inbetween

I will admit, it has been more difficult than usual to find the correct words for this blog. Words that I felt to be true and honest. The truth is, this week is one of the hardest for me. After the excitement of camp and having people around, the silence of this week is often deafening. It is in this week when I ask myself lots of questions--what is the next step for The Hidden Place? Where is God leading us? What more does He have for us to do? It's a week filled with prayer, a week filled with emotions, and a week filled with longing--a longing for this, and my life to make a true difference for His Kingdom.

The theme for camp #4 was "Not Home Yet"--which was birthed from a personal place. You see, as much as the last 6 months have been filled with excitement and joy in my own life, the lives of people around me seem to have been filled with pain and tragedy. I found myself broken over the loss of people in the community where I was raised. And not only that, but broken for the people who loved them. I've been broken over accidents and illnesses which affected the children in Alex which I have come to know and love. It's seems like all around me people are hurting. In those moments of brokenness, God reminded me that the only true hope we have as people is found in Him and a life with Him. "Not Home Yet" sought to be about how as believers we do not belong in this world, which is why we often experience pain and loss and hurt and loneliness. God had something different in mind, a world where we could walk in perfect communion with Him, but we messed that up in the garden. And nothing has been the same since.

With that being said, I didn't want it to be an "accept Jesus so you can get to heaven" kind of deal. You see, if heaven just for the sake of heaven is the goal, we've got it wrong. Our hearts should desire heaven because of the presence of God. The fact that we will get to one day sit around His throne in awe of Him, singing praises to Him without distraction--that is what I wanted these kids to know. And I can tell you, it was amazing to see. To see kids asking questions and wanting Jesus--not just what He could give them, was incredible.

Here is my personal struggle--the inbetween. I'm incredibly thankful for the promise of being at home with God one day. However, I have to remember that I'm here for a reason. You see, I have the opportunity to experience God now. I have the opportunity to talk with Him and love Him and live for Him now--that isn't something I have to wait for. But more than than, I've been commanded to love like Jesus loved. To care for the orphans and the widows, to make His name known to people who have never heard it. I've been commanded (not asked) to love my neighbour as myself, no matter who that neighbour happens to be.

You see, as Christians we can't just walk through this world longing for our future home. We must walk through it differently than other people--making the most of every day, and experiencing God now. Let us not get caught up in either extreme; rather, let us live in the in-between, living for God today, experiencing God today, loving people today, while clinging to the promise of our future home with Him.

Cook Book :)

Hello Everyone :)

Here we are just 2 weeks away from camp, and we have some very exciting news! The Hidden Place will be publishing a cookbook! The cookbook will be compiled of recipes from people like you, and will be sold to help raise money for The Hidden Place!

We would love to have you share your favorite recipes with us, and there are a few ways you can do that!

1.) You can go to www.fundcraft.com and use the WEB ID: 419-15CT to access the recipe center--just enter the WEB ID in the top right corner, no password necessary, and click login-here. When the page comes up, click on Short/Cut online and you will be brought to a page where you can type out your recipe! There is even a Traditional South African recipe section, so all my South African friends please join in the fun!

2.)  Holly and Michelle will be giving out forms at Wooley Spring, First Baptist Tanner, and Mars Hill Baptist--so if you are not comfortable using the website, you can submit your recipe this way.

The deadline to submit recipes is April 10th--so please make sure you get yours in before then! And please pass the word on so that we can get lots of people involved!

Thanks so much for your support and a HUGE thank you to Holly Tiemann and Michelle Richardson for heading up this project!

the Almighty

I have moments in life, more than I would like to admit, when I forget who Jesus really is. Sure I "know" Him. Sure there are attributes in my life that say I follow Him. But there are numerous moments in my life when, in my hopelessness, I forget who He is.

When I arrived back in South Africa after a wonderful time in America, I felt an overwhelming sense of hopelessness when it came to The Hidden Place. I was expecting non-profit paperwork to be back so that we could move ahead with purchasing land. I was anxious about the small number of volunteers we had just 2 months before camp. And as I mentioned in my last blog, on two different occasions in one day, God reminded me of who He is.

You see, often times I go to Jesus as my comforter when things are going badly. I ask Him to give me wisdom. I ask Him to direct me. All of those things that we ask Him as His followers. However, there is one thing that I often don't seek Him as--the Almighty God.

I was striving to accomplish all these things in my own strength, and when they didn't happen, I went to God in my sadness and distress. But instead of initially asking Him to take care of these things, I just sought comfort.

When I finally began to put things in His hands, He showed up in a powerful way. In less than a month, we had 6 more people join the team for camp in March/April, and we received our non-profit company paperwork in South Africa.

Let us not forget who our God is. He is not only our comforter and our rest, not only our Saviour and our hope. He is also the Almighty God. The God who is capable of all things, big and small. Today, let us not only go to Him in our times of sadness and frustration and ask for comfort. Let us go to Him, give our situations over to Him, and ask Him to do something great--something that only He can do. And then, let us have faith to believe that He is capable of more than we can ever imagine. 

