Bliksem, this was a year!

 The last time i blogged was in June while away celebrating my 17th wedding anniversary with Dannean. I think i recall back then already feeling very much like the second half of 2024 could only get better... At least from a work / income generation perspective. Afterall, you can't live on the goodwill of others much past the 3 month mark (from past experience), and that had already come and gone...

Well, just to let you know, with much disbelief, gratitude and frustration, I way underestimated the goodwill of others, the patience of Job, and God's purposes! Because I write this post as the sole provider to my family, who has not provided an income since March this year! Which in case you were wondering, is a full 9 months today! Let's just say that Eish is only one of a couple 4 letter words that have crossed my mind over this time😅

Having said so, I could rant on about this challenge for some time, but really, that's neither here nor there. The facts are... I haven't earned, we have survived, and God is still good. I'm just glad no one told me about these facts before the fact, because if you had, I would have told you on the spot to take the facts, and post them to Australia (or some other spot where the sun don't shine). So then, what shall I talk about in trying to honour my biannual June and December blogging commitment?

Something I could do, would be review my 2024 testimonies journal, where I keep record of all the good things God has done in my life over the year... Much of which I must admit thoroughly overshadows and undermines my woeful introductory tale of financial hardship. I mean, how hard can my life really be, having been to Dullstroom, Kruger, the Berg (twice) and just started a 3 week holiday with a JHB-DBN-PE roadtrip visiting friends and family!? And this is just referencing beautiful places and faces. What about the amazing works the Lord has performed in our little start up church, where God does his best work of taking our ugliness and brokenness, and making it beautiful!

But no... Instead of recalling tales that will likely render this post a facebook boast, allow me to tell the whole truth. Which goes more along the lines of a work God does in each one of our lives that transcends our concept of time, and instead I believe, deals with the concept of condition. That is, for me and most mortals I imagine, my sense of timing, and what needs to happen by when, is primarily driven by felt needs (including a fair dose of fear). God's sense of timing however, I believe the Bible teaches, is more process driven, and this by a loving Father who knows the true condition of our hearts, and what it really takes to change them. For those of us familiar with the Bible, just think Israel's journey out from Egypt.

Anyway, to make this a little more personal however, being a self sufficient man flows strongly in my veins. This is pumped around my body by a heart that loves God, but hates not being in control. And control is one of the masks pride wears, because pride believes it knows better than others, even God, and therefore must decide what needs to happen, by when. On this note, the Lord gave me advanced notice that I would not have the answers I wanted to have, to the situations or circumstances i didn't want to be in, in 2024. Sounds like fun hey!

Or if i had to draw a real life comparison, it's a bit like driving in heavy fog... You know that kind of fog where you can only see 30 meters ahead, and you've got your hazard lights on, so no one smashes into you from behind... Scary stuff! In such cases, the destination very quickly becomes much less important than staying alive, and trying to understand or explain the fog away, much less important than actually navigating through it. 2024 has been a year of heavy fog, but by God's grace, I hope we're about to exit it! And when we do, I'm not exactly sure where we're going to find ourselves, but I do (must!) believe, that the views will be worth the anxious prayers and heartfelt tears that have paid for it!

In conclusion, please allow me 4 parting shots on 2024...

1. Chasing a vision has cost many people their lives. I'm not sure if my vision is for this age, or the one to come, but it certainly hasn't cost me my life... Although I have been gifted a friend and partner who sometimes feels it has come very close to costing hers! Dannean Krige, I love you and salute you darling. Thank you for riding this roller-coaster with me, and thank you for trusting the Lord for me in 2024!🎢
2. To all those who have cared for us financially and in gifts through this 9 month "pregnancy"... Not even knowing what it might all be for, or if I had even possibly lost my mind, thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You have been such an encouragement and comfort to us, and we salute you!✊
1. Mom & Dad
2. Nick & Kath
3. Ryan & Shelley
4. Greg & Jacquie
5. Renz & Jo
6. Dalton & Chez
7. Michelle & Gary
8. Richard
9. Angie
10. Duran & Shells
11. Gary & Abby
12. Lydia
13. Nicky
3. To all those who have prayed for us... Thank you! Especially our fellow leaders and family at People of the Way church. God answers your prayers!🙏
4. On a related note, and to end where I started, the job front remains a bit foggy, but something that has been clear in my heart for the past 3 months, has been my desire to farm chickens on the Berry Farm (where we live). This culminated in my finalization of a funding proposal and business plan to that effect, which has managed to raise sufficient interest to merit another months R&D, at which time I will either become a chicken farmer, or something a little more conservative and predictable. Over to you Lord.

