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10 January 2011

Hi dear Friends and family of God,

Another year has passed and I trust that all of us can say:   “God is Good!” 

Just to bring you up to date with what is happening in the lives of my precious family.

We are so privileged to have our daughter Hanel and her husband Clark near us, living in the same town.   Zhanna who turned one year on the 7th of January - fills my life and my heart with joy!   Danie and I will drop everything we do if we hear that she is coming to visit or if we have to baby sit her.   Then we have Hano and his wife Lorraine living in Scotland with young Noah who turned 2 on the 27th of Dec.   It is not easy for us to have them living so far away.   Lorraine is so good at keeping us informed about his progress and development.   We get the most gorgeous pictures of him and she is excellent with putting script to every picture.   My heart longs to just hold him and watch him play and talk.   Nicolaas and his wife Rachelle are also blessed and live near Johannesburg from where he does his flying to different parts of the world as a pilot.

Danie and I have been running our Guest House called “Room With A View” in Somerset West – not far from Cape Town -for almost a year now.   God has guided us into this new venture and we are truly so blessed as we get to meet the most wonderful people from all over the world.   We have not been in operation for long –yet people get to know about us by word of mouth or   via the internet.  If you want to have a look at what is going on there – go to : www. room-with-a-view.co.za   Can you believe it- but we are  actually enjoying  the physical work we have to do ourselves.   Who would have thought that from being a singer travelling the world- to now cleaning rooms and toilets!    But as I say – we love it and it is another kind of ministry.  I have been given another chance to make a difference and I am so grateful for that. I still help people – although in a completely different way.   God gave me such a love for the people visiting our Guest house.  I love what He does!  

 Still do some singing and speaking – but my heart is to encourage younger musicians and singers to reach and understand the calling on their lives.   I am very privileged to be involved with BURN an organization that encourages intersession and worship.   We get together once a month and have a whole evening soaking in God’s presence.  

For Christmas we had all my family and their children here and it is so good to see how Danie has embraced my family and love to be with them.   All his brothers and sister are living abroad.   After what happened in Zimbabwe – all of us, the whole family had to find new places and countries to live, after being kicked off our land and farms in 2004.   So sad how families just were spread across the world because of one man’s tyranny and greed.

May I now encourage all of you who so faithfully read my news letter.   I just want to encourage you for this coming year -2011.
Things might not have worked out how you and I planned it but because I decided to walk by faith and put my trust in God –things worked out the way He planned it – and the end results are   far better!  I urge you my friends to just love God this year with all your heart, mind and soul.   Learn and begin to enjoy His presence and guidance-let Him lead you in every step of the way.   We can’t lean on our own understanding – that is limiting my life in all areas. Trust Him.   As children of God we are led by the spirit and not by our feelings. Therefore do not make big decisions when you are emotional –wait and listen to our Father’s advice.   How do I hear Him –read the Word.   By doing that –Faith comes and then it is your responsibility to act upon the Word given and spoken by God.   Faith is- acting on what God says –and let me tell you- if God says something- I believe it!   I just want to encourage you to live life to the full!   To the fullness of your ability and the fullness of His plans for you.

If you have been hurt and disappointed in the last year – please stop and think.   It does not have to stay this way.   The Word says: The steps of a righteous man are ordered by God.    If I see to it that I live my life according to what pleases God –I do qualify and I can trust God to do the rest.  You might not ever understand - why things happen to you. But the truth is- let the ashes go – learn to trust God.   He has a new beginning for you. You dare not make the mistake of getting trapped in the past.   Stop living like a victim!   You are more than a conquered through Christ who strengthens you – this is according to what God says about you and me.  Never allow yourself to wallow in your hurt and self-pity.  Let go of dreams that did not come true in order for God to give you new dreams.  Forgive those that hurt you or offended you.  Remember- offence is taken.  So in other words you have the choice to take it on or live above it.   Do not TAKE offence!  The choice is yours.   Forgive and release any remaining bitterness and God will give you beauty; He will give you great NEW beginnings and dreams.   Eph 5 says : Be imitators of God- live a life of LOVE  just as Christ loved us.   Find out what pleases God and do it.    Do what is RIGHT! Micah 6:8 says so beautifully – “He has shown you O man what is good and what the Lord requires of you but to do JUSTLY and to love MERCY, and to walk HUMBLY with your God”.

Let us LOVE this year like never before.   The world is hungry for sincere and genuine love. Let us show integrity and kindness this coming year.  I read this profound statement made by Heidi Baker:  “ Love the One and love the one in front of you”  Let us make this commandment real in our lives.  His kingdom is made known and extended through the love of the KING.  He showed us how-–when He loved the world so much that God gave His only Son – from His birth to His death, was a demonstration of LOVE - so perfect …

My prayer for you in 2011 is this:  I thank Him that He carried you through the past year.  That He has never left or forsaken you.  That His mercies were new every morning and His faithfulness great towards you.  The Lord is your portion and I delight in the fact that His Words will be a  lamp  unto your feet and a light unto your path.

Friends –we have a Saviour, Yeshua our Messiah(Jesus Christ) who delights in your total wellbeing.   1 John 3:2 Dear friends I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.

May we look forward to an even better year than last as we continue to say that He is our Lord and our King – worthy of all our praise and adoration!

I pray that you are blessed – for this one reason:   So that you are a blessing to others around you! 
I love you and I pray Col 1:9 over you every day.  For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding..

Your Friend and servant.

Hanli