Samuel took a stone and placed it between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Up to here the Lord has helped us.”—1 Sam 7:12 NET
“The words “Up to here” seems like a hand pointing in the direction of the past. Twenty years or seventy, and yet “up to here the Lord helped us!” Through poverty, through wealth, through sickness, through health; at home, abroad, on the land, on the sea; in honor, in dishonor, in perplexity, in joy, in trial, in triumph, in prayer, in temptation—“up to here the Lord helped!”
We delight to look down a long avenue of trees. It is delightful to gaze from one end of the long vista, a sort of verdant temple, with its branching pillars and its arches of leaves. Even so look down the long aisles of your years, at the green boughs of mercy overhead, and the strong pillars of lovingkindness and faithfulness which bear up your joys.
Are there no birds in yonder branches singing? Surely, there must be many, and they all sing of mercy received “hitherto.” But the word also points forward. For when a man gets up to a certain mark, and writes “hitherto,” he is not yet at the end; there are still distances to be traversed. More trials, more joys; more temptations, more triumphs; more prayers, more answers; more toils, more strength; more fights, more victories; and then come sickness, old age, disease, death.
Is it over now? No! there is more yet—awakening in Jesus’ likeness, thrones, harps, songs, psalms, white raiment the face of Jesus, the society of saints, the glory of God, the fullness of eternity, the infinity of bliss. Oh, be of good courage, believer, and with grateful confidence raise thy “Ebenezer,” for:
The Lord who “thus far” has helped you will help you all you journey through…”
~ Streams in the Desert (31 December) ~
This morning I woke up, slightly stressed, anxious about all the things that need to get done and need to happen in the next two months. I sat down, with my coffee, and read this! God is good. I encourage you read the whole thing, look it up and think on what it says! The God who created this earth, who is Alpha and Omega, the God who knows every intimate detail of every being on this earth has helped you and I this far, will He not continue to carry us, to provide for us, to sustain us!
This time next week, along with 14 other adults, will be camping in Raglan beach with 36 youth! Cultivate 2021 Summer Programme is almost underway and we need your prayers! God has given us an incredible responsibility to come alongside and encourage, uplift and teach these young people how to cultivate and establish their relationships with God. Being highly unqualified for this I am encouraged to Read Psalm 108:13 that says, “With God we shall do valiantly…”, With God; God has given the vision, He has provided and sustained this Programme and WITH GOD we shall do valiantly! Please pray for us! We have about 14 Staff to absolutely everything involved in running this 2 week Programme! If you want to hear more about this Programme have a look here: https://cultivate.kiwi.


Cultivate ends on January 22nd and one month later we’re getting married!! Joe and I are getting married on February 20th and we are so excited for what God has in store for us as a married couple! Although it is not as we had always imagined due to Covid-19 restrictions on NZ borders we are trusting the Lord in what He has set before us! Please be praying for us as we look for a new home, and try to get everything sorted for the wedding!

Please be praying:
- For us as we run Cultivate 2021 Summer Programme – pray for the youth to have open hearts and ears, and for us as leaders to have wisdom and opportunity in discipling them!
- For Joe and I as we look for a new home and finish preparing for our Wedding! Please pray for Joe’s family, my UK family and our friends who are unable to be apart of this day due to Covid-19 Border restrictions, ultimately for God’s will in it to be done!
- For God’s continued provision for us in getting a new home and taking new steps in ministry with Shoreline Calvary!
If you want to know more about what Joe and I do or what it looks like to support us, about Culitvate or Shoreline Calvary feel free to email me at becki@ccbi.ac.nz!