Category: Encouragement

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Lisa’s birth story

As I’m pondering how to write this story, the words in my head struggled to take shape. How can I put to words this experience? To give God all the glory without it turning into a book. In order to tell the testimony of birthing Lisa, I have to start at the beginning.

It began more than two years ago when God started talking to me about having another baby. He also gave me a vision of a child. I seriously doubted my capacity for five, at times I even convinced myself that I’m not hearing correctly. Then the dreams started of me being in labour and delivering my own baby. We joked that, should I fall pregnant on the road, it’s going to have to be an unassisted caravan delivery. I prayed that if a fifth child is what God has in store for us, to please prepare Tian’s heart as well, but God knows my husband’s heart better than I do. 

The vision of the child I had – God reminded me of this photo of my mother and then confirmed it through this prophetic painting given to me on Lisa’s baby blessing by Yolandi.

We found out we’re expecting in Hazyview and from get go I was in warfare. Holy spirit led me into serious prayer walks and there He stilled my heart with scripture: Exodus 14:14. The battle was His to fight, I could just rest in Him. Later it was confirmed through a friend. We did feel led to not share the news, mostly because of the warfare, but also because the world does not take kindly to big families and to avoid the conversation of not taking the medical route. It took time to strengthen our hearts for the journey ahead. It did come with a lot of persecution and fighting off fear that people spoke over us. For some background: in medical terms I’m considered high risk – I had two previous caesarian sections, I’m advanced maternal age and a grand multipara (five or more pregnancies). 

Despite the medical facts, we knew that God prompted us to do this in faith without medical assistance. In some circles this is called a free birth. The law has also recently been changed that no midwife is allowed to assist a mom with a previous caesarian section outside of a hospital setup.

During my pregnancy, I read this in a devotion that strengthened my heart: Everything that God tells us to do is for our benefit. This statement is a truth that we need to settle in our hearts and our minds. Everything that He tells us to do leads to victory if we stick with it. The testing of our faith, and allowing patience to work in our life, have their benefits. God is trying to help us grow! He wants us to be perfect and complete, lacking nothing! – And with this, I would also like to add that sharing my testimony is not to say this is how everyone should do it. My heart is to encourage brothers and sisters in Christ, that anything is possible with God and asking yourself: What is God prompting you to do in faith??

When we were in Kosi Bay I started bleeding. It was hard for me to take authority, but I prayed, surrendered and chose to put my trust in God. Tian felt not to go for a sonar and to trust God, but I felt I needed the reassurance. I layed it to rest for a while and first prayed about it. While we stayed with the Fouries, we covered the baby and pregnancy in prayer with the Mele family which really uplifted my spirit.

Now, I wish I could tell you once you choose God’s path that it is smooth sailing from there, but it is often quite the opposite. The enemy came at me hard. I would suspect that majority of women feel this way during pregnancy. It is a vulnerable time for any woman. 

Encouragement with scripture I put on the bathroom wall as part of warfare!

Only six weeks after the bleeding, I finally felt peace to go for a sonar and found out we’re expecting a little girl. Everything was perfect, with no indication where the bleeding came from . I was told to book with a gynae as soon as possible because of my age. I just calmly responded that I won’t receive any death spoken over me and my baby. 

God provided a home for us and I was led to prepare the property spiritually for the birth with spirit led prayers over a period of time.

The closer we came to the date of birth, the more anxious I became and doubt flooded me with thoughts like: “Will I really be able to do this?”

I was tempted to think it would be easier to opt out and have a caesarian section, but I knew it wasn’t an option. 

My body started to prepare for delivery and I had prodomal labour almost every day from 36 weeks. It was mentally and physically exhausting. During this time, God worked in me and dealt with a lot of fear and control. Complete surrender is what God desires. 

My dear friend Yolandi came and prayed over my growing tummy and anointed my scar – it was such a precious moment and we could feel the chains of fear fall off. The day before I went in labour, God revealed more anxieties in me and Tatiana and I could pray over it, bind it and the final release come.

I felt some contractions at the dinner table, but kept quiet to wait it out. Past eight that evening my eldest daughter, Nanke and I went for a stroll, I thought: “This might be it tonight!” We were swinging peacefully together when I said: “You’ll probably have a sister tonight.”

