Refuse to be denied

I absolutely adore this song and found it by accident.

One of the main radio stations here in SA is 5FM. Now it`s aimed at the younger market, so I obviously don`t listen to it very often. Not too keen on the dj`s or most of the music. Having said that I own many of the cd`s by the artists featured on that station. I know, I`m strange. It`s ok, I`ve made peace.

I have always liked one of the dj`s though. Her name is Koula. I suppose I started liking her when I read how she had taken up running and she even did the Comrades Ultra Marathon which is the best known race in South Africa. It is a murderous 90km and takes place between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. Thousands of runners from all over the world take part every year and it is massive. Probably the best known Ultra-Marathon in the world.

So she has always been the one 5FM dj that I have "followed" and enjoyed. We do tend to follow those people that we have something in common with.

One Saturday night, while Hayley was away, I was flicking tv channels and came upon a late night South African talk show. Koula was the guest, so I decided to check it out. She was chatting about her running and her job and it was the usual stuff. Then she started talking about her new tv show which was gonna air the next morning, called Psalted. It is a Music Show, featuring the best in Christian music. The host of the show was kinda shocked and said "Christian music?". Koula then went on and explained that she was a devoted Christian. She even joked and called herself a "happy clappy". Respect. I for one love it when people stand up for their beliefs at the risk of being mocked. Especially on live tv. Mind you, I don`t think this specific talk show has more than 50 viewers.

I digress.

So the next morning I made a point of watching the show. This song, Refuse to be denied by the Desperation Band was on. I had never heard of the group but immediately loved it. I`m sure you guys will too.

Let me know what you think.

Meet Logan

Thanks to Sally J, Wife of Space J for this awesome video... :)

God, me and the number 34

As you guys know, this year has been a pretty tough one for the family. A lot of things have happened, some of which I can share and some of which I can`t. The one thing I can share with you guys and that I have done previously is that my company was liquidated in February. In fact, somebody told me that we were probably one of the first companies in South Africa to be affected by the Sub-Prime crisis in the States. Like I always say, if the USA sneezes the rest of the world catches a cold. In this case, our company got pneumonia and died.

Now, being out of a job is no fun place to be. I have always been pretty succesful in my career and things have come pretty easily. Blessed probably describes how lucky I have been. Promotions came pretty quickly and the money was good too.

Just to show you how lucky I was, consider this. The day after the company folded, I got a call from one of our main competitors and they offered me a job there and then. They promised me a whole lot of things and of course I took the job. Unfortunately it was a question of over-promise and under-deliver on their side. I stayed loyal to them for as long as I could but eventually I realised that it is not something that would be sustainable. The business plan was never gonna succeed. I ended up leaving.

So for the last few months I have been looking for work. That is not the best place to be in you`re a white South African male. You see, we have a thing here called BEE or Black Economic Empowerment. Companies have to employ black people to eradicate the inequalities of the past. What it comes down to is that white men are last on the pecking order when it comes to jobs. So, even though you might have the best credentials for a job, the fact that quotas have to be attained might mean that you lose out to a less qualified person. This is our society and I understand this completely.

This coupled with the bleak economic outlook worldwide has made the last few months a very tough time to be a jobseeker.

That brings me to my faith. I would be a liar if I said that my faith never waivered. I have had many a day, sometimes weeks at a time, where my faith ebbed away. Every prayer went unanswered, or so it seemed. Every time an opportunity came up, something happened and it was taken away. One example. I got a call from a previous company and they were getting ready to offer me a job, an awesome job at that. Something I would be really good at and that would have meant good things financially. Then, the day where they were to call me with the good news, the company`s Exco sat and made a decision that an immediate freeze was to be placed on all external appointments. I was devastated. I had prayed so hard and so long and basically begged for this job. God decided no. I could not understand it. So close but yet again an opportunity was taken away.

So on one of these days, where I was crying out for something, anything, I drove to Gordonsbay (which is about 10 minutes from here). I was on the way back when I noticed on my cars computer that the kilometers done on the tank of petrol was 341 and the distance I could still travel was 341. I thought that was quite a coincidence. I mean the distance left on the tank changes so much and so quickly, depending on the speed etc etc. Literally a minute later I drove past a little sign and I still don`t know what the purpose of this sign is but it just had 34 on it. A white 34 on a blue background. Was God talking to me?

Now I am a numbers guy. I am and have always been very good with numbers. So for me, I saw this as a bit of a sign. You do tend to hold onto the small things when you have nothing to hold onto anymore. So with Hillsong playing in the background, I had a feeling that God was using something I understand, numbers, to show me the way.

I raced home and immediately checked the Bible for clues. I checked for the 341st chapter of the Bible, page 341, every chapter 34:1 and so it went on. Nothing. Then I reckoned that I would get a call with good news at 3:40 or 3:41. Yet again a dead end. But the number 34 stuck in my head.

That was 2 months ago. A few opportunities have come and gone in that time. I have had good days and a lot of bad days. All the while I kept looking for 34 and the sign that I was so sure was around the corner.

