What now?
Wow! Can you believe it – January has quietly slipped by! During this past week someone said to me, “Shucks it’s almost time to take out the Christmas tree and decorations again!” Yes, time flies indeed.
Recently, many people inquired about my wellbeing and the ministry we are currently developing. In the next few weeks I will share our progress with you here on our Life Light Blog. I’m going to try to answer some of the questions that people are asking me, in a plain and understandable way to the best of my ability. That might prove to be quite a challenge seeing that it is a total new ballgame, even to me. Questions such as;
- What happened?
- Where are you now?
- Where are you staying?
- How do you keep yourself busy?
What happened?
As I have already shared with you, the congregation in which I was, ran into financial trouble like many other congregations. The result was that, for the sake of survival, they had to restructure. Since I was almost 60 and therefore due for early retirement, as well as a few other considerations (LIFO, severance packages, etc.) I had to go on early retirement. So, I am now officially in the “Wisdom Class” of retirees.
Unfortunately, the reality is that I get a very meager pension, only what’s been accumulated in the past nine years and ten months of full-time ministry. So, I’m literally one of those “privileged” people who will have to keep on working to survive. Luckily, this is what I prefer because the ants in the pants is part of who I am and sitting somewhere and waiting for something to happen is definitely not one of my strong suits. For the first time in my life, I am fortunate to be able to do what my passion in life is, as a full-time job. Helping people to discover who God is, who they are and to discover Gods amazing plans and dreams for their life’s.
This passion was born out of the challenges I’ve experienced earlier in my own life. I was kicked out of the safety of my comfort zone a couple of times to enable me to become what I was meant to be. During the first phase of fulltime ministry as well as being in the corporate world for 13 years (Radio Pulpit etc.) I have encountered some life-changing challenges.
You can watch more about it by clicking on the link below;
Where are you now?
The other day someone asked me, so, “Where are you now?” I said to him, “As far as I know, I’m just here where I’ve always been. But if I caught up with myself and I came to find myself elsewhere, I’ll let you know right away. “
I’m sure you have been in a situation where a few people are talking to you simultaneously. You would like to pay attention and listen to everyone but unfortunately you can only pay attention and listen to one at a time. That’s about how I’m feeling nowadays. You have to pay attention to so many people and things and then just to add some extra flavor to life, you are challenged by a few curveballs that you have to deal with, over and above it all. So to answer the Question of where I am?
I am still around in the West Rand area.
Where are you staying?
I am very fortunate to live in paradise. (hie- hie! Call me Adam!) A Game Reserve, next to the old Heia Safari in Muldersdrift near Krugersdorp. The one photo I attached here, of the impala’s, was taken from my porch while they were grazing. Almost Paradise! Fortunately, I don’t have an Eve that can eat me out of paradise. (hie-hie! Sorry ladies.) Unfortunately, I won’t be able to stay much longer in paradise, since I have no longer a fixed income, So, I’m looking for a more affordable place, where I can lay my head down. If you perhaps know of cheaper and more affordable housing, I’ll appreciate it if you will let me know.
How do you keep yourself busy?
Someone told me that he thought, the day he retired, his life would become a bit more calm and peaceful. Mistake! Then he went on to tell that he is currently busier than ever before in his life. That is indeed true of me as well.
Thus far, we’ve developed a whole Website with a pages that had to be “populated”, which means that we had to load a lot of stuff on the Webpages. Then you have to keep on updating the pages to get people’s attention and get followers. You can check it out at; (https://livelight.community)
We also developed a Facebook Fan page for Life Light. Within two months, it has grown to more than a 1,000 supporters at present. To everyone who contributed, prayed, shared, liked and helped to achieve it, I want to say; THANX A MILLION! Please continue to “like” the page and “share” with all your friends and “followers”. At present, it is the “Home” where all the different forums meet together. You can visit it at;
https://www.facebook.com/LeweLig/
As you might have noticed, the daily devotionals (Unfortunately only in Afrikaans at present), “Blogposts” and other interesting articles, etc. are posted here on a daily basis. As they say; “Check this space!” Later in the week I will tell you more about all the other activities. We will then look at questions like;
- What is an Internet ministry?
- Do you still have a Counselling practice?
- Are you still working corporately?
- What are you available for in regard with performances?
- Do you still sing?
- How are you going to survive financially?
Have a wonderful week full of brightly colored splashes of God’s blessings, love and grace.
Shalom
Nou hoe nou?
Wow! So is Januarie ook alweer verby! Soos iemand in die week vir my sê; “Ja jong dis amper alweer tyd om die Kersboom en versierings uit te haal!”
Op hierdie stadium beleef ek dat baie mense met vrae in die hart loop rondom my en die nuwe bediening wat ons tans besig is om te ontwikkel. In die volgende paar weke gaan ek hier op die Lewe Lig Blog, probeer om jou op hoogte te bring ten opsigte van myself asook hierdie Internet-bediening, aan die hand van die vrae wat ek die meeste gevra word soos;
- Wat het gebeur?
