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Tag Archives: faith

Learnt from Lockdown 2

09 Sunday Aug 2020

Posted by Gaynor Kast in Uncategorized

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COVID-19, faith, family, grace, gratitude, Lessons learnt, life, Lockdown, Mother, Obedience, perspective, praise, Prayer, purpose, siblings, time, Worship

You will remember in my previous post, I mentioned that my mother was visiting so I wasn’t alone for the first part of our lockdown. Although I was working from home, literally around the clock, just knowing that she was here offered a degree of safety and security. Just the way a mother’s love can.

But, after a month she wanted to return to her home and my delaying tactics were not the strongest. I eventually took her back and then we were hit for a six. She had the most horrific health scare and ended up in the hospital; for the sake of her privacy, I will not go into detail suffice to say it was touch and go.

It was a time that my siblings and I can laugh about now because of how we all deal with stress and trauma, but at that time it was far from a comedy scene.

Fast forward to me returning to my place.

I was happy to be in my space and surrounded by all my comforts. But for the first time in a long time, I realised that I now longer wanted to live alone. I wrestled with God about this every other day. But then one day in my quiet time I realised that no amount of temper tantrums or irrational reasoning was going to force God’s hand in my life.

We know that His time and His plans are perfect. Like we read in Ecclesiastes, there’s a time for everything under the sun; and I’m not immune to these seasons. Yes, there’s free will but for as long as there’s grace to walk in complete obedience, that’s my choice.

I concede that while I completely understand all of this, I still have the odd moment when I ask “But why God?” And it wasn’t until very recently that I realised that instead of despising this current season of my life, I need to appreciate and make the most of it.

And it was only after this acceptance that I found the solitude and time in prayer, praise and worship priceless.

I could easily list reasons of how this pandemic has ripped the rug from beneath our feet, but, there’s one thing it has done that no money could buy. It drew us back to and closer to God. It put the daily grind on pause for us to recalibrate and decide on the kind of relationship we want to have with our Father. The kind that sees us speaking and listening to Him as freely and easily as we breathe; or one where we speak to Him when we are in trouble or “need” something.

And so, as we continue to take it one day at a time, allow me to encourage you to look for that rainbow. Draw from the wells of His word that offers boundless hope. And be present (taking social distancing into account) in the lives of those near and dear to you… even if it’s through voice notes and face time calls.

Keep the faith.

Keep safe.

Rebound and recover…

30 Saturday Mar 2019

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direction, faith, family, forgiveness, Friends, God, grace, Heal, heart, introspection, lessons, life, love, mercy, Prayer, purpose, Refection, time

I’m writing this post from the place I visited exactly two years ago. The view remains spectacular with a few extra “nice to see” things and my life has done a complete 360 in every possible way.

For those who read this blog, you would recall the plan was to take a one year sabbatical and then allow life to unfold. Well, the one year sabbatical did happen, just not the way I had envisaged. And the year that followed was anything but a stroll in the park.

As I reflect on the last two years, I don’t believe I can adequately describe the intensity of the challenges that knocked on my door. But, what I do know with every fibre of confidence is that God remains faithful.

When I tell you that I had no idea life could two feet you (it’s a Sydenham saying) and bring you to your knees… it can. It’s not pretty and it’s certainly painful at the “best” of times. I was tried and tested from every possible position but had the grace to press on because I knew that God remains faithful.

I am also extremely blessed to have a solid group of faith-filled women and men to support me unconditionally. They know who they are and to respect their privacy I will not mention their names. But, there is one woman who I believe is a complete angel on earth and who took me under her wing and wiped my tears and prayed me through the most dire times – Aunty Karen Wallace. She is more than amazing. She certainly epitomises God’s love and compassion. And has without doubt secured a special place in my heart.

I’m all about being fearlessly authentic, and when I say there were times I felt like I could not go on, that every ounce of my strength was depleted and the will to live was running on empty, but between God and aunty Karen, I’m alive and energised to continue walking on purpose.

And so, if at any point you find yourself at a place where you feel hopeless.

A place where you feel completely lost.

A place you where feel like a drifting yacht on a rough sea.

A place where you feel like nothing makes sense anymore.

A place where you feel like your heart has been ripped apart.

A place where you feel like you don’t want to open your eyes to face another day.

Know this… God has a plan. God is in complete control. God has your back. He created YOU with a specific purpose and all He expects is unwavering faith and complete obedience (no matter what the circumstances). He does not need you and I to help Him unfold the plan He designed perfectly and with the right time-frames. Just place your hope and trust in Him.

There were many lessons I’ve jotted down over the last 24months, one of the more crucial ones was to pay attention to the people who are willing to stand in the ring and take the punches with you; those real people (not the fair-weather types) who hold your head up and keep you standing and smiling.

Most importantly, don’t fight the separation process. We know that some people are only meant to be in our lives for a reason, season and lifetime. Holding onto someone whose expiration date has come and gone will cause more chaos and distraction. Again, just trust God’s lead.