None like Him

Arriving in Johannesburg on Friday morning was a bit more overwhelming than I expected. A rush of emotions and memories came flooding over me. I remember the first time I walked through that airport, not knowing what to expect, and definitely not knowing that this would become my home. I have walked through that airport at all different seasons of life, each one God used to bring me closer to who He created me to be. I look back over the past four and a half years of my life, and I am so thankful. I am thankful for God's grace and for His redemption. He chose to use me--a normal, sinful, messed up girl, and for that I am most thankful. I'm amazed that I get to be a part of His story. I'm constantly amazed that He uses people who are far from perfect, people who struggle, people who fail--and He entrusts these people with making His name known. May I never let my fear of inadequacy, the fear that I'm not good enough to stand in the way of what He has called me to.

Returning to Edenvale Baptist yesterday was incredible. I felt like I was home--Carl and I were welcomed by our friends and congregation with such joy and excitement over our marriage. Richard, our pastor, is going through a series studying 2nd Chronicles, and I can honestly say his sermon hit me like nothing has in a long time. He spoke about the life of King Asa, and through that he spoke about seeking God, relying on God, and leaning into God. 2nd Chronicles 14:11 says this " And Asa cried to the lord his God, "O Lord, there is none like you to help between the mighty and the weak....."

You see, in the past few weeks I've become quite anxious about things with The Hidden Place. Land is not happening as quickly as we would have liked and the team for March is much smaller than we need it to be. For the first time in a while in this role, I feel like I'm not sure what to do. I don't know who else to call about land--I'm struggling to know what to do to make it happen. I'm not sure how to get more people to be a part of camp. I've felt helpless. And as I sat next to my husband yesterday and  shared where I was at, he encouraged me to push into God. He reminded me that His timing is perfect and His plan may be different than mine. He reminded me that God is the one I need to be seeking--the one I need to be relying on. And then Richard shared the above verse. My mind was blown. He is the one that will help me. And there is none better than Him to help.

With that being said, I ask you to come alongside me. I ask you to ask God to help. Seek Him--push into Him. I don't often do this, but I want to ask whoever is reading this to consider seriously coming to camp in March. I won't beat around the bush---we need you. We need people to join us in what God is doing here. I ask that you will join us in what God is helping us to do. Let's let go of what we think is best--let us let go of what we think is the right way to go--and let us beg God to help us. Let us seek Him and truly know what He is calling us to in each area of our lives and ministry.

A look back at camp #3

Camp was incredible. Once again, we were blown away by all God did in the lives of the children and leaders. Each year I am blown away at God's faithfulness. It is amazing to me that He takes a group of people from different cultures and backgrounds, many of whom have never met, and does such beautiful things through them--things that will impact His Kingdom for eternity. I am so humbled to be a part of it. It is truly an amazing thing to watch. 

Walking into the worship room on the first day, there was this strange silence as 61 kids stood around not really knowing what to expect. We started out the week calling them our first quiet group, but believe me that didn't last long. After only a few hours, they came out of their shells and were loving every minute of it! Our leaders did an amazing job making the kids feel comfortable and loved very quickly. Before we knew it, the teams were playing games and doing cheers like they were veterans. 

Our theme for the week was a new creation--Promise and Melissa did an amazing job as always. Even though they share the message in a language we cannot understand, it is so clear that they are proclaiming the truth of the gospel in a powerful way! The small group leaders did a great job expounding on what Promise and Melissa taught in the large group sessions. It is wonderful to see Americans and South Africans working side by side to see kids come to understand the message of the gospel. 

We celebrated with baptism on the last full day of camp--Jamie and my dad shared in baptism with 46 kids--3 of which had accepted Christ before camp, while the other 43 accepted Christ during the week! Please continue to pray for these kids. Many of them have now transitioned back into a home where there may not be any other believers. They may even be in a home where they are mocked for the decision that they made. Please pray for them as they persevere in their walk with Christ. And pray for us as we seek to disciple these children in the months to come. 

Our prayer is that this isn't just a one time event, but that it is the start of a new life for these kids. A life where they often have so little, but can now find all they truly need in Jesus. 

With that in mind, please join us in praying for the purchase of land in the township. We have now submitted our paperwork for non-profit status in South Africa, and on approval we will hopefully be able to purchase land where we can build a resource center to aid in ongoing discipleship of the kids that come through our camps. 

In just 2 weeks I will be home for a couple of months! I am really looking forward to this time with my family and excited about all the events that will be taking place! It is definitely going to be a special time. I am also looking forward to being able to share at various churches in the community about what God is doing in the Hidden Place and where we believe He is leading us. I still have a few spots open, so if you are interested in hearing more about what we do, I would love to be able to share with your church or group! If you are interested, please e-mail me at thehiddenplacesa@gmail.com 

Thank you all for your continued interest and support. We couldn't do what we do without you--thank you for being a part of this ministry. 