That brings me to Monday, 24 November. I woke up and decided to read my Bible. I opened it up at Acts 13 and started reading. Then something caught my eye and I saw at the top of the next page, where it shows the last verse on the page, it said Acts 13:34. It said the following:

The fact that God raised him from the dead, never to decay, is stated in these words: "I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David"

Immediately I knew that God was talking to me. I was expecting a call that day with feedback on a possible interview. Suddenly I knew that the interview was going to be confirmed. This happened later that day. The person who gave me the lead for this job is another Christian who has walked the same path as me during this year. He was also affected by the liquidation, maybe more than anybody else. I phoned him to tell him that I got the interview and when I put the phone down I noticed that the call was made at 3:40 pm.

So on Tuesday morning I read my Bible and opened up at Matthew 21. I looked up at the top of the next page and what dit it say? Matthew 21:34. It read:

When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.

I have been using my Mom`s Bible since she passed away and it is full of her notes and markings. It`s one of my favourite and most special things on this earth. She marked Matthew 21:22 and it read:

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer

On Wednesday morning, I opened up the Bible to Matthew 6. Guess what was at the top of the next page? Matthew 6:34. It read:

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Wednesday night, Hayley and I were in bed and I opened up my Bible at Acts 10. At the top of the next page it said Acts 10:32. I was a bit disappointed as I was expecting another miracle cos I had been spoiled! I read the chapter and when I turned the page my heart nearly stopped. So guess which verse was marked, by my Mom in pencil? Acts 10:34 and it read:

34 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realise how true it is that God does not show favouritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.

So yesterday I flew to Johannesburg for the interview. Before I left I took a card out of my Bread of Life box, which has promises from the Bible in. Well, the one I picked was Matthew 21:22, the same verse my Mom had highlighted and which I read on Tuesday night.

If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer

As a final incident, while I was waiting for my rental car the tv caught my eye. It was some netball match (in which I have no interest whatsoever) but the one shot I saw the player wore the number 34.

Now I don`t know exactly what all this means. I am obviously on a journey with God and I really don`t know what He has planned for me. What I do know is that He is with me always and I do not need to worry or feel alone anymore. He has truly rejuvenated my faith.

I do not know if the interview I went to was THE one. I do however know that I don`t have to worry anymore. I can trust God cos He has made it clear to me that He is interested in my lfe and that He cares for me deeply.

What is your 34?

Ps. A Google search for 34 revealed Psalm 34, Praise for Deliverance from Trouble.

How much does our God rock?

Vandalised or a lesson learned?

Halloween was really cool. All the kids from our Estate came Trick or Treating in their outfits and it was just adorable. We had cops, axe victims (with axe stuck in head), fairies, Buzz Lightyear and lots more. So, so cute.

However, somebody decided to take Halloween a bit too far. Our cars stay outside cos we have so much furniture and junk that we use the garages to store all the stuff. It`s ok though cos we live in a very safe estate that has 24 hour security and patrols.

On Saturday morning Hayley and I get ready to leave and as we head out the door, it immediately becomes clear that something is not right. There is sand all over my car. It`s a reasonably new estate with a lot of building going on, so there is building sand all over the place. This was however not just sand blown around by the wind. Well, on closer inspection it becomes clear that somebody had taken the time and effort to throw a whole lot of building sand through my sunroof and what didn`t go through the sunroof ended up on the outside. My whole car was full of sand on the inside. The fine building sand that you struggle to get out.

I have rarely been so angry. It`s a blessing that I did not catch the coward cos I would have left my Christian Beliefs behind and something really nasty would have ensued.

What I want to know is the following:

- Firstly, WHO would do such a thing? Could it be kids? There were footprints in the sand and it certainly belonged to an adult or at least a teenager.

- Secondly, WHY? Why go through the trouble of doing something like that? We pretty much keep to ourselves and have not had any trouble since we`ve been in the estate. We greet everybody and nobody has a reason to attack us in this way.

After being really upset for a while, I decided that the person was not going to ruin my day and Hayley and I had a pretty cool time. We drove around in her car during the morning and then we took my car to the car wash in the afternoon. It obviously cost quite a bit to get the car cleaned properly but it had to be done.

It`s incredible how personal we (I) take things like this. I mean the offender obviously does not know us, so it is anything but personal. It is not somebody who I would associate with in any case. Maybe it`s just a kid who took advantage of being out on Halloween. Maybe it was an adult who had one too many drinks? Maybe they just didn`t like my car.

What I do wonder about though is whether the person actually woke up the next day and felt bad about it? Are they being eaten up from the inside because they did something bad to another human being? Or did they get up, have a great laugh and thought of the next prank they could pull?

I don`t have the answers but what I do know is that in the greater scheme of things this was nothing really. I mean we were inconvenienced for a bit, that`s about it. No damage was done. It also just once again amplifies how the devil works. In the sermon yesterday, Jon spoke about the weakest link and how the devil uses the weakest link to get to us. My temper is definitely a weak link for me. I`m pretty mild mannered but some things really get me going. So something so small, in hindsight, got me so upset that I almost wasted a day by being upset. Thank goodness I came to my senses after a few minutes.

Thank you Lord for using something small and a sermon the next day to highlight one of my weak links. With your help, I can now concentrate on managing this weak link.

Ps. I will also NEVER leave my sunroof open again.

