My Journey to Finding my Voice at Speakers Institute Bootcamp For decades, fear of failure and rejection kept me trapped in a cycle of...

Thank You, Jesus, for coming to heal the broken-hearted 💔 and to bind up their wounds. Your presence brings solace to those of us who feel shattered, offering a promise of restoration where despair once reigned. My journey has been profoundly shaped by a tapestry woven with threads of pain — echoes of emotional neglect threaded through my earliest memories, accompanied by the sharp sting of relentless criticism, the confusion brought on by displacement trauma, and the heav

New post in "This is My Story". My heart aches every time I hear someone say: "I can't sing!" "I can't dance!" "I can't draw!" "I can't paint!" "I can't write!" "I can't speak!" "I'm not creative!" You see, I, too, had buried my fear of failure and rejection under this mountain of LIES until the Lord took me on a journey of profound healing, restoration, and transformation. Creativity has always been a part of who I am, but it took years for me to fully embrace it. In I'm C

I know you said you're F.I.N.E. (okay), but truly — how are you when the day concludes and the lights dim? When the world ceases its demands, and there's no one left to persuade that you're managing everything perfectly. How do you feel when you're lying in bed, surrounded by the silence that knows too much? When the solitude that disregards how many people care for you sneaks in regardless. Do you still bear the burden of things you promised to release? The things you no l

The words 'I AM...' carry immense significance in shaping our identities and perceptions. Uncover the truth behind your self-statements and their impact on your professional journey Be mindful of what you attach to "I am..." in your statements. Some of the most deeply ingrained lies we believe about ourselves are hidden within these very words. "I AM..." is a declaration of identity—yet, all too often, we confuse our temporary emotions with who we truly are. When we say

This year has been extraordinary—marked by growth, breakthroughs, and deep healing. It was a season when I stepped into spaces I once thought were impossible. This hasn’t been a path I’ve walked alone, and my heart overflows with gratitude for those who have stood by me, encouraged me, and lifted me up along the way. Today, we gathered family, friends, and community to celebrate – not just another birthday but six years of new life and victory in Christ. It was a moment to

As we prepare to celebrate the birth of our Lord, from our family to yours, we wish you a very blessed festive season, but most of all, we wish you Jesus. 🤗💕 https://youtu.be/XXmG6tfeA14?si=BPRLfybpkipRgjB

For me, the cracks began to show after my ectopic pregnancy in 1996 — a moment that marked the unravelling of a lifetime of suppressed emotions and three more miscarriages after that. At the time, I had no idea I was battling high-functioning depression. Moving to New Zealand and the challenges that followed only amplified the pressure until my world came crashing down, and I faced a major breakdown in February 2018. Sometimes, in His boundless mercy, the Lord allows the

Change is never easy, but it’s one of those inevitable forces that shapes us in ways we can’t always predict. Change is difficult, not because we lack the ability, but because our emotions are so convincing. Over the last few months, I’ve come to embrace it, even when it felt uncomfortable because I’ve learned something important: growth often happens when we step out of what feels familiar. This morning, I spent time packing up Elias’ bookshelves in preparation for his move

As I work through John Maxwell's 30-Day Growth Plan, I'm finding that I need to dig really deep for some of the answers. It might be easier if I were clearer on the question, "Who am I?" but that's still part of my journey of discovery. For now, I find myself in a peaceful state of reflection and spiritual growth. This is a time when prayer and quiet moments guide me, helping me to embrace the transformative journey ahead. I aim to align my actions with my values of kindness

In my quest for learning & personal growth, I've embarked on John Maxwell's 30-Day Growth Plan course. Be bold, he says & to ensure accountability, post it on social media or text your thoughts to a friend or mentor. Keep in mind, that a shared commitment becomes a strong commitment. So here are Day 1 reflections... What keeps you from being authentic with others?🤔 The risk of being rejected, ridiculed, or criticised. I know that my fear of rejection, ridicule, and critici

For the past two years, serving on the sound desk, in the kitchen and as intercessor, alongside the incredible Elijah House team during school holidays has been a true honor and highlight of my term. This week was another profoundly uplifting experience, filled with opportunities to witness the Holy Spirit's transformative inner healing work. From 9 AM to 5 PM daily, we gathered as a family, absorbing Sandra's enlightening lessons on how trauma impacts us and how to pursue fr

I thrive on the stability of knowing my next steps, as change often brings uncertainty & chaos. This preference stems from much displacement trauma caused by 13 schools & 34 moves by the time I was 18 as well as the chaos of my parents’ divorce when I was 11. Recently, I discovered that this is also part of my 72.81% of the DOER Life Language. Despite this, I have embraced many challenges of uncharted waters, figuring out processes, & documenting procedures. By doing so, I h

Now, here's a first in about 3 decades. I think my brother will be happy to know that I have finally tried my hand at poetry again. The painting is an art class project that would have landed in the trash can had our teacher not managed to fix up the nose I had so badly messed up. Imagine, if you will, oh, just think for a moment of a life without the masks that we use to hide all the pain inside. How awesome to break away from the facade of success and drivenness that

Psalms 61:1-3 NLT[1] O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! [2] From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, [3] for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Today, my heart feels heavy, my spirit is weighed down by sadness & I've cried a lot. The pain of betrayal cuts deep, because it always comes from those we love and trust. The responder in me gives my heart, whether p

En daar tjank ek toe snot en trane want die Here gee vir my uit-skryf-werk. Once again, God is up to something... This morning I spent an hour pre-tracing these canvases for tomorrow's children's church paint party and then I felt prompted to do the text with sharpie so that it would still be visible after painting the heart. What I didn't anticipate, however, was the inner turmoil that would result after having spent the last few weeks with overwhelm of out of control & chao

This week I realised just how easily we get tempted to revert back to our old sinful responses when familiar feelings are triggered & we feel crushed. As I've been processing Tuesday's meltdown, I realised it's not so much what happens to us, but how it makes us feel that trips us up & causes us to revert back to what worked before to help self-medicate the pain. I don't think it was a coincidence that Ouboet shared those painful memories I had buried, with me earlier that mo

What's on your mind Facebook asks... Conference for 250 people... the biggest I've ever organised is our wedding & anniversary dinner for 50. The enormity of it all really hit home last week when we went to view the venues. That's a huge space & LOT of people for someone with a lifelong struggle with social anxiety. Will I sink or swim?🤔 You know that moment when you don't know what you're doing & you think you're going to mess it all up & are feeling totally of control?

🎼🎶This song in my heart❤️, this song in my soul, this song I was born to sing🎤, it's Your song🎸 of freedom. Now I'm free to dance💃 again!🎵 🎶I'll sing🎤 in the darkness, I'll laugh🤣 in the rain, rejoice in Your love💞 again. It's Your song🎸 of freedom, now I'm free to dance💃 again!🎶 🎊🥳🎉 Mourning into Dancing Clive & I spent some time away in New Plymouth this week, for a little bit of rest & reprieve. A whole 373km travelling, that would have taken us maybe 4 h

I stumbled across this post on my LinkedIn feed on Thursday morning & it seriously rattled my cage...😢🤔I can still feel the tightness on my chest as I process... Over the years I've come to believe some very strong foundational lies in the area of creative things I believed I can't do: 1. I can't sing! 2. I can't dance! 3. I can't draw! 4. I can't paint! 5. I can't write! 6. I can't teach! 7. I can't speak publicly! In reality, though they are all rooted in FEAR &