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by Caryl Moll The low water bridge, just outside the SKUKUZA rest camp, is always on my wish list when visiting the beautiful KRUGER NATION PARK. Hubby knows, that we just have to stop there – even if its just for a moment – in the hope of spotting one of my all-time favourite birds.  I’ll grab my binoculars and scan the reeds for any sign of these little feathered-friends. For me, it is an incredible reminder of what kind of relationship we are offered by our wonderful Lord. The African jacana (Actophilornis africanus) with its beautiful colouring, long toes and long claws is one of Africa’s amazing birds that seemingly ‘walks on water’. If you are lucky, you may get a glimpse of them pattering across the shiny water-lilies in search of various insects. No wonder some call this bird the ‘JESUS BIRD’ because of their incredible agility across the ponds. They’re simply enthralling. The most interesting fact, however, about this bird is that, once the chicks hatch, the male takes on full parental responsibility.  In this aquatic bird’s life, ‘Daddy does it all! He is their guide.  He nurtures and teaches them how to search for food and how to survive the challenging habitat. African Jacanas have a water-bird-type screech that alerts the chicks to potential danger. The little ones immediately run to their father, who simply opens his wings, gathers them up and runs. They escape with him simply carrying them across the lilies to a safer spot. There they emerge from his wings and continue with their little activities. So, although this blogpost is short, I’m hoping that this image will really stick with you – it’s one of the Father, carrying his children away from any danger….just like our Lord does for us! Psalm 91:4 “..He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge…” Prayer: Thank you Lord, for caring and providing for us. Thank you for Your promises that we hold onto. Thank you for carrying us when times get tough. Help us to trust in Your wisdom and plan.  Amen.” Yours, in Christ Caryl

by Calven Celliers Last night I received the sad news that an acquaintance of mine, Nico Bougas, had passed away peacefully and unexpectedly at his home in Florida in the USA. Just last week I received an email from Nico with these encouraging words to ponder: “Do you ever run into roadblocks on your life journey?  Do you ever get frustrated when things go wrong and your plans don’t work out as anticipated?  God has a way of turning life’s problems into blessings. What seems like a detour can lead you straight to your destination. "Difficulties are opportunities to better things; they are stepping stones to greater experience. Perhaps someday you will be thankful for some temporary failure in a particular direction. When one door closes, another always opens, that is the way life is. Obstacles and failures are a normal part of life when you take risks in order to grow. Accept them and move on. See what new things God has in store for you. A problem gives your life a jolt and knocks you off your accustomed track. The jolt, however, can send you spinning off in a new and better direction. In this way, a problem can become an opportunity.” (Nico Bougas) As I read those words, I was immediately reminded of a quote by New York blogger, best-selling author, and motivational speaker, Mandy Hale, that I’d read on a Huletts sugar packet at a coffee shop just the week before. I got the impression that God was definitely trying to tell me something, and He was using different, unrelated channels to get His message across. There’s purpose in the problems and detours of life! Life is a series of problem-solving opportunities. The problems you face will either defeat you or develop you, depending on how you respond to them. No one gets to skate through life problem-free. In fact, in the Gospel of John 16:33 Jesus made it quite clear, “33 …Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” Let’s face it, life has a way of serving up a variety of situations. Some are good. Some are bad. Some are darn right ugly. But I reckon they are all significant. I still maintain that even though God obviously doesn’t cause all our problems – we have to take responsibility and admit that many times problems are simply consequences – He certainly works through them. Have you ever considered that God wants us to view our life experiences through the lens of purpose? Even the detours. Detours come in many different shapes and sizes, they catch us off-guard, leaving us frustrated, confused, curious, even heart-broken. We question why things had to happen this way, at this time. The ultimate temptation is to become discouraged, even angry at God, as we sometimes experience our faith being rocked. But what we consider to be “detours” in our lives aren’t always detours in God’s overarching plan. Every problem is a character-building opportunity. What…