier, geen hoevelheid tyd, en geen menslike krag in staat om enige berg te versit nie, groot of klein, deur daarteen te stoot. Nietemin, ons vrouens dink dwaas dat om teen iets of iemand te stoot (soos om die mans of kinders in ons lewens te weerstaan)) sal vir ons kry wat ons wil hĂȘ. Ons hou aan om dit te doen, omdat—ten tye—mag ons kry wat ons wil hĂȘ. Nietemin, as ‘n resultaat, draai daardie selfde man of kinders ‘n bitter hart teen ons, en verhoudings wat ons gekoester het is uitermatig gebroke.

However, the woman who really “has it all,” the one who “gets her cake and eats it too,” is a woman who knows not to resist, but is terribly agreeable, so that men, and all the people around her, want to bless her and not oppose her. It is not because they really “want to” do so. It is simply the way God has set up the universe.

Nietemin, die vrou wie regtig “dit alles” het die een wat “haar koek kry en dit ook eet,” is ‘n vrou wat weet om nie te weerstaan nie, maar is vreeslik instemmend, sodat mans, en al die mense rondom haar, haar wil seĂ«n en nie teenstaan nie. Dit is nie omdat hulle dit regtig “wil” doen nie. Dit is eenvoudig hoe God die heelal opgestel het.

Trying to stop power is like trying to put our finger in an electric light socket so that the energy doesn’t come out and hurt us. That energy is enough to kill us, and in fact, this is what will happen emotionally each time you try to resist the force of opposition.

Om te probeer om mag te keer is soos om ons vinger in ‘n elektriese sok te sit sodat die energie nie kom en ons seermaak nie. Daardie energie is genoeg om ons dood te maak, en die feit is, dit is wat  emosioneel sal gebeur elke keer wat jy die krag van die opposisie probeer weerstaan.

Jesus said NOT TO resist evil for good reason: He knew that it was not only foolish, but that it was contrary to the laws of the universe. Instead, He and His life teach us the power of no resistance.

Jesus het met goeie rede gesĂȘ: MOET NIE die bose weerstaan nie. Hy het geweet dat dit nie net dwaas is nie nie maar dat dit teenstrydig met die wette van die heelal is. In plaas daarvan, leer  Hy en Sy lewe ons die krag van geen weerstand nie.

Water is the power that proves that the ultimate energy source is that of nonresistance. Water adapts to all situations, and yet, this power of nonresistance is able to create energy to light a huge city and to create wonders like the Grand Canyon and Niagara Falls. It also can change your world magnificently, once you learn to tap into its truth, which is simply—don’t resist opposition.

Water is die krag wat bewys dat die uiterste energie bron is die van geen weerstand. Water pas aan by alle situasies, en tog, die krag van geen weerstand is in staat om energie te skep om ‘n groot stad lig te gee en om wonders soos die Grand Canyon en Niagra watervalle te skep. Dit kan ook jou wĂȘreld manjifiek verander, sodar jy leer om in sy waarheid in te skakel, wat eenvoudig is—moet nie opposisie weerstaan nie.

In the midst of writing this book, the Lord has been faithful to put some horrendous mountains in my life in order for me to learn, and therefore to teach you, what it takes to move a mountain. Since you are reading this book, it means, dear one, that He has chosen you to begin moving the mountains in your life, in order to get the attention of everyone around you. Who doesn’t have mountains that need moving? Then in the process of you moving your mountain, if you follow His plan, soon many will ask you to tell them more, as they watch your mountain begin moving, done so in utter peace and without effort. This, thereby, will give you the opportunity to introduce them to Who has given you the power they are witnessing in your life. This is true evangelism. This is how to "witness" to the unbeliever.

Ten midde van die skryf van hierdie boek, was die Here so getrou om verskriklike berge in my lewe te sit sodat ek kan leer, en daarom vir jou leer, wat dit neem om ‘n berg te versit. Aangesien jy hierdie boek lees, beteken dit,  liewe een, dat Hy jou gekies het om te begin om die berge in jou lewe te versit, sodat jy die aandag van almal om jou kan kry. Wie het nie berge wat versit moet word nie? Dan in die proses van jou wat jou berg versit, as jy Sy plan volg, sal baie ander jou gou vra om vir hulle meer te vertel, soos wat hulle sien hoe jou berg begin versit, en dit word in uiterste vrede gedoen en sonder inspanning. Dit, daarby, sal jou die geleentheid gee om hulle voor te stel aan die Een wie jou die krag waarvan hulle in jou lewe attesteer gee. Dit is ware evangelisme. Dit is hoe om vir die ongelowige te “attesteer”.  

As I said in chapter one, the Lord has you start with the little mountains; then, He will ask you to move a greater one with the same principle. This is what happened to me in the course of a few days. I believe that sharing this story/testimony with you will give you a picture, which is worth a thousand words, so that you will remember how and why.

Soos wat ek gesĂȘ het in hoofstuk een, die Here laat jou begin met klein berge; dan, sal Hy jou vra om ‘n groter een met dieselfde beginsel te versit. Dit is wat met my gebeur het in die koers van ‘n paar dae. Ek glo dat deur hierdie storie/getuienis met jou te deel sal dit jou ‘n prentjie gee, wat ‘n duisend woorde werd is, sodat jy sal onthou hoe en waarom. 

To keep our family and ministry running, we have no less than four telephone services that I pay for each month. One, in particular, has caused me much frustration for years, which I spoke about briefly in the last chapter. Now, looking back, I see their mistakes (and attitude) were all part of teaching me this very important principle, of nonresistance, to moving mountains.

Om ons familie en bediening aan die gang te hou, het ons niks minder as vier telefoon dienste waarvoor ek elke maand betaal nie. Een, in besonder, het my vir jare soveel frustrasie veeroorsaak, waarvan ek kortliks gepraat het in die laaste hoofstuk. Nou, deur terug te kyk, sien ek hulle foute (en houding) was alles deel om vir my hierdie baie belangrike beginsel, van geen weerstand, tot berge versit te leer. 

Overcharges surfaced that the Lord had me put off for weeks and wait to take care of. Honestly, I didn’t understand why, but since I was so extremely busy, letting it go was not that hard to do. Then, something else happened that forced me, at that exact moment in time, to “have to” take care of it. When I contacted them, the Lord reminded me that I must keep a very positive, kind attitude—no matter what. So, I made sure my voice was cheery when I attempted to explain the situation. Everything went surprisingly well, until I asked about the additional charges (just about double what they should have been) for the previous four months, when the representative suddenly turned ugly. Pay attention, because this is the opposition and evil we are not to resist, even though we naturally feel that way. We must be like clean, fresh, adapting water allowing ourselves to flow effortlessly, by being so agreeable that it turns the spiritual tide and forces that are trying to come against us.