Josh Hamilton

I switched over to ESPN last night to catch the highlights of the World Series game. Unfortunately, as you know, it was rained out but they did show some baseball and it was the Homerun Derby at the All Star Game at Yankee Stadium earlier this year. I had missed it the first time round, so I sat down to check it out.

I must be honest, as a baseball fan being 14, 000 km`s away from the USA, it is quite difficult to catch games and to stay in touch with what`s happening. I am a massive Redsox fan and have been for a long time now. I bought a few Redsox books on our visit to the States and also got an authentic Sox cap, which I rocked in NYC, as my friend Lisa once said. I met Lisa on the blogs a few months ago. It turned out that she is the biggest Sox fan in the world and she willingly gave me info and sites to visit and just kept me updated. The live games only start here at 01:00 in the morning, so watching it live is not possible, for me in any case.

During the play-offs, I would receive an email every morning after the games, firstly against the Angels and then against the Rays. The subject would say something like "we won 4-2" and then she would give me a quick rundown of the game. I in turn would then catch the replay of the game later during the day here on ESPN. Some mornings I would wake up at 05:00 and switch the tv on to see the last inning of the games. It was great and from being 3-1 down, the Sox levelled the series at 3-3 and I along with all Sox fans across the world believed.

Obviously the last email just said "it`s over" and I must say, I was devastated. I know Lisa was even more devastated cos she lived those games and experienced it first hand. I at least got the bad news and didn`t have to sit with the hope in me only to see the Sox lose.

So that brings me to last night and the Homerun Derby. I saw the guys come up and get 5 or 6 HR`s or in Justin Morneau`s case 8. Then a guy named Josh Hamilton came up to the plate and proceded to hit 28 HR`s in the first round! That bettered the previous single round record of 24. The distance of some of his hits were astounding. 3 of the HR`s were in the TOP 10 of ALL TIME in the Homerun Derby. Unbelievable.

I was quite impressed by this guy. Then he was interviewed after his heroics and he said something along the lines of "God is a God of second chances". The commentators then mentioned his struggle with heroin and alcoholism and the fact that he had beaten his addictions.

Of course I was really into this story by now, so I googled Josh Hamilton and what incredible reading it turned out to be.

Josh Hamilton was a prodigiously talented youngster who was the 1st pick in the draft. He received the biggest sign-on bonus ever, $ 4 million, from the Rays. But then, he squandered ALL of it on drugs and alcohol. A sad, sad story. He was banned from MLB. He was 6`4 and had weighed 230 pounds before his addiction. At the worst point he had dropped to 180 pounds and was a shadow of the man he used to be.

Then things changed. One morning his grandmother sat him down and spoke to him earnestly. He made the decision to give his heart to the Lord and changed his ways. He got back into baseball and was signed by the Reds. He undergoes drug testing, every 2nd day. He has a full time manager / friend that travels with him and makes sure he stays out of situations that might get him in trouble. This was requested by Josh himself. When he feels the need for drugs or alcohol, he calls his manager and they do Bible study. He has been clean for more than 2 years and his life has turned around completely. He was voted the Rangers Player of the Year earlier this week. The turnaround was complete.

I was really taken by this story. This I think is the perfect modern day retelling of the Prodigal Son. A young man with everything going for him stumbles. He gets lost in the world and all the bad things it has to offer. However, he does see the light and comes back to His Heavenly Father who welcomes him with open arms. From my perspective his life comes full circle at the All Star game where his prodigious God given talent comes to the fore in an amazing way. His comeback is complete.

God is indeed a God of second chances.

This is a video of the story of Josh Hamilton. Well worth watching and so inspirational.

Hillsong Cape Town rocks

Today was probably the most awesome church service I have experienced in ages. Hillsong Cape Town rocked and approximately 2000 people rocked with it!

Some background. Hillsong CT does not have it`s own building yet, so they operate out of the Cape Town Convention Centre and have done so since inception in June 2008. All services have been in Auditorium 2, which is the smaller of the venues at the Convention Centre. There are 4 services every Sunday, 09:00, 11:00, 16:30 and 18:30. This is due to the size of the venue and more importantly the size of the congregation! It truly is a blessed place.

Well today we had our first service in auditorium 1, the main one and biggest of the lot. The reason was that we had Israel Houghton and the New Breed visit our church along with Pastor Robert Ferguson from Hillsong Australia. What a day it turned out to be. I have not experienced praise and worship like that EVER. It was amazing, truly amazing.

Israel and the New Breed joined the Hillsong Cape Town Worship Team as well as a Worship Choir from our church! It was absolutely awesome. The worship lifted the roof and to hear and see God`s name praised like that was something to experience. It was truly a magical morning. During the worship, they called all the young people to stand in front of the stage. Then the worship continued and to see all the young people rocking for God was a really awesome thing and underlined just how God is moving in our country.

This is one of the songs we sang this morning and title song from the latest Hillsong album called "This is our God'. I adore this song and have to admit I shed a tear or two while singing it. I feel very blessed today and needed a lift after a very tough week with many psychological struggles.

So, enjoy this song. It always makes me feel very close to my God.

