| First Published in Kouga Express | As a child, I didn’t like it when people saw my hearing aids. I did everything I could to hide it: I wore my hair down as often as I could; I even braided my hair sideways. When people saw my hearing aids, their demeanor towards me would …
‘Everywhere I go, I’ve been praying for the people: ‘Lord, restore their wild heart. Restore what religion called rebellion, what culture labeled too radical, and what tamed them from being the undignified lovers they were called to be.’ Right now, I pray that over you too.’ Nate Johnston Lately, I’ve felt something rising up in me. …
‘Because of the purity of your hands, God will rescue the ones who are not innocent… Through God’s grace in your life, the guilty will escape.’ Job 22:30 As a child, my hand was safe and sound in my mother’s hand whenever we crossed the street. ‘Look left, then right. Then left again,’ she would …
Four months ago, my mom and I moved to Jeffrey’s Bay. But before we made the big move from Bloemfontein, we came to Jbay for a weekend to scan and survey this land of Canaan. We looked at houses for rent, made queries about wi-fi networks, tried out the local restaurants. The first thing I …
| First published in Kouga Express | One of the most fascinating passages in the Bible is the one where Jacob wrestled with an angel. I have so many questions: Why did the angel come to Jacob? Why did he come at all? Why did he strike Jacob’s hip? Why did he leave him crippled …
| First Published On This Engrained Heart | We each have five senses for a reason. Our eyes – it helps us not to bump into things. Our ears – help us to follow conversations. Our tongue – to taste food better. Our nose – to stay away from smelly stuff. And lastly, our sense …
Three years ago, my mom and I moved back to Bloemfontein. We landed right in the middle of a severe drought. After experiencing an abundance of afternoon thunderstorms in Johannesburg, it was a huge adjustment to find ourselves in the middle of a Free State desert. Water restrictions were everywhere; even my grandmother had long …
| First Published in Kouga Express | Sometimes the thing we are afraid of doing is the same thing we must do. On the other side of fear is our destiny; it’s where endless possibilities await. When we give in to fear, we give up on our future, our voice. Recently I did a motivational …
At the local library, there’s a white woman who works there. It’s clear she doesn’t like me. But I am getting ahead of myself. Let me give you a backstory first. * I grew up spending most of my Saturdays at the one and only library in Worcester. I adored books, so much that I …
From the moment a baby is born, almost everyone is in awe of this bundle of potentiality. What will this child be like? Who will he/she grow up to be? What choices will he/she make? It is almost instantly hardwired into us that we each have a specific purpose for being on this earth. It’s …
‘Swimming is simply moving meditation.’ Cesar N. Caharian I am not a superstitious person, but I have my rituals. It is a safe thing to fall back to in an ever-changing world. One such ritual I have is when it comes to swimming. Swimming and I go a long way back. When I was nineteen …
Last year, I posted two blogs in total. The first blog was focused on the books and writers that have shaped me as a person. The second blog was based on the music and magazines that have influenced me up until today. Today, I am concluding my ‘Things I Have Loved’ series. This blog will …
Recently, my grandmother gave me a suitcase. It was brown, small and worn out leather, and it was filled with newspaper clippings, black-and-white photos, magazine articles, old passports, worn-out Bibles, cufflinks, and even an expired bank card. This suitcase had a special distinction to it because it once belonged to my grandfather, Christiaan ‘Goggie’ Johannes …
My friend recently gave birth to her first-born, a beautiful and healthy daughter. What I appreciate about our relationship is that she’s been honest with me from the very start. She has not sugar-coated the challenges of being pregnant, giving birth and finally, the major adjustments she’s had to make with taking care of a …
‘Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.’ Psalm 9:10 In every relationship, trust is vital. Without trust, a solid foundation cannot be built. The key to building long-lasting relationships is to have complete faith in one another, knowing that you can depend on each …