merry christmas!

"Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!"
-Lyrics from Oh Holy Night


This is what i love about Christmas: Emmanuel ("God with us") coming to earth as a lowly babe so that the INCREASE of his peace and Kingdom would never cease! SO thankful for the simple message of JESUS...LOVE. lets turn our eyes to Jesus and learn to love each other well all throughout the year, giving our lives to seeing our brothers and sisters freed from chains of oppression!

MERRY CHRISTMAS! PEACE AND JOY TO YOU!

fun video!

fun video about the VC camp from last july. just click the link below and enjoy!

http://vimeo.com/28927515

thankfulness and fullness of JOY.

in this season the Lord is healing my blind eyes. i have been so blind to Him. to his glory. to his goodness in my life. i have missed it a hundred times a day. why? i have been so blind.

in Romans 8 it says the Father is "causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him."

everything is everything.

so why am i not seeing this?

if we open our eyes, not to the world, but to Jesus, looking for what HE is doing and saying. if we begin to call out and name these God-works, these moments that he is so fully using for our good, these simple, day to day happenings. and if we then begin to thank him and revel in who he is and the way he is so present in these moments, filling our lives with his goodness then...

our JOY begins to flow.

as we get totally wrapped up in God's absolute nearness to us, we can't help but be consumed with joy. a joy that runs so much deeper than the passing happiness of a nice moment. its a joy that beams even in the midst of painful circumstances. its a joy that actually carries us through.

if we will open our eyes to God... we will see that his goodness is actually spilling over in our lives...in everything. and by thanking him in these moments, we are filled with a deep joy that comes from acknowledging that our lives are in the hands of the most awesome and good God.

i have found this so wonderfully true in my life in this season. i have been so changed by a grateful heart and eyes FULLY opened to the One who loves me so deeply.

"why would the world need more anger, more outrage? how does it save the world to reject unabashed joy when it is joy that saves us? rejecting joy to stand in solidarity with suffering doesn't rescue the suffering, the converse does. the brave who focus on all things good and all things beautiful and all things true, even in small, who give thanks for it and discover joy even in the here and now, they are the change agents who bring fullest Light to all the world." ann voskamp from 1000 gifts.

happy thanksgiving and happy holidays!

may your lives OVERFLOW with the joy of the Lord!

(pic is my beautiful niece claire layla!)

its official: back to africa!

i have been praying long and hard about the million dollar question...

what is next?!?!

and praise the Lord! He has spoken very clearly to me!

the Lord is leading me back to cape town to make a 3 year commitment with All Nations. in this past year, God has spoken very clearly to me time and time again. He has confirmed to me that he is calling me to seeing church planting movements among unreached people, and to live my life bringing the hope and healing of Jesus to broken and oppressed children and families. i have been asking the Lord, “what is the next step toward continuing these dreams and passions that have been placed in my heart?” The answer:

Plant yourself in a community that is pursuing these dreams and passions! So that is what I am doing!

All Nations is a vibrant family full of people pursuing the lost and the least, with a heart to bring the Kingdom of God in South Africa and beyond into Africa. i feel this is not only an equipping place for me, but also a potential sending place into an unreached nation in the future! i love so much the work I am doing in the Vulnerable Children program. we have been seeing good fruit in this past year and i am so excited to commit more long term and see that long term fruit! in these next years, i will also be pursuing training in counseling, to be better equipped for the work I am called to do.

i will be back in the states december 1st until the end of january. i am in the process of building my financial and prayer support teams. would LOVE to have you be apart of my journey here in south africa! if you would like to receive a letter with more info about my move back to africa contact me! also, if you would like to get together to hear more or if you have a house church, bible study or others who would like to know more contact me as well! my email is: whitneyelise211@gmail.com

Glory from a prison cell!

a story of light breaking forth in the darkness...

rhoda and oliver are a part of the all nations family. they are from malawi, but have been living in masi for a few years. they are a beautiful couple whose hearts overflow with kindness and fierce faith.

