March 2026: The Hammer and The Anvil
- Thaddaeus Alexander
- Apr 2
- 6 min read
Introduction
If February was the crucible, then March was the hammer and the anvil. I started out this month by speaking at one of Fire & Fragrance South Africa’s university camps. I had the opportunity to share my testimony with the guys, and as I was preparing to write this newsletter, I realized that a lot of the people reading these updates don’t even know what my testimony is—or only know part of it. So I thought it would be good to share an overview of my testimony to give you all deeper insight into me and my mission work in South Africa.
Testimony
I was born in Renton, “The Jet City,” Washington, in the spring of 2002 to two loving parents who named me Thaddaeus The Lionhearted Verbeck Alexander. I spent my childhood in Sumner, Washington, also known as the Rhubarb Pie Capital of the World. I grew up in a very Christ-centered home. My father worked as a firefighter, and my mom was a homemaker. But my parents wore many different hats—they helped their friends found our church with another couple. Along with helping found the church, my parents also served as associate pastors, with my father being part of the elder board and my mother acting as a mentor, mother, and friend to many of the women in the church.
I grew up in a very God-loving environment, and when I was about 4 years old, I gave my life to the Lord. We were an average family in my mind—my parents loved each other, we went to church every Sunday, and I thought that was normal. This changed when I started going to school and realized that what was normal to me was not normal for everyone. Even as a kindergartener, I learned that not everyone is a Christian. (I knew this, but I thought every American was, because everyone I knew at the time was both American and Christian.) I also learned that not everyone’s parents love each other.
I remember my mind being blown when I met a kid who was Sikh and wore a turban. For context, as many of you know, in America you’re not allowed to wear hats in school, and I went on a metaphorical crusade about it, showing there was a Bible verse that said I could wear my hat—but it was to no avail.
Primary (elementary) school was a tough time for me. As a kid, I was bullied, and I always felt rejected and unloved, which led me to become a very angry person at a young age. I held onto that anger into my late teens. I don’t remember a whole lot of the bullying, but I know I lashed out and probably wasn’t the best person to be around because of it. Also, for a large part of my childhood and young adult life, I had a lot of conflict with my sister. This has been resolved, and I won’t go into detail, but for context, I was also dealing with that.
A lot of the bullying subsided when I was in 5th grade because I was about 5’8” and 200 lbs, and people realized it wasn’t smart to pick on a giant. But people would still make jabs about my weight and appearance, which remained a major insecurity for me. As I entered middle school, I would say I was at my peak of sin. I had a very foul mouth, I was mean and a bit of a bully, and I was dealing with lots of other sin I won’t go into detail about here. I was dead in my sin while proclaiming to be a Christian. If I had died during that time, I would have been very much like Matthew 7:21–23:
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”
Around the winter/spring of 2015, I was at a youth camp with my youth group. For context, I was living Sunday to Sunday—for lack of a better phrase. I would sin Monday through Saturday, go to church, repent, and then repeat the cycle. At this youth camp, it was the first night of worship, and I was standing in the back goofing off, not really wanting to be there. Then this guy came up to me. He was one of the guest speaker’s friends. I don’t know his name, and I barely remember what he looks like, but he spoke more into my life in one sentence than 90% of people I’ve ever met and probably will ever meet. He said, “I don’t want you to miss what God wants to do tonight.”
In that moment, I felt the conviction of the Lord come over my life, and I went to the front and repented. In that moment, I rededicated my life to the Lord.
This is the point where I really started to live for Christ. I still had struggles, but through high school the Lord began delivering me from anger, self-hate, rejection, and insecurity. That summer, I worked at a summer camp about an hour and a half away from my town. I had even attended this camp when I was younger. When I started working there, it was great—I was keeping God first, and life was good. But shortly after, I started reverting to my old habits, letting anger and unforgiveness back into my life. I eventually quit that job with three weeks left in the summer over something small and stupid.
I realized God had something for me in that moment, and I was deeply grieved. I would cry just thinking about it. I made a vow to God and said, “If you ever give me another chance, I won’t waste it.” That led me to go to Cambodia with only one day to make the decision. I went, and it was incredible. From that experience, I decided to do my Discipleship Training School (DTS).
God did a lot of work in me during my DTS, and it really set the stage for the next season of my life. I knew the Lord wanted me to do missions, but He told me to go to school. So I continued volunteering at my church, working at a bank, and attending university. God truly works in mysterious ways. After I found out I was graduating a year and a quarter earlier than I had previously thought, I was invited to attend YWAM Together 2024 in the Philippines—a global gathering for all YWAMers. I went to meet a team in Cambodia that I had been talking to, but I ended up meeting a friend who grew up in Sumner around the same time I did (we had never met before). At this conference, God gave me a heart for Africa, and I felt the Lord tell me to go to South Africa—and I’ve been here since. I don’t know how long I’ll be here, but I truly feel the Lord has set me apart for South Africa.
Preparation
The last week of March and the beginning of April truly felt like I was getting hit with a hammer. We went to Mooiplaas this past weekend, which is a farm I’ve mentioned in previous letters. I am part of the “fun department” for the DTS. I don’t know why a lot of the ideas for “fun” are not things I personally consider fun or enjoyable—but that’s neither here nor there.
I was really going through it emotionally that weekend. On top of that, we had a men’s workout, which worked out for me and my outreach team to do, on average, 120 burpees. Afterwards, it felt like my arms had been put through a meat grinder. But God is faithful to meet me in spite of my poor attitude. He reminded me that it wasn’t about me—it was all about Him. We had a great speaker this week, and the Spirit was truly moving in power. God has really reminded me and given me greater vision for the calling on my life.
Have A Happy Easter!
Thank you for reading my newsletter. It is a blessing to share what God is doing in my life and here in South Africa. Please keep me in your prayers. If you feel led to support me financially, you can do so through my equipment page, which provides tax-deductible giving. The link is on my website’s homepage. Whether you support financially or prayerfully, I am grateful. And please let me know how I can pray for you as well.
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