A seed is planted:
Writing has been a part of my life for many years. Books and reading have always been my way to escape and relax. When I was 15 years old, I wrote a book that was published through a self publishing company in America. Looking back now, I know that was written prematurely and that the book did not honour God or His Kingdom at all. The fruit of the book ended up being a lot of frustration, anger and debt. My parents helped me to settle the debt that was made in order for the book to be published. The harvest of that book was futile in the end.
We were amateurs in our pursuit of publishing a book and on top of that absolutely clueless. From that stance we thought it best to publish the book in America, assuming that it will be successful if we do so. Alas the publishing company never paid so much as a cent to us, although I personally knew of people who bought the book. However, I am grateful now as that money would have been blood money and I would have been held responsible for leading the readers astray into falsehood.
From an early age I knew that I would one day write books. I did not realise that the Father would lead me to write a book so precious and close to His heart
The seed for the book, Knit Together, started to awaken in our hearts when we were expecting our daughter.
We used different books and other sources such as Arthur Burke’s prayers to prepare my womb spiritually for conception and also his blessings for each gender, which I played for her through my phone.
We were made aware of the importance of blessing when we attended a Craig Hill Family Foundations seminar in Klerksdorp before we were even married.
The concept of blessing was something that really stuck. We’ve since heard the message being preached over and over again that we have much more power with our words than we tend to think; how words can create or destroy.
Father Yahweh used His words to create Creation. We are made in His image and likeness. That same creative ability is within us and most of us don’t even realise it.
We practiced this concept of blessing with our daughter. In 2019 there was a camp that we attended which was a sort of farewell camp for the ministry team that we were involved with and the Saturday evening during the worship session, it got really intense for me personally.
I had a heavenly encounter with Yeshua which brought me to my knees and I just burst out speaking and worshiping in tongues. My mind didn’t really comprehend what was happening but my spirit was fully engaged with the awe of His majesty.
I believe in my heart that the scroll for the book was unlocked there or you can even say that my spirit was impregnated with this dream of the book.
Shortly after that weekend, we found out that we were expecting our son. Again we used the same resources to help us shape our blessings and prayers, but I felt something was missing. The information felt inadequate, as if it lacked something. As if there must be something else as well, I can’t really put into words what I felt.
We also learned a lot during 2020 about the Body of Yeshua that must start to create businesses and to give Yahweh a platform to bless you with, a landing place for His kingdom in the economy and finance department of our lives and society as well. So we started to pray for a witty invention.
And then one evening while we prayed for our son, I just got the idea; Why not write a book that incorporated what we’ve learned spiritually about blessing and other principles with the medical side of the development of the child? After my son was born, I used the first six weeks of recovery to write the developmental chapters from conception to birth. At my six week check up, I asked my Gynecologist, Dr Etienne Thomas, if he would review it for me and he miraculously agreed.
I also used music to help my son sleep, especially Carmen Tehillah’s music. We know it word for word by now! I just thought, wow, what if there was a CD that accompanied the book, with anointed music that will help babies sleep and teach their identity in the process.
There is a lot of research on how music and learning go hand-in-hand. I also knew Karen Zaayman and had a connection in my spirit with her anointed music. I knew that if there ever were to be a CD, that I would ask her to sing the songs.
One day our bible study group started with a book by Lindi Masters and in it were QR codes with pre-recorded messages that went with the different chapters, and I just instantly knew…that’s how I have to incorporate the songs with the book, not as a separate product but as a unit.
Technology is evolving and CD’s aren’t really being used any more. I think QR codes are the new thing that is available for this season and we are going to see much more of this in coming products among believers and businesses.
What stirred our hearts for the book:
The fact that we have our own children and that we can see the fruit and power of our prayers and spoken blessings in their lives especially, is what stirred our hearts for this theme.
I also have a strong teacher side in me and love to share what I’ve learned. I know first hand what it’s like to struggle to know what to pray and I feel that this book is a tool to teach people how to do just that, or at least know where to start and then do your own thing from there on.
We have a special place in our hearts for building whole families, starting with our own, and I believe that imparting spoken blessings is an important tool to accomplish this.
Co-writing with the Body of Messiah:
As I thought and dreamed about this book in my heart, I just felt Holy Spirit nudge me in the direction of couples co-writing the blessings with me. Father showed me that my calling in the body, where some are a hand or a foot, is to be something like sinew or cartilage. I am a connector that brings the different parts together, and in that same way I must write this book alongside other believers. In the beginning I felt that I should ask certain people and realised, in the process, that it was predominantly couples, and that they had received certain revelations or walked through certain things in their lives that I hadn’t. I knew that the spiritual impact that they would be able to make would be greater than what I would be able to accomplish on my own.