Oorverheffings het te voorskyn gekom wat die Here my vir weke laat staan en wag het om af te handel. Eerlikwaar, ek het nie verstaan waarom nie, maar aangesien ek so verskriklik besig was, om te laat gaan was dit nie so moeilik om te doen nie. Toe, het iets anders gebeur wat my forseer het, op die presiese tyd, om dit te “moet” afhandel. Toe ek hulle gekontak het, het die Here my herinner dat ek ‘n baie positiewe, vriendelike houding moet handhaaf—maak nie saak wat nie. So ek het seker gemaak my stem was vrolik toe ek gepoog het om die situasie te verduidelik. Alles het verrassend goed gegaan, totdat ek gevra het oor die addisionele kostes (omtrent dubbeld wat hulle behoort te wees) vir die vorige vier maande, toe raak die verteenwoordiger skielik lelik.. Gee aandag, omdat dit die opposisie is en boos is moet ons nie weerstaan nie, alhoewel ons van nature so voel. Ons moet skoon, en vars wees, aanpassende water en onsself toelaat om moeiteloos te vloei, deur so innemend te wees dat dit die geestelike gety en magte wat probeer om teen ons te kom draai. 

As the Lord had lovingly taught me throughout my divorce, I enthusiastically agreed that the additional money was “no big deal,” and I even “thanked” her. Then, immediately, the tide turned when she said, “Can you hang on while I get a supervisor? Maybe he can refund the extra charges,” and that is exactly what happened! No effort, no push, it was, it is, the path of no resistance.

Soos wat die Here my liefdevol dwarsdeur my egskeiding geleer het, ek het entoesiasties ingestem dat die addisionele geld was “niks groots nie” en ek het haar selfs “bedank.” Toe onmiddelik, het die gety verander toe sy gesĂȘ het. “Kan jy wag totdat ek ‘n toesiener kry? Miskien kan sy die ekstra kostes terugbetaal,” en dit is presies wat gebeur het! Geen inspanning, geen gestoot, dit was, dit is, die pad van geen weerstand.

Though this was a small mountain moved, the technique and result was significant. It was the way the Lord trained me for the huge feat on the very next day that I also spoke of in the previous chapter, and I will do so again. Even though I am feeling a bit uncomfortable about writing a second chapter about the very same testimony, I will happily not resist my own flesh that does not want to appear foolish.

Alhoewel hierdie ‘n klein berg was wat versit was, die tegniek en resultaat was betekenisvol. Dit was die manier wat die Here my opgelei het vir die groot wapenfeit die volgende dag waaroor ek ook in die vorige hoofstuk gepraat het, en weer so sal doen. Alhoewel ek ‘n bietjie ongemaklik voel om ‘n tweede hoofstuk oor dieselfde getuienis te skryf, sal ek blymoedig nie my eie vlees weerstaan wat nie soos ‘n dwaas wil lyk nie.

Wow, that’s it, isn't it? We’re our own worst enemy! From large steps, like writing the identical testimony in two chapters of a book that will be published, to steps as small and insignificant as the hair color I just chose to put on my hair, we are afraid of appearing foolish if we do something wrong, aren’t we?!

Wow, dit is dit, is dit nie? Ons is ons ergste vyand! Van groot tree, soos om die identiese getuienis in twee hoofstukke van ‘n boek te skryf  wat gepubliseer sal wees, tot tree so klein en onbeduidend soos die haarkleur wat ek kies om op my hare te sit, ons is bang om soos ‘n dwaas te lyk as ons iets verkeerd doen, is ons nie?!

When I felt the Lord prompting me to use the same testimony (that I actually wrote last week, then wrote again, not realizing I was writing it again, until it was almost finished), just a moment later, I got up and went in to see on the counter the hair color that the Lord prompted me to buy, then use. But the impulse to resist welled up in me, which now I know, has its source in pride. Wow, I should have known.

Toe ek gevoel het dat die Here my aanhits om dieselfde getuienis te gebruik (wat ek eintlik verlede week geskryf het, toe weer geskryf het, en nie besef het dat ek dit weer skryf nie, totdat dit amper klaar was), net ‘n oomblik later, het ek opgestaan en op die toonbank die haarkleur gesien wat die Here my aangehits het om te koop, en te gebruik. Maar die impuls om te weerstaan het  my welgeval, wat ek nou weet, sy bron in trots het. Wow, ek moes geweet het.

Who of us wants to appear the fool? Not me, that’s for sure, and not you either. Am I right or am I right? And now that the Lord has uncovered the source of why we resist His promptings, which is simply our pride, it is safe to say that the difficulty of using this testimony was due to my pride—appearing foolish because I wrote about the testimony of getting this miracle honeymoon that my son and his fiancĂ© later rejected. Amazingly revealing, isn’t it?

Wie van ons wil soos ‘n dwaas lyk? Nie ek nie, dit is verseker, en ook nie jy nie. Is ek reg of is ek reg? En nou dat die Here die bron van waarom ons sy aanhitsing weerstaan ontbloot het, wat eenvoudig ons trots is, is dit veilig om te sĂȘ dat die moeilikhede om hierdie getuienis te gebruik was as gevolg van my trots—dat ek soos ‘n dwaas gelyk het omdat ek geskryf het oor die  getuienis om hierdie wonderwerk wittebrood te kry wat my seun en sy verloofde later verwerp het. Ongelooflik bllotgestel, is dit nie?

So, what’s the solution? Well, for starters, I went ahead and colored my hair with a tone of red that might be too intense, like the last one I felt led to try. Nevertheless, I would rather look foolish than to miss the lesson that is sure to do more for my life than what hair color I have on my head! So, to keep moving that mountain I must take the next baby step, yes, to write about the very same testimony—two chapters in a row, because, guess what? When I made the decision in my mind that I would do it no matter how stupid I might appear, the Lord reminded me of how the Bible tells the same story, testimony, or parable over, and over again, doesn’t it? And though you might remind me that it is because the stories were written by different people, to show that God was just confirming what Jesus said, my pride was way ahead of you. That reason for resisting already tried, but lost, so here goes.

So, wat is die oplossing? Wel om mee te begin, ek het voort gegaan en my hare gekleur met ‘n rooi skakering wat te intensief was, soos die laaste een wat ek gelei was om te probeer. Nietemin, ek sou eerder soos ‘n dwaas lyk as om die les te mis wat seker is om meer vir my lewe te doen as watter haarkleur ek op my kop het! So, om die berg aanhou te laat beweeg moet ek die volgende baba tree te neem, ja , om oor dieselfde getuienis te skryf—twee hoofstukke in ‘n ry, omdat, raai wat? Toe ek die besluit in my verstand gemaak het dat ek dit sou doen maak nie saak hoe onnosel ek mag lyk nie, het die Here my herinner aan hoe die Bybel dieselfde storie, getuienis, of  gelykenis oor en oor vertel, doen dit nie? En alhoewel jy my mag herinner dat dit is omdat die stories deur verskillende persone geskryf is, om te wys dat God bevestig het wat Jesus gesĂȘ het, my trots was ver voor jou. Daardie rede vir weerstand alreeds probeer, maar verloor, so hier gaan dit.    

