OUR MIRACLE STORY
Where it all started - January 2016
If you have been following my blog on my website, you will know about Blue Bubbles the small car that not only gave us tremendous trouble but who finally decided, in January 2016 to burst its own bubble.
Only a few days before our car went to the grave yard I got rid of my 2nd bike that Penny (The Ywam’er that I share my house with) used to drive with. Little did we know that a week later, we would have 1 bike between the two of us. We live 7km out of town, and 10km from the office - so! We had a huge problem.
We decided that we would not pray for another bike. We had to pray for a car for many logistical reasons - not just staying out of the blazing sun or buying toilet paper in monsoon whilst paddling through the mud-pool to get to my gate. This was a massive step of faith for both Penny and I. I actually admired Penny for her perseverance in this because to be honest - I would have settled for a bike.
February 2016
We prayed. At first we said “Lord, a car, any car. We are desperate for wheels as long as it does not break!”
April 2016
One weekend whilst praying again for a car, a scripture from Matthew 21 came to my mind. Jesus sent two of his disciples to a village and said - Go, you will find a donkey tied there… bring it Me. If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs it and he will send them right away…
Faith suddenly rose in my heart "for the donkey" (the car) We had to pray that it would get "un-tied" and that it would be sent to us because we needed it to do what He called us to do.
We prayed up a storm. One time when we prayed and I said ‘any car Lord’ when Holy Spirit clearly told me “Pray specific - pray for the white Avanza that you want” I just knew God engaged back with us in regards to our request. A rhema word like this births tremendous faith.
So that is what we did - we prayed very specific. “Lord, release that white donkey! Bring us the white Avanza that is so needed”. When we prayed, I knew this was not blind faith but an actual word to pray through.
May-June 2016
I came to South Africa to do fundraising and to celebrate my 40th. The fundraising somehow went downhill and I had to come to terms that I lost more support than gaining sponsors. Talking about a car seemed completely ridiculous. I also had to raise a few thousand U$ for the Masters. Nothing worked out... yet I knew that donkey was going to walk over to us at some point!
6 Months later…
25 October 2016
6 Months later (and much prayer in between) while I was busy with a “prayer assignment” for the masters here in South Africa, God spoke to me about the car in a very special way. The Master's assignment was reading through Luke while doing Lecto Divina.
The passage was from Luke 7:36-50 I imagined myself in that scene as if I was that woman, breaking my expensive oil over His feet. I said to the Lord: “I have given you everything in my life. I have nothing more to give.” Jesus looked at me and said: “Turn around and look” I turned around and behind me was a shelf with 5 new jars of expensive oil. I was quite surprised.
The next day, when I had to read another passage from Luke, I could not get Luke 7 out of my mind. I was still sitting in front of Jesus. Then I walked over to the 5 jars and gave them back to Jesus. I said “Lord, everything belongs to you. I know you gave me back 5 in the place of the one but I want you to have these too”
Jesus looked at me and said: “Look behind you” I turned around and I saw not only many jars of oil, but in the middle of the jars stood a White Avanza. Then the scene changed and I saw how Penny was driving it in January 2017 and how she came to the airport to pick me up!
I just knew it was a matter of time before we would have the car. That day I posted a picture of the white Avanza on FB saying “Still trusting” and hours later felt that I had to delete the post. Little did I know that in those few hours, someone in South-Africa saw the photo and God spoke to him and his wife to buy the car for us.
They themselves did not have enough money, but when this person told his wife she just responded with “Did God speak or is it you that want to buy them a car?” He said ”God spoke” and that settled it between them. They have their own story of stepping out in obedience and God’s provision but it just showed me: God was looking for people who would listen to him… not rich people. Just obedient children who trusted Him with His words and requests and who would be willing to let go of a huge chunk from their bank account!
48 Hours after the vision
Two days after I had the vision of the White Avanza, I received a phone call…
“We are buying you the car you want”
Wow!
We could choose!
And we knew!
We knew the (trusted) car dealer we would choose…
the car,
the colour…
We were ready!
Between the sponsor sorting out finance and then banking stuff between SA and Thailand (and not a small amount) it took two months before the car finally made it to our house…
This is the actual car - they made a video clip of it before we bought it. Click HERE to watch
22 December 2016… Penny drove it home. (It totally sucks that I was not there)
I am pretty sure she will pick me up on 29 Jan 2017 like I saw in the vision and I imagine my three dancing doggies greeting me when I open that door! We can buy heavy 20 litre water bottles without balancing it on our bike & toilet paper in the rain. We can take each other to the airport… between the two of us we go close to monthly! That is beside weekly speakers the next 3 months for the Discipleship Training School Penny is leading - and we do like blessing our speakers by taking them around the lovely city of Chiang Mai. We feel so blessed it is beyond words.
AND!!! Little did we know that my brother Zarias, his wife and son would move to Thailand to teach English at a school in Sukothai (South from Chiang Mai).
I can go and visit them on a weekend in a reliable car and we ALL can drive around because it is big enough. It is going super well with him since he arrived in Thailand. He is off all pain medication, morphine and sleeping pills. The heat is doing him and his wounds (that are closing) wonders and his wife is teaching at a school and so happy. (There is culture shock & stress but they are doing above excellent for their sudden deep water experience - I am SUPER proud of all 3 of them) Now I am on his case for Church Planting!! He is an old Ywam'er so why not!!
Back to the car - this car story really made me think. There is something about God that love sacrificial giving.
It reminds me of the Rhema word I received in January for 2016. It was from 2Cor9:11 “you will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion.” Little did I know how much I would give away during 2016 but little did I know how much I would receive!
Standing on the receiving side for such a big gift as a car... that is quite something but I know the feeling of that radical obedience to give sacrificially and it outweighs anything and that is why I rejoice with the humble couple that said YES to obey. Nothing beats that yes. I am sure they will testify to that.
BE ENCOURAGED and remember - we give to give to give… and that is why we give. It is never to get. Sometimes it is amazing to receive... but what Jesus said is true - it is more blessed to give than to receive.
Let us all continue to be in-tune with Holy Spirit in 2017 and be generous givers on every occasion when & where He leads you to give.
Sarah Anna-Lise
Soon back in Thailand
Sarah's Fundraiser
Finally, after gaining some extra great tools through the Masters, I updated my book called Day & Night 1, a 12 week daily diary bible study. They are R200 a copy (post from Pretoria excluded) If you would like a copy of this 12 week Intense Bible study Discipleship book - drop me an email. READ more about the book HERE
If you are not South African, you can order it from Thailand via this website: Publish2Day.org
It will be under YWAM Bible study books and they do online payment.
