Category: The Pink Feathers

Growing up, I never really thought about healing. No one in our house was chronically ill. Every now and then there would be a cold or something similar, but nothing serious. If it was a bit bigger and more serious than a cold, we would go to the doctor to get the illness resolved.

I never realised that healing comes from God. And that is the reason why Jesus died on the cross for us. I know it sounds stupid to say it like this, but that is how it was for me. Probably also the exposure I had to religion that resulted in me thinking of it in this manner. Perhaps also because I never read the bible on that manner, if that makes sense. I always thought Jesus died so that we can go to heaven.

There is more to His death on the cross than only going to heaven. Of course I do not imply that going to heaven is not the best thing ever. Of course it is first prize! But there is so much more included for us in His death on the cross. Again, when I chose the verses for 2023, I could not imagine in my wildest dreams how relevant November 2023’s scripture would be on my life. I know, I sound like a record stuck in one place when I explain why November’s entry on the scripture is late. I will not elaborate on this topic anymore. At least I am writing it even if it is more than two months late….

Back to the scripture. I just love the English version. For by His stripes we are healed. Wow. Each and every lashing from the whips, was for us. For every person on earth. Not just for me. Also not only for a select few people. I cannot help but wonder, and it sounds strange to say it like this, but I am going to say it, then we will see how it works out. I wonder, when Jesus was on the cross, and every time he got a lash to His body, did He talk to me in His thoughts? Saying, Elsie, this one is for you. For the diagnoses of September 2023. For everything you have to go through in this entire process.

Would He, with a next and a next lashing, think about me and everything I had been through thus far in my life? This one is for your kidney pipe infection at the age of 5, tonsils, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, cracked vertebrae from the car accident, neck, arm or hand that is sore from sleeping in the wrong manner….I can go on with my list. If He said it about me more than 2,000 years ago, then He said it about every single person on earth. Wow. This is huge. He has, over all the decades, taken each and every person’s illness and ailment on Him that day on the cross and with each lashing. That is huge. Have you ever thought of it like that?

Just the other day, we were travelling to Milpark hospital for the umpteenth time. The route we take goes past a burial site. My husband, Heinrich, said that he cannot believe that there is still place for people to be buried. We see what looks like freshly dug graves. I answer him with a question, saying that I wonder how many people have ever walked on this earth. From the beginning of time up to now. I leave the question unanswered, because I don’t think anyone knows and even if there is a number, I most certainly will not be able to pronounce it, because there will be so many thousands, hundreds, millions and billions in that number! I will not even know where to start with that pronunciation. If I look at it like this, then my brain cannot fathom God’s greatness. It cannot even begin to grasp how much Jesus did for us.

For a few years now, when I pray, I rebuke the illness to go away in the Name of Jesus. For by His stripes, we are healed. Jesus already did the healing on the cross. The illness cannot do anything but go away. When I look at the results of the sonar that we did in November and that the tumour had already shrunk by 6 mm, then I get reassurance that God has got this. Even if the sonar measurements taken after this one is different – which I assume is normal, because the thing is busy dying and changing shape in the process. The healing is not in the medicine or the doctors. Those are the instruments that are there for us to receive healing. Instant healing from God is most certainly available. Deep down inside of me, I do know that there is a greater purpose for this. What it is, I cannot say.

Only time will tell. I know when I am going to look back on this time, when everything is over, I will only stand in absolute awe about God’s hand in everything. I know I am healed. God has already done this. I am just going through the process, because this is where God wants to use me. I am trusting that I am doing what God wants me to do during this process. I still cry a lot about everything. I am only human. With emotions and made in the image of God. We also laugh a lot. Try to function as normal as possible. But the most of it all is prayer. I pray a lot, rebuking the tumour and the swollen lymph nodes in the Name of Jesus. For by His stripes, we are healed...

