courage to be

You dont get taught these skills in school

With Mawande laying down his landscaping shovel, to pick up his trusty neon highlighter for the 2018-10 SBC year, alas our household is back to the fall schedule around here. Ive been blessed with one more cleaning job, to add to my cutting hair and nannying, and ministry is in full flight again in our church. Sunday school team teaching with the ladies and a fiery Sunday morning prayer team commences again. And of course, the joy of our hearts, we begin meeting again with our Young Leaders!

With buttery fingers of salty popcorn, we took turns around our oval wooden table asking our Young Leaders Team what was their word for "the season" as we have resumed. "The season," referring to the current state of their souls right where they find themselves as we reconnect post summer. We didnt know if anyone would catch on to what we were asking, or would be willing to just go for it and trust one another with their current truth with no screen to hide behind.

Our summer "cabin" Home Sweet Home

We were awed at what our group of five bold young women shared. Words like waiting, break-through, tired, hungry,and more alive then ever surfaced with honest explanations that were raw, unpolished and simply beautiful in their vulnerable exposure. Courage was my word as I witnessed theirs. Only good things are sure to come from kick offs like that.

Our Fiereless Bunch of Young Leaders 2018

Again last night we had a cheesy spaghetti squashy comfort dinner together in our small group program called Housefires, named this as we meet in one another's homes seeking the presence of one another and the Holy Spirit. And presence was to be found indeed as the forks slowed their scooping and deeply hurting hearts surfaced when we shared about our week. These brave weak ones were met with caring ears and the strength of the Body of Christ came alive, worthwhile was their risk for possible ridicule or judgement. They found themselves safer then before within themselves, they found themselves found in the Presence.

Praise and prayer report time at our church this past Sunday featured my Sister in Law standing up to report she was falling down hard with helpless hands in her parenting role. My brother up at the front gathering requests to pray for, with his daughter whom had crawled up into his hands, helplessly started weeping himself confirming the words of his wife through his own tears. And the church gathered around and cried out together to our Perfect Father to Father these ones this day. Afterward, more tears from more broken parents could no longer be kept from the Body, more prayer, more binding together in this mysterious word that overrides the safety of blood relationships-fellowship. Honest communion of the Saints, for better, for worse. Taking advantage finally of the strength that lies in the unity of the Bride, a supernatural gift that the world at large is so hungry for. "Bearing with one another in love..." Gal 4:2 indeed. 

"For God gave us a Spirit who produces not timidity, but power, love and self-discipline" so 2 Tim 1:7 says. 

The highlight of our summer season was not lovely lakes or homemade coconut ice creams or spur of the

Let the glory of family camping commence!

moment Moose Lake camp-outs, it was experiencing this truth-telling fellowship. Up until this season of trusting in our faith journeys for the things closest to our hearts, we have not tasted the goodness of being known, loved, and uplifted in prayer before the Father like this. With everyone down on their knees, foreheads on the floor, crying out for the Lifter of Our Heads to exhibit his loving kindness on behalf of one another, there is no room left to doubt that coming out into the light from the hiding spots of our hearts is LIFE ABUNDANT. We come out to Jesus himself in the process, feeling his hand on our back in the form of our brothers and sisters.

Our Fast family was together for more then one day for the first time in six years this August. Oh you can believe we torn up the Clear Lake streets with Hannah's shrieks of delight as the kids sat in front of the 8 passenger bikes warning all local traffic there was no safe place to hide on sidewalk or center street, we were a'coming! 
Upon arrival home and with our last day all in one house, We had an hour together in a heavenly garden, looking better then we knew we could, taking family photos. Truly a sublime moment we each savored as we dont know the next year this opportunity will come.

A common summer sight in our
backyard with friends from
down the street and as far as
Capetown!

But once again, by now no surprise, the one cool summer night we all packed on top of each other on those floral cabin couches and our own stories of great grief and current pain surfaced, marked the moment with greatest significance. A Father's affirmation like only a father can give, a brothers prayer like only a brother to brother can pray, a sister's hand grasped in another sister's hand; the Kingdom of God was there. The commanded blessing that comes only by united hearts flowed down upon us all as the night fell with our individual walls of safety. The boundaries we think we set for our own good, but end up only keep us bound and separate, perpetuating our cycles of anxiety and fear.

