CURRENT THEME: New hope for 2013 (If you want to read about specific themes in this series, send me an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.)

DAY 3: NEW HOPE ... KNOWING THAT GOD KNOWS YOUR HEART’S DESIRES

By Benescke Janse van Rensburg

Six-year-old Kelly-Bianca Holmes stared at the group of people with wide-eyes as they loaded the furniture from the truck parked in front of their flat. That night would be the first night in a long time where she, her two brothers and her father would not have to sleep on a folded blanket serving as a mattresses on the floor of their one bedroom apartment, but on a comfortable bed with a real mattress.

Kelly-Bianca’s father tried his best to care for her and her brothers on his meager salary as a security guard after her mother left the family for another man. The burden of his responsibility, his children’s overdue school fees and his daily challenge to put food on the table, started to take its toll and his hope for a better future hung by a thread.

It was at this point in their story we at Radio Tygerberg 104FM in the Cape Peninsula heard about their situation during our Project Oasis. With this project, listeners nominate individuals or families who are going through a tough “desert time” in their lives. We then send a team out early in the morning during our breakfast show to surprise a specific family with a voucher for groceries. To the family in need this becomes an “oasis” moment amidst their desert.

Thanks to sponsors and listeners who contributed to the project, we could surprise Kelly-Bianca’s family not only with groceries, but also with beds and other furniture as well as Christmas gifts we got from an organization that collect Christmas gifts for children. In addition, we were able to share the good news with the father that the children’s outstanding school fees will be paid in full and their school fees will be paid in advance for 2013. This news caused tears of joy.

We later found out that Kelly-Bianca had been asking her grandmother and father for weeks for a specific doll she saw on a commercial on television. They could not afford it, so she silently prayed that God would give it to her. From all the Christmas gifts collected, the one gift the organization unknowingly send with us to give to the little girl, was the doll Kelly-Bianca had prayed for. Nobody knew it, but God did not forget it.

Just as God was involved in the detail in Kelly-Bianca’s life, He wants to be involved in our lives too. He knows our heart’s desires. In Psalm 33:13-14 we read: “The Lord looks down from heaven and sees the whole human race.  From his throne he observes all who live on the earth." God not only see us, but He knows our hearts. In Acts 1:24 we read: “Then they prayed, ‘Lord, you know everyone's heart.’”

If you find yourself in a desperate situation and you can only speak to God, do not despair. He knows your financial challenge, your spouse’s hardened heart, your desire for a spouse or a child or whatever your concern may be. Just continue to trust Him. He will establish a breakthrough in your life at exactly the right time. He is Almighty and nothing is impossible to Him. God bless.

Father God, thank you for being aware of every situation in my life. Help me to look away from the challenges in my life and put my eyes on You. I ask this in the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

• See pictures of the family and a video clip on the social network, Fbook, Stories van hoop.

** Benescke Janse van Rensburg is a freelance journalist and author of the books, Ontdek God in die stories van mense, Wysheid-oordenkings uit Spreuke and Hoop in tye van nood-oordenkings uit Psalms.