Yvette's Whispers of Faith

by Yvette van Niekerk The Golden Silence of the Tomb "Can you see anything?" The whisper broke the heavy silence of the valley. Howard Carter’s eyes strained, adjusting to the ancient, velvet darkness. For a moment, the air seemed to hold its breath. Then, as the light of his candle flickered against the shadows, his voice failed him. Before him lay a dazzling array of gold, treasures untouched by time. For centuries, the sands of Egypt had swallowed the secrets of the Pharaohs. Grave robbers had come and gone; archaeologists had surrendered to the heat and the hopelessness. By all accounts, Howard Carter’s mission was doomed. He had only scraps of evidence and a decade of "no." But he did not turn back. On November 26, 1922, three thousand years of waiting ended. Because one man refused to stop digging, the world gazed upon the golden mask of Tutankhamun. A river does not cut through rock because of its power, but because of its persistence. The Weight of t...

Honestly, Sarah’s email this morning gave me goosebumps. Real ones. If you know me at all, you know that doesn’t happen over just anything. Sarah sends out a daily email, and today this is what she shared: "I had a dream: A woman was being gently positioned on the ground — unconscious but alive. She is the Bride of Christ. She is alive and beautiful, but needs to arise, whole and well. ARISE, my beautiful bride, ARISE. My beloved spoke, and said to me: Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. Awake, Church, Awake — for the time is at hand to minister, to preach the Gospel, to stand against the enemy. ARISE." Now, this stopped me cold. On Sunday (22 March), our pastor spoke about the Church being asleep. Then Sarah, who hadn’t heard the sermon, used the word unconscious. Same message. Different messenger. Different day. You really cannot make this up. I think the message is clear, and it’s for all of us. We’ve become so paralysed by the noise of this world, so desens...

Jeremiah 31:23 (ESV) This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “When I bring them back from captivity, the people in the land of Judah and in its towns will once again use these words: ‘The LORD bless you, O righteous dwelling, O sacred mountain.’” Thought There are moments in life when words simply stop. Not because there is nothing to say, but because somewhere between the waiting and the weariness, the language of hope quietly slips away. The blessings I once spoke over my life begin to feel like a foreign tongue. I remember saying them, but somehow I can no longer quite find them. Are you facing a dry season? Something stopped me in my tracks this morning. In a quiet moment I opened my Bible, and my eyes fell on Jeremiah 31:23. As I read the verse again, slowly, I noticed something I had never seen quite so clearly before: “This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘When I bring them back from captivity…’” Let me share a little background, and ...

Good morning, Abba Father, All glory and honor belong to You, Holy God. Today, I come to praise and worship You with all my heart. Thank You for the precious rain, a reminder of Your grace upon all creation. As I look out my window, I see the water nurturing the grass, plants, and all living things, a beautiful display of Your love. Thank You for this wonderful blessing, Lord. Father, I feel blessed to have this time to be in Your presence. You know me by name, You understand my heart, and You know my deepest thoughts. I’m grateful for each moment I can dedicate my life back to You, seeking to purify my heart, mind, and body in Your presence. As I continue this second day of fasting, I confess my struggles, Lord. I battle with negativity in my thoughts, actions, and words. Please forgive me for these shortcomings, for my anger and frustration. I lift up those around me, even those who test my patience, releasing them to You in Jesus’ name, asking that You bring them peace and fulfil t...

My Concerns "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." - Hebrews 11:1 Lord, it is time to transform my beliefs. I am putting my trust in Your unmerited favor. Today, I step out in faith to embrace the same unwavering favor that Jesus Christ has in store for me. I expect open doors and seek breakthroughs in my job, regardless of natural limitations. Lord, I am Your child, an heir of God and co-heir with Jesus Christ. I stand in the gap and dedicate Andus, myself, Alezandra, Pieter, Andus Jr., Jacques, Didi, Gizel, Cuba, Devan, Johan, Odette, Anabelle, Briana, Jean, Jacklyn, Mom, Oom Frik, Elsa, Llewelyn, Zelda, Sean, Patrick, Duane, Nikita, Matthew, Elijah, Paul, Carla, Jadyn, Adam, Jocelyn, Aurther, Dante, Benjamin, Violette, Alison, Elma, Peet, Elmarie, Ben, kid, Douw, Zayeen, Megan, Josh, Hannelie, Alan, Rina, Karina, Petro, Wilma, Koos, Saddika, Kevin, Moosa, Aneesa, Lorraine, Kiewiet, Deon, and Veronica to You. Lord, I pray f...

Lately, I've been struggling with a heavy feeling in my heart. It's like my own thoughts keep attacking me, accusing me of doing wrong things. I know as a Christian that these attacks come from Satan, but it's hard not to give in to them. It feels like Satan is always trying to hurt me, reminding me of my mistakes and making me feel guilty. I wonder why he's so determined to ruin my life. What does he gain if I give up? But as I think about it, I realize that there's only one who can truly save me: Jesus Christ. He's always there for me, ready to fight for me. Just like in the story where Jesus defended a woman who was accused of doing wrong, he stands up for me against my accuser. I believe that sometimes my accuser disguises himself as someone who seems righteous. The accusations I hear in my heart seem true most of the time, and it's easy to believe them. But just like Jesus told the woman who was caught in sin, he doesn't condemn me either. He want...

By Yvette van Niekerk The imagery of someone peering down from a cliff, beholding the ocean's depths, evokes a profound analogy for the human journey. Picture yourself as that individual, standing on the precipice, gazing at the ocean's expanse below. From this vantage point, you notice the stark contrast between the shallow and deep areas of the sea floor. It's akin to the varied phases of our lives—moments of tranquility and security contrasted with unexpected plunges into the unknown depths. In our life's narrative, we often navigate through what seems to be serene, safe waters. It feels comfortable, familiar, and we traverse through existence with confidence. Yet, abruptly and without warning, we find ourselves treading on unseen, treacherous terrain, akin to inadvertently walking over a hidden underwater cliff. Consider this scenario through the lens of GOD's omniscient perspective. His vantage point transcends our limited view, encompassing all facets of o...