SA Divisional Envoyship - keeping the Faith - Duncan and Carol Starbuck

08/04/2026

❤️

Looking back

‘Jesus . . . said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.”’ Mark 5.19

If Jesus told you to do this I wonder what you would say? Although you know that God has been good to you, I wonder whether you would find it challenging to say exactly how?

There is a long tradition in Christian spirituality of ‘examining’ ourselves. We often take this to be an invitation to dig around for hidden sins, but an excellent aspect of self-examination is to look for touches of God’s mercy and to spend time recalling both the general and specific things that he has done for us.
God is merciful. He does things for us that we certainly don’t deserve and that he doesn’t have to do - but he does them all the same. Many of these things may well happen without us paying too much regard to them, and we may not even recognise them as touches of his mercy.

Take a few minutes to think about the past day and begin to call to mind touches of God’s mercy – things that have happened which you neither deserved nor ‘earned’ - and give thanks for them.

www.healingmission.org | www.encounterprayer.net



© John Ryeland

04/04/2026

The journey Jesus took in his final days has always challenged and I have always felt it deep in my heart and soul.

Whatever season of life we find ourselves in we can not help but feel that feeling deep inside, the feeling of disbelief that human’s can treat each other in such barbaric ways.

Yet we see many many times throughout our lives the suffering humankind afflict on other humans.

Yes, it’s been Friday and Sunday is coming, but I wonder how many of us feel the pit of despair at the behaviour of our world.

We see the good, yet we are reminded through the final days of Jesus how low and soul destroying behaviours around us can be.

Our hope is in tomorrow, through the resurrection of Jesus, the miracle of the days before us in which Jesus appeared to those who believed before his ascension to heaven, to sit at the right hand of his father God.

As believers we are often ridiculed at believing that humankind treated Jesus in this way, the fear the disciples would have felt as they wondered if they would be next.

“Why does religion have to get involved with Easter?” Is one opinion we have heard this Easter time, in which the reply was “without Jesus there would be no Easter”.

As resurrection day approaches may we feel the joy of new life, new hope and the promise of eternity.

May we live our lives transparent so Jesus can be seen in our world, wherever that takes us.

Lord as we journey through this Easter time may we take time to pause, to reflect on Jesus sacrifice on the cross, for each and everyone of us.

Help us to be your light, to shine for you, to help those who don’t know you realise life with you
brings hope, love and joy!

We thank you for your provision, for your love, as we journey through the next few weeks may we continue to reflect on the cross, the sacrifice Jesus made and the hope in the future as we invite your Holy Spirit to go before us and with us as you guide us in the way you have planned.

In your precious name
Amen

29/12/2025

2025 brought new challenges, some of these we were able to plan for, others came to our door completely unexpected and impossible to plan for.

Sitting in the midst of those around us’s trauma, reality requires a high level of humility, grace,
prayer and love!

Life is a journey, long in the road we sing in a well known SA choir song, life is a rollercoaster at the same time!

We pray love is at the heart of our world, however messy at times it seems.

Forever grateful for those who love us and our faith in our God who forever holds us!

Thank you Lord

😍❤️🙏

28/12/2025

Reflecting on what 2025 has brought to our lives, remembering we are held in each moment.

Worldly ways take our energy’s and sometimes hopes away.
Thank you Lord for everlasting hope and knowledge that in you our hope is found, our stress and anxiety are very normal reactions where your love is seldom sought out.
Where possession and wealth has become more important than love, light and kindness!!

🙏

🙏

"For I know the plans," said the Lord.
"Why not I?" asked the child.

"Because you could not handle seeing them," He replied.

“For I know the plans," said the Lord.
"Why not I?" asked the child.

"Because you will want to skip over the hard parts," He replied.

“For I know the plans," said the Lord.
"Why not I?" asked the child.

"Because you will miss the opportunities for growth," He replied.

“For I know the plans," said the Lord.
"Why not I?" asked the child.

"Because your faith would not be necessary," He replied.

“For I know the plans," said the Lord.
"Why not I?" asked the child.

"Because you might think you would know better," He replied.

“For I know the plans," said the Lord.
"Why not I?" asked the child.

"Because I need for you to trust and rely fully on me," He replied.

“For I know the plans," said the Lord.
"Why not I?" asked the child.

"Because I want to prosper you, and not to harm you. I want to give you hope. I want to give you a future. And, because I love you. Because your eyes could not handle, nor could your heart, to see all the plans I have for you, My child. But, if you could just trust, and of the control, simply let go; you could never imagine the places we could go."

♥️♥️

Gracefully Woven by Elizabeth Spenner

02/12/2025

The truth of fostering children is sometimes hard to bear, our church plays a big part in our lives and therefore the children in our care!

As we live in the moment, caring for precious souls that as time ticks by will eventually move to the next plan made by strangers in a court room or as a result of a decision made in court we are so very grateful for our church family who see us, support and love us all.

Those times when we just carry on regardless, for the love that is shown both practically and emotionally.

Fostering precious souls is a rollercoaster of emotions!

Thank you Lord 🙏🙏

There is something I want to say with a tender heart.
Something I say as someone who loves the Church
and believes deeply in what God can do through His people.

And I say it softly
because I know my words can come out strong.
I have been known to call out truth
and people sometimes take it as an attack.
But this isn’t an attack.
This is love.
This is invitation.

James 1:27 has been resting heavy on me.
Not as a verse to decorate a wall.
Not as a mission statement for a ministry.
But as a reminder of what God actually said.
He called caring for the vulnerable pure religion.
He did not call it a suggestion.
He did not call it a hobby.
He did not even call it a personal calling.
He called it a command.