"For God gave us a Spirit who produces not timidity, but power, love and self discipline." Thanks again Timothy.

Watch the following link from a house church movement when you have a moment. We haven't seen a more hopeful documentary for us, the Church, ever. Dreams of our hearts alive in action.

https://youtu.be/2qheANo68eo

As we go into this this season of "God with us," our greatest prayer for ourselves, church and families, which are especially the most complex at times, is that we will take Francis Chan's, and really Holy Spirit's challenge to us, to believe in this great Spirit of Courage He has put inside of us, and be "with one another." May we allow him to identify within our darknesses, why do we stay hidden, what do we truely have to loose when others discover who we are down there. Perfectly ugly beautiful messes and stories of grace wait to be revealed in all of us. The Kingdom of God breaks through there in the glorious disaster of our hearts come undone, to be put back together hand in heart with one another.

Worship Joy with another Body in Winnipeg

Open up, let the Light in.

I dare you. I dare me.

What if we don't regret it at all?

Much love, The Manis

plates of contentment even if...

Celebrating my parents 40th wedding anniversay,
they inspire us great

You know, those scrambley times… you get held up in a country one day being told you are an undesirable immigrant and will be black listed if you try to leave, and then the next day you are told you will be imprisoned if you don’t go home within the fortnight? So you move your pillow from place to place, unsure of how long this will go on, unsure how much longer your spirit can hold its breath…

“Rejoice in the Lord always, AGAIN, I say rejoice!

And somehow just around the corner there are those un-scrambley times where its normal to sit on your own chair snugged up to your own wooden table typing away in the spring afternoon watching, from your own house, yellow school buses go by as they do every day at 3:30pm at the corner of Henry and Barkman? And you have your mom coming over tomorrow to help you plant your first real official veggie garden, because cousin Sid just finished seeding his fields, so it must be time to plant your own after the first couple spring rains…

“Rejoice in the Lord always, AGAIN, I say rejoice!

This is the blessed picture verse our dear Klassen friends gifted us at Christmas, now up on our own wall, in our own living room.  This is the verse that I keep looking at, asking the Spirit about its meanings and secrets.

Sit your sitter down on our couch any time!

Stability. What a privileged word. Mawande and I have been taking late evening walks in the big Steinbach city, learning the low german street names around our new hood. He’s just started a blessed full time summer job landscaping which is calling on a whole different set of muscles that writing school papers required. Thus a little stretch outside is just what the doctor is ordering post supper time. We still cant get over how we stroll along in the dark, never mind the safety of everyones BBQs! There they all rest innocently cooling down, untouched, unchained. Or, surely we can’t be the only ones looking slightly interested in the “garbage” people are putting out at the end of their driveways a whole day ahead of time? Mawande is pretty sure we are, “Charlene, leave that half alive bamboo plant at the top of the neighbors heap alone please!,” he will say. If people put there “garbage out” a whole night before back in Capetown, there might not be any left for the lonely rubbish truck the next morning but bits of tired banana peels and dry tea bags.

A real live african Landscaper
 Ladies and Gentlemen

I think my sister Marie Eve still leaves freshly baked muffins on top of her garbage can for her first  come first serve “shoppers” bless her heart.

And its so quiet!!! By 9:00 pm you wouldnt know if you are out on a tree stand in the mystery of Pansy or actually here in the middle of town, people are very punctual going to bed, and accordingly on point with supper times. In Capetown, the train is still taking a few more rounds of day workers, going home to have dinner by 10 as transportation cant ever be relied upon for most. But here, if students aren’t taking those yellow buses, that means they jump into 1 of 100 SUV’s taxing in by super moms, one after the next, as the next extra-curicular activity is about to begin.

A beautiful stable land of plenty, not to feel guilty about please! Many people have asked us the question, “don’t you think we are so spoiled over here,” as if this land of blessing is a thing to feel bad about. Certainly not! REJOICE! It’s a beautiful thing to see children running free on the sidewalks, healthy, happy and safe. We serve a God of abundance afterall who loves giving good gifts to his children. We celebrate a world like this actually exists still, when so many couldn’t believe it is any more real than white picket fenced scenes on the Hollywood screens. It is as life giving to be here as green buds bursting forth from our seemingly dried up looking lilac bushes all winter long. Oh our God of green Hope indeed is ALIVE!