a few weeks ago, oliver went into immigration to sort out his papers. the next thing he knows he is being detained because they were expired a week. OH MY. we are told that he will be moved to pollsmoor prison, then to jo'berg and then taken to malawi (who knows how many months this will take.) the story of how oliver was finally released and all that happened this side of the prison cell is SO filled with the Lord's hand. so many testimonies of His goodness and faithfulness. rhoda's response of clinging to Jesus with victorious faith was so beautiful. but the story i am going to tell is what happened inside that prison cell at pollsmoor...

oliver was placed in a cell with 70 or 80 other men...prisoners. not just men who had been detained due to paperwork...but prisoners who were there for murder, drugs, crime, etc. i have heard bits and pieces of the horrific conditions that prisoners have to live under in pollsmoor because of gangs within the prison. especially for foreigners like oliver. the first day, two men came up to oliver, grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him to let him know just where he had arrived...

but oliver did not chose despair or fear. he chose courage, faith and joy in the Holy Spirit. he told us that he just wanted to encourage and strengthen the other prisoners. he began sharing with them about the story in acts where paul and silas are flogged, put in prison and chose to worship the Lord, and how they Lord acted on their behalf. he loved these men, prayed for them, and showed them the loving kindness of God. and hard hearts began to melt. people were touched by the love of God that oliver was pouring into their weary hearts. on the last day, as oliver was being released many of the men came up and hugged oliver goodbye. the two men that shoved him the first day actually came to him and apologized saying, "we are sorry, we didn't know who you were."

"draw near to God and he will draw near to you..." James 4:8 the nearness, favor and protection of the Lord are so real. i will choose to turn my eyes to Jesus in the dark moments...for thats when light breaks forth and His Glory is revealed! amen.

the eyes of Love.

after being prayed for the other day, i was so impacted by a word from the Lord that i was given. the word was: to break the mirrors i look at myself through and to let HIS eyes be my mirror. that i must stop checking to see if i measure up. i will not fail Him. wow. i need this so desperately in my life. i started journalling later and i asked myself the question: who is this that i am to fix my eyes on? this is what flowed from there...

"He is my Jesus. the Most Radiant of all. the best, most kind person to ever grace this earth. He is the One who captures hearts with one touch of His presence. He is Faithful and True. the Mighty Warrior. the Gentle Shepherd. the One who cares for the least and humbles the great. He is my Savior and the Savior of all. He is the Repairer of broken walls and shatterd hearts. He is the One who every heart longs to belong to and the One who has made a way for every heart to be fully satisfied...forever. He is Alpha and Omega. the One who was at the beginning and will be at the end. He is the Great King. the Lover of my soul. the Restorer of my broken heart and the Healer of my life. the One who calls me with a love sweeter than honey. who makes me more secure and safe than any fortress. who guards my life with His mighty arm. and daily invites me into more life, more fullness, more joy, more peace...into oneness."

how is it that he loves ME?

"...because i have been his hearts desire since the beginning. the one he has longed to see freed, consumed in his love and made whole. i am His beloved. my heart is radiant before his eyes. I am altogether lovely. with one glance of my eyes he is filled with love and his heart is consumed. with ONE glance. everytime i turn to him, looking to his face, heaven rejoices. because we are the desire of his heart. because our oneness with Him is the longing of his heart. my oneness is what drew the Radiant King to earth to live as a poor, ordinary carpenter. to give everything he could.

He came not to bring home a nothing ragamuffin, a broken mess, a weak sinful beggar to be His. he came to bring home his Bride. that is always how he has seen us.

in my eyes i am so many unfortunate, flawed things. BUT in the eyes of Love i am His lovely, breathtaking bride who he has moved heaven and earth to bring HOME.

i MUST turn my eyes from the mirrors that reflect the flawed beggar and look into His eyes and see who he has loved since before time."

everyday i am choosing to look into the eyes of Jesus.

spring.

My Beloved spoke and said to me,

“Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me.

See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.

Flowers appear on the earth;

the season of singing has come,

the cooing of doves is heard in our land.

The fig tree forms its early fruit;

the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.

Arise, come, my darling;

my beautiful one, come with me.”

