Fruit Bearing

But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives we will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galations 5:22-23 (NIV)

The fruit of the spirit has always been something that I have wondered about. What does it mean to bear fruit, how do we bear fruit and is our fruit bearing limited. 

I read this the other day when I started thinking about it; "How do we bear this fruit? It will be surprising to many Christians that it isn’t by trying harder, going to church, or any other works. Your fruit comes from spiritual wisdom and understanding given by the Spirit." - Anonymous 

I think from this quote that we "bear fruit" when we actively give the Holy Spirit room to work in out lives. I don't think it's possible for us to bear fruit without the Holy Spirit in our lives.  When we're not allowing God to move in us, we become joyless and less enthusiastic about things.  We also don't show the fruit of kindness or love as much as we would if we as open to God as we should be. The only way that we can really bear good fruit is if we are in Jesus. It says in John 5:19 "Jesus replied, "I assure you the son can do nothing by himself. He does only what the sees the father doing...: Jesus lived a life where he showed every single on of the fruits and he only did that because he was watching and doing what God was doing, thus enabling him to bear fruit. 

Matthew 13:23 says; "But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown"  Christians hear the word at church, they read the word and they pray. I think that even though we hear it, we need to absorb it and then let God transform us. As we allow God to transform us, we start living more like Jesus and we will then start showing more characteristics of him, therefore bearing more fruit. 

I also think that to bear fruit we also need to be spending time with God, John 15:5 says; “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."  We need to be growing in Jesus, just like a plant gets nutrients to grow, we get nutrients to grow spiritually with Jesus, our vine. With out this we won;t grow or bear fruit.  

I don't think that it's possible to bear fruit and grow spiritually if you are not deeply rooted in Jesus. We need to be open to him working, we need to be allowing him to shape and mold us to be more like him. We also need to be tapping into Him to renew and fill us. 

xKx

Testimony

A few years ago I listened to someones testimony. They were sharing about how they had slept with their previous boyfrieds and how when they married their husband God made it feel like the first time.  I had spoken to them, (Tarryn), about it afterwards. I have slept with my prevouis boyfriends and I really wish that had waited until I had met my Mr right and married him.  I also often wondered about what they meant that God had made it feel like the first time as as thought heir husband had been their first kiss and first relationship. 

At camp I got the verse, Joel 2:25a "The Lord says, “I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts"

At first I thought that it was about restoring relationships, but last night while Dave and I were chatting about stuff I realised that it also has to do with the past and what I had done.  During the convesation with Dave, I looked at him and said, "This sounds really silly, but this feels like you're my first boyfriend and you're the fist guy I've ever kissed."  After I said that I was like... "oooooh, know I know what Tarryn meant.  It's really silly, when I'ma round Dave I get all nervous and giggly when I hold his hand, or kiss him. I get hundreds of butterflies in my stomache when I see him across the room or when he brushes my arm with his hand. I feel like a teenager with her first boyfriend ever.

God totally restored what I destroyed by sleeping, kissing and dating other guys instead of waiting for the guy He had intened for me. God really blows me away with how he heals and restores completely when He works in your life. 

xKx

 

Realness with my Bestie

On Sunday I had a good gigle to myself when I realised that Terri and I are really good friends.  We've been friends since grade 8, which means we've been friends for13 years. That's almost like forever!  This past weekend we went on our church camp, while we were packing up to go home I needed to go to the toilet but there was no more toilet paper becasue it had been packed away.  I went to Tree and asked her for a tissue. As she took them out of her hand bag she asked me if I was going to make a wee.  So I said yes, I wouldn't poo now - you know I haev toiler issues.  She then looked at me and asked if I had pooed at all this weeked. I said yes, but I had to be ninja. I have a fear of using public toilts and pooping in strange toilets except my own.

As I ran off to toilet I got the giggles as I thought about that conversation, it's a conversation I would only have with Tree. It also made me realise that we're really good friends and also very strange and real with each other.  

I really appreciate that we can be real with each other, real in an honest and raw way. We share everything and walk this crazy life we have together. We spend hours together laughing, drinking tea and praying together. We also build each other up and encourage each other in our walks with God. 

Tree really is the BESTEST BEST friend in the whole world Im uber blessed that God put us together as best friends.

xKx

But I don't have peace of mind. And if you don't have that, you have nothing

 

Last night I watched Alfie. It's a movie about a British player in America.  The main reason he's a player is becasue he struggles to commit to one girl and I also think that he's looking for more in life, but we never find out what that reallyis. 

 I had nothing else to do and I saw the movie on the shelf, so I thought "Why not" and put it on as snuggled under the duvet to watch the movie.