And finally, it’s perfectly fine to release (forgive) and love some people (family included) from a distance. Anything or anyone that threatens or obstructs your peace and Divine purpose has no place in your life.

If you are reading this post and find yourself in need of encouragement, allow me to suggest that you pour your heart out to God… be still enough to listen to His voice (yes, He still speaks) and hold onto your faith like never before.

And once you’ve allowed yourself to heal, stand up boldly and go out there and rise and thrive… because God can and will always be the anchor, compass and all-round Navigator you need at any given moment.

Love. Love. And more love coupled with equal portions of boundless faith, grace and mercy be yours this day and always!

Stop. Pause. Press on…

28 Thursday Jun 2018

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fabulous, faith, favoured, Fearlessly authentic, Intentional, learn, lessons, life, Live, love, perspective, Press on, purpose, Romans 8:28, South Africa, time

There are moments when it feels like life is coming at you, fast and hard.
And it’s at these times that you need your faith to be rock solid; and more importantly, you need to be surrounded by fearlessly authentic people.

What you don’t want is a fence-sitter or someone who suffers from delusions of grandeur, on your side.
Be around people whose motives are clean and clear, whose reputations are impeccable and not afraid to stand for the truth. Not their “truth” but the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

To paraphrase Tera Carissa-Hodges, when the lies, slander, backstabbing, plotting and planning happens, don’t lose focus because those intentional acts are all part of the purpose.

Painful as the lessons may be, the “tables have turned”.
Trust the process and trust that God alone still has the final say.

So, if you find yourself at a crossroads, we have a saying here in South Africa – vasbyt.
It simply means, press on… and hold onto Romans 8:28.

Thank you for taking the time to read.

Stay fabulous and favoured xxx

No ordinary month…

01 Wednesday Mar 2017

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Autumn, courage, fabulous, faith, family, favoured, Friends, gratitude, happiness, hope, life, love, March, miracles, Moments, Patience, people, Perseverance, perspective, Purporse, strength, time, wisdom

New month.

New season.

New song to sing.

May you choose to step out in faith and walk on water.

May your heart and mind be filled with perfect peace, wisdom and understanding.

Stay fabulous and favoured xxx

march1

When to let go…

28 Tuesday Feb 2017

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2017, Australia, Book, Chapter, courage, fabulous, faith, favoured, Flight, heart, introspection, lessons, life, people, perspective, Proverbs 3:5, purpose, Situations, thank you, Travel

This year started off in a way I could never have imagined. A trip to Brisbane (I left a piece of my heart there) for two weeks, gave me such great clarity and insight on a both a personal and professional level.

Brisbane was everything and more – see the pictures below. The people were warm, kind, supportive and oh so friendly. And the sight-seeing made me feel like Alice in Wonderland.

 I must confess that I reluctantly boarded my flight back… there’s an undeniable vibe about Brisbane that’s so hard to ignore or describe. You have to experience it.

Maybe one day, my suitcase will find itself on that side of the world, but, for now…

 Back to the point of this post.

I’m the kind of person who always overthinks every single thing and has a plan. Even a plan B or C (just in case). Well, 2017 has shown me that all the best paid plans in the world mean absolutely nothing, when something or someone has run its course in your life, let it go…

Holding on longer than we ought to will cause you unnecessary pain and frustration.

  • Know when to reflect.
  • Know when to take the lessons.
  • Know when to close the chapter.
  • Know when to close the book.
  • Know when to let go.

And just step away.

  • Step away from that place.
  • Step away from that situation.
  • Step away from that person(s).

If these last few weeks have taught me anything, taking a step of faith can be daunting but oh so liberating… Proverbs 3:5. You owe it to yourself to put YOU first; and never ever settle.

Thank you for taking the time read.

Stay fabulous and favoured xxx

 

brisbane4

brisbane1
brisbane2
brisbane3

 

 

 

The promise of…

19 Monday Dec 2016

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2016, Belief, Charles Dickens, fabulous, faith, family, favoured, Fortitude, Friends, High note, hope, lifetime, Moments, Promises, Resilience, seasons, strength, thank you, time, Treasure

If I had to use a quote to sum up 2016 it would definitely be from Charles Dickens:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us..

 

I’m sure you will concede this was no ordinary year; it was challenging and yet fulfilling on so many levels.

And here we are… still standing… hopefully stronger and wiser.

But…

It’s bound to end on a high note.

 

Have a delightful Christmas punctuated with loads of love, laughter and memories to treasure for a lifetime.

Here’s to a promising and gratifying 2017. (Picture credit: Jarryd Kast in Busan)

 

christmasinbusan

 

Thank you for taking the time to read.

Stay fabulous and favoured xxx

 

 

It is what it is…

03 Saturday Dec 2016

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Cry, evolve, fabulous, faith, favoured, lessons, moment, Persevere, perspective, pray, purpose, Sing, smile, thank you, time, Worship

It’s been a while since I’ve posted…

So much has happened.

So many eye-opening experiences.