God totally rocks

I`ve been fortunate enough to have become friends with one of the most gifted writers to grace the blogging community. Her blogger name is Nessie and she is truly blessed with a remarkable gift for turning mere words into something tangible and beautiful and thought provoking.

Please visit her blog and start by reading this post, which is probably my favourite post of all time. You will not leave untouched.

God bless!

My gorgeous wife, me and an awesome day

Today was a pretty cool day. We attended Hillsong Church Cape Town and Pastor Phil Dooley was once again awesome! He is one of the most gifted speakers I have ever come across and he always gets the most amazing messages across!

Some GREAT news is that Hayley and I are going to a Hillsong United Worship evening in November! They have scheduled 2 worship nights here in Cape Town. We are so excited. I`ll hopefully get to see Brooke Fraser sing Hosanna, how cool is that? The night promises to be a huge blessing and I cannot wait.

I digress, back to a great Sunday! After church we headed out Simonstown way to see if we could spot ourselves some whales. We did, not the best sightings but at least we saw a few of these amazing creatures. One specific one was jumping and playing. Great to see. I heart whales.

We got home and this was the sight that greeted us. Phoebe had made herself very comfortable in the afternoon sun. These dogs of ours are such characters.

We then settled in to watch some very serious sport. Manchester United drew 1-1 with Chelsea, after leading for most of the game. It was a great match and a perfect example of why I love it so much. Then, onto the Ryder Cup. I watched basically every minute of golf over the weekend and found it an incredible event. Hats off to the USA for winning the cup for the first time since 1999. Some of the golf was breathtaking. I predicted however that Nick Faldo would cost the Europeans the trophy and that proved right. How clever am I?

Lastly, you know how much I love sunsets, this was the gorgeous one that graced the Cape tonight.

Annus Horibilis?

I have been walking around with this post in me for a while now. Most of the posts during the last month or so have been on the light hearted and fun side. Hairstyles, rugby, tennis, music, movies, family, friends, bulldogs and the like have taken preference over deeper issues. Well mostly in any case.
A lot of special people have come my way through this whole blogging thing. I have made friends in faraway places like Texas, Virginia, Georgia, Michigan, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, London, Johannesburg, Durban and Australia. I have learned so much from so many of them. In fact, not a day goes by where I do not learn something from one of them.

This year has had some very good things and some very bad things. We have started to feel like Capetonians for the first time. This has been our first full year in the Cape and we have enjoyed it so much. We really feel at home here. Even the weather is cool by us!

On the not so good side we have had the news of an illness in the family. With God`s help this is going very well and I can see a very happy ending to it.
On a more personal level, it has been a very tough year. The company I joined last year and which made the move to the Cape possible went into liquidation in February. That was a punch to the gut. From being very successful in my career, to being without a job in the matter of a few minutes, that was a tough thing to come to grips with. If I`m honest with myself, I`m still coming to grips with it.

I have always believed that a man is defined by his job. I believed that it defined your standing in the community, who you marry, where you live, basically everything. Now I had to face the reality that I was jobless. The things I had always held dear were to be taken away from me. I loved nothing more than surprising Hayley with a weekend away, a surprise night away for an anniversary, flowers delivered to her office or a nice watch or handbag. Just little things that would show her how much I love her. Seeing the happiness in her face made me want to do these things over and over again. I enjoyed buying myself nice things too, especially clothes, lots and lots of clothes.

I was offered another job a few days later. This was more commission based and was not a job I was very comfortable in. However, beggars can`t be choosers so I took the job and decided that I was gonna do my best to make a success of it. Unfortunately the whole SA economy took a knock, with interest rates shooting up, inflation rising to dangerous levels and spending on asset based finance taking a backseat to basic survival. This has been my reality for the last few months. Our reserves were being depleted, savings almost gone. Survival had now become our reality. No more nice gifts for my awesome wife, no more nice things for myself.

So, this has been the story for the last few months. I started looking for another job but as with most things in SA it is taking time. I had become very down on myself and my own self-confidence was / is at an all time low. I have to keep reminding myself that God does not make losers.

It is a pretty crap story and if you had asked me at the beginning of the year what would be the worst thing that could happen, I would have said losing my job. My worst nightmare had become my reality.

BUT, things are not all bad.

Firstly, I have committed myself to my God and have been in His company ever since. Secondly, my absolutely awesome wife and I have become inseparable. She is such a rock in my life, what would I ever do without her? I have found that cooking a nice meal or fixing something around the house brings the same happiness to her face as an expensive watch or handbag. Sitting on the couch at night, each with our laptops, each on our blogs is just as cool as spending a night at an expensive hotel. Having a braai at home is just as cool as going to a nice restaurant, in fact it`s better cos you get to kiss the cook.

I have also learned that a man is NOT defined by his job. He is in fact defined by what he has inside and by how he treats the people around him, the kindness he shows to strangers and how he reacts to adversity and importantly the family and friends he surrounds himself with. Those things define you, not a fancy title or a paycheck.

I still get very down on myself every now and again (if I`m honest it`s most days) but I try to remain positive about the situation. I know that God will provide and I hang onto that fact with all I have. I really have no idea what He has planned for us but I thank Him for what He has taught me this year. The small things in life are in fact, the big things. The things I thought meant the world to me in fact does not matter at all. Love, friendship, family, togetherness, those things count, not the amount of money in the bank.

