Thursday, March 24, 2011

God heals the broken hearted!

I realize it has been a little since I have blogged and I know some of you are probably going nuts because of that. I do apologize, but remember, I am in South Africa! AHH! Yes, it’s true I live in Africa! J Internet is a very privileged part of life here for many, including myself! J God has been doing amazing things though! That is an understatement actually. God is showing up in BIG ways! I have been recently challenged by a very close friend that we as Christians should be expected God to do BIG things and when we do that, we will not be surprised when He does show up; instead we will rejoice knowing that He was planning it the whole time! Let’s expect BIG things from the Creator of the universe, who loves us with a Father’s love.

Just to give you an idea of some of the things God is doing here in South Africa. I have been working with a girl who is recovering from a 7-8 year crystal meth addiction, was physically abused as a child by her father, quit school at grade 6, has been affiliated with gangs and many other struggles. Needless to say, this beautiful daughter created by God for a purpose has been through hell in her 20 years of living. Yes, some of the choices have been her responsibility but Satan has had a party with her up until now. She has recently surrendered her life to Christ and is being transformed! She has been clean now for about 3 months. At the time of our first meeting, there was no purpose in mind, there was no responsibilities that she was taking for herself, she was very selfish but God is breaking down those walls in her life. This past week, I have seen signs of the kingdom in this girl’s life! First of all, she and I have an incredible friendship building! She is very trusting with me. She is telling me stories now of her serving others around her. She is taking responsibility for things at home, like laundry and other things around the house. These are small things, but I am learning that they are huge and BIG God things! It is only through God’s grace that she is able to come out of the shell that she has been in for so long. It is because He loves unconditionally, no matter what we have done or will do. He and only HE can bind up the wounds and bring redemption to lives of devastation and hopelessness. Continue to pray for true redemption and restoration in this beautiful life.

So as good as the above situation is, God is doing SOO much in MY life! I haven’t really looked at my time here in South Africa as big of a learning curve for myself as it has been. I am seeing more and more reasons of why God brought me to South Africa for this point. I think one of the biggest reasons is yet to be completely unfolded. The healing process of my heart is beginning. I had the opportunity to share my testimony with about 25 colleagues this morning at the Warehouse. This is a group of people who genuinely care about those they work with and really love unconditionally. During my time of sharing I feel that God began for sure the healing process of my heart that He has been wanting to. I have some wounds and scars from my past and my upbringing that are not easy to deal with at times. God is teaching me how to love those who have never loved me. That’s not easy and I have to be honest that I haven’t always been up to letting him to that in my heart. Over the past two weeks, God has really began that process in my heart! It has been hard to open up and let God really pry and chisel away at the stones in my heart but I am seeing such peace and restoration in the moments that I allow that from Him. This morning was one of those moments. I feel while I was sharing parts of my story, God was healing my broken heart. I am so thankful for that truth and God’s faithfulness in His word in Ps 147:3- “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” God is binding up my wounds and healing my broken heart. I think for the first time in my life, I am actually allowing myself to see the brokenness in my heart, which allows God to heal it. Until I realize it is there, I don’t realize the need to be healed. I am seeing that now, through sharing my story this morning. I was brought to tears as I was sharing and moved in my heart that I indeed was broken over the things that I have been through. For so many years, I have put them aside. I have “claimed” that I dealt with them. Really, I have just hardened my heart and ignored the fact that it hurt. The moment that I allowed myself to be vulnerable, God stepped in! WHOA!! How great is His love and comfort! So, I say all of this to you for this reason. Thank you for your prayers in the work that I am doing with the girls in Manenberg but I also ask that you would pray for me specifically. Pray that I would continue to be open to God’s healing power and love! Pray that I would not stop it but instead allow God to fully heal the broken pieces of my heart!

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to HIM be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever, Amen!”  

May GOD be glorified in YOU and in ME today! Expect BIG from God today!

1 comment:

  1. Tasha, God is so BIG and we forget that so many times. We should expect miracles instead of trying to make them ourselves. I realising in reading this and yes, crying too, that I still have area's that I need healing in too, some of them probably are the same as you.
    I am so proud of you. Suggestion: never put a capital on satan's names. He does not deserve it.
    I love and miss you so much! Granny

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