Letters from Jerusalem
March 20, 2024
“Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.”
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner; for he said, “Because the Lord has sworn: the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” Exodus 17:8-16
Greetings again, dear brothers and sisters as we rapidly approach the holiday of Purim. May The Lord be seen and glorified. As He is often hidden, and works in strange (to us) and unexpected ways, may we anticipate seeing Him, knowing Him, following Him; knowing that He IS The Victor…El Gibor – brave, courageous, strong, mighty, hero GOD! May He be glorified and may you be blessed.
Tomorrow is the Esther fast among Jews. I listened to a very interesting teaching by a Rabbi’s wife that really stirred me. It spoke about ‘WHY THE SECOND DAY’ and ‘FINISHING THE WORK’, and it inspired me. I HAVE often wondered as I read the book of Esther, what was the significance of the ‘one more day’ for ‘walled cities. This rabbi’s wife brought out the fact that Gaza City is the ONLY other city, besides Jerusalem, that is a walled city set in the same place that it was in the time of Joshua and that this year, our soldiers are there and the scroll can be read there as well as in Jerusalem…on the second day. What does that ‘mean’? I don’t know exactly, but somehow it excited my faith.
Many things have ‘excited my faith’…simply because God is so GOOD! I read this morning the verse in Exodus 3:3-4 “Then Moses said,’ I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.’ So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’” I thrilled at the thought that we have the choice to ‘turn aside and SEE’…to open our ears and hear our name called and then to say ‘Here I am’.
On Shabbat, an old friend of ours from Alaska passed into glory. My husband was the first Aleut Israeli citizen…and he was unique. He was raised from the age of 2 in an orphanage and he was really part of a ‘bridge’ generation living in between the old native ways and the modern ways…He was unique and had an amazing ‘presence’. Willie was like this too. He was also raised with Eric in the orphanage and made a huge impact on people in his quiet way…as did Eric. Hearing that he had gone made me sad, but that was between God and I. There was no one else to say it to. But God hears!
I had a ride home from Kehila (fellowship) at around 8pm with a lovely family. Suddenly there was an awful smell and smoke started billowing up from their car. We jumped out on the side of highway 1, thankful that it wasn’t a fire, but having overheated badly, the engine was not happy. As we waited a car pulled over to see if they could help and my friends asked if he could give me a ride home. As we rode, ofcourse we struck up a conversation. He was young, married almost a year ago and lived in Jerusalem. We talked about our neighborhoods and I told him that we had lived in Beit h’Kerem and that my husband had been the first Israeli ‘Eskimo’ (most people don’t know what an Aleut is) and he yelled; ‘Not Eric of Alaska??!?’…I was so surprised! ‘Yes, Eric was my husband’. He started to tell me how Eric had cut his hair since he was a small child and how much he loved hearing Eric’s stories. WHAT A PERSONAL GIFT TO ME! What were the ‘chances’ of all of these (dare I say) ‘pur’ falling together and spilling out in the form of encouragement.
How He leads us! If we will focus on the rose buds instead of the thorns, perhaps the result will be a sweet smelling savor.
Now that I’m retired, and alone, I have had time to reflect with great wonder, about the path that I have trod these past 78 years. I’m sure that you all can relate. Through fire, through flood, through grief and through joy, with wonder and with tears…HE has been our path in unknown territory and familiar… HE IS THERE. I read a wonderful article in the Jerusalem Post (interview with Natan Sharansky) which was an excellent interview with Natan Sharansky. To many of you the name is familiar, but to me…his name is a landmark on the map along my way. I first heard of him in the early 1980s while he was a Russian prisoner of Zion in a Siberian prison in the Russian Gulag. Somehow, I got a picture of him and a prayer request asking for prayer that he would be released and able to join his wife in Israel…so I prayed. It was one of those prayers that your spirit grabs ahold of. I remember lying on the tundra while picking blueberries and thinking about him, just the other side of the Bering Sea that ran beside our village – Naknek Alaska – and crying out to God to release him…save him…and bring him home to Israel: my voice blending with countless others, worldwide. Soon after I began working in Dr. R......’s office (oh the AGONY of the initiation of that!) Natan and Avigale Sharansky walked in and asked if they could become our patients. I stood up, heart pounding, my mouth fell open making a complete fool of myself…but inspite of that, we became friends. He later served in many government cabinets and important posts. He is a wise man.
So is Michael Oren, who also became a friend. (Michael Oren article)
Besides being a patient of ours, he played tennis with my boss and they were good friends, so I met the man with the boyish face who had written the classic book on the 6 day war and who was later to become the Israeli Ambassador to the United States under Obama, at a time when we needed someone very wise and careful in that office. Since I met him before he became famous, it wasn’t as intimidating. I got to share my testimony with both of them, particularly Michael in much depth. They both hunger for Truth and are men of high integrity and I believe that they will have their eyes open. They are two of so many that I have been privileged to know. I mention them because I am enclosing two articles, one, an interview with Natan Sharansky that has great insight about the current situation, and the second an article by Michael Oren who describes clearly the very heart beat of Israelis at this time.
Michael’s article caught my eye because on a list that I keep by my computer for things that I want to write about, I have written down: “cut off and insular” …Michael calls it ‘lonely’. I wrote last week about the people of Shushan being ‘Perplexed’. When you ask ‘how we are’ here…these words describe it well inspite of the fact that we are comforted knowing that many of the world’s Christians do stand strongly with us.
…as we fight AMALEK.
Who is AMALEK, whom we have songs about and of whom we say ‘that he arises in each generation’? When we were told on the 7th of October that we were entering a war for our survival, our Prime Minister said ‘we are fighting Amalek’. We all understood, but the indignant reaction from around the world should have been fair warning for the response that we are now seeing. Nevertheless, it has shocked us, as a people. (See scripture above) In 1 Samuel 15 I’m sure that you remember the pivotal and fearsome event in King Saul’s life, where he was commanded by Samuel to destroy Amalek and all that Amalek had, however he disobeyed and spared king Agag and the livestock. Saul’s end was a testimony to remind us all how serious it is to disobey God.
In the book of Esther…Haman is the one who rose his head…and Haman was an Agagite…a descendant of king Agag.
Haman was an Amalekite.
Mordechai and Esther were direct descendants of King Saul: Esther 2:5 “In Shushan the citadel there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite. Kish had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been capturedwith Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother.”
Redemption! What mercy God shows!
We don’t know what lies ahead…none of us do, although it may be very quiet and peaceful where you live (I DO know that for some of you it is, and war is not before your eyes). But it is so comforting to know that The God Whom we serve is a REDEMPTIVE God with a Heart of Mercy…and with a plan and pattern before us. In His Hands this walk of ours is not random. May we all lean into Him and find our reality to be “Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before my face.” Psalm 5:8
God bless you! I am thankful for your kindness along with your prayers and encouragement. May THE LORD BE GLORIFIED and may we be found faithful. Lovingly, your sister
“Now Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, “Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses said to him, and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy; so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.”
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.” And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner; for he said, “Because the Lord has sworn: the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.” Exodus 17:8-16
Greetings again, dear brothers and sisters as we rapidly approach the holiday of Purim. May The Lord be seen and glorified. As He is often hidden, and works in strange (to us) and unexpected ways, may we anticipate seeing Him, knowing Him, following Him; knowing that He IS The Victor…El Gibor – brave, courageous, strong, mighty, hero GOD! May He be glorified and may you be blessed.
Tomorrow is the Esther fast among Jews. I listened to a very interesting teaching by a Rabbi’s wife that really stirred me. It spoke about ‘WHY THE SECOND DAY’ and ‘FINISHING THE WORK’, and it inspired me. I HAVE often wondered as I read the book of Esther, what was the significance of the ‘one more day’ for ‘walled cities. This rabbi’s wife brought out the fact that Gaza City is the ONLY other city, besides Jerusalem, that is a walled city set in the same place that it was in the time of Joshua and that this year, our soldiers are there and the scroll can be read there as well as in Jerusalem…on the second day. What does that ‘mean’? I don’t know exactly, but somehow it excited my faith.
Many things have ‘excited my faith’…simply because God is so GOOD! I read this morning the verse in Exodus 3:3-4 “Then Moses said,’ I will now turn aside and see this great sight, why the bush does not burn.’ So when the Lord saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’” I thrilled at the thought that we have the choice to ‘turn aside and SEE’…to open our ears and hear our name called and then to say ‘Here I am’.
On Shabbat, an old friend of ours from Alaska passed into glory. My husband was the first Aleut Israeli citizen…and he was unique. He was raised from the age of 2 in an orphanage and he was really part of a ‘bridge’ generation living in between the old native ways and the modern ways…He was unique and had an amazing ‘presence’. Willie was like this too. He was also raised with Eric in the orphanage and made a huge impact on people in his quiet way…as did Eric. Hearing that he had gone made me sad, but that was between God and I. There was no one else to say it to. But God hears!
I had a ride home from Kehila (fellowship) at around 8pm with a lovely family. Suddenly there was an awful smell and smoke started billowing up from their car. We jumped out on the side of highway 1, thankful that it wasn’t a fire, but having overheated badly, the engine was not happy. As we waited a car pulled over to see if they could help and my friends asked if he could give me a ride home. As we rode, ofcourse we struck up a conversation. He was young, married almost a year ago and lived in Jerusalem. We talked about our neighborhoods and I told him that we had lived in Beit h’Kerem and that my husband had been the first Israeli ‘Eskimo’ (most people don’t know what an Aleut is) and he yelled; ‘Not Eric of Alaska??!?’…I was so surprised! ‘Yes, Eric was my husband’. He started to tell me how Eric had cut his hair since he was a small child and how much he loved hearing Eric’s stories. WHAT A PERSONAL GIFT TO ME! What were the ‘chances’ of all of these (dare I say) ‘pur’ falling together and spilling out in the form of encouragement.
How He leads us! If we will focus on the rose buds instead of the thorns, perhaps the result will be a sweet smelling savor.
Now that I’m retired, and alone, I have had time to reflect with great wonder, about the path that I have trod these past 78 years. I’m sure that you all can relate. Through fire, through flood, through grief and through joy, with wonder and with tears…HE has been our path in unknown territory and familiar… HE IS THERE. I read a wonderful article in the Jerusalem Post (interview with Natan Sharansky) which was an excellent interview with Natan Sharansky. To many of you the name is familiar, but to me…his name is a landmark on the map along my way. I first heard of him in the early 1980s while he was a Russian prisoner of Zion in a Siberian prison in the Russian Gulag. Somehow, I got a picture of him and a prayer request asking for prayer that he would be released and able to join his wife in Israel…so I prayed. It was one of those prayers that your spirit grabs ahold of. I remember lying on the tundra while picking blueberries and thinking about him, just the other side of the Bering Sea that ran beside our village – Naknek Alaska – and crying out to God to release him…save him…and bring him home to Israel: my voice blending with countless others, worldwide. Soon after I began working in Dr. R......’s office (oh the AGONY of the initiation of that!) Natan and Avigale Sharansky walked in and asked if they could become our patients. I stood up, heart pounding, my mouth fell open making a complete fool of myself…but inspite of that, we became friends. He later served in many government cabinets and important posts. He is a wise man.
So is Michael Oren, who also became a friend. (Michael Oren article)
Besides being a patient of ours, he played tennis with my boss and they were good friends, so I met the man with the boyish face who had written the classic book on the 6 day war and who was later to become the Israeli Ambassador to the United States under Obama, at a time when we needed someone very wise and careful in that office. Since I met him before he became famous, it wasn’t as intimidating. I got to share my testimony with both of them, particularly Michael in much depth. They both hunger for Truth and are men of high integrity and I believe that they will have their eyes open. They are two of so many that I have been privileged to know. I mention them because I am enclosing two articles, one, an interview with Natan Sharansky that has great insight about the current situation, and the second an article by Michael Oren who describes clearly the very heart beat of Israelis at this time.
Michael’s article caught my eye because on a list that I keep by my computer for things that I want to write about, I have written down: “cut off and insular” …Michael calls it ‘lonely’. I wrote last week about the people of Shushan being ‘Perplexed’. When you ask ‘how we are’ here…these words describe it well inspite of the fact that we are comforted knowing that many of the world’s Christians do stand strongly with us.
…as we fight AMALEK.
Who is AMALEK, whom we have songs about and of whom we say ‘that he arises in each generation’? When we were told on the 7th of October that we were entering a war for our survival, our Prime Minister said ‘we are fighting Amalek’. We all understood, but the indignant reaction from around the world should have been fair warning for the response that we are now seeing. Nevertheless, it has shocked us, as a people. (See scripture above) In 1 Samuel 15 I’m sure that you remember the pivotal and fearsome event in King Saul’s life, where he was commanded by Samuel to destroy Amalek and all that Amalek had, however he disobeyed and spared king Agag and the livestock. Saul’s end was a testimony to remind us all how serious it is to disobey God.
In the book of Esther…Haman is the one who rose his head…and Haman was an Agagite…a descendant of king Agag.
Haman was an Amalekite.
Mordechai and Esther were direct descendants of King Saul: Esther 2:5 “In Shushan the citadel there was a certain Jew whose name was Mordecai the son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, a Benjamite. Kish had been carried away from Jerusalem with the captives who had been capturedwith Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away. And Mordecai had brought up Hadassah, that is, Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had neither father nor mother.”
Redemption! What mercy God shows!
We don’t know what lies ahead…none of us do, although it may be very quiet and peaceful where you live (I DO know that for some of you it is, and war is not before your eyes). But it is so comforting to know that The God Whom we serve is a REDEMPTIVE God with a Heart of Mercy…and with a plan and pattern before us. In His Hands this walk of ours is not random. May we all lean into Him and find our reality to be “Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies; Make Your way straight before my face.” Psalm 5:8
God bless you! I am thankful for your kindness along with your prayers and encouragement. May THE LORD BE GLORIFIED and may we be found faithful. Lovingly, your sister
March 16, 2024
“And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.” Genesis 45:7, 8
“So he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them, ‘See that you do not become troubled along the way.’”
“And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them.” Genesis 45:24 and 26
“...rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;” Romans 12:12
Greetings, Brothers and Sisters along this journey…along the road that is narrowing and darkening. May The Lord, The Light of the world, The Living Word, The aleph and the tav, be our One True Guide. May He search us thoroughly and remove all of the stumbling blocks in each of us. May HE be glorified, and may you (and I) be encouraged.
Planes were flying overhead nearly nonstop last night: It’s nothing that we can see…it is just always there…like the rumbling of an upset stomach.
In my village, we don’t have a ‘Shabbat horn’ ushering in Shabbat; we have the Shabbat song/prayer ‘Shalom Aleichem’ (Peace to you) over the loud speaker. I just went outside to sing and it thrills my soul as it settles over us calling us to Him and to separate us from the week and it’s struggles into His Rest…leave it all at the door…the planes above…the injustice and pain…the trials that tear at the soul…leave it and close the door on it and enter into His Rest…every bit as real as all of His provision for us…His Strong Tower…HE IS!
Having said that, I wonder now if I will write…but I do feel that it is the time, and so I will.
What does Ramadan, Purim, Passover and Simchat Torah (the last of the Biblical Fall Feasts of The Lord) have in common? Middle Eastern thinking is very symbolic. This war started, not only on Simchat Torah, but on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur war. Simchat Torah celebrates the giving of the Torah to Israel on Mt. Sinai…the giving of the covenants of The Living God…The Creator…Lord God Almighty…THE SOVEREIGN GOD…It is HE Who is being challenged. That is why the Palestinian name for this war is ‘Al-Aqsa flood’…and the call has gone out from jihadist leaders world wide to start ‘taking back Jerusalem’ with the beginning of the month of Ramadan. Today was the first Friday of Ramadan and this week has passed relatively peacefully with the Ramadan prayers on Temple Mount at Al-Aqsa basically without incident…praise God. As I said, most of the Israeli Arabs do NOT want uprising. They have taken a stand against the Palestinian calls to rise up. May God bless them for this.
MEANWHILE…here in Israel…we are baking ‘hamantaschen’ (or Haman’s ears re-named this year Sinwar’s ears) and packing baskets of goodies and clown pictures to give out for Purim… I mentioned to my neighbor that it felt bizarre and she answered with a resounding ‘NO!’ and reminded me that all through our history ‘Amalek’ has tried to destroy us but The Lord is sovereign and we are to give the ‘victory shout’ and celebrate before Him. Yes…I knew that and it was good to be reminded. This will be the first Purim that I am not living in a walled city, so I do not celebrate ‘Shushan Purim’ (the second day of Purim as prescribed in the book of Esther). Purim begins this year on Saturday night, the 24th, with the fast of Esther (ta’anit Esther) being on Thursday the 21st. Purim is the last holiday before Passover, which begins this year on the night of the 22nd of April.
As I was reading in Genesis 45 this morning, I was struck by many things all at once. I don’t know about you, but The Lord often prepares me for some new ‘challenge’ that way. I was thinking about Joseph and all of the really difficult things that he went through and how the picture that is presented is one of such utter steadfastness…like Daniel. I was thinking about that deep faithfulness through such severe trials and I felt my spirit ‘want THAT’. And when I read his admonition to his brothers ‘not to become troubled along the way’, I thought, isn’t that often how it is. I will see things clearly but then allow my soul to become troubled along the way. Joseph didn’t. His brothers might. AND THEN…His Father! He could not believe that Joseph was alive, after all of these years of grieving, and I thought of how the disciples couldn’t believe that Yeshua was raised AS HE SAID.
These thoughts tumbled in on me all together.
How good He is to prepare us…remind us…before the bumpy part of the road rises in front of us. So, a rather C-H-A-L-L-E-N-G-I-N-G personal situation burst on the horizon like a volcano…and I thought about all of the times I have said to my brothers and sisters (and fully meant and believed it); this kingdom isn’t ours; we get to walk through the fire and the flood with our eyes fixed upon Yeshua, The FAITHFUL Author and Finisher of our faith, HE is our Provider and our Provision. HE is our sure Rock when all else shakes.
……………..
So…I wrote that far last night and today is shabbat. It is so wonderfully quiet inspite of the war continuing to rage…the pain, the uncertainty…the life and death situations…the lies and the truth all in a soup…and here is the still quiet of Shabbat in the midst. What a demonstration of how He calls us to walk.
As the days grow narrower and darker, it has seemed to me that discernment from God (as opposed to natural discernment)…by The Holy Spirit…is more and more necessary and indeed, part of the two edged sword. I was reading in Luke this morning as part of my daily reading and it struck me afresh how the demons KNEW Who He was, and spoke it and He FORBADE them to speak this ‘TRUTH…BECAUSE OF THE SOURCE OF THE KNOWLEDGE’! We see that as well in Acts 16 when Paul confronted the girl with the spirit of divination who was following him and proclaiming TRUTH (that Paul was speaking TRUTH) – YET THE SOURCE OF THE KNOWLEDGE WAS FROM A SPIRIT OTHER THAN THE HOLY SPIRIT! This is the discernment that I believe that we desperately need today. With so much darkness and narrowing of the path, there are so many ‘words’ being given out…very ‘spiritual’ words from some very ‘spiritual’ people…but only that which proceeds from The HOLY Spirit has LIFE in it, and with the path so narrow, a ‘small’ detour from His path can find us lost in the mud of despair and blindness and that is part of the reality of living in such a time as this. As the believing soldiers have asked us to pray that they will have that sharp gift of discernment to know which way to turn in the midst of battle, so we also are in the midst of raging battle and need His discernment desperately. I have learned that discernment doesn’t mean ‘judging’; there is a huge difference. Judging is soulish and comes from the mind and heart. Discernment is The Holy Spirit and is for US. It struck me as a good lesson that Yeshua rebuked the demons and commanded them to keep silent but He healed and saved those who needed to be delivered.
AND…as I came to the end of the book of Mark the other day, I was thinking about Barabas…and how he had committed murder in the insurrection. In other words, as Yeshua was moving on this earth, teaching, calling, breathing life…there was indeed tremendous political unrest going on around him; BUT HE DIDN’T ADDRESS IT! I speak with my sister (by blood) in the US, and other old friends and hear the spouting of anger, hatred, pride, rage, I notice that The Lord is leading me further and further from expecting the world to fix the world’s problems but more into letting Him live through me to draw people to His kingdom. I know that we are ‘in the world’ and must walk here…but not ‘of the world’…so our weapons are not the world’s tools.
Fine lines: His lines are the ones that we must find.
Isn’t it amazing that ‘His Peace’ is a direct command to us!
So, we are preparing for Purim. Purim, of course, celebrates the sudden overthrow of the enemy when it appeared hopeless. The message is not lost on Israelis today. When the command was issued that all of the Jews were to be killed, it says in Esther 3:15 “The couriers went out, hastened by the king’s command; and the decree was proclaimed in Shushan the citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Shushan was perplexed.” I can say that this is the same emotion shared by Israelis today as we listen to the demands of the world…read the decrees issued against us…wonder if everyone is blind…we are again ‘perplexed’. How can it be that so many do not see? How can so many believe lies?
Yesterday morning there was an announcement that there was ‘another massacre’ perpetrated against the Gazans by the IDF. A ‘mass slaughter of 50 – maybe 100 people trying to get food from the aid trucks.’ Thankfully this time Israel had the entire thing on film, distinctly showing Hamas shooting people approaching the trucks; but the world buys it and frankly Israelis are perplexed.
Years ago, during the second intifada, I explained that ‘hasborah’ is a Hebrew word that basically means ‘telling the Israeli side…our view of the situation.’ We are apparently not very good at it. Currently we have a sizable number of Israeli Arabs speaking out strongly, defending Israel’s situation. One of these brave people, Yosif Haddad, shared this morning an interview that he had done in America. He told them that Israel had eliminated more than 10,000 Hamas fighters. The interviewer asked him where he got his figures and when he said the IDF, he was mocked and belittled. So he asked the interviewer where he got the figure of 30,000 killed and he said from the UN…who got the figure from the Gaza health ministry…which is Hamas. This is totally perplexing to Israelis.
2 Kings chapter 6 tells the wonderful story about Elisha when Israel was at war with Syria. He struck the Syrian army with blindness (it is worth reading the chapter rather than me re-telling it) but this is my point; I do not want to be struck with blindness; so I am praying for a spirit discernment with a desperation in my prayers. It IS life and death.
I have really run at the mouth and I apologize for such a long letter.
I want to report that my little dog Gila is happier and healthier than ever and I praise God for His loving kindness to me in this.
I appreciate prayers for our daughter and family in Gush Etzion (Bat Ayin) and all of those in the areas of Judea and Samaria as the towns around them are being incited to violence during Ramadan. (as I write this there just came a red alert of a terrorist infiltration in my daughter's area)
If any of you are interested, I’ve included a few articles that have spoken to my heart.
May The God of Hope fill you (and me) with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in hope by the power of The Holy Spirit…and may we bring Joy to The Heart of Abba God, for He is good and His mercy endures forever! God bless you! Lovingly, me
can i really love my enemies (written by a friend)
many still had the expression of pain
“And God sent me before you to preserve a posterity for you in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you who sent me here, but God; and He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.” Genesis 45:7, 8
“So he sent his brothers away, and they departed; and he said to them, ‘See that you do not become troubled along the way.’”
“And they told him, saying, “Joseph is still alive, and he is governor over all the land of Egypt.” And Jacob’s heart stood still, because he did not believe them.” Genesis 45:24 and 26
“...rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;” Romans 12:12
Greetings, Brothers and Sisters along this journey…along the road that is narrowing and darkening. May The Lord, The Light of the world, The Living Word, The aleph and the tav, be our One True Guide. May He search us thoroughly and remove all of the stumbling blocks in each of us. May HE be glorified, and may you (and I) be encouraged.
Planes were flying overhead nearly nonstop last night: It’s nothing that we can see…it is just always there…like the rumbling of an upset stomach.
In my village, we don’t have a ‘Shabbat horn’ ushering in Shabbat; we have the Shabbat song/prayer ‘Shalom Aleichem’ (Peace to you) over the loud speaker. I just went outside to sing and it thrills my soul as it settles over us calling us to Him and to separate us from the week and it’s struggles into His Rest…leave it all at the door…the planes above…the injustice and pain…the trials that tear at the soul…leave it and close the door on it and enter into His Rest…every bit as real as all of His provision for us…His Strong Tower…HE IS!
Having said that, I wonder now if I will write…but I do feel that it is the time, and so I will.
What does Ramadan, Purim, Passover and Simchat Torah (the last of the Biblical Fall Feasts of The Lord) have in common? Middle Eastern thinking is very symbolic. This war started, not only on Simchat Torah, but on the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur war. Simchat Torah celebrates the giving of the Torah to Israel on Mt. Sinai…the giving of the covenants of The Living God…The Creator…Lord God Almighty…THE SOVEREIGN GOD…It is HE Who is being challenged. That is why the Palestinian name for this war is ‘Al-Aqsa flood’…and the call has gone out from jihadist leaders world wide to start ‘taking back Jerusalem’ with the beginning of the month of Ramadan. Today was the first Friday of Ramadan and this week has passed relatively peacefully with the Ramadan prayers on Temple Mount at Al-Aqsa basically without incident…praise God. As I said, most of the Israeli Arabs do NOT want uprising. They have taken a stand against the Palestinian calls to rise up. May God bless them for this.
MEANWHILE…here in Israel…we are baking ‘hamantaschen’ (or Haman’s ears re-named this year Sinwar’s ears) and packing baskets of goodies and clown pictures to give out for Purim… I mentioned to my neighbor that it felt bizarre and she answered with a resounding ‘NO!’ and reminded me that all through our history ‘Amalek’ has tried to destroy us but The Lord is sovereign and we are to give the ‘victory shout’ and celebrate before Him. Yes…I knew that and it was good to be reminded. This will be the first Purim that I am not living in a walled city, so I do not celebrate ‘Shushan Purim’ (the second day of Purim as prescribed in the book of Esther). Purim begins this year on Saturday night, the 24th, with the fast of Esther (ta’anit Esther) being on Thursday the 21st. Purim is the last holiday before Passover, which begins this year on the night of the 22nd of April.
As I was reading in Genesis 45 this morning, I was struck by many things all at once. I don’t know about you, but The Lord often prepares me for some new ‘challenge’ that way. I was thinking about Joseph and all of the really difficult things that he went through and how the picture that is presented is one of such utter steadfastness…like Daniel. I was thinking about that deep faithfulness through such severe trials and I felt my spirit ‘want THAT’. And when I read his admonition to his brothers ‘not to become troubled along the way’, I thought, isn’t that often how it is. I will see things clearly but then allow my soul to become troubled along the way. Joseph didn’t. His brothers might. AND THEN…His Father! He could not believe that Joseph was alive, after all of these years of grieving, and I thought of how the disciples couldn’t believe that Yeshua was raised AS HE SAID.
These thoughts tumbled in on me all together.
How good He is to prepare us…remind us…before the bumpy part of the road rises in front of us. So, a rather C-H-A-L-L-E-N-G-I-N-G personal situation burst on the horizon like a volcano…and I thought about all of the times I have said to my brothers and sisters (and fully meant and believed it); this kingdom isn’t ours; we get to walk through the fire and the flood with our eyes fixed upon Yeshua, The FAITHFUL Author and Finisher of our faith, HE is our Provider and our Provision. HE is our sure Rock when all else shakes.
……………..
So…I wrote that far last night and today is shabbat. It is so wonderfully quiet inspite of the war continuing to rage…the pain, the uncertainty…the life and death situations…the lies and the truth all in a soup…and here is the still quiet of Shabbat in the midst. What a demonstration of how He calls us to walk.
As the days grow narrower and darker, it has seemed to me that discernment from God (as opposed to natural discernment)…by The Holy Spirit…is more and more necessary and indeed, part of the two edged sword. I was reading in Luke this morning as part of my daily reading and it struck me afresh how the demons KNEW Who He was, and spoke it and He FORBADE them to speak this ‘TRUTH…BECAUSE OF THE SOURCE OF THE KNOWLEDGE’! We see that as well in Acts 16 when Paul confronted the girl with the spirit of divination who was following him and proclaiming TRUTH (that Paul was speaking TRUTH) – YET THE SOURCE OF THE KNOWLEDGE WAS FROM A SPIRIT OTHER THAN THE HOLY SPIRIT! This is the discernment that I believe that we desperately need today. With so much darkness and narrowing of the path, there are so many ‘words’ being given out…very ‘spiritual’ words from some very ‘spiritual’ people…but only that which proceeds from The HOLY Spirit has LIFE in it, and with the path so narrow, a ‘small’ detour from His path can find us lost in the mud of despair and blindness and that is part of the reality of living in such a time as this. As the believing soldiers have asked us to pray that they will have that sharp gift of discernment to know which way to turn in the midst of battle, so we also are in the midst of raging battle and need His discernment desperately. I have learned that discernment doesn’t mean ‘judging’; there is a huge difference. Judging is soulish and comes from the mind and heart. Discernment is The Holy Spirit and is for US. It struck me as a good lesson that Yeshua rebuked the demons and commanded them to keep silent but He healed and saved those who needed to be delivered.
AND…as I came to the end of the book of Mark the other day, I was thinking about Barabas…and how he had committed murder in the insurrection. In other words, as Yeshua was moving on this earth, teaching, calling, breathing life…there was indeed tremendous political unrest going on around him; BUT HE DIDN’T ADDRESS IT! I speak with my sister (by blood) in the US, and other old friends and hear the spouting of anger, hatred, pride, rage, I notice that The Lord is leading me further and further from expecting the world to fix the world’s problems but more into letting Him live through me to draw people to His kingdom. I know that we are ‘in the world’ and must walk here…but not ‘of the world’…so our weapons are not the world’s tools.
Fine lines: His lines are the ones that we must find.
Isn’t it amazing that ‘His Peace’ is a direct command to us!
So, we are preparing for Purim. Purim, of course, celebrates the sudden overthrow of the enemy when it appeared hopeless. The message is not lost on Israelis today. When the command was issued that all of the Jews were to be killed, it says in Esther 3:15 “The couriers went out, hastened by the king’s command; and the decree was proclaimed in Shushan the citadel. So the king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Shushan was perplexed.” I can say that this is the same emotion shared by Israelis today as we listen to the demands of the world…read the decrees issued against us…wonder if everyone is blind…we are again ‘perplexed’. How can it be that so many do not see? How can so many believe lies?
Yesterday morning there was an announcement that there was ‘another massacre’ perpetrated against the Gazans by the IDF. A ‘mass slaughter of 50 – maybe 100 people trying to get food from the aid trucks.’ Thankfully this time Israel had the entire thing on film, distinctly showing Hamas shooting people approaching the trucks; but the world buys it and frankly Israelis are perplexed.
Years ago, during the second intifada, I explained that ‘hasborah’ is a Hebrew word that basically means ‘telling the Israeli side…our view of the situation.’ We are apparently not very good at it. Currently we have a sizable number of Israeli Arabs speaking out strongly, defending Israel’s situation. One of these brave people, Yosif Haddad, shared this morning an interview that he had done in America. He told them that Israel had eliminated more than 10,000 Hamas fighters. The interviewer asked him where he got his figures and when he said the IDF, he was mocked and belittled. So he asked the interviewer where he got the figure of 30,000 killed and he said from the UN…who got the figure from the Gaza health ministry…which is Hamas. This is totally perplexing to Israelis.
2 Kings chapter 6 tells the wonderful story about Elisha when Israel was at war with Syria. He struck the Syrian army with blindness (it is worth reading the chapter rather than me re-telling it) but this is my point; I do not want to be struck with blindness; so I am praying for a spirit discernment with a desperation in my prayers. It IS life and death.
I have really run at the mouth and I apologize for such a long letter.
I want to report that my little dog Gila is happier and healthier than ever and I praise God for His loving kindness to me in this.
I appreciate prayers for our daughter and family in Gush Etzion (Bat Ayin) and all of those in the areas of Judea and Samaria as the towns around them are being incited to violence during Ramadan. (as I write this there just came a red alert of a terrorist infiltration in my daughter's area)
If any of you are interested, I’ve included a few articles that have spoken to my heart.
May The God of Hope fill you (and me) with all joy and peace in believing, that we may abound in hope by the power of The Holy Spirit…and may we bring Joy to The Heart of Abba God, for He is good and His mercy endures forever! God bless you! Lovingly, me
can i really love my enemies (written by a friend)
many still had the expression of pain
March 6, 2024
THANK YOU FOR PRAYING! It truly IS a miracle, even in the midst of this time when we need \beg for so many grave answers...MY LITTLE OLD BLIND, DEAF DOG HAS BEEN FOUND! (after 6 days and stormy nights) Gila was found in Gush Etzion and brought to the pound. We can pick her up tomorrow morning. They said that she appears well. With so many life changing world event needs...He still hears our small sighs. I can not thank Him enough for this encouragement. THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!
THANK YOU FOR PRAYING! It truly IS a miracle, even in the midst of this time when we need \beg for so many grave answers...MY LITTLE OLD BLIND, DEAF DOG HAS BEEN FOUND! (after 6 days and stormy nights) Gila was found in Gush Etzion and brought to the pound. We can pick her up tomorrow morning. They said that she appears well. With so many life changing world event needs...He still hears our small sighs. I can not thank Him enough for this encouragement. THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!
March 1, 2024
“For thus says the Lord God of Israel to me: ‘Take this wine cup of fury from My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it. And they will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them.’” JEREMIAH 25:15-16
Shalom, brothers and sisters of the covenant given to us by God and sealed by The Blood of Yeshua The Messiah, kept by His Holy Spirit, for the glory of God alone. What a wonder! What a privilege! We are privileged to be part of His body in these last days, knit together by His Spirit for His glory…may we encourage one another…may we be found in the center of His will…may we be found faithful, beholding Him Alone. Above all, may He be glorified!
