Something Better ((Simchat Torah))

Something amazing happened today.

In one of my previous posts where I wrote about God blessing us with a job for Mark flying in Botswana and how He provided for us an awesome car of our very own, I shared some details of how everything that was happening was lining up with the meaning of the YHVH’s Feast days and once again God showed us His amazing love and care for us, again lining up with His calendar.

A few months ago my mom, Mark and Mike tried to start their own business. They researched many different products that have not yet been introduced here in SA but many of them have been tried and failed except for this one. They got the product here, they built it and now all it needs for it to be a huge success is an investor. Since Mark will be flying my brother would be the main person in the business who is running it with my mom helping too but the business is in my brother, Mike’s name and so it’s ‘his’.

Well, it’s been quite a few months with the product not moving and sometimes it was looking like it’s too big a dream and not worth the time and money. They've met a few possible investors in the past but of course something would always happen that would make it fall through. It was tough and stressful and there were plenty of times when they almost gave up. We didn't understand why God didn't want this to move forward since a lot of people have said that it will be a huge success.

But if there’s one thing I’ve learned during this time is that everything definitely happens for a reason and if something fails or doesn't work out it means that God has such a better and bigger plan for you that you can never imagine. He just asks us to be patient and to trust that yes, He actually does know best, believe it or not. I’ve heard so many believers fall away and become atheists and God-haters because He didn’t come through for them or didn’t answer their prayers. I didn’t want to be like that. I’ve had my many doubts in the past. Wondering if God is here, if He’s with us, if He cares or even if He exists. I guess He knew that those doubts would come and so He ingrained inside of me His Word through Rico Cortez. I listened to him through a whole Torah cycle when he was studying the Torah according to the ancient Near East. Not fluffy spiritual things, but logical, scientific proof that God’s Torah and Word is true. He showed me how God works, truly works and so I couldn't deny Him.

I couldn't pack my bags and fall away like so many other people because it looked like He wasn't coming through for me in my way.

Today is Simchat Torah. The day where we celebrate the Torah, God’s wonderful Word that He has given us. The new Torah reading cycle begins tomorrow so new beginnings. The time in the desert (Sukkot) is over and we rejoice and start fresh in His Word. To me is also means new life so of course I was expecting something dramatic to happen  on this specific day because our lives have been lining up too much with the calendar for something not to happen.

I was right.

One day while we were at the park with Sebastian, Mike got a phone call from a person who works in one of the biggest banks in South Africa, ABSA. They want to see him and discuss his business product. When did they want to meet? Today, on Simchat Torah. Coincidence? I think not.

Mike was so nervous. Rightfully so. He’s almost 21 and starting up this big business that will boom once it starts. God has blessed my brother magnificently with a natural business mind. He’s never been to business school. Heck, he doesn’t even have a Matric but he just knows what he’s doing and he blows many people away with this talent. I’m so proud of him and I’m even amazed when I hear him talk business. This is my brother? Wow.

Anyway, today he met with this person from ABSA and joy of joys and glory all to God. The lady loved Mike. She adored him and has so much favour for him that she is going to push this business of his to the best of her ability. We were so happy today and so amazed. While we’re getting sad that small business men didn’t want to invest in the past God was just sitting up there planning one of the biggest banks in SA to be the investor instead. Hello? Is anyone else shocked and amazed?

When I think of the people who think that kids without Matric or High School Diplomas will be losers and working in McDonalds I laugh. Here’s my brother with neither of those things but he’s starting his own business with ABSA as an investor. And then you get people who go to Matric and University and they just become like everyone else. Working for someone else. Some of the biggest success people in the world didn't finish school. Did that stop them? No. Did that limit them? No.

Of course we both ‘finished’ school but we don’t have a certificate to prove it. Did my mom plan this for us? No. Life got in the way and it was practically impossible for us to write exams. But in a way I’m glad ‘cause I’ve been able to focus my time completely on God’s Torah without any distractions. I’ve grown to be able to be who I am without conforming to other's beliefs, I’ve grown and learned to think for myself and question everything that comes my way. Not many people do that ‘cause it’s trained out of you. But God has kept me safe and for that I’m so grateful to Him and also ashamed for my lack of faith and my complaining in the past when I should’ve been more grateful and trusting.

I still battle sometimes though ‘cause sure this is all happening to my brother and it’s fantastic but I’m still sitting on the sidelines waiting for my turn to come when God will call me to do something amazing. But when I see what has happened to my brother I feel hope ‘cause maybe all my attempts to start something, to get a job or whatever has failed because God has a bigger plan for me.

It’s exciting yet hard to be patient. Right now all I’m doing is practicing to get my driver’s license.

But again, that can all be part of God’s plan for me. Get a driver’s license to become more independent so that He can send me wherever He wants me to go. Just a thought.

