Choose Life

The one gift we have all been given in life is choice. This gift impacts us more significantly that we realize. It not only impacts us but all those around us and generations to come.

Let me give you a few examples. You choose to drink excessively and your family are affected. They learn behavior to cope with family life around them and retain the memories as part of who they are.

You choose to have an affair and the consequences change the lives of both your spouse, your children and generations to come. There may be added value with an unwanted pregnancy or HIV and AIDS.

You have an argument and pride, ego and self righteousness become more important than fixing the relationship. Your family suffer the consequences often for generations as a result of your decision.

You choose patience, time and love to parent your children even when you would rather be doing other things yourself.

You choose to sacrifice many things you would like to buy to ensure that your child is able to go and study.


These simple examples are complex in many ways and I am not denying that. My question to you this festive season is to look closely at your life and examine if there is any choice you may have made that is impacting others negatively? Can you change that? Can you stop doing what your doing? Can you hold out a hand of forgiveness? Can you repair a relationship through love and time? Yes all of these things are possible and may be the best gift you can give this year.It may just reverse a trend in your family for generations to come.

None of us are able to make change in our life without love and the gift that was given to us through the birth of Jesus Christ more than 2000 years ago.

Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and curses. Now I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, so that you and your descendants might live!" Deuteronomy 30: 19

May your choices change the lives of your children and their children forever. What a wonderful gift that would be.

Solid Ground

This thought came to me a few days back as I was driving and I reflected on some of the people who have influenced my life.

The first thought was that I now stand on SOLID GROUND. The journey to discover what really matters in life takes time, commitment and truth. I am a believer in CHRIST who gives me strength and direction for the walk through life. There are many along my journey that have helped to get me to to this point. I am grateful for each person who planted seed, prayed for me and encouraged me along the way.

When we stand back and reflect on the journey of life so far and what lies ahead, it is always important to try and see who has been with you on the journey and who has helped to develop your character and skills.

There may be specific people who have led a company or church you have been part of? It may be a special teacher on your journey through school. Your parents partner and children can play an amazing role in shaping who you become.Friends are there to support, love and guide us through a season and sometimes even a stranger has an impact on our thinking.

As we grow beyond the halftime journey, we should start to reflect more on this road and ask ourselves questions about life and those we may or can impact. We can start by making a list of those that have impacted our own journey. Then looking to the future, mentoring, encouraging and walking a distance with a young person, a friend or colleague should be part of what can make the difference in life.

Stand on solid ground be grateful, hold out your hand and start to help others.

This video clip says it all: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8welVgKX8Qo&feature=fvsr

9/11 ten years on- how has it changed the way you live your life?

Today is the 10 year anniversary of 9/11.
Where were you that day? It is one of those events that we all remember so clearly no matter where we live on planet earth.

I was busy doing a launch for Smile Education in the Hilton Hotel in Durban. I left the conference room when I had a number of missed calls from my children. When I called they told me the news. I immediately went to the bar area where there was a TV and could not believe what my eyes were seeing.I called my sister in the USA to see if they were all OK. The devastation and loss of life for so many will never be forgotten.

Today is the international day of prayer for Church of the Nations. This is the church group I belong to. As we prayed for children, family, communities, churches, nations, marketplace, missions and governments I wonder if the world is better or worse than it was 10 years ago? Did it really affect us so that we engage and care for others? Have international connections improved or deteriorated? Do these kinds of events change us for ever or not?

Many live with more fear, greed, destruction and anger. Others are more vulnerable. The stats about children, HIV, child pregnancies and the youth break ones heart. What will it take for us to really change and care?

Ten years ago my children were 19 and 21. Still at home. Now 10 years later they are both married and living as global citizens. I thank God that we choose to all follow the love of Jesus to equip us to live with love for family and our fellow man. That is the only way. I choose not to live with fear or loss but to live each day touching and encouraging those around me to take hands and make this place we call HOME a better place for all.

Enjoy some of my own memories of my visit to the USA in 2007.

Living Stones

Today at church we were challenged by a story about precious stones. This reminded me of my own message about stones. Beautiful precious stones set in a ring given to me about 4 years ago by a work colleague. At the time I was overwhelmed by the gift but more challenged about the message that accompanied the gift.

At the time I had left the parent/child industry and had no plans to return. The Prophetic message that I was given was one about being an influence in the country for women and children.

The beautiful ring had three semi precious stones. The colours were explained to me as follows;
Green/Blue stone - A reminder to remain in the stream of living water
Purple: A reminder of God's anointing
The last stone reflects 2 colours.
Pink- The Bride of Christ- That I would never be alone
Gold- The blessing of God.

I spent many hours praying about this message. I searched the Bible and asked friends to pray for me. It was in this season that I cried out to God to only do work that would honor this journey. The season was filled with pain, character building, releasing relationships and renewing my mind.