Today is day 145 of the war against Hamas, and I will not lie…it has gotten harder and harder. Pressure cookers are amazing devices; they cook under intense heat and pressure, softening the food inside and bringing out the purest of flavors, while bringing any impurities that might be still in the food…to the top. The pressure cooker of life does a similar thing; the ugliness comes to the surface, but if the heart has been pressed into tenderness, there is an opportunity to deal with it; to repent
There have been a number of ‘calls to prayer’ both among the religious and among the believers. Surely the country has needed to repent and be restored to our first love and to the fear of God…no one denies that. One such call to the entire body was issued about a week or two ago and it grabbed my attention; I felt that this one was ‘God calling us’. It was a specific call to the body in Israel…to the indigenous body, FOR the body here and for this nation (so it was not a call for the nations to pray for or with us…but it was for us to humble ourselves, seek His Face and turn from our wicked ways). During this time, between the call to prayer and the 3 days set apart, I felt that I wasn’t to write, but to seek His Face. The weight of the reality of the situation before us is … a path that we have never walked before. God’s dealings with us have been so ‘real’ that we dare not deny the fact that ‘This is God’. Will He have His place and His way in each of us individually and corporately or will we have to say with the prophet…(to me one of the scariest verses in all of scripture): Jeremiah 8:20 (19-21) “Listen! The voice, The cry of the daughter of my people From a far country: ‘Is not the Lord in Zion? Is not her King in her?’‘Why have they provoked Me to anger
With their carved images—With foreign idols?’ ‘The harvest is past, The summer is ended,And we are not saved!’
For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt. I am mourning; Astonishment has taken hold of me.”
“The harvest is past, The summer is ended, And we are not saved!’ I have always shuddered when I read that verse but now? If we don’t grab ahold of the center of the path and be led by His Holy Spirit ALONE, this could be the awful reality…for the nations HAVE INDEED drunk The Lord’s cup of MADDNESS! (verse at the top of this letter) The insanity that we see worldwide, is NOT political… it is spiritual and this battle can ONLY be fought in the Spirit (and dare I add that this war in Gaza is spiritual). And it MUST be fought His way, in His Spirit, with Him at the head; The Lord of hosts (armies).
The war is continuing and no one is untouched. I got a call from a woman who had been a patient of ours and I asked if she had anyone fighting that I could pray for. Her answer was ‘Five sons’. FIVE SONS! One of the believing soldiers has asked that we pray specifically for DISCERNMENT as (he said) ‘I need to know in a split second whether to turn to the left or to the right…whether to shoot or not…and we need HIS discernment.’
I was remembering when we first came to the land, in the first week, I picked up the small book ‘Appointment in Jerusalem’ (Derek Prince wrote it about his wife Lydia). She spoke about having to know His voice so as not to be shot going outside of her apartment for milk for the baby during the war of Independence…and He was faithful!
I have told you that the Palestinians name for this war is ‘Alaksa (mosque) Flood’, and that has stuck with me hard. I thought: ‘Jerusalem! How can this be stretched to be about Jerusalem?’ This morning, I saw this item on YNET Israeli news:
“Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in a speech on Wednesday called on Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank to march to the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the first day of Ramadan. Israel has said it will restrict certain Muslims from visiting the site. Haniyeh also called on the Iran-backed "Axis of Resistance" to step up their support for Gazans and said that the Arab world should act to end the starvation in Gaza. (Reuters)”
I recalled a video that was sent to me several days ago and I will include it below in light of the news clip above. Isaiah 59:19 says that “When the enemy comes in LIKE A FLOOD, The LORD WILL lift up a standard against him.” Yes He will.
In the midst of so many huge, life and death changes around us, I do have a personal request that might seem petty to some. I am thankful that The Lord IS merciful and remembers that we are but dust. On Shabbat I began to be so thankful for my little old dog, Gila. She is 16, deaf and blind but so happy and such a wonderful companion. I thanked The Lord that there was her little warm body in my home…another soul and that was a comfort to me. Since I expected to be gone some long hours during the days of prayer, and since Gila loved to run in the hills, I asked my daughter if they would take her for two nights. They happily did and she gleefully enjoyed it, however she may have decided that it was time to come home (?) to me or just ran too far and gotten lost…but she has been gone since yesterday morning and I would ask …in the midst…for prayer for my dog to be found…AND for my daughter and son in law to NOT FEEL RESPONSIBLE as they weren’t negligent…it just happened. I can’t bear to see them weeping. Thank you.
At the same time, it has turned to an opportunity to share with my son in law in a deeper way than I have been able to before, and for that I give great thanks!
I must get to sleep and so I will close. I know of a number of you going through extremely painful and deep waters. I believe that we do live in a day when the world has drunk the cup of madness and our world, and ‘our worlds’ are being shaken to the core. What is founded on The Rock will stand…even weak ‘you and I’ if we are on The Rock. In the midst of all of this shaking, thank you for praying for the working out of God’s purposes for and in Israel…and even for me.
Sometimes my emotions are pretty raw and if I have said anything that would offend any of you, please, please forgive me. I do not intend for my words to be used as a whip. I can see sometimes where my words might appear harsh and God forbid that I should hurt or offend you. Please forgive me and correct me.
With that I do send sincere loving blessings, and prayers. May our eyes be steadfast upon Him.
PLEASE WATCH THIS - CONSIDER THE TEMPLE
This chair is at the health clinic. It says ‘the empty chair’…waiting for those kidnapped…bring the captives home!
“For thus says the Lord God of Israel to me: ‘Take this wine cup of fury from My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it. And they will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them.’” JEREMIAH 25:15-16
Shalom, brothers and sisters of the covenant given to us by God and sealed by The Blood of Yeshua The Messiah, kept by His Holy Spirit, for the glory of God alone. What a wonder! What a privilege! We are privileged to be part of His body in these last days, knit together by His Spirit for His glory…may we encourage one another…may we be found in the center of His will…may we be found faithful, beholding Him Alone. Above all, may He be glorified!
Today is day 145 of the war against Hamas, and I will not lie…it has gotten harder and harder. Pressure cookers are amazing devices; they cook under intense heat and pressure, softening the food inside and bringing out the purest of flavors, while bringing any impurities that might be still in the food…to the top. The pressure cooker of life does a similar thing; the ugliness comes to the surface, but if the heart has been pressed into tenderness, there is an opportunity to deal with it; to repent
There have been a number of ‘calls to prayer’ both among the religious and among the believers. Surely the country has needed to repent and be restored to our first love and to the fear of God…no one denies that. One such call to the entire body was issued about a week or two ago and it grabbed my attention; I felt that this one was ‘God calling us’. It was a specific call to the body in Israel…to the indigenous body, FOR the body here and for this nation (so it was not a call for the nations to pray for or with us…but it was for us to humble ourselves, seek His Face and turn from our wicked ways). During this time, between the call to prayer and the 3 days set apart, I felt that I wasn’t to write, but to seek His Face. The weight of the reality of the situation before us is … a path that we have never walked before. God’s dealings with us have been so ‘real’ that we dare not deny the fact that ‘This is God’. Will He have His place and His way in each of us individually and corporately or will we have to say with the prophet…(to me one of the scariest verses in all of scripture): Jeremiah 8:20 (19-21) “Listen! The voice, The cry of the daughter of my people From a far country: ‘Is not the Lord in Zion? Is not her King in her?’‘Why have they provoked Me to anger
With their carved images—With foreign idols?’ ‘The harvest is past, The summer is ended,And we are not saved!’
For the hurt of the daughter of my people I am hurt. I am mourning; Astonishment has taken hold of me.”
“The harvest is past, The summer is ended, And we are not saved!’ I have always shuddered when I read that verse but now? If we don’t grab ahold of the center of the path and be led by His Holy Spirit ALONE, this could be the awful reality…for the nations HAVE INDEED drunk The Lord’s cup of MADDNESS! (verse at the top of this letter) The insanity that we see worldwide, is NOT political… it is spiritual and this battle can ONLY be fought in the Spirit (and dare I add that this war in Gaza is spiritual). And it MUST be fought His way, in His Spirit, with Him at the head; The Lord of hosts (armies).
The war is continuing and no one is untouched. I got a call from a woman who had been a patient of ours and I asked if she had anyone fighting that I could pray for. Her answer was ‘Five sons’. FIVE SONS! One of the believing soldiers has asked that we pray specifically for DISCERNMENT as (he said) ‘I need to know in a split second whether to turn to the left or to the right…whether to shoot or not…and we need HIS discernment.’
I was remembering when we first came to the land, in the first week, I picked up the small book ‘Appointment in Jerusalem’ (Derek Prince wrote it about his wife Lydia). She spoke about having to know His voice so as not to be shot going outside of her apartment for milk for the baby during the war of Independence…and He was faithful!
I have told you that the Palestinians name for this war is ‘Alaksa (mosque) Flood’, and that has stuck with me hard. I thought: ‘Jerusalem! How can this be stretched to be about Jerusalem?’ This morning, I saw this item on YNET Israeli news:
“Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in a speech on Wednesday called on Palestinians in Jerusalem and the West Bank to march to the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the first day of Ramadan. Israel has said it will restrict certain Muslims from visiting the site. Haniyeh also called on the Iran-backed "Axis of Resistance" to step up their support for Gazans and said that the Arab world should act to end the starvation in Gaza. (Reuters)”
I recalled a video that was sent to me several days ago and I will include it below in light of the news clip above. Isaiah 59:19 says that “When the enemy comes in LIKE A FLOOD, The LORD WILL lift up a standard against him.” Yes He will.
In the midst of so many huge, life and death changes around us, I do have a personal request that might seem petty to some. I am thankful that The Lord IS merciful and remembers that we are but dust. On Shabbat I began to be so thankful for my little old dog, Gila. She is 16, deaf and blind but so happy and such a wonderful companion. I thanked The Lord that there was her little warm body in my home…another soul and that was a comfort to me. Since I expected to be gone some long hours during the days of prayer, and since Gila loved to run in the hills, I asked my daughter if they would take her for two nights. They happily did and she gleefully enjoyed it, however she may have decided that it was time to come home (?) to me or just ran too far and gotten lost…but she has been gone since yesterday morning and I would ask …in the midst…for prayer for my dog to be found…AND for my daughter and son in law to NOT FEEL RESPONSIBLE as they weren’t negligent…it just happened. I can’t bear to see them weeping. Thank you.
At the same time, it has turned to an opportunity to share with my son in law in a deeper way than I have been able to before, and for that I give great thanks!
I must get to sleep and so I will close. I know of a number of you going through extremely painful and deep waters. I believe that we do live in a day when the world has drunk the cup of madness and our world, and ‘our worlds’ are being shaken to the core. What is founded on The Rock will stand…even weak ‘you and I’ if we are on The Rock. In the midst of all of this shaking, thank you for praying for the working out of God’s purposes for and in Israel…and even for me.
Sometimes my emotions are pretty raw and if I have said anything that would offend any of you, please, please forgive me. I do not intend for my words to be used as a whip. I can see sometimes where my words might appear harsh and God forbid that I should hurt or offend you. Please forgive me and correct me.
With that I do send sincere loving blessings, and prayers. May our eyes be steadfast upon Him.
PLEASE WATCH THIS - CONSIDER THE TEMPLE
This chair is at the health clinic. It says ‘the empty chair’…waiting for those kidnapped…bring the captives home!
February 14, 2024
“And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: ‘Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. 17 Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.’”
GENESIS 13:14-17
I greet you, dear brothers and sisters, in the most precious of all names, Yeshua h’Meshiach, Jesus Christ. May He be known, blessed and glorified and may you (and I) be encouraged in Him.
The week of blessing, GREAT blessing, that I had with our daughter ......visiting from London, remains in my heart with such a sweetness! I am filled with thanksgiving and am full of blessing. Thank YOU Lord!
How can so much have happened in a week, and yet it has. It ran through all of its colors and implications. I have used the words ‘juxtapositions’ and ‘surreal’…perhaps ‘bizarre’ is next? But it isn’t the right word. There ARE no ‘right words’ to describe ‘today’…the ‘now’ season that we are in that we never thought that we would be… except to write about it, with mouth half open…wondering if the picture can somehow be seen…while knowing deep inside, that it can not be. Our 1948 war of Independence lasted for 9 months, 3 weeks and two days. Today is day 131 of the Israeli Hamas War.
There was just a knock on my door as I wrote the above sentence, and my Estonian immigrant neighbor was there with a huge bouquet of flowers for me for no reason at all. See what I mean? How does that fit in with the breaking news that the war in the North has just begun within the hour…a civilian and a soldier being killed by rocket/missile fire from Hezbollah in Lebanon. Reports say that 5-8 wounded…damage done… and flowers come to my door. So WHAT is the word that I use for this fast moving life…a life where God’s Hand and Presence is SO evident…His MESSAGE must penetrate our collective hearts and it still has not, but I pray and believe that it WILL!
S..... and I had a wonderful week. I know that it is true, for I am living it, that just to spend TIME near your grown children ‘is enough’. There is something about being near them that is so comforting…and that is what we had. We had coffee together, did a puzzle (almost), she washed my windows and repotted my baby olive tree! She was here for a week and one of those days we went to E..... home in Bat Ayin (Gush Etzion…Judea and Samaria…called ‘the west bank’ by western news media) and there I was with BOTH of our daughters and 3 of our 6 Grandchildren and one of our two sons in law…WHAT A GIFT! The only other time that I have been to E..... new home it was raining and the fog was so thick that I could see nothing. This time we saw the incredible beauty of the area, and also how close the (very large) Palestinian village (really a city) is to their house. Y..... (son in law) showed me a cave that they found near the house that they could run into for shelter…may it not be…but I trust them to The Lord, Who has been our dwelling place in all generations (Psalm 90). How many times this week I have seen The Lord’s Hand so graciously direct our path.
We were walking home from shopping and I saw some balloons. I had gotten a message on our community WhatsApp group, saying that at 11:30 the new library would be dedicated. I looked at my watch and it was exactly 11:30 and sure enough, the balloons marked the spot. Standing behind the ribbon, was a council worker thanking everyone who had worked on the library; about 25 people had gathered. I don’t do well with stairs (there were only a few) and someone so kindly, and to my surprise, brought a chair up the stairs for me to sit on. After the speeches, someone sang a song and then someone cut the ribbon with a great flurry of old fashioned confetti (sort of blown through a paper towel tube). Finally, an elderly man came forward to pray a blessing over the mezuzah being placed in the front door lintel, and to thank God for the new library. It was such an interlude…’INTERLUDE’…perhaps that is it. The war has been so intense. People break under the pressure. The astounding unity that bound us together at first has appeared to be crumbling…and then…an INTERLUDE! Like…the miracle of the 2 rescued hostages! Smack in the midst of a growing heaviness, the news came forth while my S.... was still getting back to London…2 hostages were rescued in a daring operation! The country gasped as we began to take in the details…the precise work…the step by step pinpoint operation…each word that was spoken…watching as they were whisked away to their families. The word started circulating: The new Argentinian President had just come to Israel this week to declare his stand with Israel and to pray at the Western Wall…and the two rescued captives were (would you believe?) of Argentinian origin. People began making the connection that the president looked to God and prayed and God honored him. But ‘shhhhh’…people look at one another knowingly but not saying much because it only brings forth mocking and nobody needs anymore mocking…so people just smile at one another and pray. All that I can say is that it was SO encouraging! It happened at a moment when the people NEEDED encouragement to continue on.
The soldiers who were released for rest are being called up again. N.... and D..., I.... is still there, J..... still there, perhaps B.... will be called back…Please pray for N... (the father of the new baby) who’s best friend was killed the day after N... was released. That, on top of the rest of the trauma, has him deeply struggling.
I think that I wrote about this before, but yesterday when I was reading in Genesis I was again reminded. I’m blessed to have enough Hebrew so that I can read the Hebrew and English side by side and enlarge my understanding of The Word, since all of the ‘Old Testament’ was originally written in Hebrew which is very sculptural where English is linear. One word in Hebrew often needs many in English to fully describe it, so reading side by side is enriching. Years ago, I was startled to see that the word ‘hamas’ means ‘violence’ in Hebrew (Hebrew and Arabic are very similar), and indeed that IS the meaning of the word in Arabic…AND the name of the organization/philosophy that we are now at war with. As I read Genesis 6:13 a few days ago: “And God said to Noah, ‘The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.’” And looking over to the Hebrew, I started thinking about ‘the earth being filled with ‘hamas’. I have been thinking a lot about ‘life goals’, and ‘paths’, particularly since E..... left this life and here I am, alone with Him, suddenly EVERYTHING new and different (home, neighborhood, no work, no children nearby, war, age). Such sudden and drastic changes cause you to ponder the path. The goal of character traits…to ‘become’ loyal, quiet, faithful, loving, serious, honest, benign etc. – I have been thinking about this…and suddenly I saw ‘VIOLENCE’. For a people to embrace and become violent…how incredibly sad! Years ago I realized that if I tell a lie, I BECOME a liar. If I take something that is not mine, I BECOME a thief. I see around me people who have chosen to NOT ‘become victims’ because to become a victim is to become broken. I listened to an interview with a young soldier this morning who had lost his legs last month and he had no pity for himself. The interviewer was asking him what his goals were and he said to go back and to continue fighting in Gaza for the country. I watched a video of displaced young teens from the south who had lost their families and homes. They were from one kibbutz and atleast one was a released captive. They had been close on the kibbutz that they had grown up on which is now destroyed. The displaced people from the north and south have been placed around the country in apartments or hotels. The government has done an amazing job in keeping the communities together, even bringing their teachers to teach them in rented rooms…it’s pretty amazing. But many of these have lost everything…children with no family…no home. In this interview, these 7 young teen boys are together and planning! I didn’t understand all of it (language), but one thing hit me between the eyes: The youngster who was released captive was asked if he had any hope and he looked shocked and said forcefully ‘I NEVER lost my hope!’ I thought of the wonderful verse in Romans 15:13 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” How WONDERFUL! We not only have a CHOICE to CHOOSE LIFE (hope, love, quiet heart, honesty, loyalty etc.) but we also have THE HOLY SPIRIT Who came to bear the fruit of Messiah IN and THROUGH us! So we ARE equipped for this battle…we ARE able to stand, NOT in our own strength but in HIS for what will lie before us in our path. We do not battle it with our wit nor with our fleshly understanding but we “Trust in The Lord with all of our heart and lean not unto our own understanding. In all our ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct our path.”
So the world rages against us, the world banking system degrades Israeli financial standing, the Houthis strike the shipping, bombs continue from North and south and in our lifetime we are given the honor and the opportunity to see with our own eyes that God IS ALL WHO HE SAYS THAT HE IS!
May you be kept by His power and grace unto Himself for His glory.
Lovingly, your sister here.
“And the Lord said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him: ‘Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are—northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. 17 Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.’”
GENESIS 13:14-17
I greet you, dear brothers and sisters, in the most precious of all names, Yeshua h’Meshiach, Jesus Christ. May He be known, blessed and glorified and may you (and I) be encouraged in Him.
The week of blessing, GREAT blessing, that I had with our daughter ......visiting from London, remains in my heart with such a sweetness! I am filled with thanksgiving and am full of blessing. Thank YOU Lord!
How can so much have happened in a week, and yet it has. It ran through all of its colors and implications. I have used the words ‘juxtapositions’ and ‘surreal’…perhaps ‘bizarre’ is next? But it isn’t the right word. There ARE no ‘right words’ to describe ‘today’…the ‘now’ season that we are in that we never thought that we would be… except to write about it, with mouth half open…wondering if the picture can somehow be seen…while knowing deep inside, that it can not be. Our 1948 war of Independence lasted for 9 months, 3 weeks and two days. Today is day 131 of the Israeli Hamas War.
There was just a knock on my door as I wrote the above sentence, and my Estonian immigrant neighbor was there with a huge bouquet of flowers for me for no reason at all. See what I mean? How does that fit in with the breaking news that the war in the North has just begun within the hour…a civilian and a soldier being killed by rocket/missile fire from Hezbollah in Lebanon. Reports say that 5-8 wounded…damage done… and flowers come to my door. So WHAT is the word that I use for this fast moving life…a life where God’s Hand and Presence is SO evident…His MESSAGE must penetrate our collective hearts and it still has not, but I pray and believe that it WILL!
S..... and I had a wonderful week. I know that it is true, for I am living it, that just to spend TIME near your grown children ‘is enough’. There is something about being near them that is so comforting…and that is what we had. We had coffee together, did a puzzle (almost), she washed my windows and repotted my baby olive tree! She was here for a week and one of those days we went to E..... home in Bat Ayin (Gush Etzion…Judea and Samaria…called ‘the west bank’ by western news media) and there I was with BOTH of our daughters and 3 of our 6 Grandchildren and one of our two sons in law…WHAT A GIFT! The only other time that I have been to E..... new home it was raining and the fog was so thick that I could see nothing. This time we saw the incredible beauty of the area, and also how close the (very large) Palestinian village (really a city) is to their house. Y..... (son in law) showed me a cave that they found near the house that they could run into for shelter…may it not be…but I trust them to The Lord, Who has been our dwelling place in all generations (Psalm 90). How many times this week I have seen The Lord’s Hand so graciously direct our path.
We were walking home from shopping and I saw some balloons. I had gotten a message on our community WhatsApp group, saying that at 11:30 the new library would be dedicated. I looked at my watch and it was exactly 11:30 and sure enough, the balloons marked the spot. Standing behind the ribbon, was a council worker thanking everyone who had worked on the library; about 25 people had gathered. I don’t do well with stairs (there were only a few) and someone so kindly, and to my surprise, brought a chair up the stairs for me to sit on. After the speeches, someone sang a song and then someone cut the ribbon with a great flurry of old fashioned confetti (sort of blown through a paper towel tube). Finally, an elderly man came forward to pray a blessing over the mezuzah being placed in the front door lintel, and to thank God for the new library. It was such an interlude…’INTERLUDE’…perhaps that is it. The war has been so intense. People break under the pressure. The astounding unity that bound us together at first has appeared to be crumbling…and then…an INTERLUDE! Like…the miracle of the 2 rescued hostages! Smack in the midst of a growing heaviness, the news came forth while my S.... was still getting back to London…2 hostages were rescued in a daring operation! The country gasped as we began to take in the details…the precise work…the step by step pinpoint operation…each word that was spoken…watching as they were whisked away to their families. The word started circulating: The new Argentinian President had just come to Israel this week to declare his stand with Israel and to pray at the Western Wall…and the two rescued captives were (would you believe?) of Argentinian origin. People began making the connection that the president looked to God and prayed and God honored him. But ‘shhhhh’…people look at one another knowingly but not saying much because it only brings forth mocking and nobody needs anymore mocking…so people just smile at one another and pray. All that I can say is that it was SO encouraging! It happened at a moment when the people NEEDED encouragement to continue on.
The soldiers who were released for rest are being called up again. N.... and D..., I.... is still there, J..... still there, perhaps B.... will be called back…Please pray for N... (the father of the new baby) who’s best friend was killed the day after N... was released. That, on top of the rest of the trauma, has him deeply struggling.
I think that I wrote about this before, but yesterday when I was reading in Genesis I was again reminded. I’m blessed to have enough Hebrew so that I can read the Hebrew and English side by side and enlarge my understanding of The Word, since all of the ‘Old Testament’ was originally written in Hebrew which is very sculptural where English is linear. One word in Hebrew often needs many in English to fully describe it, so reading side by side is enriching. Years ago, I was startled to see that the word ‘hamas’ means ‘violence’ in Hebrew (Hebrew and Arabic are very similar), and indeed that IS the meaning of the word in Arabic…AND the name of the organization/philosophy that we are now at war with. As I read Genesis 6:13 a few days ago: “And God said to Noah, ‘The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.’” And looking over to the Hebrew, I started thinking about ‘the earth being filled with ‘hamas’. I have been thinking a lot about ‘life goals’, and ‘paths’, particularly since E..... left this life and here I am, alone with Him, suddenly EVERYTHING new and different (home, neighborhood, no work, no children nearby, war, age). Such sudden and drastic changes cause you to ponder the path. The goal of character traits…to ‘become’ loyal, quiet, faithful, loving, serious, honest, benign etc. – I have been thinking about this…and suddenly I saw ‘VIOLENCE’. For a people to embrace and become violent…how incredibly sad! Years ago I realized that if I tell a lie, I BECOME a liar. If I take something that is not mine, I BECOME a thief. I see around me people who have chosen to NOT ‘become victims’ because to become a victim is to become broken. I listened to an interview with a young soldier this morning who had lost his legs last month and he had no pity for himself. The interviewer was asking him what his goals were and he said to go back and to continue fighting in Gaza for the country. I watched a video of displaced young teens from the south who had lost their families and homes. They were from one kibbutz and atleast one was a released captive. They had been close on the kibbutz that they had grown up on which is now destroyed. The displaced people from the north and south have been placed around the country in apartments or hotels. The government has done an amazing job in keeping the communities together, even bringing their teachers to teach them in rented rooms…it’s pretty amazing. But many of these have lost everything…children with no family…no home. In this interview, these 7 young teen boys are together and planning! I didn’t understand all of it (language), but one thing hit me between the eyes: The youngster who was released captive was asked if he had any hope and he looked shocked and said forcefully ‘I NEVER lost my hope!’ I thought of the wonderful verse in Romans 15:13 “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” How WONDERFUL! We not only have a CHOICE to CHOOSE LIFE (hope, love, quiet heart, honesty, loyalty etc.) but we also have THE HOLY SPIRIT Who came to bear the fruit of Messiah IN and THROUGH us! So we ARE equipped for this battle…we ARE able to stand, NOT in our own strength but in HIS for what will lie before us in our path. We do not battle it with our wit nor with our fleshly understanding but we “Trust in The Lord with all of our heart and lean not unto our own understanding. In all our ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct our path.”
So the world rages against us, the world banking system degrades Israeli financial standing, the Houthis strike the shipping, bombs continue from North and south and in our lifetime we are given the honor and the opportunity to see with our own eyes that God IS ALL WHO HE SAYS THAT HE IS!
May you be kept by His power and grace unto Himself for His glory.
Lovingly, your sister here.
January 31, 2024
“You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” Revelation 4:11
I greet you in The Name of Yeshua, King of kings, Lord of lords, Savior, Messiah, The Way, The Truth and The Life. May He be glorified for the glory of God The Father of all.
PRAYER REQUEST 1. If this does take place, you will not hear from me ofcourse.
I apologize for writing again so soon, but I received a reliable warning this morning to be prepared for outbreak of war in the north with full blackout….....
“*ISRAEL PREPARES FOR NORTHERN WARFARE*
The Emergency Department of the Ministry of Justice has issued a directive to its employees, urging them to ready themselves for an imminent conflict in the northern region, expected to impact the electricity infrastructure.
UPDATE FEBRUARY 1: We received a notice that the alert to be prepared for blackout was false news and that the ONLY alert that we would receive would be from our home front command. I apologize for sending this one.
PRAYER REQUEST 2
I had requested prayer for our brother, my friend, who is a new father and who went to fight in Gaza right from the brit (circumcision) of his first child…leaving his wife and brand new baby alone in their ‘home front’ battle nearly 4 months ago. PRAISE GOD, he came home, released, on Friday (for now anyway), but we just got this from our Kehila:
“....writes: I am very sad to share that yesterday there was an attack on part of my unit in the Gaza Strip. The team was attacked and 3 were wounded, relatively lightly, but 2 were killed. One of those killed was a dear friend that I have been together with since my first day in the army, and he was our commander and officer in the war now. The funeral of Gavriel Shani will be at Har Herzl in Jerusalem, today at 14:00.”
Please pray for ...... He and all of the other released soldiers need to be restored mind soul and spirit…many in body too. Their bodies have been pumping pure adrenalin for nearly 4 months and the unity that they have together is something that defies description; each one is prepared to die for the other. He has now returned home to his first baby who is almost 4 months old and doesn’t know him…and his wife who has also been under great pressure. Thank you for praying for each of our brothers and sisters (as well as those who don’t yet know Him) whom God has spared and who now need to re- enter.
3-THIS ALSO, MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN, BUT IT IS AN EDIFYING PRAYER REQUEST;
Powerful Letter from Israeli Soldier on Front Lines in Gaza
PRESS HERE
So, as I send this, I also ask for prayer for our youngest grandson, who becomes 13 tomorrow and will have a small family bar mitzvah. Thank you for remembering my family in prayer. May we all be found in Him in His peace. Lovingly, your sis here.
“You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.” Revelation 4:11
I greet you in The Name of Yeshua, King of kings, Lord of lords, Savior, Messiah, The Way, The Truth and The Life. May He be glorified for the glory of God The Father of all.
PRAYER REQUEST 1. If this does take place, you will not hear from me ofcourse.
I apologize for writing again so soon, but I received a reliable warning this morning to be prepared for outbreak of war in the north with full blackout….....
“*ISRAEL PREPARES FOR NORTHERN WARFARE*
The Emergency Department of the Ministry of Justice has issued a directive to its employees, urging them to ready themselves for an imminent conflict in the northern region, expected to impact the electricity infrastructure.
UPDATE FEBRUARY 1: We received a notice that the alert to be prepared for blackout was false news and that the ONLY alert that we would receive would be from our home front command. I apologize for sending this one.
PRAYER REQUEST 2
I had requested prayer for our brother, my friend, who is a new father and who went to fight in Gaza right from the brit (circumcision) of his first child…leaving his wife and brand new baby alone in their ‘home front’ battle nearly 4 months ago. PRAISE GOD, he came home, released, on Friday (for now anyway), but we just got this from our Kehila:
“....writes: I am very sad to share that yesterday there was an attack on part of my unit in the Gaza Strip. The team was attacked and 3 were wounded, relatively lightly, but 2 were killed. One of those killed was a dear friend that I have been together with since my first day in the army, and he was our commander and officer in the war now. The funeral of Gavriel Shani will be at Har Herzl in Jerusalem, today at 14:00.”
Please pray for ...... He and all of the other released soldiers need to be restored mind soul and spirit…many in body too. Their bodies have been pumping pure adrenalin for nearly 4 months and the unity that they have together is something that defies description; each one is prepared to die for the other. He has now returned home to his first baby who is almost 4 months old and doesn’t know him…and his wife who has also been under great pressure. Thank you for praying for each of our brothers and sisters (as well as those who don’t yet know Him) whom God has spared and who now need to re- enter.
3-THIS ALSO, MANY OF YOU MAY HAVE SEEN, BUT IT IS AN EDIFYING PRAYER REQUEST;
Powerful Letter from Israeli Soldier on Front Lines in Gaza
PRESS HERE
So, as I send this, I also ask for prayer for our youngest grandson, who becomes 13 tomorrow and will have a small family bar mitzvah. Thank you for remembering my family in prayer. May we all be found in Him in His peace. Lovingly, your sis here.
January 29, 2024
“Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: ‘Return, backsliding Israel,’ says the Lord;
‘I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I am merciful,’ says the Lord; ‘I will not remain angry forever. Only acknowledge your iniquity, That you have transgressed against the Lord your God,
And have scattered your charms To alien deities under every green tree, And you have not obeyed My voice,’ says the Lord.” Jeremiah 3:12,13
Greetings, in The Name of The Lord, The Sovereign Creator…The Author and Finisher of our faith…but also of the entire story. May HE be blessed and glorified and known, and may you be edified.
Day 115 of the war.
My pointer finger on my right hand (the main typing finger) is bandaged in a huge bulky bandage. Suffice it to say that I’m thankful that the wasn’t cut off and that the bone was not hit, but I have not been able to type. So much has gone on since I last wrote; the grief of the death of the 21 soldiers at once (with 3 more on the same day in a separate incident); the funerals…the grief…the stories...this has been agonizing and the grief is like an open wound. Tu b’shvat (Israeli ‘arbor day’ celebrating the birthday of the trees) came as we were burying our fallen. “They thought that they buried us, but they did not know that we were seeds” was posted over a heart wrenching video of fruit trees being planted by the mourners bearing the pictures of each loved one…watered with tears. That resonated deeply within me! Is that a key? “They thought that they buried us. They did not know that we were seeds.” Oh Lord! Make us FRUITFUL for Your kingdom purposes!
Then there were the scenes at the Hague. It was encouraging to see the strong Christian presence battling for us, standing with us…worshipping! None the less we are worn by the constant worldwide drama directed at Israel and the drama within, thankful for those standing strongly with us…amazed to see so clearly that (ah ha!) THIS is how the Holocaust, that I was born out of, happened.
The first wave of critically injured soldiers are recovering enough to be released into rehab. We watch their brave progress on posts, and offer help as we can. The first wave of fighters are also returning home and dealing with the trauma of what they have experienced: Their families need as much prayer as they do. The Houthi blockade of the shipping routes in the Red Sea have complicated daily life; the north is heating up dramatically, while winter weather displays God’s powerful intensity as we shiver in rain and snow and yet wonder at His power. Across much of the world yesterday was Holocaust Remembrance Day (not in Israel), which has stirred MORE hatred toward us, as if that is possible. Oh my. It has only been 9 days since I last wrote but it feels to me as if months have passed.
When I cut my finger, I ran across the street to Y... to ask her to help me to bandage it; afterall, she is the mother of 9 and the grandmother of (she lost count) so I knew that she wouldn’t freak out; sure enough, she had no problem with gross. Ofcourse, that opened the door for a nonstop flow of food as well! (‘You can’t cook with that finger!’) Later on I went to the nurse and we decked it out with blue ‘band closures’ for the dressing so everyone loves my patriotic finger (which now looks like an Israeli flag). It will be fine and it doesn’t hurt (unless I bang it). Here is a gem of wisdom…ALWAYS unplug your blender before sticking your finger in it.