At ten I was hopping on the birth ball through contractions and by ten thirty Tian had a warm bath ready for me. My waters broke eleven thirty. I got out of the bath to try positions to help head decend and by now the pain was unbearable. A few contractions later, l got back into the bath, sitting up so that gravity can do the work and groaning through the pain.

I clearly heard Holy Spirit say: “Get out of bath now.”

I got a huge surge of contraction and melted into Tian and Nanke’s arms while bearing down. Lisa just gently slided into Tian’s hands, whilst the song “Praise” by Megan Tibbits was playing. Lisa was born 11 February at 00h57, weighing a whooping 3,7kg.

It was a sacred moment, where God showed up tangible. Thank you Abba for doing the impossible on a next level! 

I also invite you to read Ellie’s birth story here: https://elmidb.wixsite.com/cosmosinthewind/post/how-elllie-s-light-came-about

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De Beer update – God is doing something new.

It is so easy for our human nature to become complacent, that if we don’t allow Holy Spirit to lead, we can easily miss what God has planned for us. Despite how difficult it could be to the flesh – God gently leads us and patiently prepares our hearts.

Four years ago we were busy selling everything to go on the road. We looked liked loons to most people. Yes, it was painful letting go! Our old way of living in a home had to die for a new caravan life to start. Leaving, with our youngest being only two months old, into the unknown, I still don’t know how I did it, but Christ in me willing me. 

Not realising that a few years along the line, our caravan became my new complacency, God put us to the test again. Are we willing to give it up? So, prayerfully we gave our caravan to the Cronje family as a home. God providing for them even before they realised they had the need. Yes, I had to mourn, not only what was our home for the past three plus years, but also the journey. Guiding our kids emotions through these many changes was no easy task, I desperately needed God’s wisdom.

We left Kosi Bay with a rented trailer carrying our belongings, not knowing where to next or how. I was ready to sell the last bit we own and just go to Indonesia! But God said it is not the right time. When God finally started talking after a period of stripping and silence, we thought surely we must be hearing wrong!

Now, four years later God led us to buy a new home with the little we own. It seemed like an impossible task, but God provided everything we needed to start afresh. Or is it really afresh?

Maybe God wants to do something completely new and different! Something we can’t see clearly yet, but He requires the step of faith in obedience. To the world we might look like we failed, but in God’s eyes we’re exactly where He wants us – at His feet…

And how great is God to confirm what He is doing in the spirit, by also manifesting it in flesh! As we enter this new uncertain season of birthing something new in our hearts and lives, we’re also awaiting the birth of our new baby girl.  God is good all the time. He is in control. We welcome little Lisa into our Bear home, we are convinced she will complete our family and bring something special to God’s kingdom on earth. It might not look like how we imagined it to be, but we know that what God has in store is so much better than what we ever dreamed it could be.

We bless you dear reader with the encouragement and boldness to take the leap of faith for Christ Jesus. Say yes to his plans and you’ll be blown away, despite hardships. 

Photo credit cover photo: inlynillustrasies (inlyn.co.za)

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Cronje family update – Clearing weeds

Dear friends and family

What is life? Jesus is the giver of it, so therefore what we do here on earth must surely come from Him, and if we zoom out – out of our daily routines, struggles, goals, heartache, pain and discomforts and look at ourselves through His eyes, I think we will realize all that really matters is what you’ve spent your life doing and not all the “in betweens”. Are you allowing Him to shepherd your life? 

We want to encourage you to look at your life and to persevere and run the race set before you.

In this last few months, our lives have really changed in so many ways, and we have been faced with so much pruning and it is such a beautiful journey…yes indeed the times that we are in can be pressing and even very difficult for everyone that strive after righteousness and wanting to stay on the narrow path, BUT remember the word says “But the one who endures and bears up [under suffering] to the end will be saved”. Our King is coming back and our reward is Jesus Christ. What an amazing Day to look forward to. 