When I observe and listen to some other people’s lives I realize how blessed I’ve been these past few years. Sure we’ve moved a lot and it’s been really unstable. B+B’s and bunking with other people aren’t ideal but I’ve lived in many different places. I’ve traveled quite a bit in my life. It’s not grand. I’m not jetting off to Paris or New York but in my own little world I’ve lived. I’ve stayed in cities, I’ve stayed in small towns where I don’t know the language (don’t laugh ‘cause I don’t understand Afrikaans, please, lol), and I’ve lived way out in the country. I’ve met people who have inspired me and I’ve met people who irk me and show me how not to be. I’ve learned a lot about life and God and that’s priceless and something I wouldn’t trade for sitting in a classroom to get a certificate that really means nothing and doesn’t define me.

I’m living an adventure and it’s only going to get better. 

Stay Strong and when it's tough, be grateful and look around you and you'll see how good life is. 

Shabbat Shalom!

"I'm the King of the Castle"?

~BE WARRIORS FOR GOD'S KINGDOM~

 

 

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The other day my family and I were bored so we decided to go for a drive to a golf course estate called Eye of Africa. We couldn't just drive in because of the intense security so we had to ask 'permission' from the office. I was waiting in the car with Sebastian. Little Man was trying to suck the window (11 month old babies want to lick everything, lol), so I don't know exactly what went on but we landed up sitting in the realtor's big car. I might add that we arrived in our little light blue Taz with rust on it and dust everywhere so you can imagine what the realtor thought, why on earth are we looking at houses in this prestige estate when we can't even afford a nice, decent car? So we hopped into his car where you feel like your riding on a cloud: can't hear the engine and can't feel the road beneath you.
He took us around this estate, explaining the architecture (apparently it's euro-afro), telling us about the plants (they're 'one with nature' there) and of course all the rich and successful people that live there. He was explaining in his British accent about how, "So-and-so are very successful. So-and-so runs a very successful company. So-and-so is the cousin of some South African celebrity (be impressed people). This man here just bought a R2.3 million Ferrari. This man's house is worth R23.3 million: the chandelier comes down for cleaning, indoor and outdoor pool with gym, cinema with 7 plush seats (he had to add that for what reason I'm not sure), disco floor and this decoration on the side of the house sparkles at night."

So we're driving through this estate with this British man telling us about the success of everyone here, how many rich and 'famous' people live here. He was explaining the intense security and how they have to scan your finger in order to enter the premises. (hmmmm ...)

The whole time I was thinking of how I would die slowly in a place like this. The only thing that impressed me was the gorgeous view but the realtor was going on and on and on about the 'success' of everyone who lives here and how much money they've invested into their house and how he's very good friends with the CEO of Kellogg's in South Africa.

Meanwhile there's an orphanage not far from here who could really do with some money but all these people are just spending it on themselves. Wasting their lives. They're building there homes on sand and when something happens and they lose everything ... what will they have? Nothing. 99.9% of the time their friends would leave them and most of these couples don't have children.

It made me realize the fleeting lusts of this world. How from such a young age we're told to go to a college or university ... for what? To have a good job so that you can pay your bills? So that you can have a big house and nice car? And then at the end of your life what do you have to show for it? Nothing but the fact that you have a lot of money in your bank account.

That's the difference between God's system and the cursed system of this world. God says He's our provider but the thing that I find with Christianity a lot of the time is that they distance God from their problems. They pray about it, sure, but they still have to do it in their own strength. But God provides supernaturally and most of the time He'll always take you to the edge of the cliff where it looks impossible but then that way He shows His amazing strength and power ... through impossibility.

We have to change systems and governments. The Torah isn't just writing on paper, it's a law, it's a constitution where it tells you how to live when you're in God's Kingdom. Just like countries have laws for the people that live there.

So my mission in life is to constantly switch governments. Where I'm trusting God for everything that I need, even the things that aren't necessities but you know what? YHVH cares about those things too.

I'd much rather live in a little small house in a place where I'm useful, where I can help people rather than live in a big house with a fancy car and have loads of friends around me who really don't care about me. God has stripped me of all that and right now the people who are beside me and truly care about me are my family. I don't have friends that I can hang out with on the weekends. My one true best friend is my mom (beside God). We don't have a big fancy house worth millions. But we still have a house that we rent where everyone is comfortable with 6 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms plus a cottage for Evelyn. We don't have a big car, we drive a little rust bucket Taz. But i'm so much happier now than I ever was before. Because I know that this is only the desert. Where God has taken us out of the pagan nations, is stripping us of all we have known (literally), and removing the Egypt from our hearts and yes it's can be very hard but that's where God tests us and sees where our faith is. Where we turn when we see the waves around us.

Will we fear the waves? Have more faith in the strength of the enemy and the world and forget to see YHVH walking on the waves ... holding out His hand for us to take it?