I love Christmas - the decorations, the tree, the gifts, the baking, the special meals, the surprises for people, the caroles - I love it all. It's truly my favorite time of the year. I even loved the cold weather......and the snow when we had it. In fact, that's one of the things I miss about the Christmas season now that I live in South Africa and Christmas is in summer. After several years, I still have a hard time wrapping my brain around that. I've just had too many years of winter Christmases.

I have friends that don't really like Christmas all that much. I mean, sure they like it because we are celebrating Christ's birth, but they don't like all the other things that I so love. It got me thinking about why I love everything about the Christmas season.

I know it has its roots in my growing up years. Every year my dad and I would go shopping together for the Christmas tree. We always wanted to find the perfect one, and we came close! We had a beautiful fir tree every year. We'd come home and join with my mom (Memaw) and decorate it. Of course she always had special baked/cooked treats to eat while we did that. Then on another day, my dad and I would put up outside lights. We had a two story house, and we got ladders out so we could decorate both levels. It wasn't anything fancy, but those bright, colored lights were so beautiful to me because my dad and I had put them up. I treasure the memories of us doing these things together every Christmas.

Every year my Dad said he couldn't afford any gifts. And every year, just a few days before Christmas, he'd ask me to take him shopping. He had been tucking money away and would buy my mom and me and some other family members special gifts. Of course by the time he got around to doing his shopping things would be really picked over! I learned as I grew up to ask some shop keepers to hold things until I brought my Dad in! Seeing his true generous heart was such a treasure.

My Dad was a product of his generation - one that had a hard time showing emotion and expressing feelings. As a child I often wished he would do that more. I think Christmas is when I really saw my Dad's heart and came to know who he was inside. I treasured that!

Close to Christmas we usually had a family dinner when other members of my family that lived nearby would come over - my sister and her family, one of my brothers and his family......and sometimes others who lived further away would come in. I often joke and say my family talked a lot but didn't say much. We talked about everything, but rarely was it "heart" stuff. Except at Christmas......and then it seemed that people opened up more and shared their hearts. This was another treasure for me.

My mom never had a lot, but she shared everything she had - all the time, but especially at Christmas. She cooked and baked up a storm! She took platefuls of all her special treats (divinity candy, candied grapefruit rinds, Spanish kisses, and delicious pies to name a few) to just about everyone she knew. My friends loved to come to my house and sample it all! Even though I've tried, I still haven't mastered cooking some of her specialties. My family wasn't poor, but we didn't have a lot of extra either. My mother gave out of her gifts and talents because she had such a generous spirit. I treasure that memory so much.

As parents, we want to establish family traditions and make memories that our children can take with them all their lives. I have those special memories tucked away in my heart........and they help make Christmas so very special to me. I love it!

O come, O come Emmanuel...."God with us." Matt. 1:23

"I hope you fail!" Who would say something like that?? Failure is a word that most of us would like to remove from our vocabulary. None of us like it, and we certainly don't want to experience it. But we'll all face it sometime. The important thing is to be ready to turn to God in the midst of it. He is a faithful teacher in every situation.

I heard of a high school commencement speaker who said something very unusual in his address. He was chosen to speak because of his success as the president of a large business. As he stood before the students, he told them that he had one desire for them. As they go out into the world, he hoped they would fail at something that was important to them. He told how his early years had been one failure after another, until he finally learned to see failure as a very effective teacher in his life.

We see this in the Bible. Many songs from Israel had their birth in times of failure. "As the deer longs for flowing streams, so longs my soul for you, O God." Ps. 42:1-2

David often cried out to God in the midst of hard times and failure. "Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear to my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears!" Ps. 39:12

We often aren't ready to turn to God, to seek His wisdom, and receive His strength until we come to the end of ourselves. There are many examples in the Bible that tell of mountains of faith rising from valleys of failure. Before we get to the successes we strive for, we may need to first see the failure of precious dreams we hold in our hearts. We may need to learn to trust God's love, wisdom, and guidance when it takes us down paths we hadn't planned. We may fall flat on our faces a few times. We may struggle. We will certainly be humbled. We must learn from our failures, or we will fail to learn.