My youngest Grandson, ....., in London, is about to turn 13 on Thursday. That is quite a milestone for a Jewish boy because it is his ‘bar mitzvah’ (son of the covenant). In a traditional Jewish family, where the first covenant is the only covenant, the celebration can be nerve wracking and huge, but .... is shy and a son of the full covenant, so it will be just the family and me on video. What a season to be growing up in. Only God’s wisdom can lead us…may God’s loving wisdom guide him…our beloved seeds…life…the promise of love. In Judaism, he is now of age and responsible to read and understand and apply and display with his life, God’s Word. He is 13, in this present world.
That is what I was thinking about when I read the verses above in Jeremiah this morning [and I wonder if I can share this…express it…] WHY DO WE READ GOD’S WORD? Why do we seek to ‘do good’ and ‘shun evil’? I sat this morning with His Word on my lap and I thought…’Well…yes…we need to know Your directions (after all, You made us) …to learn Your way. We want to know His promises…But really…why do I read His Word? We all have seen people following Him and none the less having disaster befall them. We all know some really ‘GOOD’ people who have been tragically taken from us…many of us have ‘claimed a promise’ perhaps presumptuously, only to experience the opposite. And…many of us have seen those whom we thought were strong believers, many whom we loved dearly, fall away because they were ‘disappointed in God’. I sat before Him with this this morning; ‘Yes, Lord, I believe Your Word…but it is YOU Whom I want to know IN YOUR WORD’. My experience is that KNOWING HIM, there is no way that I can be ‘disappointed’. He is worth it. Job was a man whom God testified of that he was good and righteous in all of his ways (yep, that is written) none the less, we all know what Job went through. If being good and following the rules, even with all of our hearts, would guarantee us a painless life, most religious Jews would not be found in need of a Savior. But we are ALL in need of a Savior because we all like sheep have gone astray. As I read the above verses I thought about the GIFT of ‘repentance’ and I wondered why it is so very hard, when we try to ‘be good’ to admit that we missed ANYTHING. I watch my little granddaughter. She is a very good girl who wants to be good and do good and tries her best…but at TEN…she does make some mistakes (like kicking her 7 year old sister’s tooth out, thankfully it was loose) … and yet…because she tries so hard, she just CAN’T seem to admit that she was wrong. There is always an excuse…always a reason WHY she was really right. I SO recognize myself in that. I remember my oldest daughter talking to her 4th grade teacher who told her that maybe she shouldn’t try so hard to be ‘so good’ so that more kids would like her, and she asked the teacher; ‘Is it bad to be good? Is it better to be bad? We shouldn’t obey?’ The teacher was dumbfounded and seriously touched. But that leaves a question…if we really ARE ‘being good’, why don’t we just ‘always’ receive the promises? Why do bad things happen to good people (the old question) … why the Holocaust? Where was God?
I sat with my Bible in my lap. I told The Lord…I’m sorry Lord…I know SO LITTLE…but I want to KNOW YOU…and that is why I am here in Your Word. NOT so much to know the way, or the promises…but to know YOU…and thank You for the gift of repentance that allows me daily to start afresh.
I guess that I do feel that in many ways that describes Israel. Israel REALLY tries to ‘do right and good.’ It is always a shock to watch it twisted. I think that we felt that way when the Houthis entered the war. ‘REALLY? Now the Houthis hate us?’ The blocking of the Red Sea IS a problem. Nearly 50% of the shipping has had to be diverted around the cape of Africa; a much longer route. Some countries are boycotting us anyway, but we were told to expect prices to pretty well double within the next few months, so there has been a run on food. With our agriculture hit so hard in both the north (Hizbollah causing evacuations of northern farms) and the south (the Gaza periphery farms) due to evacuations, farmers called up to fight, and foreign workers having left the country, our crops have been left for the volunteers to take over. They are doing an amazing and commendable job, [I wish that I could participate] but it really isn’t enough. A friend asked if there were food shortages. I would still say no. We might not have everything that we want or are used to, and the prices may be higher, but we are not without enough food.
When this war began, Prime Minister Netanyahu said ‘We are fighting our second war of Independence’. Israel has been used to ‘quick wars’. I looked up the war of independence and it lasted 9 months, 3 weeks and 2 days (15 May 1948-10 March 1949)
I’m sorry that this isn’t a very inspiring letter, but I am tired and going to bed now. May we all truly be pressing in to know Him Who really IS THE ANSWER.
Loving blessings. May we all grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him. Love, your sister.
“Go and proclaim these words toward the north, and say: ‘Return, backsliding Israel,’ says the Lord;
‘I will not cause My anger to fall on you. For I am merciful,’ says the Lord; ‘I will not remain angry forever. Only acknowledge your iniquity, That you have transgressed against the Lord your God,
And have scattered your charms To alien deities under every green tree, And you have not obeyed My voice,’ says the Lord.” Jeremiah 3:12,13
Greetings, in The Name of The Lord, The Sovereign Creator…The Author and Finisher of our faith…but also of the entire story. May HE be blessed and glorified and known, and may you be edified.
Day 115 of the war.
My pointer finger on my right hand (the main typing finger) is bandaged in a huge bulky bandage. Suffice it to say that I’m thankful that the wasn’t cut off and that the bone was not hit, but I have not been able to type. So much has gone on since I last wrote; the grief of the death of the 21 soldiers at once (with 3 more on the same day in a separate incident); the funerals…the grief…the stories...this has been agonizing and the grief is like an open wound. Tu b’shvat (Israeli ‘arbor day’ celebrating the birthday of the trees) came as we were burying our fallen. “They thought that they buried us, but they did not know that we were seeds” was posted over a heart wrenching video of fruit trees being planted by the mourners bearing the pictures of each loved one…watered with tears. That resonated deeply within me! Is that a key? “They thought that they buried us. They did not know that we were seeds.” Oh Lord! Make us FRUITFUL for Your kingdom purposes!
Then there were the scenes at the Hague. It was encouraging to see the strong Christian presence battling for us, standing with us…worshipping! None the less we are worn by the constant worldwide drama directed at Israel and the drama within, thankful for those standing strongly with us…amazed to see so clearly that (ah ha!) THIS is how the Holocaust, that I was born out of, happened.
The first wave of critically injured soldiers are recovering enough to be released into rehab. We watch their brave progress on posts, and offer help as we can. The first wave of fighters are also returning home and dealing with the trauma of what they have experienced: Their families need as much prayer as they do. The Houthi blockade of the shipping routes in the Red Sea have complicated daily life; the north is heating up dramatically, while winter weather displays God’s powerful intensity as we shiver in rain and snow and yet wonder at His power. Across much of the world yesterday was Holocaust Remembrance Day (not in Israel), which has stirred MORE hatred toward us, as if that is possible. Oh my. It has only been 9 days since I last wrote but it feels to me as if months have passed.
When I cut my finger, I ran across the street to Y... to ask her to help me to bandage it; afterall, she is the mother of 9 and the grandmother of (she lost count) so I knew that she wouldn’t freak out; sure enough, she had no problem with gross. Ofcourse, that opened the door for a nonstop flow of food as well! (‘You can’t cook with that finger!’) Later on I went to the nurse and we decked it out with blue ‘band closures’ for the dressing so everyone loves my patriotic finger (which now looks like an Israeli flag). It will be fine and it doesn’t hurt (unless I bang it). Here is a gem of wisdom…ALWAYS unplug your blender before sticking your finger in it.
My youngest Grandson, ....., in London, is about to turn 13 on Thursday. That is quite a milestone for a Jewish boy because it is his ‘bar mitzvah’ (son of the covenant). In a traditional Jewish family, where the first covenant is the only covenant, the celebration can be nerve wracking and huge, but .... is shy and a son of the full covenant, so it will be just the family and me on video. What a season to be growing up in. Only God’s wisdom can lead us…may God’s loving wisdom guide him…our beloved seeds…life…the promise of love. In Judaism, he is now of age and responsible to read and understand and apply and display with his life, God’s Word. He is 13, in this present world.
That is what I was thinking about when I read the verses above in Jeremiah this morning [and I wonder if I can share this…express it…] WHY DO WE READ GOD’S WORD? Why do we seek to ‘do good’ and ‘shun evil’? I sat this morning with His Word on my lap and I thought…’Well…yes…we need to know Your directions (after all, You made us) …to learn Your way. We want to know His promises…But really…why do I read His Word? We all have seen people following Him and none the less having disaster befall them. We all know some really ‘GOOD’ people who have been tragically taken from us…many of us have ‘claimed a promise’ perhaps presumptuously, only to experience the opposite. And…many of us have seen those whom we thought were strong believers, many whom we loved dearly, fall away because they were ‘disappointed in God’. I sat before Him with this this morning; ‘Yes, Lord, I believe Your Word…but it is YOU Whom I want to know IN YOUR WORD’. My experience is that KNOWING HIM, there is no way that I can be ‘disappointed’. He is worth it. Job was a man whom God testified of that he was good and righteous in all of his ways (yep, that is written) none the less, we all know what Job went through. If being good and following the rules, even with all of our hearts, would guarantee us a painless life, most religious Jews would not be found in need of a Savior. But we are ALL in need of a Savior because we all like sheep have gone astray. As I read the above verses I thought about the GIFT of ‘repentance’ and I wondered why it is so very hard, when we try to ‘be good’ to admit that we missed ANYTHING. I watch my little granddaughter. She is a very good girl who wants to be good and do good and tries her best…but at TEN…she does make some mistakes (like kicking her 7 year old sister’s tooth out, thankfully it was loose) … and yet…because she tries so hard, she just CAN’T seem to admit that she was wrong. There is always an excuse…always a reason WHY she was really right. I SO recognize myself in that. I remember my oldest daughter talking to her 4th grade teacher who told her that maybe she shouldn’t try so hard to be ‘so good’ so that more kids would like her, and she asked the teacher; ‘Is it bad to be good? Is it better to be bad? We shouldn’t obey?’ The teacher was dumbfounded and seriously touched. But that leaves a question…if we really ARE ‘being good’, why don’t we just ‘always’ receive the promises? Why do bad things happen to good people (the old question) … why the Holocaust? Where was God?
I sat with my Bible in my lap. I told The Lord…I’m sorry Lord…I know SO LITTLE…but I want to KNOW YOU…and that is why I am here in Your Word. NOT so much to know the way, or the promises…but to know YOU…and thank You for the gift of repentance that allows me daily to start afresh.
I guess that I do feel that in many ways that describes Israel. Israel REALLY tries to ‘do right and good.’ It is always a shock to watch it twisted. I think that we felt that way when the Houthis entered the war. ‘REALLY? Now the Houthis hate us?’ The blocking of the Red Sea IS a problem. Nearly 50% of the shipping has had to be diverted around the cape of Africa; a much longer route. Some countries are boycotting us anyway, but we were told to expect prices to pretty well double within the next few months, so there has been a run on food. With our agriculture hit so hard in both the north (Hizbollah causing evacuations of northern farms) and the south (the Gaza periphery farms) due to evacuations, farmers called up to fight, and foreign workers having left the country, our crops have been left for the volunteers to take over. They are doing an amazing and commendable job, [I wish that I could participate] but it really isn’t enough. A friend asked if there were food shortages. I would still say no. We might not have everything that we want or are used to, and the prices may be higher, but we are not without enough food.
When this war began, Prime Minister Netanyahu said ‘We are fighting our second war of Independence’. Israel has been used to ‘quick wars’. I looked up the war of independence and it lasted 9 months, 3 weeks and 2 days (15 May 1948-10 March 1949)
I’m sorry that this isn’t a very inspiring letter, but I am tired and going to bed now. May we all truly be pressing in to know Him Who really IS THE ANSWER.
Loving blessings. May we all grow in grace and in the knowledge of Him. Love, your sister.
January 20, 2024
“…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,…” Philippians 3:10
Greetings to you wherever you are …all IN HIM…for we are His creation and for His glory…how awesome are His smallest of ways (in Proverbs He say to consider the ant). May HE be glorified, feared, blessed, seen. May we be encouraged in our tininess (for we really are tiny…dust).
I greet you today with musings…because I have observed such strange and wonderful juxtapositions over the past few days. It is really (to me) like whispers of the wind and I can only describe them; maybe you will understand.
I am so thankful! On Wednesday I got the steroid shots in my knees and shoulder. It is wonderful to be relatively pain free and be able to move, so (since they only work for about 6 weeks) I took the opportunity and walked for about 2 and a half hours on Thursday. The weather has been warm and definitely conducive to walking. We had some strong, drenching rains last week, so the colorful flowers and deep, living greens warm the heart with all of their vibrant beauty.
That’s when I started seeing (experiencing) these juxtapositions.
I stopped to read a small sign on an electric pole. It was a picture of a soldier, saying ‘may his memory be blessed’, stating when and where he fell. I stopped and read it. It wasn’t a ‘death notice’ but probably a sign lovingly put up by family to mark the 30th day since he left. I have not seen a sign like this before so I am certain that his family did it out of loving grief. I walked on, praying for the comfort and salvation of his family.
I headed toward the mall to buy some of the ‘bring them home’ dog tags for someone. I walk with a cane, just for caution, not really out of need. A man was getting off the bus in front of me and turned around smiling, waving his stick at me. ‘It’s GOOD to reach this age and keep walking!’ he said with a joyful grin. He proceeded to tell me his life story. I left him smiling and thought about how kind people have been lately. Inside the mall I also found people particularly patient and friendly. ‘Go ahead of me, please’ was something that I heard again and again …smiles abounded. This is NOT because somehow something is ‘easier’…but somehow as things get more difficult, there is more of a need for kindness and sharing burdens.
I went to buy the dog tags and the saleswoman was Arab. She perked up and smiled as she took them. ‘Good’ she said. The cost is all donated so you also get a 50% discount on any of these items (that she pointed to) if you would like, as a ‘thank you’.
The walk home from the mall is a couple of kilometers and I hadn’t gone very far when a woman came up behind me. ‘Hi, can I help you?’ she offered. I smiled. ‘No thank you, I’m fine.’ Soon she wanted to know where I was going, what house I lived in, how long I had lived there and what I thought of the neighborhood. I told her that I loved it and that God had brought me there. ‘Bless His Holy Name, yes! Only HE could have brought you. He knows and He takes care of us.’ That opened the door easily for a wonderful time of praising His wondrous ways together. ‘Do you know about Leket giving out fruit and vegetables every Wednesday? I will give you the number for Etie. She can help you get free meals and even help if you need.’ She asked me where I lived and when I told her that I ‘lived across the street from ..........’, she nearly jumped for joy and was sure that God had brought me (yes…I know too). ‘You know, just about everyone in this neighborhood has lived there for 3 generations…so we are happy that you are here’. What kindness continued until we parted ways…ofcourse exchanging phone numbers. Her name....... means ‘bay (tree of leaf)’.
Coming home, I looked up in the sky, and there was the infinity sign, made by two airforce jets. That (along with yellow ribbons) is the sign being used to remember the captives. We see them everywhere. It was massive above us…the never ending presence of the pressure in our hearts for those captive and their families suffering such agony. With the first birthday of little red headed baby ..... (his name means ‘young lion’) in captivity, reminders were everywhere. A friend told me that she came home and a small table was set with one tiny chair, a birthday cake with a candle…on the street near her house. I wonder if he is alive…any of them. It is truly cruel and agonizing. There have been more and more painful demonstrations…’FREE THEM NOW!’ as if it were a choice…in our hand. I remember the Gilad Shalit deal (perhaps I mentioned it recently, I don’t remember). We said that we could NEVER make that mistake again. One of the some 1,200 terrorists released for Gilad Shalit was Sinawar…the Hamas leader responsible for all that is now going on. For the release of the captives, they are demanding 3 things; an immediate cessation of the war; the release of ALL of the terrorists from all Israeli jails; and ‘a state’: In other words,…commit suicide. There is not one Israeli who would not give their right arm…or their own life (as many are doing) to release the captives. This hurts.
So…I looked up into the sky and saw the huge infinity sign and I remembered that God YES, knows where they are and He is not ignorant of this plight, nor is He uncaring. His ways, His thoughts, far higher than ours will be revealed in His time. Until then, there is much pain.
I had not heard from ....... for a week. That’s unusual. She usually starts the day with a ‘meme’ sent to my what’s app. She knows that we both are early risers. She was one of our younger daughter’s teachers and then also a patient at the doctor’s office where I worked. Her husband had post traumatic stress since the Yom Kippur war 50 years ago and she has had to care for him. She writes the horoscopes for one of the main newspapers (yep!) and one day told me that ‘I was very spiritual and God loved me.’…so…I got to tell her WHO HE was and who I was in Him and she said ‘interesting…hum…someday maybe tell me about Him…someday maybe.’ On Thursday I got a note explaining that she has been in intensive care with influenza, pneumonia, rsv, and heart problems. ‘God didn’t think that I was ready for Him to take me’ she said. I agreed. ‘Marilyn, when you get out of the hospital, will you let me tell you my whole story and why I know that He IS OUR JEWISH MESSIAH?’ I told her that she could say no and I wouldn’t say anything…but, praise God, she said ‘Yes please’, and so I ask for prayer for her.
AND…yes…there is more.
I spoke to another sister who had been to the ear doctor and had gotten to share with both him and the taxi driver…both of them taking FULL Bibles…AND…the water pipes in the house where I live broke and my landlords called a plumber who ALSO listened to them share and thankfully took a Bible!! WOW!!! These are 4 souls who seem prepared, tender and open! TODAY! THIS IS NEW!
Juxtapositions…like the tears for the captives…their mourners…the mourners for the soldiers…the hatred of the world…and hearts becoming tender. Juxtapositions.
I help with Shabbat School and a children’s project called for some short tree branches, but my hands are too weak to cut them. I spotted a neighbor trimming some trees and asked him if he could cut these branches for me. He was making them too long so I explained that they were for children in Shabbat school. He joyfully cut them for me and thanked me for letting him be part of a blessing.
..... (my neighbor from across the street) came by laden with more food than I could lift…oh my, Lord…this is all real and I am seeing it with my eyes and experiencing it…WHO IS OUR GOD? AND WHAT MORE COULD I WANT THAN TO KNOW HIM? And for my people to know HIM too!
Yesterday I went back to the mall for something that I forgot. A woman was at the top of the stairs giving out Shabbat candles. This is not unusual…this is done every Friday as lighting the Shabbat candles is considered a ‘mitzvah’ (command) and people care that we obey. I smiled at her and thanked her as she gave them to me and she handed me a small bag and said ‘Would you like two small homemade challot?’ Wow! ‘Oh yes! Thank you so very very much!’ We both smiled. I walked to the flower stand. Two sad looking young people were working there and I smiled at them and picked out some flowers. I handed them to the girl and she thanked me for buying them and I said ‘Oh no! I thank YOU for selling them! They are so beautiful and they give hope and joy and we all need hope and joy right now.’ She got big tears in her eyes and gave me a hug with the flowers and picked up a card on the table that said ‘A smile is worth 1000 good thoughts’ and gave it to me. I stood aside, waiting for a friend who was in the store and suddenly I felt strongly to give the flowers to the bread/candle lady. Ok. I walked over and handed them to her and wished her a Shabbat Shalom. Her mouth fell open. ‘Oh! Thank you SO much!’ she said. Only later did I realize that the flower girl had seen this…and…well…the whole area seemed to pulse with His preparatory presence…softening the soil…preparing hearts.
God FORBID that ANY of this should come across as if ‘I am so nice’ or ‘I am ANYTHING’. JUXTAPOSITIONS… feeling the seasons…may we not close the doors on His opportunities! There are, again, calls for changing the government…angry calls…no one changes a government in the midst of a war. The unity in the nation has been powerful and has been making hearts tender…the enemy does not want this.
Today, again, is sunny and warm and I was out walking. There are not many cars on Shabbat where I live now, but a car was coming and stopped right in front of me. Two weary soldiers were inside. One got out to be with his family on Shabbat. ‘Oh! BLESSINGS! Thank you so very very much!! Blessings and Shabbat shalom!’ I blurted out to them. They looked at me with eyes broken and passionate. “Shabbat Blessings to you!” they said.
May this season of His breath find us tender and seeking…ready and willing…obedient and listening. Thank you for praying for the revelation of YESHUA to the hearts of my people. It is promised…may NOW be the time.
Lovingly, your sister
“…that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,…” Philippians 3:10
Greetings to you wherever you are …all IN HIM…for we are His creation and for His glory…how awesome are His smallest of ways (in Proverbs He say to consider the ant). May HE be glorified, feared, blessed, seen. May we be encouraged in our tininess (for we really are tiny…dust).
I greet you today with musings…because I have observed such strange and wonderful juxtapositions over the past few days. It is really (to me) like whispers of the wind and I can only describe them; maybe you will understand.
I am so thankful! On Wednesday I got the steroid shots in my knees and shoulder. It is wonderful to be relatively pain free and be able to move, so (since they only work for about 6 weeks) I took the opportunity and walked for about 2 and a half hours on Thursday. The weather has been warm and definitely conducive to walking. We had some strong, drenching rains last week, so the colorful flowers and deep, living greens warm the heart with all of their vibrant beauty.
That’s when I started seeing (experiencing) these juxtapositions.
I stopped to read a small sign on an electric pole. It was a picture of a soldier, saying ‘may his memory be blessed’, stating when and where he fell. I stopped and read it. It wasn’t a ‘death notice’ but probably a sign lovingly put up by family to mark the 30th day since he left. I have not seen a sign like this before so I am certain that his family did it out of loving grief. I walked on, praying for the comfort and salvation of his family.
I headed toward the mall to buy some of the ‘bring them home’ dog tags for someone. I walk with a cane, just for caution, not really out of need. A man was getting off the bus in front of me and turned around smiling, waving his stick at me. ‘It’s GOOD to reach this age and keep walking!’ he said with a joyful grin. He proceeded to tell me his life story. I left him smiling and thought about how kind people have been lately. Inside the mall I also found people particularly patient and friendly. ‘Go ahead of me, please’ was something that I heard again and again …smiles abounded. This is NOT because somehow something is ‘easier’…but somehow as things get more difficult, there is more of a need for kindness and sharing burdens.
I went to buy the dog tags and the saleswoman was Arab. She perked up and smiled as she took them. ‘Good’ she said. The cost is all donated so you also get a 50% discount on any of these items (that she pointed to) if you would like, as a ‘thank you’.
The walk home from the mall is a couple of kilometers and I hadn’t gone very far when a woman came up behind me. ‘Hi, can I help you?’ she offered. I smiled. ‘No thank you, I’m fine.’ Soon she wanted to know where I was going, what house I lived in, how long I had lived there and what I thought of the neighborhood. I told her that I loved it and that God had brought me there. ‘Bless His Holy Name, yes! Only HE could have brought you. He knows and He takes care of us.’ That opened the door easily for a wonderful time of praising His wondrous ways together. ‘Do you know about Leket giving out fruit and vegetables every Wednesday? I will give you the number for Etie. She can help you get free meals and even help if you need.’ She asked me where I lived and when I told her that I ‘lived across the street from ..........’, she nearly jumped for joy and was sure that God had brought me (yes…I know too). ‘You know, just about everyone in this neighborhood has lived there for 3 generations…so we are happy that you are here’. What kindness continued until we parted ways…ofcourse exchanging phone numbers. Her name....... means ‘bay (tree of leaf)’.
Coming home, I looked up in the sky, and there was the infinity sign, made by two airforce jets. That (along with yellow ribbons) is the sign being used to remember the captives. We see them everywhere. It was massive above us…the never ending presence of the pressure in our hearts for those captive and their families suffering such agony. With the first birthday of little red headed baby ..... (his name means ‘young lion’) in captivity, reminders were everywhere. A friend told me that she came home and a small table was set with one tiny chair, a birthday cake with a candle…on the street near her house. I wonder if he is alive…any of them. It is truly cruel and agonizing. There have been more and more painful demonstrations…’FREE THEM NOW!’ as if it were a choice…in our hand. I remember the Gilad Shalit deal (perhaps I mentioned it recently, I don’t remember). We said that we could NEVER make that mistake again. One of the some 1,200 terrorists released for Gilad Shalit was Sinawar…the Hamas leader responsible for all that is now going on. For the release of the captives, they are demanding 3 things; an immediate cessation of the war; the release of ALL of the terrorists from all Israeli jails; and ‘a state’: In other words,…commit suicide. There is not one Israeli who would not give their right arm…or their own life (as many are doing) to release the captives. This hurts.
So…I looked up into the sky and saw the huge infinity sign and I remembered that God YES, knows where they are and He is not ignorant of this plight, nor is He uncaring. His ways, His thoughts, far higher than ours will be revealed in His time. Until then, there is much pain.
I had not heard from ....... for a week. That’s unusual. She usually starts the day with a ‘meme’ sent to my what’s app. She knows that we both are early risers. She was one of our younger daughter’s teachers and then also a patient at the doctor’s office where I worked. Her husband had post traumatic stress since the Yom Kippur war 50 years ago and she has had to care for him. She writes the horoscopes for one of the main newspapers (yep!) and one day told me that ‘I was very spiritual and God loved me.’…so…I got to tell her WHO HE was and who I was in Him and she said ‘interesting…hum…someday maybe tell me about Him…someday maybe.’ On Thursday I got a note explaining that she has been in intensive care with influenza, pneumonia, rsv, and heart problems. ‘God didn’t think that I was ready for Him to take me’ she said. I agreed. ‘Marilyn, when you get out of the hospital, will you let me tell you my whole story and why I know that He IS OUR JEWISH MESSIAH?’ I told her that she could say no and I wouldn’t say anything…but, praise God, she said ‘Yes please’, and so I ask for prayer for her.
AND…yes…there is more.
I spoke to another sister who had been to the ear doctor and had gotten to share with both him and the taxi driver…both of them taking FULL Bibles…AND…the water pipes in the house where I live broke and my landlords called a plumber who ALSO listened to them share and thankfully took a Bible!! WOW!!! These are 4 souls who seem prepared, tender and open! TODAY! THIS IS NEW!
Juxtapositions…like the tears for the captives…their mourners…the mourners for the soldiers…the hatred of the world…and hearts becoming tender. Juxtapositions.
I help with Shabbat School and a children’s project called for some short tree branches, but my hands are too weak to cut them. I spotted a neighbor trimming some trees and asked him if he could cut these branches for me. He was making them too long so I explained that they were for children in Shabbat school. He joyfully cut them for me and thanked me for letting him be part of a blessing.
..... (my neighbor from across the street) came by laden with more food than I could lift…oh my, Lord…this is all real and I am seeing it with my eyes and experiencing it…WHO IS OUR GOD? AND WHAT MORE COULD I WANT THAN TO KNOW HIM? And for my people to know HIM too!
Yesterday I went back to the mall for something that I forgot. A woman was at the top of the stairs giving out Shabbat candles. This is not unusual…this is done every Friday as lighting the Shabbat candles is considered a ‘mitzvah’ (command) and people care that we obey. I smiled at her and thanked her as she gave them to me and she handed me a small bag and said ‘Would you like two small homemade challot?’ Wow! ‘Oh yes! Thank you so very very much!’ We both smiled. I walked to the flower stand. Two sad looking young people were working there and I smiled at them and picked out some flowers. I handed them to the girl and she thanked me for buying them and I said ‘Oh no! I thank YOU for selling them! They are so beautiful and they give hope and joy and we all need hope and joy right now.’ She got big tears in her eyes and gave me a hug with the flowers and picked up a card on the table that said ‘A smile is worth 1000 good thoughts’ and gave it to me. I stood aside, waiting for a friend who was in the store and suddenly I felt strongly to give the flowers to the bread/candle lady. Ok. I walked over and handed them to her and wished her a Shabbat Shalom. Her mouth fell open. ‘Oh! Thank you SO much!’ she said. Only later did I realize that the flower girl had seen this…and…well…the whole area seemed to pulse with His preparatory presence…softening the soil…preparing hearts.
God FORBID that ANY of this should come across as if ‘I am so nice’ or ‘I am ANYTHING’. JUXTAPOSITIONS… feeling the seasons…may we not close the doors on His opportunities! There are, again, calls for changing the government…angry calls…no one changes a government in the midst of a war. The unity in the nation has been powerful and has been making hearts tender…the enemy does not want this.
Today, again, is sunny and warm and I was out walking. There are not many cars on Shabbat where I live now, but a car was coming and stopped right in front of me. Two weary soldiers were inside. One got out to be with his family on Shabbat. ‘Oh! BLESSINGS! Thank you so very very much!! Blessings and Shabbat shalom!’ I blurted out to them. They looked at me with eyes broken and passionate. “Shabbat Blessings to you!” they said.
May this season of His breath find us tender and seeking…ready and willing…obedient and listening. Thank you for praying for the revelation of YESHUA to the hearts of my people. It is promised…may NOW be the time.
Lovingly, your sister
January 16, 2024
“And when you pray, you shall not be like the [b]hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you [c]openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.” Matthew 6:5-7
Greetings, in The Name of The One Who IS SOVEREIGN, The One Who gives breath, and The One Who withholds breath and calls us to Himself. How good and merciful He is! SOVEREIGN…and HE calls us to know Him! We are so privileged…and so unworthy! May HE be glorified and may you be encouraged.
It gets ‘scary’ to speak…do you know what I mean? We live in a HOLY moment of time and, God forbid, any of us [me] should speak as Job’s friends. They were so religious and ‘right’ and thought that they knew, but they were blind and knew NOTHING about what was really going on. I hear many speaking this way right now -opinions and analysis - and I pray that The Holy Spirit will give me His Words…and that they will be as a song to comfort HIS Heart, because I believe that His Heart is crushed. I base that on the verse in Ezekiel 6:9…an astounding verse that only recently jumped out at me; “Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations where they are carried captive, because I was crushed by their adulterous heart which has departed from Me, and by their eyes which play the harlot after their idols; they will loathe themselves for the evils which they committed in all their abominations.” [I looked at the Hebrew and ‘crushed’ is an accurate translation into English.] Did you ever think of God’s heart being CRUSHED by our ways? It has been like a wave going over me. HE LOVES US AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CRUSH HIS HEART JUST AS HUSBANDS AND WIVES AND CHILDREN DO TO ONE ANOTHER.
It is DAY 102 OF THE WAR.
Israel removed the ‘name’, ‘Iron Swords’. This is no longer the name of this war. They said that ‘Iron Swords’ is the name of an ‘action’ and not a war. This war is not yet permanently named; it is being called the Israel hamas war currently. HOWEVER, it seems to me important to note that the Arabs have named this war ‘the Alaksa flood’! This is interesting since Alaksa mosque sits on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem…not in Gaza (I probably mentioned that Gaza is approx. 46 miles, as the crow flies, from Jerusalem) What has this got to do with the war in Gaza? My mind IMMEDIATELY jumped back to an event inscribed in my memory: Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza on the 12th of September 2005: Those were painful and fiery days. I have a ‘personal policy’. I try to listen to speeches rather than commentaries, interpretations and opinions. I DID listen to then Prime Minister Ariel Sharone’s speech when he announced to the country that we were unilaterally withdrawing from Gaza. When he made the announcement, there was immediate mayhem, people jumping up and yelling from every direction. What became indelibly impressed upon my memory is what happened next: He passionately burst forth with the words (I quote, although it was in Hebrew and not in English) “YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND!! THIS IS NOT ABOUT GAZA…THIS IS ABOUT JERUSALEM!!” My mouth fell open and I said to E...; ‘Did you hear that?’ At the time I felt that I was hearing something significant that I needed to remember…and now…as this war morphs before our eyes into something pre-planned and touching many borders, (perhaps the entire world) I think about that statement ‘This is about Jerusalem!’ and I hear the name that the Arabs have given to this war…Alaksa flood…Jerusalem flood…and I wonder and pray.
We are thankful that so many of you around the world are praying about the hearings at the ICJ Hague. One of the things that our Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said as he announced the start of the war was that this was the greatest war for our survival since our war of independence in 1948, and then he quoted the Biblical injunction: REMEMBER AMALEK! Nearly every Jew knows what this means. Nearly every Jew understands these words, so it seemed almost humorous to hear this quoted by the South Africans at the Hague as proof that we were planning to commit genocide! Isn’t it amazing how the precious Words of the Scriptures can be twisted. May we, as believers, handle the sharp two edged sword with wisdom and truth.
I was walking my dog the other evening and I watched a car drive up and park across the street from me. A weary, ragged looking soldier got out. Another neighbor ran up and embraced him. I did not know him, but I said ‘Baruch h’ba! Brachot!’ (Blessed is he who arrives! Bless you!) Many of the soldiers who have been fighting for 90-100 days are being released right now for a time of rest. It is painful to see the struggles that they are going through. I have a cousin (not yet a believer) who is a psychiatrist, an American trauma expert who worked for the US government as an expert during the Iraqi war and 9/11. I asked her how to help, because there are NOT enough trained people here and we will ALL be with people in need ALL the time. I feel strongly that as believers, we NEED to be available each time that we rub shoulders with someone who has seen horrors or experienced them or is still living through them. My cousin told me that in many ways it is like grief…how do we know what each grieving person needs? We don’t…but we can’t avoid them. We should be available to listen…to hug…to be silent…not to give advice. It is true that generally Israelis are a resilient people. It seems to be in our DNA somehow; get up and keep walking…legs or not.
Yesterday there was a terror attack in the middle of the country, the city of Ra’anana (where our oldest daughter first lived). It is in undisputed central Israel. One was killed and 18 injured, 4 in serious to critical condition. The two terrorists were not Israeli Arabs, but were working at a car wash with forged work permits. There were many children and teens injured…so today, children and teens went to the spot of the attack and danced and sang; yes, resilience is something special to see.
There have been a slew of recordings on Instagram of late; people’s last phone conversations with their loved ones. We hear people calling their mothers or fathers and crying from ‘safe rooms’ that they are going to die and they want to say ‘I love you.’ You can hear the parent’s calming voice saying, ‘Just breathe deeply…don’t panic. Stay quiet. It will be ok.’ and, following the sounds of terrorists, the phone goes dead. It is awful, but it is all around us. I wondered what I would say in such a horrible situation. This IS our reality right now…and yet, not for us believers, because this is not our kingdom.
