Merry Christmas and a happy new year

WOW, it is almost the end of the year!! A lot happened this year what has changed us!!
We had a lot of challenges this year! Some were easy to handle other ones were difficult. But all those challenges encouraged us and made us stronger!!

Sometimes there were moments that we tought what is happening and there were moments that were very excited and awesome!!
There were times that we cried a lot and there were times that we laughed a lot!!

We know that there will be always a mountain to climb or a battle to defeat!! But knowing that we are not climbing alone or fighting the battle by ourselfes well as all the other things in the past it will, and we have no doubt about that, it'll pass and become a memory in the story of our lives!

adventures in 2009
We met a lot of new people, friends and family the past year!!
We were able to travel to Kenya for the second and third time which was very delighted and wonderful!
We both attended an A school which was a life changing experience for the both of us!!
My twinsister gave birth of a great son, Berre
Edwin really got into the worship music and made a cd with John Nuttall!
We were able to support people financialy
We opened our home for people who needed some rest and peace and fun!
The baptism and wedding blessings at the end of November were incredible!!
We struggeled with some health issues ( depression, bike accident, Malaria, parasite, and fevers)

But at the end we can say that this was one of the best years we ever had!!

We thank our Father God for the journey He has planned for the both of us!!!

We also want to thank Jeff and Sylvia Scaldwell for their trust, love and help. We love you!!
Linda Hochstenbach, for your trust and incredible patient, you Rock!!
Ron Erades for your trust in me, the chats and help at work
Eduard uit de Bos for your encouragement to go for it.
Daniel, Marlies, Aiden and Leona Hoogteijling we love you so much!
Sander our best friend, we love you very much and we are very proud of you!
John Nuttall for the opportunities, love and laughs
Paul and Rosie Cassar for being a great brother and sister
Rich, you are a great friend, we love you
our family we love you all a lot!!

And to all our friends and our brothers and sisters at the Fatherhouse the Hague who helped us, prayed for us and encouraged us!! We are very blessed and we really feel surrounded by your love!!

Plans for 2010
traveling to Finland, France, Germany, Belgium, England and hopefully Kenya
supporting friends and family financialy
supporting friends and family spiritualy
giving Daddy's love to the world
staying healthy

We wish you all a wonderful Christmas and a very happy new year!!!

Great big hugs and loads of love
Ellemieke and Edwin

if it is not going the way you want it to go!!

Sometimes I want to talk to Daddy, but I don’t know what to say.

The past few weeks have been marked by emotional times, and these emotions were difficult.

Sometimes it really looks like if there are only challenges, challenges in daily life, health, at work and with family!! And those challenges are not always easy!!

If someone would have told me ten years ago what my future held and that I’d be sitting here today doing what I do I would have said “no thanks.” I’ll take my 9 to 5, and comfortable life.

At my work it is not easy at the moment. One of my teammembers is very sick and fighting for his life. Another one is fired, the team does not agree with that decision. I can tell you that it is difficult!!

Then my health, I still have diarrhea despite of the medication so that is very frustrated! I am really tired not feeling well for 100%!!

After my baptism 3 weeks ago I had to deal with some disagreements in the family about the baptism, which is not easy and at the moment I do not know what is going to happen. What I do know is that I made the best decision, and that I love my family and I will always love them no matter what!!

I don’t know what I am learning from this, but I have no doubt that this too, as many trials in the past, will pass and become only a memory in the story of life.

So at the end I can say despite of all the difficulties and emotions that I have, I love my life and the journey where I am in!! I really love my husband Edwin he is the best. I love him for what he is, for what I am when I am with Edwin.

Every day is a new adventure and a new reminder of Father’s grace, His never ending faithfulness, and endless love!!

And remember: If we find our security in anything other than God's Love, then we have no security!"

great big hugs Ellemieke

relationships

It is some time ago, so I am sorry for the blog slacking.
Sometimes it is really difficult to write down what is on my mind!!
And also how to write it down because I do not want to offend anybody!! If I do please let me know so that I can explain what I meant!!
I always wonder when I get a random e-mail from someone which says: I read your blog and it is an encouragement for me so please go on!” Despite this strange feeling, I keep on writing my thoughts for all the world to read. Not that all the world reads my blogs, but they could if they wanted to.

So (that is how Dutch people start talking in English) I want to share something about relationships!!

Relationship:
A relationship is a particularly close interpersonal relationship. It is a relationship in which the participants know or trust one another very well or are confidants of one another, or a relationship in which there is physical or emotional intimacy.

We are created by Daddy to walk in relationship if we grasp this truth the world would be a different place, it will be a place of love and care!!
And I am not talking about a working relationship or a business relationship, no it is all about a love relationship!!!

Yesterday I got baptized, and that was awesome, and I did it because I love my heavenly Daddy so much, I am Daddy's little girl!!! I have a great relationship with Daddy!! We laugh together, we cry together, we talk a lot, we have fun together!! Wow a great love relationship!! And because of this great awesome love relationship I have no fear because He is always in my presence!!

After the baptism our marriage was blessed and that was also a comformation from a love relationship!! I know my lovely hubby Edwin 21 years and we are married 12,5 years!!! everyday it is going deeper!!

So when you argue with your friends or spouse, think about the following thing;" do you want to be right or do you want to have a relation..?

personal note but an important one:
The enemy is trying to destroy our relationships with each other, so .....off devil!!

