Holding our Breath

The other day I was having coffee with a good friend and mentor, and she told me that lately she feels like she is constantly absorbing more: people’s struggles, their asks, and the steady stream of things to do. She’s realised that what she seeks is to begin to release more —her creative expression, her spiritual gifts, her joy and Godly passion—all things of which I know she has an abundance. Yet I also know what it’s like to be so burdened with a continuous inflow of responsibilities that you have no time to tap into your true, inner calling.

This is especially true of Christian women. We all want to be the Proverbs 31 woman, “She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come…she watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness” (Proverbs 31: 25,27). However, too often we make the mistake of living out this verse by being constantly busy. Yet there is a difference between being busy, and being productive, especially when it comes to God’s kingdom.

Out of Breath

As we spoke, I immediately recalled something I learnt from a woman who coached me in my running four years ago. When I used to run uphill stretches, I would generally find myself gasping for air and panting, thinking I just needed more oxygen. This is a common body response because when carbon dioxide levels rise, it triggers the urge to breathe faster so we can clear it out and bring in more oxygen. However, what I learnt was that I needed to go against the instinct to breathe faster and instead force the carbon dioxide out through long and steady exhales. As soon as you do this, you will find that your heartbeat will slow down and your breathing will regulate, allowing you to inhale more oxygen in a steady rhythm.

Sometimes in life, I find myself out of breath. When this happens, I know the answer is more of God, but because I’m trudging through a swamp of busyness, I end up trying to squeeze Him in — I read a bite size devotion sitting in my inbox, I try to attend another church meeting, or I listen to worship music while cooking or driving— but it’s hardly replenishing me in the fullness of His presence.

Breathing out: making room for the new

“And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.” Luke 5:37 – 38 NIV

While Jesus was referring to His new covenant replacing the strict religious ways of the Pharisees, we can also interpret this passage for our current, daily lives. We need to renew our spirits by pushing out the old. Like using new wine skins to pour in new wine, the key is pushing the old air out, so that the fullness of God’s “oxygen” can be absorbed. Yet, what is the carbon dioxide in our lives — the things we need to release to make space for new breath?

We discussed this in a women’s group I attend, and I’d like to list just a few examples of what was shared:

• Old thoughts: One of the ladies expressed how she has always believed she’s not creative, but as my friend pointed out, we are all made in His image as creative beings, which can include the little things in life — not just artwork in galleries or written books. Her “carbon dioxide” is the incorrect belief that she is not creative, but with God’s new “oxygen”, she is discovering how she is already creative and can be even more so.
• Wasted time: For many of us in the room, we confessed to being perpetual scrollers on social media. At the end of the day, exhausted and seeking mild entertainment safe in our shells, we lie down and disappear into the social media time warp, where “just five” minutes morphs into two hours, which often means going to bed too late. As one wise woman among us shared, the real discipline isn’t in waking up early to meet with God — it’s in going to bed on time.
• Prideful Habits: I realised that one reason why my to-do pile keeps growing and blocking the things I should do, is not asking for help, even from my own husband. I’ll instead battle forward alone trying to juggle everything and then end up feeling resentful. Because let’s be honest — I’m not the long-suffering servant quietly carrying the world on her shoulders; I’m more like a trumpet of showy huffs and puffs. This is because my reason for “doing everything”, has more to do with pride than it does joyful selflessness.
• Hurt: One of the younger ladies who attended spoke of purging negative thoughts. As Christians we are rightly taught to take captive negative thoughts, and “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say.” All very true. But sometimes we take this to extremes when we are not even honest with ourselves let alone God, and so past hurts and bitterness fester within us. Sometimes it’s necessary to ‘purge’ of negative feelings by expressing it through journaling or through counsel with a trusted friend.

Breathing in: the replenishing infilling

“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.” Mark 1:35 NIV

Jesus models what we need to be doing to experience true relationship with him and the Father. In merely reading this scripture, the longing of my soul is roused by its promise of peace and replenishment. Time with our father needs to be an extended pause. We need a deep inhale of His truth, filling us with the peace of His presence, quietening the hustle of our minds so that we can feel and hear the heart He has for us. Ignited by His spirit, we are more connected to His purpose and we can take on tasks guided by His wisdom and calling on our lives.