Considering the changes that I have walked through over the past year and a half, I can only fall at His feet and worship Him for His tender care for me. In this intense season, I have something that I have never had since I met Him…NO responsibilities. I am free to seek His Face and to stand in the gap with almost no time restraints, and it has shown me what a weakling I am. This is no longer a time of learning and testing and so I must find the victory to stay in the place of prayer. After so many years of prayer meetings and prayer conferences, I’m finding that it is the scripture on the top of this letter that pierces my heart. (surely, ofcourse, there is the place for group prayer, I’m not saying that there isn’t) I know that for me, He is telling me to enter into the prayer closet …the secret place of prayer; where no one sees but Him. I am thankful for my ‘mini cabin’ with Him.
Yesterday was my 49th birthday in Him, and He has NEVER disappointed me, NEVER misled me, NEVER been any less than ENOUGH.
But I have a burning request for Him.
That night, 49 years ago when my life was about to end (and, praise God, ‘that’ life did!) He revealed Himself to me, unasked for, unsearched for…HIS NAME that I had never heard except as a curse word…came to me and there was no way that I could have turned away once I saw Him.
All around me, my people are calling upon God…The God of Avraham, Isaac and Jacob. And He IS drawing near to them. There IS a revival of Judaism going on here and it is real. But I have not heard of anyone…not one testimony…of someone having HIS NAME revealed to them as they cry out! I have heard of Arabs being told by Him His Name…but my people? Not yet, and I am longing, praying for Him to NOW rip off the veil, open the eyes of the heart, take away the prejudice against The Name Yeshua! In all that is happening…may The Lord have MERCY and reveal His Name…His Heart…His perfect Blood atonement!
Thank you for praying for my people, my family, HIS GLORY!
Loving blessings, your sister.
Below, I hope that you will see a youtube video…these are now so common…read the words.
I'M SORRY...I THINK THAT THIS MAY ONLY BE INSTAGRAM...(I HOPE THAT YOU CAN SEE IT)
“And when you pray, you shall not be like the [b]hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you [c]openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.” Matthew 6:5-7
Greetings, in The Name of The One Who IS SOVEREIGN, The One Who gives breath, and The One Who withholds breath and calls us to Himself. How good and merciful He is! SOVEREIGN…and HE calls us to know Him! We are so privileged…and so unworthy! May HE be glorified and may you be encouraged.
It gets ‘scary’ to speak…do you know what I mean? We live in a HOLY moment of time and, God forbid, any of us [me] should speak as Job’s friends. They were so religious and ‘right’ and thought that they knew, but they were blind and knew NOTHING about what was really going on. I hear many speaking this way right now -opinions and analysis - and I pray that The Holy Spirit will give me His Words…and that they will be as a song to comfort HIS Heart, because I believe that His Heart is crushed. I base that on the verse in Ezekiel 6:9…an astounding verse that only recently jumped out at me; “Then those of you who escape will remember Me among the nations where they are carried captive, because I was crushed by their adulterous heart which has departed from Me, and by their eyes which play the harlot after their idols; they will loathe themselves for the evils which they committed in all their abominations.” [I looked at the Hebrew and ‘crushed’ is an accurate translation into English.] Did you ever think of God’s heart being CRUSHED by our ways? It has been like a wave going over me. HE LOVES US AND WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO CRUSH HIS HEART JUST AS HUSBANDS AND WIVES AND CHILDREN DO TO ONE ANOTHER.
It is DAY 102 OF THE WAR.
Israel removed the ‘name’, ‘Iron Swords’. This is no longer the name of this war. They said that ‘Iron Swords’ is the name of an ‘action’ and not a war. This war is not yet permanently named; it is being called the Israel hamas war currently. HOWEVER, it seems to me important to note that the Arabs have named this war ‘the Alaksa flood’! This is interesting since Alaksa mosque sits on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem…not in Gaza (I probably mentioned that Gaza is approx. 46 miles, as the crow flies, from Jerusalem) What has this got to do with the war in Gaza? My mind IMMEDIATELY jumped back to an event inscribed in my memory: Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza on the 12th of September 2005: Those were painful and fiery days. I have a ‘personal policy’. I try to listen to speeches rather than commentaries, interpretations and opinions. I DID listen to then Prime Minister Ariel Sharone’s speech when he announced to the country that we were unilaterally withdrawing from Gaza. When he made the announcement, there was immediate mayhem, people jumping up and yelling from every direction. What became indelibly impressed upon my memory is what happened next: He passionately burst forth with the words (I quote, although it was in Hebrew and not in English) “YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND!! THIS IS NOT ABOUT GAZA…THIS IS ABOUT JERUSALEM!!” My mouth fell open and I said to E...; ‘Did you hear that?’ At the time I felt that I was hearing something significant that I needed to remember…and now…as this war morphs before our eyes into something pre-planned and touching many borders, (perhaps the entire world) I think about that statement ‘This is about Jerusalem!’ and I hear the name that the Arabs have given to this war…Alaksa flood…Jerusalem flood…and I wonder and pray.
We are thankful that so many of you around the world are praying about the hearings at the ICJ Hague. One of the things that our Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said as he announced the start of the war was that this was the greatest war for our survival since our war of independence in 1948, and then he quoted the Biblical injunction: REMEMBER AMALEK! Nearly every Jew knows what this means. Nearly every Jew understands these words, so it seemed almost humorous to hear this quoted by the South Africans at the Hague as proof that we were planning to commit genocide! Isn’t it amazing how the precious Words of the Scriptures can be twisted. May we, as believers, handle the sharp two edged sword with wisdom and truth.
I was walking my dog the other evening and I watched a car drive up and park across the street from me. A weary, ragged looking soldier got out. Another neighbor ran up and embraced him. I did not know him, but I said ‘Baruch h’ba! Brachot!’ (Blessed is he who arrives! Bless you!) Many of the soldiers who have been fighting for 90-100 days are being released right now for a time of rest. It is painful to see the struggles that they are going through. I have a cousin (not yet a believer) who is a psychiatrist, an American trauma expert who worked for the US government as an expert during the Iraqi war and 9/11. I asked her how to help, because there are NOT enough trained people here and we will ALL be with people in need ALL the time. I feel strongly that as believers, we NEED to be available each time that we rub shoulders with someone who has seen horrors or experienced them or is still living through them. My cousin told me that in many ways it is like grief…how do we know what each grieving person needs? We don’t…but we can’t avoid them. We should be available to listen…to hug…to be silent…not to give advice. It is true that generally Israelis are a resilient people. It seems to be in our DNA somehow; get up and keep walking…legs or not.
Yesterday there was a terror attack in the middle of the country, the city of Ra’anana (where our oldest daughter first lived). It is in undisputed central Israel. One was killed and 18 injured, 4 in serious to critical condition. The two terrorists were not Israeli Arabs, but were working at a car wash with forged work permits. There were many children and teens injured…so today, children and teens went to the spot of the attack and danced and sang; yes, resilience is something special to see.
There have been a slew of recordings on Instagram of late; people’s last phone conversations with their loved ones. We hear people calling their mothers or fathers and crying from ‘safe rooms’ that they are going to die and they want to say ‘I love you.’ You can hear the parent’s calming voice saying, ‘Just breathe deeply…don’t panic. Stay quiet. It will be ok.’ and, following the sounds of terrorists, the phone goes dead. It is awful, but it is all around us. I wondered what I would say in such a horrible situation. This IS our reality right now…and yet, not for us believers, because this is not our kingdom.
Considering the changes that I have walked through over the past year and a half, I can only fall at His feet and worship Him for His tender care for me. In this intense season, I have something that I have never had since I met Him…NO responsibilities. I am free to seek His Face and to stand in the gap with almost no time restraints, and it has shown me what a weakling I am. This is no longer a time of learning and testing and so I must find the victory to stay in the place of prayer. After so many years of prayer meetings and prayer conferences, I’m finding that it is the scripture on the top of this letter that pierces my heart. (surely, ofcourse, there is the place for group prayer, I’m not saying that there isn’t) I know that for me, He is telling me to enter into the prayer closet …the secret place of prayer; where no one sees but Him. I am thankful for my ‘mini cabin’ with Him.
Yesterday was my 49th birthday in Him, and He has NEVER disappointed me, NEVER misled me, NEVER been any less than ENOUGH.
But I have a burning request for Him.
That night, 49 years ago when my life was about to end (and, praise God, ‘that’ life did!) He revealed Himself to me, unasked for, unsearched for…HIS NAME that I had never heard except as a curse word…came to me and there was no way that I could have turned away once I saw Him.
All around me, my people are calling upon God…The God of Avraham, Isaac and Jacob. And He IS drawing near to them. There IS a revival of Judaism going on here and it is real. But I have not heard of anyone…not one testimony…of someone having HIS NAME revealed to them as they cry out! I have heard of Arabs being told by Him His Name…but my people? Not yet, and I am longing, praying for Him to NOW rip off the veil, open the eyes of the heart, take away the prejudice against The Name Yeshua! In all that is happening…may The Lord have MERCY and reveal His Name…His Heart…His perfect Blood atonement!
Thank you for praying for my people, my family, HIS GLORY!
Loving blessings, your sister.
Below, I hope that you will see a youtube video…these are now so common…read the words.
I'M SORRY...I THINK THAT THIS MAY ONLY BE INSTAGRAM...(I HOPE THAT YOU CAN SEE IT)
January 7, 2024
“Thus says the Lord to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held-- To subdue nations before himAnd loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut:
2 ‘I will go before you…I will give you the treasures of darkness 3-And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel.
4 For Jacob My servant’s sake, And Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me…I am the Lord, and there is no other; 7 I form the light and create darkness,
I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.’…22 “Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! …9 “Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ Or shall your handiwork say, ‘He has no hands’? 10 Woe to him who says to his father, ‘What are you begetting?’ Or to the woman, ‘What have you brought forth?’ ”For I am God, and there is no other…” BITS AND PIECES OF ISAIAH 45
To the glory of The Lord Who hides Himself (Isa. 45:15), Who IS Sovereign, Who IS Holy, Who IS Worthy of ALL that He asks…to Him may all glory and praise be; and may you be encouraged and blessed. Greetings, again.
Today is day 93 of the war. It is the 7th of January, three months to the day since this war began.
S... came to see me today. She is the social worker who visits me to help me to access the help that I get from Bituach Leumi (our form of social security). The last time that she was here, she was frazzled and wishing to leave the country. She had told me that she couldn’t bear to hear the sirens again…the sirens that terrified her as a child, and now she was dreading the need for her 13 year old son to be growing up also, in the shadow of war and terror as she had. This time she looked strong, although very sad. She was horrified by the world’s reactions, grieved to be standing alone in the face of a world that couldn’t understand the difference between good and evil. However, she was no longer talking about leaving, but there was a ‘resolve’ in her to ‘stand’. I was strengthened by seeing her strengthened.
I have not been able, physically, to be of much help in the ‘war effort’ so I have looked for ways to give. I found a restaurant that was making meals for soldiers and delivering them and I could give to them cash (not credit card or some payment mode). I called last night to make sure that they were still doing this and they messaged back, saying that they had to quit because the donations had dried up. ‘Oh no!’ I said. ‘If you start up again or know of someone else doing this, would you please let me know?’ And they promised to. I was sad that people are slacking off. It is true that there are some larger, more organized groups that have taken over much of the services, but it is good for the country when we all do our part, no matter how small.
In the midst of the ‘small helpers’, there are the ones who are giving their all. ALL.
I just went to hunt for ‘the number’ today…the number of how many have died to date…and I couldn’t find it. I made the ‘mistake’ of clicking on to the “Those we have lost” site, thinking that I would find ‘the updated number’…but there they were; hundreds of faces staring out, frozen in a last photo “She helped everyone she could, 22”, “he left 6 small children, wanted to be a doctor 37”, “he died protecting 10 children19” …STOP! GO BACK TO WRITING…it is hard to describe…what I am trying to describe…but I am seeing it and witnessing it, and, yes, experiencing it.
The first large group of reservists who have been fighting for 90 days, was released from service this week. I am thankful to report that N...... is home as is B..., my son in law’s 3 brothers, and S..... So I am learning some things about ‘coming home’.
I have learned that 40 soldiers have lost all 4 limbs. I have learned that over 700 have lost atleast 1 limb. We have never had such numbers! There is a huge need for people who can help them with all of the needs that they will face.
I have learned about one battle that saw 1,000 injured needing to be taken out by helicopter.
I have learned of 15 men sleeping in a room with a believing soldier who prayed for each one. Suddenly they all just ‘knew’ that it was time to wake up and ‘move’. Less than a minute after leaving the room in which they were sleeping, an RPG rammed through 4 thick stone walls and landed where they had slept. They said ‘We saw a miracle’.
I am asking for prayer for one believing soldier (whose son is still fighting). He was discharged after 90 days. He is in his mid-40s and has very important skills. This is his 3rd war…but he said that he has never seen such evil…never been confronted by this degree of raw horror and wickedness…of booby trapped bodies…of truth turned inside out. He seems to have returned home with post traumatic stress disorder. Because he was in such an intense part of the battle, his battalion was ‘sequestered’ for 2 days on an animal farm, with beds and good food and specially trained counselors. They were told that they need to face that what they experienced was not at all normal and that now they needed to return to normal life, and that although they won’t ‘feel’ as if it is normal…it IS…and war is NOT. They were told that if they felt as if they were losing it, they must only seek help from those who were there because no one else could understand what they had been through. He came home and couldn’t take off his uniform for 2 days. He slept in it…he couldn’t stand the quiet. He is a strong believer. How many are going through this without The Lord! Please pray for this brother.
Are the captives alive? No one knows. The suffering of their families mixes with the grieving families who have lost loved ones in battle for them into one huge groan/cry. It forms a prayer…that I can only pray WILL RESULT IN THE SALVATION OF OUR PEOPLE…which includes REPENTANCE. He surely has promised.
This morning I was reading Isaiah 45 (pieces of it are quoted above) and the absolute wonder of it overtook me! God gave Isaiah Cyrus’s NAME hundreds of years before he was born; that a Persian king would arise when the judgment of the people of Israel was complete: that this same king would call for the rebuilding of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem…would initiate it…would provide for it…would be so instrumental in bringing about the restoration of Israel…and in the midst of so many prophecies concerning judgment of Israel, God sends forth like lightening… PROMISES of BLESSING. JUDGMENT is a promise…and BLESSING is a promise: from the same God to the same people.
I also am reading in 2 Kings, Psalms, Matthew 5 and Ephesians. I HAVE A KING AND I AM A CITIZEN OF HIS KINGDOM…but I walk on this earth…I am in the world but not of the world…as you are. I must remember this as I pass the soldiers, the grieving; as I walk in the midst of real war…war that touches us all. Gaza is approximately 45 miles (79km) from Jerusalem as the crow flies. I hear the bombs…the planes…see the faces… We are all touched by this war…this hatred…this pain. Matt 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” He does not leave us without directions HOW we are to walk. Nor does He leave us to our own strength, but He even sent His Holy Spirit to live in us so that we CAN obey! Praise His Name!
The Houthis have effectively blocked the Red Sea shipping corroders for any ship that is entering Israel. That has cut our supplies. Every ship passing through must prove that they are not coming to Israel. We are effectively NOT receiving mail and many items are missing from the shelves. (no mail is getting through)
Many people are speculating about what God is doing. My main question is ‘Lord…what would You have me to do for You? How am I to walk?’ I trust Him with His plan…but oh I want my ears listening to Him so that I am where He wants me WHEN He wants me.
I am way late for bed again.
I stumbled across a diary of a soldier being written now…I ended up reading the whole thing. I think that it really shines a light into the world that they are living in and I encourage you to read it (a free book).
DIARY OF AN IDF SOLDIER
I’m also enclosing the link to ‘their faces and epitaphs’…
Thank you for praying, for your gentleness with me as I flounder my way through this time, trying to say what I pray that He wants me to. God bless you, encourage you, lead you and give you His discernment and His Light.
Lovingly, your sister here.
THOSE WE HAVE LOST
“Thus says the Lord to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held-- To subdue nations before himAnd loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut:
2 ‘I will go before you…I will give you the treasures of darkness 3-And hidden riches of secret places, That you may know that I, the Lord, Who call you by your name, Am the God of Israel.
4 For Jacob My servant’s sake, And Israel My elect, I have even called you by your name; I have named you, though you have not known Me…I am the Lord, and there is no other; 7 I form the light and create darkness,
I make peace and create calamity; I, the Lord, do all these things.’…22 “Look to Me, and be saved, All you ends of the earth! …9 “Woe to him who strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ Or shall your handiwork say, ‘He has no hands’? 10 Woe to him who says to his father, ‘What are you begetting?’ Or to the woman, ‘What have you brought forth?’ ”For I am God, and there is no other…” BITS AND PIECES OF ISAIAH 45
To the glory of The Lord Who hides Himself (Isa. 45:15), Who IS Sovereign, Who IS Holy, Who IS Worthy of ALL that He asks…to Him may all glory and praise be; and may you be encouraged and blessed. Greetings, again.
Today is day 93 of the war. It is the 7th of January, three months to the day since this war began.
S... came to see me today. She is the social worker who visits me to help me to access the help that I get from Bituach Leumi (our form of social security). The last time that she was here, she was frazzled and wishing to leave the country. She had told me that she couldn’t bear to hear the sirens again…the sirens that terrified her as a child, and now she was dreading the need for her 13 year old son to be growing up also, in the shadow of war and terror as she had. This time she looked strong, although very sad. She was horrified by the world’s reactions, grieved to be standing alone in the face of a world that couldn’t understand the difference between good and evil. However, she was no longer talking about leaving, but there was a ‘resolve’ in her to ‘stand’. I was strengthened by seeing her strengthened.
I have not been able, physically, to be of much help in the ‘war effort’ so I have looked for ways to give. I found a restaurant that was making meals for soldiers and delivering them and I could give to them cash (not credit card or some payment mode). I called last night to make sure that they were still doing this and they messaged back, saying that they had to quit because the donations had dried up. ‘Oh no!’ I said. ‘If you start up again or know of someone else doing this, would you please let me know?’ And they promised to. I was sad that people are slacking off. It is true that there are some larger, more organized groups that have taken over much of the services, but it is good for the country when we all do our part, no matter how small.
In the midst of the ‘small helpers’, there are the ones who are giving their all. ALL.
I just went to hunt for ‘the number’ today…the number of how many have died to date…and I couldn’t find it. I made the ‘mistake’ of clicking on to the “Those we have lost” site, thinking that I would find ‘the updated number’…but there they were; hundreds of faces staring out, frozen in a last photo “She helped everyone she could, 22”, “he left 6 small children, wanted to be a doctor 37”, “he died protecting 10 children19” …STOP! GO BACK TO WRITING…it is hard to describe…what I am trying to describe…but I am seeing it and witnessing it, and, yes, experiencing it.
The first large group of reservists who have been fighting for 90 days, was released from service this week. I am thankful to report that N...... is home as is B..., my son in law’s 3 brothers, and S..... So I am learning some things about ‘coming home’.
I have learned that 40 soldiers have lost all 4 limbs. I have learned that over 700 have lost atleast 1 limb. We have never had such numbers! There is a huge need for people who can help them with all of the needs that they will face.
I have learned about one battle that saw 1,000 injured needing to be taken out by helicopter.
I have learned of 15 men sleeping in a room with a believing soldier who prayed for each one. Suddenly they all just ‘knew’ that it was time to wake up and ‘move’. Less than a minute after leaving the room in which they were sleeping, an RPG rammed through 4 thick stone walls and landed where they had slept. They said ‘We saw a miracle’.
I am asking for prayer for one believing soldier (whose son is still fighting). He was discharged after 90 days. He is in his mid-40s and has very important skills. This is his 3rd war…but he said that he has never seen such evil…never been confronted by this degree of raw horror and wickedness…of booby trapped bodies…of truth turned inside out. He seems to have returned home with post traumatic stress disorder. Because he was in such an intense part of the battle, his battalion was ‘sequestered’ for 2 days on an animal farm, with beds and good food and specially trained counselors. They were told that they need to face that what they experienced was not at all normal and that now they needed to return to normal life, and that although they won’t ‘feel’ as if it is normal…it IS…and war is NOT. They were told that if they felt as if they were losing it, they must only seek help from those who were there because no one else could understand what they had been through. He came home and couldn’t take off his uniform for 2 days. He slept in it…he couldn’t stand the quiet. He is a strong believer. How many are going through this without The Lord! Please pray for this brother.
Are the captives alive? No one knows. The suffering of their families mixes with the grieving families who have lost loved ones in battle for them into one huge groan/cry. It forms a prayer…that I can only pray WILL RESULT IN THE SALVATION OF OUR PEOPLE…which includes REPENTANCE. He surely has promised.
This morning I was reading Isaiah 45 (pieces of it are quoted above) and the absolute wonder of it overtook me! God gave Isaiah Cyrus’s NAME hundreds of years before he was born; that a Persian king would arise when the judgment of the people of Israel was complete: that this same king would call for the rebuilding of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem…would initiate it…would provide for it…would be so instrumental in bringing about the restoration of Israel…and in the midst of so many prophecies concerning judgment of Israel, God sends forth like lightening… PROMISES of BLESSING. JUDGMENT is a promise…and BLESSING is a promise: from the same God to the same people.
I also am reading in 2 Kings, Psalms, Matthew 5 and Ephesians. I HAVE A KING AND I AM A CITIZEN OF HIS KINGDOM…but I walk on this earth…I am in the world but not of the world…as you are. I must remember this as I pass the soldiers, the grieving; as I walk in the midst of real war…war that touches us all. Gaza is approximately 45 miles (79km) from Jerusalem as the crow flies. I hear the bombs…the planes…see the faces… We are all touched by this war…this hatred…this pain. Matt 5:14-16 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” He does not leave us without directions HOW we are to walk. Nor does He leave us to our own strength, but He even sent His Holy Spirit to live in us so that we CAN obey! Praise His Name!
The Houthis have effectively blocked the Red Sea shipping corroders for any ship that is entering Israel. That has cut our supplies. Every ship passing through must prove that they are not coming to Israel. We are effectively NOT receiving mail and many items are missing from the shelves. (no mail is getting through)
Many people are speculating about what God is doing. My main question is ‘Lord…what would You have me to do for You? How am I to walk?’ I trust Him with His plan…but oh I want my ears listening to Him so that I am where He wants me WHEN He wants me.
I am way late for bed again.
I stumbled across a diary of a soldier being written now…I ended up reading the whole thing. I think that it really shines a light into the world that they are living in and I encourage you to read it (a free book).
DIARY OF AN IDF SOLDIER
I’m also enclosing the link to ‘their faces and epitaphs’…
Thank you for praying, for your gentleness with me as I flounder my way through this time, trying to say what I pray that He wants me to. God bless you, encourage you, lead you and give you His discernment and His Light.
Lovingly, your sister here.
THOSE WE HAVE LOST
December 31, 2023
OOPS...forgot...again...
A... is a wonderful believer...in our kehila....... She is a registered nurse but has recently felt that The Lord wanted her and a team of designers that she works with to design bedrooms for all of the newly orphaned children. She said that she felt as if it were important to give these children a place that was safe and warm and embracing. I agree. She has put some things up online, including the results of the first bedroom. If you would like to check out or support this special work, please let me know and I will put you in touch with them.
ZION - may we remember His promises
yes...another (short) update - 31.Dec, 23
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” The Revelation 1:1-3
“For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19
Greetings again so quickly in HIS NAME WHO IS THE ALEF AND THE TAV… WHO WAS, AND WHO IS, AND WHO IS TO COME…AND WHO IS HOLY! He Is The One Who made time and Who marks time…and the days and the seasons are in His Hands. May He be glorified and blessed in few words, enlarged by Him. Please forgive me for writing again so soon…but yesterday there was a ‘mistake’ and a few things omitted, and the events on the ground here are moving SO rapidly that the above scriptures seemed exceedingly appropriate for today. [And OFCOURSE I did NOT use that scripture as applied to anything which I am writing…It IS the revelation of Yeshua given to His servant John.]
First, I’m sorry that I wasn’t clear about my situation. I am home. I have no way to access email from the hospital, so if you receive any email from me, I am not in the hospital. I’m sorry for not being clearer. I was only in the emergency room for that one day and was not hospitalized. I still don’t know what the problem is and my family doctor is following up. Thank you for your concern AND prayers.
I had forgotten to send a couple of things that I wanted to share. I receive and see so many amazing things (and many of you do too) but it is too much…and my belief is that we need to be looking at HIM and to be careful to keep His Face from being fogged by the input of information (Even good and Godly information). Having said that…I KNOW that I am to bear witness to what I see…hear…feel here…and right now it is both agonizing and intense…and I am having difficulty sharing. I am sending you a link to a…hum…all I can call it is a musical prayer/scream ‘blasted’ to GOD by secular and religious musicians who joined together in Caesarea. Please listen…it’s gut wrenching. Speaking of gut-wrenching, I passed a public bench today near a bus stop with the photo of a young man taken captive. The hand written sign reads “23rd birthday of Evyatar – 83 days in captivity.” Finally, there is another gut-wrenching interview with M.., a young woman who was released from captivity. (don’t expect a ‘Godly interview’, it isn’t) Several of those released are speaking out in interviews and it is heartbreaking. She says something that I think everyone needs to hear…about the ‘innocents’ in Gaza.
And I leave you with a gem that a sister gave me as we were discussing scriptures. I think that all of us have known (or even been) people who look for a ‘shortcut formula’ to walking with The Lord. She told me that she learned that there is scripture that is ‘descriptive’ and not ‘prescriptive’ and that touched me. Sometimes we read something that is the perfect key for a particular deliverance and we fall into the trap of thinking that it is ‘THE KEY’ to every similar situation. May we not be hindered in this year to come from seeking His Face in every situation.
For those who are praying into this situation…the Yemenite Houthis have been much more aggressively attacking shipping through the Red Sea over the past 24 hours. China and North Korea are also weighing in. Our Northern border is very active. Thank you for praying for our soldiers.
May we be found in Him, doing His bidding, in His Peace for His glory as we mark the days…
Lovingly, your sister
LINK - BRING THEM HOME CONCERT INTERVIEW WITH RELEASED CAPTIVE MIA SCHEM
A... is a wonderful believer...in our kehila....... She is a registered nurse but has recently felt that The Lord wanted her and a team of designers that she works with to design bedrooms for all of the newly orphaned children. She said that she felt as if it were important to give these children a place that was safe and warm and embracing. I agree. She has put some things up online, including the results of the first bedroom. If you would like to check out or support this special work, please let me know and I will put you in touch with them.
ZION - may we remember His promises
yes...another (short) update - 31.Dec, 23
“The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants—things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John, who bore witness to the word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.” The Revelation 1:1-3
“For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19
Greetings again so quickly in HIS NAME WHO IS THE ALEF AND THE TAV… WHO WAS, AND WHO IS, AND WHO IS TO COME…AND WHO IS HOLY! He Is The One Who made time and Who marks time…and the days and the seasons are in His Hands. May He be glorified and blessed in few words, enlarged by Him. Please forgive me for writing again so soon…but yesterday there was a ‘mistake’ and a few things omitted, and the events on the ground here are moving SO rapidly that the above scriptures seemed exceedingly appropriate for today. [And OFCOURSE I did NOT use that scripture as applied to anything which I am writing…It IS the revelation of Yeshua given to His servant John.]
First, I’m sorry that I wasn’t clear about my situation. I am home. I have no way to access email from the hospital, so if you receive any email from me, I am not in the hospital. I’m sorry for not being clearer. I was only in the emergency room for that one day and was not hospitalized. I still don’t know what the problem is and my family doctor is following up. Thank you for your concern AND prayers.
I had forgotten to send a couple of things that I wanted to share. I receive and see so many amazing things (and many of you do too) but it is too much…and my belief is that we need to be looking at HIM and to be careful to keep His Face from being fogged by the input of information (Even good and Godly information). Having said that…I KNOW that I am to bear witness to what I see…hear…feel here…and right now it is both agonizing and intense…and I am having difficulty sharing. I am sending you a link to a…hum…all I can call it is a musical prayer/scream ‘blasted’ to GOD by secular and religious musicians who joined together in Caesarea. Please listen…it’s gut wrenching. Speaking of gut-wrenching, I passed a public bench today near a bus stop with the photo of a young man taken captive. The hand written sign reads “23rd birthday of Evyatar – 83 days in captivity.” Finally, there is another gut-wrenching interview with M.., a young woman who was released from captivity. (don’t expect a ‘Godly interview’, it isn’t) Several of those released are speaking out in interviews and it is heartbreaking. She says something that I think everyone needs to hear…about the ‘innocents’ in Gaza.
And I leave you with a gem that a sister gave me as we were discussing scriptures. I think that all of us have known (or even been) people who look for a ‘shortcut formula’ to walking with The Lord. She told me that she learned that there is scripture that is ‘descriptive’ and not ‘prescriptive’ and that touched me. Sometimes we read something that is the perfect key for a particular deliverance and we fall into the trap of thinking that it is ‘THE KEY’ to every similar situation. May we not be hindered in this year to come from seeking His Face in every situation.
For those who are praying into this situation…the Yemenite Houthis have been much more aggressively attacking shipping through the Red Sea over the past 24 hours. China and North Korea are also weighing in. Our Northern border is very active. Thank you for praying for our soldiers.
May we be found in Him, doing His bidding, in His Peace for His glory as we mark the days…
Lovingly, your sister
LINK - BRING THEM HOME CONCERT INTERVIEW WITH RELEASED CAPTIVE MIA SCHEM
December 30, 2023
“Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him, “Rabboni!” (which is to say, Teacher).”[in Hebrew this would be translated: ‘Yeshua said to her ‘Miriam!’ She turned and said to HIM Rabbi!’] John 20:16
“And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” John 20:26
To the glory of HIM Who formed the worlds, set the boundaries of the earth, changes the seasons and yet numbers every hair on our heads as well as our days on this earth, to HIM Who must ALONE receive ALL of the glory, to HIM I write this letter, and to you His other servants…may you be blessed and encouraged.
I reached for one of the blessed grapefruits that I received from Leket Yisrael (the food rescue group that gives harvested fruit and vegetables). Three of them were lovely and smooth, but one of them was ‘ugly’…perhaps it had lain on the ground or pressed against the trunk of the tree, but half of it was harder than the other. It was a particularly sweet grapefruit and it soon had me praising God and remembering. I’m so thankful for His school of creation…the intuitive school that He gave silently and freely. Growing up in the asphalt jungle of NYC, I coveted every square inch of earth. I remember as a small child taking a magnifying glass to see what was growing out of the ½ inch of earth between the squares of sidewalk. I loved animals and nature and was sure that I would grow up to be a veterinarian. I brought home a sick pigeon and to my families’ chagrin, we ended up getting painful shots at the health department because the pigeon had some disease deadly to humans (and pigeons). When I left NYC and lived on an Indian reservation in Washington state, those poor, patient people could not believe my stupidity when it came to knowing how to live. I swallowed my pride and so wanted to learn all that they could teach me. Most importantly, they taught me to BE QUIET and LOOK TO SEE.
Well…I wrote the above paragraph last Thursday night, and I have no idea where I was going with it. I ended up in the emergency room Friday morning. I have battled extremely low blood pressure for quite awhile, but on Friday morning, it soared to dangerous levels. After ruling out heart attack and stroke, I got to lay on a very uncomfortable bed in a hallway in the midst of the chaos of human drama. Soldiers came in off of the battle field; not the traumatic injuries. They go to a special area; but the ones who stumbled and broke their foot or came down with the flu or had appendicitis. There were many old people mixed in with all ages experiencing personal crisis. I was acutely aware of the fact that I was the only one there alone. I knew that there was a big temptation for have a pity party and I was choosing to have none of it…but the battle was waged. It wasn’t my choice, but, just like Israel, suddenly there was a REAL existential battle imposed, and when that happens, one must either fight for their lives or give up and die, because the ‘test’ is over and the ‘reality’ is what we have. It IS that way for Israel right now, and it was the same for me in the emergency room and continues; there is no room any longer for fleshly failures…it is a battle for the soul itself. The test is over and this is the reality and I can not fight the battles before me if I am indulging the temptation to have a pity party. The enemy knows that and makes the temptation attractive [even ‘fair’!] but thankfully I can see how the enemy is using my flesh to render me useless in the bigger battle…so…I have a battle on two fronts. So does Israel now.
Actually, Israel’s battle is on many more fronts than that. We are actively fighting in Gaza in the South, and with Hezbollah on our Northern border, but we have the Houthis (Yemen) attacking in the Red Sea, Iran and Iraq attacking through proxies in Lebanon and Syria, with support of Turkey and Russia behind the scenes…it is existential. On top of that, the political battle, which SHOULD be totally silenced until the end of the war, has glommed on to painfully raw emotion of the families of the captives, creating discord within. Yes…this is a REAL battle for survival and we somehow know that it is HUGE.
And yet in the midst there are signposts and fingerprints…like the star in the east directing the wise men to The Answer.
A very funny thing (perhaps my sense of humor is warped!) happened this Christmas. It has happened many times at Christmas over the years, but THIS YEAR it was particularly extravagant: It is the fight over ‘who does Jesus belong to!?!’. Now, MOST of you understand that Jews generally do not tolerate The Name of Jesus…whether it is the English version of Jesus or the Hebrew of Yeshua, it makes no difference. Grievously, over 2,000 years ago, we rejected HIM as our Messiah, and His Name has been cast out among our people even until now – except to whom He has revealed Himself…to those too few among us. HOWEVER…This year the ‘from the river to the sea’ movement laid claim upon Him, loudly proclaiming: ‘Jesus is Palestinian’ and THAT was just too much for us to bear! Social media became a battle ground over which another war has been raging called: ‘Who is Jesus and to whom does He belong’. Proving that Jesus is ‘OURS’ has required the reading and the presentation of the Gospel…and it is being heard.
