I have just returned from America.

I have just returned from America. What a pleasure to be back in sunny South-Africa, after two weeks in the snow!

I don’t always have the words to describe what I experience on these solo-trips of mine. The entire trip was extremely busy with meetings, flights, speaking-events and filled with new faces. The Holy Spirit and I travelled across the country!

On the flight from L.A. to Washington DC, the woman sitting next to me asked me about myself and I told her I am in ministry. So you are here in America to come beg for money, did you get any? I was so shocked “No Mam, I surely did not come to receive, but to give!” What do you mean? “Mam, what I give through the Holy Spirit of God, no money can buy, even if some people think everything they need can be bought with money. As I look at the people around me, I can see most of their eyes are fixed on the arm of man or on the dollar – that is not the answer. What Jesus has to give has nothing to do with money. He wants your life Mam – your whole life; and in return, you will get life in abundance!”

“Jesus said it is much better to give than to receive. Near the end of my trip I had the privilege to go to an orphanage in Mexico. Not to get Mam, but to give - to serve, to love, to play with the kids, and to pray for them.”

I have tears in my eyes when I see how people misunderstand and misinterpret the Kingdom of God or show no interest in walking with the Lord. Do you experience the fire of God in your everyday life and a huger in your heart for His fullness? Or are you happy to live a mediocre life thinking somebody or something will bring you happiness?

On my trip I saw many people feeding their fear all the time. Be careful how you listen and what you allow into your life, you cannot allow fear to dominate you!

In all of our lives, we sometimes experience failure – you need to have the ability to fail and then to get up and move on again. Job was one who failed; he was on his face, got up and started worshipping God again. The same goes for David. After he lost his child, he experienced failure (even though it was a different kind of failure) but he went on his face, wept, got up and started worshipping God again. Maybe this is your time to go on your face, surrender it all to God and then to get up and start worshipping Him with new fire and a new song.

All of us take a wrong turn somewhere as we go through life. If we are on a road we have never been on before and we don’t listen to the instructions of the GPS we will get lost. Then it is critical to listen and obey the voice of the Holy Spirit as He instructs us to make a U-turn.

Every success-story has experienced failure somewhere along the journey. Failure is only fatal if you decide to embrace it and hold on to it. Change the way you look at failure and be renewed in your mind! See failure as God signalling a change in direction rather than a dead-end. Stay connected with the Holy Spirit and dwell in Him, because He alone can direct your steps to a life of a future and a hope. Be still and know that God is God. (Selah.)

People are so afraid of change, don’t be! With Jesus on your side you will never be forsaken.

The key to success is to sacrifice all unto God, that way – win or lose – you will know God is in control, and in His infinite wisdom He will let everything work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Then perseverance - without it you will never reach the finishing line. The promises of God are attained by faith and patience!

In the midst of the storm all we need to do is to stand on God’s word and not turn back in fear. The best part of being a child of God is to know that He is in control of your entire life. If you have God’s perspective you will know that just about everything bad in life has the potential to be transformed into something beautiful. If you surrender it all to God - He can only change that what you allow Him to change.

I came home to a family that loves me unconditionally. They love me with my weaknesses and my strengths. They share my joys and my sorrows. They sit around me and want to know the full detail of my trip, listening carefully to my every word. The most amazing part came when Aldo writes and tells me of what happened in my services, how he saw people in the spirit and how he saw me crying alone in my bed. He says, “Mom, you are never alone”. “Why were you anxious about your meetings? Don’t you know, God will hold everyone accountable for what they do, it doesn’t matter who they are.”

My family don’t try to mould me into someone I’m not. They never criticise my decisions and they are the ones that make this journey less lonely. Aldo is doing so well, my cup is running over! Whenever I phoned home, I always heard the same response – “Aldo is well, don’t worry.” Praise God for His mercy and grace on our lives!

To all the people I met on this trip - Thank you for your love and generosity! To take me in and love a stranger the way you did, can only be from God.

In Ohio I have the most amazing family that always take care of me. How can I thank you all? I enjoyed a wonderful day in the snow with them and they spoiled me as always! Thank you very much for your love and support.

To my new publisher - Destiny Image – thank you very much for my warm welcome and helping me make this dream from God come true and for walking alongside me on this unique journey.

To all my loyal supporters and friends, I thank you for your prayers, your love, your e-mails and for always lifting my arms up!

To the people that came to my services in America and travelled great distances just to attend - God bless you all!

I feel at home in your country and I thank God for the opened doors.

God bless America! Retha