Sarah's Sermon From Sunday

Here is my sermon preached at Ocean View Methodist Church this Sunday on taking the Light into Darkness.  I am very excited about this sermon as I feel it captures my heart and passion right now!

Read sermon HERE.

Lots of love,
Sarah

Thinking and Feeling

WHEW!  It's Friday morning and I am READY for a rest this weekend!  I was up LATE last night because I couldn't sleep.  My body was tired but my mind was racing with ideas, my sermon for this weekend, Ntokozo, Kieren, ministry, friends, things to do.......  I could not shut it off.  I use to have this problem all the time but really had been able to rest well in the past months, so I realized this morning that I am NOT doing a good job with balancing everything.  There has been TONS going on, but throw Ntokozo in the mix and that adds a whole 'nother level to everything.  Part of it is that I am preparing for a sermon for this weekend on parenting and I am really going to invite our church to enter into the brokenness of our youth and teens in Ocean View with Christ's heart.  Living with Ntokozo, I am getting a glimpse not only into her world, but also into the teenage world of Ocean View and Masipumalele (a black township down the road, and many of it's teens go to Ocean View High).  It is a HARD world for a teenager around here; full of violence, sex, and drugs and I am learning about it as Ntokozo shares about it.  In some ways she really keeps away from it; she is an outsider from another part of Durban and very shy.  HOWEVER, she is also a teen mom herself, and so OBVIOUSLY she is not completely naive.  Brokenness is something that Lucinda Dooley preached about at Hillsong last week and it's something that happens to us but can also be something we chose.  The brokenness of the youth in Ocean View is so painful and foreign to many Christians that they just stand at a distance and judge and keep them away as much as possible.  But to choose to enter into their brokenness, knowing that their 'naughty' acts are only a symptom of something much deeper that is hurt and broken, is a hard thing, and feeling it this week it is threatening to break me for sure.  It's just a hard world, and it challenges the power and truth of Christ.  But I know God sees these teens and weeps and longs to enter into their lives, if only we would reach out to them, and be His hands and feet.  So that is the mandate, the prayer, the urging, to our church, and it's one I am walking alongside them in.  Casey and I have been meeting with youth pastors in Ocean View and had a big braai on Wednesday to start having a monthly gathering for all the youth ministries in the View.  It's going to be cool; I am excited and terrified and exhausted all at the same time.  And then there is Ntokozo, in my own home.  We laugh and talk and make chit-chat, but so easily something heavy and difficult comes up in our conversations, and I must choose to enter in.  I am seeing God begin to redeem and heal her, but the brokenness still there can be overwhelming.  So pray we will continue to step in, choose to walk with her in her pain, and pray that God brings this experience out in my sermon this weekend - if I make it :)

Thankful, tired, and still loving life.  Wouldn't have it any other way.

Love,
Sarah

Happy Times!

Little Letters

Dear "movies,"

Just writing to tell you that you are on my mind lately.  I miss you.  Remember when I use to rent movies weekly and I was up to date on the latest and greatest?  Remember when I even went to the theater to see you?  Oh sharing hot, buttered popcorn together.  Special memories.  Right now they are only memories as I find I never have the chance to see you anymore.  The television is a part of our lives still, but I find I can barely stay awake at night for one episode of anything, so I don't even want to try a movie.  I can't be a movie tease.

But I want to share what is happening in your absence.  So much.  Mostly it's in the afternoons when we spend time together as a family and children gather in our home and yard.  Yesterday was a really special day because our favorite kids happened to be over and there was just a happiness in all of us.  We were laughing and running and playing, and Kieren thought it all was a blast.  Our newest family member, Ntokozo, is still taking in all that our lives encompass, but she had a sweet moment as my 'girls' sat in her room (the office) and talked to her quietly about the new clothes we had bought her, and what it was like to live with us.  They are really embracing her already and she smiles a lot when they are around.  When they leave the house Ntokozo hugs them all.  Also, when Megan came in to our house yesterday she said she missed me and gave me a strong and long hug.  I can still feel it.  I am so thankful.  I love our lives and the laughter and joy that fills our days.  It is busy and exhausting, which is why I long to sleep like 12 hours a night and thus don't have time for you, but I suppose we will be reunited one day again, long in my future, when the house is quiet again and my days are easy.  I won't be as tired, and I will enjoy our time together, but I will remember special days like yesterday and be so thankful.  So thankful.

Love,
Sarah

Playtime!

Just sharing some shots of a usual day of playtime in the afternoons at our house!