We are so blessed that we have the best parents in the world (I will not call them In-Laws anymore cos they are so much more than that). My own Mom and Dad are not around anymore but they made me into the person I am today and laid every foundation I hold dear. It might have taken me 30 odd years to figure it out but at least I have. I am now so fortunate to have 2 other people I can call MY folks. They have shown me that you don`t need to be blood to be loved like you are. They have shown such kindness and understanding during the last year that it will be impossible to say thank you. Their support, which has taken a lot of forms, has been immeasurable. I feel so guilty but at the same time so thankful. I don`t know how I will ever be able to repay their kindness.
My sister Monya, has also been really supportive and her awesome kids were responsible for one of the kindest gestures I have ever come across in all my years on earth.

So, looking back, this year has been a very difficult but vital one. I needed a wakeup call to show me what the really important things are. It`s been a tough learning curve and I`m sure there is a lot more to come but I am surrounded by love and I feel more blessed than ever.

Writing this post was very hard. The image I have always tried to project was that of a confident, happy go-lucky man, with the world at his feet. That man has been torn down like the Berlin Wall. God and I are busy rebuilding him into a better, stronger version of himself. A version that does not care if people see him as somebody who does not have it all together, who has worries and who doubts himself constantly. I am a work in progress and there is a lot of work left to be done but I am not doing it alone, everybody mentioned on this post has a role to play, no matter how small.

Everything - Lifehouse

I am a big fan of Lifehouse but for some reason never bought their album, No name Face. I got the song Hanging by a moment on a compilation album, so just never had the urge to buy the whole album. Also, it was only Hanging by a moment that got any airplay here in SA, so I had no idea what the rest of the album was like.

Their self titled 2005 album is one of my favourites and I love listening to it. Quite a few songs from that album grace the Favourites folder on my Ipod.

I was doing my regular blog reading yesterday and happened upon a site where a video for the song Everything was added. The video is a skit done by a Christian Church with the song Everything as the soundtrack. It has more than 7, 000, 000 hits on Youtube. Very, very popular, to say the least.

I decided to have a look and was completely blown away. It is such an amazing song. I immediately did a search on the web and read as much as I could about it.

My first question was "Is this a Christian song?". So, I did the only logical thing and posed the question to WikiAnswers.

Q: Is the song everything by Lifehouse Christian?

A: Jason Wade, the lead singer and primary song writer for Lifehouse has said that the song was written in a Christian context. So yes, it is a was originally intended as a Christian song.

VICTORY!!!

I think it would have taken a lot away from the song if it wasn`t a Christian song. I just needed to get that comforting tap on the shoulder, saying "It`s Christian, you may enjoy it". Don`t get me wrong, it would still have been an awesome song even if it was secular but it`s nice to know that this band, a mainstream band, wrote this awesome Christian song.

Here is a sample of the lyrics:

Find Me Here
Speak To Me
I want to feel you
I need to hear you

You are the light
That's leading me
To the place where I find peace again.
You are the strength, that keeps me walking.
You are the hope, that keeps me trusting.
You are the light to my soul.
You are my purpose...you're everything.

How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

You calm the storms, and you give me rest.
You hold me in your hands, you won't let me fall.
You steal my heart, and you take my breath away.
Would you take me in? Take me deeper now?

How can I stand here with you and not be moved by you?
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

Cause you're all I want,
You're all I need
You're everything,everything
You're all I want your all I need
You're everything, everything.
You're all I want you're all I need.
You're everything, everything
You're all I want you're all I need, you're everything, everything.

I have decided to add a video from the movie The Notebook, which is set to this song. It does not appear on the soundtrack but it`s a great song and a great movie and a perfect mix. I know the song is used in a different context in this video but I already told you that it is a song sung to the glory of God, so keep that in mind.

If you want to see the skit, which is done in a Christian context, you can view it on this blog. The accompanying post has a great testimony too, I suggest you go have a look at the video and read the post.

Betrayed?

I don`t even know where to start. Where do you begin when something you believe in so much and that has had an immense impact on you turns out to be false?

Ok, last week I shared the story behind Healer and Mike Guglielmucci with you all. As I mentioned then, it`s on the new Hillsong cd called "This is our God". I finally got the cd yesterday and I was so excited. I have been been playing it non-stop and I signing along as loud as possible. Especially Healer. What a great song and what an inspirational story. I even phoned my sister in NZ and begged her to go read the story and watch the video. It really makes you feel so good, it just emphasises how awesome our God really is.

This afternoon I went onto Brian Houston`s blog and watched his latest video message. In it he mentioned something about Healer and that Mike needed help. I went onto the internet immediately and found the following statement by the Australian Christian Churches Assemblies of God (where Mike was a pastor):

"Representatives of the National Executive recently met with Michael Guglielmucci. At this meeting he read a statement indicating that his claim to have cancer was untrue. His credential with the ACC was immediately suspended.
The National Executive is taking this matter very seriously and is awaiting the results of medical tests before determining the full extent of the discipline that will be imposed upon him.
We are very concerned for the many people who have been or will be hurt by Michael's actions and we encourage all of our churches to pray for all those affected.
Yours sincerely,
Alun Davies National Vice President"

So, how do you handle news like this? I have watched the video over and over again and listened to the song over and over again. I have shed tears. I have prayed for Mike and his family. I have told everyone I know about this awesomely inspiring story. It has really affected me in such a positive way. Now to be told that it was all fake?