God can (and does) use anything.
And He makes Himself seen…and known.
Yet we are in a battle for TRUTH as well as life. I have had some agonizing discussions with dear friends and relatives abroad who are being deeply influenced by what they are seeing and hearing that simply isn’t true and I no longer have the words to explain or battle the lies: and YES…photographs and films can lie as well as words!
I’m hesitant to share these testimonies because, with the use of social media, we see so many things sensationalized and this scares me. When God does something, it is holy. It is ALWAYS holy when He has touched something and the fear of God and the understanding of His holiness guards us to be careful with our lips (or ‘pens’). I have seen stories shared that were meant to give glory to God but instead trivialized and cheapened them because they were inaccurate, or blown out of proportion. Please don’t share these testimonies on social media. They are for the glory of God and to show you, who are praying, that God is indeed doing a work in our midst. I received these testimonies from parents of soldiers and I have not received permission to share them, so I am trusting you with precious gold. My friend told me that her son (a reserve soldier in Gaza, the father of 2) was in a jeep behind the vehicle that the company commander was in. He was the only believer in his unit (I believe) and suddenly a RPG appeared, aimed directly at the commander’s vehicle. As it was about to hit, “as if A Hand reached out and moved it” it made a right turn…veered to the right. (RPG’s do NOT DO THIS! They do not veer off course) ALL OF THE MEN IN THE UNIT SAW THIS AND KNEW THAT THEY HAD SEEN A MIRACLE! The men then came under heavy fire, however none of them were injured. When my friend’s son returned to base and took off his vest, he found that a bullet had gone through his collar and come out the other side a mere hair’s length from piercing his neck. The unit knew beyond a doubt that they had been protected by God’s Hand in this battle. Another mother told me of her backslidden daughter’s boyfriend whom we have been praying for. He is a Golani soldier in very tough battles. He and his unit were suddenly harshly reprimanded by their commander for something that they didn’t understand should have been a problem. They were punished and told that they had to stay behind on the next mission and clean the area. They were furious and expressed it. They are not (yet) believers, but the boyfriend knows that we are praying. As they grumbled, the rest of the unit was hit in battle and the commander killed along with several others. These also, who had been ‘unjustly punished’ and stayed behind, also knew that they had seen The Hand of God. You are praying. God will be glorified…even here. For 2,000 years the doors of our people’s hearts have been locked, but “…Jesus came…the doors being shut…and stook in their midst…” and brought His Peace!
It is VERY late and I must go to bed. I did have more to write but everything in it’s time…and now it is time for sleep.
It is almost the new year on the Western calendar. MAY HE BE REVEALED IN HIS GLORY…may you (we) be kept in His path. I am so thankful for each of you and your prayers. God BLESS you! Lovingly, your sister.
(please forgive poor writing or mistakes…I am not re-reading and correcting)
“And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” John 20:26
To the glory of HIM Who formed the worlds, set the boundaries of the earth, changes the seasons and yet numbers every hair on our heads as well as our days on this earth, to HIM Who must ALONE receive ALL of the glory, to HIM I write this letter, and to you His other servants…may you be blessed and encouraged.
I reached for one of the blessed grapefruits that I received from Leket Yisrael (the food rescue group that gives harvested fruit and vegetables). Three of them were lovely and smooth, but one of them was ‘ugly’…perhaps it had lain on the ground or pressed against the trunk of the tree, but half of it was harder than the other. It was a particularly sweet grapefruit and it soon had me praising God and remembering. I’m so thankful for His school of creation…the intuitive school that He gave silently and freely. Growing up in the asphalt jungle of NYC, I coveted every square inch of earth. I remember as a small child taking a magnifying glass to see what was growing out of the ½ inch of earth between the squares of sidewalk. I loved animals and nature and was sure that I would grow up to be a veterinarian. I brought home a sick pigeon and to my families’ chagrin, we ended up getting painful shots at the health department because the pigeon had some disease deadly to humans (and pigeons). When I left NYC and lived on an Indian reservation in Washington state, those poor, patient people could not believe my stupidity when it came to knowing how to live. I swallowed my pride and so wanted to learn all that they could teach me. Most importantly, they taught me to BE QUIET and LOOK TO SEE.
Well…I wrote the above paragraph last Thursday night, and I have no idea where I was going with it. I ended up in the emergency room Friday morning. I have battled extremely low blood pressure for quite awhile, but on Friday morning, it soared to dangerous levels. After ruling out heart attack and stroke, I got to lay on a very uncomfortable bed in a hallway in the midst of the chaos of human drama. Soldiers came in off of the battle field; not the traumatic injuries. They go to a special area; but the ones who stumbled and broke their foot or came down with the flu or had appendicitis. There were many old people mixed in with all ages experiencing personal crisis. I was acutely aware of the fact that I was the only one there alone. I knew that there was a big temptation for have a pity party and I was choosing to have none of it…but the battle was waged. It wasn’t my choice, but, just like Israel, suddenly there was a REAL existential battle imposed, and when that happens, one must either fight for their lives or give up and die, because the ‘test’ is over and the ‘reality’ is what we have. It IS that way for Israel right now, and it was the same for me in the emergency room and continues; there is no room any longer for fleshly failures…it is a battle for the soul itself. The test is over and this is the reality and I can not fight the battles before me if I am indulging the temptation to have a pity party. The enemy knows that and makes the temptation attractive [even ‘fair’!] but thankfully I can see how the enemy is using my flesh to render me useless in the bigger battle…so…I have a battle on two fronts. So does Israel now.
Actually, Israel’s battle is on many more fronts than that. We are actively fighting in Gaza in the South, and with Hezbollah on our Northern border, but we have the Houthis (Yemen) attacking in the Red Sea, Iran and Iraq attacking through proxies in Lebanon and Syria, with support of Turkey and Russia behind the scenes…it is existential. On top of that, the political battle, which SHOULD be totally silenced until the end of the war, has glommed on to painfully raw emotion of the families of the captives, creating discord within. Yes…this is a REAL battle for survival and we somehow know that it is HUGE.
And yet in the midst there are signposts and fingerprints…like the star in the east directing the wise men to The Answer.
A very funny thing (perhaps my sense of humor is warped!) happened this Christmas. It has happened many times at Christmas over the years, but THIS YEAR it was particularly extravagant: It is the fight over ‘who does Jesus belong to!?!’. Now, MOST of you understand that Jews generally do not tolerate The Name of Jesus…whether it is the English version of Jesus or the Hebrew of Yeshua, it makes no difference. Grievously, over 2,000 years ago, we rejected HIM as our Messiah, and His Name has been cast out among our people even until now – except to whom He has revealed Himself…to those too few among us. HOWEVER…This year the ‘from the river to the sea’ movement laid claim upon Him, loudly proclaiming: ‘Jesus is Palestinian’ and THAT was just too much for us to bear! Social media became a battle ground over which another war has been raging called: ‘Who is Jesus and to whom does He belong’. Proving that Jesus is ‘OURS’ has required the reading and the presentation of the Gospel…and it is being heard.
God can (and does) use anything.
And He makes Himself seen…and known.
Yet we are in a battle for TRUTH as well as life. I have had some agonizing discussions with dear friends and relatives abroad who are being deeply influenced by what they are seeing and hearing that simply isn’t true and I no longer have the words to explain or battle the lies: and YES…photographs and films can lie as well as words!
I’m hesitant to share these testimonies because, with the use of social media, we see so many things sensationalized and this scares me. When God does something, it is holy. It is ALWAYS holy when He has touched something and the fear of God and the understanding of His holiness guards us to be careful with our lips (or ‘pens’). I have seen stories shared that were meant to give glory to God but instead trivialized and cheapened them because they were inaccurate, or blown out of proportion. Please don’t share these testimonies on social media. They are for the glory of God and to show you, who are praying, that God is indeed doing a work in our midst. I received these testimonies from parents of soldiers and I have not received permission to share them, so I am trusting you with precious gold. My friend told me that her son (a reserve soldier in Gaza, the father of 2) was in a jeep behind the vehicle that the company commander was in. He was the only believer in his unit (I believe) and suddenly a RPG appeared, aimed directly at the commander’s vehicle. As it was about to hit, “as if A Hand reached out and moved it” it made a right turn…veered to the right. (RPG’s do NOT DO THIS! They do not veer off course) ALL OF THE MEN IN THE UNIT SAW THIS AND KNEW THAT THEY HAD SEEN A MIRACLE! The men then came under heavy fire, however none of them were injured. When my friend’s son returned to base and took off his vest, he found that a bullet had gone through his collar and come out the other side a mere hair’s length from piercing his neck. The unit knew beyond a doubt that they had been protected by God’s Hand in this battle. Another mother told me of her backslidden daughter’s boyfriend whom we have been praying for. He is a Golani soldier in very tough battles. He and his unit were suddenly harshly reprimanded by their commander for something that they didn’t understand should have been a problem. They were punished and told that they had to stay behind on the next mission and clean the area. They were furious and expressed it. They are not (yet) believers, but the boyfriend knows that we are praying. As they grumbled, the rest of the unit was hit in battle and the commander killed along with several others. These also, who had been ‘unjustly punished’ and stayed behind, also knew that they had seen The Hand of God. You are praying. God will be glorified…even here. For 2,000 years the doors of our people’s hearts have been locked, but “…Jesus came…the doors being shut…and stook in their midst…” and brought His Peace!
It is VERY late and I must go to bed. I did have more to write but everything in it’s time…and now it is time for sleep.
It is almost the new year on the Western calendar. MAY HE BE REVEALED IN HIS GLORY…may you (we) be kept in His path. I am so thankful for each of you and your prayers. God BLESS you! Lovingly, your sister.
(please forgive poor writing or mistakes…I am not re-reading and correcting)
December 14, 2023
“As The Lord lives, Who has redeemed my life from every distress…” 1 KINGS 1:29
To The Lord Who LIVES and redeems His own who call upon Him…may this letter point to Him and light His way through, and bring Him Alone glory. Loving blessings to each of you on this last night of Chanukah. May you be edified and drawn into Him.
I have just lit the last candles; day 8 of Chanuka and the 69th day of the war. As I lit the 8th candle, there was a knock on the door. Y.... [my ‘across the street’ neighbor] came in with her usual plates, laden with goodies. There were fried donuts dripping oil and oil laden vegetable latkes…with an egg, salad, beets, rice and more. ‘What’s wrong? You look ‘heavy’?’ I asked her. ‘Ah, my daughter who died was born during Chanuka… at the fifth candle. She was an angel who helped everybody and was recognized by the government for her helping hand.’ Her voice dwindled. M..... died in her early 40s of cancer. She was Y... and I....’s first child…and their favorite. I know that too many of you have walked through such an awful fire as well. I can not imagine a hotter fire...may God strengthen you! Y.... has been an overcomer. She has always told me ‘This is the portion that He has given us, so we will praise Him and keep walking.’ I had not yet seen her this way before; cast down. She went on about the war and the hatred and lies that we hear more and more of, and she was sad and angry. Two days ago, we all watched as a Turkish parliamentarian presented an acrid speech about Israel before his parliament. He ended by calling down a curse upon Israel by Allah. It was shocking to see him turn and fall to the ground with a massive heart attack! I told her that I had just read that he died today and, to my surprise she shouted ‘YOFI! [wonderful] Did you hear what he said?? May He also strike ......... in the same way!’ I said ‘.....! This is not like you. Don’t forget that it is written: “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;” [Proverbs 24:17] She would not have this today…she was too angry and grieved. Then we started to speak about having a low (humble) heart before Him in such a time, and she calmed down. We talked a bit more about praising Him in all things and times. She was still with a heavy heart when she left. It helped me to realize how deeply important it is HOW I walk and talk and think during these days. People are hurting so greatly. I remembered again King David in Ziklag after the Amalekites took the wives and children of David and his men captive…how the people wanted to stone him because they were so grieved. Grief has a powerful hand.
I went for a blood test today. I have to go frequently; therefore, I do know all of the lab technicians. The one that I had today is one of my favorites. She is beautiful inside and out. One day, about 15 years ago, I went in and she looked awful. When I asked what was wrong, she told me that her husband had an accident and died. She was in her early 40s with 3 young children. I grabbed her and hugged her and she wept so deeply on my shoulder. We talked at great length and I shared some of my testimony about Yeshua with her and told her that I would pray. We became very close over the years although she is not saved yet. Today I thought about her children. ‘Are any of them in the army?’ I asked. ‘All 3!’ she said, and grabbing a paper she began to write their names. ‘All 3 are in Gaza. And will you pray for my brother’s children as well? (she didn’t need to ask if I would pray…she assumed that I would) He also has 3 in Gaza’. She handed me the paper with their 6 names and I promised to pray and asked The Lord to make me faithful. More and more I meet people with 3, 6, even ten close relatives fighting in Gaza or on the northern border. With the demands of the west (that they would NEVER expect of themselves) our army has become so surgical that our own soldiers are being put into far greater danger and the results are painful. Yesterday we lost 10 Golani soldiers (the sharpest) in an ambush…a booby trap that was set up during the cease fire. As of this moment I know of 116 soldiers killed since the ground offensive began. Today it is reported [with photos] that about 70 Hamas fighters surrendered from a hospital that they were fighting from, coming out with their weapons over their heads. The numbers of those surrendering are encouraging. However today also, Iran published: “The State of Israel's collapse is imminent, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Hossein Salami said in a Thursday evening address. Salami was quoted by Islamic Republic state media as claiming that Zionists "are so weak that they cannot bear the existence of Palestinian women and children," a "clear sign" of the "collapse of the fake Israeli regime," he added. The IRGC chief continued, saying that Israel's war in Gaza had triggered a global aversion to Israel. "The world’s hatred of Zionists is not confined to Muslims anymore," Salami was quoted as saying.” And again I am reminded of the account in Isaiah and Kings of Hezekiah’s instructions when Sennacherib spoke his evil, lying words ‘Who IS YOUR GOD? HE can not keep you from me…’. May we do as Hezekiah instructed and not answer a word: no opinions…no personal preferences…fixed on God. We ARE at His mercy. It is not by not by power nor by might, but by His Spirit. ALONE.
I had an opportunity this week to speak with my sister [thank you for praying!] and a cousin. They both live in large cities on the east coast of America. My cousin said to me; ‘So…your country is so DIVIDED I see…’ I was shocked. ‘No! Not at all. We have not had such unity in years’ I answered. Why do you say that? She went on to tell me that there are many Israelis who have come to America and are saying that everyone in Israel wants a cease fire except for Netanyahu and his supporters and that they are asking America to intervene! I was SHOCKED! Then I understood. The ‘rebellion’ that has been taking place for the past (I forgot how long) over the Judicial reforms has morphed into this. I felt at the time that it was a very dangerous movement (1 Sam. 15:23 “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” Samuel said to Saul). How our opinions and personal preferences can become idolatry is cause for thought.
As part of my reading, I have just finished 2 Samuel and began 1 Kings this morning and that quote at the top of the letter stopped me. David’s life was HARD! He went through so many floods and fires and yet God remained his God…and at the end of his life he was able to proclaim “As The Lord lives, Who has redeemed my life from every distress…” What a giant of faith David was. Through ALL that is going on in each of our lives, may we press into HIM and allow Him to be seen. We really have such a short time.
Yesterday, for the first time, I went out to our daughter's ..... house. It is the house that her husband ..... has built for them in Bat Ayin (Gush Etzion) which is part of Judah that the media calls ‘the settlements’ or ‘the west bank’. The road has been more dangerous than usual of late, but I felt quite safe and I was thrilled to finally get to see where they are living. They live on a very steep mountain and the only way to their home was via steps so steep that my knees could not do the work. Yesterday ....... finished a road that allowed us to drive up to the house (albeit, I didn’t dare look over the cliff, particularly during the hairpin curve). I rejoiced with half of our Grandchildren for the seventh light and it was a great joy. I thank you for those who continue to pray for them…as well as our daughter ...... and family in London. But then again…aren’t we all on the straight and narrow path…in harms way or in God’s way. The days are short…PRAISE GOD that He has given us His Word and His Spirit!
May you be blessed and encouraged as you follow Him…and thank you so much for praying for the salvation of Israel, as well as the situation … for it IS His heart. And thank you for praying for my family and I.
Loving blessings from a sister…me
To The Lord Who LIVES and redeems His own who call upon Him…may this letter point to Him and light His way through, and bring Him Alone glory. Loving blessings to each of you on this last night of Chanukah. May you be edified and drawn into Him.
I have just lit the last candles; day 8 of Chanuka and the 69th day of the war. As I lit the 8th candle, there was a knock on the door. Y.... [my ‘across the street’ neighbor] came in with her usual plates, laden with goodies. There were fried donuts dripping oil and oil laden vegetable latkes…with an egg, salad, beets, rice and more. ‘What’s wrong? You look ‘heavy’?’ I asked her. ‘Ah, my daughter who died was born during Chanuka… at the fifth candle. She was an angel who helped everybody and was recognized by the government for her helping hand.’ Her voice dwindled. M..... died in her early 40s of cancer. She was Y... and I....’s first child…and their favorite. I know that too many of you have walked through such an awful fire as well. I can not imagine a hotter fire...may God strengthen you! Y.... has been an overcomer. She has always told me ‘This is the portion that He has given us, so we will praise Him and keep walking.’ I had not yet seen her this way before; cast down. She went on about the war and the hatred and lies that we hear more and more of, and she was sad and angry. Two days ago, we all watched as a Turkish parliamentarian presented an acrid speech about Israel before his parliament. He ended by calling down a curse upon Israel by Allah. It was shocking to see him turn and fall to the ground with a massive heart attack! I told her that I had just read that he died today and, to my surprise she shouted ‘YOFI! [wonderful] Did you hear what he said?? May He also strike ......... in the same way!’ I said ‘.....! This is not like you. Don’t forget that it is written: “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles;” [Proverbs 24:17] She would not have this today…she was too angry and grieved. Then we started to speak about having a low (humble) heart before Him in such a time, and she calmed down. We talked a bit more about praising Him in all things and times. She was still with a heavy heart when she left. It helped me to realize how deeply important it is HOW I walk and talk and think during these days. People are hurting so greatly. I remembered again King David in Ziklag after the Amalekites took the wives and children of David and his men captive…how the people wanted to stone him because they were so grieved. Grief has a powerful hand.
I went for a blood test today. I have to go frequently; therefore, I do know all of the lab technicians. The one that I had today is one of my favorites. She is beautiful inside and out. One day, about 15 years ago, I went in and she looked awful. When I asked what was wrong, she told me that her husband had an accident and died. She was in her early 40s with 3 young children. I grabbed her and hugged her and she wept so deeply on my shoulder. We talked at great length and I shared some of my testimony about Yeshua with her and told her that I would pray. We became very close over the years although she is not saved yet. Today I thought about her children. ‘Are any of them in the army?’ I asked. ‘All 3!’ she said, and grabbing a paper she began to write their names. ‘All 3 are in Gaza. And will you pray for my brother’s children as well? (she didn’t need to ask if I would pray…she assumed that I would) He also has 3 in Gaza’. She handed me the paper with their 6 names and I promised to pray and asked The Lord to make me faithful. More and more I meet people with 3, 6, even ten close relatives fighting in Gaza or on the northern border. With the demands of the west (that they would NEVER expect of themselves) our army has become so surgical that our own soldiers are being put into far greater danger and the results are painful. Yesterday we lost 10 Golani soldiers (the sharpest) in an ambush…a booby trap that was set up during the cease fire. As of this moment I know of 116 soldiers killed since the ground offensive began. Today it is reported [with photos] that about 70 Hamas fighters surrendered from a hospital that they were fighting from, coming out with their weapons over their heads. The numbers of those surrendering are encouraging. However today also, Iran published: “The State of Israel's collapse is imminent, Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps chief Hossein Salami said in a Thursday evening address. Salami was quoted by Islamic Republic state media as claiming that Zionists "are so weak that they cannot bear the existence of Palestinian women and children," a "clear sign" of the "collapse of the fake Israeli regime," he added. The IRGC chief continued, saying that Israel's war in Gaza had triggered a global aversion to Israel. "The world’s hatred of Zionists is not confined to Muslims anymore," Salami was quoted as saying.” And again I am reminded of the account in Isaiah and Kings of Hezekiah’s instructions when Sennacherib spoke his evil, lying words ‘Who IS YOUR GOD? HE can not keep you from me…’. May we do as Hezekiah instructed and not answer a word: no opinions…no personal preferences…fixed on God. We ARE at His mercy. It is not by not by power nor by might, but by His Spirit. ALONE.
I had an opportunity this week to speak with my sister [thank you for praying!] and a cousin. They both live in large cities on the east coast of America. My cousin said to me; ‘So…your country is so DIVIDED I see…’ I was shocked. ‘No! Not at all. We have not had such unity in years’ I answered. Why do you say that? She went on to tell me that there are many Israelis who have come to America and are saying that everyone in Israel wants a cease fire except for Netanyahu and his supporters and that they are asking America to intervene! I was SHOCKED! Then I understood. The ‘rebellion’ that has been taking place for the past (I forgot how long) over the Judicial reforms has morphed into this. I felt at the time that it was a very dangerous movement (1 Sam. 15:23 “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, He also has rejected you from being king.” Samuel said to Saul). How our opinions and personal preferences can become idolatry is cause for thought.
As part of my reading, I have just finished 2 Samuel and began 1 Kings this morning and that quote at the top of the letter stopped me. David’s life was HARD! He went through so many floods and fires and yet God remained his God…and at the end of his life he was able to proclaim “As The Lord lives, Who has redeemed my life from every distress…” What a giant of faith David was. Through ALL that is going on in each of our lives, may we press into HIM and allow Him to be seen. We really have such a short time.
Yesterday, for the first time, I went out to our daughter's ..... house. It is the house that her husband ..... has built for them in Bat Ayin (Gush Etzion) which is part of Judah that the media calls ‘the settlements’ or ‘the west bank’. The road has been more dangerous than usual of late, but I felt quite safe and I was thrilled to finally get to see where they are living. They live on a very steep mountain and the only way to their home was via steps so steep that my knees could not do the work. Yesterday ....... finished a road that allowed us to drive up to the house (albeit, I didn’t dare look over the cliff, particularly during the hairpin curve). I rejoiced with half of our Grandchildren for the seventh light and it was a great joy. I thank you for those who continue to pray for them…as well as our daughter ...... and family in London. But then again…aren’t we all on the straight and narrow path…in harms way or in God’s way. The days are short…PRAISE GOD that He has given us His Word and His Spirit!
May you be blessed and encouraged as you follow Him…and thank you so much for praying for the salvation of Israel, as well as the situation … for it IS His heart. And thank you for praying for my family and I.
Loving blessings from a sister…me
December 8, 2023
“Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.” I Corin. 8:1-3
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him;…” John 6:44
“Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem [Chanukah], and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” John 10:22-24
To HIM Who IS Light, and in Whom there is no shadow of turning…and in Who’s Light, we see Light…I offer this letter. May He be glorified. And may we all walk in The Light as He is in the Light, and have fellowship one with another, to the end that we might be conformed to His Image. May you be blessed and encouraged. I write this letter with love in my heart for you and thankfulness for your prayers.
I have just lit the second candle on my chanukiah and it is also Shabbat. It is day 63 of the war. My neighbor brought fresh fried donuts to my door at 8am this morning [which I promptly passed along to my Estonian neighbors who have children]. Eating foods drenched in oil is the tradition at Chanukah; symbolizing the fact that this is the celebration of the multiplication of the oil…thus, the light. It is interesting that the Hebrew word for oil is also the root for the word ‘anointing’.
I am tempted to pass along a lot of information about what is happening here…but this isn’t my job. I see the gap widening, inaccuracies and lies, being fed to so many, but I have given you the links to the news outlets that, when taken together, are believably accurate. I had a very difficult experience this week. My only sister (there are just 2 of us) and I are very different and have purposed to love one another deeply, although we disagree on almost everything. Since our Mom died many years ago, we have kept up talking to each other every Sunday, knowing that there is little that we can discuss; the weather is a big one, and our children. With the war and the rise in antisemitism (she lives in the USA), we have been ‘sort of’ talking and somehow, I thought that she understood. Last Sunday, when she asked me how I was, I told her honestly ‘better than last week, which was emotionally awful!’ She immediately wanted to know ‘why’ and I told her that the cease fire week was excruciating because of the agony of each day’s lists of captives to be released (who was on the list and who wasn’t) and also the awful knowledge that we were releasing terrorists back into the hands of Hamas (Sinwar…the head of Hamas, was one of those released in the Shalit deal) and we knew that they were increasing weapons supplies. She retorted: ‘So it is better to be killing innocent children in Gaza than to have a cease fire?!?’
I lost it. I wasn’t prepared. We hung up ‘agreeing to disagree’, but it rattled me. I have not had an argument with my sister…we have guarded our relationship. The enemy caught a blind spot and I lost my temper and it hurt my witness before her for whom I am praying. Thank you for praying for her. (and me)
Our army, which has lost 93 soldiers since the beginning of the ground operations, has made amazing progress. There are atleast 500 km. of sophisticated tunnels under Gaza (more than 300 miles) that are FULL of explosives! As the IDF has gone painstakingly house to house, they announced today that EVERY house (residential) in Jabalia has weapons stashes (missiles and rockets). Surely they have seemed to have an endless supply as they continue to fire them into Israel. TODAY we have had a decrease in the number of attacks from Gaza, but a very significant increase from Hizbollah on our northern border. One Israeli citizen was killed from an attack on the north today. One of the soldiers who fell in battle and buried today was the son of Gadi Eisenkot, who, until recently, served as IDF Chief of Staff. No one is immune; everyone who is able, must fight.
We (as a nation) are tired…weary…but NOT losing hope. I heard an amazing thing on the news last week. One of the highlighted captives was an 8 year old girl named Emily. She and her father are dual citizens with Ireland and they grabbed many hearts. When Emily was released (‘ransomed’) the Irish representative announced that she was ‘lost but now she was found’. Israel was horrified! She hadn’t been ‘lost’, nor had she been ‘found’. She had been brutally abducted, and she was redeemed for the terrible price of 3 terrorists. The rhetoric between the countries was heated for a few days until the Irish representative quoted Amazing Grace and said (rather weakly – didn’t ring true) that because of the hymn he chose those words. As our news media sought to explain, they suddenly said ‘So here is the song that he was CLAIMING has the meaning’: AND… our news proceeded to play the FULL (ALL VERSES!) high church – very anointed hymn Amazing Grace…including the verse ‘When we’ve been there 10,000 years’!). I must admit that I was shouting Halleluyah! It was…dare I say…surreal, but I think that the word ‘miraculous’ is better! I DO see The Lord working in the midst of all of this pain. I see people speaking about The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob openly and with a seriousness and belief that I have not seen before. I see people calling on Him for help and proclaiming that there would be no help but for Him. Although we are (perhaps too) proud of our army, even our army is now calling upon Him, Praise God! He who seeks, WILL FIND! Abba, draw them to Yeshua! Give the believing soldiers opportunities to speak with anointed lips and those with prepared hearts to hear.
I continue to be touched by the fact that the general population is poured out for the needs that glaringly stand all around us, with (almost) one voice. Is there a need? Ten people will rush to fill it. The cooking pots continue to boil. My neighbor Y.... came to my door with a bowl of kibbe soup for me. She makes the BEST kibbe in the world, I’m sure! She told me that she is working now making kibble for the soldiers…10,000 and counting. I went with a friend to buy some things to put in the Chanukah boxes for our soldiers in our Kehila and she had to wait while the person in front of her was ringing up thousands of shekels of purchases to donate to the army; it was touching. Boxes stand at the supermarkets for people to donate food either for the soldiers or for the population displaced from the north or the south…or just those in need. People continue to volunteer in the fields picking produce and Leket Israel continues to pick fields, pay the farmers and then come to neighborhoods (mine included) to give out the fruit and vegetables to anyone who needs. Yes…it IS inspiring.
I’ve explained many times before how in Judaism, there is a prescribed way to read through the Torah (some include the prophets and history, or the Tenach). It is called the ‘Parashat h’shavouah’ or, in English, ‘the weekly portion’ (I know that many of you know this). Everybody is ‘on the same page’ so to speak, and there are ‘sermons’ about the current portion everywhere that you look (newspapers, radio as well as in the synagogues). This week’s reading is Genesis 37:1-Genesis 40:23…we are reading about Joseph. It should only be a week, maybe 2, before we are all reading about how Joseph is revealed to his brothers. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Messiah is now revealed to His brothers? Perhaps we can pray that our believing brothers and sisters in the army will be given an opportunity (and anointing) to share? AND EVEN THAT THE WHOLE NATION’S EYES WILL BE OPENED?
Again, I beseech HIM ‘What is MY role in all of this? What am I supposed to be doing NOW?” This is (to my way of understanding) the singularly most important question that I could ask. If indeed The Lord is MY LORD (and oh I pray that He is!) and I am HIS servant…His bond servant; then I MUST know how He wants me to walk in THIS time…THIS moment…through THIS fire and flood and broken, narrow path…HE HAS the way for me to walk. There are so many temptations to ‘do my own thing’…so many ‘good causes’ and so many voices asking me why I don’t do this and that. I MUST daily, morning by morning be sure that it is His direction that I choose, period. Thankfully, His Word is clear and His Spirit still teaches. I continue to believe that we (the whole world) are in the midst of His judgment, and that does NOT make His promises void…because judgment IS His promise IF we walk in our own self will, pride and after the flesh (yes, even believers! “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” Mat. 7:21-23- “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” Gal 6:7, 8 and ALL of the book of Romans for that matter. We live in serious times…we live in narrow times…and this is no longer ‘school’…this is real. I encourage you to revive your private closet prayer time if it has become anemic, as I encourage myself: to revive your early morning seeking Him in His Word with The Holy Spirit as your teacher rather than youtube. I am so thankful for the hope that we have, and I pray with Habakkuk “O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.” Habakkuk 3:2
This may not seem like a ‘Happy Chanukah’ message, but HIS Light always purges and results in His joy. May you be fully pressed into Him Who is The Light of the world…and may our pressing in make a difference.
Loving blessings, your sister here.
“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him;…” John 6:44
“Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem [Chanukah], and it was winter. And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” John 10:22-24
To HIM Who IS Light, and in Whom there is no shadow of turning…and in Who’s Light, we see Light…I offer this letter. May He be glorified. And may we all walk in The Light as He is in the Light, and have fellowship one with another, to the end that we might be conformed to His Image. May you be blessed and encouraged. I write this letter with love in my heart for you and thankfulness for your prayers.
I have just lit the second candle on my chanukiah and it is also Shabbat. It is day 63 of the war. My neighbor brought fresh fried donuts to my door at 8am this morning [which I promptly passed along to my Estonian neighbors who have children]. Eating foods drenched in oil is the tradition at Chanukah; symbolizing the fact that this is the celebration of the multiplication of the oil…thus, the light. It is interesting that the Hebrew word for oil is also the root for the word ‘anointing’.
I am tempted to pass along a lot of information about what is happening here…but this isn’t my job. I see the gap widening, inaccuracies and lies, being fed to so many, but I have given you the links to the news outlets that, when taken together, are believably accurate. I had a very difficult experience this week. My only sister (there are just 2 of us) and I are very different and have purposed to love one another deeply, although we disagree on almost everything. Since our Mom died many years ago, we have kept up talking to each other every Sunday, knowing that there is little that we can discuss; the weather is a big one, and our children. With the war and the rise in antisemitism (she lives in the USA), we have been ‘sort of’ talking and somehow, I thought that she understood. Last Sunday, when she asked me how I was, I told her honestly ‘better than last week, which was emotionally awful!’ She immediately wanted to know ‘why’ and I told her that the cease fire week was excruciating because of the agony of each day’s lists of captives to be released (who was on the list and who wasn’t) and also the awful knowledge that we were releasing terrorists back into the hands of Hamas (Sinwar…the head of Hamas, was one of those released in the Shalit deal) and we knew that they were increasing weapons supplies. She retorted: ‘So it is better to be killing innocent children in Gaza than to have a cease fire?!?’
I lost it. I wasn’t prepared. We hung up ‘agreeing to disagree’, but it rattled me. I have not had an argument with my sister…we have guarded our relationship. The enemy caught a blind spot and I lost my temper and it hurt my witness before her for whom I am praying. Thank you for praying for her. (and me)
Our army, which has lost 93 soldiers since the beginning of the ground operations, has made amazing progress. There are atleast 500 km. of sophisticated tunnels under Gaza (more than 300 miles) that are FULL of explosives! As the IDF has gone painstakingly house to house, they announced today that EVERY house (residential) in Jabalia has weapons stashes (missiles and rockets). Surely they have seemed to have an endless supply as they continue to fire them into Israel. TODAY we have had a decrease in the number of attacks from Gaza, but a very significant increase from Hizbollah on our northern border. One Israeli citizen was killed from an attack on the north today. One of the soldiers who fell in battle and buried today was the son of Gadi Eisenkot, who, until recently, served as IDF Chief of Staff. No one is immune; everyone who is able, must fight.
We (as a nation) are tired…weary…but NOT losing hope. I heard an amazing thing on the news last week. One of the highlighted captives was an 8 year old girl named Emily. She and her father are dual citizens with Ireland and they grabbed many hearts. When Emily was released (‘ransomed’) the Irish representative announced that she was ‘lost but now she was found’. Israel was horrified! She hadn’t been ‘lost’, nor had she been ‘found’. She had been brutally abducted, and she was redeemed for the terrible price of 3 terrorists. The rhetoric between the countries was heated for a few days until the Irish representative quoted Amazing Grace and said (rather weakly – didn’t ring true) that because of the hymn he chose those words. As our news media sought to explain, they suddenly said ‘So here is the song that he was CLAIMING has the meaning’: AND… our news proceeded to play the FULL (ALL VERSES!) high church – very anointed hymn Amazing Grace…including the verse ‘When we’ve been there 10,000 years’!). I must admit that I was shouting Halleluyah! It was…dare I say…surreal, but I think that the word ‘miraculous’ is better! I DO see The Lord working in the midst of all of this pain. I see people speaking about The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob openly and with a seriousness and belief that I have not seen before. I see people calling on Him for help and proclaiming that there would be no help but for Him. Although we are (perhaps too) proud of our army, even our army is now calling upon Him, Praise God! He who seeks, WILL FIND! Abba, draw them to Yeshua! Give the believing soldiers opportunities to speak with anointed lips and those with prepared hearts to hear.