Great big hugs and loads of love
Ellemieke (D-l-g)

personal note

At the moment I can say that live isn't all roses!!
Some of you know that I am feeling sick since I came back from Kenya!! First they discovered that I had Malaria! I got meds but I was still not feeling well, so the last 5 weeks I had to go to the hospital every week for tests! And I can tell you those tests were awfull!! Honestly I am really tired of feeling sick all the time!!

There’s a verse in the Bible, some place, which says that God will never give us more than what we can handle. I hit my limit at the hospital this afternoon and didn’t think I could handle more!!

I can only pray for Him so much. How many different ways are there to ask for healing?

I realize even more that you can share the Fatherheart message, but more important you also have to live the Fatherheart message, so that you can face the storms because it gives security, peace and love!!!

Daddy I trust you in this and I really enjoy our adventures!! But enough is enough so please use your healing powers!!!

Great big hugs
Ellemieke

beautiful daughters

Last week I saw an article in the newspaper and it made me really angry!!! It made me so angry that I couldnot get it out of my mind for a couple days!!!
Normaly I would have post the article but it is just a stupid article. It is an example in what kind of world we live!!

The author wrote about a new fashion trent special for women, a necklace from your vagina!!
I have a history with sexual abuse and for a long time I believed that it was my own fault, that I was worth nothing, I felt that I was a burden, I was ashamed and I closed my heart to everybody!! Now I know that those feelings were big lies, but I thought it was the truth for many years!!!In those years I hated that I was a woman, I didn't like myself at all!!
A totally needless fashion trent that has nothing to do with dignity for women at all!!!

Now I know that I am a beautiful woman and I know this and feel this in my heart and that is so great!! With a loving husband who values me being a wonderful woman, supporting me and encouraging me to be who I really am, Daddy's wonderful little daughter!

But everyday on tv, the internet, on the streets I see the results of a crooked and perverse generation. Little teenage girls thinks that it is normal that men look to them as if they are a sex object!! Instead of being a beautiful daughter!!! And that hurts because most of them feel insecure, unsafe etc. Since I met my Heavenly Father I know who I am and how precious I am. This is what I pray everyday, what my cry is for those who don't experience this: becoming free of all that depresses them, knowing that Daddy loves them with an overwhelming love, please pray with me!


personal note:
while I was writing this blog I started to cry!!
Father thank you for your love and your healing powers!!
Thank You that Your heart is bigger then ours and that You never let go. That you never abandon us!!
I pray for open eyes of those who's eyes are shut by darkness. I pray that Your Kingdom come.....

Habakkuk 2:1-3

Great big hugs
Ellemieke (D-L-G)

beautiful daughters (with a beautiful necklace)

a bad Daddy day

I don’t often have rough days anymore, but today has been hard.

Last weekend I was at the Going Deeper weekend in Montfoort, it was an awesome weekend. I saw a lot of friends and family and met a lot of new friends. It was a big reunion!!
The week after the Going Deeper weekend I felt a bit lonely because I was only working, eating and sleeping! Crazy working hours!!! Not much time to spend with my lovely husband and friends!!

So today I wanted to hang out with Daddy!!! I was really looking forward to it! But instead of having a great time I had a really bad Daddy day!! My heart hurted today and my sadness and frustration was almost too much to bear.
I was sad because I miss my Dad who died in a horrible car crash 4 years ago!! I don't know why but it hit me today more than ever!! Today is not a special day in our family, so it surprised me!!
I was angry and surely not a nice person today!!!

So I was thinking a lot today!! And I want to share some of my thoughts, not all because then I have to write 10 pages or more!!

I’m excited about the challenges and experiences life is bringing me everyday. I’m learning faith in a new way!! I am learning a bit more about being patience, and about being the church. What will come out of this season of my life, a season of growing and challenges, I don’t know, but I know that as long as the response is right, the outcome will be great!!

A bad day force me to admit my weaknesses and frailty, they drive me to enter into a deeper communion with Daddy.
I’m so passionate about the church, I’ve never cared so much about it before. Honestly, I spent years being bitter about it.

The moments I feel the best is when I say “Father, I can’t do this on my own… I need you.” When we go through tough times, we can either fall away or come nearer. I get excited when I feel frail, because in these times, I know without any doubt that I can’t do this on my own and in that, I find strength!

Dad I miss you a lot I love you

Great big hugs
Ellemieke

gossip

Yesterday I start working again after a 1,5 week of absence!!

I found out that they gossiped about me!! I hate gossip!! Apperently I did something wrong!! I overheard it accidentally and I was a bit upset that no one came to me to get the whole story!!

Matthew 18:15 says “If your brother sins, go and show him his faults in private…”

In Greek, the word sin means “missing the mark", I believe that what I did is not perceived as a sin by the offender, but still I should be approached by the offended in private!!
For what its worth, my view of point is that if someone doesn’t understand what I have done or does not like what I do, then they should first talk to me about it in private! It is not fair to talk negative about me without knowing the whole story!!
Without following Matthew 18, I have no way to defend my ways.

It is not easy but I try not to get upset and that it really doesn't care to me that this person was talking negatively about me. But I just see that too often people are taking advantage of another person’s downfall or struggles.

If you really care about someone,then take the opportunity for a loving talk to them in private. If you are gossiping, you have to admit that you really don’t care about them!

Great big hugs
Ellemieke