This weekend I attended the New Season Conference in Great Brak, hosted by Andre Bronkhorst Ministries. This was the 3rd year that I attended this conference, but the 7th year of the conference.
Each year there are many speakers that share The Word, wisdom and just help to inspire.
The word that stood out for me this year, was the session that Andre Bronkhorst presented, called,
“Have you lost your marbles”. This title had the audience laughing.
Losing your marbles means to go crazy or lose your mind. It is a figurative expression that someone has lost their sanity or mental faculties.
As Andre kept explaining the concept, I realised that the theme did not centre on losing your mind, but on something much more precious. It was about losing time with your loved ones, and that the marbles represented time you have left in the jar.
Time is the most expensive commodity in the world, you cannot buy more of it and you cannot get it back.
If one marble represents one year, how many marbles will be left in your pot? I have just turned 40, and if we take an average of how old my grandparents where when they passed away, it would be safe to say that I could possibly reach 80. Of course this is just an estimate, but for the sake of this experiment, lets go with 80. It would mean that 50% of my marbles are gone, and I have only 40 left.
My sons are 20, 15, and 14. If they leave home at the age of 20, I have very little marbles left with them physically in our house, under the same roof. The same applies to my husband, anniversaries left and work.
When you physically see the number of marbles left in the pot, you realize that it’s not a lot.
Andre made a statement that really made me think. Why do we sweat the small stuff? Why do we get so focused on things that are not important, and waste so much attention and time on these things, instead of spending it on things and people that matter?
“Be intentional with your time, and make your marbles count,” he said.
So, keeping this in mind, I am not saying to just let everything go, never take a stand, or let people walk all over you.
How do we handle situations or people that we do not agree with? The Bible has the perfect answer for this and it’s called GRACE!
“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
God has so much grace for us, and loves humanity with all His heart, that He allowed His only Son to die a painful and slow death so that we can be saved. Is it then not a lot for Him to expect the following from us: “Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen,” 1 John 4:20.
This is a powerful statement.
It is so easy to criticize others, being negative, selfish or even nasty to those we don’t like, wasting our marbles on this, and it makes us bitter people. Is it not easier to rather implement GRACE towards that person, taking that marble/ time and spending it on something important like spending time with God, listening to worship music with your family and enjoying their company and the love they give you.
So – count your marbles, and spend them wisely, don’t lose them to things that will never appreciate in value. (ANGELIQUE ERASMUS)
More about Andre Bronkhorst Ministries:
André Bronkhorst, an internationally acclaimed prophetic minister, has dedicated his life to ministry since his teenage years, responding to the call of God with unwavering commitment. With over two decades of full-time ministry experience, André has become a trusted voice in the prophetic movement, inspiring individuals and churches worldwide to grow deeper in their relationship with the Lord.
He travels extensively, serving as a New Testament prophet to promote, strengthen, and activate prophetic gifts and callings in others. His heart is to “teach, demonstrate, and stir up the prophetic” through dynamic church services, conferences, and ministry events.
To date, André has ministered in over 40 nations, sharing the gospel and the prophetic word with clarity, accuracy, and an incredible record of integrity. His ministry is marked by a consistent display of the fruit of the Spirit, reflecting his disciplined life as an ambassador of the kingdom of God. He is ordained and recognized by Prophetic Life Ministries, a testament to his faithfulness and dedication to the work of ministry.
Currently residing in Mossel Bay, Western Cape, South Africa, André shares his life and ministry with his wife, Zandia, and their two sons, Zandrê and Josh. Together, they continue to serve the Lord with dedication, carrying the vision of transforming lives and building His kingdom one prophetic word at a time.
For more info, please visit: www.andrebronkhorstministries.com or email info@propheticlife.co.za.