Sunday, January 4, 2009 at 12:36am
Well, who would have thought that things could change so dramatically, so quickly! It has been 4 weeks since I arrived home from Africa.. and what a whirlwind trip it was! For those of you who read my blogs along the way, you have an idea of the journey God took me on! For 3 months he asked me to ‘Seek Him TODAY and trust Him for TOMORROW’! There were many times along the way where I wondered to myself ‘what am I doing here?’… but still God spoke reminding me to ‘Seek Him TODAY…’. I look back now and realize that in essence I was giving God 3 months of unplanned time for Him to do with me what He wanted! I had spent a year in America studying the Bible and was looking to the next step… I had felt as though God had placed within me this overwhelming passion to ‘change the world’, whatever that looked like. I just knew that God had given me a voice.. and that voice was to share the love and life of Christ to a world dying without hope. There would be no greater privilege that God could bestow upon me than to use me to be His mouthpiece of truth and His Hands of love.. If God would allow me to spend the rest of my days telling people about Jesus, then I could ask for no greater thing! But how that would look, I had no idea. And so, off I went to Africa.. Yes, it was unknown, but deep down I was desperate for God to move, to act, to take me, to open doors… whatever.. but just don’t leave me without direction or purpose! (Maybe I can be impatient.. but I take joy in the fact that God knows my heart and loves me).
And so, my time in Africa taught me what it means to wait in faith AND walk by faith at the same time! As God opened a door, I went through it, yet never quite sure what it meant or where it would lead. For 2.5 months it was day by day, and I will admit, there were times when I wondered what God was doing but still I heard ‘Bec, Seek me today and trust me for tomorrow’
…But today, I have great excitement in sharing the end of one story and the beginning of another! At the end of my 3 month trek, exactly one week before I was due to fly back to Australia, my world turned upside down! You know that I had spent quite a few weeks in Uganda with Watoto, then to Tanzania for 2 weeks before flying down to Cape Town South Africa for the last week and a half before flying home. You would also know that my decision to go to South Africa felt at the time somewhat ‘random’… I had met Pastor Anthony Liebenberg at the Watoto conference in Uganda (the pastor of Life Church, Cape Town) and after chatting for 1/2hr or so he casually invited me to come down and visit his church. Well initially I thought that was very nice of him, but I honestly did not think it would actually happen. Why? Because 1) I had limited funds, 2) I did not know him and 3) Sth Africa had never been on my agenda for this trip. But as time went on, I felt more and more ‘Maybe I should just go?’. Although I had been to SA, I had never been to Cape Town and so maybe I should just go and check it out, if nothing else, than to have a holiday and meet some great people. I went back and read my last blogs, excerpts of which are listed below..
27th OCT: This is somewhat random, but it feels right at this stage. At conference Dad and I met a guy called Anthony who is a pastor in Cape Town, looking to model Watoto in Cape Town! We talked for some time.. after which he invited me to come down. Initially I thought I 'can't do that'.. but the thought has not left me since. I've been praying about it and a this stage I feel led to go. Have I booked flights yet? No.. bc I want to be sure it's His will not mine, but I'm at least moving and walking in that direction. I don't even know him very well but I have come to love the unknown and watching God unfold his plan..
17th NOV: I’ll be spending 10 days down there meeting up with the Pastor I met at the Watoto conference. I am excited at what God is up to and I’m excited at what will unfold in SA. What I’ll be doing I’m not sure but trusting God to open and shut doors. Like ALWAYS, things can change and so be it.. But at this stage, im flying back to Uganda on Thurs 27th.
Like I wrote in the last blog (wed 19th Nov) it was great re-connecting with Anthony, meeting his family, his staff, and getting involved where I could. I figured I might as well make the most of it and if I have an opportunity, just take it. So I took staff devotions and without necessarily meaning to, I revealed much of what I am passionate about in the need for evangelism and laying down our lives for the sake of the gospel. I spoke on the cost of discipleship and being willing to count the cost.. Is there any sacrifice that Christ could ask of us that would be too great when we consider all that He has done for us! Jesus left heaven behind to save us! And so.. I was pretty vulnerable and honest.. and didn’t really hold back. I didn’t know the people very well at all, so what did I have to lose!?! Well the days went on and had a great time seeing Cape Town, meeting people, going to Life group, speaking at the local Police Station etc.. fun times! But on Sunday afternoon about 4:15pm Anthony landed the bombshell question ‘Bec, we’d like you to come and be our youth pastor’!.. Whoa.. I didn’t see that coming! I was a little ‘floored’ to say the least! Youth Pastor? In South Africa? Definitely caught me by surprise! I spoke with Anthony and his wife Desiree for a while and although at the time I felt no pull either way, I promised them ‘If God tells me yes, I’ll be here!’. And although I was completely serious about being obedient to God, it’s a lot easier to say when in my mind there was a very high probability that God’s answer would be no.
