2018, the year of new beginnings.
This year has truly lived up to our church's annual declaration of #thereismore.
Here are a few things we are truly grateful for in 2018.
Our US trip. As a child growing up on the baseball field, I dreamt of going to the Yankee stadium. Through God's favour, we were able to book an unplanned holiday to NYC in April 2018. We decided, and within a month we were on a plane to NYC. We got to see the Yankees play and done many of the sight seeing things, but more significantly was a faith purchase at a random Yankee store on times Square that would unlock the next season in our lives. A pair of NY baby growers was purchased in faith. We said this would be our final holiday by ourselves... and indeed it was:-)
Yes, not long after our return from our US trip, we found out that we were expecting our first baby. After 4,5 years of waiting, God answered our prayers. A true miracle happened. To top that, baby's announcement was supplemented with additional income and provision as if God was saying "this baby will be blessed in abundance". And when God gives, He gives in abundance!
Not long after baby, I received the news that I was successful in my application for a new job at adidas. This came with added perks like medical aid for the whole family and other cool opportunities. The past 4 months has been mind blowing!
Then, a side project that we were working on for the past year also came to life. We launched our app, Digiswipe, on the 26 Nov 2018. Digiswipe is an app that stores all your traditional cards into a single place. Our vision is to rid the environment of plastic cards and enable a platform that allows shoppers to share their points with the less fortunate. Our heart is to uplift the less fortunate.
Similarly, Erin also started a great initiative at work called 'Opportunity'. A marketplace for stretch assignments at Old Mutual. This was supported by the executive board and we excited to see how this app will unlock more opportunities in 2019.
We have been supporting an orphanage called Paradesi Place of Safety for the past 4 years and the past year we were very fortunate to partner with Dischem and Kfm. They selected Paradesi as their 'random act of kindness' and this saw upgrades and blessings to the value R100k stream in. In addition, Erin was nominated for a CEO award at Old Mutual which saw an additional R10k pour into Paradesi. These blessings ultimately meant that the aftercare and creche grew stronger and offers major corporates an opportunity to sow into fertile ground. Currently Paradesi serves 8 vulnerable kids, and another 45 kids through the creche programme.
After moving to Fish Hoek, travel was always a concern as both Erin and I still drove our very 1st cars. We both have our cars for 11 years and as much as we love them, they started becoming 'old'. fortunately, we were by the means to buy a new car - any of our friends would tell you that we were way past our sell by date.
It's been a great journey and we declare that there is more that God wants to bestow upon us.
Our journey also saw us making new friends and overcoming some health scares but this is testament to a blessed life.
Three lessons I wish to share...
1. There will always be challenges, don't focus on how big they are, instead focus on how great our God is.
2. Dreams can come true, and when they do, it will exceed all your expectations.
3. Your faith is the soil in which your blessing will grow from, and your blessing will bear the fruit of His majesty.