Song of Songs 2:10-13

it is spring time in south africa. and i am thankful!

zimbabwe or bust!

The big news for the month is that I will be returning to...

ZIMBABWE!

(for a week, Oct. 20-27th)

As you might know, I spent two months last year in Chinotimba, a vibrant community in Zim, during the outreach phase of the church planting school. Since the day I left I have been praying and hoping for an opportunity to go back and visit all the wonderful people I met, and to encourage the house churches that my team and I planted while we were there. The time has finally come! Mike and Kalyn are taking a small team to visit Munya, the leader of the All Nations church plant. He is an incredible church planter and has started a movement in Chinotimba that has caught like wildfire! They have dozens and dozens of house churches that have been planted in this past year alone! This means they have dozens and dozens of house church leaders who need to be encouraged and stengthened! That is where we come in. We are going for a five days to pour into these leaders! I will also get to connect and spent time with all my friends from last year. We will also spend two days in a nearby All Nations church plant in Zambia encouraging that team as well. We leave the 20th and return the 27th of October.

I feel so blessed that the Lord would open the door for me to go back to Zim! I am really believing that the Father will continue to provide all the funds I need for this trip. I have some money saved that will cover much of my $500 plane ticket, but visas are very expensive for Zambia and Zimbabwe (and I have to have one for each country!)

If you would like to give toward this trip, I would be beyond blessed!*

*You can make checks out to All Nations and attach a note that says "Preferred for Whitney Caldwell" and mail to:

All Nations Family, Inc

c/o Walsh Washburn

5360 College Boulevard Ste. 100

Overland Park, KS 64030

I am eagerly awaiting being reunited to baby Jeff and to the brothers and sisters/spiritual sons and daughters God has graciously given me in the beautiful nation of Zimabwe!

time to celebrate!

extraordinary things become so normal around here...
 
everyday i am seeing miracles and breakthroughs.  it becomes second nature...OF COURSE God would do that...He is just so good and He loves his people so much.  i started thinking about what amazing fruit i have seen in last week alone and it hit me how numb i have become to the mighty working of God’s hand.  And that is just not okay with me.
so its time to celebrate! 
::a well watered garden::
 
many of you have been praying for mandla*, a 12 year old boy who ran away from home and has been living under a tree with some of his gangster friends. I mentor his sister and spend time with his family often. I have been praying and praying and PRAYING for Mandla and for his family. this family has faced the tragic and harsh reality of this world. the 4 children in this family are often split up and sent to live with various friends and neighbors in Masi when their mother leaves for months at a time. but, thank God, the reality of this world is NOT my reality. my reality is found in Christ, who defeated the evil one on the cross. I have had such faith to believe for the miraculous for mandla and his family. AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I HAVE SEEN WITH MY VERY EYES. as i was sitting with their mama one day, she told me, with joy in her eyes that i can not describe, that he has returned home. after months and months and month and months of not seeing her child (when she would see him he would run from her) she has been reunited with her son! he is staying only a few shacks down from her tiny shack.  it only gets better.  as i was sitting with mandla's sister the other day, she tells me that her mother is moving.  i immediately began thinking to myself, "oh no. here we go again.  she is leaving her kids once again."  but she continues explaining that she was just looking to move to a bigger shack so that all of 4 her kids could stay together with her.  "WHAT?!" this is a miracle, truly.  not only that, but i am seeing so much change in this mama, hope and life filling her once dejected and desperate heart.  she has even began selling chickens to support them.  out of the wildnerness, God is making this family into a well watered garden full of his peace and light.  i am in awe.    

::break every chain::
 
Jesus, the Breaker of chains.  my dear friend, mandisa*, knows this to be true.  the back story is glorious and i will have to write a whole post about it soon.  mandisa has experienced a intense spiritual and emotional bondage.  she has lived under this oppression and often be consumed by this evil.  one afternoon, while spending some time with her little sister and her friends at her house, mandisa was once again consumed by this demonic oppression.  we got to sing and pray God's deliverance over her.  we all felt the same thing: "The Father wants you to be set COMPLETELY free!"   we prayed and prophesied into her life.  i began spending time with her weekly, talking and getting to know each other.  the other day she began telling me more about this oppression in her life.  i once again told her that God wants her to be set free!  She said, "Oh I know he does.  Before I felt like I was in a cage, but now I feel that I am getting set free."  WOW. just like that.  Jesus is the Breaker of chains and He is the one that comes to set us free from every thing of the evil one that would try to bind us up from receiving his abundant life and love!  praise Jesus!