We must persevere through the difficult times in our life, through the failures. We can grit our teeth and just barely make it through, or we can learn and grow. God promises to go with us through difficult times. We can go through the fire and not be burned - by His grace! We don't need to fear. We must choose to not give up, but to look to Him. Sometimes we have to pick up the pieces and begin again. The failures and difficulties we struggle with can sometimes be the back door to a great success or victory that God has for us.

As I look back through my life, I see "seasons" of trial, difficulty, and, yes, failure. It's interesting that some of my greatest seasons of growth coincide with those same seasons. The pain, the stretching, the wrestling for answers and provision, the tears, and the questions (all things I don't really like) brought fruit and release into my life. They all brought me closer to Him. We say God is in control. In the face of difficulty and failure we need to stand firm on the truth of that even more!

"Why are you cast down, O my soul?....Hope in God; for I shall again praise Him." Ps. 42:5 

Several years ago, while we were still living in Kansas City, I felt a desire growing in my heart.  It was pretty simple and straight forward......a desire to live by the water.  I must say that I couldn't understand it!  Here we were, living in Kansas City in the middle of the U.S.  You couldn't be much further from the water!

I wondered if it was something going back to my childhood.  I grew up in Galveston, Texas - an island.  The Gulf of Mexico was about a mile from my home.

I tried to forget about this desire, ignore it, think it would go away.......but it got stronger.  I really didn't know what to do about it, except to pray and give it back to the Lord.  As I did this, I became increasingly convinced that it was of Him, but I just didn't understand it.

If you are reading this you will know that we now live in Cape Town, South Africa - an ocean city.  When we moved here and began looking/searching/praying for where we would live, I kept thinking of that desire that had been in my heart.  It could be that God was preparing me for our move to Cape Town, but I wondered if there was more to it.  The end result is that we have ended up in a neighborhood that's on the Atlantic side of the Cape Peninsula.......looking out at the ocean about a mile away.  It's still hard for me to believe how specifically the Lord prepared my heart for the change that was to come in our lives.

One of my delights is looking out at our ever-changing view of the water and mountains.......and thinking about how what I'm seeing reflects different aspects of God and His character.  Beautiful, peaceful, calm, stormy, awesome colors, majestic, ever-changing yet solid and firm, cloudy, sunny, rainy, windy.  Every time I look out the window, I feel like my soul is touched and blessed.  God always ministers special things to my heart.

If my heart is troubled, if I'm concerned for our safety and security, if I'm tired, if I'm discouraged, if I'm missing friends and family........being by the water and thinking of how it reflects my Father constantly speaks to me.

I would have never known I needed this - or what it would mean to me in this season, but God did!  He prepared my heart by the desire He put there.....and He carried me through all the changes to where we are now.  He also, very literally, fulfilled that desire He put in my heart.  I am in awe!  What a great God He is.  He knows and understands us better than we know ourselves!

"A desire fulfilled is sweet to the soul."  Prov. 13:19

One of my "heroes" is a lady named Lura Garrido.  She was Floyd's secretary in Amsterdam many years ago.  Lura speaks Spanish and was very concerned for the Spanish speaking prostitutes in the Red Light District where we worked.  She asked Floyd for half a day a week to minister to those ladies.  Then she needed a day a week, then 2 days, then.......she went full-time working with them.  She eventually planted a church among the converts.  That church has grown to become quite large and is thriving.  She went on to plant churches in other cities as she led more women to the Lord.  Lura is now 89 years old, still living in Amsterdam, still pastoring/mentoring, still vibrant, still going strong.  She's such a wonderful example.  She's truly a hero for me!  What a wonderful, Godly lady.  Someone said, "what we weave in time, we wear in eternity."  Lura is going to have some beautiful "garments" in heaven!!

I recently turned 60 - the big Six-O!  I told Floyd he's married to an old woman now.  :}  A friend told me that 50 is the new 30, so I guess 60 is only 40 - so actually I'm not very old yet!  The amazing thing is my mind still tells me I'm about 25!  I'm not sure how all that works.  I guess whatever season of life we're in, attitude makes all the difference!  I want to still do so much.  It's just some days my body can't keep up with my head!