At first I felt personally done in. How could somebody do such a thing? How can I now listen to or even contemplate watching the cd and dvd? I felt betrayed in the worst possible way. Being betrayed in your faith - surely not?

Then I started thinking about the whole thing and it dawned on me, God never betrayed me. In fact, he still loves me as much as always. God`s Word never betrayed me, in fact it still leads me in the right direction. The betrayal was done by man, not the first time and it certainly won`t be the last.

What did the song accomplish? It made me feel closer to my Maker. I believe that God did help in the writing of the song. Mike wrote the song because God is the great Healer. The fact that Mike felt that he had to skew the facts was most definitely not God`s idea. It`s so sad cos the song does not need any story or gimmick to make it great! It`s a great song with an awesome message.

I will not hold the song or the story against my Hillsong Church and I will not hold it against Mike either. In fact, I`ll pray even harder for him and his family. Who knows what drives somebody to do a thing like this? Who knows? (I have a hunch and it involves a bad dude with horns and a tail but it`s just a hunch)

I really hope Christians do what Jesus told us to and that is forgive. What better place to start than right here with this story. I just have.

The baby whale

The saddest story has been playing itself out in Sydney, Australia.

A baby humpback whale was abandoned by it`s mother. The baby whale was to become known as Colin during the next week. He was first spotted when he tried to suckle on a yacht, just north of Sydney. He obviously mistook the yacht for his mom. Ok, how sad is that? Wildlife officials were called in and a week long effort to save little Colin was undertaken. They tried to lure it back to the open sea in the hope that he would attach himself to a pod of passing humpback whales but to no avail. Little Colin kept going back to the yachts. It also became apparent that Colin was not in good nick. He was obviously ill and might have also been attacked by a shark.

After a week of trying virtually everything, wildlife officials euthanized Colin on Friday morning. By then he was riddled with parasites, starving, injured and very ill. Veteranarians reckoned that he would not have survived until Friday evening. They decided to end his suffering in the most humane way possible.

Now, I hate stories like this. It always gets me very emotional cos I am but a softy at heart! But I think you can also learn a lot from a story like this. So this is what I have "learned" from this story. Please bare with me, I`m new at this!

We often lose sight of God and in doing so try to compensate by putting all our attention on other gods / objects. Just like Colin who was separated from his mom. When he couldn`t find his mom, he tried to let other objects take her place. None of this worked just like no other object will ever be able to take God`s place. They tried to lure Colin to safety by getting him to attach to a pod of humpback whales. Colin kept going back to the yachts. In the end it caused his death. I can see the Holy Spirit coaxing us in the right direction, only for us to keep falling back into the habits of the world.

Will we end up like little Colin, or will we be able to find our way back to our "Mom" before it`s too late?

Healer

I found this video by accident. Actually no, this video found me. Ok, the story goes like this. I did my usual early morning blog reading where I check out all the updated blogs from my AWESOME Blog List!

I found a link to Brooke Fraser`s site. This is the same Brooke Fraser that wrote and performed my favourite gospel song. From here I was directed to her Youtube channel where a host of her videos can be found. So, while checking out some of these videos, I came across one by Hillsong Australia. What transpired was one of the most amazingly uplifting things I have ever seen. I was captivated and in absolute awe, as I`m sure you will be. It is from the latest Hillsong album / dvd "This is our God" and believe me when I say, you will not be left untouched by this story.

Mike Guglielmucci, you are an inspiration.

My Prized Possessions # 2

This is a very personal one for me. It really means so much on so many levels.

Ok, let`s start at the beginning. This prized possession is my Mom`s Bible. She passed away in 2003 after a 2 year battle with cancer. She was and will always be my big inspriration. She was my best friend and we had an inseparable bond. In fact, I was a Momma`s boy and very proud of it!

My Mom was always the one who Monya (my sister) and I could run to, the soft shoulder. My Dad suffered from depression and he was not always there. Mom was ALWAYS there. Even after a long day at work, she would spend time playing catch with me in the garden or helping with homework. She never said no and she never complained, although I`m sure she felt like it sometimes. She did this with Monya and Dad too. I remember as a youngster watching sport with my Mom, she watched everything with me, rugby, soccer, cricket, tennis, everything! She even became a big Manchester United fan and more especially a Ryan Giggs fan, he was her favourite. Dad was never really interested in sport. Mom, even though she probably didn`t always like all the sport watched it with me. I think that played a big part in my love for all sport.

My Dad passed away in 1992. I was 20 and Monya was in her final year at school. My Mom never once put her grief ahead of ours. She was the one making sure we were all ok. Although, I remember one night, I was going out with my friends and went to say goodbye to her in her room. I found her crying on the bed. That killed me. I knew she was hurting but she NEVER complained.

I moved to Johannesburg in 1995 to start my career and Monya got married a while later. I went home every weekend so I could at least see my Mom. We chatted on the phone at least twice a day.

