Perfection was so last life...

Its October, that means November traditionally come next…

Nifty!

Nifty Non-Mov November please my brothers for the sake of the pretty wedding photos?

Now where were we…

For those of you whom graced us with your presence this August at our Canadian engagement party, sheer gratitude for you, stunning day! Amid set up in full fledge thunderstorms leaving me a touch, ok fully frenzied for a moment, the celebration air as guest after guest arrived was so full of joy and life! 100% humidity, 100% saturation of the my most favorite people and beyond blessings!

We photoed, we lawn bowled, we ate waffles til’ the belts breaking point, we hymn sang to make grandma proud. We reminisced and dreamt of our future full of excitement with each one who came. We laughed, my mom and I cried….thats what we do! Old friends since knee high, new special someones and tiny babies to honor us with their appearance. Dear ones coming from near and far in the middle of harvest season couldn’t have shown us more support.

Honestly, our prayer was for our Father to host each one with such welcomeness, peace, and

awareness of his lovely presence in the house…and so it was! Dear friends and cousins pitched in to make this far more meaningful and beautiful than we could have dreamt. Truly we couldn’t have felt more beloved. Thank you to those who were there both physically, and in heart for those who weren’t able to attend. It left me feeling prepared to move into this next significant step of marriage as I now have the blessing of my community first hand behind me, on board believing in me and us.

And as the last left over crepe had to be rolled and the white sauce crock pot soaked dry, our hearts and luggage were marked oversized and heavily loved from Winnipeg to Capetown… touchdown.

Its been a whirlwind since, Mawande working over time at Hope Africa, marriage counseling on the double, my schedule full of ministry and wedding preparation before I turn the weekly page over it seems.

Concerning specifically the counseling, it has brought out deep issues in our relationship that have taken more work than we bargained. We have allowed ourselves to take a long look square on in the mirror without quickly flinching away when it’s gotten uncomfortable. It has forced us to ask Jesus for a whole new level of receiving and giving grace, for both ourselves and each other that we are pretty sure most couples in their first few years seem to require.  Real life stuff that has left us no choice but to fall at Christ’s feet for help, as no one can truly heal hearts and lives and minds but Him. Our counselors have been working over time for us, and I am so incredibly proud of both Mawande and I for staying on the same team and fighting for us when things have gotten pretty dark.  I’m proud of us for remaining in a humble position of need and prayer, when one just doesn’t know the way forward, without opting for short cuts to pretend for a while for the sake of pride.

We really believe that if God chooses to put two such different lives together and make it beautiful in all its imperfection, he can tie back together just about anything and any relationship. He’s an expert in this fixing the seemingly impossible thing, He really can do anything.

A wedding present we received from one of our supporters in Canada was a clay mug, one of the first ones she had hand crafted. She told us she was embarrassed to give it to us because it was so imperfect, but felt God told her she still should. So on the day we were leaving, she showed back up at our door, handed us this humble gift of mud and water and waved goodbye.  Little did she know, this gift has been a daily

reminder of how God is not actually looking for perfection from us. This cup has spoken significantly into our relationship and how to view ourselves the way He views us. He is looking for our love. He is not expecting what we cannot be and then blaming us for our down falls. He wants to take all of our humble begins and warm them in his hands and shape them using his power, his love, messaging all the fearful bumps out in the gentlest process. We are then truly the work of his hands, his efforts, his grace. None of our own, the pressure is off. Imperfection is so in!!!!! Its where his beauty is most magnified! All he asks is that we let the artist do His best work, with great joy he goes about you for that matter!

What a relief he alone is “the One who is able to keep you from falling and to make you stand joyful and faultless in his glorious presence (Jude 1:24).”

So thankyou to those who have been supporting in prayer knowingly and unknowingly of our struggles, we are overcoming, we are getting stronger. We will celebrate a great victory on November 28^th, but for the grace of God. Ohhhh joy shall have her dance that day loud and every so much lovelier than we could have understood.  It will be a sight to behold what God has done and is doing.

 Our God reigns.

And so the first of my beautiful family arrives in ten days to get the dance going!!! Plans for auntie sleepovers in our new little apartment are in high order!  Did I mention our new apartment what?!! Yes we share a yard with a stunning older couple, married for 40 years! They are beautiful and generous and hospitable and kind! They were praying for just the right people to come share their property, and we were praying for a simple quiet space where we could safely build our first little nest together. In everyway and more were both prayers answered! This area is only a seven minute drive away from where I was staying, but away from near the sandy windy beach means green and parks and trees and life! It’s a very safe and family friendly area, as we it explore it, Mawande and I keep exclaiming amazingly, “hey this is where we live!!!” What an incredible gift this place of peace will be for us to begin.

So the tea is on, all I ask is that you come again! I shall check back in once the wedding hooplaaas have come and the honey moon stars have gone or at least aren’t as shiny?!

Oh my God, you can do anything.

Oh my God, nothing is too hard for you.

Love,

Charlene Fast…for the last time!