Clearing the weeds/bush often needs to be cleared several times, and if not cleared then the bush simply takes over again. BUT as we pull out the weeds it sometimes just so happens that we find a tomato plant or a beautiful flower that sprang up in between the weeds and so is our walk with Christ. There are many things that the Lord takes us through in life however if He doesn’t take out the weeds in our lives it can destroy our growth. Yes our hands and feet look terrible, however it’s trained and much stronger. Just like this, things might not look good on the outside, or in some cases you do look great on the outside or on a piece of paper, however that is not what Jesus is interested in (Matthew 23:25) what matters is a repented heart, a seeking heart, a heart of flesh and not stone.

The fruit that we want to see at the moment might not be as we would like it to be, BUT He has spoken to us to build something for His Kingdom that we might only see more fruit a lot later. BUT we need to hold on to what He said, we need to hold firm unto Jesus Christ and persevere.

There are many bad things happening in the world right now BUT if we focus on that we loose sight of our reward – Jesus Christ.

Matthew 13:24-30 – Jesus will seperate the weeds from the wheat. 

We are so thankful for brothers and sisters that came to stay at the Base and can truly see how Jesus is doing a work in His body. They will also be staying whilst we make our way to Gauteng for a short while.

If you want to reach out to us please contact us.

Lots of love

Cronje family

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Intrepid

“So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” 2 Corinthians 4:16

What makes me endure difficulties for Christ is the fact that one day I will be with the Father and glorify him, and there will be no more pain, suffering, or persecution I have but this moment to love him through my affliction.

Is this not the example of Jesus? How he died for us. Is this not the way we must live? Yes, this is the way we must live; our standard must be Jesus – He is our measuring stick.

It’s very important to focus on the love Jesus has for us. My dear friends, I want you to remember how his love was shown. It was shown through the cross he endured but also by his very life. How much more precious is that love that he was crucified? Would we have seen His love for us if he did not show it in his full?

How is this practically shown? It means we sit on the floor and give another the best seat. It’s easy to give it to your child whom you love but what about a stranger, what about a dirty homeless man? Our flesh must not be the decision maker but the spirit.

Our flesh wants to fix what has been broken for years. When confronted with a homeless man, I had to repent and humble myself, seeing myself as low and having no answer but Jesus. And amid this, God speaks to my heart and tells me: “You think of yourself very highly.” It’s hard to even touch such a man because he is so dirty, but he does not know it, he does not see it, and it has never been thought to him. It’s hard on your flesh, but Jesus comes, and you love a man like this. When you start working with the homeless man, what is the first thing you want to give him? A bucket and water? My friends, this is the condition of our lives; we want to clean the outside, making it look beautiful, but we are so filthy inwardly. What would this profit his soul? First, we want to give him Jesus. Let him be born again, teach him how to love God, and restore his relationship with Jesus. Everything else is secondary.

“But I consider my own life of no importance to me whatsoever, as long as I can finish the course ahead of me, the task I received from the Lord Yeshua — to declare in depth the Good News of God’s love and kindness”.

Let us be like an intrepid fireman, running into the fire to restore the lost to their Creator. Let us not waste time in the elementary and outward parts of the flesh but let us reach deep into the hearts of man with the double-edged sword.

Thanks Charlene Du Preez

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Fruit of “our?” labour.

One challenging thing Jesus revealed to me before embarking on this journey is that we need to be content, labouring for Him our whole lives without seeing any fruit. That is speaking of the harvest coming in and not the fruit of the spirit. Some of His disciples may spend their entire life sowing seeds and others watering, just for some evangelist to come in and take all the credit. If this seems discouraging, we need to realign our focus since we should find joy in Jesus and not in our works, which are filthy rags to the Father. Besides, God’s goodness draws a man to repentance, not the fiery teaching of an evangelist or the clever words of a pastor. So, who can take credit for any fruit? I’m not saying we shouldn’t rejoice with Jesus when someone comes to repentance. In the parable of the prodigal son, we see the father invite all his friends and family to celebrate the return of his son. But, we need to have joy in Jesus, regardless of the fruit.

We have certainly been on both sides of this scale, where we’ve laboured for months without seeing any fruit, and yes, we do feel discouraged and sometimes even feel like giving up. But then we feast our eyes on Jesus, dust ourselves off, and we press on with renewed hope and joy. And by the grace of God, we get to a place like West Bank, East London, where we are privileged to reap with Pastor Danny, who has been man alone sowing and watering in Lighthouse ministries for the last 2 years.

