Thank You

I’m so excited! Christmas is just 2days away!!!

But being the individual I am, I always question my motives behind my thoughts, my feelings etc. Of course, that is a good thing, but it does tend to be a bad thing as well at times.

Anyway, I questioned my reasoning as to why I am excited. Am I excited because I’m going to be given loads of gifts?

If so, is that really what the day is all about?

This led me to my reasoning as to why I’m really excited.

Although the 25^th of December is not the actual birth date of Jesus, it is the chosen day that brings much excitement along with it. Excitement around the fact that this baby can and would and did change the course of history for all who would just trust in him…

A beautifully life changing story…

It is a day of remembrance for me personally. As Jesus handed out love, so do I in the giving of gifts to others. This is the way I am able to show my love for them on this very special day.

God gave us the most beautiful gift ever recorded in human history…

That gift? His own son…

As Christmas day draws closer I can’t help but to begin to feel emotional at the thought of the most precious gift that was given to me…

The beautiful thing about this gift is that it’s not only mine! It can be yours to!!! This gift can and will change your life as it did mine… All you have to do is accept it from God…

On that note, I want to publically thank YHWH for the most awesome gift known to mankind… I couldn’t have asked for a better gift.

Have you received his gift? If so, are you thankful for his gift?

A Christmas Wish...

Check out how Megs and I were able to make such a small Christmas wish a reality...

All this young lady, a police reservist (who is unemployed), wanted was a present for each of her kids... a simple task for us to meet... and so we met it...

We challenge you to do the same in some way...

“Boesak has shown his true colours” – Carl Niehaus

“The ruling party’s Carl Niehaus said Boesak had shown his true colours.” - JP du Plessis

Whilst working today and casually listening to the news I came across a story which shocked me! I’ve never truly been one to follow politics, but over the past couple of days, I’ve been sitting on the edge of my seat watching and hoping that South Africa’s newest and freshest political party, COPE would change South Africa. I was strongly considering giving them my vote, that was until Alan Boesak was taken on.

Firstly, let me point out that I am completely shocked by this move! How can a political party fighting against corruption hire and employ a convicted criminal? For those who are not aware, Boesak was found guilty of fraud and theft. However, due to a presidential pardon in 2005, his criminal record was expunged. Despite all this, Cope would like to make him the premier of the Western Cape… Aren’t we meant to be moving forward?

The second reason as to why COPE has lost my vote is due to Boesak’s recent actions. After reading this post by Eye Witness news, I question as to whether Boesak is honestly wanting to change South Africa or if he’s just looking for the highest paying position.

Is he in it for the money or is prepared to change South Africa? If the DA offered him a position as their receptionist, would he take it as a step into and towards changing SA?

I doubt it…

To read Boesak’s own words click here.

Will South African politics ever change for the better?

Our Captain, Our Hansie, Our Captain

I finally did it… I finally watched Hansie (the movie). For a long time I wasn’t to sure if I really wanted to watch the film or not. I had deep childhood memories of my school cricket hero and I didn’t want to damage them further. I wasn’t to sure if I was really ready to hear the whole match fixing story over again. Maybe there was something I missed and that something could damage his image further.

I’m happy to say that was not the case. Rather the film displayed what an honorable man he was. Granted he made some stupid choices, as we all do, but he remained the man he always was… a follower of Christ.

I can still remember the day I sat in front of my TV, tears forming in my eyes as I watched Hansie share his story in and amongst his own tears. That day, Hansie became more of a hero to me than he had ever been.

If you haven’t yet seen it, the film is a remarkable journey through his cricket career, allowing viewers the opportunity to just catch a glimpse of the pain and suffering that he went through. I highly recommend the film. His story is a beautiful story of the reconciliation process between God and man. Where Hansie needed someone to love and hold him, God was there. Unfortunately the public weren’t.

The comments made by the press throughout the film disgusted me and I can not believe that we (the general public and media) acted in the manner we did. Did the cricket board really make such harsh public comments about him as stated in the film?

It seemed so natural for Peter Pollock to share the story of the prodigal son with Hansie when he turned to him for guidance. Where man wanted nothing to do with him (Hansie), God accepted him with open arms…

He is our captain… He is Hansie Cronje

Carpe Manana

God was willing to submit the Godhead to cultural conditions – that’s the Incarnation.
And we aren’t?
God so loved the world.
And we won’t?
The Church is trying to get out of what God is trying to get into – the world.

(Taken from “Carpe Manana: Is Your Church ready to Sieze Tomorrow” by Leonard Sweet Pg 26)

I absolutely love this quote! It really gets me thinking in terms of how the Church should be moving along with culture. God the almighty creator of the heavens and the earth submitted to human culture in order to reach us, should the church then not do the same in return? He is definitely bigger than culture, and so the Church also has more to offer than the circular world we find ourselves in. But many are not aware of this…

If this is the case, which I believe it to be, then we’re living out the great reversal which Luke so passionately teaches and pushes us towards… We are as much the Biblical Church as we aren’t the Biblical Church.

So then, perhaps Leonard Sweet is right on the money when he suggests that as believers of Christ we should stop trying to Carpe Diem (seize the day) and rather move forward and Carpe Manana (Seize Tomorrow)…

Are you moving along with culture or are stuck in today?

A Changed Man: Brian 'Head' Welch

For years I followed KoRn as a young guy at school. If you aren’t aware of who KoRn is, then I suppose the best way I could describe them is: a hard rock / metal band. I aboslutley loved their stuff.

Despite my KoRn addiction (if I can call it that), I reached a point where the lyrics just really rubbed against me. The lyrics just seemed to go against my life philosophy and so I finally gave up my KoRn. Sounds funny I know… I still believe that these guys are so gifted musically and can’t wait to see what God can do through them musically…

Imagine my surprise and joy when Brian Head Welch announced his coming to Christ. I was over the moon!!! This dudes testimony is insane!!!! I was so encouraged by his story, I could not but just worship the living God. Man, He is soooo real. Don’t believe me? Watch Head’s story posted here or here to see what I’m talking about.

The exciting bit is the fact he’s just started his own record label and has just recently released his first album!!! WOOOHOOO!!!! If you’re into heavy music you can get his new album here. You can also get his life story here.

He gave birth to his own brother?!?

What is the weirdest medical story you’ve ever come across? I bet you’ve never heard about the boy who had his brother living inside of him!!! It seems to be a case of the Aliens movies coming to life… How do you react when you’re a dude and a doctor says to you that there is another dude growing inside of you!?!?

Here is a piece of the article taken from ‘interesting facts’:

India resident Sanju Bhagat always had bit larger stomach, but he got extremely worried when it suddenly started growing bigger and bigger. Thirty year old Sanju Bhagat was rushed to hospital and his stomach condition was diagnosed as an stomach tumor. To a doctor's surprise it was something extremely different and very unusual. From the birth Sanju had his twin brother living inside of him like a parasite. This phenomenon is extremely rare since parasite twin brother has to survive by leaching on its brother’s blood supply. This bizarre medical conditions is called fetus in fetu and it occurs when a fetus gets trapped inside of its twin. Doctor Mehta who was operating Sanju Bhagat said: "First, one limb came out, then another limb came out. Then some part of genitalia, then some part of hair, some limbs, jaws, limbs, hair."

Check out the video here

Have you heard of any other weird medical stories?