I continue to be touched by the fact that the general population is poured out for the needs that glaringly stand all around us, with (almost) one voice. Is there a need? Ten people will rush to fill it. The cooking pots continue to boil. My neighbor Y.... came to my door with a bowl of kibbe soup for me. She makes the BEST kibbe in the world, I’m sure! She told me that she is working now making kibble for the soldiers…10,000 and counting. I went with a friend to buy some things to put in the Chanukah boxes for our soldiers in our Kehila and she had to wait while the person in front of her was ringing up thousands of shekels of purchases to donate to the army; it was touching. Boxes stand at the supermarkets for people to donate food either for the soldiers or for the population displaced from the north or the south…or just those in need. People continue to volunteer in the fields picking produce and Leket Israel continues to pick fields, pay the farmers and then come to neighborhoods (mine included) to give out the fruit and vegetables to anyone who needs. Yes…it IS inspiring.
I’ve explained many times before how in Judaism, there is a prescribed way to read through the Torah (some include the prophets and history, or the Tenach). It is called the ‘Parashat h’shavouah’ or, in English, ‘the weekly portion’ (I know that many of you know this). Everybody is ‘on the same page’ so to speak, and there are ‘sermons’ about the current portion everywhere that you look (newspapers, radio as well as in the synagogues). This week’s reading is Genesis 37:1-Genesis 40:23…we are reading about Joseph. It should only be a week, maybe 2, before we are all reading about how Joseph is revealed to his brothers. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Messiah is now revealed to His brothers? Perhaps we can pray that our believing brothers and sisters in the army will be given an opportunity (and anointing) to share? AND EVEN THAT THE WHOLE NATION’S EYES WILL BE OPENED?
Again, I beseech HIM ‘What is MY role in all of this? What am I supposed to be doing NOW?” This is (to my way of understanding) the singularly most important question that I could ask. If indeed The Lord is MY LORD (and oh I pray that He is!) and I am HIS servant…His bond servant; then I MUST know how He wants me to walk in THIS time…THIS moment…through THIS fire and flood and broken, narrow path…HE HAS the way for me to walk. There are so many temptations to ‘do my own thing’…so many ‘good causes’ and so many voices asking me why I don’t do this and that. I MUST daily, morning by morning be sure that it is His direction that I choose, period. Thankfully, His Word is clear and His Spirit still teaches. I continue to believe that we (the whole world) are in the midst of His judgment, and that does NOT make His promises void…because judgment IS His promise IF we walk in our own self will, pride and after the flesh (yes, even believers! “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” Mat. 7:21-23- “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” Gal 6:7, 8 and ALL of the book of Romans for that matter. We live in serious times…we live in narrow times…and this is no longer ‘school’…this is real. I encourage you to revive your private closet prayer time if it has become anemic, as I encourage myself: to revive your early morning seeking Him in His Word with The Holy Spirit as your teacher rather than youtube. I am so thankful for the hope that we have, and I pray with Habakkuk “O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid; O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years! In the midst of the years make it known; In wrath remember mercy.” Habakkuk 3:2
This may not seem like a ‘Happy Chanukah’ message, but HIS Light always purges and results in His joy. May you be fully pressed into Him Who is The Light of the world…and may our pressing in make a difference.
Loving blessings, your sister here.
November 30, 2023
“To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in You; Let me not be ashamed; Let not my enemies triumph over me. Indeed, let no one who waits on You be ashamed; Let those be ashamed who deal treacherously without cause. Show me Your ways, O Lord; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day. Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your lovingkindnesses, For they are from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness’ sake, O Lord. Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way. The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies. For Your name’s sake, O Lord, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great. Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.
He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant. My eyes are ever toward the Lord, For He shall pluck my feet out of the net. Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me, For I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have enlarged; Bring me out of my distresses! Look on my affliction and my pain, And forgive all my sins. Consider my enemies, for they are many; And they hate me with cruel hatred. Keep my soul, and deliver me; Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You. Redeem Israel, O God, Out of all their troubles!”
what a wonderful PSALM 25 is!
To The LORD Who Alone is God, I offer this note, a witness from my eyes, ears and heart…may I be found faithful but for His glory alone. May you be blessed and edified.
I think that today is day 55 of the war called Sword of Iron, but I’m not positive. I read about the sword of The Lord, the sword of The Word, the sword of The Spirit, the flaming sword and many others. Mary (Miriam) was told at the time of Yeshua’s birth, that a sword would also pierce her heart. It is certainly the time of the sword here (may we prevail) …and perhaps all over the world.
I was surprised by a ‘wave’ rippling over my whole being this morning at 6: am. I said, ‘Yes, Lord?’ and picked up my phone to check the news. It said that Israel had been given a list of the captives to be released today that was contrary to ‘the agreement’ which would gain them another day of ‘pause’, and that the fighting would resume at 7am if a new, acceptable list was not submitted. It said that 3 on the list were dead bodies. Again, a wave of quickening moved over me and I turned to The Lord, but not with peace in my heart. Soon I also heard planes overhead that had been quiet for the past week. At 10 minutes after 7 a notice appeared that a different list of 10 captives and 3 bodies to be freed was accepted and that the pause would continue for today. At about 7:45 an attack took place at the bus stop at the entrance to Jerusalem…terrorists opened fire. Three were killed and (approximately) 6 others wounded. In another report, two soldiers were also hurt in a car ramming.
By the time that I turned back to The Lord, my heart was not still. Strong in me was Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in PERFECT PEACE whose mind is stayed upon Thee, fore he trusts in Thee.” All of His Words began to grab me back: “Be anxious for NOTHING…”, “Wait on The Lord, be of good courage and HE will strengthen your heart…”, “Peace I give you, MY PEACE I leave unto you…” on and on I struggled to enter in to those Words, Words that I know and that I eat and live, usually, but I, like those around me, are a bit emotionally frayed, and so in His gentleness He grabs, pulls, reminds, exhorts. MY JOB IS TO KEEP MYSELF IN HIM, FACING HIM, PRESSING INTO HIM AND TO BE KEPT IN HIS PERFECT PEACE. I continued with my reading. What a gift to me that at this time in my life I do not have any time restraints, and if it takes me hours to be settled IN His Word, then hours it will take. It has taken hours today.
Why is that?
Well…this week of hostage releases has been emotionally exhausting for the entire country. As I attempted to explain in my last letter, we had no choice. We are not blind. We are NOT ignorant of the tactics of the enemy nor are we new to the mechanism…the WAY that ‘terrorism’ works in a heart, in a people. I am brought back to the stratagem of Sennacherib in Isaiah 36 (and in Chron. and Kings) and his words and threats of terror. “But they held their peace and answered him not a word, for the king’s commandment was ‘Do not answer him.’” Isa. 36:21 The voice of the enemy is loud and frightening, threatening…but The King’s COMMAND is PEACE! NOT the peace that the world is trying to shove on us, but HIS PEACE.
I wept through Psalm 25 this morning, remembering something that The Lord whispered to me last week when I noted before Him that ALL of the Psalms are appropriate for now…not just the ‘war Psalms’: He said ‘Don’t forget that David’s LIFE was full of war and opposition and hidden enemies, so, yes…they are ALL applicable.’
Our media has been non stop filled with the stories finally being told; very personal stories. Heartbreaking stories. With the children returning from captivity, THEIR stories also have been coming out, told by their own lips, seen in their faces, and letting us know that our worst fears were not just nightmares. It is a dilemma…for we are WITNESSES…PARTICULARLY in the light of the world’s denial. Dare I say, it is like the Holocaust…as we listen to story after story in an attempt to be faithful witnesses of what has taken place; to record that ‘This has happened’. WHY is it important to be a ‘faithful witness? As I asked myself that question I thought of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Luke 1:2-4 sees Luke explaining the importance of eyewitness accounts: … “just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.”
It is terror to go through what these people have been going through, or perhaps worse to have a loved one go through them…but it is also emotionally exhausting to be a witness. We must learn God’s ways and provision and most importantly, HIS FACE in this new walk. It is hard to hear lies and accusations being hurled at us from around the entire world…but Yeshua DID! HE heard those lies…and He even kept silent in the face of them. It is my job to keep my heart in His SILENT Peace.
It will soon be Chanukah (yes, it is early this year). Next Thursday night, the 8th of December will be the first light. You know ofcourse, how Chanukah represents the miracle of the multiplication of the Light…of the resurrection of the Lamp in the Temple after the seeming defeat of the enemy and destruction of the Temple. All of our holidays are about Light overcoming darkness and the miraculous deliverance and defeat of those who would destroy us.
I can not write anymore today. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork’ says Psalm 19:1. More and more I see people turning to God…looking for Him…honoring Him…and I pray that my life can declare HIS glory and reflect His Peace which is so desperately needed!
............
Lovingly, your sister here.
............
He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant. My eyes are ever toward the Lord, For He shall pluck my feet out of the net. Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me, For I am desolate and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have enlarged; Bring me out of my distresses! Look on my affliction and my pain, And forgive all my sins. Consider my enemies, for they are many; And they hate me with cruel hatred. Keep my soul, and deliver me; Let me not be ashamed, for I put my trust in You. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me, For I wait for You. Redeem Israel, O God, Out of all their troubles!”
what a wonderful PSALM 25 is!
To The LORD Who Alone is God, I offer this note, a witness from my eyes, ears and heart…may I be found faithful but for His glory alone. May you be blessed and edified.
I think that today is day 55 of the war called Sword of Iron, but I’m not positive. I read about the sword of The Lord, the sword of The Word, the sword of The Spirit, the flaming sword and many others. Mary (Miriam) was told at the time of Yeshua’s birth, that a sword would also pierce her heart. It is certainly the time of the sword here (may we prevail) …and perhaps all over the world.
I was surprised by a ‘wave’ rippling over my whole being this morning at 6: am. I said, ‘Yes, Lord?’ and picked up my phone to check the news. It said that Israel had been given a list of the captives to be released today that was contrary to ‘the agreement’ which would gain them another day of ‘pause’, and that the fighting would resume at 7am if a new, acceptable list was not submitted. It said that 3 on the list were dead bodies. Again, a wave of quickening moved over me and I turned to The Lord, but not with peace in my heart. Soon I also heard planes overhead that had been quiet for the past week. At 10 minutes after 7 a notice appeared that a different list of 10 captives and 3 bodies to be freed was accepted and that the pause would continue for today. At about 7:45 an attack took place at the bus stop at the entrance to Jerusalem…terrorists opened fire. Three were killed and (approximately) 6 others wounded. In another report, two soldiers were also hurt in a car ramming.
By the time that I turned back to The Lord, my heart was not still. Strong in me was Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in PERFECT PEACE whose mind is stayed upon Thee, fore he trusts in Thee.” All of His Words began to grab me back: “Be anxious for NOTHING…”, “Wait on The Lord, be of good courage and HE will strengthen your heart…”, “Peace I give you, MY PEACE I leave unto you…” on and on I struggled to enter in to those Words, Words that I know and that I eat and live, usually, but I, like those around me, are a bit emotionally frayed, and so in His gentleness He grabs, pulls, reminds, exhorts. MY JOB IS TO KEEP MYSELF IN HIM, FACING HIM, PRESSING INTO HIM AND TO BE KEPT IN HIS PERFECT PEACE. I continued with my reading. What a gift to me that at this time in my life I do not have any time restraints, and if it takes me hours to be settled IN His Word, then hours it will take. It has taken hours today.
Why is that?
Well…this week of hostage releases has been emotionally exhausting for the entire country. As I attempted to explain in my last letter, we had no choice. We are not blind. We are NOT ignorant of the tactics of the enemy nor are we new to the mechanism…the WAY that ‘terrorism’ works in a heart, in a people. I am brought back to the stratagem of Sennacherib in Isaiah 36 (and in Chron. and Kings) and his words and threats of terror. “But they held their peace and answered him not a word, for the king’s commandment was ‘Do not answer him.’” Isa. 36:21 The voice of the enemy is loud and frightening, threatening…but The King’s COMMAND is PEACE! NOT the peace that the world is trying to shove on us, but HIS PEACE.
I wept through Psalm 25 this morning, remembering something that The Lord whispered to me last week when I noted before Him that ALL of the Psalms are appropriate for now…not just the ‘war Psalms’: He said ‘Don’t forget that David’s LIFE was full of war and opposition and hidden enemies, so, yes…they are ALL applicable.’
Our media has been non stop filled with the stories finally being told; very personal stories. Heartbreaking stories. With the children returning from captivity, THEIR stories also have been coming out, told by their own lips, seen in their faces, and letting us know that our worst fears were not just nightmares. It is a dilemma…for we are WITNESSES…PARTICULARLY in the light of the world’s denial. Dare I say, it is like the Holocaust…as we listen to story after story in an attempt to be faithful witnesses of what has taken place; to record that ‘This has happened’. WHY is it important to be a ‘faithful witness? As I asked myself that question I thought of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Luke 1:2-4 sees Luke explaining the importance of eyewitness accounts: … “just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.”
It is terror to go through what these people have been going through, or perhaps worse to have a loved one go through them…but it is also emotionally exhausting to be a witness. We must learn God’s ways and provision and most importantly, HIS FACE in this new walk. It is hard to hear lies and accusations being hurled at us from around the entire world…but Yeshua DID! HE heard those lies…and He even kept silent in the face of them. It is my job to keep my heart in His SILENT Peace.
It will soon be Chanukah (yes, it is early this year). Next Thursday night, the 8th of December will be the first light. You know ofcourse, how Chanukah represents the miracle of the multiplication of the Light…of the resurrection of the Lamp in the Temple after the seeming defeat of the enemy and destruction of the Temple. All of our holidays are about Light overcoming darkness and the miraculous deliverance and defeat of those who would destroy us.
I can not write anymore today. The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament shows His handiwork’ says Psalm 19:1. More and more I see people turning to God…looking for Him…honoring Him…and I pray that my life can declare HIS glory and reflect His Peace which is so desperately needed!
............
Lovingly, your sister here.
............
November 24, 2023
“Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way. So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep. And David’s two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had been taken captive. Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” 1 Samuel 30 1:6
It is day 49 and I am listening to the ‘live coverage’ of the release of the of the first 13 children, mothers and elderly from Hamas. Lord…You have called me to ‘what I see…what I hear…that write.’ I can’t. It is the first time…but there is a great divide, and Lord I cannot…I need You to translate in the breach. Help Lord.
May The Lord be glorified and may The Holy Spirit give understanding and be The Translator.
Brothers and sisters, it is Shabbat. The Shabbat prayer played over the loudspeakers in my village at exactly 4pm my time…the time that was given for the release of the first of the 13 captives, among the 50 infants, children, mothers and elderly that are to be released over the next 4 days…by God’s grace…in His mercy. That will STILL leave approximately 185 more still in captivity.
The question caught me…[and it came from many, so if you asked me, please don’t feel badly]…some whom I knew and just some other voices: ‘NO! How can Israel stop NOW? Don’t they know that Hamas will take advantage; that the world will press in and cause you guys to stop fighting before the war is won? Aren’t you tough? Keep going! Don’t stop! This is crazy! It’s a trap! How can you be so foolish!
And this is where my mouth falls open and nothing comes out and I can’t explain, because there IS a big gulf. You see…the ENTIRE country is mourning and grieving its children…Rachel crying and not being comforted AGAIN!
“Thus says the Lord: “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more.” (Jeremiah 31:15 and Matthew 2:18) And it is REAL…it’s not sentimental emotion…it IS what we are made of …it is our children, and our sisters and brothers weeping and lamenting. To the Jews, L-I-F-E is of utmost importance. That is why our (yes) socialistic medical system here ‘WORKS’. It is mixed with a deep compassion and belief that each life is holy. Yes, OFCOURSE it isn’t 100%! Yes, I KNOW that we have abortion. I know that we also have people who don’t care about life; but in general, a driving concern for ‘LIFE’ is what binds this people together. LIFE…points to GOD…in Him is Life and that Life echoes HIM.
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7
“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”Deuteronomy 30:19, 20 “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:4
Yesterday a friend told me a story that she heard first hand at ‘Efrat’, an organization that reaches out to people who are planning to have an abortion. [this is NOT the one that believers have called Ba’ad Hayim but Efrat is run by religious Jews] The father of a soldier went there a day or two ago and asked them for a coat for their son and for all of the 20 soldiers in his unit. They said that they couldn’t provide that many because they only had 30 coats and they could not give most of them away right at the start of the winter; they could give one or maybe two. The father looked at them and said; ‘But you must, because this son of mine who is defending you, is only here because you convinced us to have him and not kill him…and he is asking for them!’ They gave him the 20 coats.
Now how do I put THAT particular quality of the heart into words? I can’t. All I can say is that it is REAL. The entire country has been grieving and suffering with the families (can you imagine?) who have loved ones somewhere underground in Gaza as the war rages…Everyone here KNOWS that it is ALL ‘for them’…for the 9 month old baby or the 3 year old girl whose parents were killed before her eyes just before she was grabbed, or the holocaust survivor who lived life to say ‘NEVER AGAIN’…or simply each child, sibling, spouse, parent, grandparent.
Yesterday I read the account of David in Ziklag that I wrote at the top of this letter and I wept. It says that the men were so grieved for their captive wives and children that they were about to stone David. Grief does that… it rips people to pieces…and we ARE experiencing a collective grief. We have been praying that our soldiers would discover the captives and set them free (as David and his men did), but only one captive was set free thus far in this manner and we have been told that it was an extremely dangerous operation. Quoting an analysis by David Horovitz in Times of Israel:
“Obviously, Israel would have wanted an agreement to secure the return of all hostages. Ministers were told that there was no such deal to be made. Obviously, too, Israel would have wanted the IDF to have itself located and rescued all, or at least more of the hostages — without necessitating any deal with the terrorists, any release of Palestinian security prisoners, any halt to the war. But that option, ministers were told, was not available either. Only one hostage has been extricated from Gaza to date — Orit Megidish, three weeks ago, in an extremely high-risk operation — even as the IDF has taken greater control of many of Hamas’s strongholds in the north of the strip. (The case of Nachshon Wachsman. a soldier abducted and held hostage by Hamas in 1994, underscores the difficulty of such rescues. In Wachsman’s case, Israel knew precisely where he was being held, in the West Bank just outside Jerusalem, but a rescue attempt proved disastrous, with Wachsman killed by his captors as IDF commandos attempted to break in, and the lead officer in the rescue attempt killed as well.)”
I remember well the sad death of Nachshon Wachsman. We had just made Aliyah and this life was so new to me. Many thousands gathered at the western wall of the temple, praying, beseeching God to spare him…it was so vivid to me…and so new.
A sister wrote to me that she had been thinking about how many times Moses went to Pharaoh to beseech him: “Let My people go!”. And this war is not over yet. Although we are aware that Hamas has laid a trap in this 4 day ‘pause’, we pray with David “Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, And from the traps of the workers of iniquity.” In Psalm 141:9 and Psalm 124:7 “Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; The snare is broken, and we have escaped.” We are not ignorant of the enemy’s devices.
The hour is late and we now see the faces of those who were released today. No one dares to say ‘So many little old ladies!’…because each life is considered holy and precious…but oh how we had hoped to see more than 4 children today. Actually, until they all come home it will not be enough. BUT WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THESE AND WE LOOK TO GOD FOR THE FUTURE.
Yesterday was Thanksgiving in America and although the article that I printed below is…just an article…it touched me and perhaps it will give you more of a ‘flavor’ of Israel today than I am able to do. THANK YOU FOR PRAYING. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR STAYING FAITHFUL TO HIM. MAY WE KNOW HIM MORE DEEPLY DAY BY DAY AND…BE FOUND FAITHFUL.
Loving blessings, your sister here.
AN ARTICLE FROM Times of Israel
Thanksgiving: This year in Jerusalem
Anxiety about Israel at war, the hostages, antisemitism (the list goes on) makes it hard to give thanks, but it's exactly the right thing to do
NOV 22, 2023
Tomorrow, Thursday, if I were in America, I would set the table early, organize a lavish mid-afternoon meal, and put the menu on the refrigerator. I would have scoured recipes in newspaper food sections intended for anxious would-be cooks and put the ingredients together on the counter. The day would be blessedly slow and calm. I’d have time to pause and consider the matanot ketanot, the small gifts of the day.
Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. The streets are quiet. The stores are closed (most of them), and family and friends gather together to celebrate. Everyone can drive over, and the food doesn’t dry out because you serve it right after you make it. Old and new immigrants usually love Thanksgiving, as my grandparents did. They loved America and were grateful for their new lives and new freedoms. It’s a festive time to recount blessings. In his book, Celebrating Life, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks writes, “A blessing is an expression of the miracle of simple things.”
But I am in Israel this year. It’s going to be different.
Together Watching
It was different even before I got on the plane. When the El Al security representative asked us if we packed our bags ourselves, he also asked why we were coming.
“For a visit.”
“A visit during a war?”
“A visit because of the war.”
He looked up from our passports with grateful eyes and thanked us. The pilot also thanked us for coming and reminded us that El Al, the only airline flying to Israel right now, continues to serve Israel in peace and in crisis. The airport was empty of the usual noises of families and friends reunited. There were no children holding balloons or boyfriends clutching cheap flowers and handmade signs.
The war is inescapable and everywhere. The automated passport reader that takes your photo first displayed a picture of one hostage, as if joining us together in a common fate. Ben Gurion’s long marble corridor is now flanked on both sides with posters of hostages. Walking by them quickly felt disrespectful. I took my time, pausing in front of babies and children under 10. Forty-six (now 47) days in captivity. Every one of those lives will be shattered in permanent ways. I touched my dog-tag that says, “Bring Them Home Now,” as a talisman and a prayer.
On Highway #1 to Jerusalem, there are signs promoting our victory, but the news makes it clear we’re not there yet. For the 10 hours on the plane, we had been cut off from our usual doom-scrolling, but when we landed, we learned that two more soldiers had been killed. We heard reports of a possible hostage deal to free 50 women and children that may take place on Thanksgiving. Together, may we say on this Thanksgiving the words of our morning prayer: “Blessed are You Lord, our God, King of the Universe who frees the imprisoned.”
Our anxiety about Israel at war is palpable, which makes it harder to give thanks. When Americans sit at tables to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, our soldiers will still be deep in Gaza. Family and friends will run into protective shelters when sirens cry out, and we will pray that today is the day that all the hostages see their loved ones. I find myself perpetually on the precipice of a deep black hole of sorrow. I weep randomly. It all seems absurd until I realize that this is exactly the right time to be thankful.
This Thanksgiving, let us offer a prayer of gratitude.
We are grateful that we have an army to protect us. We didn’t for most of Jewish history.
We are grateful that soldiers, many of them away for weeks without breaks, wake up each day and fight for democracy and Israel’s right to exist.
We are grateful for those hostages who have been released (and rescued) and pray for them all to come home.
We are grateful that reservists everywhere came home to serve in the IDF.
We are grateful for the strength of those holding down the home front while their family members are at war.
We are grateful that Israel is more unified than ever.
We are grateful that Israelis put down signs of protest and responded to ferocious atrocity with unconditional altruism.
We are grateful for the everyday miracles of volunteers who are packing food, doing laundry, sorting donations, picking fruit, babysitting, driving, and attending the funerals of those they don’t know.
We are grateful that Israel has a remarkable network and infrastructure of communal organizations in place that were ready and able to mobilize resources and respond quickly.
We are grateful that Jews and non-Jews across the globe are expressing solidarity with Israel when it matters most.
We are grateful that the rise in antisemitism has woken us up to the reality that we must show up for each other, now more than ever.
We are grateful that college students facing antisemitism on campus are finding the voice to fight back. This war will turn them into the future leaders of our people.
We are grateful that we have the technology to reach across the ocean in real time and support those who serve and those we love.
We are grateful that Israel continues to provide a sheltering embrace for refugees and immigrants who cannot live safely and securely elsewhere.
We are grateful for the many, many new babies born during this war whom we hope will one day enjoy peace.
We are grateful for the friends who carry us across the pain.
We are grateful for the love and support of strangers.
Spiritual writer Melodie Beattie, once wrote, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.” We can be sad, despondent, and struggling and still offer thanks for life’s fullness. This year, Thanksgiving is more complicated. But sometimes squeezing gratitude out of despair makes it more rich, more textured, and more deeply felt.
AND ALTHOUGH THAT WAS A LOVELY PIECE I MUST ADD:
“GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD, AND HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER”
It is day 49 and I am listening to the ‘live coverage’ of the release of the of the first 13 children, mothers and elderly from Hamas. Lord…You have called me to ‘what I see…what I hear…that write.’ I can’t. It is the first time…but there is a great divide, and Lord I cannot…I need You to translate in the breach. Help Lord.
May The Lord be glorified and may The Holy Spirit give understanding and be The Translator.
Brothers and sisters, it is Shabbat. The Shabbat prayer played over the loudspeakers in my village at exactly 4pm my time…the time that was given for the release of the first of the 13 captives, among the 50 infants, children, mothers and elderly that are to be released over the next 4 days…by God’s grace…in His mercy. That will STILL leave approximately 185 more still in captivity.
The question caught me…[and it came from many, so if you asked me, please don’t feel badly]…some whom I knew and just some other voices: ‘NO! How can Israel stop NOW? Don’t they know that Hamas will take advantage; that the world will press in and cause you guys to stop fighting before the war is won? Aren’t you tough? Keep going! Don’t stop! This is crazy! It’s a trap! How can you be so foolish!
And this is where my mouth falls open and nothing comes out and I can’t explain, because there IS a big gulf. You see…the ENTIRE country is mourning and grieving its children…Rachel crying and not being comforted AGAIN!
“Thus says the Lord: “A voice was heard in Ramah, Lamentation and bitter weeping, Rachel weeping for her children, Refusing to be comforted for her children, Because they are no more.” (Jeremiah 31:15 and Matthew 2:18) And it is REAL…it’s not sentimental emotion…it IS what we are made of …it is our children, and our sisters and brothers weeping and lamenting. To the Jews, L-I-F-E is of utmost importance. That is why our (yes) socialistic medical system here ‘WORKS’. It is mixed with a deep compassion and belief that each life is holy. Yes, OFCOURSE it isn’t 100%! Yes, I KNOW that we have abortion. I know that we also have people who don’t care about life; but in general, a driving concern for ‘LIFE’ is what binds this people together. LIFE…points to GOD…in Him is Life and that Life echoes HIM.
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” Genesis 2:7
“I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”Deuteronomy 30:19, 20 “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:4
Yesterday a friend told me a story that she heard first hand at ‘Efrat’, an organization that reaches out to people who are planning to have an abortion. [this is NOT the one that believers have called Ba’ad Hayim but Efrat is run by religious Jews] The father of a soldier went there a day or two ago and asked them for a coat for their son and for all of the 20 soldiers in his unit. They said that they couldn’t provide that many because they only had 30 coats and they could not give most of them away right at the start of the winter; they could give one or maybe two. The father looked at them and said; ‘But you must, because this son of mine who is defending you, is only here because you convinced us to have him and not kill him…and he is asking for them!’ They gave him the 20 coats.
Now how do I put THAT particular quality of the heart into words? I can’t. All I can say is that it is REAL. The entire country has been grieving and suffering with the families (can you imagine?) who have loved ones somewhere underground in Gaza as the war rages…Everyone here KNOWS that it is ALL ‘for them’…for the 9 month old baby or the 3 year old girl whose parents were killed before her eyes just before she was grabbed, or the holocaust survivor who lived life to say ‘NEVER AGAIN’…or simply each child, sibling, spouse, parent, grandparent.
Yesterday I read the account of David in Ziklag that I wrote at the top of this letter and I wept. It says that the men were so grieved for their captive wives and children that they were about to stone David. Grief does that… it rips people to pieces…and we ARE experiencing a collective grief. We have been praying that our soldiers would discover the captives and set them free (as David and his men did), but only one captive was set free thus far in this manner and we have been told that it was an extremely dangerous operation. Quoting an analysis by David Horovitz in Times of Israel:
“Obviously, Israel would have wanted an agreement to secure the return of all hostages. Ministers were told that there was no such deal to be made. Obviously, too, Israel would have wanted the IDF to have itself located and rescued all, or at least more of the hostages — without necessitating any deal with the terrorists, any release of Palestinian security prisoners, any halt to the war. But that option, ministers were told, was not available either. Only one hostage has been extricated from Gaza to date — Orit Megidish, three weeks ago, in an extremely high-risk operation — even as the IDF has taken greater control of many of Hamas’s strongholds in the north of the strip. (The case of Nachshon Wachsman. a soldier abducted and held hostage by Hamas in 1994, underscores the difficulty of such rescues. In Wachsman’s case, Israel knew precisely where he was being held, in the West Bank just outside Jerusalem, but a rescue attempt proved disastrous, with Wachsman killed by his captors as IDF commandos attempted to break in, and the lead officer in the rescue attempt killed as well.)”
I remember well the sad death of Nachshon Wachsman. We had just made Aliyah and this life was so new to me. Many thousands gathered at the western wall of the temple, praying, beseeching God to spare him…it was so vivid to me…and so new.
A sister wrote to me that she had been thinking about how many times Moses went to Pharaoh to beseech him: “Let My people go!”. And this war is not over yet. Although we are aware that Hamas has laid a trap in this 4 day ‘pause’, we pray with David “Keep me from the snares they have laid for me, And from the traps of the workers of iniquity.” In Psalm 141:9 and Psalm 124:7 “Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; The snare is broken, and we have escaped.” We are not ignorant of the enemy’s devices.
The hour is late and we now see the faces of those who were released today. No one dares to say ‘So many little old ladies!’…because each life is considered holy and precious…but oh how we had hoped to see more than 4 children today. Actually, until they all come home it will not be enough. BUT WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THESE AND WE LOOK TO GOD FOR THE FUTURE.
Yesterday was Thanksgiving in America and although the article that I printed below is…just an article…it touched me and perhaps it will give you more of a ‘flavor’ of Israel today than I am able to do. THANK YOU FOR PRAYING. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR STAYING FAITHFUL TO HIM. MAY WE KNOW HIM MORE DEEPLY DAY BY DAY AND…BE FOUND FAITHFUL.
Loving blessings, your sister here.
AN ARTICLE FROM Times of Israel
Thanksgiving: This year in Jerusalem
Anxiety about Israel at war, the hostages, antisemitism (the list goes on) makes it hard to give thanks, but it's exactly the right thing to do
NOV 22, 2023
Tomorrow, Thursday, if I were in America, I would set the table early, organize a lavish mid-afternoon meal, and put the menu on the refrigerator. I would have scoured recipes in newspaper food sections intended for anxious would-be cooks and put the ingredients together on the counter. The day would be blessedly slow and calm. I’d have time to pause and consider the matanot ketanot, the small gifts of the day.
Thanksgiving has always been one of my favorite holidays. The streets are quiet. The stores are closed (most of them), and family and friends gather together to celebrate. Everyone can drive over, and the food doesn’t dry out because you serve it right after you make it. Old and new immigrants usually love Thanksgiving, as my grandparents did. They loved America and were grateful for their new lives and new freedoms. It’s a festive time to recount blessings. In his book, Celebrating Life, Rabbi Jonathan Sacks writes, “A blessing is an expression of the miracle of simple things.”
But I am in Israel this year. It’s going to be different.
Together Watching
It was different even before I got on the plane. When the El Al security representative asked us if we packed our bags ourselves, he also asked why we were coming.
“For a visit.”
“A visit during a war?”
“A visit because of the war.”
He looked up from our passports with grateful eyes and thanked us. The pilot also thanked us for coming and reminded us that El Al, the only airline flying to Israel right now, continues to serve Israel in peace and in crisis. The airport was empty of the usual noises of families and friends reunited. There were no children holding balloons or boyfriends clutching cheap flowers and handmade signs.
The war is inescapable and everywhere. The automated passport reader that takes your photo first displayed a picture of one hostage, as if joining us together in a common fate. Ben Gurion’s long marble corridor is now flanked on both sides with posters of hostages. Walking by them quickly felt disrespectful. I took my time, pausing in front of babies and children under 10. Forty-six (now 47) days in captivity. Every one of those lives will be shattered in permanent ways. I touched my dog-tag that says, “Bring Them Home Now,” as a talisman and a prayer.
On Highway #1 to Jerusalem, there are signs promoting our victory, but the news makes it clear we’re not there yet. For the 10 hours on the plane, we had been cut off from our usual doom-scrolling, but when we landed, we learned that two more soldiers had been killed. We heard reports of a possible hostage deal to free 50 women and children that may take place on Thanksgiving. Together, may we say on this Thanksgiving the words of our morning prayer: “Blessed are You Lord, our God, King of the Universe who frees the imprisoned.”
Our anxiety about Israel at war is palpable, which makes it harder to give thanks. When Americans sit at tables to celebrate Thanksgiving this year, our soldiers will still be deep in Gaza. Family and friends will run into protective shelters when sirens cry out, and we will pray that today is the day that all the hostages see their loved ones. I find myself perpetually on the precipice of a deep black hole of sorrow. I weep randomly. It all seems absurd until I realize that this is exactly the right time to be thankful.
This Thanksgiving, let us offer a prayer of gratitude.
We are grateful that we have an army to protect us. We didn’t for most of Jewish history.
