It’s been a while since my last blog. Many things have happened. Another year behind us – many lost friends and family; jobs and savings. And yet, God said that I need to expect the unexpected. I must not get discouraged – Satan’s stock in trade. No, I must not give up but look up and expect the unexpected…while being strong and courageous, keeping my life free from the love of money and be content with what I have (Hebrews 13:5+6.) (Oh ’God help me to be content with what I have!)   

As I think about the unexpected incidences in my life I, I realised that we cannot put God in a box. He will not act in the way we expect, we have to expect the unexpected.

• I asked God for help with the vision He gave me – and 6 years later He sent me a 75 year old retired, ex-principal (Dr Morag Clark) from a school for the deaf in England to help. Today Eduplex is a model for inclusive education internationally – thanks to God’s provision and Morag’s help.
• I asked God for help with developing the donated 9.4 hectare sportsgrounds – and He sent a 8 year old girl with R100.  A year later He multiplied the R100, given in faith, one-hundred-and-forty-thousand times to R14 million – enough seed money to start the project.
• I asked God about the future of our country and He said – forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing! Don’t you see it? It has already begun. (Isaiah 43:18+19)
• For years I have been asking God for the sale of our Sandton properties (at the time a good deal but it was not a God deal!) – and God is teaching me patience (a virtue I am sadly lacking.)
• I asked God for financial help for all the Eduplex parents that are struggling to pay their children’s school fees – and He worked in the heart of a 92 year old friend in Greece as well as a number of wonderful Swiss friends to raise millions for Eduplex – without me having to ask them for one cent. God working in the hearts of kings (Proverbs 21:1) The funds enabled us to help parents that were under financial stress during Covid.
• Last year in the middle of the second wave of Covid I asked God for guidance on a property (“a most unfavourable time Lord but I am just asking, I know you are going to say NO!”) and He said “buy the field for yourself” (Jeremiah 32:8-9) – and construction has started.

I realised I must not cry in the ear of man, but make my request known to God (just as George Müller did when he built the orphanages in England.) The one thing I need today, is to spend more time with Jesus and in His Word, make my requests known to Him and then wait for the answer. It takes discipline to spend time with Him and even more discipline to wait for His answer! I have to go to bed early and rise early to meet with my Friend, a sacrifice worth making to build a solid relationship with the Creator of the Universe! This communication strengthens me and prepares me for whatever lies head and God will open unexpected doors – in His time – and as He has done on numerous occasions over the years. All I have to do is come expectantly, pray, trust, read His Word and then be obedient to His guidance and not turn away in fear – and do what he told me to do! Sometimes I have to also forget the former things, I have to forgive, and I have to wait for God’s timing because he is never early and never late. I have to expect, the unexpected.

Come my friend, join me every day in seeking the Lord earnestly in the days to come. Let you and I not walk in fear but be strong and very courageous and hold on to God’s promise that He will never leave us or forsake us! (Joshua 1:5-10)

Strength is found not in business and noise, but in quietness.

Streams in the Desert Dec 4^th.

Thank you for all your comments and encouragement over the years – it really means a lot to me. May you have a wonderful, Christ filled Christmas and may the love of Christ protect and hold you and your loved ones throughout the New Year.