So many moments to hold onto and cherish.

So many times I wished I was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

So many times I wished I could’ve seen what was coming to stop the nightmare of epic proportions.

 

But, that wasn’t to be…

 

And so there I was in the thick of things.

Feeling like a ton of bricks had been thrown in my face at lightning speed.

Feeling like for just one minute things could be different.

Feeling like time could stand still and someone could wake me up from what felt like a bad dream with each passing second.

 

But, that wasn’t to be…

And so there I was in true “me-mode”.

Doing what I do best and holding onto what I know is right and true… my faith.

 

I prayed. I cried. I fasted. I worshipped. I gave thanks. Repeat.

 

And so I’d like to encourage someone who finds him/herself in a precarious situation, this too shall pass. You shrug, but it’s true.

Certain situations and experiences are best avoided (if we were not living a purpose filled life) but if they are part of your Divine journey then it’s best to embrace it, learn what you need and evolve…

 

Thank you for taking the time to read.

Stay fabulous and favoured xxx

photo.JPG

Somewhere, someone needs you…

09 Thursday Jun 2016

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authenticity, change, choice, compassion, Cry, fabulous, faith, favoured, grace, gratitude, kindness, Laugh, learn, love, Moments, people, perspective, purpose, smile, thank you, time, world

Someone asked me the other day whether I have “bad” days.
Of course, I do.

I’m not a robot.

I love. I laugh. I smile. I cry. I frown. I grit my teeth.

My patience runs thin from time to time and I have moments where I lose my cool. But, you can count those on one hand… and they hardly ever last long.

At the end of the day, I’m just an imperfect vessel living in a complicated world, getting through each day purely by His grace.

What has been somewhat liberating is embracing the fact that with time, some people will be left behind as my journey takes a few detours.

A few years ago, I would never dream of accepting this and would want to cling to those who crossed my path like my life depended on it. Time is a wonderful thing. Perspective is everything.

I’ve also come to the realisation that some people will never fully understand or accept the kindness, compassion and love you choose to offer. And that’s okay too. Pray for them and leave them be.

Somewhere, someone is in need of your authenticity.
Now go out there and keep living, loving and learning.

Thank you for taking the time to read.

Stay fabulous and favoured xxx

changejune2016

A life less ordinary…

28 Monday Dec 2015

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2016, blessings, books, Boundaries, chocolate, Christmas, Confidence, fabulous, faith, favoured, grace, gratitude, Health, Hug, kindness, Laugh, life, Listen, love, Miracle, Most High, new year, Obedience, Ordinary, peace, perspective, pray, Prayer, purpose, Rainbow, Read, reason, Sing, Sleep, Speak, Storm, sunrise, sunset, Talent, time, To God be the glory, unconditional love, Walk

This Christmas will go down in the book of memories as one of my best. Ever.
I won’t bore you with the details other than to say, to God be the glory.
Truly, He still works in mysterious ways… and for that I’m most thankful

As the year slowly draws to an end and we look forward to the promise of 2016, my prayer for you is to:

*Continue to walk and bask in God’s grace
*Open your heart to give and receive unconditional love
*Remember that somebody loves you
*For the singles: somebody is praying to meet someone just like you
*Embrace the gift of each moment
*Enjoy the beauty of a sunset or sunrise
*Look for the rainbow after each storm
*Increase your faith
*Spend more time in prayer
*Spend more time meditating on the Word
*Choose always to live on purpose
*Laugh more
*Be courageous
*Cherish friendships
*Walk with confidence
*Shatter any self-imposed limitations
*Spread kindness
*Be a cheerful giver – of time, talent and self
*Hug more
*Talk less and listen more
*Sing more (even if it’s only in the shower)
*Ask for help
*Keep those boundaries intact
*Let go of those ties that are cut for a reason
*Take time out for you
*Sleep more
*Eat more chocolate
*Read at least one book a month
*Treat yourself as often as you can
*Always count your blessings
*Remember that you are a son/daughter of the Most High
*Immerse yourself in the favour that follows you
*Wake up each day with the knowledge that it’s your time
*2016 is the year of one miracle after another… no ear has heard or eye has seen what the Lord has in store for those who choose complete obedience
*More than anything else, I pray that you are always blessed with good health (body, mind and spirit). There’s no substitute for good health

Thank you for taking the time to read.

Stay fabulous and favoured xxx

2016purpose

Reach out & rise up!

01 Tuesday Dec 2015

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authentic, believe, choices, choose, December, fabulous, faith, favoured, gratitude, hope, kindness, life, love, Motivated, peace, perspective, purpose, Reach out, Read, Rise up, smile, time

On this first day of December, my hope is that you will:

Choose to be kind

Choose to reach out

Choose to make someone smile

Choose to be motivated

Choose to live on purpose

Choose to make a choice

Choose to be thankful

Choose to be authentic

Choose to be at peace

Choose to believe

Choose to have faith

Choose to love and be loved!

Thank you for taking the time to read.

Stay fabulous and favoured x

faith hope love

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