We are grateful that soldiers, many of them away for weeks without breaks, wake up each day and fight for democracy and Israel’s right to exist.
We are grateful for those hostages who have been released (and rescued) and pray for them all to come home.
We are grateful that reservists everywhere came home to serve in the IDF.
We are grateful for the strength of those holding down the home front while their family members are at war.
We are grateful that Israel is more unified than ever.
We are grateful that Israelis put down signs of protest and responded to ferocious atrocity with unconditional altruism.
We are grateful for the everyday miracles of volunteers who are packing food, doing laundry, sorting donations, picking fruit, babysitting, driving, and attending the funerals of those they don’t know.
We are grateful that Israel has a remarkable network and infrastructure of communal organizations in place that were ready and able to mobilize resources and respond quickly.
We are grateful that Jews and non-Jews across the globe are expressing solidarity with Israel when it matters most.
We are grateful that the rise in antisemitism has woken us up to the reality that we must show up for each other, now more than ever.
We are grateful that college students facing antisemitism on campus are finding the voice to fight back. This war will turn them into the future leaders of our people.
We are grateful that we have the technology to reach across the ocean in real time and support those who serve and those we love.
We are grateful that Israel continues to provide a sheltering embrace for refugees and immigrants who cannot live safely and securely elsewhere.
We are grateful for the many, many new babies born during this war whom we hope will one day enjoy peace.
We are grateful for the friends who carry us across the pain.
We are grateful for the love and support of strangers.
Spiritual writer Melodie Beattie, once wrote, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.” We can be sad, despondent, and struggling and still offer thanks for life’s fullness. This year, Thanksgiving is more complicated. But sometimes squeezing gratitude out of despair makes it more rich, more textured, and more deeply felt.
AND ALTHOUGH THAT WAS A LOVELY PIECE I MUST ADD:
“GIVE THANKS TO THE LORD, FOR HE IS GOOD, AND HIS MERCY ENDURES FOREVER”
November 19, 2023
Psalm 129 “’Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth,’ Let Israel now say— “Many a time they have afflicted me from my youth; Yet they have not prevailed against me. The plowers plowed on my back; They made their furrows long.” The Lord is righteous; He has cut in pieces the cords of the wicked. Let all those who hate Zion Be put to shame and turned back. Let them be as the grass on the housetops, Which withers before it grows up, With which the reaper does not fill his hand, Nor he who binds sheaves, his arms. Neither let those who pass by them say,
“The blessing of the Lord be upon you; We bless you in the name of the Lord!’”
Psalm 114 “When Israel went out of Egypt, The house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became His sanctuary, And Israel His dominion. The sea saw it and fled; Jordan turned back. The mountains skipped like rams, The little hills like lambs. What ails you, O sea, that you fled? O Jordan, that you turned back? O mountains, that you skipped like rams? O little hills, like lambs? Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the God of Jacob, Who turned the rock into a pool of water, The flint into a fountain of waters.
Psalm 115:1-3 “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth. Why should the Gentiles say, “So where is their God?” But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.”
Psalm 119:37-42 “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, And revive me in Your way. Establish Your word to Your servant, Who is devoted to fearing You. Turn away my reproach which I dread, For Your judgments are good. Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me in Your righteousness. Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord-- Your salvation according to Your word. So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me, For I trust in Your word.”
Greetings and blessings to you in THE NAME of The Lord of hosts, in The Name of His Precious Messiah Yeshua, Who gives us access to the throne of grace, as well as His Peace and forgiveness and cleansing and wisdom and Truth all IN HIM Who IS The ONLY Answer. May He be known, glorified and blessed…and may you be encouraged.
Today is…I think…day 44 of this war. The statistics have become a bit fuzzy: “More than” 1,200 dead from 7 Oct… 58 of our soldiers killed since the beginning of the ground operations…Last I saw there were 139 captives, but I have not seen the number re-set since the bodies of two captives were discovered before Shabbat…that would make 137 now in captivity…not to mention their agonized families…and an agonized nation sharing the pain.
I am so aware that all of the events that I have walked through for the past year and almost a half have brought me to this solitary little ‘cabin’ alone…with almost no necessary distraction or restraint on my time for prayer and being before The Lord in His Word. Although the world is all too effectively hijacking (technologically) it…people have been doing a magnificent job defending Israel’s position, situation, history, and hope. You name it, it is in print and one is able to spend endless hours listening or reading. Arguing and defending.
I came to The Lord and asked Him; ‘With all of this distracting people from prayer, should I still write these letters and what should I write?’ He reminded me instantly of what He told me nearly 30 years ago: ‘Be my witness…what you see, write. What you hear, write.’
I will attempt to leave the reporting, the explaining and the history to others and I will tell you what it ‘looks like’ around me…through my eyes.
The (physical) sky has been dramatic! Yes, it is Autumn and the beginning of the rainy season, but the ‘anger’ in the clouds… the lights in the sky, encourage me that The Lord, The Creator, The Lord of hosts (armies) IS HERE; and I feel that I can bear witness to that in what I hear from and see in people around me. [“Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His Word.” Psalm 148:8] It is so good to smell the familiar smell of wood smoke around me [a benefit of having moved to a village] as the days grow chilly, and we are reminded of the soldiers, sleeping out in the cold, and the country is busy making or securing hats and scarves, sox and gloves for them as we pray for them.
I took Gila out for her walk on Friday night and as I passed a young religious man I said ‘Shabbat Shalom’. He said ‘Ah yes! Shabbat Shalom! May we have ‘shalom!’ What will be? I lifted my hand up to The Lord and said ‘Only HE knows, and we must continue to be soft and obey and seek Him with our whole hearts.’ He said ‘Oh yes! We must…so who are you? Do you live here?’ I told him a bit of how I had moved here in June. ‘Do you like it here?’ he asked me. ‘Oh! I love it here! The people are so very warm and friendly, like family!’ He was pleased and told me that he had been born on this moshav (technically it is still a moshav) and loves it here. When he asked where I lived and I showed him he said ‘Oh, with the French people?’ (They are Finnish but the wife, who was born French Moroccan, has a thick French accent) ‘That’s right’ I answered. He immediately started telling me about other places that I should rent that I would like more in Kurdish houses. This made me smile and I understood that it was a sign of ‘acceptance’…being taken in by ‘the family.’ We talked some more and he said ‘My name is ..... It was nice to meet you.’ And it was. May each of these encounters be SEEDS until I can freely speak His Name into plowed and prepared soil…soil ready to receive and produce fruit unto salvation.
I have found people around me very much to be calling out to God. It seems to be real and with a new and broken tenderness. Some believers that I have spoken to about it have sloughed it off as worthless without Yeshua, but others agree with me that The Word is LOADED with the PROMISE that all those who seek Him or call upon Him with their whole hearts WILL FIND HIM! I went to find a verse to include here…but there are too many! It is truly a promise…HE WILL HEAR THE CRY OF THE NEEDY and I am excited for I know that He never lies and we are hearing of so many answers to those cries and they can only point to Him! I don’t believe that this is a vain fleshly hope. I am hearing all around me people crying out to God to save us, both in public and in private; Almost all conversations turn to God…and they surely did not used to.
We have been witnessing an amazing phenomenon in this divided world. You may recall that before the war, the division here was awful (as in your countries as well…all of them). The rage between right and left, religious and secular had many (including me) in tears. We had come to the brink of a civil war and the anger had become hatred. The 7th of October changed MUCH (not all) of it and surely the voices of descent have quieted down although not disappeared completely. The well know Psalm 133 begins “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!” and the fruit of the unity that we have had since 7 October has produced something difficult to describe. A social media post spoke about it well through a handsome young man picking vegetables who said “They told us ‘The people need help’! So we all ran out to help the people. Then they said ‘The animals need help! [there were so many pets and farm animals stranded after the attacks] So we all ran out to help the animals. Now they said ‘The cherry tomatoes need help!’ So here we all are, picking cherry tomatoes’…and yes! This is true. The post was humorous, but so very true (they were there picking the cherry tomatoes). One industry is BOOMING through all of this and that is the local company that makes Israeli flags. They have had to hire many people to help…and I encourage you to look at photos. Almost every house in Israel (including many Arab houses) have atleast one large flag and the streets are literally CLOTHED in flags! I have seen fairly dramatic displays of nationalistic unity in the past…but NOTHING compared to this. Even the garbage trucks have large flags flying over them…the taxis…you name it. In Hebrew the word for flag is ‘degel’ and for banner is ‘nes’. Many scriptures speak of the flag and banner that is set up in The Name of The Lord marking ‘the way’…displayed because of His faithfulness… calling us to gather to it.
I just thought of something that you might not realize: The rockets being shot from Gaza are still raining upon Israel. Did you know that? In all honesty, from perhaps Thursday or Friday, there seem to be less sirens around the country, however our northern border has seen many more attacks from Hizbollah. I just checked my ‘red alert’ app, which shows incoming rockets (often a barrage of 40-50) and it showed 18 such barrages within the past 24 hours. That is way down from a week ago.
This is a hard time to be living through. Yet it is a privilege to be here for such a time as this.
The question in all of our hearts is: Is this the ‘real thing’…will THE move of His Spirit among our people, that we long for, be the result, or will hearts again grow hard and turn back? To this end we pray for God’s mercy…When judgment is ordained, He offers us a place in the gap…in the cleft of the Rock…in the valley of the shadow…to prevail. Will we prevail for mercy over judgment? Oh Lord, please! I do not KNOW…but I do know that this is REAL. It is no longer a test.
I am touched by the kindness of neighbors. Everyone wants to help. When I stand outside waiting for my ride to Kehila I have so many people stop and ask me if I need help. It is touching. I know that I told you in the past, but it has (thankfully) been awhile. When there is a funeral (and there have been woefully many lately) perhaps you remember that Jewish funerals usually take place within 24 hours of the death and people here are not buried in coffins but in shrouds. Thousands of people show up spontaneously at the funerals to support the family. These are not people who KNOW the family, but they honestly CARE and willing come to help carry the burden of pain. The same is taking place in the hospitals. [Again, I have told you before that our health system is very different here and the presence of family and friends – even around the clock- is encouraged…and this people IS FAMILY.] We have an inordinate number of young people who have lost limbs…such a difficult injury to accept. Their hospital rooms are filled with people from around the country who come to sing to them, to pray for them, to encourage and support them.
These things give the people hope and strength in the face of so much hatred, lies and death. The drawing together and giving of one’s self sacrificially is such a manifestation of The Lord’s Heart…I must believe that He is near.
I have told you about the organization ‘Latet’ (means ‘to give’) which is a food rescue program normally. Their volunteers would glean the fields and orchards, and also the hotels and restaurants as well as food shops to give to those who might lack food. With the war and the lack of farm hands, they have instead been harvesting the fields (volunteers) and paying the farmers for the goods and giving them away; a triple blessing! Once a week, since the area has been secured and there are less rockets reaching our area, we have had their trucks in our school parking area to share the abundance with the community. I have been deeply blessed by the produce, but I also enjoy standing in line with the people. Over the years, The Lord has convicted me concerning murmuring and complaining rather than giving of thanks in all situations. The Lord’s judgment against murmuring and complaining is very severe; in Exodus, He sent ‘the destroyer’ against those who murmured and complained. He has turned up the heat on my heart and I have heard myself complaining about all sorts of things. He has made it clear to me that there is no ‘free ground’ for complaining…not even concerning politics or someone else’s poor judgment…He has made it a firm ‘NO’. It is a ‘spirit’! Because He has dealt with me so firmly, I have found that complaining (sometimes disguised as ‘prudent judgment’ or ‘opinions’ or ‘reason’) hurts the ears of my heart. I’m NOT saying that I’m perfect or free of this…but I have learned to recognize it and be quick(er) to repent…my own murmuring has begun to ‘stink’ to me. I was grieved to stand in line for our FREE, freshly picked produce and hear some people grumbling…that the line wasn’t moving fast enough or that they didn’t like something. I spoke up (shy I’m not) and encouraged people to be thankful (and OFCOURSE most were) but how grievous it was to my heart. Yesterday I read the slim volume of ‘Praying Hyde’ (the biography of John Hyde). It has been a couple of years since I read it, and a particular lesson that The Holy Spirit taught him really grabbed me. He relayed about a time that he was burdened concerning the coldness of a certain pastor’s heart, so he went to prayer for him and told The Lord that he was concerned for the pastor’s lack. The Lord stopped him immediately and brought him to Philippians 4:8, 9. He wrestled with the verses and said ‘Lord…Your Word says ‘whatsoever things are true and it is true that this man is cold’. The Lord showed him that until he could also pray about what was praiseworthy in the man, his prayer would not be heard. What a powerful lesson this was for me. When I am again in the line for receiving these blessings, I will praise God for the life of each of the people on line with me.
And now I am falling asleep as I write, so it must be time for me to close. I give thanks for each one of you…for your portion…large or small…may we all just be found faithful with what He has set before us. Thank you so very very much for praying and caring. This is WAY bigger than all of us!
Lovingly, your sister here
“The blessing of the Lord be upon you; We bless you in the name of the Lord!’”
Psalm 114 “When Israel went out of Egypt, The house of Jacob from a people of strange language, Judah became His sanctuary, And Israel His dominion. The sea saw it and fled; Jordan turned back. The mountains skipped like rams, The little hills like lambs. What ails you, O sea, that you fled? O Jordan, that you turned back? O mountains, that you skipped like rams? O little hills, like lambs? Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the God of Jacob, Who turned the rock into a pool of water, The flint into a fountain of waters.
Psalm 115:1-3 “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy, Because of Your truth. Why should the Gentiles say, “So where is their God?” But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.”
Psalm 119:37-42 “Turn away my eyes from looking at worthless things, And revive me in Your way. Establish Your word to Your servant, Who is devoted to fearing You. Turn away my reproach which I dread, For Your judgments are good. Behold, I long for Your precepts; Revive me in Your righteousness. Let Your mercies come also to me, O Lord-- Your salvation according to Your word. So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me, For I trust in Your word.”
Greetings and blessings to you in THE NAME of The Lord of hosts, in The Name of His Precious Messiah Yeshua, Who gives us access to the throne of grace, as well as His Peace and forgiveness and cleansing and wisdom and Truth all IN HIM Who IS The ONLY Answer. May He be known, glorified and blessed…and may you be encouraged.
Today is…I think…day 44 of this war. The statistics have become a bit fuzzy: “More than” 1,200 dead from 7 Oct… 58 of our soldiers killed since the beginning of the ground operations…Last I saw there were 139 captives, but I have not seen the number re-set since the bodies of two captives were discovered before Shabbat…that would make 137 now in captivity…not to mention their agonized families…and an agonized nation sharing the pain.
I am so aware that all of the events that I have walked through for the past year and almost a half have brought me to this solitary little ‘cabin’ alone…with almost no necessary distraction or restraint on my time for prayer and being before The Lord in His Word. Although the world is all too effectively hijacking (technologically) it…people have been doing a magnificent job defending Israel’s position, situation, history, and hope. You name it, it is in print and one is able to spend endless hours listening or reading. Arguing and defending.
I came to The Lord and asked Him; ‘With all of this distracting people from prayer, should I still write these letters and what should I write?’ He reminded me instantly of what He told me nearly 30 years ago: ‘Be my witness…what you see, write. What you hear, write.’
I will attempt to leave the reporting, the explaining and the history to others and I will tell you what it ‘looks like’ around me…through my eyes.
The (physical) sky has been dramatic! Yes, it is Autumn and the beginning of the rainy season, but the ‘anger’ in the clouds… the lights in the sky, encourage me that The Lord, The Creator, The Lord of hosts (armies) IS HERE; and I feel that I can bear witness to that in what I hear from and see in people around me. [“Fire and hail, snow and clouds; Stormy wind, fulfilling His Word.” Psalm 148:8] It is so good to smell the familiar smell of wood smoke around me [a benefit of having moved to a village] as the days grow chilly, and we are reminded of the soldiers, sleeping out in the cold, and the country is busy making or securing hats and scarves, sox and gloves for them as we pray for them.
I took Gila out for her walk on Friday night and as I passed a young religious man I said ‘Shabbat Shalom’. He said ‘Ah yes! Shabbat Shalom! May we have ‘shalom!’ What will be? I lifted my hand up to The Lord and said ‘Only HE knows, and we must continue to be soft and obey and seek Him with our whole hearts.’ He said ‘Oh yes! We must…so who are you? Do you live here?’ I told him a bit of how I had moved here in June. ‘Do you like it here?’ he asked me. ‘Oh! I love it here! The people are so very warm and friendly, like family!’ He was pleased and told me that he had been born on this moshav (technically it is still a moshav) and loves it here. When he asked where I lived and I showed him he said ‘Oh, with the French people?’ (They are Finnish but the wife, who was born French Moroccan, has a thick French accent) ‘That’s right’ I answered. He immediately started telling me about other places that I should rent that I would like more in Kurdish houses. This made me smile and I understood that it was a sign of ‘acceptance’…being taken in by ‘the family.’ We talked some more and he said ‘My name is ..... It was nice to meet you.’ And it was. May each of these encounters be SEEDS until I can freely speak His Name into plowed and prepared soil…soil ready to receive and produce fruit unto salvation.
I have found people around me very much to be calling out to God. It seems to be real and with a new and broken tenderness. Some believers that I have spoken to about it have sloughed it off as worthless without Yeshua, but others agree with me that The Word is LOADED with the PROMISE that all those who seek Him or call upon Him with their whole hearts WILL FIND HIM! I went to find a verse to include here…but there are too many! It is truly a promise…HE WILL HEAR THE CRY OF THE NEEDY and I am excited for I know that He never lies and we are hearing of so many answers to those cries and they can only point to Him! I don’t believe that this is a vain fleshly hope. I am hearing all around me people crying out to God to save us, both in public and in private; Almost all conversations turn to God…and they surely did not used to.
We have been witnessing an amazing phenomenon in this divided world. You may recall that before the war, the division here was awful (as in your countries as well…all of them). The rage between right and left, religious and secular had many (including me) in tears. We had come to the brink of a civil war and the anger had become hatred. The 7th of October changed MUCH (not all) of it and surely the voices of descent have quieted down although not disappeared completely. The well know Psalm 133 begins “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity!” and the fruit of the unity that we have had since 7 October has produced something difficult to describe. A social media post spoke about it well through a handsome young man picking vegetables who said “They told us ‘The people need help’! So we all ran out to help the people. Then they said ‘The animals need help! [there were so many pets and farm animals stranded after the attacks] So we all ran out to help the animals. Now they said ‘The cherry tomatoes need help!’ So here we all are, picking cherry tomatoes’…and yes! This is true. The post was humorous, but so very true (they were there picking the cherry tomatoes). One industry is BOOMING through all of this and that is the local company that makes Israeli flags. They have had to hire many people to help…and I encourage you to look at photos. Almost every house in Israel (including many Arab houses) have atleast one large flag and the streets are literally CLOTHED in flags! I have seen fairly dramatic displays of nationalistic unity in the past…but NOTHING compared to this. Even the garbage trucks have large flags flying over them…the taxis…you name it. In Hebrew the word for flag is ‘degel’ and for banner is ‘nes’. Many scriptures speak of the flag and banner that is set up in The Name of The Lord marking ‘the way’…displayed because of His faithfulness… calling us to gather to it.
I just thought of something that you might not realize: The rockets being shot from Gaza are still raining upon Israel. Did you know that? In all honesty, from perhaps Thursday or Friday, there seem to be less sirens around the country, however our northern border has seen many more attacks from Hizbollah. I just checked my ‘red alert’ app, which shows incoming rockets (often a barrage of 40-50) and it showed 18 such barrages within the past 24 hours. That is way down from a week ago.
This is a hard time to be living through. Yet it is a privilege to be here for such a time as this.
The question in all of our hearts is: Is this the ‘real thing’…will THE move of His Spirit among our people, that we long for, be the result, or will hearts again grow hard and turn back? To this end we pray for God’s mercy…When judgment is ordained, He offers us a place in the gap…in the cleft of the Rock…in the valley of the shadow…to prevail. Will we prevail for mercy over judgment? Oh Lord, please! I do not KNOW…but I do know that this is REAL. It is no longer a test.
I am touched by the kindness of neighbors. Everyone wants to help. When I stand outside waiting for my ride to Kehila I have so many people stop and ask me if I need help. It is touching. I know that I told you in the past, but it has (thankfully) been awhile. When there is a funeral (and there have been woefully many lately) perhaps you remember that Jewish funerals usually take place within 24 hours of the death and people here are not buried in coffins but in shrouds. Thousands of people show up spontaneously at the funerals to support the family. These are not people who KNOW the family, but they honestly CARE and willing come to help carry the burden of pain. The same is taking place in the hospitals. [Again, I have told you before that our health system is very different here and the presence of family and friends – even around the clock- is encouraged…and this people IS FAMILY.] We have an inordinate number of young people who have lost limbs…such a difficult injury to accept. Their hospital rooms are filled with people from around the country who come to sing to them, to pray for them, to encourage and support them.
These things give the people hope and strength in the face of so much hatred, lies and death. The drawing together and giving of one’s self sacrificially is such a manifestation of The Lord’s Heart…I must believe that He is near.
I have told you about the organization ‘Latet’ (means ‘to give’) which is a food rescue program normally. Their volunteers would glean the fields and orchards, and also the hotels and restaurants as well as food shops to give to those who might lack food. With the war and the lack of farm hands, they have instead been harvesting the fields (volunteers) and paying the farmers for the goods and giving them away; a triple blessing! Once a week, since the area has been secured and there are less rockets reaching our area, we have had their trucks in our school parking area to share the abundance with the community. I have been deeply blessed by the produce, but I also enjoy standing in line with the people. Over the years, The Lord has convicted me concerning murmuring and complaining rather than giving of thanks in all situations. The Lord’s judgment against murmuring and complaining is very severe; in Exodus, He sent ‘the destroyer’ against those who murmured and complained. He has turned up the heat on my heart and I have heard myself complaining about all sorts of things. He has made it clear to me that there is no ‘free ground’ for complaining…not even concerning politics or someone else’s poor judgment…He has made it a firm ‘NO’. It is a ‘spirit’! Because He has dealt with me so firmly, I have found that complaining (sometimes disguised as ‘prudent judgment’ or ‘opinions’ or ‘reason’) hurts the ears of my heart. I’m NOT saying that I’m perfect or free of this…but I have learned to recognize it and be quick(er) to repent…my own murmuring has begun to ‘stink’ to me. I was grieved to stand in line for our FREE, freshly picked produce and hear some people grumbling…that the line wasn’t moving fast enough or that they didn’t like something. I spoke up (shy I’m not) and encouraged people to be thankful (and OFCOURSE most were) but how grievous it was to my heart. Yesterday I read the slim volume of ‘Praying Hyde’ (the biography of John Hyde). It has been a couple of years since I read it, and a particular lesson that The Holy Spirit taught him really grabbed me. He relayed about a time that he was burdened concerning the coldness of a certain pastor’s heart, so he went to prayer for him and told The Lord that he was concerned for the pastor’s lack. The Lord stopped him immediately and brought him to Philippians 4:8, 9. He wrestled with the verses and said ‘Lord…Your Word says ‘whatsoever things are true and it is true that this man is cold’. The Lord showed him that until he could also pray about what was praiseworthy in the man, his prayer would not be heard. What a powerful lesson this was for me. When I am again in the line for receiving these blessings, I will praise God for the life of each of the people on line with me.
And now I am falling asleep as I write, so it must be time for me to close. I give thanks for each one of you…for your portion…large or small…may we all just be found faithful with what He has set before us. Thank you so very very much for praying and caring. This is WAY bigger than all of us!
Lovingly, your sister here
November 12, 2023
“Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, For they are the rejoicing of my heart. I have inclined my heart to perform Your statutes Forever, to the very end…. You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word.” PSALM 119:111-114 [forget it…just read the whole Psalm and pray it.]
May The Lord, Who made the heavens and the earth, be known, and loved and followed…and glorified. May His mercy and His ways be known and seen. May you be blessed and encouraged in all that is of Him. Shabbat Shalom.
I have lost track of the days…they blend together. We are collectively emotionally tired but strengthened as well. We check our phones to see where the last red alerts (meaning; siren; run to your bomb shelter) were sounded. There appear to be, finally, less in the south (reflecting our successes in Gaza) however more in the North (Iran using Lebanon, Syria, Hezbollah) …and even Yemenite Houthi attacks on Eilat in the far south, where many, who were displaced from their kibbutzim, were put up in hotels. The war has been costly…more than 360 Israeli soldiers killed to date.
Many of you expressed surprise at the way our soldiers are fed by the citizens of the country and I thought that it is probably difficult to picture the fact that the soldiers are rotated to come home to their families every week or two…to embrace their loved ones and get showers, do laundry, enjoy family meals, and sleep in a real bed. They might be sent home for as short a period as 12 hours or for several days. They return refreshed. Some of them live within walking distance of where they are fighting…others travel by car or public transportation. The war is ‘right here’…those fighting for us are our family members. It’s very, very personal.
Many volunteers have come from around the world to join those volunteering to help keep the country running. Particularly hard hit has been our agriculture. Most ‘POPULAR’ among our volunteers seem to be 4 American cowboys (3 from Montana and one from Arkansas) who simply bought tickets and came, saying; ‘We are Christians, so we love you…and we are farmers, so we know that when a farmer is down, everyone needs to pitch in.’ It has really warmed the hearts of the nation. (I just found out that FIFTEEN actually came!) My helper (from the government) goes south one day a week to pick crops. She sent me a picture of herself in a tree harvesting olives. Many of the schools have dismissed their classes for students to go and help in the fields or in hospitals…where ever there is a need.
One day when I had watched far too many videos chanting ‘from the river to the sea…’, my neighbor sent me yet another video. I had to do a double take; was it fake? But it wasn’t and I burst out crying. Silently…reported almost no where…there were our soldiers unfurling and raising the Israeli flag…at the edge of the Mediterranean Sea in Gaza! Our soldiers had fought through…from the river to the sea…in Israeli hands! They raised the flag and sang Hatikvah…our national anthem. They are moving slowly, methodically, carefully…non the less, last I had heard, we have lost 35 soldiers in the fighting with many wounded since entering the ground war in Gaza.
I wrote that yesterday. We lost 5 more last night.
Because of the nature of the attack, it has been difficult to perfectly identify many of the bodies, and there has been a need to call for the aid of archeologists to sift through the ashes and identify remnants of bodies. In Judaism, the body is considered holy, even in death, and so the identification is very important. With their help, 200 more people who were thought to have been perished were found to be bodies of terrorists and not Israelis, so the number of those killed initially has moved from approximately 1,400 to approximately 1,200. Perhaps this article will help to explain: death tolls revised down
I spoke to a brother who is very involved in hospital work and asked him how the hospitals are holding up. He told me that they are doing well…but that the rehabilitation centers are staggering…and that the emotional impact of having so many young people (soldiers) with amputated limbs is difficult. Shortly after that, I learned that a believer from the south (I think) was critically injured and lost both of his legs. He is 20 and still in critical condition. His first name is A...... for those who would pray for him.
_____________________________________
I wrote the above yesterday. Things change so rapidly. I try to remember things that I want to write about but the priorities change. Today is day 37 of the war and it is necessary to keep encouraging one another to life, strength, and to look TO THE LORD!
I just came back from a shop…sort of a general store farm style. There were a number of customers and workers and as I went to pay for my stuff, this song came on the radio. It is a song that we also sing in Kehila and speaks of the times that the Jews have been near annihilation and YET GOD saved us…He Who saved us WILL YET save us it says. EVERYONE THERE JOINED IN SINGING! It was an emotional and strengthening moment. Yonatan Razel - Vehi Sheamda
At Kehila last night, I found out that A..... was starting a ‘ministry’ of designing and producing bedrooms for all of the new orphans that we now have. A.... is a registered nurse who has worked in child cancer care for many years, but when her own second daughter was born last year, she stopped working. The Lord placed this need on her heart as she looked at the rooms of her own little girls and saw the burned homes (and families) of the new orphans. She thought about what it would be like for these little ones to have NOTHING comforting in their lives, and this new idea was born…with prayer for each of these little ones.
We prayed for each of the soldiers from our own congregation and others that we know who are fighting… praying for their spirit and soul to be guarded as well as their bodies.
My son in law w....... came by and took me out for lunch on Thursday. He has always been a pacifist and did religious studies rather than go to army. As things heated up and he understood that he may need (we pray not) to defend his family, after much counsel and soul searching, he applied for a gun license and went through weapons training. Sometimes he comes to me when something is heavy on his heart, for which I am deeply thankful. We sat in a small local Kurdi restaurant and he told me that he is not sleeping. He knows that he is responsible for his family’s safety and it weighs on him. He looks at his own 3 little girls and knows that they depend upon him. Because their village is so small, everyone with a weapon must do guard duty and he has been given the 2am shift. I told him that I would be praying for him, so last night I got up at 2am. to lift him in prayer. Suddenly at about 2:15 I heard the roaring overhead of heavily loaded planes: That alerted me to know that we were bombing in the north. When I woke, sure enough there had been increased attacks in the north and we had struck back…was it Lebanon or Syria? It has already been replaced by more current news; it is just being reported that there was a Hezbollah attack in the north severely injuring a number of civilians. How secure I am KNOWING that THE LORD OF HOSTS really IS in control!
My other son in law, ......., also blessed me last week by sending me a link to an interactive zoom lecture class that he was giving in Sderot School of Animation where he taught in the past when they were living here…and after as well (online). What a JOY it was for me to see some 200 students encouraged by his presentation…and to see the compassion in his face and voice.
Brothers and sisters…this season feels surreal…but it is VERY ‘REAL’ and how we each relate to it and walk through it (I believe) will affect the rest of our lives.
This has gotten too long for ‘a quick update’ but events around me are moving so quickly. I am deeply thankful for your prayers and encouragement. I, myself, am fine and have deep peace in my heart…and no fear.
I send my love. May your week ahead be blessed with more of Him.
Lovingly, your sister.
May The Lord, Who made the heavens and the earth, be known, and loved and followed…and glorified. May His mercy and His ways be known and seen. May you be blessed and encouraged in all that is of Him. Shabbat Shalom.
I have lost track of the days…they blend together. We are collectively emotionally tired but strengthened as well. We check our phones to see where the last red alerts (meaning; siren; run to your bomb shelter) were sounded. There appear to be, finally, less in the south (reflecting our successes in Gaza) however more in the North (Iran using Lebanon, Syria, Hezbollah) …and even Yemenite Houthi attacks on Eilat in the far south, where many, who were displaced from their kibbutzim, were put up in hotels. The war has been costly…more than 360 Israeli soldiers killed to date.
Many of you expressed surprise at the way our soldiers are fed by the citizens of the country and I thought that it is probably difficult to picture the fact that the soldiers are rotated to come home to their families every week or two…to embrace their loved ones and get showers, do laundry, enjoy family meals, and sleep in a real bed. They might be sent home for as short a period as 12 hours or for several days. They return refreshed. Some of them live within walking distance of where they are fighting…others travel by car or public transportation. The war is ‘right here’…those fighting for us are our family members. It’s very, very personal.
Many volunteers have come from around the world to join those volunteering to help keep the country running. Particularly hard hit has been our agriculture. Most ‘POPULAR’ among our volunteers seem to be 4 American cowboys (3 from Montana and one from Arkansas) who simply bought tickets and came, saying; ‘We are Christians, so we love you…and we are farmers, so we know that when a farmer is down, everyone needs to pitch in.’ It has really warmed the hearts of the nation. (I just found out that FIFTEEN actually came!) My helper (from the government) goes south one day a week to pick crops. She sent me a picture of herself in a tree harvesting olives. Many of the schools have dismissed their classes for students to go and help in the fields or in hospitals…where ever there is a need.
One day when I had watched far too many videos chanting ‘from the river to the sea…’, my neighbor sent me yet another video. I had to do a double take; was it fake? But it wasn’t and I burst out crying. Silently…reported almost no where…there were our soldiers unfurling and raising the Israeli flag…at the edge of the Mediterranean Sea in Gaza! Our soldiers had fought through…from the river to the sea…in Israeli hands! They raised the flag and sang Hatikvah…our national anthem. They are moving slowly, methodically, carefully…non the less, last I had heard, we have lost 35 soldiers in the fighting with many wounded since entering the ground war in Gaza.
I wrote that yesterday. We lost 5 more last night.
Because of the nature of the attack, it has been difficult to perfectly identify many of the bodies, and there has been a need to call for the aid of archeologists to sift through the ashes and identify remnants of bodies. In Judaism, the body is considered holy, even in death, and so the identification is very important. With their help, 200 more people who were thought to have been perished were found to be bodies of terrorists and not Israelis, so the number of those killed initially has moved from approximately 1,400 to approximately 1,200. Perhaps this article will help to explain: death tolls revised down
I spoke to a brother who is very involved in hospital work and asked him how the hospitals are holding up. He told me that they are doing well…but that the rehabilitation centers are staggering…and that the emotional impact of having so many young people (soldiers) with amputated limbs is difficult. Shortly after that, I learned that a believer from the south (I think) was critically injured and lost both of his legs. He is 20 and still in critical condition. His first name is A...... for those who would pray for him.
_____________________________________
I wrote the above yesterday. Things change so rapidly. I try to remember things that I want to write about but the priorities change. Today is day 37 of the war and it is necessary to keep encouraging one another to life, strength, and to look TO THE LORD!
I just came back from a shop…sort of a general store farm style. There were a number of customers and workers and as I went to pay for my stuff, this song came on the radio. It is a song that we also sing in Kehila and speaks of the times that the Jews have been near annihilation and YET GOD saved us…He Who saved us WILL YET save us it says. EVERYONE THERE JOINED IN SINGING! It was an emotional and strengthening moment. Yonatan Razel - Vehi Sheamda
At Kehila last night, I found out that A..... was starting a ‘ministry’ of designing and producing bedrooms for all of the new orphans that we now have. A.... is a registered nurse who has worked in child cancer care for many years, but when her own second daughter was born last year, she stopped working. The Lord placed this need on her heart as she looked at the rooms of her own little girls and saw the burned homes (and families) of the new orphans. She thought about what it would be like for these little ones to have NOTHING comforting in their lives, and this new idea was born…with prayer for each of these little ones.