The most profound line in the movie is right at the end when Alfie says, "What have I got… really… some money in my pocket, some nice threads, a fancy car at my disposal, and I am single… unattached, free as a bird. I don’t depend on nobody. Nobody depends on me. My life’s my own. But I don’t have peace of mind. And if you don’t have that, you have nothing"

The last bit... "But I don't have peace of mind. And if you don't have that, you have nothing" really stayed with me.  I was like, that is so true.  We can have everything, yet be as restless as ever. We could be living the busiest, craziest lives and be surrounded by awesome people and adventures all the time but without peace you'll still be restless looking for something more... more exciting, more adventurous, more daring etc.

A while ago I never had this peace of mind, I was always restless and always looking for the next adventure. I always needed to have a plan, something to do or somewhere to go to fill that restlessness. I've discovered that the only thing that can remove the restlessness and fill that void I like to fill is Jesus.  He can give you peace of mind. Matthew 11;28 says: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest for your soul" This is so true. 

Once I had gone to Jesus ans asked him to give me peace, did I experience real peace.  I wasn't seeking the next crazy adventure anymore and I was more than happy to just spend time alone. I am now able to spend time with my thoughts and just be. I no longer have the desire to find something to do, just to have something to do.  It's one of the greatest feelings ever. 

I still have moments when I loose focus and dash off, but then I remember that the only one that can fill me and stop the "rush" is Jesus. When I remember this and do it,  I once again have peace of mind. 

xKx

I LOVE MY KIDS

I lead youth on Wednesday nigh at church. I lead Gap, which is made up of the grade 6's to 7's, basically 12 – 14 year olds. I absolutely love my kids, there's a bout 10 of them who come regularly and they drive me batty some nights or leave me laughing hysterically other nights.

Tonight was one of the nights where I laughed like a loon most of the time.

Things Kids Say

I arrived at 6:35pm and handed my laptop to Huggi, (he leads with me), so that he could set up worship. A few of the kids gathered around him as he chose the songs. I walked past to go and fetch something as Arthur asked if Huggi would play “God is disabled” We looked at each other and I quickly ran out of the room laughing as Huggi said, “no we can't play that but we can play God is able, which is what the song is called”

Excitement Over A Game

I then went to fetch hula hoops for the game we were going to play later. Arthur then asks me if we are going to play a game. I said yes, the hula hoop one. He got so excited about it and then ran off. 10 minutes later he asked me again and when I said yes he got sooooo excited again. He asked me about 4 times if we were playing a game and go super excited all four times.

The Race

Emilie came to Huggi and told him that he could run faster than him. Huggi was like no after about 5 minutes if this Oscar joined in and they planned a race. Somehow I ended up involved and the next thing I knew I was standing on the balcony at church getting ready to race two boys. I lost by a long shot, I was half way when they were finished. They then raced Huggi and he won, much to our surprise.

Tonight was a random night of fun at Gap, which made me appreciate these kids so much more and love them even more.

xKx

mmmm......

Last week Saturday my car kind of exploded.  It over heated in town and there was steam and water everywhere. Chip, my car was rushed off to the mechanic and R3700 later he had a skimmed cylinder head, new welsh plugs, new gaskets, new welsh plugs and a new water pipe.  The mechanical work doesn't stop there.  My mechanic advised me to sell chip because I'm about to spend A LOT more money on him soon.  The gears are going to go soonish and the engine is smoking a bit. He's an old car and I think... the time to sell is looming.  I just need to do a lot of praying about it and see where God is leading with this.

The bleakest thing about having my car explode last Saturday was that on Tuesday, Bubs has an operation and I couldn't go and visit him because I was carless.  This week I also missed him the most since we got back together. (The story of Bubs (Dave) and I is a whole new post for another day)  I can't explain why or what made me miss him so much, but I did.  I felt kind of silly for missing him soooooooo much.

Yesterday I finally got to see him and it was the best time EVER!  After I got Chip back raced through to Hout bay to make it in time to go and see Daves band play at Battle of the bands. I never made it in time, :-( but we ended up having a super chilled evening talking. We played chess, until I got over it. My attention span is limited when it comes to chess.  I also don't play with much of a strategy, which is why I always loose. :-)   After the game we snuggled on the couch and just spoke some more, about random things like our stomaches talking to each other and then about deeper things.  It was totally epic spennding the evening with Bubs, talking.

Last night really was one of the best nights EVER!

xKx

BEST Red Velvet Cupcake EVER

Yesterday when Mel fetched me, we went past Charly's Bakery to show Melissa it.  Charlies Bakery is one of the best cake shops in Cape Town. 

While we were there, Mel told me about their red velvet cupcakes and cakes.  She was telling me how they are the best in Cape Town and that they use real beetroot to get the red colour. Most bakery's seem to end up with a browny red colour becasue they use red food colouring.  

 

Today, Basil from the office down the corridor waltzed into our office with cake from Charly's bakery.  He often brings the girls in our office cake.  In his selection of cakes was a red velvet cupcake.  I was like YES PLEASE!

 

I must say it was the BEST red velvet cupcake that I have EVER eaten.  It took the cake from my favourite cupcake shop, Lady Cupcake and won hands down. 

 

xKx