By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

A very stressed mom and daughter met each other in the school's reception area that Friday morning. None of the two knew the reason the head master summoned the mom to the school and his secretary called down the matric learner, Simoné to his office. They both knew however, that these two actions meant one thing: The learner was in trouble. What they did not know, was that good news awaited them . ..

Annually, Radio Tygerberg 104FM, a community radio station in the Cape Peninsula, hosts a Matric Farewell project. Listeners get the opportunity to nominate needy matrics, who they feel deserves the matric farewell of their dreams. We then select five winners out of hundreds of nominations. These winners receive a designer dress, make-up and hair done by a professional and they even receive transport to the function in a luxury vehicle. A colleague and I were on our way to the school to surprise mom and daughter with the news that she was nominated and chosen as one of the winners.

With the announcement, both Simoné and her mother were wiping down tears flowing down their cheeks. In fact, her mother was sobbing so hard, that she barely could get a word out. What we did not know, was that after the factory she worked at closed down two months prior to that day, she was without an income. As a single mom, her own dreams to give her daughter a beautiful matric farewell, was busy fading away and she did not have the heart to tell her child that she could not go. All she could do was to speak to God about this challenge. He heard her prayers and demonstrated His mercy to her (see the link to the video of the announcement below).

In Hebrews 13: 5, God reminds us: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” In Psalm 37:4 we read: “Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." And in Isaiah 43:19 God again says: “I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”

What in your life threatens to overwhelm you? An awful financial situation? Shocking news about your health? Your marriage on the verge of a divorce? Or are you like Simoné’s mom in a situation out or your control?

May we remind ourselves that God has the final say. He will never leave, nor forsake us. His desire is that we keep on delighting ourselves in Him, knowing that He is able to make a way through a wilderness and even surprise us with a river in those “desert areas” of our lives. He did it for Simoné and her mother - and He surely is able to do it for you. God bless.

Father God, thank you for allowing me to bring (name the area you are struggling with) to You. Help me to not allow fear in my life, but to put my hope in You. I ask it in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

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