However it was at this point that all the seemingly ‘random’ dots were quickly coming together!! Ahhh so that was why I came down to South Africa!?!? But what spun me out was the fact that Anthony invited me down so quickly after meeting each other. But that’s when I am reminded that God’s ways are higher than our ways and if He wants something accomplished, He will make it happen! Often we have a pre-conceived idea of how things should unfold.. but God is not restricted by time, distance, how well we know a person or not or any other reason we may put forward! And so, after taking some time to process the concept, I spent the last 3 days thinking/praying/hanging out with staff and seeking God’s direction. Even though I was surprised I came to realise over those few days that in fact, God had been preparing me for this for so long! Yes, the youth pastor title is not what I had expected, but everything that this would involve is what I am passionate about!
And so, I have accepted the call to go! I am leaving Australia on Thursday 29th January (in 3.5 weeks) as I officially begin Sunday Feb 1st. Some have asked me ‘So how long is your call? 1 year, 5 years?’, but my response has been ‘..for life’. Yes God could move me after a short time but in my heart, I know that I must be prepared to go and not look back. He calls each of us to lay down our lives, whatever the cost.. And as I reflected on what I had shared in staff mtg (before I knew about the position) I now must put legs to that which I speak and live out what I believe in my spirit - that Jesus is worth it and there is no sacrifice too great that he could ask of me! If he calls me to leave my family, my home, then I will do it because I love Him.
The church is called Life Church in the suburb of Sea Point (in Cape Town) .. http://www.life-church.co.za/ I was only there for one Sunday service but what I saw I loved. They are passionate, alive and willing to do all for the sake of Christ! They are very mission-focused, with a church plant down the road, one in Mozambique and one in Malawi which will be great to see and be involved in. The Soccer World Cup is also coming in 2010, with the stadium being built as we speak. The youth seem fabulous and I’m looking forward to meeting them and watching as God unfolds his amazing plan for the year(s) ahead! I love youth and consider it such a privilege to speak life and truth into them by the words I speak and the life I lead. The other exciting development is that Life Church is launching Watoto – Cape Town! This will be the first official launch of Watoto outside of Uganda, which as most of you well know is quite close to my heart! But as I look back over these past 4 years God has orchestrated so many things to get me to this point. The only reason that I went to Africa this time was that I had earned a free sky-miles flight due to the previous 4 trips to Africa! Therefore even my passion for Watoto was the major factor causing me to be at the right place at the right time for God to move! And so I met Anthony! (And in fact.. it was my Dad who had met me at the conference for those few days who actually introduced me to Anthony! Therefore God even orchestrated Dad’s agenda that he would be at the conference to be the one who connected us both!) I won’t but I could go on and on with more testimonies of God’s fingerprints over this whole journey.
Within one week of Anthony asking me, I knew that I had to say yes. I have come to the liberating position where all I need from God is His YES or NO. I could spend much time weighing up the pro’s and con’s but at the end of the day, if it is a yes, He will take care of the details! And so, God said Yes!
At this stage, it still feels quite surreal because it is a seemingly permanent move! It is a major move to leave my family, my church, my friends and my home, and yet I take great comfort in knowing that God is more than sufficient and He has already gone before me and prepared the way. All he requires of me is to step out in obedient faith and trust him for the journey ahead!
Thank you for your friendship and your prayers.. I look forward to staying in touch online!
If you’re not busy on Australia Day (Monday 26th Jan) I am having a going away party at my place – 18 Aurora Place, Kippa Ring, QLD from 6pm. You can drop in and out as you like through the night but it’d be great to catch some of you before I leave. For those internationals, of course you’re welcome, but I think we’ll just chat on skype/FB at some point! Lol..
Blessings to you wherever this finds you! ..Bec
2 Corinthians 12:9 ‘And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me’.
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