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During May 2022, when I chose the scriptures for the 2023 year’s range of deskpads of Beroepsvrou, I think I felt that this scripture is applicable to the month of September. Purely because the season starts to change, trees get new leaves, flowers are blooming and everything seems to get life again after the winter. Well, what I thought was appropriate, was not the case at all. If you read deeper into this scripture, especially in the Amplified version, you will understand better.

God revealed the meaning of this month’s scripture beautifully and now I am grateful that I did not write about it earlier in the month. Else I would have missed it. I cannot help but notice that the meaning of the scripture is interlinked with what is happening in our lives, how quickly things changed, without our interventions, something that feels like months, but in reality, is only 3 weeks. Let me explain.

The Amplified version reads as follows – He has also planted eternity [a sense of divine purpose] in the human heart. Now it feels if it hit a bullseye and explains what I am feeling inside of me. You see, since September 2021, I have had this thing pressing on my heart. That thing manifested and the Pink Feathers ® range of Beroepsvrou was born. Something that I could not explain yet followed through. Something I actually did not have time for, especially in my very busy, overloaded schedule. Yet I pushed on with it.

My husband did not quite understand in the beginning, and I did not know how to explain it to him. I just continued to proceed with it, without him fully understanding what is going on and why I feel the way I do. Now, two years later, I understand why I felt what I felt. It was not my heart’s desires that I was chasing, but rather God that planted my purpose in my heart. The Divine Purpose as the Amplified calls it.

The next thing that stands out to me, also from the Amplified version, are the words in brackets – a mysterious longing which nothing under the sun can satisfy except God. You see, nothing that I did, felt right to me anymore. I did not know how to put it into words to my husband. Yet I continued with that which I felt God placed on my heart to do. I had this longing for something that only God could satisfy. That is also the reason why I do this writing thing, MAKING time for it. Because it feels as if I am finding my divine purpose for which I was created while doing it.

In between everything else, God kept on pressing it on my heart. In spite of crazy busy times, with deadline upon deadline. More admin loaded onto me due to changes in legislation. It feels like chaos in my day job (due to things changing rapidly there and me not being able to keep up), but when I sit and write, doing something for Beroepsvrou, it feels like the chaos disappear. It is just confirmation that this is where I must be.

The last thing in the verse that I want to point out, also from the Amplified version – yet man cannot find out (comprehend, grasp) what God has done (His overall plan) from the beginning to the end. And this is where I am now. My brain feels too small to even start figuring out what God’s plan with everything is. With me, the diagnosis, Beroepsvrou, the day job, everything. I have this childlike excitement about what lies ahead, but at the same time I am nervous, because this is BIG. The greatness of everything is what causes the nervousness, but I know, that I know, because I know, that God also has this under control. Like everything else in my life.

I cannot help but wonder if others also feel the way I do? If they also feel as if they are called for something bigger than that which they do every day? I cannot help but think that God does big things in my life, annually, in September. September is our anniversary month. September 2021 my life changed for the greater good on a Bible Journaling camp, where God revealed to me in such a unique way, that my sister and her husband MUST move to New Zealand (this is what He wants) and where I cried my cries, truly undergoing a transformation, from who I was before the camp.

September 2022 I was invited to Radio Pulpit for an interview. The highlight of my life, together with our wedding day, the birth of our two kids and other big life events. And now in September 2023, where I am going through the fire, with God by my side, undergoing another transformation. It is here where something bigger is busy developing. Something that my brain cannot fathom. I cannot help but think of the start of Ecclesiastes 3:11 – He has made everything beautiful and appropriate in its time.

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The clock (is this now the right word to use? Watch sounds wrong) in our lounge rings the tune it normally does, just before announcing the hour. It is one o’clock in the morning. The whole house is sound asleep. With the exception of myself and the hamsters. I sit and listen to the dog’s breathing, how it goes to the next level of deep sleep, as if she is preparing herself to chase butterflies in her dreams. Or maybe rather a Hadeda, after all, the dachshunds and the Hadeda’s have declared a silent war against each other in our garden.

