The Colour of Love

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.                                                     Philippians 4:5 | NIV Deidre   Those early days of a spirit filled walk with Jesus are so full of wonder. It reminds me a little of that scene in the 'The Wizard of Oz', when the black and white picture suddenly transforms to vivid colour. Being aware of God's presence made beautiful little moments just that much sweeter and a hunger for the Word grew into soul-deep satisfaction, nourished by the living Bread of Life.  I was so eager to serve and learn and love and laugh, full of this new joy that was boundless in grace and mercy. Youth and children's ministry was a great environment for me and God opened many doors to speak life into little hearts. It's no wonder that Jesus said we should be like little children in our faith...

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;  in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight .                                                      Proverbs 3:5-6 David   My three year old daughter recently asked whether my job was counting and though it made me laugh, she's not entirely wrong. As a personal trainer and fitness instructor, I do spend a lot of time counting. Counting out reps and sets may have become routine, but counting all the ways in which God has led, guided and shaped me even in this area of my life, would be infinite.  There are perhaps a few moments in life when we experience or discover something that will impact the course of our lives radically. The day I first set foot in a gym, as a young teenage boy, I had no idea that it would be one of those moments....

But now, this is what the LORD says-- he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: "Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine"                          Isaiah 43:1 NIV Deidre I love listening to the pattering sound of rain as it soaks the ground and stirs up a beautiful aroma full of life, renewal and hope. Whenever I hear it, it joyfully takes me back to what will always be the most profoundly defining moment of my life ...  The grindingly slow pace of life in a small town is a tough adjustment when you're used to the rush and fingertip conveniences of the city. Though this phase of my life, at the time, seemed drifting and meaningless, I now have the clarity to be thankful and recognise the grace that flowed through those simple moments.  My mom was an extraordinary lady and had an amazing gift for unfolding potential and drawing light out of children, ...

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the  Lord  require of you? To act justly and to love mercy  and to walk humbly  with your God.                                              Micah 6:8 NIV David  If I could string together all the footprints I've tread in my life, I'm sure they'd stretch around the world more than once. I enjoy walking, and in Cape Town, people walk for relaxation, health and enjoyment. Where I come from though, you walk because you have no other choice. In small towns, like the one I'm from, cars were a luxury few could afford and most people from my community are well familiar with the tapping companionship of your own footfall.  The high school I attended was over an hours' walk from my home. A fourteen kilometre round trip, that started in the dark on icy winter mornings and left my uniform sweat drench...

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.                                        Psalms 42:11 NIV Chapter 2 Deidre One of my favourite things to do as a little girl was to page through the family photo albums. I'd snuggle up close to my mom and she'd patiently recount the stories behind every picture again and again... She'd tell me all about the day I was born in a Ladysmith hospital and how they were expecting a boy, only to be completely surprised by the little girl that showed up instead. About the eight year long struggle to have a baby that she and my dad endured, and how God answered their prayers in the most miraculous way. We'd scroll through the pages, pausing at this and that. Baby days, all the firsts, birthdays, special days, days and days and days... No matter how many times I p...

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.                    1Corintians 13:11 David   Thoughts of my early childhood are coloured with memories of African sunsets, big game, dusty feet, camp fires and community. Born in the military camp at Buffalo, on the banks of the Okavango river, life was an intricate blend of both simple and complicated. We had little in terms of convenience and  worldly comforts. Toys were fashioned from the land and food was cooked on open fires. One of my earliest memories, is that of my father, hoisting me up onto his shoulders and walking me down to the river to wash. I'm not sure how old I was, but I can still recall how I felt ten feet tall and like he was the strongest man in the world.  The phrase, 'It takes a village to raise a child' r ings very true for my childhood. ...

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord , “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.                                      Jeremiah 29:11 NIV Welcome and thank you so much for joining us! David and I, hope and pray that you will be encouraged as we journey through this story together.  Throughout the course of our relationship, we've come to realise that, most people are simply curious and shinning a light on the details of our story, unlocks the door to greater understanding and perhaps even a new perspective.  If you know us, parts of this story will surprise you, perhaps even shock you... And if you don't know us personally, we are so happy that you have taken the time to read and look forward to calling you friends.  It's a beautiful tale of an unlikely romance, deep, wrenching loss and a hope that comes only by the gra...