Today 4 years later I do find myself back in the parent/child industry. There is never a day that goes by that I do not first ask God to lead me, open the right doors and close those that need closing.

We serve a mighty God who knows us in our uniqueness. He knew us before we were born. There is such peace to find this very special place.

There are two pieces of scripture that helped me to understand this journey and promise.

Isaiah 54 vs. 11-15

Jerusalem, you are sad and discouraged, tossed around in a storm.
But I the Lord will rebuild your city with precious stones.
For your foundation I will use blue sapphires,
your fortress will be built with rubies,
your gates of jewels and your walls of gems.
I will teach your children and make them successful.


1 Peter 2 vs 4-6

Come to Jesus Christ. He is the living stone that people have rejected but which God has chosen and highly honored. And now you are living stones that are being used to build a spiritual home. You are also a group of holy priests and with the help of Jesus Christ you will offer sacrifices that please God. It is just as God says in scriptures.

Look I am placing in Zion a choice and precious cornerstone.
No one who has faith in that one will be disappointed.

Each of us are precious stones in the eyes of our Lord. He gives us the gift of choice and would love to add you to His House.
Me and my family, we will serve the Lord.

One million in my box

I have just finished reading a book called STUCK IN HALFTIME by BOB BUFORD. Bob has written a number of books relating to the shifts that happen about halfway through the journey of life. This particular book he wrote because he experienced many people being stuck and not being able to move from success to significance.

The journey of turning the page to a new chapter of life is not as easy as it seems. We struggle because of fear, risk and certain worldly traits that keep us captive. In an earlier book, Bob used an example of asking the following question: What symbol is in your box? In this process, he asks us to define the one symbol that defines most of our decisions. There can be many things in that box. Some of these symbols can be money, power, status, family or your faith. A few years back I did this excercise and placed the CROSS in my box. My faith defines who I am and I try to make as many of my decisions based on biblical principles.

In this new book, he expands this thinking for Christians and asks you to define what you believe your calling is? For what cause do you believe you were uniquely made? This had me back to thinking about my symbol of the cross? I was able to easily define what mine needs to change to. I had never thought about it before but I have two projects very close to my heart that get me up every day. They both share a central number: ONE MILLION

1. Refirement Network has it documented that I get up daily to help influence baby boomers to discover what they love doing and to encourage them to start a Refirement career and to help bring about social change in South Africa. I have a written goal of influencing 100 000 South Africans to have a 10 year Refirement career. This equates to 1 MILLION years of change for South Africa.

2. In my role as CEO of BrainBoosters which forms part of my own Refirement journey, we have a goal to have ONE MILLION parents involved with their 0-6 children by 2015. Parents are the primary educator of their children and can make a major difference to their children's long term success in life by engaging in play and learning with their children.

This has not been an easy journey. It takes time, prayer and learning to discover the path and the symbol in the box.

I hope these thoughts will help you to think about your own journey and think about the symbol in your box that defines who you are. The symbol can change but will take time and a choice on your part.

Enjoy the journey.

Holiday club 2011- Last week of June

We have two weeks to go to Holiday Club. This year we are doing something different.
For the past 13 years we have hosted the Holiday Club at the church with about 80 youth leaders and 600 to 800 children everyday. The numbers and costs to transport all these kids from around the Mogale City area is becoming onerous and expensive.This year we are managing 7 venues close and within walking distance of the children.We think this will bring more children and also brings opportunity for more involvement from people in the community.

Communities include:
Swartkops
Kromdraai
Muldersdrift
Dobsonville
Krugersdorp
Video Centre


If you have money, clothes, food, art equipment or can help in any way we would appreciate your help.

Our Nation is in trouble. The children need guidance and direction. Many are fatherless or managing with very little support. We have the team of leaders, we know the children will come, all we ask is if you can help in any way this will be appreciated.

You are welcome to connect with me to find out more.

Every child desrves a place in History......

Going on a play date

I have been working too much lately and not spending enough time on rest, reflection and creativity. I spend time writing and when one is tired it is difficult to call up the creative side of who we are. Last week I thought that I needed to join a creative writing class..

A few years back I read The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. She has a sequel called "Walking in this world".Part of the secret of creativity is to take yourself on a weekly "play date". This can be a walk, visiting a place that you have never seen, a concert.... just doing something that may stir up the right side of the brain.

I never thought that this would be the case this morning as I went on an outing about how the Hartbeespoort Dam was built.Fresh cool air, interesting conversations, nature at its best, mixed with water, sluice gates and rivers.
As I walked along the bridge I realsied that this was a gift. Time to think differently and just enjoy the glory of life around me.

Do we always need to take another class or just give oursleves permission to slow down and do something different?

I have pulled the books out again and will start to build back some of the reminders of the simplicity and beauty of our world.

"Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher" William Wordsworth