The peep sounds of the baby hamsters can be heard better now that the entire house is quiet (the hamster that my son won at a church bazar beginning of August had babies, without us knowing that she is pregnant – is this the right word to use for a hamster having babies?). Then I sit and think about all the work that has to be done. The extra workload that came unexpectedly due to changes in legislation. Just like that boom, we are part of the FICA train. One that I did not really want to get on to begin with. But here I am. On my way to FICA land, with all its acronyms and stuff that make my head spin.

I cannot seem to find my comfy spot to lie down to sleep. I try to sit upright to sleep on the one couch. That feels impossible too. Some or another infection in my body is keeping me from sleeping. As if I need this too! On top of everything else. Swollen lymph nodes are not for the weak. And I feel weak. I must stop myself; I want to cry every now and then due to the discomfort that I am experiencing. The frustrations of not being 100% healthy is getting to me.

I am trying to make sense of where it comes from but, realise that the signs of infection have been there for some time now. I was just not clever enough to recognise it, and I wrote it off as stress, burnout, little to no sleep. And old age. I really thought in my head that this is probably how it feels when you start ageing? Especially when I could not keep up anymore at the weekly Cross Fit exercise sessions. Moving slower than usual. I thought this is what it feels like when you age. Your strength is not what it used to be, in spite of healthier lifestyles, exercise and who knows what! I almost accepted it as the norm, when this is not the case at all!!

My head turns to this month’s scripture on the desk pad. Then I wonder why, every month this year, I only write about it the last weekend of the month? Why do I not get time like I used to previously, earlier in the month? Why don’t I start working on this earlier in the month? Then I wonder about my designs for 2024. Whether I should continue with designing desk pads, tent calendars and other things subsequent to 2024? Whether I should do an eagle tent calendar for 2024 for men? And a desk pad for men? Would they even use it and buy it? I don’t KNOW!!!!! Everything feels overwhelming!

Too tired to look at my phone’s screen much longer, I decide to continue writing this with a fresh brain and eyes. That is IF can get some sleep. What felt like the longest night in history, with sleep avoiding me like crazy, it is Saturday morning. Here I am, behind my computer. I have to work. I actually want to craft and write. The weekends feel too short for everything that I want to do to fill up my tank for the week ahead.

I decide to do the responsible thing and rather tend to work than to write or do anything else that is more fun than work. Here I am, a few days later, on the day before the last day of August, finishing off this entry. Only for it to be published on the last day of August. But that is just how it all worked out. I read the scripture again and the verses before this one. It is about Abraham that had to offer Izak.

I am trying to make sense on how I am interpreting this scripture, thinking about the story about Abraham, how he in total faith, went to the place where he had to offer Izak, because that was the instruction from God. The specifics about the location is avoiding me too. I wonder so many times what he must have thought. We all just read it as a story, don’t always think of emotions and feelings of the people we read about.

I remember also that he said something to the effect of “God will provide” whenever Izak used to ask him where the animal is that must be offered. And I think this is what this is all about. We must have faith with actions. We must purposefully do something, that does not make sense, to confirm our faith. Does this make sense? Because having faith, is believing in something that we have not necessarily seen or experienced, is it not?

Let me give an example from my own life. Before I was pregnant with my daughter, I felt that God placed it on my heart to buy a home pregnancy test (or two). At that stage, falling pregnant did not happen quickly or easily like it was the case with my son. Grateful that we did not struggle, but it just did not happen spontaneously.

I got prophetic word about a baby girl, months before falling pregnant with her. This deed of mine, to purchase something that did not make sense at that stage, is where my faith came in. You see, I could have chosen to ignore that which God placed on my heart to do. But I chose to believe that I will use the tests and that they will be positive, in spite of where I was in my life.

And I think it is actions such as these, that relates to this scripture. Faith without actions is nothing. Does it make sense what I am trying to say here? I hope so, because this is how I interpret this and I am sure if I read this verse again a few years from now, God is likely to reveal something else that I cannot see now….that is why His word is living and alive!