I actually don't mind becoming older.  I've found that as the years add up, God's faithfulness multiplies!  I love thinking of His goodness, His faithfulness, His provision, all the answers to prayer.  What an absolutely wonderful, fantastic God we serve.

I've decided to enjoy my age.  With great glee I got my first "senior discount" this past week!  I always love a bargain!  I couldn't wait to tell Floyd about it.  One of my friends encouraged me that I'm now in a season when your kids and grandkids begin to tell you you were "right" about things.  I look forward to that!  :}

Birthdays, especially the big ones, are a wonderful time to reflect.  I've been thinking that growing older isn't a time to coast, but to climb.  I want to keep moving into all that God has for me.......which, hopefully, will include many more years here to serve Him.  I trust my best years are still to come.  I want to die young at an advanced age someday.

"They shall bring forth fruit in old age....."  Psalms 92:14

I've been reflecting lately on how many things we know and learn in life that we just take for granted.  They don't seem like a 'big deal.'  For instance:

• knowing how to plan/organize
• knowing how to study
• having/managing a bank account
• knowing how to use an ATM machine
• having a budget
• how to mail a letter
• learning how to drive

As we grow up, we learn so many of these life skills so easily.  The opportunities are there to learn them.  We don't really stop to think about them, we just learn and do them.

But many of the poor and disadvantaged in the world don't have this opportunity.  In our almost 2 years here, I have found myself helping so many people fill in a bank account deposit slip - or showing them how to use the ATM machine.  The look of helplessness on their faces at facing these simple tasks and not knowing what to do is heart breaking.  One day I stood in line at the ATM for a long time behind a man.  I couldn't imagine what he was doing that was taking so long.  Finally he turned to me with a look of agony on his face, and said, "could you please help me?"  I was so glad I was there to do that.

A friend here told me of a recent experience she had.  She knew her husband was meeting a couple of young men from Masi, one of the townships nearby, at the bank to do something.  She went to the mall, and was surprised to see one of the young men just wandering around.  She asked him about the appointment with her husband, and he gave some vague explanation of why he wasn't there.  They talked for a few minutes, and it suddenly dawned on her.  He didn't know how to get in the double lock security door at the entrance of the bank!  You wait for a green light, open the first door and go in, let that door close, then wait for a green light to go in the second door to then enter the bank.  She went to the bank with him and helped him get in.

Such a simple thing - but if you don't know how to do it, it's a big thing!  In the culture many of us have grown up in, we would have looked at the door/system if we didn't understand it and thought "what's wrong with this door?!"  To those who haven't had the opportunities and training we've had, they look at the door and think "what's wrong with me?!"

It is so important as part of our "mission" here that we impart self-worth, security, and dignity!!  It's one way of spreading the "glory of God" when we let people know how valued they are in God's eyes because He created them.  When we have opportunities to teach and pass on simple life skills, it does so much to do that and to help a person feel good about themselves!

"God created man in his own image."  Genesis 1:27

Recently I read the story below of the starfish.  It made an impact on me!

"Once a man was walking along a beach.  The sun was shining and it was a beautiful day.  Off in the distance he could see a person going back and forth between the surf's edge and the beach.  Back and forth this person went.  As the man approached he could see that there were hundreds of starfish stranded on the sand as the result of the natural action of the tide.

The man was struck by the apparent futility of the task.  There were far too many starfish.  Many of them were sure to perish.  As he approached, the person continued the task of picking up starfish one by one and throwing them into the surf.

As he came up to the person, he said, 'You must be crazy.  There are thousands of miles of beach covered with starfish.  You can't possibly make a difference.'  The person looked at the man.  He then stooped down and picked up one more starfish and threw it back into the ocean.  He turned back to the man and said, 'It sure made a difference to that one.' "

I remind myself that this is the approach and attitude I must continually keep in my heart.  The needs are so overwhelming here in Africa.......impossible to meet them all, but I can daily look to make a difference in one person's life.  I think this is true for all of us whether we live in Africa, Asia, America, or anywhere.