About three weeks ago, I got a shocking telephone call from my son, of whom I spoke in a testimony in my book Poverty Mentality. The Lord had allowed me to bless my son and his fiancé with a honeymoon that (had I paid for it) would have cost more than their wedding. It was one of the most amazing and thrilling experiences of my life!

Omtrent drie weke gelede, het ek ‘n skokkende oproep van my seun gekry, van wie ek gepraat het in my boek Armoede Mentaliteit. Die Here het my toegelaat om my seun en sy verloofde te seĂ«n met ‘n wittebrood waavoor (ek betaal het) dit sou meer as hulle troue kos. Dit was een van die ongelooflikste en sensasionele ervarings van my lewe!

But an emotional tragedy struck, when, just a few weeks before the wedding, my son called one evening simply saying that they had decided not to go, that it wasn’t the right time, and he went on to say that things were financially tight. It wasn’t just that they weren’t going; it was also the fact that they knew that everything would be lost: both the resort and the flights were non-transferable, no refunds, and absolutely no changes. And it wasn’t that they didn’t know the finality of these reservations—they were right there when I was booking everything, and I was careful, each step of the way, to ask them, when the booking agents asked me, “Are you sure, since nothing can be changed after this point?”

Maar ‘n emosionele tragedie het getref, toe, net ‘n paar weke voor die troue, my seun een aand geskakel het en eenvoudig gesĂȘ het dat hy besluit het om nie te gaan nie, dat dit nie die regte tyd was nie, en hy het aangegaan om te sĂȘ dat dinge finansieĂ«l skaars  was. Dit was nie net dat hulle nie gaan nie; dit was ook die feit dat hulle geweet het dat alles verlore sou gaan: beide die oord en die vlugte was nie-oorhandelbaar nie, geen terugbetalings, en absoluut geen veranderinge. En dit was nie dat hulle nie van die finaliteit van hierdie besprekings geweet het nie—hulle was daar toe ek alles bespreek het, en ek was versigtig, elke stap van die pad, om hulle te vra, toe die besprekings agent my gevra het, “Is jy seker, aangesien niks verander kan word na hierdie stadium nie?”

During each portion of booking, the agents asked at least three times and then printed it boldly on the confirmation sheet, so that they had to know all would be lost if they backed out.

Gedurende elke deel van die bespreking, het die agente ten minste drie keer gevra en dit toe in drukletters op die bevestigings blaai gedruk, sodat hulle geweet het dat alles verlore sou wees as hulle kop uitgetrek het. 

Since their lack of finances was said to be one of the reasons, I immediately told him that I was more than happy to give them enough money to cover everything, in order to save the already invested points and flying miles that I would lose if they bailed out. But it was clear that this was not the real reason, and none was really ever revealed. Honestly, it hit me hard, harder than I would have imaged, so I went to my prayer closet for comfort and understanding. I was honestly devastated.

Aangesien hulle gesĂȘ het dat hulle tekort aan finansies een van die redes was, Het ek hulle onmiddellik gesĂȘ dat ek meer as bly sou wees om vir hulle genoeg geld te gee om alles te dek sodat ek die alreeds belĂȘde koste en vliegmyl punte sou red wat ek sou verloor het as hulle sou kop uittrek. Maar dit was duidelik dat dit nie die regte rede was nie, en niks was ooit regtig ontbloot nie. Eerlik, dit het my hard getref, harder as wat ek my sou kon voorstel, so toe gaan ek na my gebedshoekie toe vir vertroosting en verstandhouding, ek was eerlik verpletter.

After many tears, the Lord simply said, “Michele, can you trust me?” and of course, I could.

Na baie trane, het die Here eenvoudig gesĂȘ, “Michele, kan jy my vertrou?” en natuurlik, kon ek.

Being discreet was my main concern at this point. I knew that if my other children heard about this, they would struggle with unkind feelings toward the couple, and I didn’t want that. But God had other ideas, because just hours later the other children heard it from their own mouths, when their brother and his fiancĂ© came over to try to make everyone understand. From that day on, this atrocity had been spread around to just about everyone we knew, despite my efforts to keep it silent—but I had to know that this, too, was all a part of God’s plan. How would He turn it for good? The awesomeness of it all is that we never need to know HOW; we simply just have to KNOW that HE will.

Om diskreet te wees was op hierdie stadium as my hoof bekommernis. Ek het geweet dat as my ander kinders daarvan hoor, hulle sou sukkel met onvriendelike gevoelens teenoor die paartjie, en ek wou dit nie gehad het nie. Maar God het ander idees gehad, want net ure later het die kinders dit uit hulle eie monde gehoor, toe hulle broer en sy verloofde omgekom het om te probeer om almal te kry om te verstaan. Van daardie dag af, was hierdie gruweldaad na net omtrent almal wat ons ken versprei, ten spyte van my pogings om dit stil te hou—maar ek moes weet dat dit, ook, alles deel was van God se plan. Hoe sou Hy dit ten goede omkeer? Die ontsag hiervan was dat ons nooit nodig het om te weet HOE, ons moet eenvoudig net WEET dat HY sal. 

It began to turn on the day the news reached my older son, who told his fiancĂ©, and they set out to “try to do something,” maybe take the “vacation” themselves with another couple—anything, they said, to ease the blow to me. Isn’t that just too sweet?! However, none of their efforts proved to do anything, except to prove that this mountain was immovable. And then


Dit het begin draai op die dag wat die nuus my ouer seun bereik het, wie vir sy verloofde vertel het, en hulle het uitgegaan om “iets te probeer,” miskien die “vakansie” hulself te neem met ‘n ander paartjie—enigiets, het hulle gesĂȘ, om die slag vir my te verlig. Is dit nie  te te oulik nie?! Nietemin, niks van hulle pogings het bewys om enigiets te doen nie, behalwe om te bewys dat hierdie berg onbeweegbaar is. En toe...

Signs that this mountain just may move began to surface. First, my other son’s fiancĂ© told him that if the tickets and reservations could be changed, she would marry him immediately and use it as their honeymoon (something she would never consider when he hinted about this kind of a wedding; when she couldn’t find a place to have their wedding, or find the dress, or where to hold their reception). Next, she told her mother about the situation, who said, “Darling, if the arrangements work out—go for it! This is God, no doubt!!” This statement was from a mother who had told her daughter, since she was a little girl, that if she ever ran off to marry without her being there, she would disown her!

