We all go through seasons in our lives where we feel as if we are walking around in ashes.
Just like a mountain range looks green and beautiful, there was a season when it looked as if everything was dead.
And maybe in your life you feel as if everything is dead. You have no hope. You don’t know how any of this is going to grow again.
It’s going to grow again. The protea has a very special promise. Something incredible that I learnt about the protea, and I love this because God placed things in nature to reveal His character to us.
A protea needs to burn to be able to reproduce.
It’s so interesting in the Bible with Job, when he lost everything, he lost his family, his wealth, his home, and he questioned God, and he didn’t understand why any of this had happened.
There have been times in my life when I would question the goodness of God and I wouldn’t understand why didn’t He answer my prayer? Why am I even serving God?
But the question is, do you serve God for what He can do for you? Or do you serve God for what He has already done for you 2 000 years ago on the cross?
I think we forget that Jesus walked this earth, and He has felt everything that we feel and that He is good and that He’s kind and that when we hurt, He hurts.
And if you are feeling pain or brokenness or questioning things that happened in your life, God is there, nothing can separate you from His love.
His arms are wrapped around you. He feels your pain. He’s there to bind up your broken heart. So that if the devastation in your life feels as if nothing good can come out of this.
Isaiah 61:3: “He will give you beauty for ashes.”
The scripture tells us in the Bible in Isaiah 61:3, that God works all things to the good for those who love Him. Like the protea comes up from the ashes, He says I will give you beauty for ashes.
The oil of joy for mourning. The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. That you might be called a tree of righteousness. The planting of the Lord that He might be glorified. You will rise from this. And you will glorify God because you know that He is a good God. And that He loves you, that He cares for you, and that He wants you to be full and healthy and whole and have a life of joy and abundance in Him.
And whatever your circumstances are, God promises that He will turn it for good. Just like the protea rises up out of the ashes.
Remember His promise and He will bring you through this season.
The text above is an extract from a video that Melissa has made about the protea and its promise. For the full video, or to share this beautiful testimony with your loved ones, visit Melissa’s page called Eagle’s Call Productions on Facebook or Youtube. (By Melissa Verwey Reany)
About Melissa and Eagle’s Call Productions:
There are times when we are so busy with everyday life we forget to pause and look up. When an eagle calls, the piercing sound makes you stop whatever you are busy with to see from where the sound is coming.
Our vision is to bring a new and higher perspective on life with every story we tell.
Eagles Call Productions offers a range of services which includes producing, writing, directing and filming.
Melissa Reany, originally from Oudtshoorn, currently lives in Chesapeake, Virginia in Ame-rica with her Husband Daniel Reany.
She also makes films for The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) flagship television program called The Club 700.
She can be reached by e-mailing her at m.verweyproductions@gmail.com
The story of Kingdom News
WHERE to start this testimony – if I sit down and think about it, I can actually go back about 7 years, but then this will be a book instead of an article.
My husband and I have been married for more than seven years, this is both our second marriages, but happy to say our longest. Seven years later, 3 boys, 3 horses, 6 dogs, 6 cats, an African grey and a fish tank later, we now own the local newspaper which features a Kingdom News page each week.
About 4 years ago we were just getting by financially. Basically living from paycheck to paycheck.
My husband used to work abroad, but as with all contract work you can have a job today with a good salary and tomorrow be told the contract has ended and before the month is over be on a plane back home. So that happened to us, for about 3 years we were literally surviving. Both working long hours, and some months not even making ends meet. In December 2019 at church, Kingdom Culture, my husband got a message that things are going to change soon, and drastically. I still asked if it’s going to be a good change because at that point we were so tired of just surviving and not living. Not long after that conversation an old acquaintance called my husband and asked him if he was looking for contract work abroad. We went through all the motions and he flew out at the end of February 2020 on a Friday morning. He landed on Saturday and on Sunday the airport in Iraq closed due to Covid-19. That in itself is a miracle. For seven months he could not return as everything was closed.
That same weekend we had a woman’s camp. We both used to help with sound, photos and video at the various men and women camps that Elul Ministries organise. I was not feeling up to going, and I used every excuse possible, and we didn’t really have the money for fuel to drive to Mossel Bay from Oudtshoorn. The organisers paid for the fuel, so that was it – I had to go.
On Friday I asked God to show me what my purpose in life was. We were so used to making plans and stressing about money, that the fact that we were going to be financially ok, made me feel as if I had then lost my job of managing the finances and planning…. if you understand what I mean.
So on Friday I went about my business at each session, on Saturday the same. These camps are always amazing and bring so much healing, people discovering the love of our Father and so much more. On Sunday morning, the last day, during the praise and worship session it was as if God just downloaded this whole newspaper into my brain. I could see everything, even the logo, and I couldn’t write everything down fast enough. Wow, I was super excited. At that point I was still working for Die Hoorn, our local newspaper, as a journalist. We made an offer to the owners to buy the newspaper which they accepted but the time was not right and we ended up not buying the newspaper. With Covid-19 I left the paper and became a full-time mom. It was hard to leave kids home unattended, especially busy boys who are very adventurous. I did, however, start writing and even started a Facebook page for Kingdom News, but it just wasn’t working out.
Two years later on 1 November 2022 we officially bought the newspaper and we have now owned it for a year.
I forgot about Kingdom News, shocking as it is. I think this happens often, we forget about the purpose God has in store for us, and we just carry on.
A dear friend and I had coffee one day and she reminded me of Kingdom News. It’s really good to share these experiences, of special encounters we have with God, if he gives us command so that we have someone that can remind us of, and hold us accountable. Because of her reminder we now have a Kingdom News page in each newspaper, every week. Its non-negotiable. I do foresee that one day the whole newspaper will be Kingdom News, sending out good news into our town, reminding others of the love that God has for his people and the promises that are written down in His word. So, what is the purpose of Kingdom News? It’s firstly a platform to share with people about God. Weather you are an apostle, priest, bishop, reverend, evangelist or just someone who has something you would like to share, or Father has pressed something on your heart, even a testimony – I invite you to write to us! Secondly – if you have or know of a camp, meeting, conference, Bible study, praise and worship event or even youth meetings …. this is the place to let others know. And lastly, if you are in the ministry and have a business, but you do not always have the funds to promote your business, this is where you can advertise your business free of charge. (With the space that we have available).
Please contact me on redaksie@hoorn.co.za, with a message marked Kingdom News.
I truly look forward to sharing your sermons, messages, and stories with the community.
You never know whose life you will impact on, even if it is just one person, it’s worth it.