Last year I noticed a man living in an empty lot on a busy corner by a traffic light.  He lived under a tree with some pieces of cardboard, a wooden box, and several dogs.  People would sometimes stop and give him money or food.  I often looked at the man, thought about him, wondered about him, prayed for him.......but I never stopped.  One day I noticed he was gone - and then I found out he had died.  I felt so convicted!  I had never once stopped to talk to him about Jesus, and now he had passed into eternity.  I don't know if I'd talked to him if it would have made any difference.......but it could have.  One person......a few minutes.......it could have been like the starfish.

It's made me more sensitive to the promptings of the Spirit to say something, do something when I feel that tugging on my heart.  I can't make a difference for the hundreds, but I may be able to make a difference for the one.

"Rejoice with me for I have found my (one!) sheep which was lost."   Luke 15:6

In recent weeks we've been encouraged by things that are happening here in South Africa.  At the same time, we've also been overwhelmed by the wave of upheaval and violence that has shaken our nation.

Some of the things that have blessed and encouraged us have been taking place in Red Hill (the community that was destroyed by fire in Feb.).  Every week there are individuals who are coming to personally know Jesus.  There are now 7 small house churches started......most being led by new believers as students from CPx (our church planting school) coach them.  Namandla (a former bar owner), David (a well known drunkard in the community who was saved & delivered of his addiction), Shepherd (who was touched by the story of Zacheus), and Archie (captain of the soccer team)........all are new believers and growing in their faith.

Just as we've been rejoicing in these wonderful testimonies of new life, some very distressing events have taken place.  They call it "xenophobia."  Many of the poor in the nation have turned in violence upon the foreigners, the refugees in our midst, from other African nations.  Many have been beaten and killed.  Others have lost all their possessions.  The spirits of hatred and fear have run rampant through the poor communities.

The events of recent days have been "shocking," to say the least.  "Unbelievable" would be more like it.  "Heart-breaking" only touches the surface of the emotions we've experienced.

Our workers have helped house and feed the refugees who are, yet again, trying to find security and safety.  We've joined with community leaders and pastors in trying to quiet the rising violence.  We've supported those who are trying to recover all the possessions that have been stolen.

Through it all, and indeed in facing so many of the needs/problems that we've encountered in South Africa, I find myself feeling helpless, even hopeless.  How can we meet such huge needs?  How can we see things changed?  How can our small efforts make a difference?

The conclusion I've come is is.....we can't - but God can!  We may feel helpless, but we aren't hopeless.  Seeing the need confirms to us the importance of what God has called us to do to make a difference.  The hope of Africa is a new generation of leaders who are not caught in the grip of greed, hatred, or fear.  God is up to something!  He's at work!  The enemy would have us see the needs, the problems, the bleakness.  God would have us keep our eyes ON Him, our trust IN Him.

We don't have all the answers, but we can live here, love and serve those around us, pray, share His goodness, and be faithful in the things we face each day.  These may seem like small actions, but in God's sight they are powerful weapons.

There IS hope!  In fact, the tide may already be turning - we just can't see it yet.

"When everything was hopeless, he hoped anyway."  Romans 4:18  The Message

When I was growing up, I often heard my mother say - "when opportunity knocks, answer the door."  My mother had sayings for just about everything - I only wish I had wrote them all down!  Common sense, fun, amusing phrases of wisdom!

In my mind, the word opportunity has always had a positive meaning or connotation to it.  It's an unexpected benefit or possibility......a chance for something because of some favorable circumstance.

The idea of "opportunity knocking" has taken on a different, and much less positive, meaning here in South Africa.  Crime has been rising, and some of the most common crimes are what they call "crimes of opportunity."  Someone may not be planning a specific crime (usually robbery), but when they see an opportunity, they go for it.  Usually there is an open door or window that is right there in front of them, so they reach in or walk in and grab what they can get quickly.  The most popular items seem to be lap top computers, cell phones, money........but anything is fair game.  I heard of one person who had a vase stolen that was sitting by the window, and another person lost a jar of peanut butter.  It doesn't seem to matter how valuable the item is.......it's just there ready to be taken.