(this is not me!)

Thanks for reading!💛 And 2025... We're coming hard for you! ⚔️🛡️✝️

Faith and Fire

In all honesty, I did not write what I am about to share, as a blogpost. I actually shared it in church yesterday (the 8th September 2024) during a time we call "Five minutes of Fire". The thing is, my last blogpost was in August 2022 and as Sean has pointed out (many times over the last two years!) I was way overdue writing onother one. I guess I am sharing this, as not only is it personal to me, but I also hope and trust that someone reading this will be greatly encouraged by what I share.

There is a quote by John Maxwell that says: 

“A faith that can’t be tested, can’t be trusted”. 

Let me say that again: 

“A faith that can’t be tested, can’t be trusted”. 

Faith is an incredibly difficult substance to measure. The Bible says in Matthew 17:20-21 that “if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you”. A mustard seed is tiny; about the size of the back of a pin, and I don’t know about you but I have never managed to get a mountain to move even a millimeter, let alone move from one place to another entirely.

Some reading this may know that 2024 has been a rather challenging year in the Krige household. Sean ended his last paid work season in March this year (so that was his last full salary) and I was convinced that we would just move from one work opportunity to the next with no loss of income. Not so. We are now in September (in case anyone needed reminding) and Sean has yet to earn a salary for a month’s work. Let me also just share that before the 11 months of income that ended in March this year, there was another 5 months of no income!

“A faith that can’t be tested, can’t be trusted.”

I have found, in this season of our lives, so much comfort in the Old Testament book of Daniel. I am sure many of us grew up with the story of Daniel in the Lion’s Den and perhaps even know the story of Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego in Daniel chapter 3. This is where I want to point us to today; because although I started my blogpost talking about my faith, this is not where I want to end it.

For those who do not know the story here is a short summary: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were three Jewish men who were officials in the Babylonian government. When King Nebuchadnezzar ordered all the people to worship a golden statue or be thrown into a fiery furnace, the three men refused to bow down. Despite the threat of death, they remained faithful to their belief in the one true God. In fact their exact words, when challenged by King Nebuchadnezzar, were: “...our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” (Daniel 3:17-18)

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into the furnace, a furnace that was heated seven times hotter than it was usually heated. And what comes next is what made my heart leap when I read it. Daniel chapter 3 vs 24 and 25, in the New King James version, say:
“Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?”
They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.”
“Look!” he answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

I have read this story before and I always thought that the fourth being in the fire was an angel. It was only when I read these verses a few months ago, and compared different versions, that I read in the New King James and the King James versions the words: the fourth form is like the Son of God.

Let these words sink in for a bit. The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego took place 600 years before the birth of Christ and yet here the king sees one like the son of God, in the fire with the three men. Oh friends, let these words give us hope and joy and faith!

“A faith that can’t be tested, can’t be trusted”.

You see, often we think that when we have faith, we won’t end up in the fire in the first place. And sometimes God works with us like this. But not always. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s faith still got them thrown into the fire. God could have intervened beforehand, at any time, to prevent this. He could have stopped King Nebuchadnezzar from making the golden statue or from making the decree that everyone had to worship the image. But he didn’t. God could have blinded the eyes of the men who came forward to accuse the 3 Jewish men which resulted in them being brought before the king. But he didn’t. God could have changed King Nebuchadnezzar’s heart and mind and caused him to choose not to throw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the fire in the first place. An angel could have rescued them, an earthquake could have shaken the earth and caused the furnace to drop into an abyss. But none of this happened because a faith that can’t be tested, can’t be trusted. And so instead of rescuing Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego out of the furnace, their faith was fully tested. BUT GOD sent Jesus to stand in the fire with them. There were not three men in the furnace that day, there were four! Jesus was in the fire too.