May we continue to choose to believe, doing things that God places on our hearts to do, so that our faith may be built by our actions. Growing stronger. As I close off here, God reminds me of Beroepsvrou and the faith that came with it. How I started writing without me knowing and understanding why. And when I had to make the aprons, without a plan for it and the plan not coming from myself. How wonderful is God? What does He do for you, and what do you do for Him? To build your faith…..?

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I grew up in a world where there are so many myths, stories and also lies. Especially in children’s stories. Many people will tell you “It is just a story” and make it off as nothing. But, all these stories and things that we take in, is the enemy’s way of desensitising us, making us used to things that are not from God. So much so, that we cannot distinguish between right and wrong. We cannot distinguish between that which is from God and that which is from the world.

The one myth that I think about, is the one about a leprechaun (the short little man with the hat displaying a four leaved clover on it, who is always trying to trick people) with his pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. In these stories, everyone is searching for this pot of gold and in some instances, I think they see it, but it remains out of reach.

Now the reason why I am talking about this is, the world made up a story to let people believe that there is something precious to be found in a place that is impossible to locate. Of course, we know that the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow does not really exist. But, until you learn the truth from someone about something, you will continue to believe the lie, because you do not know of better.

This proverbial pot of gold that is being searched for, can actually be applied to any situation in our lives. We believe the lies, chasing after things that do not really exist, thinking that we will find what we are searching for. All the while, that which we are searching for, does not really exist and will never be found. As humans, we will always be searching for SOMETHING. We have a little hole we have to fill.

Now it feels like I am starting to think random thoughts and giving it through, but I am sure you will follow what I am trying to say here. The rainbow is God’s sign of a covenant with mankind, one that He set with Noah. Do you see how the world twists the beauty of the rainbow? Letting it symbolise different things in life, representing everything that it is not? In this myth that I refer to, it represents something valuable that cannot be found at the end of the rainbow that does not exist.

This brings me to this month’s bible verse. Here God confirms something and gives us a promise. The verse confirms that humans are ever searching for something. That something that we are searching for, is God. Only He can fill the hole in our lives. If we seek Him with all of our heart, we WILL find Him. How wonderful is this? The rainbow, representing God’s promise and covenant, leads to something more precious than a pot of gold. It leads to God. His covenant and promise to us as humans. If we do it whole heartedly, with everything inside of us, WE WILL FIND HIM!

Wow! I am so grateful for the revelation that God has given me about this verse. I pray that everyone that reads it, will continue the search for God rather than for empty promises, myths, stories and lies from the world. That which is waiting for us at the end of God’s rainbow, is so much more than that which the world can offer us. What are you searching for today? Are you following God’s rainbow or the one the world has to offer with a pot of gold that does not exist?

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Every time I think about peace, I think of the movie, Miss Congeniality where she closed off her answer, to a question that was asked, with the sentence “And World Peace.” And then while I am typing it like this, I cannot help but wonder if I have not written something similar to this? I cannot remember, because I write as much as what I talk and talk as much as what I write. None the less, this month’s scripture is about God’s peace that exceeds anything we will ever understand and experience. This whole month I was waiting in anticipation of experiencing it (because I have experienced it before) but it is as if it was dodging me the whole time.

Then I realise that this month’s circumstances is of such a nature, that I experienced peace like the world offers it. Sort of. I went to Google the proper definition of peace, as the dictionary explains and describes it. Unlike the Afrikaans definition that I Googled referring me to Wikipedia, I found the English definition from the Oxford Languages Dictionary. The definition is said to be freedom from disturbance, tranquillity. A state or period in which there is no war, or a war has ended.

While reading this, it struck me. On the surface it seems that there are no disturbances and actually a state of tranquillity, no war going on. However, on my own I have declared war against the webpage of an institution that does not want to work as it should. No one declared war against me, so theoretically it is not a state of war. I will not blame and shame the institution, because the purpose of this blog is not to sweep people up to be negative. But silently I have this war against this webpage, with an outlook that I will win and get everything submitted on time and before or on the due date of 31 May and not miss the deadline.

