Author Lisa Harris

A South African Christmas--

I was struck yesterday, as I sat around the Christmas dinner table, just how incredible God is. We recently moved to the Tzaneen area, leaving an incredible network of friends that God had blessed us with in Johannesburg. Leaving, for me, was hard. I knew it had been God’s hand who had brought us together with a core support group while we lived there, but would He do it again in our new home? I shouldn’t have ever doubted.

It all began the weekend we drove up to Tzaneen to look for a house earlier this year. We had the name of a realtor, but missed the office and had to go around the block. In passing another office, I suggested we stop there. No one knew we were coming, so it didn’t really matter which realtor we went to. We just wanted to ask some questions. God, though, had a reason in mind. At the office, we were sent back to speak to a woman and her daughter who would answer our questions. It turned out that the daughter’s husband was a minister. Immediately, we had a lot in common. It was the beginning of a relationship that not only ended with us buying a house, but was the start of growing friendship.

Yesterday, we spent Christmas with our realtor’s family. But she’s no long our realtor. She and her family are our friends. We enjoyed a South African Christmas with all the trimmings--roast, potatoes, vegetables, salad, and a variety of puddings (desserts) as they call them in South Africa. My friend’s family was there--in-laws, brothers, sisters, and a dozen children. With this expanded circle of friends, besides Christmas, we've already enjoyed sharing meals together, laughing together while playing games, praying together, and are even taking James Dobson’s Bringing up Boys together in a class. All of this, from one trip to the realtor’s office.

Surprised? I shouldn’t be. My God is incredible.

Blessings,

Lisa

Coming next. . .Encounters with a Black Mamba.