--Courtney 

3 weeks til #3

Here we are 3 weeks away from camp #3--it's honestly a bit surreal. A year ago preparation was happening for the first Hidden Place camp. My mind is blown when I think back to all God has done during that time.

Preparation is well underway on this side--bible studies are finished, forms are funnelling in, leaders are in place, shopping has been (mostly) done, and stress levels are a bit higher than normal. It as at this time that the fears begin to flood my mind. Will enough kids show up? Will our leaders get along? Will the weather be good? Will the charter buses show up? Will someone get hurt? Will someone be left out?

And as those fears come through, I am reminded that this is God's--I'm just a small part of it. If we have 50 kids or 75 kids, it will be ok. In the hiccups and moments that don't go so smoothly, God is still there. He has something to teach each one of us involved. And as cliche as it may seem, He is in control. And at the end of the day, if one child comes to know Him personally, it is all worth it. All the money--all the resources--all the time--all the effort--all the fears--all the anxiety. It is all worth it. And I couldn't think of anything else I would rather spend my life doing.

A new creation is our theme. And God has been challenging me so much in that lately. At church last night, Richard challenged us to be who we are in Christ. We are holy. We are righteous. We are hidden in Christ.

We are His. So let's be His. Just as we will talk about with our children in a few weeks, being His doesn't mean let's "act" like we are His. It isn't all about behaviour--it's about our hearts. And when our hearts are so in love and in awe of who Jesus is and what He has done for us, we can't help but become something new.

I'm so excited for October 6th to get here. Ever time the first day rolls around I struggle to sleep. I am so giddy just thinking about how incredible it's going to be. The small things are my favourites--seeing our kiddies load onto a huge bus, many for the first time. Arriving at camp and seeing their faces light up seeing the beauty of the J-life farm. Seeing them pile their plates full of food and then being amazed that they actually eat it all. Trying to get them to sleep the first night. Trying to keep them out of the showers ALL day. Teaching them the superman prayer. Watching the first child pray to accept Christ as Saviour--and then the next one and the next one. Watching them laugh at all the white people trying to dance. Watching them learn new things, and teach us new things as well.

I could go on and on.

For now, I sit here expectant. I can't wait to see what all God is going to do. I can't wait to get there. I can't wait to meet each of the kids that will be at camp. I can't wait to see lives and hearts changed by the gospel.

the busiest season yet

I've been sitting in bed for the past 30 minutes trying to will my mind to rest. Today it hit me how insane the next few months are going to be. Just a disclaimer, this blog might be a little out of the ordinary, but I felt like letting people in to more than just the hidden place aspects of life. I just wanted to be me and share a glimpse into this season. 

Camp is in less than two months, and believe me that alone usually is a bit overwhelming. I honestly cannot wait--and I believe that we are going to have an incredible team, both from the States and from South Africa. We are going to have close to 10 leaders at camp who have been before--what a blessing! I have no doubt that this is going to make my job a little less stressful, and God definitely knew that this was the time I was going to need that. 

Tomorrow marks 5 months til the wedding. And yes I know 5 months is a long time. But let me just tell you all that is going to happen in that time. On the first of September Carl moves into our new home!! yay :) Which means moving furniture, cleaning, painting, and organising a new home. Thankful we will have time to get his stuff settled and the house decorated before it is officially our home together in January. The next month brings camp and all the things that entails :) 

And during this time I will be studying for my FINAL semester!! Woop! I applied for graduation from NOBTS for December of THIS YEAR! I never thought I would be able to write those words :) 

On top of these events, we are still working quite diligently on finding land for The Hidden Place in Alex. And I'm happy to say we are making progress! I am currently working on getting our non-profit and tax-free status here so that we are able to get a better price from the government. Please please please keep this in your prayers. We are hopeful that we will have land by the end of the year...

I am also still working at the tutor centre 4 days a week. It has been so great in the past few weeks to have extra volunteers join our team--this means I have extra time to spend with my older elementary kids working on skills they really need to develop. 

Needless to say, it is quite a busy time. Please pray for me--pray that I will be able to really focus on my relationship with Christ. Pray that I wouldn't wish this season away, but I would allow God to use it to develop whatever He needs to in me before next year. 

Please pray for Carl as this is also a crazy busy time for him. Also please pray for my amazing family in America. My parents and my sisters are truly going above and beyond to make all the events in this season go as smoothly as possible. I am so thankful for the support system that they are. 

Believe me--I know all of these events are nothing compared to the lives of many people. I just wanted to let you all in and ask for your prayers. My desire is to stay focused on what God wants to do in and through The Hidden Place in the next few months. I truly believe He has great things in store. 

Thank you all for your support. Thank you for your encouragement and love. I'm so blown away at this life I get to live :) 

bye for now!