Kieren and her friend Bailey playing with Megan and Jadine

 Stacy, Jamie, and Megan after they we did their make-up.  This is a DAILY request, but only happens on special occasions!

Book Review by Sarah

"Brag!  The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It" by Peggy Klaus

Brag! is a book recommended to me by a mentor and friend, suggested a few years ago.  It was during a time in the US when I was trying to figure out what was 'next' in my career and wanting to take the right steps.  I immediately bought the book, but the when it came to my house I couldn't even handle the title and put it on the shelf.  It made it's way on our shipment to Africa, and I finally picked it up again last week.  This book is a quick and fun read and very encouraging for any on a path of trying to share with others what you are passionate about. I have realized on my journey that I know God has given my gifts and abilities but I don't always know how to tell others about those traits, and I think many of us feel shy about sharing our strengths, not wanting to 'brag' too much!  Well as the old adage goes, if we aren't going to share about our strengths and passions, then who will?!  We are our own best cheerleaders but we often don't really know how to articulate them out loud to others, and this book will easily help anyone to do just that.  I would recommended this book to anyone who wants to learn how to brag better and move towards new opportunities with confidence and strength.  I know I will.

Overall Grade: B+

Weekend Update

Hello everyone!

It's another Monday morning, but I must admit that I feel a bit worn this morning, a departure from my usual chipper Monday self (I can't believe who I am turning into, but I like being oddly happy!).  We had a busy weekend as usual, but I think the added new family member Ntokozo (pronounced En-tah-koh-zoh) brought a new level of emotional strain!  But at the end of our first weekend, I had a BTT (bed time talk for you non-campers!) with Ntokozo before she went to bed and she assured me she is not running away this week!  She has said that we are 'funny' (obviously I always love that, but is she laughing WITH us or AT us...) and that she enjoyed her weekend.  She makes the funniest faces when I ask her questions, like she is ALWAYS surprised at our world.  I think she is.  What I loved most about our talk Sunday night was that she said she feels relaxed here and can read and study very freely.  She says can rest and relax and her 'brain doesn't hurt' from all the bad things going on.  Wow.  Pretty profound.  It's so interesting because this is a child, and she really does struggle to communicate what she is thinking through, but I thought that spoke volumes.  I told her that we want our home to be a place where she feels safe, peaceful, and loved.  I told her that we love having her here and just want her to enjoy her time and have space to think and pray.  It was a heavy family weekend as I had to jump into some various counseling ministries with family, and the power and pain potential of a family is deeply weighing on my heart.  Our homes have the power to make or break people; to build them up for a life of greatness, or completely tear them down to rubble.  Around Ocean View you see more of the latter, but my prayer is that our home is a SPACE where God can do deep healing and love in Ntokozo's heart.  We went to Ocean View Methodist on Sunday morning like usual and then went to a later morning service in the city at Hillsong.  Pastor Lucinda Dooley's message was about brokenness, and creating that space needed for God to heal the cracks in our heart that prevent us from living how we were created.  It was perfect for Ntokozo and she said last night she was really touched by it.  But Lucinda's second piece of her sermon really touched Casey and I both (as he shared in his last post below), and God is challenging us to continue to embrace a life of brokenness, laying everything down for the kingdom of God.  Living with Ntokozo is a constant reminder of pain as she shares little pieces of her life with us, but we embrace her with the love of God that can transform her pain into beauty.  The potential is great, the possible risk even greater, but our hope is greatest of all.  We love having Ntokozo in our home already and look forward to the days ahead.  I think we will laugh and do fun things together, but I PRAY that she will find hope and courage and healing and love in our space.  Only God can do that, so please join us in inviting Him deeper into her life.