A friend of mine has been trying to save her extra rand to buy bricks to pave her walkway.  Whenever she has a little extra, she buys a few bricks (R.7 - $1 each).  She was getting a nice sized pile of them and was ready to make her walkway.  Then one day she looked and the pile had almost entirely disappeared.  She found out people had been taking them 2, 3, 4 at a time from her yard and just walking away.

I would like to suggest that we pray for this trend to be reversed........that we ask for eyes to be blinded to these types of opportunity!  I think we should pray for a greater fear of the Lord in people's hearts.  Fear of the police or of being caught doesn't seem to be working!  I remember hearing testimonies of the revival that came to the Hebrides islands.  When revival came, most of the bars were closed because no one was going to them!  The move of the Spirit was so great, and the fear of the Lord was so strong in people's hearts, that they left the bars and knelt in the fields crying out to God in repentance.  I believe that type of move of God can happen again!  Would you join with me in praying for a miracle like that here in South Africa?  Let's believe for a revelation of God and His righteousness, a birthing of the fear of the Lord in people's hearts, that will begin to break the stronghold of crime.......all kinds of crime, including the ones of opportunity!

"The fear of the Lord is the hatred of evil."  Psalms 8:13

The months seem to be flying by in a blur.  We've been here almost 19 months now.  For most of that time I've seemed to constantly be running around just to trying and keep my head above water.  To say it's been busy would be a gross understatement!

We've just had a week in the African bush.  It's been heavenly.  I feel as if I've finally been able to take a deep breath!  The warm, dry climate - the stillness - the wide open space - the gorgeous sunsets - all have been so refreshing.  Even Sossy, our dog, seems to have a new lease on life!

During the busyness of these past months, there has been so much I've wanted to write about.  I'm going to attempt to still do that.  There's never a dull moment, day, week, month here!

One of the things that's become very evident to me here, it that this has truly become "home" to us.  When you make such a big/major/halfway-across-the

When we were preparing to move here to South Africa, we talked about the problem of crime in the country. I wanted to work it through in my heart so that I was prepared for whatever we would face. If God was calling us here, I wanted to live in peace, not fear. I believe that everyone who follows Jesus should live where they live because they are called to be there. I believe we're all called "full time." Sadly, a lot of Jesus followers don't know that, or live that way. The sad result is they don't live like they are called, with a sense of destiny and passion. And of course, they don't have grace for what they do and where they live because they are doing it on their terms, not God's. I was determined to prepare my heart for our new location.

We talked about the fact that we would probably face a robbery or something worse someday. Unfortunately, it is all too common-place. It's rare to talk to anyone who hasn't been effected by crime in some way. Well, the anticipation is over. We've faced our first......and second experiences.

One of the crates containing some of the things we shipped over was broken into while in the locked customs warehouse, and boxes of our things were stolen. Very sad after making it half way around the world!

We also had a man attempt to break into the house where we were living with our friend. We were very suddenly woken up at 3 a.m. one night when a burglar was prying open a window and broke the glass on the window. Fortunately no one was hurt, and he ran away. After dealing with the police, etc. we were all awake for the rest of the night.....and slept lightly for many nights afterwards.

During the same few weeks, there was a shoot out at a grocery store nearby when some men tried to hold up an armored car picking up cash from the store. A coffee shop was held up the next night. A friend who had also just moved here had quite a few valuable items stolen by a workman in her home. It was not only a financial loss, but each piece was a symbol of a special time, season, place, event. Very sad for her!

Two guys on one of the visiting outreach teams were robbed at knife point and threatened one evening. They weren't hurt, but it was a frightening experience.

I'm sure all our guardian angels work overtime watching out for us here!!

The poorer people in the townships suffer even more. They face crime and risk to their lives daily. They live with the threat of danger and violence constantly.

It would be easy to become "accepting" of this problem - to see it as just a part of life here. I've instead been feeling the need to rally prayer support that the "stronghold" of this crime spirit would be broken and contained. And that faith for the country to be changed would invade the hearts of believers. I know we can't do that alone. We need hundreds, thousands! to do that. Would you join us in praying for this?

"One shall put a thousand to flight, and two put ten thousand to flight....." Deut. 32:30

By Sally McClung