My prayer is that when you read this blog, you will be reminded that God is good, now and forevermore, to me and to you. May our lives testify of a living God.
On the 1st day of March, Lorenza and I had the opportunity to speak to all the girls and female teachers of Lϋckhoff High School in Stellenbosch. They wanted us to talk about being a woman. I don’t really qualify to speak on this topic based on traditional views of what a woman is. I have no husband, no children and no home to call my own. However, I went
and I ended up telling a familiar story…
Twenty one days after, on the 22 of March, I presented a workshop on motivation to all the Boland women rugby players from
u/16 to the senior team. I was very excited to share some performance enhancement principles with them. Some senior ladies grasped what I was saying but for the rest, they just wanted me to share the story. So I ended the session by telling the story…
I first shared the story with a group of international ladies in Santa Monica Prison in Peru on the 20th of December 2012. It had its own flavour and focus depending on the group but here it goes…
I shared a story of a girl who grew up in a single parent household with very little material wealth. She made a decision to accept Jesus in her life and allowed him to be her dad and to define her and provide for her. Being on university she never had lots of money but what she had was always enough for her so most people thought that she was well-off- “Fake it until you make it”. With her mom’s income however it was impossible to even attend a university so she was obliged to look for bursaries and ways to overcome this obstacle. After the completion of her first degree in 2005, which included honours, she applied for a bursary to cover her master’s degree. This bursary however required her to prove that she managed to succeed against all odds…
She got the bursary!! Thank you Jesus or maybe not? Her story made national news as it was printed in almost all the newspapers with some getting their facts wrong. Her struggles and shortcoming was no longer a personal issue but one of national news!! She got invited to be part of the academic procession at the official first year welcoming as her story was used to be an example to the new first years. She always wanted to be part of an academic procession, but not like this. As she stood in front of all those first years, it was not gratitude that she was feeling, but embarrassment. She felt exposed and she felt reminded that all is not always well.
She learned a valuable lesson throughout that time. What was meant to be a blessing, (in the form of a bursary and an opportunity to inspire others) almost become a stumbling block (an exposing platform of personal challenges) and what was meant to be a stumbling block turned out to be a blessing.
Six years later in 2012 a journalist asked her to share her secret to overcoming her challenges and reaching success with the youth. Without thinking she answered: “Thankfulness”. The common factor was thankfulness. You first need to recognise what you have and be thankful to God for it before you will be able to see solutions to the challenges that you are facing. Thankfulness also helps you to see your challenges from a heavenly perspective!!
The most significant moment in the entire history of our being was not the miracles that Jesus has done. It is the cross!! That moment of weakness, pain and sweating blood, that moment gave life to us!! However, He did not remain in that moment but after three days he was raised from the dead.Today He is known as the only living God who is not just alive but who gives life to His people.
I do not know what you are facing, but be encouraged to take two steps back and find something to be thankful for. Remember that your redeemer lives. The same power that conquered the dead lives in you!! (Rom 8:11)
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1Thessalonians 5: 16-18)
Here is a links that tell a bit more of my story!! Be blessed
http://stbweb02.stb.sun.ac.za/helpmy/ssvo/teks/Bianca%20Monique%20Joseph.htm
On the 1st day of March, Lorenza and I had the opportunity to speak to all the girls and female teachers of Lϋckhoff High School in Stellenbosch. They wanted us to talk about being a woman. I don’t really qualify to speak on this topic based on traditional views of what a woman is. I have no husband, no children and no home to call my own. However, I went
and I ended up telling a familiar story…
Twenty one days after, on the 22 of March, I presented a workshop on motivation to all the Boland women rugby players from
u/16 to the senior team. I was very excited to share some performance enhancement principles with them. Some senior ladies grasped what I was saying but for the rest, they just wanted me to share the story. So I ended the session by telling the story…
I first shared the story with a group of international ladies in Santa Monica Prison in Peru on the 20th of December 2012. It had its own flavour and focus depending on the group but here it goes…
I shared a story of a girl who grew up in a single parent household with very little material wealth. She made a decision to accept Jesus in her life and allowed him to be her dad and to define her and provide for her. Being on university she never had lots of money but what she had was always enough for her so most people thought that she was well-off- “Fake it until you make it”. With her mom’s income however it was impossible to even attend a university so she was obliged to look for bursaries and ways to overcome this obstacle. After the completion of her first degree in 2005, which included honours, she applied for a bursary to cover her master’s degree. This bursary however required her to prove that she managed to succeed against all odds…
She got the bursary!! Thank you Jesus or maybe not? Her story made national news as it was printed in almost all the newspapers with some getting their facts wrong. Her struggles and shortcoming was no longer a personal issue but one of national news!! She got invited to be part of the academic procession at the official first year welcoming as her story was used to be an example to the new first years. She always wanted to be part of an academic procession, but not like this. As she stood in front of all those first years, it was not gratitude that she was feeling, but embarrassment. She felt exposed and she felt reminded that all is not always well.
She learned a valuable lesson throughout that time. What was meant to be a blessing, (in the form of a bursary and an opportunity to inspire others) almost become a stumbling block (an exposing platform of personal challenges) and what was meant to be a stumbling block turned out to be a blessing.
Six years later in 2012 a journalist asked her to share her secret to overcoming her challenges and reaching success with the youth. Without thinking she answered: “Thankfulness”. The common factor was thankfulness. You first need to recognise what you have and be thankful to God for it before you will be able to see solutions to the challenges that you are facing. Thankfulness also helps you to see your challenges from a heavenly perspective!!
The most significant moment in the entire history of our being was not the miracles that Jesus has done. It is the cross!! That moment of weakness, pain and sweating blood, that moment gave life to us!! However, He did not remain in that moment but after three days he was raised from the dead.Today He is known as the only living God who is not just alive but who gives life to His people.
I do not know what you are facing, but be encouraged to take two steps back and find something to be thankful for. Remember that your redeemer lives. The same power that conquered the dead lives in you!! (Rom 8:11)
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1Thessalonians 5: 16-18)
Here is a links that tell a bit more of my story!! Be blessed
http://stbweb02.stb.sun.ac.za/helpmy/ssvo/teks/Bianca%20Monique%20Joseph.htm