Lots of love,
Sarah 

Broken Heart – Photo credit to Hypermania37@dreamstime.com

Sticks & Stones

I originally didn't want to write a post about this because I wasn't sure how people would respond, but today during church I realized that you (the people who care about us) just need to know.
I'm going to give you a little civics lesson.  In England they celebrate a holiday called Guy Fawkes day.  It's commemorating some guy (pun intended) from the 1600s that created a plan to assassinate the king, but was caught, supposed to be hung & quartered, but killed himself right before he would be killed.  For some reason, England celebrates this day with fireworks and good fun.  Some of the former English colonies continue to celebrate some version of this holiday.  Unfortunately, in our community, it is celebrated as a day to act ridiculous, stupid, and a bit violent.  It's bad enough that several kids that I know didn't attend school on Friday because they are scared at what the other kids will do.  And they say the teachers can't do anything, "because it's Guy Fawkes Day."
Well, we went through the whole day with no significant difference.  But about 11pm I was watching soccer and doing some things on the internet (all the girls were asleep or in bed) when I heard the terrible sound of a brick coming through our kitchen window bouncing off the sink and onto the floor.  Obviously I jumped up to investigate, freaked out, and readied myself for what else may be coming through.  Nothing else came through that window.  It was obviously a Guy Fawkes Day stunt ("prank" doesn't work for something like this) that we were the target for.  My nerves were now on edge as I tried to figure out what to do.  I investigated around the house, called our security company, and tried to work through it all logistically & spiritually.  I eventually fell asleep about 2am once the nerves calmed enough.
Today's service & message at Hillsong were helpful for me in dealing with it.  Through it all I was reminded that God asks for us to lay down everything at his feet, to trust Him for the results, and to walk in faith.  I know what we've gotten ourselves into here in Ocean View, but sometimes I want to pretend that it isn't what it truly is (unsettled, broken, and sometimes dangerous).  The reality is that stuff like this, having our car broken into, people trying to steal from our house, and things like that are probably going to happen a couple of times a year.  We'll have to deal with it.  Each time I have to keep walking in faith knowing that God is still God and that our troubles are just part of our lives here.  I can't ignore it and it doesn't really help to hide it from you.  
So that's a small part of our weekend.  We actually had a fantastic weekend, this was just the one hiccup.
Thanks for your prayers & support and if you meet anybody named Guy Fawkes tell him I'm not a big fan.
Cheers, Casey

Ntokozo Update

Hey everyone!

Just wanted to pop in with an update on our newest family member, Ntokozo.  Okay, so everyone, her name is pronounced En-tah-koh-zoh.  Does that help?? :)  She was brought to us by the woman that ministers to her through Baby Safe, Danielle, on Friday afternoon, and this new chapter has begun!  What is so interesting to me (among like a MILLION other things), is that just having Ntokozo brings so many different thoughts and feelings and questions into my mind.  It makes you think about every little step you do in your house, and if it honors or offends someone who has been brought up with so much less.  We live our lives just how we want to, and rarely honestly think about how others would think about it; but we no longer have that luxury.  I wonder how Ntokozo feels about our guest bed?  Is our food too 'white'?  How is Kieren raised in comparison to kids she is around?  Wow, Kieren has a little too many toys, right?  I'm going to grab my sunglasses, does she even own sunglasses? And the list goes on....  But underneath the questions, is the reality of this new world and I think overall it's going well.  It is obvious to me that Ntokozo is pretty overwhelmed by it all, but I don't think she hates it, it's just very foreign.  We had dinner plans last night so we took Kieren to a baby-sitter and left her home alone.  She worked on homework and I think she welcomed some space of quiet in the midst of a lot of change.  This morning we had a slow wake up and made lunch for a day at the beach.  We took a long route on the coast to Camp's Bay, which is a beautiful, tourist beach near the city.  There we met a group of people from Hillsong for a beach party and hung out all day in the beautiful Cape Town sun.  Michael Jenkins and Casey played volleyball while we hung out with some others.  It was relaxing and gorgeous and almost felt like we were on vacation.  Ntokozo was very quiet all day but seemed to enjoy the new scenery.  We came home and rested and then had our Hillsong friends Brad and Kate over with their daughter (and Kieren's new bestie) Bailey.  We had dinner and hung out watching rugby and the girls playing. Again, Ntokozo was quiet, and would talk a bit when we asked her questions, but just seemed to take it all in.  Then she just went to bed pretty early, around 9pm.  So that is that, our the end of our first day with our new family member, Ntokozo.

Thoughts?  I don't know, it's hard for me being so umm... verbal (really??) and then living with someone so quiet.  It's hard to 'read' her and know how she is feeling about all this; I wish I could just get in her head for a minute.  It must be SO MUCH to take in, and when I did ask her some questions, she is feeling many things, as she is missing her family a bit, but also glad to be away because they are abusive (which she spoke a bit about).  So complex, so painful, and so BIG.  That, I think, is where she is.  WE, the Prince's, are at peace, just knowing that we have been obedient to God, and knowing that only God can really make this work anyways.  She needs healing, love, security, and lots of God.  We pray she can find all those things while living in our home.

Major prayers still needed!  Keep them coming!!

