Thursday, February 11, 2010

Jesus lives.

[Click the image]
Kayla Aimee and I started littlelightstudio.net and I made this page as a keepsake to document the date and time of this wonderful thing.
Then I want to share this story on my blog... yesterday I heard the news about a friend of mine and was in a daze the whole day, my heart broken. I didn't eat. I couldn't sleep. And this morning someone forwarded this email to me and I cried. I sobbed. I am convinced that Christ in us is the hope of glory... and this illustrate it to perfection.

2010-02-11 09:29

Neels Jackson

Pretoria – The wife of gospel singer Louis Brittz, who was raped by a robber on Monday night, has told how the Lord had warned her that she was to be raped.
A beaten-up Hettie Brittz told how the Lord had not left her alone and how she had felt her soul and spirit had been undamaged by the experience.
Despite her nightmare experience, which came after armed robbers overpowered her family in their home in a security complex in Centurion, she was still planning to swim the Midmar Mile this coming weekend.
She said she had been looking forward to it for a year and would not allow this incident to take away her enjoyment of life.

Robbery
Her husband was still working when the robbers stormed into their house on Monday evening. They took him to the bedroom where Hettie was already in bed.
In the room, Louis told her "in the name of Jesus" (and in English so that the robbers would understand), that the men would take their things but not hurt them.
They were forced to lie on the floor where Louis told Hettie that if this was the end, they would see each other again in heaven.
Later the robbers took him away. One stayed with Hettie where she lay with her hands tied, half under the bed.
She said while she was lying like this, she heard the Lord tell her: "Hettie, you are my bride".
She answered: "Yes, Jesus, I know."
She said the Lord then told her that the man would rape her but not hurt her. The rapist was also not violent.

Antiretroviral treatment

But the examination that she had to undergo in hospital afterwards was bad. She had to drink medication that made her very nauseous. She was also given anti-retroviral treatment to fight HIV infection.
But for her, these were "battle scars in a war which we can't lose".
Louis too saw the event as an attack in a spiritual war.
The Lord existed outside of time and space, said Hettie. What had happened to her now was relevant 2 000 years ago when Jesus died on the cross for the rapist too.
It will also be relevant in ten years' time when they bear witness to all that has followed the attack.
She said this didn't mean the rape was unimportant. It was also not unimportant to the Lord. He said after all that he collected people's tears and that the blood of believers was precious to him.
She knew the Lord was not unfeeling. He had prepared her and she had felt him holding her undamaged soul and spirit despite what had happened to her body.

Not bitter
She said she knew people would say she was living in denial. She herself was a therapist, however, and knew what trauma involved.
She knew there would be times when she became angry but she suspected she would not become bitter. The Lord would protect her against it. Bitterness would do nothing to the rapist but would eat at her.
Both she and Louis felt sorry for the rapist. They thought he was pathetic. He probably had never experienced the love of a woman.


do you believe?

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13 comments :

jacki janse van rensburg said...

what a touching story!

it gives me conflicting emotions. i don't really know how to respond.

all i know from personal experience, is this: you cannot always choose what happens to you. but you can choose how you respond to it.

and if i choose to grow and learn and bless others with my strength in suffering, then my hardship will not have been in vain.

i pray for her.

godlyrose said...

Wow...what an awesome God we serve.

embracingthenest said...

I am also without words. I am currently in a Bible study concentrating on trusting God even when it hurts. I was never taught that God had any part in bad things that happen to us. This is a new concept for me. I am struggling with this and your sweet friend's story makes me even more confused. But, I am thankful for God's grace in this terrible situation. What a strong, faithful woman she is.

Anonymous said...

I really enjoy your blog and your beautiful scrapbook pages but after reading this today I am going to unsubscribe in my RSS reader.

If I wanted to read disturbing stuff I would read the local newspaper.

I am not a believer and even though we are not of the same faith I don't mind the Bible verses and other references to God on your blog. This story has tipped the scales for me though - sorry.

Unknown said...

Wow. How terrible and sad and beautiful and redeeming all at the same time. What an amazing woman, to really know that she's not alone, nor was she ever. What a testimony.

Looking Best for the Dress said...

Hi! I started a new blog to document my weight loss journey. Since I want to be brutally honest, I've kept it anonymous - therefore can't invite my friends to read it. I'm looking for some followers so I have a little support in this. Check out my blog if you'd like! :)

Andrea Wiebe said...

Thank you so much for sharing with us Wilna. Terrible, bad, awful stuff happens in this world.

When the indescribable happens and we are able to rise above because of Jesus it's a miracle.

I'm so thankful and speakless for miracles.

Love you Wilna, so much.

sugarnuggets said...

"He probably had never experienced the love of a woman."

....or a Father. And it's amazing that your friend and her family pray that these people will....that's living

Thanks for sharing. It's hard when your friends are hurting, but so inspiring when they decide to survive!

caro said...

I will be including both of them in my prayers. This reality is so close, only Jesus can empower us, to view living through this time, as a Mission. If this is where He places you, you don't have the choice to unsubscribe. Believers of this calibre, inspire all of us to rise to the challenge.

Just Call Me Grammy said...

My heart hurts for your friend and her husband. What a terrible experience. One most of us think we could not survive...but with our faithful God all things are possible! Their story was indeed hard to read, but filled me with hope to read how their faith, or rather the God they have faith in is big enough to comfort and heal even this. What a good example of Romans 8:28 how God will work for good even in the aftermath such a horrific event. I believe people's lives will be changed for eternity because of their faith. God is truly good and always enough...even in the darkest hour.

merryheart2 said...

this was very hard for me read as someone very close to me is still struggling after several years with the bitterness of what has happened to them. i am so glad that your friend put has put her trust and her life in the Lords hands. i will pray for her and her family. your post gives hope...hope for healing and Love.

Kimberly said...

WOW! I have felt the peace of the Lord like this, although thankfully never in a situation this horrifying. What a gracious God we have to be with us when we need him the most! Thank you for sharing.

Jody said...

It's one thing to say you have faith and another to live it out as Christ calls and commands believers to do. You know I have such sympathy for this family- and have even greater trust and Hope that God is who He says He is. He WILL continue to hold them, comfort them, guide them and lead them through all of the emotions and issues that will come as the days and years unfold. Their lives will never be the same. Thankfully God never changes. His promises can be trusted and are true! It's such an amazing thing- and yet shouldn't be really- to see God's power at work in the midst of such a trial. Thank you for allowing us a glimpse of the work of our living Lord through the lives of your friends. I pray God will bless them- even in their hurt and suffering. God's mercies are beyond comprehension... may they experience many in the years so come.