Another Update...With Joy in My Heart!

Hello dear friends...

I write to you today with joy in my heart.

The Lord allowed us to return to Sedgefield yesterday (Sunday) afternoon after spending the night at a friend's home in George. 

This lady was out of town and couldn't get home due to the fires, so she graciously offered up her home to our family for the night.

This was the most wonderful blessing for us... 

We could rest for a few hours in peace and those who needed to could do so...

How merciful the Lord was to us, I am so deeply grateful.

 

Some in our community thought us very extreme (and perhaps panicked) in leaving Sedgefield with all our belongings and animals early Saturday morning, but we have subsequently heard from many other knowledgeable people that in actual fact, the situation could have gone either way...

 

Praise be the Lord, Sedgefield was spared and operations to help those who are misplaced continue in full force!  There are thousands of people who are homeless right now, but the community have come together and indeed, the whole country, to house those in need and see to providing for their immediate needs. 

 

I am in awe at the kindness, generosity and concern of people and how they have come to the rescue of our hurting, needy area.

 

And we are safe, dear friends...

I cannot begin to thank you enough for your prayers.  I feel so terrible that I could not update you yesterday, but I could only get an internet connection this evening.  Mom and I are sitting at an internet café having a cup of coffee and feeling very humbled at the Lord's mercy and grace towards us.

 

As we receive new information each day, we are more humbled at how merciful the Lord was towards us in keeping us free from harm that Wednesday morning.  More and more we realise how incredibly fortunate we were to evacuate and that the fire did not flare up during the night whilst we were sleeping. 

So much could have happened, and yet, God in His mercy spared us and has truly opened the flood gates of Heaven and showered us with so many blessings. 

 

I greatly anticipate being able to share these precious stories of His grace and goodness with you in time.  What a wonderful Father we have...so rich in love towards His children!

 

Dear friends, we are so well provided for...  We have lacked nothing and gifts continue to flow in in abundance.  We are humbled.  So many are having to sleep in new places each night or being housed along with hundreds of other people in tents...  And yet we have a house and a bed for each member of our family.  This is such a blessing for our family with so many little ones...

 

The Lord has used many people...our church...our close friends...even those we have not spoken to in years to help our family!  How great is our God?

 

Thus, even in the midst of such tragedy, the Lord receives the glory.  Despite the horror of the past couple days, the Lord has given us joy and peace.  And He has given us prayer warriors...each of you are so very precious and I thank you for the way you come to our aid and pleaded with the Lord for mercy.

 

The fires are under control...sense is being made of the absolute mayhem of the past few days. 

But hearts are still hurting and to be honest, we have not even had a chance to deal with the grief of loss.  Our little ones do not know the terrible news that their little friend is now resting with the Father...  Would you pray the Lord would prepare their hearts and give my parents the right words to speak to them? 

 

I hope to stop in tomorrow to write a more detailed update, but for now I just want to say how amazed I am at the love that has come pouring in from this wonderful community of bloggers! 

I am anticipating the day I can write to each of you personally...it will be such a joy to do that! 

I know you have been so concerned...

 

To God be the glory forever and ever...  He is rich in mercy and His love never fails.  My heart is overflowing with thankfulness....  He is building a beautiful testimony through our family...and how many others will have a similar story to share of God's grace?  I pray many will come to know the love of our Father through our testimony! 

 

We are in our current house till July 10th.  After that, we have no idea what the Lord will do!  We are trusting Him to open a door for a house to lease in town.  Houses are more than scarce, so we are asking the Lord for a miracle!  He has provided thus far, so I know we can trust that He holds tomorrow and has our lives in the palm of His mighty hand!

 

With ever so much love and joy and gratitude,

Kelly-Anne