Love you,
Sarah

Parenting

We are starting a new focus and theme for the month of November at Ocean View Methodist Church, and it's all about FAMILY!  I am so excited about this because my co-pastor, Kyle, and I have been talking about preaching and teaching in themes for the past year and we just struggle to coordinate it all.  So finally it's FAMILY MONTH!  We will be preaching about family life each Sunday morning, but I am also hosting parenting workshops every Thursday night.  We are doing this instead of our usual Monday women's meetings, which has actually been a bit sad and we all already miss the time together.  But last night we had over 20 people and even two men at the workshop!  We had some activities, discussion, I did some teaching, and then we ended by praying for one another.  Family life is a major topic in the Ocean View community!  Because of the daily strain people have on their lives with violence, substance abuse, lack of jobs or adequate pay, and general hardships in life, family ends up being a place where all the emotions and pain come out - at one another.  It's hard to raise children in Ocean View, and so the topics and discussions really hit a nerve last night, and it was lively and challenging.  I am so thankful for a growing community that wants to engage these important topics, and we even had some new people join in!  I am excited for the change and growth we will experience over the coming month!!

Lots of love,

Sarah

Credit Image: Londonnfp.com

Ntgozo Update!

Thanks everyone for your prayers this week on the waiting situation with her family.  We THINK she is coming now to move in here tomorrow (Friday)!  So please keep your prayers COMING that her family would release her and have a peace about her staying with us.  We have also learned today that the Baby Safe ministry is looking for another home that Ntgozo can move in in the next couple months so she would NOT go to Durban over Christmas with her family.  They are nervous that if she goes with her family to Durban they will make her then stay there with her other (deceased father's) family.  This would be bad for so many reasons: one, there is nothing for her in the rural area her other family lives and she would likely not finish school.  Second, her son then might be taken away from the new foster mom that is about to take him over, because part of the arrangement is that her son can come out of the foster home if Ntgozo lives close.  Okay, many details, but they all NEED prayer!!  But wow, the thought that tomorrow she would come and stay with us for a month or two is exciting - and scary!!  Our lives are about to change, so please pray, pray, pray!!

We'll keep you updated, but it looks like great things are ahead!

Love,
Sarah

Hang out time at the house...

I love this picture for a few reasons.  I just found it on my phone and it was taken Tuesday because that was when the little blond girl, Kieren's friend Bailey, was hanging at our house all afternoon.  Her mom and dad are our new friends Brad and Kate who also go to Hillsong and are awesome.  The funny thing is that I have no idea who took this phone, but I think it was taken by my OV girl Jadene, who is not in the picture.  Her sister Megan is in the pic too, as the girls were also over hanging out.  LOVE THIS.  So Casey is sitting with all the girls and who knows where I even am :)  I love our life!

Love,
Sarah

Top Five

Here are the top five highlights of our Hillsong Connect Group (small group) that met last night

1. FOOD.  Food just makes people happy, but good food can make people ecstatic.  We shared dinner tonight with our new group as we are getting to know one another and everyone brought stuff to share.  Michael Jenkins and his sister Rose, who are our hosts, made some great pita sandwiches and brownie dessert.  It was divine.  And fun. 

2. DIVERSITY.  It was such a great mix of people, which was a huge part of our hearts in starting this - and we always love a mix!  There were married, singles, parents, Zimbabweans, Coloureds, Americans, kids, South Africans, and even a Mexican :)  We had three of our friends from Ocean View there and that was my favorite mix.  Everyone totally interacted as we ate and it was a great fellowship.

3. CONNECTING.  It is the name of the group, but we all really got to do it last night.  A good number of us are friends that connect when we can, but this is an intentional place to REALLY share our lives.  It was great to be together under that purpose, it made me feel even closer already to people I've known for a while.

4. CARE.  One of my main goals personally for the group is to care for our members.  That means celebrating birthdays, coordinating food and transport so we can all be there and fed (I gotta have my snacks), and just checking in with the major things happening with one another.  I had a great and much needed conversation with a friend updating me on some major things happening in her family that need immediate prayer.  Also, another friend just finished a huge work project that is a new venture for her, so we could celebrate that together.  We need care, ALL OF US, and I hope that continues to be a focus of the group

5. WORD.  Michael Jenkins shared a short message with him about some thoughts that have been on his heart and mind.  He shared from Matthew 13:

⁴⁴ “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

   ⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. ⁴⁶ When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.

 It is a familiar passage to all of us, but he really challenged us by a few words in this passage.  One that really hit me was the JOY that the man had when he found the ultimate treasure.  He gladly sold all that he had to obtain the true treasure and all else in his life paled in comparison to what he had found.  Do we find this same joy in the treasure of Jesus Christ in our own lives?  It was great food for thought, and something I am still chewing on this morning.  I am so excited to be with this new community and gather around the Word of God as it challenges our lives in new ways.