I say that gently
because I never want anyone to feel guilted into something God didn’t ask of them.
Not everyone is meant to adopt.
Not everyone is meant to foster.
But every believer is meant to care.
Care in real ways.
Costly ways.
Jesus shaped ways.

Sometimes that looks like opening your home.
Sometimes it looks like standing beside the families who do.
Sometimes it looks like easing a burden
or praying over a child you may never meet
or showing up for the hurting with presence instead of opinions.

When I look at the life of Jesus,
He always moved toward pain.
Toward the lonely.
Toward the ones who had nowhere else to go.
And if we are following Him
really following Him
our lives will start to point in that same direction.

This is not me calling out the Church.
This is me calling the Church up.
Up into compassion.
Up into courage.
Up into the kind of love that feels like Jesus
and looks like obedience
and sounds like revival in the quiet places.

If we pray for God to move
we have to be willing to move with Him.

09/09/2025

Our church Bible study this week looked at 1 Corinthians 12 - how human’s destroy each other within the church and outside never ceases to amaze me personally and shatters our hearts let alone God’s!

We are called to be like Christ, for a long time we have sung “Whosoever will may come”, Inclusion of every person on this earth within the church still has a long way to go, as a wider church and our own churches and communities prayer is integral to acceptance when life is a bit different to what we are lead to believe by society.

No one is outside of the love of God, yes repentance is important but kindness needs to be on every church members lips.

We were encouraged to think how often we encourage others, how each member is supported and involved within our churches is integral to church growth and survival.

🙏

13/08/2025

Whatever your circumstance’s hold on to these verse’s 🙏

22/06/2025

Reminded this morning in church of the influence we have on others, of those we surround ourselves with on our lives which in turn causes us to reflect on how the world sees us.

Amongst the turmoil of the unbelievers around us this can be a day to day battle, I’m guessing there are few of us that work in a majority of god led people day to day.
Trying to uphold Christian values and our own beliefs is not easy, can be tiresome and we can get dis heartened.

This morning we woke up later than usual for church, it would have been so easy to have taken the easy option and stay away from church today, the devil works so slyly in these times!

But today the devil did not win.
We got to church at our usual time and was able to absorb strength for the coming week ahead!

Lord, we thank you for your provision, for your love and we ask this week that you will go before us all in everything we do.
Please help us to be that shining light in this world for you.
Please help us to remember always we are loved, healed and forgiven, that you have a plan for all of our lives!
Help us Lord to live for you!

In your precious name
Amen

🙏

07/06/2025

Managed a few hours this week in the role of voluntary chaplain at NSC!

So much to learn and a path God is leading fully, leaning on prayer and his guidance.

🙏🙏

29/05/2025

Earlier this week we spent some time bringing Scouting activities to some of the most vulnerable young people who have been placed into foster care for their safety and to allow them to access a safe growing up.

Whilst we were making armpit fudge and mixing ingredients one of the young people questioned himself harshly, why has this happened? this is me doing it wrong again!

In that moment as an adult reminded him that maybe he had not used his listening ears the word “unique and this young person needs to know he is supported” came into mind and I was able to share with him how different we are all made, but we are amazing, regardless of our ability to follow another persons instructions!

I so can relate to these feelings. Many times in my life just recently I have felt as though if my thoughts and lifestyle choices do not fit with those around me then I am at times excluded from or made to feel extremely uncomfortable.

As Christian’s we are called to step out of the boat, out of our comfort zone and to reach out to those in need as part of who we are called to be!!!

May we have the strength and the knowledge to always remember we matter to God as does each ad every person 🙏🙏

You matter to God

‘In the same way, count yourselves …’ Romans 6.11

How do you see yourself? It may be that the way you think of yourself tends to be rather negative. However, this amazing verse invites you to begin to see yourself in two quite new ways. These will be explored in the next few days, but before focussing on them let’s consider the nature of the invitation.

We are all invited to ‘count ourselves…’. In other words, to see ourselves in certain ways that may be contrary to how we would normally view ourselves. So why do we look at ourselves in certain ways? Perhaps we have been told things by others and believed them, or that we have listened to the whispers of the devil who so loves to rob us of the good things God is seeking to pour into us. You may long to see yourself differently but don’t seem able to do so, and so you slip back into believing the negative things about you must be true.

However, it is interesting that this verse, which encourages us to see ourselves differently, is not directed at specially selected or very experienced people, but rather at every Christian. Whoever you are and whatever you have been through, you are invited to catch a new vision for your life.

So the first point to catch from this verse is that you matter. Jesus’ arms are open wide for you and all the promises of God apply to you. It wasn’t just that God loved the world so much that he sent Jesus, but that he loved you so much – and he still does!

www.healingmission.org | www.encounterprayer.net



© John Ryeland

17/05/2025

One step forward.
Two thousand steps back.

One victory.
Too many failures to count.

Uninvited.
Unrelenting.
Unending.

The enemy is here.

Taunting,
reminding,
accusing,
condemning,
rolling his eyes in disgust.

Weary from trudging through
the sand of self-reliance,
I grow weary,
and tired.

So very tired.

I long to give up.

I reach for the towel
and just as I am about
to toss it in,
the Savior is here.

Reminding me
the battle
is not mine,
but His.

The doing
is not mine,
but His.

Mine is
simply
to surrender.

Forgiving,
uplifting,
sustaining,
applauding
with words of truth,
I hear His still, small voice.

“You are Mine.

I love you.

I delight over you with singing.

I have begun
a good work in you
and I will be faithful
to complete it.

Rest, my child.

Rest in me.

Rest in who I AM.

I am enough.

I am God.

I AM.”~❤️

~ Stacy L. Sanchez