On 10 December 2022, we arrived in West Bank with the Cronje family and set up camp. Each of us: Henri, Yolandi, Bradly, Elmi and I shared our testimony in church the next day. By the evening, three families already wanted to be baptized. The next day after explaining the Gospel, true repentance and the cost of discipleship, two of the three families were born again in the baptism of water and the Holy Spirit. The following week Tjaart, Charlene, Stephan, Rolene and Marc arrived and shared their testimonies in church, after which the father of the other family where baptized, and another family followed a week later.

Ever since, we’ve been discipling them, and it’s with great excitement that we watch as the Holy Spirit works in their lives, convicting them of sin, challenging them to the great commission and giving them baldness to stand firm among their families and friends.

My conclusion, then, is that if God’s goodness draws a man to repentance, God’s grace allows us to see fruit. For we are merely His humble servants, we have only done our duty.

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A call to awaken


With a heavy heart, I’m reporting that the enemy is very active. People are being deceived, thus causing people to forsake the Faith or compromise on Godly living. We experienced things that you would think only existed in movies. People are practising witchcraft, ancestral worship and just plain weird beliefs.

When we want to share Jesus, some people argue that everyone who talks about Jesus, only wants money. There are so many churches, some in backyards, it’s hard to keep count, but where are the life and the fruit? Word got out that “church” is the new money-making scheme. We are evangelising against a false Jesus.

People are hurting. Many are in chains without knowledge of freedom. Others roam in their good works. Elsewhere people are drowning in religion. While others blatantly reject Jesus. Who will go?

The spiritual battle is real. Demonic forces hit hard! We, as light bearers, are sometimes ignorant about the weapons Jesus equipped us with and how to utilize them! But it is in the going that we get schooled. We often feel that we must do more to show people the living Jesus, but not sure what that practically looks like. Then God lovingly reminds us to let the Holy Spirit take the lead in every song we dance to. We have a heart-cry desire to see the body of Christ connect everywhere we go, but most hearts are so hardened.

I want to address the elephant in the room! Where are the intercessors? Where are the elders to lead and teach the young? Are there any gatekeepers and guards on the walls? Who is concerning them about the widows and orphans? It is evident in every town where the intercessors pray that the effect of darkness is much less. We want to challenge you, the reader, to ask the difficult questions and not just accept something as absolute truth or falsehood. Ask God where in the body you should function and how. There is no time to waste; we need to be awake and alert – We are all on the battlefield- are you going to engage or turn a blind eye?

Let us be concerned about treasures in heaven and not on earth where moths and thieves destroy it. Let us be Kingdom-minded and not tossed around by worldly concerns. Let us live a life of faith, where two fish and five loaves of bread fed the multitude!

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Bradley’s answer to the call

If someone had asked me five years ago where I would be today, my answer would have never pointed in the direction of being a disciple of Jesus Christ. However, I was celebrating my birthday in March at a Kickstart event (organised by believers whom I had often joined on Thursday evenings for fellowship) to become active members of preaching the gospel.
Fast forward to the 4th of June, everything changed from going to a day job to working for the Kingdom of God full time. Just as the disciples dropped their nets after deciding to join Christ in becoming fishers of men, Jesus also called me to do likewise by stepping up and actively following Him.

How it all happened
Arriving home from the Kickstart, I received the unpleasant news that I was no longer allowed to live there. Management had evicted me for attending the Kickstart seminar.

