Blog Post 4

October -November

I have been really bad at updating my blog and I must apologise for not posting anything of late. The last few months have gone by so fast. In my last post I mentioned that I was going back to the hospital for another three weeks and  they went by so quickly.I was able to work in maternity and casualty and I really enjoyed casualty the most out of all the specialities I have tried so far. I will be going to theater this month and I really think I will enjoy that too.

I had three weeks in theory over the month of November and I am so thankfull that the exams have come and gone already for this year, we had our first stripe ceremony which means we half way passed the first year. I passed my first  and my second PSR(which is good news) ,I only have one more to go until the end of first year. All the glory and thanks goes to God .I am so thankfull for the faithful prayers and financial support that He has provided through His body(the church). I want to publically thank each and everyone of you who have walked this road with me.

It has been a challenge to remain faithfull to God's word, to find joy in my trials and to see dissapointments as blessings from God. It is only by His transforming grace that I have kept my eyes focused on Him. Here are a few personal challenges that I have needed to deal with over the past two months: my health, my dad's funeral,the lack of being able to meet with an older woman on a regular basis,and unsettling living arraingments with me living/moving up and down between Jhb and Vaalpark.It has been difficult to maintain the relationships that I have built over the past few years and it has been difficult to commit to one spicific church or ministry. It can be a very dangerous place to be because it is so easy to hide what is really going on in one's own  heart most of the time. However I must thank the Lord for His abundant provission with regards to godly friends all over the world who I have been available to chat to , through many heart issues regarding sin and even the joys and hurts that we have been able to experiance together.

I have had countless oportunities to meet with other likeminded people.I attended the Sheapards confrence at grace in Pretoria, the Paul tripp confrence at Antioch and even the John Piper confrence in Sandton. Is the Lord not good to us, how undeseving we are of His blessings, yet He gives them freely to those who He loves?What a blessing each confrence has been ,I have been challenged in how I use my words,and the state of my heart out of which my mouth speaks. I have  been encouraged  to see how the Lord continues to build His church with His people even when there seems to be disunity going on behind the scenes. I was reminded of God's desire for His own glory and the practicle implications of  living in light of that truth . I attended three Christian camps this year and was hit with the reality of the true state of the church today.

When I consider the many ways in which the Lord has Sovereignly kept me I am overwhelmed at His goodness. I will continue to keep my eyes on Him, the author and perfector of my faith for the road I walk and the journey at times feels burdensome.But His yolk is light and He promises to carry it for me.
I think the most challenging areas of sin for me this year was that of fear and doubt which really shows what lack of trust I have in my Lord.

The Lord has constantly been right besides me, he has been my sheppard and His rod and staff has comforted me.My dad passed away on the last day of the Piper conference and when I prayed for the Lord to use my dad's death so many would hear the Gospel being preached and that some would come to the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Gospel was heard and who knows who's life He is busy changing by the power of His word.

2011 does present itself with many new challenges and decisons and I will need much wisdom and guidance and help in deciding how to go forward from here. To become a qualified Sister I will need to continue with another 3 years . I have been fully supported for my first year and have no idea what lies ahead for the year to come BUT I am trusting and relying on the Lord for each day and there is no doubt in my mind, that if this is what He would have me do, that He would provide for me so that I may finish what He has started in me.

Will post something soon again !
in Christ
tash

Blog Post 3

August - September

The past few weeks have been trying and very challenging. I am learning a great deal about how we as people have allowed our 'culture' to influence the way in which we  live our lives , not only has it effected the way in which we worship but how we treat others and how we communicate too.
It never occured to me that one needent move too far away from home to experience it.

I am starting to better understand the way in which things are run here in the hospital now.We work 12 hour shifts and the days seem to go buy quickly when we are busy. We have  procedures that need to be completed and if we feel that we are ready to be assessed by our Clinical Facilitator she marks us according to the current standard. It can be a nerve wrecking experience because we can't leave out one critical point , if we do ,we don't pass and then we need to book again for remmediation.

At the end of each quater we have a certain amount of procedures that need to be completed and sighned off as welll as assignments /ICPCA's ect as well as exams and tests in between. The next few weeks will involve getting all my procedures signed off  before I return to college ,we write a mid year exam when we all get back in October so please remember to pray for that.

Our Hospital is involved with a food- project ,each week  a department of the hospital provides a meal for about 20 children who attend a spicific school out on one of the farms not to far away from here. Each department gets a turn to go and visit the school and today was our turn to go, although the children's physical and medical needs are beeing met, their spiritual needs are what burden me the most! I met a little girl today, her name is Maria , she looked at me and smiled and said "I like you" but perhaps soon the words of her heart will be"I love Jesus".  I look forward to going there again, please lift this project up in pray, that many will come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

We  also had a cultural day at the Hospital this month, each department was required to bring a cultural meal and get dressed up for the  presentation of it - It was a very enjoyable day!

Fellowship at Grace Sasolburg has opened up many oportunities for me to minister to others within the church and I am enjoying getting to know everyone here. All the changes, new relationships have been somewhat streaching for me but  I can see now how much I have grown in my dependance on the Lord and I am so greatful for His grace that is sufficient enough always!

I am  attempting to get my 1st year Theology course done but I  have been struggling to get my work completed with everything else happening, please pray that I will work hard and be disciplined enough to be able to continue with the course. More updates to come soon!

Blog Post 2

I was reading Psalm 27 today and I was thinking about the issue of God's perfect timing and the struggle I have with desires,demands and expectations.
It struck me that David's greatest desire was to live in the presence of the LORD with each day of his life.David was obviously going through a trial, but the LORD was his antidote for fear and loneliness, he was confident that God would see him through it.God was his help in trouble and his hope for the future.Do I live each day of my life with this as my greatest desire, do I run to God with my desires,demands and expectations? If I do, do I trust in His perfect timing and am I resting in Him and waiting for Him?  "Wait for the LORD,be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD"

Blog Post 1

I was reading Ecclesiastes 3:1 today and I was thinking about the seasons of life and the issue of time.
God's word tells me that there is a season and a time for everything and yet, how often do I fail to truly beleive and embrace that truth. Do I see what He is trying to teach me? Do I refuse to give up on God when I am being tested and tried ? How do I respond to the situations and circumstances that I find myself in?
All seasons are a necessary part of growth and new life, seasons were meant for change, we were never meant to live in winter forever.All seasons and times are in God's hands,I need to be faithful in living out my faith by trusting Him with everything !