by Nicole Dickens

Today was a full day. We went through two Ps and had two incredible speakers - Michael Cassidy (Africa’s Billy Graham) and Michael Louis (there’s nothing like him or his family in the US really). The former gave us challenges as to the 7 Giants that South Africa (and frankly many other nations) have to face in this new Promised Land: Racial Reconciliation, Aids, Economic disparities were among the few that come to mind. What touched me most about his comments was how he so eloquently put forth a truth about one issue both our nations have in common and that’s the one around racial reconciliation. He said that most White North Americans and White Africans cannot understand the depth of pain that African Americans and Black Africans still feel as a result of the past. He eluded to the fact that the past is not the past if the hurt is still present - a breath of fresh air for me to hear from someone else. It was particularly encouraging to hear him not skirt around the issue (the big elephant standing in the middle of the room) and to watch the courage it took for him to say that truth. Kingdom-bound, he is.

Our second speaker was Michael Louis, 3rd generation businessman heading up a family and business 90 years old. There were a couple of points he raised that had the major impact on me. The first was the need to understand what season you are in spiritually and live it to the full - no matter what it is (desert or Canaan). Additional encouragement for me not to desire to skip any steps because God’s ministering in our lives is what gets us ready for His purposes. His final comments about fearing to work with your family was particularly convicting - he made the point that is says very little about you when you feel you can’t work with them. He did, however, cautioned that they must be spiritually ready for such a partnership. It re-opened some old doors I thought I closed long ago about a family-run business. Looks like - yet again - God is turning some long held notions of mine on its head again. Can’t wait to see what paradigm shifting is up for me next :). BRING IT ON, LORD!