“I have filled him with the Spirit of God… to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts.” Exodus 31:3–5 NIV

When we breathe in the oxygen of God, not only are we more attuned to His deep love and purpose for us, but He awakens cells within our spiritual body, stirring them into motion, to collide and unite and become vessels for creative thoughts. As we established earlier, we are creative in everything, not only in music, artwork and books. In daily chores we are creative as we create order in our personal admin and household. We are creative in our conversations, as we create new ideas together. We are creative in our thoughts, as we envision a better way for things to be. In all these things the oxygen He provides is our inspiration for the daily creations as well as the larger creative projects, because His essence is creator and we were made in His image: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1 NIV).

The Calm Exhale

Once we have cleared our lungs of the excess ‘carbon dioxide’ and drawn a deeper breath of God’s ‘oxygen’, we can exhale with greater calm and ease the things He is wanting us to release into the world. We release creativity to build. We release encouragement to our neighbours. We release joy and testimony to the quiet onlookers on the side. We release ourselves in the way that God is wanting us to be released. We release His light.

Where do we start?

I ask this question without holding an answer. We all walk very different lives and therefore we all have different ways of finding our breathing rhythm. For me, my starting point was to envision what breathing rhythm looks like in my life, and from there, I started listing the things — the excess ‘carbon dioxide’ —that needs to be exhaled from my life in order for me to inhale more of God’s ‘oxygen’.

What is your starting point?

Angela Chiaberta

I am a volunteer blogger with a passion for God and writing. My hope is to help others choose faith – or to walk deeper in their faith – through my own introspections and observations.

The post The Oxygen of God appeared first on Cup of Faith.

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 Interview with Author Sister K: “Blessed with Laughter: Journey to Seeing Her Eyes” appeared first on Cup of Faith.

A poem about the grace of communion:

Come, sit at the table, my friend

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 The Table: A Poem appeared first on Cup of Faith.

Some scriptures require a bigger ‘meditation’ response than others. The beatitudes are so countercultural that I have to let them sit in my mind, steeping, in order to receive and believe them. ‘Blessed are the merciful.’ In our urban, digital, cancel-culture, social keyboard warrior society, mercy is a concept that is not often acknowledged. In fact, although I felt drawn to write about mercy for our Beatitutdes theme this month, I wasn’t entirely sure what it meant to me.

His mercy in scripture

As I was pondering mercy, two specific passages I read during my devotional times displayed spoke to me about God’s merciful nature:

“I will betroth you to Me forever;

Yes, I will betroth you to Me

In righteousness and justice,

In lovingkindness and mercy;

I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness,

And you shall know the Lord.

 

“It shall come to pass in that day

That I will answer,” says the Lord;

“I will answer the heavens,

And they shall answer the earth.

The earth shall answer

With grain,

With new wine,

And with oil;

They shall answer Jezreel.

Then I will sow her for Myself in the earth,

And I will have mercy on her who had not obtained mercy;

Then I will say to those who were not My people,

‘You are My people!’

And they shall say, ‘You are my God!’ ” Hosea 2:19-23

This is a prophecy about the Gentiles who would be grafted into the family of God through Jesus’ sacrifice. We were once outside of the jurisdiction of mercy but God chose to extend it to us. The context of Hosea is a story of profound mercy. Hosea is called to prophetically wed a prostitute who is addicted to her life of sexual promiscuity. He loses her over and over again but diligently seeks her out each time to bring her back home. She eventually winds up in a slave market. She is standing naked on the podium and Hosea pays her slave price to cover her body with his coat and lead her back home once more.

Hosea’s wife surely deserved to be left to the results of her wanton wanderings. Instead she is given a protective covering. She is shown mercy. How many times have I wandered away from God’s? Too many times and in states too shameful to describe in such a public forum!

The next story hinted towards God’s mercy was the woman with the issue of blood:

Now a woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, who had spent all her livelihood on physicians and could not be healed by any, came from behind and touched the border of His garment. And immediately her flow of blood stopped.

And Jesus said, “Who touched Me?”

When all denied it, Peter and those with him said, “Master, the multitudes throng and press You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’ ”

But Jesus said, “Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me.” Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately.

And He said to her, “Daughter, be of good cheer; your faith has made you well. Go in peace.” Luke 8:43-48

I think absolutely any story of Jesus’ healing miracles would fit into a discussion of God’s mercy. Jesus has such mercy on people in their suffering. Sometimes our earthly view of suffering can be harsh and judgemental. Surely this was the woman’s lot in life? She was born with an issue of blood and that was her cross to bear. Her physical suffering was a trial that would teach her to have a humble character. At least that’s how I would reason it in my human mind. But she saw something about Jesus. She saw the compassion and mercy he extended to people. She had faith that he was a man who would be willing to take away what others had told her to accept. I want to be like her.