Tekens dat hierdie berg net dalk mag versit het begin om na die oppervlak toe te kom. Eerstens, het my anders seun se verloofde vir hom gesĂȘ as die kaartjies en besprekings verander kan word, sy onmiddellik met hom sou trou en dit as hulle wittebrood gebruik (iets wat sy nooit sou oorweeg toe hy geskimp het oor hierdie soort troue nie; toe sy nie ‘n plek kon vind om hulle troue te hou nie, of die rok vind nie, of waar om hulle onthaal te hou nie). Volgende, het sy vir haar ma van die situasie vertel wie gesĂȘ het, “ Liefling as die reĂ«lings uitwerk—gaan daarvoor! Dit is sonder twyfel, God!!” Hierdie verklaring was van ‘n moeder wie vir haar dogter vertel het, vandat sy ‘n klein dogtertjie was, dat as sy wegloop om te gaan trou sonder dat sy daar was, sy haar sou onterf!

Next, they, too, spoke of not having any money, when all of a sudden, my son’s fiancĂ© remembered that her mother had given her the money for their wedding ahead of time. Signs that the mountain just might move were emerging everywhere! That’s when I saw the mountain begin to quiver, just a bit, and I began to get excited at the thought of what I believed was about to happen.

Volgende, het hulle, ook gepraat dat hulle nie geld het nie, toe ewe skielik, het my seun se verloofde onthou dat haar moeder vir haar die geld vir haar troue voor die tyd gegee het. Tekens dat die berg net dalk mag versit was besig om orals na vore te kom! Dit is toe ek sien dat die berg begin om te bewe, net ‘n bietjie, en ek het begin om opgewonde te raak met die gedagte wat ek geglo het besig was om te gebeur.

The next significant move was when my son’s fiancĂ© called me one morning, telling me that she so wanted to pursue this dream, but that my son had said that they shouldn’t. She told me that she didn’t want to go against his authority, since he was her spiritual leader, so what should she do? Oh, my, did I feel blessed. Wow. That's when I was given the opportunity (as an older woman who was sought for guidance) to share with her that as a woman, especially as a wife, when situations come up like this, when we feel something strongly, that we shouldn’t talk about it to anyone, but instead, as Mary did, “ponder it in your heart.” If it were God’s plan, her fiancĂ© would have a change of heart.

Die volgende betekenisvolle skuif was toe my seun se verloofde my een oggend geskakel het, en vir my vertel het dat sy hierdie droom wou agternasit, maar my seun het gesĂȘ dat hulle moet nie. Sy het vir my gesĂȘ dat sy nie teen sy gesag wou gaan nie, aangesien hy haar geestelike leier was, so wat moet sy doen? O, wee, het ek so geseĂ«nd gevoel. Wow. Dit was toe ek die geleentheid gegun was (as ‘n ouer vrou wat uitgesoek is vir leiding) om met haar te deel dat as ‘n vrou, wanneer ‘n situasie soos dit te voorskyn kom, wanneer ons sterk oor iets voel, dat ons nie met enigiemand daaroor moet praat nie, maar eerder, soos Maria dit gedoen het, “by haarself daaroor nagedink.” As dit God se plan was, sou haar verloofde ‘n hart verandering hĂȘ.

Just about an hour later, my son called and told me that he could tell this was something his fiancĂ© really wanted, so, what could he do to make it happen? Thank You, Lord!! God turned his heart when he saw her quietly submit, and when I was wise enough to also keep silent and watch the miracle unfold. Because as a mother it is tempting to speak to our children who are grown, nevertheless, who better to speak to than our own HH who so wonderful waits and even longs to take care of things for us, and to do it so beautifully without a ripple or consequence. So, now, since my son came out and asked me what he could do, I told him that the two of us needed to look at what we COULD do rather than trying to do what we couldn’t.

Net omtrent ‘n uur later, het my seun geskakel en vir my vertel dat hy kon aflei dat dit iets was wat sy verloofde regtig wou gehad het, so, wat kon hy doen om dit te maak gebeur? Dankie, Here!! God het sy hart gedraai toe hy sien hoe sy stilweg onderwerp, en toe ek wys genoeg was om ook stil te bly en toe te kyk hoe die wonderwerk begin ontvou. Omdat as ‘n moeder is dit uitloklik om met ons volwasse kinders te praat, nietemin, wie beter as ons HM om te praat wie so wonderlik wag en selfs hunker om vir dinge vir ons te sorg, en om dit so pragtig te doen sonder ‘n rimpel of nagevolge. So, nou, aangesien my seun uitgekom het en gevra het wat hy kan doen en, en  ek hom vertel het dat die twee van ons nodig het om te kyk na wat ons KAN doen eerder as dit wat ons nie kan nie.

This was the lesson the Lord had showed me two months in a row, when He prompted me to do my own taxes, which, here I go again, I spoke about in a previous chapter. Again, I saw that this was another reason why He led me to do my taxes; He needed to build my faith in impossibilities and to teach me this principle: When you know that God wants you to move a mountain, look at what you CAN do, rather than what you can’t.

Dit was die les wat die Here my twee maande in ‘n ry gewys het, toe Hy my aangehits het om my eie belasting te doen, wat, hier gaan ek weer, ek in ‘n vorige hoofstuk oor gepraat het. Weer, sien ek dat dit nog ‘n rede was waarom Hy my gelei het om my belasting te doen; Hy moes my geloof in die onmoontlikheid opbou en om vir my hierdie beginsel te leer: Wanneer jy weet dat God wil hĂȘ jy moet ‘n berg versit, kyk na wat jy KAN doen, eerder as wat jy nie kan doen nie. 

Again, I asked my son, “What can you do?” and what came to mind was to ask him “If this works, where are you getting married?” He told me “There! In Hawaii—I believe we should have a destination wedding!” Then I asked him if he knew if there was a waiting period in that state, and he wasn’t sure. So, he set out to research the details. *To understand how much of an “impossibility” this miracle was, this conversation occurred on Monday afternoon, and the flight for Hawaii was scheduled for early Saturday morning.

Weer het ek my seun gevra, “Wat kan jy doen?” en wat in my gedagte opgekom het om hom te vra was “As dit werk, waar gaan jy trou?” Hy het vir my gesĂȘ “Daar! In Hawaii—ek glo ons moet ‘n bestemming troue hĂȘ!” Toe het ek hom gevra het of hy geweet het of daar ‘n wagperiode in daardie staat was, was hy nie seker nie. So, hy het uitgegaan om die besonderhede na te vors. *Om te verstaan hoeveel van ‘n “onmoontlikheid” hierdie wonderwerk was, hierdie gesprek het die Maandag middag plaasgevind, en die vlug Hawaii toe was geskeduleer vir vroeg Saterdag oggend.