Exciting stuff to come!

Lots of love,
Sarah

Tuesday Musings

It is Tuesday morning and I am sitting in an office at the new preschool that Kieren is going to start at.  I LOVE THIS PLACE.  Casey teases me because I am a big nerd about it, but it's heavenly to me.  It's called 'Enchanted Gardens' and it's very hippie-esque.  I want to be a hippie so I will go ahead and begin living my dreams through Kieren at age one...  There is a farm here, and a sheep named Jared roams around and came to say hi to Casey and I today.  He's like a dog.  Kieren is loving it and just ate lunch with all her friends.  I spied on her and it was deliciously cute.  I have been asked how I feel about her going to 'school' and I am the one pushing it, so in some ways very READY, but also like, awww she is growing up!  So mixed feelings.  This will be a great place for her to socialize and grow and learn.

My thoughts and prayers for this week are about Kieren as she grows and learns.  She is recently obsessed with coloring and circles.

She exclaims these words throughout the day and we must promptly get out the supplies or draw circles on the chalkboard wall in her room.  She loves shapes and has a puzzle book she does hourly with different ones.  Kieren is laughing a lot lately and Casey and I both fight to be the main comedian in her life.  We will do anything and her laugh is as delicious as ever.  She throws her head back in abandon and cackles.  Too fun.

Oh, another obsession is bubbles, so we spend a great deal of time outside blowing and popping them.  She is very active and happy these days, and just learning so much.  It's so fun to know she will now be at school learning things I didn't even think of - like today she painted here for the first time!  It was brilliant!

What a gift of JOY Kieren is to our lives, and we are thankful and blessed.

Love,
Sarah

Weekend Update

Hello all!

So I am a big nerd and STILL sore from our work at Hillsong this weekend!  We went on Saturday to help with renovations on the new building and Casey and I were outside on 'landscaping.'  That meant Casey and Michael Jenkins helped cut down massive, overgrown bushes and I was 'weeding' a big area that will become a new parking lot.  At times I used a spade sort-of thing and was working hard because I was SO sore and tired the rest of the day. 

My favorite was people trying to chop down overgrown grass and weeds using a shovel as a machette. Very African.

It all reminded me of days of working in the yard on Timber Ridge, ahhh....  We don't have a 'yard' anymore since we live on the church grounds, and we let them keep it pretty simple.  I like that so we don't draw attention to our house like 'rich white people live here!!' - our yard and outside of our house are very understated.  Just like our personalities :)

We had a great time helping a couple hundred people 'love the house' at the new Hillsong property and got to meet lots of new people.  Many of our friends were there and it made us all so proud to be a part of the new building.  Before, Friday night we had a big braii 'cookout' with a bunch of our friends and had a great time connecting with people.  There are some new mama's in the bunch and some moms-to-be, so that was fun.  Kieren hung out with a friend, Lana, who just turned 4, and they were playing and laughing HYSTERICALLY.  Too cute.  Back to Saturday, after landscaping, we hosted a going-away party for Kindra, one of the long-term Living Hope volunteers who is leaving today.  Then went to Jenks house for some rugby watching and another braii.  Antony and Ben joined us for the weekend, and Kieren had her first rugby lesson from Ben.  She loves Ben, shouting 'BEN!' all the time.  Kieren and I left early to put her and me to bed :)  Sunday we had church at Ocean View and they were all SO excited to have Ben and Antony there.  They even made them share in our testimony time!!  They did great, and visiting Granny even sang a song.  She has an AMAZING voice!!  When we kidnap her and bring her to the States for a visit remind me to make her sing for you  :)  Then we rested a bit Sunday afternoon, Casey and some boys watched some soccer, then went to the Muizenburg flea market with the Ostrand family, Americans who recently returned to SA to serve as missionaries full-time.  Then Hillsong and dinner afterwards.  Yes, WHEW is right.  Did I mention I took TWO naps on Sunday.  One normal one and then I was still tired so just laid down again to rest and pray.  Delicious.

Monday is here again and we are excited for what is ahead!  Our minds are eagerly FILLED with Ntgozo and still don't know if her family will let her stay with us.  PLEASE PRAY for this situation and even that we could connect with the family so they don't think we see them as 'bad.'  I think there are a lot of emotions involved in this whole story and even things we don't know yet, you know?  Other than that lots of other stuff too, but just excited to see all the fun things God surprises us with.  He is sneaky!

Lots of love,
Sarah