There was a link to a book doing the rounds on Facebook recently. It is the story of Ashley Cloete and how he met and married his wife Rosemarie more than 40 years ago. Sounds like a normal romance until you understand that Ashley was classified ‘coloured’ and he had met ‘white’ Rosemarie in Germany. Inter-racial marriages were illegal in South Africa at the time. They fell in love and a massive cross continental struggle began over if this frowned-upon union could ever take place.
I think the thing that strikes me the most about this story and the many other true life stories of God’s guidance and faithfulness over a period, is the great perspective that comes with the passing of time.
I wonder if Ashley and Rosemarie prior to their marriage ever sat and dreamed…..did they say, “one day we’ll have a quiver of children” or “there will come a day where we can live in South Africa happily as man and wife?”
They went through many trials and adventures, including navigating the pitfalls of unhappy parents who were disagreeing with their choices. Yet God made a way, where there seemed to be no way!
They went from engaged (below left) in Germany to their 40th wedding anniversary last year (below right) in South Africa.
Photos from What God Joined Together
God is faithful! The book details the struggles and uncertainties that they both had about finding God’s will for their lives – did He want them together or apart? They had no idea of what the future would hold, but they did know that God would go before them. He knows the future and when we trust Him, He will make the rough places smooth. It doesn’t mean that everything will turn out perfectly in our eyes. It does mean that everything will turn out perfectly in God’s eyes. He makes all things beautiful in its time.
Ecclesiastes 3:11
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.”
When things happen that we don’t understand, leave the 20/20 hindsight to God. He has perfect vision from start to finish. It is not about now. God has set eternity in our hearts. He wants us to look beyond our lives here on earth and trust Him for all that is to come.
Ashley and Rosemarie live in Cape Town. They have 5 children and 7 grandchildren.
The book is not long and well worth the read. It is downloadable free through the website http://www.whatgodjoinedtogether.co.za/
Keep the smile going!
God bless you!
In His Grip,
Helga xx 🙂