"Let it grow let it grow let it grow..."

But there, that word gifts, is the key we are trying to secure around the ring. For a gift giver to only recieve guilty gratititude from their beloved, doesn’t exactly honor the giver. But to be “full of cheer” and bless the Lord at ALL times, in all circumstances, this is the little we can actually give back to Him, in times of little and times of much. I vowed the same thing to Mawande on our wedding day, that I would stay by his side, gratefully, when life is shinny or dull, surely God our Father deserves the same.

So today, if you took a look inside our freezer its stocked to the ceiling with meat, and a flashy BBQ awaits outside to cook it up, all gifts from beautiful friends. So we must, dare I say how dare we not do a holy dance lifting up our hands before our God giving thanks and enjoy that steak with Him, come Lord Jesus be our Guest.

And then, the stickler:

            Even if the fig tree doesn’t blossom and no fruit is on the vines,

            Even if the olive tree fails to produce, and the fields yield no food at all,

Even if the sheep vanish from the sheep pen, and there are no cows in the stalls:

Still I WILL REJOICE IN ADONAI, I WILL TAKE JOY IN THE GOD OF MY SALVATION.

ELOHIM ADONAI IS MY STRENGTH! HE MAKES ME SWIFT AND SURE-FOOTED AS A DEER AND ENABLES ME TO STRIDE OVER MY HIGH PLACES.

Or in more familiar terms…

Even if our support and jobs fall through and there was no other back pocket accounts for paying the mortgage

Even if children don’t come and our house stays quiet

Even if I have to say goodbye to my first veggie patch planted with mom and fenced in by dad, when God calls us to move on again:

The cry of our hearts is that STILL we will rejoice.

Hannah in the bible was given the long awaited gift of a child, but then gave Samuel back to serve the Lord at the temple, only seeing him once a year after he was weaned. Yes her prayer had been answered and she was given this gift, but had learnt to hold it with an open hand. Truly, her joy was in her God, whom she came to know as trustworthy, regardless of circumstance. So she could truly write, with her arms empty once again after saying goodbye to her son year after year, “I can gloat over my enemies because of my joy at Your saving me. (1 Sam 2:1)

So our current prayer these days,

Jesus be our greatest desire, greatest joy, greatest treasure. Make our feet fitted by fire and trials to walk up and over the mountains that seem too steep for us, fears to deep for us to see the bridge of faith just under our feet.

So if you are in the scrambled time, call on a brother or sister to walk with, listen to the sound of their worship when your hands dont have the strength. He promises he will turn your mourning into joy, ask Him to help you trust him explicitly now.

 And if your in a yellow school bus kinda freezer full time, hold nothing back, share your bread and do an undignified dance like David for He has done great things.

Home is a beautiful place to be these days, we are lapping up time spent with each one. Waking up in this house is a miracle every morning.

Young Leaders pulled pork bbq at the Manis rez

News on the ministry front is we are teaming up with a few others to seek Jesus together during the weekdays in one another’s homes. Join us if your in this continent, House Fires is the name.  The Young Leaders group is only a joy and privilege to be a part of, we cant believe a year has almost come and gone! We’ve grown in love, truth and fellowship with each other and the Holy Spirit. What could be better? We have expanded our leadership team with another 6 Young Leaders, which we are so excited to watch flourish this next year with their beautiful gifts and creativity in service for the kingdom of God around us. Our Sunday morning prayer hour hasn’t grown in numbers, just in depth and freedom to cry out to our Father together on behalf of our families, church, community and the global church. Prayer is such a gift for us, Jesus matching our hearts with his as we present ourselves to him as we are.

Sunday school snuggles with
My besties baby boy

As mentioned Mawande is landscaping and loving it! Ive only gone by to spy on him twice…in the first week.

Rejoice in the Lord with us, He is so kind.

Sunshine here we come!

PS. Ive been thinking if heaven has leaves on trees 12 months of the year, unless they are pine needles, which I Doubt, that means obviously its only summer always and forever as it should be amen?!!