Then I sought the Lord for what I could do. Immediately, He brought the honeymoon folder to mind, the one that I had never given my other son, which stood as another sign to me. Since I still had it, this was the Lord’s plan all along. There were signs popping up everywhere that were clear: why this couple could never find a place to have their wedding, could never find the right dress, didn’t hear from the church that wanted to hire my son–it all made sense now. God had another plan for this couple, which led to increase my faith that this was going to happen!

Toe het ek die Here nagestreef oor wat ek kon doen. Onmiddellik, het Hy die wittebrood vouer in my gedagtes na vore gebring, die een wat ek nie vir my ander seun gegee het nie, wat as nog ‘n teken vir my gestaan het. Aangesien ek dit nog steeds gehad het, dit was die heeltyd die Here se plan. Daar was tekens wat oral opgespring het wat duidelik was; waarom hierdie paarjie nooit ‘n plek kon vind om hulle troue te hĂȘ nie, nooit die regte rok kon vind nie, nie van die kerk gehoor het wat my seun wou huur nie—dit het alles nou sin gemaak. God het ‘n ander plan vir hierdie paartjie gehad, wat gelei het om my geloof te vermeerder dat dit gaan gebeur!

The Lord led me to look in the folder and to see that there were three parts to this mountain, and the next step was to move the second most impossible part—the resort. Again, it was non-transferable, but I just knew that nothing was impossible with God, and if this were indeed His plan, it would happen. It took all of five minutes on the phone—done! Again, amazing and impossible. This, too, served to strengthen our faith (my son’s, his fiancĂ©, and mine) to believe God for it all.

Die Here het my gelei om in die vouer te kyk en te sien dat daar drie dele was aan hierdie berg, en die volgende stap was om die tweede mees onmoontlike deel te skuif—die oord. Weer, was dit nie oordraagbaar nie, maar ek het net  geweet dat niks met God onmoontlik was nie, en dat as dit inderdaad Sy plan was, dit sou gebeur. Dit het net vyf minute op die foon geneem—gedoen! Weer, ongelooflik en onmoontlik. Dit ook, het gedien om ons geloof te versterk (my seun, sy  verloofde, en myne) om vir alles in God te glo.

Honestly, the rental car never really posed a concern to me, since to forfeit it would not be a huge financial loss; however, even this was accomplished supernaturally when the Lord led me to cancel it (which by the way I had tried unsuccessfully with this same site on one of my own trips). Yet, this time I cancelled without penalty, then, when I asked out loud, “What should I do now Lord?” I saw in big, bold, red letters “Do you want to reserve another car?” I just laughed, and said “Yes,” and clicked!

Eerlik waar, die huurmotor was nooit vir my van enige bekommernis nie, aangesien om dit te verbeur nie ‘n groot finansiĂ«le verlies sal wees nie; nietemin, selfs dit was bonatuurlik afgehandel toe die Here my gelei het om dit te kanselleer sonder penalisering, toe, toe ek hardop gevra het, “Wat moet ek nou doen Here?” het ek in groot rooi drukletters gesien “Wil jy ‘n ander motor bespeek?” ek het net gelag, en gesĂȘ “Ja,” en geklik!

Two down, now just one to go! Of course, the last part was the hardest. At least it was what we deemed the hardest—all feats are equally the same for God. As I told my son and his fiancĂ©, “All our difficulties and His miracles are the same to Him; He is not sitting up there thinking, ‘Oh, my, now let Me think how I am going to do this one.’” We just knew that we could all see, and now believed, that it was His will, and that, of course, nothing was impossible for God—the mountain was about to move!

Twee af, nou net een om te gaan! Natuurlik, was die laaste deel die moeilikste. Ten minste dit was wat ons gedink het die moeilikste was—alle wapenfeit is eweredig dieselfde vir God. Soos wat ek vir my seun en sy verloofde  gesĂȘ het, “Al ons moeilkhede en Sy wondwerke is dieselfde vir Hom; Hy sit nie daar bo en dink, ‘O, wee, laat Ek nou dink hoe ek hierdie een gaan doen.”’ Ons het net geweet dat ons almal kon sien, en nou glo, dat dit Sy wil was, en dat, natuurlik, niks onmoontlik vir God was nie—die berg was op die punt om te versit!

The next step to moving this mountain was when I got a call that my son was in line at the airport to speak to them directly about making the transfer. His fiancĂ© called to tell me to “pray.” She said that her spiritual mother whom she had told earlier that day (who began to cry and to have Goosebumps when she heard the details) had told her own husband, who flies a lot, to tell my son to go to the airport, that when they saw him, they would make the changes. That’s when the Lord reminded me of something I had seen, a vision, of my son in line at the airport a few days earlier, so just before I hung up, I shared this with my son's fiancĂ© to encourage her that “this was it!”

Die volgende stap om hierdie berg te versit was toe ek ‘n oproep gekry het dat my seun in die ry was by die lughawe om direk met hulle te praat om die oorplasing te doen. Sy verloofde het my geskakel om vir my te sĂȘ om te “bid.” Sy het gesĂȘ dat haar geestelike moeder vir wie sy vroeĂ«r daardie dag vertel het (wie begin huil het en hoendervleis gekry het toe sy van die besonderhede gehoor het) vir haar eie man vertel het, wat baie vlieg, om my seun te vertel om na die lughawe toe te gaan, dat wanneer hulle hom sien hulle die veranderinge sal aanbring. Dit is toe die Here my herinner het aan iets wat ek, ‘n paar dae vroeĂ«r  gesien het, ‘n visioen, van my seun in die ry by die lughawe, so net voor ek die telefoon neergeist het, het ek dit met my seun se verloofde gedeel om haar aan te moedig dat “dit dit was!” 

Excitedly, I went into the living room to speak to the Lord (as she had asked) with my youngest three children (all who have faith like a child), and we began to rejoice that it was about to happen. I just knew, that I knew, that I knew that it was going to happen in an instant; therefore, I began to act as if it had already happened!

Opgewonde, het ek na die sitkamer toe gegaan om met die Here te praat (soos wat sy gevra het) met my drie jongste kinders (almal wie geloof soos ‘n kind het), en ons het begin verheug dat dit op die punt staan om te gebeur. Ek het net geweet, dat ek geweet het dat dit oombliklik gaan gebeur; daarom, het ek begin optree asof dit alreeds gebeur het!

About an hour later, I got a call from my son—he was on his way home, and he told me that the airline had tried and tried, but the fields on the computer screen that needed to be opened to make the right changes would not come up. The ticketing agent at the airport said that the only person who could make these kinds of changes was the booking agent where I redeemed my flying miles. Though my feelings wanted to plummet, and so did his, I told him that this was simply “the next step.”  I hung up and made the call, only to find out that they had closed. We had missed them by only ten minutes.