::a breath of fresh air::
i met this woman through a friend of a friend.  little did i know when she joined us one day for a bible study, that we would form such a sweet friendship and that she would be such a woman of peace.  she has such an intense hunger for God and to know his truth.  she does not want religion, rules, empty ritual.  she wants Jesus.  she has opened up a group with her boyfriend and his household.  i can't even explain to you what a breath of fresh air these people are to my life.  in a culture so deep in empty religion, they are a rarity.  people who just want to seek God, to know his truth and to live out a life of following him.  we get together to discuss the bible and drink coke once a week.  i learn so much from this "church," as they call themselves.  it is so natural for them to take what we discuss and do it in their lives.  they are a house of peace and Papa has big things for them.  wow.  thank you God for these refreshing friendships.
 

::GO, therefore..::
 
oh i am missing my dear, dear, dear friend nosipo* who moved to capricorn.  i miss her friendship and i miss bringing the kingdom to children in masi with her.  but what a precious gem she is.  what joy to the small seeds i have invested in her life bearing such amazing fruit!  i got hang out with her the other day.  she told me about the kids she has been reaching out to near where she stays and about how she is starting a group for them to come and learn about Jesus!  Papa is bringing his glorious kingdom to capricorn through his sweet, faithful daughter!  God is so good!
 

 
so that is what I am celebrating this week!  i know God is pouring out his kindness, goodness, and faithfulness in your life...so what are you celebrating this week?!

thank GOD he is GOD.

i have been learning a few things afresh lately...

1. God is who he says He is

2. God can do what He says He can do

3. I am who God says I am

4. I can do all things through Jesus

5. the Word of God is alive and active in me

(from beth moore's study, Believing God.)

there have been many moments lately, where in past times, i would have panicked, freaked,and frantically found my own solution. but it has been a different story in these past weeks. i have been letting the truths above SOAK into my heart and my spirit.

i am a DAUGHTER, not an orphan.

i am not left alone to fend for myself.

Papa God has every resource in heaven made ready for me...if i will just ask...with a bit of faith.

here is one glimpse at a moment in my life that can be explained as nothing but a sweet kiss from the Father...

its time for kids club. the prayer shack is packed (and i mean PACKED) with excited, energetic, crazy kids. i haven't seen so many at kids club in a long time, nor have i ever seen them so bursting with energy. the person coming to translate for me has bailed. the backup can't come. this is not the first time this has happened in the past two months since my unbelievably amazing friend, Nosipo*, who was helping me with kids club, moved to a nearby township. i step outside the prayer shack to lift my hands to the heavens and cry out for a miraculous provision of a translator, hoping someone will just materialize. nothing. so i say, "okay i am starting this club in faith that someone will just pop in the door." i gather the children in a circle and begin the club...

suddenly, the door comes swinging open and Nosipo comes busting through..."SURPRISE!" all the kids begin cheering in celebration because they are so happy to see her. but no one is cheering louder than me. i am filled with laughter and tears, as the reality hits me...

i am a DAUGHTER and my Papa loves taking care of me!

i get to rest in his strength, in his love, in his grace all my days.

"Let the Beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for he shields her all day long. the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders." Deuteronomy 33:12

let Papa God take care of you today! trust him to be who He says He is. thank you God!