Then in 1997, Monya and Brian emigrated to New Zealand. It was a very tough time for all of us but especially for my Mom. Up until then, Monya and Brian had lived very close and they got to see her everyday.

Monya fell pregnant and had a beautiful little girl they named Danielle (my idea....!) in 1998. That, was that. My Mom spent 3 months in New Zealand, came back and decided to join Monya.

So, on the 24th April 2000 my Mom left for New Zealand. That was one of the worst days of my life. I cried the whole day. What would I do without my Mom to chat to everyday? I felt really alone but from that day on I received an email every single day, without fail, even if she didn`t have too much to say. She always emailed to say hello.

Then, exactly a month later, on the 24th May, I met Hayley and immediately knew that she was the one for me. I never had any doubts, never. This was no doubt in God`s big plan. He knew how alone I was and he sent Hayley.

We went to New Zealand in November 2000 and spent 7 glorious weeks with my family. It was absolutely awesome.

In April 2001 my Mom, Monya (a very pregnant Monya!) and Danielle came to South Africa for our wedding. Brian couldn`t make it due to work commitments. It was so awesome having them with us. They spent 7 weeks in SA and shared our wedding day with us.

Then on 25 March 2002 (my Dad`s birthday) we got a call from New Zealand. It was Monya and she told me that my Mom had been diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. My whole world fell apart. At least I had Hayley, she was awesome. She was now the soft shoulder I so needed.

My Mom started her chemo and radiation and things were going ok. I phoned a lot and I still received my daily email. Only when the chemo was really bad did I not get one. Then in August 2002, my Father-in-Law bought me a ticket to NZ to go see my Mom. It was such an awesome gesture, something I will never, ever forget. We kept it a secret from my Mom and I landed the morning of her last chemo. Monya picked me up and we drove to the Oncology Unit in Auckland. Monya walked in and told my Mom that she had a surprise for her. Then I walked in. My Mom completely broke down. I ran and grabbed her. We just held each other and cried. That moment will always remain with me.
I spent 8 weeks in New Zealand and got to meet Nicholas, my sisters little boy. My Mom and I spent a lot of quality time together. I took her to radiation sessions and doctors appointments. I was so grateful to be able to help in this way.

On the 1st of March 2003, I got another call. This time the news was very bad. The cancer had spread to my Mom`s lungs and was now terminal. How do you handle news like that? That is something I cannot answer but I can tell you that God carried all of us through it.

Hayley and I left for NZ on the 31st March 2003. My Mom was not doing so well but we got to spend some awesome time with her. She never complained, not once. She also introduced me to the music of Michael W Smith which I`ll forever be grateful for. She talked about her relationship with God and the peace in her was there for everybody to see.

My Mom passed away at 23:05 on the 30th April 2003. Monya and I were at her side and we feel so blessed to have been with my Mom when she left to be with her God.

So, I was privileged enough to get my Mom`s Bible. It is filled with little notes, written by her during Bible studies or just time spent reading. It has dates in it, indicating when she read which chapter. Everytime I open the Bible I see my Mom`s hand in it and I feel as though she is watching over me and smiling her awesome smile. She is the reason I love God and the reason I am here today. Who knows where I would have ended if my Mom wasn`t as strong as she was.

Thank you to God for giving me my Mom and then for sending Hayley to be at my side. I will say thank you in person one day....

Like i said, this is a very personal post for me. I think it`s therapeutic in a way. It helps to talk about these things sometimes.

I want to leave you with something I found in the Bible. It`s on a little piece of paper and must have been my Mom`s guiding words during her difficult last days.

Walking with God

Feeling a hand in mine,
just when I needed power,
knowing it is the Lord`s,
sharing my darkest hours.

Stepping with fearful heart,
into a path unknown,
sensing His presence there,
knowing I`m not alone.

Drained of all human strength,
finding that from above,
His everlasting arms,
Bear me along with love.

Taking each step with faith,
trusting when sight is dim,
knowing His will is best,
this be your walk with him.

The Shack - a few thoughts

Well, I finished "The Shack" last night. Stayed up till late reading it, just couldn`t put it down. I was absolutely riveted by this book and found it very enlightening.

Although an awesome read, some of it does get quite difficult and just like Mack, I found my mind turn to "mush"! Mind you, it was late and I had a long day!

So this morning I got up early and decided to find some explanations to a few of the issues I needed clarity on. First stop was the official site. The discussion boards really help a lot.

After some more internet searches I happened upon a few sites where the book is not regarded so fondly. The main issue being that a few of the points raised in the book are not alligned to what the Bible says. Some of the discussions turned very lively, to say the least.

Now I immediately want to qualify my point of view. I am a newish Christian. Let me put it this way, I have always been a Christian but only recently gave my heart to the Lord formally.

I have so much to learn but I`m enjoying the ride so much. So, I don`t profess to know everything the Bible has to teach us, in fact it`s quite the opposite. What I do know is that I`m very committed to learn and that my relationship with God is growing daily.

So, from that point of view let me state categorically, I loved The Shack. I loved the way in which William Young explained the Holy Trinity, that is a very difficult concept for a new Christian to come to terms with. His views made complete sense and I feel I understand it for the first time. The storyline was great and I thoroughly enjoyed the read.