Omtrent ‘n uur later, het ek ‘n oproep van my seun af gekry hy was oppad huis toe, en hy het vir my gesĂȘ dat die lugredery probeer en probeer het, maar die velde op die rekenaar skerm wat oopgemaak moes word om die regte veranderinge te maak nie wou opkom nie. Die kaartjie agent by die lughawe het gesĂȘ dat die enigste persoon wat hierdie soort veranderinge kon aanbring die besprekings agent was waar ek my vliegmyle gedelg het. Alhoewel my gevoelens wou tuimel, en so het syne, het ek hom vertel dat dit eenvoudig “die volgende stap” was. Ek het afgeskakel en die oproep gemaak, net om te vind dat hulle toegemaak het. Ons het hulle met net omtrent tien minute gemis.

Still, I told my son that it was all part of His plan, that God needed to show me something, and that’s when He led me to the fine print on a document, online, that said in bold letters, that the tickets were non-transferable, no changes, etc. etc. But then
 it went on to say, deep within the paragraph in tiny, tiny small print, that if the airline did approve a change, we were to contact them first! There it was, "it was written," now all I had to do was wait until morning to contact them first!!

Tog, ek het vir my seun gesĂȘ dat dit alles deel van Sy plan was, dat God nodig gehad het om my iets te wys, en dit was toe hy my na die fyndruk op ‘n, aanlyn, dokument gelei het, wat in drukletters gesĂȘ het dat die kaartjies nie oordraagbaar was nie, geen veranderinge nie, ens. ens. Maar toe...het dit aangegaan om te sĂȘ, diep binne die paragraaf in klein, klein druk, dat as die lugredery ‘n verandering goedgekeur het, ons hulle eerste moet kontak! Daar was dit, “dit was geskryf,” nou al wat ek nodig gehad het om te doen was om tot die oggend te wag om hulle eerste te kontak!!  

Again, this delay only proved that the Lord needed to show me something else, or maybe just that I needed to speak to someone who would be working the following morning, or like discussed in the last chapter, the wait served to renew my spiritual strength that I'd need for the last baby step. For whatever reason, it was all part of His plan! That night I fell asleep quickly, but I woke abruptly at 4 A.M. Not only were those four hours (while I waited for the office to open) not wasted, but they also proved to build my excitement and expectation, as the Lord led me to finish rewriting earlier chapters of this book. As I read and rewrote, it proved to build my faith in His ability and desire to move this mountain as I spoke!

Weer, het hierdie vertraging net bewys dat die Here nodig gehad het om my iets anders te wys, of miskien net dat ek nodig gehad het om met iemand te praat wie die volgende oggend sou werk, of soos in die laaste hoofstuk bespreek, die wag het gedien om my spirituele krag wat ek nodig gehad het vir die laaste baba tree te hernu. Vir watter rede ookal, dit was alles deel van Sy plan! Daardie aand het ek gou aan die slaap geraak, maar ek het skielik omtrent 4 V.M wakker geword. Nie net was daadie vier ure (terwyl ek gewag het vir die kantoor om oop te maak) gemors nie, maar dit het ook bewys op my opgewondenheid en verwagting op te bou, soos wat die Here my gelei het om vroeëre hoofstukke van hierdie boek klaar te herskryf. Soos wat ek gelees en herskryf het, het dit bewys om my geloof in Sy vermoë en begeerte om hierdie berg te versit soos wat ek gepraat het te bou!

Watching the last three minutes click by, I was trembling with excitement. (Mind you, the excitement wanted to appear as fear, which we will discuss in more detail in chapter 9). When I finally placed the call, the Lord reminded me of the way of no resistance and cheerfulness that had worked so miraculously the day before with the telephone company when they had opposed me.

Terwyl ek gekyk het hoe die laaste drie minute verby klik, het ek gebewe van opgewondenheid. ( Verskoon my, die opgewondenheid wou as vrees te voorskyn kom, wat ek in meer besonderhede in hoofstuk 9 sal bepreek). Toe ek finaal die oproep gemaak het, het die Here my herinner van die pad van geen weerstand en vrolikheid wat so wonderbaarlik die dag vantevore gewerk het met die telefoon maatskappy toe hulle my teengestaan het.

Sure enough, the first person I spoke to assured me with determined opposition that what I wanted to do was impossible—then, would you believe, she proceeded to sell me something? This is when our emotions want to jump out of our skin (and out our mouths)—that’s the challenge, isn’t it? It is challenging to continue to stay peaceful, most of all, agreeable, and not let haste or hurry, which leads to panic, take over. And so, I quietly listened to her sales speech, even excitedly, but then was able to kindly tell her I had just purchased what she wanted to sell me, but I thanked her profusely, which led her to say, “Hey, now, wait a minute, let me see if they might be able to help you in this department,” and she transferred me.

Seker genoeg, die eerste persoon met wie ek gepraat het het my met vasberade opposisie verseker dat wat ek gedoen wou hĂȘ onmoontlik was—dan, kan jy glo, het sy voort gegaan om vir my iets te vertel? Dit is wanneer ons emosies uit ons vel wil spring (en ons monde)—dit is die uitdaging, is dit nie?  Dit is uitdagend om voort te gaan om vredevol te bly, meeste van alles, instemmend, en om nie toe te laat dat haas of haastigheid, wat tot paniek lei, oorneem nie. En so, het ek gou na haar verkoops toespraak  geluister, selfs opgewonde, maar was toe vriendelik in staat om vir haar te sĂȘ dat ek so pas dit wat sy aan my wou verkoop het gekoop het, maar ek het haar oor en oor bedank, wat haar gelei het om te sĂȘ, “Hey, wag nou ‘n minuut, laat my sien of hulle jou in hierdie departement kan help,” en sy het my oorgeplaas.

Without going through each of the next seven people I talked to, the final step was when I spoke to a woman in charge of redeeming flying miles, who assured me that the airline did have the power to change the details of the flight, even though they said they didn’t, and she gave me the airline telephone number to try.

Sonder om deur elke een van die volgende sewe mense te gaan met wie ek gepraat het, die finale stap was toe ek met die vrou in beheer van die delging van die vliegmyle gepraat het, wie my verseker het dat die lugredery die mag gehad het om die besonderhede van die vlug te verander, alhoewel hulle gesĂȘ het hulle het nie, en sy het vir my die lugredery se nommer gegee om te probeer. 

Throughout this whole ordeal I was told the same thing: that the points would have to be refunded, then new tickets would have to be booked and re-ticketed from scratch, which by this late date, would surely be an entirely new mission impossible.