Situational relief

She believed that he would do more than express pity and sympathy. In discussing the ‘blessed are the merciful’, Dr Martyn Lloyd Jones explains:

“It does not mean pity; it means a great desire and indeed an endeavour to do something to relieve a situation.”*

He differentiates grace from mercy:

“Grace is especially associated with men in their sins; mercy is especially associated with men in their misery… grace looks down upon sin as a whole, mercy looks especially upon the miserable consequences of sin.”*

I get the feeling that God’s mercy means I won’t always ‘get what I deserve’. While grace leads me to favour and eternal blessing, freedom from the slavery of sin, mercy is a covering over my mistakes and the consequences of living in a fallen world. 

Extending mercy to others

When was the last time I extended mercy to someone? When was the last time I protected someone from pain, or from hurt, from the harsh conditions of life in this world? I struggle to come up with anything! I feel like the Levite priest who crossed to the other side of the road, fearing contamination. I remember hearing an observation about people’s attitude towards the merciful actions of Mother Theresea: everyone respects her. But no one wants to be her.

Prayer

Lord, You desire that as recipients of your mercy we are in turn merciful to others. Help us not to hide from others’ needs but to seek to urgently relieve them of pain and suffering. Remove earthly judgemental attitudes, remove despair, remove actionless pity, and instead give us the heart Jesus had when he so mercifully healed so many people. Amen.

*References

Lloyd-Jones, D. M. (1971). Studies in the Sermon on the Mount. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

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 Blessed are the Merciful for they shall Obtain Mercy appeared first on Cup of Faith.

Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with a series of blessings, known as the Beatitudes – statements that turn the world’s values upside down. One of these, in particular, has always stood out to me, mostly because I had misunderstood it for so long:

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5 ESV

When was the last time you watched a movie that celebrated meekness? When did the most powerful moment of the story come when the hero restrained himself rather than retaliating? Our culture glorifies assertiveness, dominance, and self-promotion – qualities we associate with strength and success. Most of us equate meekness with weakness. We picture someone who’s compliant, maybe even spineless. Someone who is easily pushed around and afraid to speak up. We associate the term with a wimpy, non-achiever who is easily intimidated, dominated, and frightened. For years, I thought the same. My natural instinct is to take charge, to push forward, to be in control. If I’m even more honest, meekness was never something I aspired to. It seemed like the opposite of success. To me, meekness felt like shrinking back instead of stepping up – like letting people walk all over me, or giving up ambition.

But Jesus offers a radically different perspective, one where meekness is not about being weak, but about possessing a strength that is surrendered to God. Far from being timid or powerless, true meekness is a posture of trust, humility, and self-control. And according to Jesus, it’s the key to inheriting something far greater than what the world offers.

What Does It Mean to Be Meek?

The biblical definition of meekness is not about being timid or easily pushed around. Instead, it reflects a spirit of humility, gentleness, and strength under control. The Greek word for meek, ‘praeis’, was often used to describe a horse that had been tamed – strong, powerful, yet under the guidance of its master.

Meekness is the ability to remain calm, composed, and patient in the face of adversity. It is the quiet confidence of one who trusts in God’s sovereignty rather than resorting to aggression or retaliation. It is having the right or the power to do something but refraining for the benefit of someone else. Meekness is choosing to submit our strength to God’s will rather than exerting it for selfish gain.

This definition might still feel abstract. So, what does meekness actually look like in real life? Scripture gives us a few powerful examples.

Biblical Examples of Meekness

Moses led the Israelites out of slavery, spoke with God face to face, and bore the weight of a nation’s complaints. He could have asserted his authority countless times – but he consistently interceded for his people, even when they turned against him. He curbed the urge to avenge the wrongs done against him, and instead used whatever power he had to serve others. He was described as the meekest man on earth (Numbers 12:3), not because he lacked strength, but because he submitted that strength to God’s will.

Jesus was the ultimate model of meekness. He embodied it in its purest form. Though He had all power and authority, He humbled Himself to serve others, to endure suffering without retaliation, and to surrender His will to the Father. In Matthew 11:29, He says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle [meek] and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” (ESV) His meekness was not weakness – it was power restrained for a greater purpose.

When He was falsely accused, He remained silent (Isaiah 53:7). When He was reviled, He did not revile in return (1 Peter 2:23). His strength was not in loud demands or forceful actions but in His unwavering trust in God’s plan. The meekness of Jesus reminds us that we don’t need to fight for our own way – God is our defender, and His justice prevails in the end.

