The Lord has given us a gap for a couple of weeks and I am off on Saturday morning for a much needed break with my husband, to a Game reserve called Ithala (pronounced Itala) in Kwa-Zulu Natal, just below Swaziland. It has quite a few fancy bush camps and lodges, but the one we are going to is very rudimentary and not for the faint-hearted – it has no electricity and no elaborate showers – cold if you please! It only has place for 20 people so it won’t be packed. ( i think the lack of electricity and hot water will scare a few away from this – especially at this time of year as it is late autumn here.
We fortunately have a hot water shower that my husband put together and it works really well, so I am not as tough as you thought I was 
We will set up camp, with our off-road trailer and make a fire and just sit around and read and relax . We will sleep when we are tired, eat when we are hungry and wake up when we have slept enough. We will be able to go on our own game viewing drives and won’t need to rely on anyone else for that. I simply can’t wait!
I found out today that the reserve has no lion (phew!) I am not ready for those yet, but it does have hyena and elephant! 
After our last experience in the bush with a hippo, I am not quite sure what to think about mixing up close in any way with these animals – I have never been to a place that has these critters running around.
Most of all I am looking forward to spending uninterrupted time with the Lord. No phones, no visitors (other than a few squirrels or giraffe etc.) and no demands made by anything at all. I intend to take my Complete Works of Oswald Chambers, Unlocking the Bible by David Pawson, Humility by Andrew Murray, a screenplay that I am reading that was written by a friend and of course my Bible. My husband has even offered to cook! What more could a girl ask for?
Until we ‘meet again’ I would like to leave you with these wonderful Scriptures that contain an incredible promise of assurance and love and joy.
Jude 1:24-25 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
The Lord bless you
Jess
I’m jealous!
Enjoy your time away from everything, with your husband and with our Savior. I hope to get even just a couple of days sometime this summer and do likewise. A great privilege, may you return refreshed, renewed, and bathed in the Word!
Hi Barbara
Bless you and thank you. I too will pray for you to get a few days in the summer. Will miss many of you and my daily intake of what the Lord is doing and growing in your lives, but will have so much to look forward to when I get back.
In Jesus
Sister Jessie-
Enjoy! May the Lord bless you and refresh you as you take time off from a world that is increasingly stressful. See you soon!
Hi dear sister Lyn
Many thanks for your wishes and care!
Have a wonderful time! I pray the Lord blesses you and your husband with a sweet time of fellowship together and with Himself. Blessings!