Dwarsdeur hierdie hele beproewing was ek dieselfde ding vertel: dat die punte terugbetaal moes word, dan moet nuwe kaartjies bespreek word en van die begin af geher-kaartjie word, wat teen hierdie laat datum, sekerlik ‘n heeltemal nuwe missie onmoontlik sou wees.

Yet, “nothing is impossible with God”—that’s what I read years ago, when I read Erin's testimony. When I read it, I told the Lord that if He did the impossible by restoring my marriage after adultery and divorce, just like He did for Erin, since I, too, had a husband who said he would never come back to me because he didn’t love me and never did—then I would join Erin to tell the world that nothing was impossible for Him. God did restore the impossible, and has since seen fit to keep more impossibilities coming into my life to continue to prove this is principle is TRUE and to join forces with Erin.

Tog, “niks is onmoontlik met God nie”—dit is wat ek jare gelede gelees het, toe ek Erin se getuienis gelees het. Toe ek dit gelees het, het ek vir die Here gesĂȘ dat as Hy die onmoontlike sou doen en my huwelik herstel na owerspel en egskeiding, net soos wat Hy vir Erin gedoen het, aangesien ek, ook, ‘n man gehad het wat gesĂȘ het hy nooit na my toe sou terugkom omdat hy my nie lief het nie en my nooit lief gehad het nie—dan sou ek by Erin aansluit om vir die wĂȘreld te vertel dat niks onmoontlik was vir Hom nie. God het die onmoontlike herstel, en het sedertdien dit goed gevind om aan te hou sodat meer onmoontlikhede in my lewe kan kom om aan te hou om te bewys dat hierdie beginsel WAAR is en om kragte met Erin saam te snoer 

In an instant, I heard the lady on the phone, whose name was Deborah (remember in the Bible that Deborah was a prophetess who was a judge in Israel who led the army for Barak?). Well, it was Deborah who told me to “hold” while she CHANGED THE NAMES! What? We had been told since 9/11 that it was illegal to change names on airline tickets. With rapt anticipation, I sat on “hold” for more than 20 minutes for our miracle to become reality. But, ever so kindly, every few minutes she came on to thank me for my patience, because this is just something that they NEVER did, so they really didn’t know how to do it! It was after the second time she reassured me that tears welled up in my eyes because I was really watching my mountain, the one that had caused me so much pain, fall into the sea! The emotions were more than I could hold back now, and I began to weep in abandoned joy.

In ‘n oogwink, het ek die dame op die telefoon gehoor, wie se naam Deborah was (onthou in die Bybel dat Deborah ‘n profetes was wat ‘n regter in Israel was wie die weermag vir Barak gelei het?). Wel, dit was Deborah wat vir my gesĂȘ het om “aan te hou” terwyl sy DIE NAME VERANDER het! Wat? Ons was sedert 9/11 gesĂȘ dat dit onwettig was om name op ‘n vlieg kaartje te verander. met ontroerende afwagting, het ek vir meer as 20 minute “aangehou” vir ons wonderwerk om realitiet te word. Maar, tog so vriendelik, het sy elke paar minute aangekom en my bedank vir my geduld, want dit is net iets wat hulle NOOIT gedoen het nie, so hulle het regtig nie geweet hoe om dit te doen nie! Dit was na die tweede keer dat sy my veseker het wat trane in my oĂ« opgedam het omdat ek regtig gekyk het hoe my berg, die een wat my so baie pyn veroorsaak het, in die see val! Die emosies was meer as wat ek nou kon terughou, en ek het begin huil met in  oorgegewe vreugde.

Then, right after she came back the third time, when she told me that they were “almost done,” I leaped up out of my chair to praise the Lord and pulled my back out, completely. Ouch. All I could do was laugh—and to sit back down in pain, but my heart was soaring.

Toe, net na sy vir die derde keer terug gekom het, toe sy vir my gesĂȘ het dat hulle “amper klaar,” was het ek uit my stoel opgepring om die Here te loof en my rug uitgeruk, heeltemal. Eina. Al wat ek kon doen was om te lag—en om in pyn weer te gaan sit, maar my hart het gesweef.

When she thanked me and we hung up I was stunned, crying, and shaking, as I tried to contact my son. While screaming I told him, which woke my children up, so as I spoke to my son, my children were right there dancing around—their brother was getting married in Hawaii!! Oh, how romantic—and even more, God had moved a mountain of impossible proportion!  The End, again.

Toe sy my bedank het en ons afgesluit het was ek verstom, huilend, en rukkend, soos wat ek probeer het om my seun te kontak. Terwyl ek gskree het het ek hom vertel, wat my kinders wakker gemaak het, soos wat ek met my seun gepraat het, was my kinders daar besig om rond te dans—hulle broer gaan in Hawaii trou!! O, hoe romanties—en selfs meer, God het ‘n berg van onmoontlike proporsies versit! Die Einde, weer.

*Well, then, there you have it. Now, can I ask you something; be honest: Were you one of the ones who read the testimony through, again, or did you skip down to the bottom of the page? Just asking, because I completely understand those of you who were a bit bored with hearing this testimony a second time.

*Wel, dan, daar het jy dit. Nou, kan ek jou iets vra; wees eerlik: Was jy een van die wat die getuienis weer gelees het of het jy afgegaan na die onderkant van die bladsy? Ek vra net, omdat ek heeltemal verstaan dat van julle ‘n bietjie verveeld was om hierdie getuienis ‘n tweede keer te hoor.

While reading this through, after I refused to continue to resist writing this same, exact testimony in my book, so many things tried to oppose me. The first I was just reminded of when I wrote “exact” testimony. While going over it again (as I usually do when I write), I kept wondering if what I wrote was “exact” and it made me want to go back to the previous chapter to check.

Terwyl ek dit deur gelees het, nadat ek geweier het om voort te gaan om te weerstaan om dieselfde, presiese getuienis in my boek te skryf, het so baie dinge probeer om my teen te staan. Die eerste toe ek herinner was toe ek die “presiese” getuienis geskryf het. Terwyl ek weer daaroor gegaan het (soos ek gewoonlik doen wanneer ek skryf), het ek die heeltyd gewonder of wat ek geskryf het “presies” was en dit het my gemaak om te wil teruggaan na die vorige hoofstuk toe om dit na te sien. 

You understand; what if I wrote something a bit differently? I would lose credibility with my readers, wouldn’t I? Once again, this stronghold of pride is quite determined to hold on, isn’t it? However, as I continued to do what the Lord was leading me to do, and doing my best not to resist His leading (all while doing my best to oppose my own pride), I was reminded of a couple of reasons why He might have led me to do this small, but very revealing task.