And that’s where my struggle lies. I want to believe that my anger will somehow achieve the righteousness of God (cf. James 1:20). I want to take matters into my own hands, especially when I feel wronged, taken advantage of. During my divorce, this tension came to the surface in painful ways. Entrusting myself to “Him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23) felt impossible at times. I wanted to defend myself and even exact revenge. However, the promise linked to the blessing of meekness became my lifeline.

The Inheritance of the Meek

Jesus promises that the meek “shall inherit the earth.” What a staggering promise! In our world, the aggressive win. The loudest voices dominate. But Jesus flips that script.

The inheritance of the meek is not just a future promise. It begins now. The meek inherit peace in the present because they are not striving to control everything (cf. Psalm 37:11). They inherit joy because they are free from the burden of pride and self-promotion. And ultimately, they will inherit the fullness of God’s kingdom, both now and in eternity.

Note that the verse doesn’t say they will ‘strive for’ or ‘conquer’ or ‘earn’ the earth; they will inherit it. With Psalm 37 in view, we see that the wicked seek gain at all cost. In verse 14, “the wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy…” and while they gain things that will bring temporary pleasure, only the meek, those who delight in the Lord (v. 4), will inherit the earth (v.11).

This promise is deeply reassuring. It means that no act of gentleness, no moment of restraint, and no quiet act of trust goes unnoticed by God. He sees it all. And He honours it. Our inheritance is not just in the life to come – it is the deep peace and freedom we experience when we stop striving and start surrendering. In the words of John Piper, “I think the promise that the meek shall inherit the earth is intended by the Lord to give us the strength to endure in meekness when the natural inclination would be to defend ourselves or retaliate or give way to fretful anger.”

How Can We Cultivate Meekness?

1. Trust in God’s Plan

Meekness comes from surrendering our need to control outcomes and trusting that God’s plan is better than our own (Proverbs 3:5-6). It means choosing faith over fear and knowing that we are held by a loving and sovereign God.

2. Respond with Grace

Instead of reacting in anger or defensiveness, choose gentleness and wisdom in difficult situations (James 1:19-20). It takes great strength to hold back when provoked, to forgive when wronged, and to speak in love rather than retaliation.

3. Seek Humility

Recognize that all we have and all we accomplish is because of God’s grace, not our own striving (Philippians 2:3-4). Meekness is acknowledging our dependence on God and choosing to uplift others instead of seeking our own recognition. It’s about knowing that in our sanctification, the Holy Spirit is conforming us into the image of Christ, which includes His meekness.

4. Rest in God’s Strength

Meekness is not about suppressing emotions or ignoring injustice, but about relying on God’s strength rather than our own (Isaiah 40:29-31). It is about laying down our burdens at His feet and allowing Him to lead us in wisdom and love.

Final Thoughts

In a world that applauds the loudest voice and strongest hand, Jesus invites us to walk a quieter, deeper path – one marked by humility, trust, and strength under submission. Meekness isn’t about being weak. It’s about choosing surrender over self-promotion and letting God be our defender.

Meekness is walking in the footsteps of Christ, trusting in God’s justice, and finding peace in surrender. It’s the quiet strength that knows it doesn’t have to fight for its place because God has already secured it.

So, where is God calling you to embrace meekness today? Maybe in a work conflict, a family tension, or an inner battle for control. Whatever it is, He sees. And He promises that the meek will not be forgotten.

A Short Prayer:

Lord, help me to walk in the way of meekness. Teach me to trust You more, to surrender my strength to Your will, and to respond to others with grace and humility. May Your Spirit shape me to reflect the gentle power of Jesus. Amen.

Let’s Talk:

Where do you find meekness hard to live out? Have you ever seen its fruit in your own life? Share your thoughts in the comments – we grow stronger in community.

Marthe Badibanga

A volunteer blogger whose passion is to see the people of God become all that the LORD intended them to be in their personal relationships with Him that overflow into their daily lives.

The post Blessed Are the Meek: Rethinking Strength in a Loud World appeared first on Cup of Faith.

Being the peacemaker isn’t always peaceful. As a former lay-counsellor who has always felt a calling to commiserate and be a safe, judgement-free space for people, it quite often happens that family and friends come to me to talk about their problems. The prospect of being even just a small help means that I don’t mind this in the least. That is, until the problem just happens to be a mutual friend or family member in conflict with the person confiding in me — especially when said mutual friend or family member has also come to confide in me.