So, if I then have this silent war that I declared against this webpage, then I do not have God’s peace, do I? In worldly terms I actually have peace, even if the webpage is not working. It is not going terrible with me. I mean, no one has declared a physical war against me, this is just another thing that I have to deal with and resolve and can be seen as part of the day job. You know, the saying, every sport has its injuries? This is now one of those everyday injuries of the “sport” that I exercise daily when it comes to the day job.

The whole time while I am working, struggling to get things done, I get frustrated and irritated. So for sure I do not have God’s peace. And then in the process, the frustrations make me slap my hands together out of pure disbelief, or hitting the table that I am working on, unintentionally jump scaring my husband, who is working in the same office. Of course, the words that come with the frustrations want to be uttered and I have to focus really hard not to say them, but I must confess, I do not always get it right. So, you see, I feel I do not have the peace of God that this text is referring to.

Because this is peace that exceeds anything we can understand, peace that the world cannot offer us. And this peace guards our hearts and minds. Which implies I will not slap my hands in frustration or utter words that I should not be said. Now I have experienced God’s peace and I must say, that is a very nice place to be in. Even if it is chaotic around me, I cannot help but experience His peace that exceeds all things I have ever experienced. This is something that I long for on a daily basis in my life. In spite of my silent and self-proclaimed war, I feel some form of peace inside of me.

I can almost feel how the Holy Spirit is gently blowing peace into my spirit. Here I am now, war halfway won, busy making other plans to ensure that I will get all submitted on time, keeping my side clean so that no one can turn around and say Sorry nê, your submission was not on time and therefore we are levying a penalty. Even if the late submission was not my fault and that of the system, the outlook is always that penalties will be levied if not submitted on time.

As I close off this article, I think I understand better what is meant with the peace like the world offers. You see, all of us, myself included, can get so worked up when things do not go according to plan. It is not the end of the world and everything does not fall apart, but things are just not working as they should. It is in these moments of frustration and being worked up, that we miss God’s peace and just experience the peace like the world offers us. Does it make sense what I am trying to say?

The long and the short is, we must not fall for the devils lies, hook, line and sinker. We do not have to get worked up and miss God’s peace in the process. We do not have to be content with the peace like the world offers us. If we miss God’s peace, then we are missing the guidance He is offering us in our lives…. ever thought about it in this manner? What are you choosing today? Are you choosing to get all worked up, being frustrated about that which is not working? Are you giving space for things and stuff, other than that which is from God, to guide your mind? I know that I want God’s peace AND His guidance in my life, irrespective of the circumstances.

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I cannot help but wonder what is actually busy happening to time. I am not finding time to write like I used to in the past. Come to think of it, I am not finding time to do anything it seems. My circumstances have changed, no doubt about that, but can it truly have such a big influence? Anyway, on the last day of April, I am finally finding time to write about this month’s scripture. Now, I have been thinking about it for a while now, chewing on what I want to say. Maybe it is not really the being busy that is hindering me to write, but rather what I feel I want to say about the scripture, that is truly the hold up here. I do not want to write for the sake of writing you know.

Now this month’s verse is yet again very interesting to me, especially the manner in which God is busy breaking it open to understand it from a different point of view. When you love someone, then you say it to them, right? But with it comes other things too. You treat the person nicely and do things for them, because you love them, something that you may not do for a total stranger.

The part of the verse that stands out the most is in the last part. The word – truth. You see, when you truly love someone, you will also tell them the truth. You will not tell them stories and things that are contradicting to love. Now here is the other deep part of the verse, if I can put it that way. Who must we love? A question that Jesus answered the Pharisees and other people who studied the bible (whose collective name I cannot think of right now in this moment). We must love our neighbours as ourselves.