Jy verstaan; wat as ek iets verskillend geskryf het? ek sou my geloofwaardigheid meet my lesers verloor, sou ek nie? Weereens, hierdie vesting van trots is nogal vasberade om aan te hou, is dit nie? Nietemin, soos wat ek aangehou het om te doen waarna die Here my gelei het om te doen, en my beste te doen om nie Sy leiding te weerstaan nie (alles terwyl ek besig was om my beste te doen om my eie trots teen te staan), was ek herinner aan ‘n paar redes waarom Hy my gelei het om hierdie klein, maar baie onthullende taak te doen.

Two of the most life-changing testimonies I had to hear at least twice for it to take hold of me. And both times, would you believe it, I thought to myself, “Why is he telling this same story?” and my opinion of these two men dropped, just a bit.

Twee van die mees lewens-veranderde getuienisse wat ek ten minste twee keer moes hoor vir dit om my vas te gryp. En albei kere, sou jy glo, het ek by myself gedink, “Waarom vertel hy dieselfde storie?” en my opinie van hierdie twee mans het geval, net ‘n bietjie.

Years before, when a visiting evangelist began to tell the same story, I wondered just how he could go around to different churches and tell the same story over and over again: Didn’t he take notes so he didn’t repeat himself, or was it because his life was so shallow that this was all he had to offer? What a stinker I am! Funny thing is, there are more than a few of you who thought the same thing about me—now be honest! Yet, I know that had I not heard the same exact story of the little girl who was dying, who said simply, “Don’t worry about me, I have all I want and all I need, I have Jesus” I would never have experienced the abundant life I am now living. And speaking of living
  

Jare vantevore, toe ek ‘n evangelis besoek het wie dieselfde storie begin vertel het, het ek gewonder net hoe hy na verskillende kerke kon gaan en dieselfde storie oor en oor vertel: Het hy nie notas geneem sodat hy homself nie sou herhaal nie, of was dit omdat sy lewe so vlak was dat dit al was wat hy gehad het om te offer? Wat ‘n stinker was ek! Snaakse ding is, daar is meer as ‘n paar van julle wat dieselfde ding van my gedink het—nou wees eerlik! Tog, ek weet dat ek nie die presiese selfde storie van die klein dogtertjie wat besig was om dood te gaan gehoor het nie, wie eenvoudig gesĂȘ het, “Moet jou nie oor my bekommer nie, ek het alles wat ek wil hĂȘ en alles wat ek nodig het, ek het Jesus” sou ek nooit die oorvloedige lewe ervaar het wat ek nou leef. En praat van leef... 

Had I not heard the story my pastor told about the man who cried out to God “out loud” when he was held at gunpoint, not caring who heard his cry, I would not have done the very same thing when my husband (at the time) and I were the first to see two boys in a ditch after, what should have been, a fatal car accident. With that story fresh in my mind (since he told it over and over again—at least three times), I, too, cried out to God, very loudly in front of the crowd that stood around me. I cried out in a loud voice in order to save that boy who laid there, and did it again moments later when I could see he was about to die (as blood filled his lungs and he was fighting to breath). Both times God moved, the second instantly brought a man who did a tracheotomy right there in the ditch with my son’s knife and a dusting cloth that I had just used to wipe down our car's dashboard!

Het ek nie die storie gehoor wat my pastoor vertel het oor die man wat “hardop”uitgeroep het na God toe toe hy onder bedreiging met ‘n vuurwapen was, en nie omgegee het wie sy uitroep gehoor het nie, sou ek nie dieselfde ding gedoen het toe ek en my man (desyds) die eerstes was om twee seuns in ‘n sloot te sien na, wat ‘n noodlottige motor ongeluk sou gewees het. Met daardie storie vars in my geheue (aangesien hy dit oor en oor en oor—ten minste drie keer vertel het),het, ek,  ook, uitgeroep na God toe, baie hard voor die skare wat om my getsaan het . Ek het in ‘n harde stem uitgeroep om die seun wat daar gelĂȘ het te red, en ek het dit oomblikke later weer gedoen toe ek kon sien hy was op die punt om dood te gaan (soos wat bloed in sy longe opgevul het en hy besig was om te baklei om asem te haal). Albei kere he God beweeg, die tweede het onmiddellik ‘n man gebring wat ‘n tracheotomie net daar in die sloot gedoen het met my seun se mes en ‘n stoflap wat ek pas gebruik het om ons motor se paneelbord af te vee!      

That boy’s life might have been spared due in part to my pastor who chose to share the same story over and over again, which was too many times, in my opinion. Now my opinion has changed. Could it be that both these men shared the same story, the same testimony for my benefit, and not because they stupidly forgot it was a repeat, or because they had nothing better to share? Could it just be that they resisted their pride in order to change my life and to save a young man’s life?

Die seun se lewe mag gespaar gewees het deelpartydig deur my pastoor wat dieselfde storie oor en oor gedeel het, wat, in my opinie, te veel kere was. Nou het my opinie verander. Kan dit wees dat albei hierdie mans dieselfde storie gedeel het, dieselfde getuienis vir my voordeel, en nie omdat hulle eenvoudig onnosel was om te vergeet dat dit ‘n herhaling was nie, of omdat hulle niks beter gehad het om te deel nie? Kan dit net wees dat hulle hulle trots weerstaan het sodat my lewe kon verander en ‘n jong man se lewe gered kon word?

 “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24).

“Moenie op die oog af oordeel nie, oordeel regverdig” (Johannes 7:24).

 “I can do nothing on My own initiative As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 5:30).

“Uit my eie kan Ek niks doen nie: Ek oordeel soos Ek dit van die Vader hoor, en my oordeel is regverdig, omdat dit nie my wil is wat Ek nastrewe nie, maar die wil van Hom wat My gestuur het” (Johannes 5:30)

 “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother's way” (Romans 14:13).

“Laat ons mekaar dan nie meer veroordeel nie. Neem julle liewer voor om niks te doen wat jou broer kan aanstoot gee of tot 'n val kan bring nie” (Romeine 14:13).

 “But if we judged ourselves rightly, we would not be judged” (1 Corinthians 11:31).

“As ons onsself vooraf reg ondersoek het, sou ons nie onder die oordeel gekom het nie” (1 KorintiĂ«rs 11:31).

 *Years later I heard the young man lived and his family had tried to find and thank me for openly crying out the Lord. They were Christians and God has used this young man, who lived but was instantly paralyzed, in many ways as he became a motivational speaker.

*Jare later het ek gehoor dat die jong man en sy familie probeer het om my te vind en te bedank dat ek openlik na die Here toe uitgeroep het. Hulle was Christene en God het hierdie jong man gebruik het, wie geleef het maar was onmiddellik verlam was, op baie maniere omdat hy ‘n motiverende spreker geword het.

Joernaal

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