Thoughts and news from Téo
In the end of June, I moved back to the Netherlands where the Lord miraculously gave me an apartment. The 25th we had a goodbye party in Tulln, Austria where I lived. About 40 people told in a 1 1/2 to 2 minutes what the Lord had done in their life through my ministry. That was a great blessing for all of us.
I flew the 27th back to Holland and two days later I had a heartattack.
It was tight: they couldn´t get my heart quiet enough to look at it due to the fibrillation. There was a good possibility that a cloth would get loose and do damage. I was prepared to go… After two days they were able to set a stent and I went into Rehab. I came home August 1.
One more month of physiotherapy and then I went to Norway to my daughter Judith and her family. I also spend a weekend in Stavanger with a wonderful courageous lady and her two teenagers. Then via Copenhagen (I spend 3 days with Marian Connoly), to Switzerland for two 80th birthday parties (one in German and one in French Switzerland). I was deeply touched by their testimonies and love shared as well.
Yes, life can have sudden stop-and go-moments. This time has also been a time of reflection: what do I still want to be in this last round of my life? Some days recently in Southern Germany confirmed again that the Lord isn´t tired of me yet, as I saw Him powerful at work in people who came for a brief talk and prayer.
As we get to 2018, what is your place in the plan of God? Take some time to reflect and ask Him! I did that and am still doing that.
I will be honest with you: You probably know that 9 years ago our marriage collapsed after nearly 50 years.
The marriage text of Wil and me was from the Wedding in Kana: “All that He says, do that”. Wil and I have already reconciled. We will meet each other more, now that I am back in the Netherlands. The Lord told me to call her and to ask her to come with her husband. I asked him forgiveness for judging him. One month later I had to go “the second mile” and I invited them for a meal in a restaurant. That wasn´t easy, but the peace of the Lord was noticeably there with me, protecting my heart and mind (Philp.4:4-8). “The cold is now out of the air” as we say in Dutch.
It felt so good not to have problems with anyone anymore. The bliss of that feeling lasted only a few days. Then reality woke me up: there was still one more person I have problems with…I myself. Looking back on my life there are things I rather not think about. It hurts too much.Shame and self-blame are then ready to jump on my shoulders. I thank God that He again reaffirmed that He loves me, just as I am, even if never I would change, He still loves me…
That gives me the courage to shake my shoulders dropping the shame and self-blame and share the “Good News of Forgiveness” in this broken world. Introducing people to the safety of the Lord, inside that “Wall of Peace” we so often talk about in ISARPAC/IPSICC.
Téo