Such an instance has happened to me recently, where the parties involved were all very close to one another, but unresolved past feelings had bubbled to the surface over a disagreement, and events led all of them to come to me to vent their frustration. I found myself confronted with two choices: either I could avoid getting involved, or I could take charge and suggest that everyone come together to talk it out. Remembering scripture, I chose the latter for in James it is said that “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”  James 3:18 NIV

However, in orchestrating the open communication to heal the relationships, something was said which was misunderstood by one of the people involved, who then began to mistakenly suspect that I had betrayed their trust and relayed information that was not mine to share. Suddenly, I was the target of anger and hurt, and I truly regretted getting involved.

While thankfully it was resolved quite quickly, it was not the first time that I had been caught in this kind of situation, and it’s clearly a test I will need to keep writing until I get it right. However, what I have learnt, is that there is a time to be a peacemaker, and there is a time to hold our peace: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14 NIV

But how do we know which one is appropriate for which instance? As always, only the truth of scripture can answer that for us and most of the time, this is directly related to our intentions; are we serving God’s agenda, or our own?

When action leads to peace

While I can’t yet give an answer as to whether my involvement in the above incident was God’s agenda or my own, I can say that being the target of anger however briefly made me feel mildly persecuted as it was not based on truth, and this led me to reflect on Jesus.

For Jesus was the ultimate peacemaker. He came to make peace between humankind and God, but this was not done peacefully. He spoke out against the Pharisees calling them hypocrites, he spoke up for tax collectors and adulterers, over-turned tables in the temple and even said, “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.” (Matthew 10: 34-35 NIV), all ultimately leading to his torture and death on the cross.

Oftentimes, we will be persecuted for being peacemakers especially if the conflict is within a worldly context, but we must trust in God for being our ultimate vindicator. For Jesus did not vindicate himself when he stood before Herod or Pontius Pilate, and he did not try to vindicate himself by proving his deity to his accusers. But through his death he restored humankind to God and he was ultimately vindicated when he rose from the dead, the empty tomb a reassurance of the complete redemption and restored peace of our relationship with God, but more importantly, the evidence that he was who he claimed to be. But despite our joy and celebration of this event, it came at a great cost in the form of persecution.

When inaction leads to peace

Earlier I mentioned when Jesus stood silent didn’t try to defend himself against His accusers, this was an example of complete surrender to the father’s will. He did not need to defend himself. For as God, He knew His righteousness, in the father’s will He knew peace, and in the knowledge of His purpose to restore humankind to God, He went willingly.

Similarly, God will call us to speak when it will cause our own persecution, but there are times when He will also call us to be silent. When He calls us to be silent, it is normally a call for inner reflection of our agenda to speak out. Sometimes we believe we are speaking the truth to fight for what is right, but our real agenda, is something more self-serving. We are offended, or we are simply angered by someone else’s action because it presses a self-righteous button, and we want to display this by bringing someone else to task, which is especially common in church relationships.

While it can be just as difficult to call someone out in their sin, if our agenda is self-righteous, the best way to restore peace who be to understand why we have a self-serving agenda, so that we can repent and be at peace on that issue. For me personally, I find it particularly difficult to remain silent when I’m feeling offended. It can be very difficult when the offense is fresh and we feel hurt, but if we obey God to “hold our peace”, we often will find a much greater peace in the silence as we rely on God alone to heal us.

I have a good friend who asks herself three simple questions every time her instinct is to speak out to someone, whether it is because she is offended or because she believes they are in the wrong: Is it kind? Is it true? Is it necessary?

It can be tricky trying to navigate the waters of conflict, whether it be between other people or simply within ourselves, but the best way to understand our own agenda, is to ask whether speaking out glorifies God, or serves our own pride? When we are silent, is it because we are afraid of the conflict that we may find ourselves in? Will our action or inaction bring peace to others, and will it bring peace and growth to ourselves? Ultimately, it comes down to faith versus self-preservation. It is only through prayer and deep reflection that it is revealed which of the two is driving our decision.

Father God, we lift to you all those who are currently experiencing conflict in one way or another. Please Lord guide them through your Holy Spirit to either speak your truth courageously to bring peace to others, or to stay silent and to turn to you for their comfort and peace. In Jesus name we pray, Amen

Angela Chiaberta

I am a volunteer blogger with a passion for God and writing. My hope is to help others choose faith – or to walk deeper in their faith – through my own introspections and observations.

The post Blessed are the Peacemakers appeared first on Cup of Faith.

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.

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Paulshof, Johannesburg

Friday 11 October 18:45 – 20:15

Saturday 12 October 09:00 – 13:00

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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.

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.

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.

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.