*name changed.

birthday joy!

a time to celebrate...

thursday i was driving around masi not exactly sure where to go. it was a rainy, windy day so not many people were around to hang out. i wasn't paying attention and i turned down the wrong street. i thought to myself, "dang it. i always turn down this wrong street." but then up ahead i see one of my favorite mamas walking down the street. i stop to give her a lift. we begin talking about our days when she tells me...

its her birthday! she then shows me her ID: September 1st 1961...IT'S HER 50th BIRTHDAY!

joy fills the car as we begin celebrating... and hooting & hollering :) the reality hits me. this is a BIG deal! so of course, off we go to the nearest store to get this mama something sweet for her happy day!

we get to the store and mama picks a chocolate cake. it was not quite in my budget, but YES! of course this mama needs a cake for her 50th birthday! as we take the cake up to the register we are calling out to anyone who will listen... "its HER 50th birthday!!!" and mama is showing everyone her cake with bursting happiness!

as we pull up to the area she lives, she is calling out from the car for her friends to come and join her for a cake and celebration. everyone is pumped to celebrate her! we then see two kids i am mentoring who are neighbors with mama. they insist that i come in for the party (even though i had an appointment soon, i joyfully agreed!) we go parading through the wetlands to mama's shack; singing, dancing, laughing, cheering, waving our jackets in the air like flags...it is time to CELEBRATE!

people begin pouring into the house, all the kids leading everyone in singing and dancing! they know how to party :)

oh i love these beautiful ones. i have helped those two kids i mentor start a kids club with their friends, who just happen to be all the little ones that came to the party. SO fun to get to share life with these sweet ones that i love so much!

my favorite part of the party was when mama asked me to take a pic cutting the cake with her...wedding style :)

she told me at one point that this was her first time in all her life to have a cake for her birthday. wow. i can't explain how honored i felt that the Lord would lead me to this mama on her special day. i had no idea what to do that afternoon, but the Lord knew. He loves this mama. she is His daughter. she has given her life so fully to Him these past few months, and He wanted to CELEBRATE HIS PRECIOUS ONE! what an honor to be able to help give this mama a gift from the Father on her birthday. i told her that very thing: that it was His idea for this celebration to unfold and it was His gift to her!

thanks Jesus for letting me be a part of that day and for making my life so sweet!

i am humbled.

my heart is FULL.

even as i write this post two weeks later, my heart is FULL.

full of joy. full of love. and full of thankfulness.

i often think, "how could the Father love me so much that he would give me my sister?"

i am thankful beyond measure that the Father made a way for her to come and visit me here in cape town!

our 10 days together were packed with adventures, laughing, talking, dance parties, more talking, sister crafts, visiting my friends & kids, laughing, laughing and even more laughing.

there is nothing like being with my sister. we really are one. she knows me like no one else does...the deepest parts of my heart, where i have come from, the things i dream for. i don't have to explain myself, i know she loves and treasures me. its BLISS being with my sister!

i took some "holiday time" while lauren was here and got rested up! it was such a glorious time getting to take a step back, slow down and enjoy being with my sis.

i brought laur along to some of the kids clubs i lead in masi...of course they LOVED her immediately. it was so fun to bring my sis along with me in my normal life, for her to get to see what i have been doing here. it was that much better loving on these sweet kids with my sister by my side. what BLISS!

and oh there is something about being with my sister that is so inspiring, so stirring. the way she sees life and Jesus with such passion, joy and wholehearted desire. i LOVE it! i love the things she draws out of my heart! oh the BLISS!

isn't she the cutest?! (celebrating her 23rd birthday!)

thank you Jesus for my sister and for our holiday of all holidays!

alicia brown everybody!

...and the fun just keeps on coming!

the day after my mom left, i got to receive another visitor. one whom i love so much!

ALICIA BROWN. my dear roommate from the epic apartment 307.

alicia was sent from norman community, my beloved church community from home.

it was such a joy to get to minister in masi with her. she brought so much life to my heart. getting to catch up on each other's lives. getting to hear all about life in norman that has been happening while i have been gone. getting to hear fun testimonies from what the Lord has been doing in her life...getting to receive fresh faith and excitement for the outpouring of God's presence and goodness, and for his great commitment to the redemption of his people.

we have dreamed of being in africa together for a few years now. so needless to say, it was such a joy to be with her in africa!

i am thankful to God for our friendship. can't wait to see the glorious paths he leads us on...i just know they will cross a million times in this life!