The main theme is the love God has for us and the fact that he wants us to love each other the same way.

Pretty easy hey? Not so easy in fact. What I found on some of the sites were Christians taking each other on about issues within the book. Some believe the book does more good than bad and others believe the discrepencies are just too much to even suggest it to a friend.

My feeling? I think the book`s heart is in the right place. It has obviously had a major impact on a lot of people. Don`t you think God would welcome this? I fail to see how something (anything) that brings people closer to God can be a negative.

I certainly felt closer to God after reading it and is that not the crux of the matter?

This is a quote from the book and I loved it:

Faith never knows where it is being led,

But it knows and loves the One who is leading.

-Oswald Chambers

The Shack

Just a quick post today (bit busy with the work thing!). I started reading "The Shack" last night and I must say, I haven`t been so riveted by a book in a very long time. Tonight cannot come quickly enough so I can settle in and read some more.

Hayley has her fingers on the pulse of everything new and she mentioned this book to me a few weeks ago. I of course thought it was some Mills & Boon novel (do they still print those?). When I finally saw what it was about, I was sold. Good work as always by my Wife.

I won`t give away the plot but I can tell you I am completely taken by this piece of work. Here is a post from the site which I think perfectly sums up what the book is all about.

LOVED "NOT READING THIS BOOK"
« on: June 21, 2008, 06:42:15 AM »

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Reading "The Shack"' wasn't reading a book, it was listening to a song...a bittersweet, melodious, grand song that every person should hear. Reading "The Shack", wasn't reading a book, it was finding a treasure... a deeply hidden priceless, shining treasure, that every person should discover. Reading "The Shack", wasn't reading a book, it was taking a journey, a soul-searching, simply difficult, incredible journey that everyone should make time to take. Reading "The Shack", wasn't reading a book.....it was reading a love letter. A beautifully haunting, touching, loveletter, that every person needs to get......that no one could forget. No, it wasn't reading a book........it was recieving a gift!!!! Thanks Papa!!!

So, till next time God bless!

What a song!

I just had to share this awesome song with you all. It was written by Brooke Fraser (left) who is a worship leader at Hillsong Church in Sydney.

I heard it the first time in Hillsong Church Cape Town 2 weeks ago and loved it immediately. In fact it played a major part in what happened in church that day.

So here goes, enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr_Oqun3CWo

Awesome Day

What a great day. Hayley and I went to our second service at Hillsong Church Cape Town and had a wonderful time there. It truly is such a blessed experience and I am so lucky to be sharing it with my gorgeous wife! We feel like we truly belong and if it is God`s Will, we`ll spend a lot more time there.

We then went for a drive down the coast and stopped for lunch at Houtbay. Fish and chips at Mariners is an institution in this family!

We ended the day having a braai (barbeque) at home and this was the sunset we enjoyed from our patio.

What a wonderful day spent in God`s Presence...

My dream "To-Do" list

Everybody who knows me, knows that there are specific things that I want to do during my lifetime. Some I have been fortunate enough to do and some will probably have to wait a bit longer.

My To-Do list includes sporty things like seeing Man Utd play at Old Trafford - The Theatre of Dreams, enjoying a Boston Redsox game at Fenway Park, watching Roger Federer play anywhere. Or musical things like seeing Collective Soul in concert etc etc. It`s a long list and I won`t bore you with the details.

Some things I will never get to do though, like seeing Eric Cantona play, watching Elvis in concert (don`t laugh!) and seeing Bob Skinstad reach his TRUE potential (I did get to play golf with him, thanks Andre!). Bob is still a LEGEND!


Sitting here though, it suddenly dawned on me how many of the items I have been able to cross off my list.

- Watching the Boks play the All Blacks at Newlands and beat them - Check, August 2005 (and being there to see Andre nail a spectacular dropgoal which in the end was the difference between winning and losing)

- Watching WP play at Newlands - Check, 2008

- Watching Man Utd play - Check, 2006 AND 2008

- Seeing Ryan Giggs, a true United legend, play - Check, 2008

- Seeing Counting Crows in Concert - Check 2008

- Seeing Live in concert - Check 2000 and 2006

- Seeing U2 in concert - Check 1999

- Going to New York - Check 2007

- Watching the New York Knicks play at Madison Square Garden - Check 2007

- Running my first half marathon - Check June 2008

The latest dream "To-Do" came true on Sunday. It was always a dream to go to Hillsong Church in Sydney. Well, I did the next best thing and went to Hillsong Church Cape Town and what an AWESOME experience. Hayley and I were truly blown away by the passion for God. We are really inspired to be the best Christians we can be.

Looking back at the list, it is amazing how blessed I`ve been to have so much of it become reality. What makes it even more special is that I have shared most of it with Hayley. When you get married your dreams are not your own anymore and I am very blessed to have a wife who share my passions.

So, here`s looking at making a lot more dream "To-Do`s" come true.

God`s Country

Even during times of stress and worry, there is always the beauty of God`s Creation. This was the sunset tonight, it made even the biggest worry seem small in the greater scheme of things...

The Cape truly is God`s Country. He took His time when He created it....