Love

The Manis

The Gift of Another

Tis the season to be cozy

Good Afternoon as they say!

Merry snow has long been drifting, Christmas glitz has come and been tidied up, Semester two is off to the races before we can say giddy up!
Before we jump on that horse, lets just step back a moment recount all the goodness of the Lord in these past few months.

Mawande has joined me with 'The Loft' ministry (Taking care of people and their basic needs within our local community) at our Church on Wednesdays, and we continue to be amazed at the stories of provision and courage our patrons walk up those stairs carrying in hand.
Having a cup of coffee with these dear folk re-adjusts my heart to the things that really matter in the Kingdom constantly. They continue to teach me much about simplicity and pure, raw faith in spite of everything that rails against the human soul in this life.

Our Family we have been staying with and loving dearly!

We had the annual Christmas banquet setting up for the most people ever to join, about 75, and wow what a celebration it was. A high lite of the evening for most was an open mic sharing slot where anyone could speak about what Christmas meant for them. I'm pretty sure there wasn't a dry eye in the room as it finished.

One of the most remarkable stories was shared by a mama of a large family who reminisced about a time when she had scraped together the last dollars to manage to purchase everyone in the family one Christmas gift. Well, what do you know, on Christmas Eve upon arriving back home, they discovered of what simple gifts had been under the tree, a thief had come and stolen every last drop of festive joy Mama had worked so very hard for. They gathered around as a family and decided they knew better then to cry, but to create homemade gifts out of whatever they had left to exchange. She shared that it was the most meaningful Christmas they ever had, and made a new family tradition to only make gifts for one another to remind themselves of what is truly important, the gift of each another from that year on.

'The Loft' Christmas baking donations 

On another church note, new prayer fires are being stoked at our Church as we have started to meet together every Sunday morning, believing God has called us to invest more time into prayer as a Body, His House Shall be called a House of Prayer indeed. As we know many of our members are faithful prayer warriors, we believe that the more the saints can gather together to pray, aiming our arrows together at one target, by faith we will see more of heaven established in our lives, communities and the Global Church at large. All major revivals around the world began with people taking seriously this call to pray, so here we go! A few families and kids sometimes have come, "do not despise small beginnings" has been our moto! Come watch and wait for the Lord on our knees and become the faithful Bride our Lord is coming back for soon!

And last on ministry news, College and Career aka Young Leaders is also going well, we have some really exciting new ideas for outreach and ways to bless the body and become better connected within its multi-generations. We long for these highly favored, gifted and brave young people to grow into the fullness of their call and not an inch less! So far we have had an average of 15 folks come with much enthusiasm and willingness to give of themselves however they can, what a joy they have already been to us.

Christmas banqueting with beloved friends at SBC

And, as I mentioned Mawande has begun school again, pray for his focus, and I have actually gotten another job besides house cleaning and cutting hair, also now Nannying for a local family. Please pray for this family as there are some major health issues that need the healing power of God to intervene.

I know this is getting pretty lengthy, but too lengthy to mention GOD HAS BLESSED US WITH A HOME OF OUR OWN?! For the same price as we would be paying for rent in Steinbach, 10 min walk from Mawande's school, a little white home labeled cozy and quaint on the real estate ad, now has MANI on the property title! Literally an hour before walking in to talk to the bank about the possibilities of purchasing, a combination of generous support came into our account that secured the amount needed EXACTLY for the down payment required!!!

Can I get an amen anyone out there?! We are crying at his Faithfulness once again.

After 15 years of asking Landlords about every pinhole I pin, I CAN PAINT MY WALLS PEACH IF I SO JOLLY PLEASE! We have a home of our own, something I only dreamt of from afar, never believing even I could be so blessed.

Until we get possession of  the real one, this photo will have to do!

This gracious little white gift is one that we must hold with an open hand from day one, please pray that its doors welcome whomever He has in mind.

I deeply encourage you today, those prayers you have prayed, and then given up on praying, start praying about them again, our Father truly truly knows the desires of our hearts like I continually cant believe. Send us an email, we would love to join with you in those prayers as well.

Surly Goodness and Mercy shall follow us all the days of our life and we will dwell in the House of God forever...

Mi Casa, Tu Casa,

The Manis