Skip to main content

About Me

My photo
Janine Claire Robinson
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Welcome to my little writing corner. I count my many blessings to be a cherished wife and an ever-learning-loving-growing mother to 3 amazing children this side of Heaven and a precious little boy in Heaven. Together as a family we pastor a precious church community called Redeeming Hope Church. I've had the privilege of loving and following Jesus Christ since my earliest memories as a child. No matter what I've gone through in life, He has always been so present. At heart, I'm an encourager ... so this is a place where I get to wear my heart on my sleeve and share my journey of learning to live a life of love in action.

Preparing my heart in the face of loss

I got some heart-sore news this weekend that my precious 88 year old Granny is not doing very well. The diagnosis is not good at all and yet when I speak to her, I can hear that she has peace. This can only be because she truly knows her God. It is such an encouragement to me at this time as we face her mortality to be comforted by the peace that carries her. That's the thing about Jesus ... His peace is tangible. Today His words bathe my heart.
"Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you, not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." John 14:27
In my Bible this whole passage from verse 25-31 is marked as "The gift of His peace". This is how I know the reality of Jesus Christ being alive and present. His words spoken thousands of years ago are still relevant to what I am facing today. His Words and promises bring me comfort and encouragement. The very verses after the one I quoted above are a preparation to his disciples to prepare their hearts to "release him" to go to the Father. "You have heard Me say to you, 'I am going away and coming back to you'. If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said 'I am going to the Father', for My Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you will believe." (verses 28-29).
I am flying out on Tuesday to go spend a week with her. I find myself having to cling to these words of peace when I think about the emotions I will be faced with this week. How do you say goodbye to someone you love so dearly? I am comforted that just as Jesus prepared his disciples for His ascension into glory, so he is preparing my dear granny for her graduation and so is He preparing each of our hearts in this season.
How tangible is His love! It is real and available to carry each of us through every season that we will ever face. My heart is comforted today to know that He has each of our hearts in His hands and He is aware of all the different things that we are facing. He thinks of us and makes His love available to us. May you also find comfort in His promise of peace today.
"How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand: When I awake, I am still with You." Psalm 139:17-18.
Just like me, may you be reminded today that your heart is in a very safe place when it is held by the One who loves you.
All my love,
Janine


Comments

Oh Janine, I am so sorry to hear about your grandmother! I'll be keeping your family in my prayers. Hugs, KK
EJN said…
Janine,
So very sorry to hear that your grandmother is not well. Praying that your time together is filled with God's peace and sweetness.
I will be praying for you.
Jo
Charlene said…
So sorry to hear your grandmother is ill... never fun. Many positive thoughts and prayers being sent your way.

Best,
Charlene (from Relax & Surf Hop)
www.beamingbalance.com
Thank you so much sweet friends for your love and prayers. I think I am going to be living off that this week.
Nisha Mundy said…
Hi Jan,

I'm sorry to hear about your gran. Hopefully i'll get to see you when you're here and give you a big hug. Thinking about you and praying for you and the family.

All My Love,
Nisha
Design It Chic said…
My heart is with you Janine! Praying for your grandma and her big meeting with Jesus. Just think of how awesome will that be for her! And also praying for you and your family to rejoice in His peace! Sending much love and blessings on your way!
Unknown said…
Janine, thank you for following my blog. I'm glad my post touched you. I am also very close with my grandmother, who just celebrated 99 years in October. For the past 10 years she's been in and out of the hospital with colon cancer, strokes and general illness, but she keeps coming back from it. I've been devastated with each call from my parents telling me, "It's Grandma..."
I pray that your grandma comes through this one. You just never know. Those spirited old ladies can surprise us! May there be peace in her heart and yours whatever the outcome.
*hugs*

I so sorry to hear about your grandmother, but so thankful for her peace. You'll be in my thoughts!

Popular posts from this blog

Reasons to Celebrate

I am quickly typing this in between trying to pack up for Cape, and while packing I am having this to celebrate :0) What to celebrate you may ask ... well you would be amazed at how many amazing blessings you will discover of how good God has been to you when you start looking back and remembering what He has walked you through. Today I am celebrating many wonderful things! I am celebrating how no matter how dark certain moments have appeared to be, His light has ALWAYS broken through!!! Hope & Love have ALWAYS overcome the deepest of fears.  I am celebrating the precious family He has surrounded Brett and I with and the amazing friends and loved ones who have cheered us on and been praying us through. I celebrate how He has cocooned both my daughters hearts with the same peace He has cocooned Brett and my heart with and sheltered our precious family in constant hope of abundant life! I celebrate that as an extended family He has faithfully taught us all how to walk in victory

We are Seeing the Miracles Unfold!

Precious friends and family ... we are starting to see the miracles unfold! We just KNOW that we are living in the miracle :0) Yesterday we had a scan with the specialist who discovered and diagnosed all of Zac's heart defects in August. It's been about 6 weeks since the day we heard the horrible news. As you may remember, the defects she discovered that day in "that" heart were so complex ... not only one defect, but multiple! There was the issue of only 1 chamber; only seeing one major valve from the heart to the lungs where there must be 2 and then the complication of not being able to clearly see the arch of the aorta. What she saw of it, as well as  several other specialists, it looked too narrow and underdeveloped from what we could understand. When we came back from that first scan and spoke with our friend and paediatrician ... this was one of his biggest concerns. The aortic arch is so important in the functioning of the heart!  So before we went for the

The Day of Promise has Arrived

Precious friends ... The big day has finally arrived! Come 4pm today we will be taken into theater to meet our precious miracle son! Our hearts are filled with the Promises of our Beloved Jesus. This post is our hearts response of praise and adoration to Him because He has faithfully carried us through each day with "heart peace", strength, hope, faith and incredible love. He has coached us in how to stand leaning into His Almighty power, wisdom and goodness and has taken all the fear out of this journey. Today our hearts are soooooo excited. It is the day of promise ... Zac's appointed day to shine forth His Glory. As a family we want to thank each and every person and family who has lavished their love, encouragement and prayers to stand with us in looking to Jesus, the Great Physician in knitting Zac's inward parts intricately and wholly in my womb. We will keep you posted as we rejoice in great expectation at witnessing God's amazing love in action! Our eyes