It took a lot to ask others to be involved in this, to be honest. It challenged quite a few mindsets in the process, selfishness being one of them, or fear of being double crossed and not being able to trust them, was another one that I had to face.
So for example, I knew that Sarah van Vuuren, from Bridal harvest, had received deep revelation about conception so I asked her if she would want to be a part of that part of the book.
Another lady has twins and they were both born prematurely, so I knew that she would better understand what to say on prem babies, than I would have, and so on.
The writing journey and learning things about God:
I learnt a lot about Abba on this journey of writing and compiling the book, Knit Together. I think the predominant thing is just His sovereignty and grace. If He doesn’t create the child and keep the child in a mother’s womb, then there’s nothing you can do. It’s all Him. And just how amazing a child is, how it really is an incredible miracle. How a person is physically being formed and literally being knit together in the womb.
On this journey of finishing this amazing project that Abba gave us, there were some giants. I must say, the research part was the hardest part for me personally, making sure that I add the right facts at the right place, as sometimes it is contradicting within different sources. Also writing a blessing for every single day came as a big challenge. I really had to focus to keep my eyes on Yeshua and to constantly ask Holy Spirit’s guidance, especially when I got tired, the children got difficult or when time became an issue in the process.
The journey also came with pleasant and uncomplicated parts. The easiest part was the seven critical times to receive blessings. The chapters where I could practically share some of our own experiences was also quite easy as the information was from us personally and our lives, not just external sources that I had to use in the correct way.
Family life and writing a book:
There really was a lot of grace on this project as all of the puzzles fell together very easily and smoothly. My husband was really supportive in the entire process and the people who were on board really opened up their hearts and it was so amazing to see how the Body of Messiah can function together as one, without even having the big and final picture of what each individual was busy with.
Yet there were times when we bumped each other a bit and had to deal with frustrations in terms of time, where I wanted to write but had other duties, or trusting Father for the finances to make this book a reality.
Finances were a big thing as there were times when we had to pay something for the book but there was a need in our household that also needed attendance. In those moments it made no sense to pay for a book that seemed so far away from being complete and put the family’s needs on hold. Yet we did it by faith and knew that it was the mission the Father gave us.
There were times where I chose to put my family first even though I really, really wanted to write. I also told Father that I will not make any debt for this book. He spoke a lot to me about this book in pregnancy terms. I said to him that a normal delivery for this spiritual baby would be all of the finances provided whilst a c-section would be making debt to have it paid quicker but it would be a financial burden to our family in the long run.
That is also how our business was started last year in January. It was then called Atarah. I wanted to use the products that I sold there to help pay for the book. This gave Yahweh a platform to bless us with in terms of a business that could grow, in order for us to be able to pay for everything in the end.
Atarah was also big learning ground for me and for us, as husband and wife, in terms of how we want to do business differently than the world, how I should include him in my decisions and then also how the finances should be spent. This entire process of writing and doing business has helped us grow as a couple and as sons in our Father’s Kingdom.
A message to mothers:
God is good all the time.
He is faithful.
It is important not to allow fear into your thoughts and heart, but to ask Father Yahweh to reveal His love for you in the area of your fear, as His perfect love drives out all fear. Fear affects the child and can have a deep lasting effect.
It is also vitally important to watch your words and the words of the people you associate yourself with, as the spirit of the baby hears those words. I want you to know that you are loved and that your child is loved. You are dearly loved and divinely chosen by Yahweh, the Creator of the universe. And that no matter how you or your child were conceived and no matter how your child is born into this world, there is a plan, purpose and a future for each of you.
Shalom
You can contact us at [email protected]
Visit our website to order the book, Knit Together.
The full interview can be found on the ZadOak Podcast.
My Hiding Place
Abba, you formed me
In my mama’s womb
You knit me together
When I was being made
In the secret place
Intricately woven
Fearfully made
Skillfully woven
Wonderfully made
I will praise Your name
You’ve encircled me
Before and behind
Laid your hand upon me
In Your book it is written
Every hour of my life
Your eye has ever been upon me
Intricately woven
Fearfully made
Skillfully woven
Wonderfully made
I will praise Your name
My hiding place
My great reward
My strength
My song
To You I belong
Where I am safe
Under Your wings
In the secret place
You cover me
Poem by Carmen Tehillah