We prayed for each of the soldiers from our own congregation and others that we know who are fighting… praying for their spirit and soul to be guarded as well as their bodies.
My son in law w....... came by and took me out for lunch on Thursday. He has always been a pacifist and did religious studies rather than go to army. As things heated up and he understood that he may need (we pray not) to defend his family, after much counsel and soul searching, he applied for a gun license and went through weapons training. Sometimes he comes to me when something is heavy on his heart, for which I am deeply thankful. We sat in a small local Kurdi restaurant and he told me that he is not sleeping. He knows that he is responsible for his family’s safety and it weighs on him. He looks at his own 3 little girls and knows that they depend upon him. Because their village is so small, everyone with a weapon must do guard duty and he has been given the 2am shift. I told him that I would be praying for him, so last night I got up at 2am. to lift him in prayer. Suddenly at about 2:15 I heard the roaring overhead of heavily loaded planes: That alerted me to know that we were bombing in the north. When I woke, sure enough there had been increased attacks in the north and we had struck back…was it Lebanon or Syria? It has already been replaced by more current news; it is just being reported that there was a Hezbollah attack in the north severely injuring a number of civilians. How secure I am KNOWING that THE LORD OF HOSTS really IS in control!
My other son in law, ......., also blessed me last week by sending me a link to an interactive zoom lecture class that he was giving in Sderot School of Animation where he taught in the past when they were living here…and after as well (online). What a JOY it was for me to see some 200 students encouraged by his presentation…and to see the compassion in his face and voice.
Brothers and sisters…this season feels surreal…but it is VERY ‘REAL’ and how we each relate to it and walk through it (I believe) will affect the rest of our lives.
This has gotten too long for ‘a quick update’ but events around me are moving so quickly. I am deeply thankful for your prayers and encouragement. I, myself, am fine and have deep peace in my heart…and no fear.
I send my love. May your week ahead be blessed with more of Him.
Lovingly, your sister.
November 7, 2023
PSALM 114:1-8 “When Israel went out of Egypt, The house of Jacob from a people of strange language,Judah became His sanctuary, And Israel His dominion. The sea saw it and fled;
Jordan turned back. The mountains skipped like rams, The little hills like lambs. What ails you, O sea, that you fled? O Jordan, that you turned back? O mountains, that you skipped like rams? O little hills, like lambs? Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the God of Jacob, Who turned the rock into a pool of water, The flint into a fountain of waters.”
PSALM 115:1-3 “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy,Because of Your truth. Why should the Gentiles say, “So where is their God?” But our God is in heaven;He does whatever He pleases.”
2 CHRONICLES 15:1-8 Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. For a long time Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law; but when in their trouble they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found by them. And in those times there was no peace to the one who went out, nor to the one who came in, but great turmoil was on all the inhabitants of the lands. So nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every adversity. But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!” And when Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities which he had taken in the mountains of Ephraim; and he restored the altar of the Lord that was before the vestibule of the Lord.
To The One True God…The Creator of heaven and earth Who has given us His Messiah Yeshua – may all glory go…may He be our one fear…He is still The Lord of Hosts. Loving greetings to each of you, and thank you so very much for your prayers and love.
I began to write and then I received a prayer request that a fierce battle was raging, so I have been praying. I still have no news, but my heart is quiet, so I will continue to write as I continue to lift up our soldiers.
1 Samuel 17 contains the beloved report of David and Goliath. Verses 17 and 18 say: “Then Jesse said to his son David, “Take now for your brothers an ephah of this dried grain and these ten loaves, and run to your brothers at the camp. And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers fare, and bring back news of them.” It was part of my reading this morning and I thought about how I USED to think ‘that was quaint’. I know that western armies have ‘kitchens’ and the like, but that isn’t so here during battle. It is as in the days of David. Right now, much of the non-fighting part of the country is engaged in food preparation and delivery. Pizza delivery for the soldiers has become tax free (I kid you not).
There are no health department inspections…there are only loving families and other volunteers making sandwiches, soups, all manner of food. Home kitchens, commercial kitchens…any free working space has become and area to ‘feed the soldiers’. My 82 year old friend, ....., used to own an amazing middle eastern restaurant. She volunteered to make food. She called me: ‘Oy! I can not do what they are asking! They want me to make the food AND to bring it to Gaza the same day. I told them ‘I can not cook and drive the same day. I can make the food today and bring it down tomorrow.’ No! They told me…I have to bring it the same day! Oy! What can I do?’
I told you in my last update about the nephew of G.... and O..i who was killed in Gaza. Because our funerals are held within 24 hours of the death, I did not hear in time to attend the funeral, but the shiva is held for the 7 days following the burial. Yesterday I took the bus into Jerusalem for the first time since I stopped working, the day before Sukkot [that seems so long ago now]. The shiva was held in a synagogue. When I found the place, the large room was filled with hundreds of young people…most of whom had a weapon slung over their shoulder. I realized that I had not been at a shiva for a young person before. In the far corner, I spotted G... and O... It was hard to digest just how few ‘older people’ there were compared with the young mourners. We embraced and talked for awhile…there really are no words and everyone knows that, and no one expects ‘the right words’, for there just aren’t any. I only stayed for a half hour or so, but during that time two older men in army fatigues came in – their presence was strong and everyone’s eyes turned toward them. They went to the Grandfather …they were official army support, assigned to comfort the grieving…it is a heavy job, but they are appreciated.
I was very tired when I left. I had walked a long way trying to find the synagogue and then I walked for another hour to an appointment with a lung doctor. When I got out of the doctor’s office, it was dark and I decided that I would take a taxi home rather than battle the bus and train and another bus. I prayed for the right driver. I didn’t feel emotionally strong enough to get an Arab driver. I was standing on the corner for quite awhile and almost despairing of being able to get a taxi, when ‘the right’ driver came by. It’s funny how you can ‘feel’ true humility in some people and it’s just so refreshing. We were soon talking about the war, our families, and life in general. I told him that I had been at a shiva earlier and he told me that he had attended 3 funerals this week. ‘How could we expect to NOT be judged when we have been fighting one another…when people want to do away with Shabbat, when we don’t respect each other and we don’t respect God’s commandments.’ he commented. We began talking about the fear of God and how we must not worship the IDF (“may God bless them”) but worship only God Who gives our soldiers the strength to overcome the enemy. Suddenly he told me shyly; ‘I believe in miracles.’ I told him that I do too and he said ‘I had a miracle in my own life’. So I said ‘Please. Tell me about it!’ He told me that last week he had driven to Rishon L’Zion (along the coast) and was on a narrow street when a siren sounded. He looked and could see no place to pull over. Rishon L’Zion is very close to Gaza so whereas we have 90 seconds to reach shelter here, they have about 20 seconds. He finally pulled over and left his car to lie down against a wall and cover his head when the rocket exploded less than 10 meters in front of him. He said that he heard the ‘pop pop pop’ (he made a sound like bullets hitting the ground) and whizzing all around him as the shrapnel struck and he called out to God who covered him and he was not hit! ‘HALLELUYAH’ I shouted from the back seat! ‘That was a miracle!’ And he took up the cry: ‘Hodu l’Adonai ki tov…ki lay olam hasdo!’ (“Give thanks to The Lord for His mercy endures forever”) we shouted over and over! It was a wonderful time of rejoicing with him and we shared scriptures and the atmosphere in that taxi was so light and joyful. He said to me ‘My rabbi once told me a wonderful secret. That God has given the Arabs a particular blessing…that they must always fight and hate one another.’ I said ‘Oh ofcourse. That is in Genesis 16:12 where God said of Ishmael: “He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” Again, we rejoiced in the scriptures! It was a WONDERFUL trip home and when we arrived the price was half of what I expected…so I blessed him with double what he asked for and all that I can say my heart was so uplifted and I believe that his was as well.
It was an emotional day today…each day getting more emotional, but His Hand is so evident at every turn. As I shared, the whole country is volunteering in one way or another and there is a general ‘sweet kindness’ being shown to one another. Nobody knows what the next person might be going through so everyone is unusually sensitive. I read this headline a short time ago:
“The education ministry said it was considering suspending high school studies during wartime and shifting students to volunteer programs. "All the Israeli youth today are the State of Israel. Its routine has gone completely wrong. I am discussing the subject with officials in the ministry," Education Minister Yoav Kisch said in the Knesset…According to the Education ministry, many high school students chose to join voluntary initiatives, including babysitters, receiving evacuees in reception centers, helping the elderly, assisting less fortunate families and more…Hundreds of teenagers who speak foreign languages have taken a course in advocacy and are active in global social networks. In addition, the education ministry, in cooperation with the agriculture ministry, began to send volunteers to support Israel's agriculture.”
I am so thankful for your prayers and encouragement! I am so thankful for having the TIME undistracted for staying in The Word and in prayer. I am so thankful for the body and for His Holy Spirit! May we be THANKFUL and found not complaining nor murmuring; He has been and is only Good and Faithful.
Loving blessings from your sis.
Jordan turned back. The mountains skipped like rams, The little hills like lambs. What ails you, O sea, that you fled? O Jordan, that you turned back? O mountains, that you skipped like rams? O little hills, like lambs? Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, At the presence of the God of Jacob, Who turned the rock into a pool of water, The flint into a fountain of waters.”
PSALM 115:1-3 “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, But to Your name give glory, Because of Your mercy,Because of Your truth. Why should the Gentiles say, “So where is their God?” But our God is in heaven;He does whatever He pleases.”
2 CHRONICLES 15:1-8 Now the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded. And he went out to meet Asa, and said to him: “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. For a long time Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law; but when in their trouble they turned to the Lord God of Israel, and sought Him, He was found by them. And in those times there was no peace to the one who went out, nor to the one who came in, but great turmoil was on all the inhabitants of the lands. So nation was destroyed by nation, and city by city, for God troubled them with every adversity. But you, be strong and do not let your hands be weak, for your work shall be rewarded!” And when Asa heard these words and the prophecy of Oded the prophet, he took courage, and removed the abominable idols from all the land of Judah and Benjamin and from the cities which he had taken in the mountains of Ephraim; and he restored the altar of the Lord that was before the vestibule of the Lord.
To The One True God…The Creator of heaven and earth Who has given us His Messiah Yeshua – may all glory go…may He be our one fear…He is still The Lord of Hosts. Loving greetings to each of you, and thank you so very much for your prayers and love.
I began to write and then I received a prayer request that a fierce battle was raging, so I have been praying. I still have no news, but my heart is quiet, so I will continue to write as I continue to lift up our soldiers.
1 Samuel 17 contains the beloved report of David and Goliath. Verses 17 and 18 say: “Then Jesse said to his son David, “Take now for your brothers an ephah of this dried grain and these ten loaves, and run to your brothers at the camp. And carry these ten cheeses to the captain of their thousand, and see how your brothers fare, and bring back news of them.” It was part of my reading this morning and I thought about how I USED to think ‘that was quaint’. I know that western armies have ‘kitchens’ and the like, but that isn’t so here during battle. It is as in the days of David. Right now, much of the non-fighting part of the country is engaged in food preparation and delivery. Pizza delivery for the soldiers has become tax free (I kid you not).
There are no health department inspections…there are only loving families and other volunteers making sandwiches, soups, all manner of food. Home kitchens, commercial kitchens…any free working space has become and area to ‘feed the soldiers’. My 82 year old friend, ....., used to own an amazing middle eastern restaurant. She volunteered to make food. She called me: ‘Oy! I can not do what they are asking! They want me to make the food AND to bring it to Gaza the same day. I told them ‘I can not cook and drive the same day. I can make the food today and bring it down tomorrow.’ No! They told me…I have to bring it the same day! Oy! What can I do?’
I told you in my last update about the nephew of G.... and O..i who was killed in Gaza. Because our funerals are held within 24 hours of the death, I did not hear in time to attend the funeral, but the shiva is held for the 7 days following the burial. Yesterday I took the bus into Jerusalem for the first time since I stopped working, the day before Sukkot [that seems so long ago now]. The shiva was held in a synagogue. When I found the place, the large room was filled with hundreds of young people…most of whom had a weapon slung over their shoulder. I realized that I had not been at a shiva for a young person before. In the far corner, I spotted G... and O... It was hard to digest just how few ‘older people’ there were compared with the young mourners. We embraced and talked for awhile…there really are no words and everyone knows that, and no one expects ‘the right words’, for there just aren’t any. I only stayed for a half hour or so, but during that time two older men in army fatigues came in – their presence was strong and everyone’s eyes turned toward them. They went to the Grandfather …they were official army support, assigned to comfort the grieving…it is a heavy job, but they are appreciated.
I was very tired when I left. I had walked a long way trying to find the synagogue and then I walked for another hour to an appointment with a lung doctor. When I got out of the doctor’s office, it was dark and I decided that I would take a taxi home rather than battle the bus and train and another bus. I prayed for the right driver. I didn’t feel emotionally strong enough to get an Arab driver. I was standing on the corner for quite awhile and almost despairing of being able to get a taxi, when ‘the right’ driver came by. It’s funny how you can ‘feel’ true humility in some people and it’s just so refreshing. We were soon talking about the war, our families, and life in general. I told him that I had been at a shiva earlier and he told me that he had attended 3 funerals this week. ‘How could we expect to NOT be judged when we have been fighting one another…when people want to do away with Shabbat, when we don’t respect each other and we don’t respect God’s commandments.’ he commented. We began talking about the fear of God and how we must not worship the IDF (“may God bless them”) but worship only God Who gives our soldiers the strength to overcome the enemy. Suddenly he told me shyly; ‘I believe in miracles.’ I told him that I do too and he said ‘I had a miracle in my own life’. So I said ‘Please. Tell me about it!’ He told me that last week he had driven to Rishon L’Zion (along the coast) and was on a narrow street when a siren sounded. He looked and could see no place to pull over. Rishon L’Zion is very close to Gaza so whereas we have 90 seconds to reach shelter here, they have about 20 seconds. He finally pulled over and left his car to lie down against a wall and cover his head when the rocket exploded less than 10 meters in front of him. He said that he heard the ‘pop pop pop’ (he made a sound like bullets hitting the ground) and whizzing all around him as the shrapnel struck and he called out to God who covered him and he was not hit! ‘HALLELUYAH’ I shouted from the back seat! ‘That was a miracle!’ And he took up the cry: ‘Hodu l’Adonai ki tov…ki lay olam hasdo!’ (“Give thanks to The Lord for His mercy endures forever”) we shouted over and over! It was a wonderful time of rejoicing with him and we shared scriptures and the atmosphere in that taxi was so light and joyful. He said to me ‘My rabbi once told me a wonderful secret. That God has given the Arabs a particular blessing…that they must always fight and hate one another.’ I said ‘Oh ofcourse. That is in Genesis 16:12 where God said of Ishmael: “He shall be a wild man; His hand shall be against every man, And every man’s hand against him. And he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren.” Again, we rejoiced in the scriptures! It was a WONDERFUL trip home and when we arrived the price was half of what I expected…so I blessed him with double what he asked for and all that I can say my heart was so uplifted and I believe that his was as well.
It was an emotional day today…each day getting more emotional, but His Hand is so evident at every turn. As I shared, the whole country is volunteering in one way or another and there is a general ‘sweet kindness’ being shown to one another. Nobody knows what the next person might be going through so everyone is unusually sensitive. I read this headline a short time ago:
“The education ministry said it was considering suspending high school studies during wartime and shifting students to volunteer programs. "All the Israeli youth today are the State of Israel. Its routine has gone completely wrong. I am discussing the subject with officials in the ministry," Education Minister Yoav Kisch said in the Knesset…According to the Education ministry, many high school students chose to join voluntary initiatives, including babysitters, receiving evacuees in reception centers, helping the elderly, assisting less fortunate families and more…Hundreds of teenagers who speak foreign languages have taken a course in advocacy and are active in global social networks. In addition, the education ministry, in cooperation with the agriculture ministry, began to send volunteers to support Israel's agriculture.”
I am so thankful for your prayers and encouragement! I am so thankful for having the TIME undistracted for staying in The Word and in prayer. I am so thankful for the body and for His Holy Spirit! May we be THANKFUL and found not complaining nor murmuring; He has been and is only Good and Faithful.
Loving blessings from your sis.
November 2, 2023
“For from the top of the rocks I see him, And from the hills I behold him; There! A people dwelling alone, Not reckoning itself among the nations.” NUMBERS 23:9
Thank you for searching the scriptures, loving The Lord and choosing His way, which is narrow. May He be glorified and find us faithful!
The view from my small place is what I have to offer.
I have always been fascinated by weather and, whether it meant taking a train to the NYC beach during a hurricane or pressing into the typhoon winds in Bristol Bay Alaska…I was always aware of the weather. I have written here many times about having noticed that dramatic weather here, has seemed to me – often! – to accompany dramatic events. Yesterday my heart pounded as the sky turned black. It IS the rainy season (since Sukkot) but it has been dry. I have mentioned that Maoz Zion overlooks a forest and a valley and that I have a breathtaking view of Jerusalem to the left…really, I have a wonderful view all around. There was a clap of thunder as I went out to the cliff to look. The clouds were dramatically rolling and, as I said, the brooding black clouds engulfing Jerusalem were commanding. For 6 hours here in Maoz Zion we had rolling thunder, often punctuated by planes or bombs rumbling in unison. After several hours, pouring rain washed us for about an hour; wonderful buckets of it. As suddenly as it started, it stopped and again the clouds, golden, silver, black, white, rolling around…and then a rainbow! WOW! We don’t see rainbows here as often as we did in Alaska where double and triple ones were not rare. I stood there wondering if the weather was this way all over the country. S... (my upstairs neighbor from Estonia) came home. He is a video photographer and had been taping in Ashkelon. He was overcome by the devastation that he saw there…the city destroyed…but he told me that it was clear and dry. He had seen no signs of the storm. Another friend was not far away in Beit Shemesh and he also reported ‘only a few drops of rain’.
Last night I slept well, but the night before (Tues-Wed) there was very little sleep for me. It was a different kind of prayer that night; a different kind of wrestling…I felt often, in the midst, as if I were actually a soldier fighting in a tight place in combat. Eventually I slept for a couple of hours and got up to check the news. They were reporting 9, then 10, then 11, then 12 Golani soldiers killed during horrific battles in Gaza. The names and the pictures appeared. One by one I read them…looked at the pictures…thought about their families…and had to weep with them. I just pulled up this headline at random:
IDF steps up Gaza ground operation, 18 Israeli troops killed
1,400 Israelis murdered since October 7, including 332 soldiers- 242 held hostage by Hamas, four hostages released, one rescued
The headlines (and stories) change moment by moment. I do hope that you have accessed the news sites that I sent links to. It is worth taking a look several times a day…events are moving so rapidly.
Today, again, a number of countries removed their ambassadors or severed all diplomatic ties with Israel. I seem to remember Columbia, Chile, and several other South American countries as well. Jordan withdrew their ambassador (this is a big deal since we signed peace accords with them in 1994.) I can not remember them all. Most airlines have stopped flying here. Only ElAl continues flights on a regular basis. A list of companies worldwide that have come out in support of Israel was published (I will attach it), since the BDS movement has been thriving since the war began. I KNOW that you understand and stand with us in prayer and love and that a number of wonderful governmental leaders also are wonderfully vocal, but the venom running in the streets…I have no words. May it be a wave on which the Jews still in exile among the nations will finally flee home, even if we are wartorn.
Yesterday R... S.... came by with a gift for me. She was one of our patients and I have always liked her. She is my age, the only child of holocaust survivors. She said that it was only after her father died that she found that he had had another family before the holocaust, but they were all killed in Auschwitz. She told me that her father never spoke of it…so it was a shock to find out. I shared with her my testimony and would appreciate prayer for her salvation.
Today at prayer there was a request for O.. H...... ‘O..?’ I said…’What is wrong…she is a friend of mine’ (not yet a believer). ‘A.... R.... was her nephew that she raised with his two brothers. He was killed in the war yesterday.’ I did not know! ‘They were looking for people to line the streets in holding flags on the route to the cemetery.’ I sent off a quick WhatsApp to G... (O.... husband) and he sent back a picture of the black and white mourning poster with the shiva times. The amount of grieving…it is something that still seems unreal. I listen to the stories told by those working in forensics, to identify bodies still piled up (because in Israel…everyone has a name and must be identified beyond a doubt. I listened to an interview on the news with a woman from the ‘women’s burial unit’…describing how they take the bodies with such care…realizing that they will be the last person on earth to care for them…they wash them and gently wrap them in a white burial shroud…but they have never seen such mutilated bodies…nor so many. It IS traumatic. It IS necessary to keep going. It IS necessary to encourage one another.
Volunteers come from other countries to help in many capacities. I watched a video today of an American man who heard about the laundry problem (our soldiers bring their laundry home…but they aren’t going home right now so there is a ‘smelly laundry problem’. This man bought and shipped here a LAUNDRYMAT on a long truck with washers and dryers and right on the battle front he set this contraption up and soldiers lined up with their laundry! What a service! People are so creative. I just got a notice asking for anyone with any teaching experience to volunteer to fill in for teachers called to fight. The bloodmobile was camped out today with people lined up to give blood. At the food shop there are big bins for soldiers and for displaced families. I was told that hundreds of thousands of families have immediately been housed and clothed…people are just moving over and making room.
PRAYER REQUEST: We will know that The Lord has heard our prayers and had mercy on us if we survive. To survive, we MUST defeat the enemies…there IS no ‘time out’ or ‘cease fire’…this is unto the finish. Tomorrow America’s A. Blinken is arriving – our understanding is that they STRONGLY want a ‘PAUSE’ (what a politically correct word!). The pressure will be great. We are praying that our leadership will NOT GIVE IN. A ‘pause’ will only weaken us and strengthen them.
Everywhere people are praying. The western wall has been constantly full of people gathering to pray. Yes, I see so many calling on The Name of The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob…not yet YESHUA…but praying that NOW, LORD.
I apologize that these letters are disjointed and not painting a complete picture. I am tired and emotions are very stretched. I encourage you to, yes, keep up with what is happening through the sites that I shared with you…but most of all … keep praying. This is perhaps…(I don’t want to sound too dramatic) the battle of our lifetime. May we be filled with The Holy Spirit and The Spirit of discernment…may we not be deceived or turned out of the straight path by emotion or sentimentality. May He give us His Spirit of prayer in our prayer closets.
I am very tired so I will not be reading this over. (I don't know why the 'formatting' got esqued, but I'm too tired to figure it out)
Lovingly, your sister
Thank you for searching the scriptures, loving The Lord and choosing His way, which is narrow. May He be glorified and find us faithful!
The view from my small place is what I have to offer.
I have always been fascinated by weather and, whether it meant taking a train to the NYC beach during a hurricane or pressing into the typhoon winds in Bristol Bay Alaska…I was always aware of the weather. I have written here many times about having noticed that dramatic weather here, has seemed to me – often! – to accompany dramatic events. Yesterday my heart pounded as the sky turned black. It IS the rainy season (since Sukkot) but it has been dry. I have mentioned that Maoz Zion overlooks a forest and a valley and that I have a breathtaking view of Jerusalem to the left…really, I have a wonderful view all around. There was a clap of thunder as I went out to the cliff to look. The clouds were dramatically rolling and, as I said, the brooding black clouds engulfing Jerusalem were commanding. For 6 hours here in Maoz Zion we had rolling thunder, often punctuated by planes or bombs rumbling in unison. After several hours, pouring rain washed us for about an hour; wonderful buckets of it. As suddenly as it started, it stopped and again the clouds, golden, silver, black, white, rolling around…and then a rainbow! WOW! We don’t see rainbows here as often as we did in Alaska where double and triple ones were not rare. I stood there wondering if the weather was this way all over the country. S... (my upstairs neighbor from Estonia) came home. He is a video photographer and had been taping in Ashkelon. He was overcome by the devastation that he saw there…the city destroyed…but he told me that it was clear and dry. He had seen no signs of the storm. Another friend was not far away in Beit Shemesh and he also reported ‘only a few drops of rain’.
Last night I slept well, but the night before (Tues-Wed) there was very little sleep for me. It was a different kind of prayer that night; a different kind of wrestling…I felt often, in the midst, as if I were actually a soldier fighting in a tight place in combat. Eventually I slept for a couple of hours and got up to check the news. They were reporting 9, then 10, then 11, then 12 Golani soldiers killed during horrific battles in Gaza. The names and the pictures appeared. One by one I read them…looked at the pictures…thought about their families…and had to weep with them. I just pulled up this headline at random:
IDF steps up Gaza ground operation, 18 Israeli troops killed
1,400 Israelis murdered since October 7, including 332 soldiers- 242 held hostage by Hamas, four hostages released, one rescued
The headlines (and stories) change moment by moment. I do hope that you have accessed the news sites that I sent links to. It is worth taking a look several times a day…events are moving so rapidly.
Today, again, a number of countries removed their ambassadors or severed all diplomatic ties with Israel. I seem to remember Columbia, Chile, and several other South American countries as well. Jordan withdrew their ambassador (this is a big deal since we signed peace accords with them in 1994.) I can not remember them all. Most airlines have stopped flying here. Only ElAl continues flights on a regular basis. A list of companies worldwide that have come out in support of Israel was published (I will attach it), since the BDS movement has been thriving since the war began. I KNOW that you understand and stand with us in prayer and love and that a number of wonderful governmental leaders also are wonderfully vocal, but the venom running in the streets…I have no words. May it be a wave on which the Jews still in exile among the nations will finally flee home, even if we are wartorn.
Yesterday R... S.... came by with a gift for me. She was one of our patients and I have always liked her. She is my age, the only child of holocaust survivors. She said that it was only after her father died that she found that he had had another family before the holocaust, but they were all killed in Auschwitz. She told me that her father never spoke of it…so it was a shock to find out. I shared with her my testimony and would appreciate prayer for her salvation.
Today at prayer there was a request for O.. H...... ‘O..?’ I said…’What is wrong…she is a friend of mine’ (not yet a believer). ‘A.... R.... was her nephew that she raised with his two brothers. He was killed in the war yesterday.’ I did not know! ‘They were looking for people to line the streets in holding flags on the route to the cemetery.’ I sent off a quick WhatsApp to G... (O.... husband) and he sent back a picture of the black and white mourning poster with the shiva times. The amount of grieving…it is something that still seems unreal. I listen to the stories told by those working in forensics, to identify bodies still piled up (because in Israel…everyone has a name and must be identified beyond a doubt. I listened to an interview on the news with a woman from the ‘women’s burial unit’…describing how they take the bodies with such care…realizing that they will be the last person on earth to care for them…they wash them and gently wrap them in a white burial shroud…but they have never seen such mutilated bodies…nor so many. It IS traumatic. It IS necessary to keep going. It IS necessary to encourage one another.
Volunteers come from other countries to help in many capacities. I watched a video today of an American man who heard about the laundry problem (our soldiers bring their laundry home…but they aren’t going home right now so there is a ‘smelly laundry problem’. This man bought and shipped here a LAUNDRYMAT on a long truck with washers and dryers and right on the battle front he set this contraption up and soldiers lined up with their laundry! What a service! People are so creative. I just got a notice asking for anyone with any teaching experience to volunteer to fill in for teachers called to fight. The bloodmobile was camped out today with people lined up to give blood. At the food shop there are big bins for soldiers and for displaced families. I was told that hundreds of thousands of families have immediately been housed and clothed…people are just moving over and making room.
PRAYER REQUEST: We will know that The Lord has heard our prayers and had mercy on us if we survive. To survive, we MUST defeat the enemies…there IS no ‘time out’ or ‘cease fire’…this is unto the finish. Tomorrow America’s A. Blinken is arriving – our understanding is that they STRONGLY want a ‘PAUSE’ (what a politically correct word!). The pressure will be great. We are praying that our leadership will NOT GIVE IN. A ‘pause’ will only weaken us and strengthen them.
Everywhere people are praying. The western wall has been constantly full of people gathering to pray. Yes, I see so many calling on The Name of The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob…not yet YESHUA…but praying that NOW, LORD.
I apologize that these letters are disjointed and not painting a complete picture. I am tired and emotions are very stretched. I encourage you to, yes, keep up with what is happening through the sites that I shared with you…but most of all … keep praying. This is perhaps…(I don’t want to sound too dramatic) the battle of our lifetime. May we be filled with The Holy Spirit and The Spirit of discernment…may we not be deceived or turned out of the straight path by emotion or sentimentality. May He give us His Spirit of prayer in our prayer closets.
I am very tired so I will not be reading this over. (I don't know why the 'formatting' got esqued, but I'm too tired to figure it out)
Lovingly, your sister
November 1, 2023
PSALM 27
It is evening. We have just turned our clocks back and so it is darker at this time than it was a few days ago.The Lord is faithful in the dark and in the light, in the storm and in the calm. He simply IS faithful...He can not deny Himself. May we also stand faithful, you and I...at all times.
The war continues and increases in intensity. Fierce combat is going on and increasing in Gaza and we are praying for our soldiers and the captives...they are constantly on our minds and hearts as well as the deep anguish of those who still are waiting for news of missing loved ones or loved ones on the front lines (our back yard). A WONDERFUL THING HAPPENED YESTERDAY! We do not (of necessity!) know the details, but a young woman soldier who was taken captive on the 7th, was rescued by the IDF and returned to her family. This was such a huge ray of hope to us all! We long to see other families also giving credit first to 'God The Creator of all' as her family did. Praise God for such encouragement!
As things continue to heat up, the Houthis in Yemen, backed by Iran and similar to isis, have entered the war and have been launching long range missiles at us. Several were intercepted, but several have also hit. This is an unwanted addition, but here it is. The morale of the citizens and IDF is very high and it is doubted by no one that we will either win or be annihilated. Our eyes are on God, Who promised, Who gave, Who is faithful. His ways and thoughts are higher than ours, and we know that. Our eyes are on Him. May Messiah be NOW seen and NOW received. May THE SHOUT go up from the camp HE IS ALIVE! May we believers be faithful to shine HIM forth!
Lovingly, your sister
It is evening. We have just turned our clocks back and so it is darker at this time than it was a few days ago.The Lord is faithful in the dark and in the light, in the storm and in the calm. He simply IS faithful...He can not deny Himself. May we also stand faithful, you and I...at all times.
The war continues and increases in intensity. Fierce combat is going on and increasing in Gaza and we are praying for our soldiers and the captives...they are constantly on our minds and hearts as well as the deep anguish of those who still are waiting for news of missing loved ones or loved ones on the front lines (our back yard). A WONDERFUL THING HAPPENED YESTERDAY! We do not (of necessity!) know the details, but a young woman soldier who was taken captive on the 7th, was rescued by the IDF and returned to her family. This was such a huge ray of hope to us all! We long to see other families also giving credit first to 'God The Creator of all' as her family did. Praise God for such encouragement!
As things continue to heat up, the Houthis in Yemen, backed by Iran and similar to isis, have entered the war and have been launching long range missiles at us. Several were intercepted, but several have also hit. This is an unwanted addition, but here it is. The morale of the citizens and IDF is very high and it is doubted by no one that we will either win or be annihilated. Our eyes are on God, Who promised, Who gave, Who is faithful. His ways and thoughts are higher than ours, and we know that. Our eyes are on Him. May Messiah be NOW seen and NOW received. May THE SHOUT go up from the camp HE IS ALIVE! May we believers be faithful to shine HIM forth!
Lovingly, your sister
October 30, 2023
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.” Corinthians 3-5
BLESSED BE THE GOD…THE ONLY AND ONE TRUE GOD…GOD THE CREATOR…THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE… THE TRUTH…THE BEGINNING AND THE END OF ALL THINGS. May HE be glorified and known…touched and seen and worshipped.
War is a great sifter. The intensity…the seriousness…the moment by moment life and death reality sifts us, searches our hearts, wades in boots through the tender places of our hearts that we would rather reserve and hide.
As the fighting increases with the daily deepening of the ground war, the aerial bombings have not lessened. My neighborhood hasn’t had a siren in 2 weeks and it is amazing how quickly our systems try to ‘re-set’ to some sort of ‘normal’. I had been out all morning and agreed with a sister in Him that we are all so tired, even if we are ‘strong and courageous’…the constant stress is taking a toll on us. She took me shopping and we noted that the store shelves are really showing a difference; they are pretty bare. I got home and began checking the war progress. Last night’s violent riot in an airport in the Russian province of Dagestan shook everyone up…the videos were shocking…even more shocking than the awful demonic demonstrations around the world (yes, I know that there are also supporters and thank you to all of you!) which have re-awakened all of the memories of past hatreds…AMALEK is here and now…never again is here and now…and somehow the reality of that settles into us and takes its toll.
HOWEVER, alongside there is great brightness on many levels. On the natural level there is the endurance and resilience of the people that is so very encouraging. The kindness and yes even press toward God. There is the determination to survive, and to encourage one another along the way. There is wit. There is a humility…a ‘collective’ credit rather than one person wishing to be recognized…the credit goes to everyone. There is a seeking out of those in need.
EVERYONE is painfully aware of the hostages and their waiting loved ones…the AGONY of not knowing! This is the national burden in every heart. We are bearing the captives and their families. And everyone is bearing the soldiers…EVERYONE! I was in line at the drug store the other day and a sneezing soldier came in and I stepped aside and told him ‘Please! You first and bless you!’ and he said ‘God forbid! I always let old people go first. I won’t take your place.’ Oh my!
The hostages: There are now 239 confirmed last I heard. Two who were thought to be hostages were identified today from their brutalized remains as dead. