Christian Podcast in South Africa - Cup of Faith

Creative Retreat

Kate Walsh — Tue, 17 Sep 2024 15:54:46 +0000

Come Home | Creative Retreat

We had wonderful feedback from our first retreat that took place in April 2024! This is a deeply spiritual, meditative experience that we believe will enhance your ability to create from a place of connection with the Father.

The retreat will be facilitated by two missionaries who have a heart and passion for the arts, Chloe Snyder and Kirstin Nobbs.

Sign Up Form

Event details:

Paulshof, Johannesburg

Friday 11 October 18:45 – 20:15

Saturday 12 October 09:00 – 13:00

Need to request sponsorship? Email kate@cupoffaith.co.za

NB: Only 6 spaces remaining.

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Kate Walsh

Kate is the current owner and editor of Cup of Faith. She is a blogger who loves Jesus, loves to read, and currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband.

The post Creative Retreat appeared first on Cup of Faith.

What Makes a Female Entrepreneur? 10 Essential Attributes

Kate Walsh — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 14:00:56 +0000

One of my favourite places to be is the bi-annual Tierlandtynkies market festival in Pretoria. Every inch of space is filled with delightful treasures for my magpie eyes, handmade or curated by fun, smart and engaging entrepreneurs. Most of them are female, including the events’ brain-moms: Ronel and Lorette (who happen to also be two of the kindest people you will ever meet). The market is held on church property but it’s far from the stereotypical koeksister and secondhand book market we’ve come to expect from church fetes. I know because I assist my husband with his stall there for the past few years and have come to expect to be pleasantly surprised with the jewellery, fashion, accessories, decor and more from small businesses.

We are one week away from the next market and so I simply must write a piece I’ve been keeping from you for a while! At the last market, I spoke to some of the vendors about what it takes to run their businesses. Our conversations reminded me of the creative industry demonstrated by the Proverbs 31 woman. Reading over my notes, I am amazed at the depth of wisdom experience has taught them. I’ve distilled their advice into ten important ingredients for the modern day female entrepreneur:

1. Excellence

Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates. (Proverbs 31:31 NKJV)

There can be no entrepreneurship without excellence. Cutting corners is a big no-no and will catch up with you at some point. Customers are not easily fooled by shoddy work so a thriving small business requires that one always puts the best foot forward.

2. Leadership

She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens. (Proverbs 31:15)

A good leader sacrifices for staff: one entrepreneur admitted that she would take money from her personal accounts to pay her staff if the business had bad months. But becoming a good leader also requires learning how to follow. Ronel recommended finding a mentor and meeting once a month to learn from.

3. Unique Solutions

She considers a field and buys it (Proverbs 31:16a)

One of the most competitive genres for small businesses is jewellry. Amorique from Mark of A explained to me how her desire to create beautiful items was partly born from the frustration of not being able to find rings that fit her fingers. She encourages anyone with new ideas to never ever try to fit in as building your business on the basis of comparison will only yield flat and boring results. If you’re someone interested in creative ideas, I highly recommend the ‘Made to Create’ 6 week Bible Study.

Kies is where I met the awesome Purpose & Proverbs team. What kind and inspirational ladies!

4. Godly Direction

Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. (Proverbs 31:30)

Pray, pray and pray for inspiration and direction from God. One lady shared with me how, in the difficulty of navigating her sales through the COVID pandemic, she and her business partner waited on God for a word in prayer. Once they felt that they had received direction, they acted on it in faith and continued to repeat it to themselves throughout challenges. Another lady shared that her desire to pivot her business started deep within her heart. Once she followed that inspiration, things quickly fell into place from her which she interprets as evidence of God’s grace and direction.

One of my first Tierlandtynkies markets as a barista back in 2014

5. Boldness

She is not afraid of snow for her household (Proverbs 31:21a)

Fear of failure is one of the largest barriers to success for anything, entrepreneurship included. Owning and running a small business takes a stomach for risk.

6. Attention to Detail

She looks well to the ways of her household (Proverbs 31:27a)

Toni, owner of Toni’s Pizza, emphasised that attention to detail is key. Know where every single cent is going. Ronel affirmed that being hands-on is vital for the health of your business.

7. Communication

She opens her mouth with wisdom (Proverbs 31:26a)

Clarity in branding helps customers to understand what you are offering them. Nini of Eat-a-bit shared that rebranding resulted in an increase in sales! Same business, same product, same owner, but improved communication! She went on to explain that she loves to chat with her customers and get a feel for what they do and don’t like. She uses this valuable information to improve her products and even as a place to find free ideas for new products.

8. Flexibility

Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come. (Proverbs 31:25)

One just cannot prepare for every eventuality. Wisdom and planning are great but when things go wrong, good entrepreneurs think on their feet to solve the problem. There’s nothing wrong with having a little cry of course! But never allow despair to prevent you from tackling unforeseen challenges.

9. Family

Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her (Proverbs 31:28)

A couple of the ladies I spoke to mentioned how important family support is. It reminded me of how supportive my husband has been of my vision for this blog, Cup of Faith. One lady had her baby with her at her stand. She explained that she wants her daughter to be included into her life and so, with the support of parents and her husband, she bravely chooses to combine childcare with running her stand. Now that’s one advantage of being your own boss: autonomous parenting!

Helping Kendrick running his stall at Kies in April 2024

10. Hard Work

She rises while it is yet night (Proverbs 31:15a)
She … does not eat the bread of idleness. (Proverbs 31:27b)

There is no substitute for hard work. A common theme with all the women I spoke to was grit: giving it all and willingly giving up time to invest into nurturing the business into what you envision it to be. These women are not afraid to wake up early and go to bed late – something they share with the Proverbs 31 woman!

If you are around Pretoria next week I encourage you to come by and meet some of the incredible vendors!

You can find details about the market on Facebook.

Kate Walsh

Kate is the current owner and editor of Cup of Faith. She is a blogger who loves Jesus, loves to read, and currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband.

The post What Makes a Female Entrepreneur? 10 Essential Attributes appeared first on Cup of Faith.

Book Review: Discovering God’s Will For Your Life: A User’s Guide To Discernment By Trevor Hudson

Kate Walsh — Fri, 06 Sep 2024 07:15:44 +0000

There’s no getting through this Christian journey without addressing the question, what does God want me to do with my life? Trevor Hudson tackles this topic with the book written under the bold title, Discovering God’s Will For Your Life: A User’s Guide to Discernment.

This short but impactful book has three main outcomes: latching into God’s vision for your life, defining discernment, and taking action on what we learn. Hudson encourages individual application of his points with short exercises found in the book.

Discovering God’s Will for Your Life (Trevor Hudson): Published by Struik Christian Media. Available wherever books are sold.

Discernment involves recognising God’s active presence and voice so that we can respond to what God is doing and saying, and bring our lives into more harmony with God’s dream for our world. Quote p. 51

Hudson deftly explores discernment of God’s personal will through our lives through scripture, circumstances, the Holy Spirit, our giftings and conversations with those who know us well. He draws from personal experience and decades of pastoral experience. The pages of this book almost radiate with the sage and gentleness you would expect from a seventy-year-plus old pastor who is still pouring out his life for the Father and his children. Expect less ‘name it and claim it’ type ra-ra moments and more slower, head-nodding ‘a-ha!’ moments.

Our personal calling is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet. – Trevor Hudson

One of Hudson’s key principles to discerning God’s personal will for your life is to reflect on what you have learnt in your life experiences. The wisdom of experience is only unlocked, he explains, when one takes the time to reflect on the success and failure of circumstances. This is probably why the book is laden with ‘discernment exercises’ to put the knowledge found in these pages into immediate action.

What I loved most about this book was its simple practicality. It is straightforward and easy to understand but acts a teaser to go deeper with God for oneself. I personally loved Hudson’s reflection on spiritual consolation and spiritual desolation, a principle I have used since in trying to discern next steps in decisions.

This book is not for anyone who is looking for an easy way to hear God’s voice for themselves. It is rather a book for those looking to forge spiritual ‘tools’ for their lifelong ‘discernment toolbox’.

I hope you will pick up a copy of this book and be encouraged to seek out God’s personal will for your life!

This book was kindly sent to me by Struik Christian Media for review. All views expressed are my own.

Kate Walsh

Kate is the current owner and editor of Cup of Faith. She is a blogger who loves Jesus, loves to read, and currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband.

The post Book Review: Discovering God’s Will For Your Life: A User’s Guide To Discernment By Trevor Hudson appeared first on Cup of Faith.

Seeing God as a Perfect Father by Louie Giglio

Kate Walsh — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 10:38:30 +0000

Many readers will recognise the name Louie Giglio as the founder of the Passion conferences and the famous ‘Indescribable’ preacher. In his book, Seeing God as a Perfect Father (an updated and retitled edition of Not Forsaken), Giglio shares truth about God’s fatherhood, our worldly and Western understanding of fatherhood and invites us to untangle the two for a freer, more powerful Christian walk.

Published by Thomas Nelson and distributed in South Africa by Struik Christian Media. Available wherever books are sold.

Giglio grapples with many challenging aspects surrounding the concept of fatherhood and ways in which our vision of God’s fatherhood may be clouded. He shares six possible stereotypical fathers we may have had, which have in turn impacted our view of God’s fatherhood. He writes with Christ-centred passion about the way in which God positions himself as a father to us. Did you know that Jesus refers to God as ‘Father’ more than any other term? Readers familiar with Louie Giglio will recognise his reverence, love for story-telling and astronomy drops. He flavours his writing with testimonies and vulnerable details about his relationship with his own father.

I appreciated the book’s willingness to provide a fresh and honest perspective of the difficulty of relating to God as a father without losing an awe-inspiring perspective of God’s perfect love for us, his children. I wrote previously about my journey to find approval from my father in heaven and wasn’t surprised to come across the topic of approval early on in this book. It’s a biggie.

I was convicted by the last few chapters which painted a picture of what a life impacted by a personal relationship to a Father God might look like practically.

I don’t know what kind of earthly father you had, but I know that God has spanned heaven and earth to reach you. And I know if you want one, the reality of a perfect Father can be yours. I pray your eyes are open to see Him as He truly is, and your heart is beating fast knowing His eyes are on you and His heart is for you. His blessing is full and free. The waterfall is pouring down goodness today. His spiritual genes have re-created you and His hand is there to lead you. You can take your next step as a loved daughter –a loved son – of the perfect Father. Quote from p. 209

If we are born-again children grafted into a new family with a new father, we will no longer be trapped by old, unhelpful habits passed down from generation to generation. We can be imitators of our spiritual Dad.

This book is great for newer Christians and readers who don’t enjoy too much jargon. It is written in a comfortable and light style which makes the challenging subject matter easier to digest. Readers who were not brought up in a predominantly Western home may not relate entirely to some descriptions of difficulties Giglio describes. If you have ever wondered about God’s ‘father heart’ towards you or have had difficulties relating to your own earthly father, this book is a great introduction to these subjects without being too heavy.

This book was kindly sent to me by Struik Christian Media for review. All views expressed are my own.

Kate Walsh

Kate is the current owner and editor of Cup of Faith. She is a blogger who loves Jesus, loves to read, and currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband.

The post Seeing God as a Perfect Father by Louie Giglio appeared first on Cup of Faith.

Giveaway: It’s our 6th birthday!

Kate Walsh — Thu, 01 Aug 2024 06:23:57 +0000

Thursday the first of August is Cup of Faith’s sixth birthday!

It’s been a beautiful, grace-filled challenge to pick up the website from Megan. I have loved getting to know our writers and our community over the past year. When we open our hearts and hands to the Holy Spirit, and take a bold step to share, our impact is immeasurable. He so longs to speak to us. He so longs to speak to us through each other, too! I’d like to share a throwback quote from Megan’s post on Cup of Faith’s first birthday:

Truthfully, God doesn’t call us to be anything more than ourselves, He puts us exactly where we’re meant to be and it’s up to us to be obedient and trust. Online ministry still seems too large of a label but I will say that God continues to reveal an exciting path for Cup of Faith and as long as this platform is serving Him and our community, I’ll continue to be obedient and trust Him to guide me.

I echo her sentiments and would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has been along for this journey.

To celebrate this day, I’ve put together a giveaway hamper! The hamper includes the following products from our store:

To enter, all you have to do is:

Follow us on Instagram
Like our giveaway post
Comment by tag a friend on Instagram
Share to Instagram stories (don’t forget to tag us!)

Terms and Conditions: Competition closes on the 16th of August. The winner will be announced across all social media platforms on the 17th of August and has 48-hours to claim the prize before a new winner is selected. Prize cannot be transferred or exchanged for cash. No purchase is necessary to enter. This giveaway is only open to South African residents. Giveaway is not affiliated with Instagram or product providers.

Kate Walsh

Kate is the current owner and editor of Cup of Faith. She is a blogger who loves Jesus, loves to read, and currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband.

The post Giveaway: It’s our 6th birthday! appeared first on Cup of Faith.

Become a Contributor

Kate Walsh — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 12:29:36 +0000

Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story!

-Psalm 107:2

Thank you for signing up!

Application Form

Name*
First Last
Email*
Do you have a blog?
- Yes
- No
What topics would you like to write about?*
What is your author bio?*
All our contributors have an author bio that displays at the end of every article that they contribute. It's just a short intro about yourself and gives you the opportunity to share your likes, passions and where readers can find you when you're not contributing to Cup of Faith.
List links to your social platforms and/or blog:
Upload a profile picture that can be used on your author bio:
Max. file size: 286 MB.
How often would you like to contribute to Cup of Faith?*
- Once-Off
- Weekly
- Monthly

Guidelines

Your post should be faith-centered, family friendly and within the spirit of Cup of Faith. If the editor perceives your writing to be misaligned with the Cup of Faith statement of faith your post may be rejected.

We accept stories, testimonies, teachings, devotionals, and poetry relating to your faith journey.

Once your application has been approved, you’ll receive an email welcoming you to the Cup of Faith team, and you’ll gain access to our Contributor’s Corner, where you’ll be able to submit articles and keep track of our editor’s calendar.

All submitted posts should be original and should not have been previously published online, including your own blog.

The ideal length for post submissions is 500-1000 words.

Use short paragraphs that are easy to read.

Every published post will include your author bio and links to your own blog and socials. In addition, you will be added to our about us page, which will also feature links to all your published posts.

Appropriate images will be sourced by our team ahead of publishing.

Cup of Faith does NOT offer any monetary compensation for guest posts.

Posts that appear to only be promoting a product, service or yourself, will not be published. If you are interested in writing to highlight your services or company, please contact us to discuss our rates.

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Kate Walsh

Kate is the current owner and editor of Cup of Faith. She is a blogger who loves Jesus, loves to read, and currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband.

The post Become a Contributor appeared first on Cup of Faith.

YouVersion Devotionals

Kate Walsh — Tue, 26 Dec 2023 12:25:47 +0000

YouVersion Devotionals

Link to our YouVersion page here or select one to read below. You will be taken to the relevant YouVersion page where the devotional is located.

Faith for Fertility Devotional

YouVersion

Faith Encounters: Women + Jesus in the Gospels

YouVersion

Ministry & Leadership: Reflections on the Book of Jonah

YouVersion

Identity in Christ: A 40 Day Journey

YouVersion

Bible Characters Who Fulfilled Their Destiny: And How You Can Do the Same

YouVersion

Defeating the Devil’s Designs With the Armour of God: A 7 Day Devotional

YouVersion

kate@cupoffaith.co.za

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Kate Walsh

Kate is the current owner and editor of Cup of Faith. She is a blogger who loves Jesus, loves to read, and currently lives in Johannesburg with her husband.

The post YouVersion Devotionals appeared first on Cup of Faith.

Submit Your Article

Megan Kelly Botha — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 18:34:00 +0000

Welcome to the Team!

This is our contributor’s corner, where you can submit your articles, see what’s coming up on the content calendar and catch up on the latest blog posts. If you feel like there’s something missing, don’t hesitate to contact Megan with your suggestion.

Submit Your Article

Submit your latest article by filling in the form below.

Name
First Last
Email
Post Title
Post Body*
Consent*
I agree to Cup of Faith sharing my story on their digital properties.

Guidelines

Your post should be faith-centered, family friendly and within the spirit of Cup of Faith.

We accept stories, testimonies, teachings, devotionals, and poetry relating to your faith journey.

All submitted posts should be original and should not have been previously published online, including your own blog.

The ideal length for post submissions is 500-1000 words.

Use short paragraphs that are easy to read.

Every published post will include your author bio and links to your own blog and socials. In addition, you will be added to our about us page, which will also feature links to all your published posts.

Appropriate images will be sourced by our team ahead of publishing.

Cup of Faith does NOT offer any monetary compensation for guest posts.

Posts that appear to only be promoting a product, service or yourself, will not be published. If you are interested in writing to highlight your services or company, please contact us to discuss our rates.

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Editorial Calendar

After receiving your article submission, I will schedule your post on the below content calendar. Posts that are marked with a (*) indicate that they still need to be edited but are due to go live on that date. Our current schedule is following the format of new posts on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. If I receive several posts from a single contributor at a time, I will spread the posts throughout the month, allowing enough opportunity for other contributors to also have their posts featured and allowing variety on the blog.

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Megan Kelly Botha

I’m a coffee-wielding mood reader and romance book collector who may or may not have a slight addiction to buying books. I read a variety of sub-genres within romance, including rom-coms, dark romance, and fantasy. I love sharing my thoughts on books, whether it’s through book reviews, quotes, or recommendations inspired by my current reads. Through my romance book blog, Literary Inspired, I aim to provide in-depth book reviews, curated reading recommendations, and exclusive author promotions. I’m passionate about supporting indie authors and sharing my latest book discoveries with others. When I’m not reading, you can find me cheering on my favorite football team and F1 drivers, crafting, baking with my kids or playing with my pets.

literaryinspired.com/

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Prayer Request

Megan Kelly Botha — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 18:33:56 +0000

How can we pray for you?

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Megan Kelly Botha

literaryinspired.com/

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Start Here | Important links

Megan Kelly Botha — Thu, 17 Aug 2023 18:33:54 +0000

Cup of Faith is an award-winning South African online network for Christian women. Our platform is designed to share, inspire and encourage fellow Christian women through podcasts, blog posts, community reading plans, product reviews and much more!

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