- Waar is jy nou?
- Waar bly jy nou?
- Waarmee hou jy jouself besig?
Wat het gebeur?
Soos wat ek nou al met jou gedeel het, het die gemeente waarin ek was in Finansiële moeiliheid in gehardloop soos baie ander gemeentes. Die gevolg was dat hulle, ter wille van oorlewing, moes herstruktureer. Siende dat ek amper 60 en dus aftreebaar is, asook ander oorwegings, moes ek toe op vroeë pensioen gaan. So, ek is nou amptelik in die “Wysheids-klas” van afgetredenes.
Ongelukkig is die realiteit dat ek ‘n baie karige pensioen kry, net dit wat ek oor 10 jaar in die voltydse bediening opgebou het. So ek is letterlik een van die “bevoorregte” mense wat sal moet aanhou werk om te kan oorleef. Gelukkig is dit wat ek verkies want die rooi miere pla maar en stilsit is nou glad nie een van my gunsteling tyd verdrywe nie. Vir die eerste keer in my lewe is ek bevoorreg om dit wat my passie is, nou vir ‘n lewe te kan “voltyds” doen. Voordat ek terug gekom het na die voltydse bediening was ek vir 13 jaar in die korporatiewe wêreld (Radio Kansel ens.) en het ‘n paar lewensveranderende aardskuddings, my lewe radikaal verander. Gaan kyk na my storie op;
Waar is jy nou?
Die ander dag vra iemand my so ewe; “Waar is jy nou?” Sê ek toe vir hom, “So vêr ek weet, is ek maar net hier waar ek nog altyd was. Maar as ek myself ingehaal het en ek kom agter ek is elders, sal ek jou onmiddelik laat weet.”
Ek is doodseker jy was al in ‘n situasie waar daar ‘n hele klomp mense tegelykertyd met jou praat. Jy wil graag na almal luister maar ongelukkig kan jy net na een op ‘n slag luister. Dit is nou omtrent soos wat ek deesdae voel. Jy moet aan soveel dinge aandag gee en net om die “cherry” op die koek te sit, kom daar dan nog sulke onverwagte branders wat hanteer moet word, ook na jou kant toe. Nou kom ek probeer die vrae so een vir een vir jou antwoord.
Waar bly jy nou?
Ek bly nog steeds in die paradys. ‘n Wildreservaat, langs die ou Heia Safari in Muldersdrift naby Krugersdorp. Die een foto wat ek hierby aangeheg het is geneem van die bokkies wat hier op die grasperk voor my deur wy. Sielsalig sê ek jou. Verder het ek nie ‘n Eva wat my uit die paradys kan eet nie. (hie-hie) Ongelukkig sal ek nie veel langer hier kan aanbly nie aangesien ek nie meer ‘n vaste inkomste het nie, wat tot gevolg het dat ek nie meer die huur kan bykom nie. So ek is op soek na ‘n goedkoper plekkie, waar ek my kop kan neerlê. Indien jy van iets in die omgewing weet, laat weet my tog asseblief.
Waarmee hou jy jouself besig?
iemand het vir my gesê dat hy gedink het, die dag as hy aftree gaan sy lewe so ietwat rustiger raak. Foutjie! Sê hy toe vir my dat hy nou besiger is, as ooit van te vore in sy lewe. Inderdaad is dit ook waar van my.
Tot nou toe het ons ‘n hele Webbladsy ontwikkel (https://livelight.community) wat ge-“populate”, moes word. Dit beteken dat jy ‘n klomp goed op die webblad moes laai. Gaan loer gerus daar in. Verder het ons die Facebook Fanpage vir Lewe Lig ontwikkel. Binne twee maande het dit gegroei tot meer as 1000 ondersteuners tans. Aan elkeen wat saamgewerk en gehelp het om dit te bereik, ‘n GROOOOOOT BAAAAAAIE DANKIE!Hou asseblief aan om die bladsy te “like” en te “share” met al jou vriende en “followers”.
Op die stadium is dit die “Home” waar al die verskillende Forums bymekaar kom. Besoek dit by; https://www.facebook.com/LeweLig/
Soos jy seker agter gekom het, word die dagstukkies, “Blogposts” en ander interressante artikels ens. op ‘n daaglikse basis geplaas. Soos hulle sê; “Check this space!” Later in die week vertel ek verder van al die bedrywighede en antwoord ek die volgende vrae;
- Hoe werk ‘n Internet bediening?
- Wat van jou Spreekkamerwerk?
- Doen jy ander optredes?
- Sing jy nog?
- Hoe gaan jy aan die lewe bly? (Inkomste genereer?)
Hê een asemrowende week vol helderkleurige spatsels van seën liefde en genade uit ons Vader se hart.
Shalom
Motivational, inspirational and life changing 