my mommy.

there is no time like momma time.

i am one blessed girl.

i got to spend 15 whole days with my mom.

i got to introduce her to this place that i love so much.

i got to spend hours talking and telling stories,

and just filling her in on the little, unimportant details of my day to day that just can't be shared on weekly skype dates.

i enjoyed so much seeing her love on the kids that have taken up such a special place in my heart.

what a joy to introduce her to those that i have been loving and praying for for years and years and years...the ones who are so important to me.

and what fun it was for us to get to take this little one for her second excursion outside of masi. to get to watch her take in the sites outside the car window and to see the utter joy on her face as we pulled up to the crashing waves and sparkling blue ocean.

and how priceless were the hours of walking along the beach, talking and, of course, if you know my mother, picking up seashells.

i never pick up seashells, but since she went home i have found my self finding the most amazing seashells. i am starting quite a collection.

there is just something so restful about being around my mom. i think it is the comfort and security of being around someone who loves me so fully and unconditionally. my mom always laughs because i get so sleepy when i am with her. its just that i can let my guard down with her. its just so nice to be around a momma's love.

oh how i love that mommy of mine!

rainbows.

i never cease to find such delight in rainbows. aren't they just so fun?!

lets be reminded of the good and sure promises of God today.

vison & dreams come true

God is releasing so much vision over my life in this season. two areas he has been giving me vision for is church planting & seeing children healed, raised up and released into greatness.

church planting

the vision:

seeing people experience the love and power of God through relationship with him. sharing what they are discovering with their friends and family (those they are living life with); going on a journey together, in community, towards Jesus. being transformed by his love and grace. learning to love God, listen to him and respond to what he is saying.

seeing broken & hurting children restored in the Father's love

the vision:

seeing kids experience the Father's great love for them. learning to hear His voice for themselves. seeing the lies of the world and the evil one removed from their sweet hearts and replaced with the truth and love of God. seeing the 'least of these' raised up to be influencers and leaders in their generation.

i have been sensing from the Lord that these vision are to be married and that it is what the Lord is calling me to in the future. i have also been sensing that it is a season of seeing glimpses of these dreams that the Father has put in my heart come to be...

Lily*. a sweet, sweet church planter.

this child has been experiencing Jesus in powerful ways. she lives in the poorest part of masi. she is a bright girl, a natural leader. and she loves the Father because she knows him well. she knows his goodness, his love, his mercy. she has experienced his healing in her and through her. she has seen Jesus in dreams. she knows the Father's voice and receives his words for others. and she wants her friends to know her Father like she does. so she has asked me to help her start a kids club for the kids in the wetlands where she lives because they need to know about Jesus too! tomorrow will be our first kids club. and it will not be me leading this thing. she is partnering with me to lead this group because, although she is a child, she knows the Father well.

i am thanking the Father for giving me a glimpse of what it will look like for the visions He is placing deep in my heart to come together. i am so thankful for dreams come true and for the glorious future He is leading me into.

*name changed

wedding bells...a happy time!

wedding bells are ringing, ringing, ringing...

not for me :) but for many of my friends!

in this past month i got to celebrate two people who are very dear to my heart...two of the girls i have lived with in south africa!

i am celebrating ames, my dear spice, who got engaged to joel a few weeks ago!

what a blessing to spend the last six months with amy; six months filled with adventure, joy, and fun. there is constant sunshine when ames is around. it truly was an honor to live life with my spice and to get to see how much love and respect she has for joel...and now they are getting married! happy day!

and oh! amanda sperle, my sister. as an honorary bridesmaid, i celebrated (from a far) her marriage to tyler this past weekend...

words can not express how much i love amanda. after traveling to africa together twice and living together last year during church planting school in SA, she has become my sis. what a joy it was to be with amanda as her story with tyler began to unfold...to get to see it from the very, very beginning. i could not be happier for amanda and tyler. so perfect for each other. God has so much for their marriage...and now they are officially mr. & mrs. happy day!

thank you Papa for the beautiful gift of marriage. what a picture of your love and covenant with your Bride. we are a blessed people!