Monday after I got evicted, Tian called me to ask if I could meet him and Elmi. He then asked me if I could join him and his family on a journey to become fishers of men. In the first instance, the offer humbled me, and I felt it was the right thing to do. So Tian suggested that we pray for God to reveal the way forward. I had already made up my mind, but the events that followed showed me that the Lord has a way of sending messages to his children that only they can understand.
I had a dream later that night, and in this dream, I was at a caravan park. At the caravan park, I found myself accompanied by a man called Jean Pierre who had nominated me as best man at his wedding last year. In that same dream, I decided to ask him why God was not allowing me to go with Tian on this journey. To my surprise, he just stood in silence without a word. After leaving the scene, approaching the end of my dream Tian and Elmi appeared, and Elmi was in the middle of showing me a verse in the Bible she was reading when suddenly I woke up. At that point, my conclusion was to wait until I received confirmation, and I was at peace with whatever the outcome.
Later the next day, I talked to Tian about the dream. Tian said the last thing Elmi read was Hebrews 12, verses 1 to 3. I mentioned that it was not yet time to go and that I should wait, at least for now. About two weeks passed, and while I was reading through my WhatsApp messages on my phone (a habit I usually did after work), I read through the last article on this blog. After going through the article, it made sense to me that even in silence, God speaks. All the events around me were asking me to go, from the books I read to the movie (Mountain top) I watched and now this article. It was there at that moment that I heard His voice calling out.
My purpose is to be on the mission field fighting for the Kingdom of God, yet here I was fighting to build another man’s kingdom. It was time I took up my cross and followed Jesus. So, I decided to call Tian and tell him that I was coming with him and his family. He gladly accepted, and then our preparations began.
After reading Radical by David Platt, which Tian was listening to in his car one day, I got the conviction that God called me a long time ago to be a fisher of men. For the more significant part of my life, up to that point, I was trapped in a comfort zone. All the signs were so clear, yet my mind still stood in doubt. I thank God I took up that call because the word states that a man without faith will find it difficult to please God.

Putting it all into action
So after travelling to Bela Bela for a two-week stay, I realised my place was in the Kingdom of God all along. Leaving a comfort zone into the unknown was challenging, yet I felt the joy of working for my Creator. I am content with what the Lord has given me. I appreciated the way Rudi and Riesie opened their home for us. For me, that was a turning point because it was an act of obedience. I have managed to preach the gospel to several people in Bela Bela, and I thank God for planting seeds in the hearts of those who heard the good news.
At the time of writing this article, we have relocated to Hazyview. The atmosphere here is a breath of fresh air, and I believe the Holy Spirit will guide us in the direction we must go. I hope that those who have the opportunity to read this article will be encouraged by my testimony so far. The harvest is plenty, yet few of us are willing to labour in the field. So I encourage readers to be obedient to God’s word.
May the peace of the Lord be with you.

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Pick up your cross and follow Jesus

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ Jesus the Messiah, we’d like to impart some encouragement. We sincerely hoped to see all of you on our recent visit to Joburg and impart this encouragement in person, but time eluded us, and we had to move on to our next destination.

We would, however, still like to encourage you to follow Jesus with your whole heart.

The Americans have a saying, “Lean into it,” meaning that when it gives, there’s nothing to keep you from falling. Lean into Jesus, He promises never to let us down, but we have to let go of the world. We cannot hold on to the world and follow Jesus. “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” James 4:4. “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life -comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” 1 John 2:15-17. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Romans 12:2. Jesus said: “And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” Luke 14:27 and “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62. We shouldn’t even look back at our old life in this world.

As we’ve said to all of you: Trials, suffering, and even persecution of various kinds will come. Jesus made this clear, and we can certainly attest to that this month. It’s easy when things get tough to long back to the false sense of comfort we had in the world. Peter said that the trials and suffering come to test the genuineness of our faith. Like the seed that fell on the rocky ground, many fall away because of this persecution or trouble. But we want to encourage you to keep heart, for we know that the reward for following Him is far greater than the troubles we’ll face in this life. Jesus will perfect every good thing that He started in you, so continue to seek Him and His kingdom before all else. He has given us everything we need to live a Godly life and is even able to keep us even from stumbling.

“We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord, and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of His holy people in the kingdom of light.” Colossians 1:9-12.

May this come as a great encouragement to all of you, especially Bradley, Sussa, Simone, Adele, Cindy and Hendrik, Bernice, Rudi and Mericia, Roelof and Ronel, Tina, Goodman, Kholofelo, and all our other brothers and sisters in fellowship with Jesus.

Keep your eyes on Jesus; He’s worthy of it all.
Tian, Elmi and the Kids

PS: Henri and Yolandi send their greeting to all of you as well.