Wow! So, in other words, this verse is applicable to all people, not only those close to you and with whom you have a relationship with. I don’t think this implies that we have to say that we love people whom we do not know from a bar of soap! Because the word love is deep. But, you must have respect for others, even if you do not know them on a personal level. Showing them that Jesus is within you. The same is applicable to our deeds – we don’t have to do something by moving into someone’s personal space. But, if you are stuck in traffic, you can give a space for the person next to you and in this manner show a deed of love, even if you do not know that person. Does it make sense?

The word I seem to come back to the whole time is truth. What are you busy doing? Are you telling the truth on all levels? Are you telling people of Jesus? He is the truth. Are you speaking the truth when you interact with people and when you are doing business transactions? Do you keep to your word? Are you truly busy showing love through your tongue, forcing yourself to speak the truth, irrespective of the circumstances?

I also don’t think you should tell someone that you do not like the shirt they are wearing, because that is personal taste in my opinion. And when you say things to people in this manner, then you are attacking their personality. Does it make sense what I am trying to say here? The verse makes me think of the English saying Actions speak louder than words. How true are those words? Maybe you have these people in your life, whether it is friends or family. They tell you things that would make you think that you have a good relationship, but their deeds say the contrary. Maybe the truth is lacking a bit in that what is actually busy happening. Respect may be absent – because everything is always about them rather than those around them.

May we be reminded frequently, to show love in deed and in truth, and not only by words and with our tongue. This is not only applicable to fellow humans here on earth. Not at all! Our relationship with God must also be like this! Don’t just say that you love God if your actions and deeds speak the contrary. Where do you stand today? What is your relationship with Him like? Are you truly busy showing Him that you love Him? Or are you getting stuck at a superficial Sunday relationship with Him? Something to think about I would say….

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Like every month before, since I started writing about the Bible scriptures on the Desk pads, I cannot help but smile and grin by myself. Because God KNOWS. He is outside of time, and He KNOWS that I will be able to relate in some way to the scripture every month.

This month the scripture is about righteousness and kindness or loyalty as some versions refer to it. The other word to be used instead of kindness or loyalty is benevolent. Not too long ago, I wrote something about this word (see entry – The Word published in November 2022). Benevolence means to have a quality to do good and be kind.

I am therefore interpreting this scripture that we have to chase after (or seek – although some versions speak about hunt – which implies it is an activity of finding something that is not always visible and easy to find) righteousness AND benevolence. My perspective and experience with people, is that everyone does not hunt or seek this. To me, this does not make sense as to why people don’t act in this way, because it is so obvious to me. Something that I have made a part of my life. Logic you know? It seems that people do not always live this way. Someone once told me Not everyone eats from the Logic tree. Something that is logic and obvious to me, is not so for the next person.

Everywhere I am confronted with righteousness and benevolence. Situations cross my path that I am confronted with and must deal with – it is not always necessarily work related, but rather when life happens, and other decisions need to be taken. Things happen that really go against my grain and what I stand for. Then I cannot help but think HOW such things can happen? What spirit is truly ruling in people’s lives? Righteousness or wickedness? Are they truly benevolent towards others or are there always motives behind their actions, living with a motto of each for his own?

Now I can spend hours talking about bad experiences that I have had in my life, from way back when up to this day. But this is not the purpose of this blog. The purpose is not to make everyone negative about life and how others seem to live their lives. The purpose is to be uplifting, inspiring, building up rather than breaking down. To seek the positive in all situations, even if the situations come across very negative. To be able to identify with Scripture, clinging onto God’s promises, rather than having pity parties AND opening up a can of worms with it. My goodness, WHO wants to eat worms AND moan at the same time?

This brings me back to the Scripture for this month. Do people not know the promises held for those who seek or hunt righteousness and benevolence? There it is, black on white in the Bible. If you seek or hunt righteousness, you will find life, righteousness AND honour. Wow. This is HUGE. I will rather not go into the opposite meanings – but maybe it is something to think about… My question is – what are you chasing? Do you know what the result will be of that which you are running after? What are you choosing today? From what tree are you eating today? Are you also at the Logic Tree? Is it obvious to you? To chase after righteousness and benevolence?

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