The singer TobyMac from DC Talk, asks us: Do you suppose that the same God that stood in the furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego is not also standing with you? Your furnace may look different than theirs, but the one alongside you has not changed.

The Krige family furnace looks different to each of yours. But Jesus has not changed. God could have taken us straight from March to April with a paid work opportunity for Sean. But he didn’t. God could have brought work along in May, June, July or August. But he didn’t. God could bring a work opportunity along in September. He hasn’t yet. But we are hopeful and we continue to hold to His goodness, kindness, faithfulness. Knowing that:

“A faith that can’t be tested, can’t be trusted”.

We can only know that our faith is true and real and solid, when it is tested. Sometimes this testing has to take place in a fire like for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, sometimes in deep waters like for Noah and Moses, and sometimes like Daniel, our faith needs to be tested in a den of lions.

But take heart dear friends, because however and wherever this testing takes place for you or I, Jesus is there! He is in the fire, he is in the water, he is in the lion’s den right alongside us.

There is a song that puts so much of what I have shared into words. The song is called Another in the Fire. I pray that whichever furnace you currently find yourself in, you will listen to it, let the words wash over you, let the truth of them go deep into your hearts and rejoice in the truth that you are never ever alone: 

There was another in the fire

Standing next to me

There was another in the waters

Holding back the seas

And should I ever need reminding

Of how I’ve been set free

There is a cross that bears the burden

Where another died for me.

Ready, Steady, Wait!?!?!

6 months down the 2024 line, and things aren't quite as I'd imagined... This time last year I had just taken up a 12 month contract with a Canadian benefactor, with a vision for a Kingdom (church) growth and community development project. In summary, my sweetspot! In reality, a part time vegetable packshed site manager, in Marikana, North West province! 

Make no mistake however, I was provided with an amazing opportunity to learn a whole lot more about an industry that has always inspired but perplexed me... Farming. Furthermore, I was able to continue exploring and investing in something very close to my heart... Being the mentorship, leadership and discipleship (through sports and camping) of youngsters.

Anyway, this contract finished 3 months ago, but provided me with enough insight, and a brand new and grounded vision, for what impactful and sustainable farming, education and discipleship can look like. And so once again, I was presented with an opportunity to review and reevaluate my vision, skills, and opportunities matrix, through Kingdomship...

In so doing, I recrafted a vision of an organisation I'd love to grow and run (it already exists in part), and shared it with my small network of potential partners and investors. Fast forward to today, and I'm writing this post while away celebrating 17 years of glorious (good, bad & ugly) marriage to my darling Dannean. But still no investment (or salary)!

Fortunately however, one of many lessons marriage has taught us, is that it's far more helpful to laugh in the face of fear than cry, and we can do this bravely, mainly because it's not our first white knuckle finances rodeo, and also because we have come to know a perfect love that casts out all fear (of finances) (1 John 4:18)... And just to prove it, in the middle of this work drought of mine, by faith 6 weeks ago, I planned a roadtrip for Tristan to celebrate his 13th birthday (as a rite of passage to manhood), and a 17th wedding anniversary getaway (to the Pilansberg gamepark).

And so how funny and ironic was it, when I took these photos last week, of an almost flat broke dad and husband, fly fishing in Dulstroom and big 5 game spotting in Kruger, not to mention drinking champagne (thanks mom!) with his gorgeous wife! And all this because, there's always money when we need it by faith, but rarely money when we want it for fear!

Or said another way, our Heavenly Father loves us too much to give us everything we want, when we want it... But instead gives us everything we need - in faith - when we need it! The difference is as subtle as it is significant... And these photos, and my bank account, will testify to that!

Anyway, I'll try not to bore you with any more testimonies this past 6 months, other than this one... Which must be our little church turning 1 year old, and suddenly not being so little! Of course I look forward to sharing another big testimony on the job front in my next installation, which if all goes according to my plan, will definitely call for more champagne glasses and lots of belly laughter - in faith!