It was an interesting year. A roller-coaster year to say the least. A year in which our family experienced God’s grace and love in a very special way … with many lessons learnt.

The trouble the Holy Spirit went to during my solo visit to the farm. Encouraging me from the Book of Ezra to persevere and not give up. Guiding me to appoint an astute person to assist us in our company and thereby ease the burden of senior management.

Reminding me three days later that I should persevere even if the journey feels too hard or too slow by sending three tortoises across my path – one small, one medium-sized and one large – and then reading in my quiet time the day after that “… the voice of the turtle will be heard in our land” (Song of Solomon 2:12b). And then, after searching for 12 years, I finally saw the neighbours’ two rhino’s. Years of perseverance finally payed off – the only thing I had to do was NOT give up.

However, the number of friends around me that are seriously ill seemed to be on the increase. Never have I spent so much time praying for the sick, and begging Jesus for their healing. And He answered these pleas, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

And I also started realising that great character is built not on the good things in life, but on suffering (Streams in the Desert, 2 December) … and walking uprightly in the process, as well as persevering in integrity, no matter what! We may be thought fools by fools if we are firm in our integrity, but in the place where judgement is infallible we shall be approved. (CH Spurgeon)

Come my friend, let us persevere and walk uprightly into 2019, not flailing, but looking up with our eyes fixed on our Saviour, Jesus Christ our King, who’s ear is never too deaf to hear, nor his arm too short to help, while making the impossible, possible.

Thank you for journeying with me over the past year. Thank you for your encouragement and comments on my blogs and by mail. These have been much appreciated.

May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you over this Christmas period and throughout 2019 – while we remember that His grace is sufficient for you and me.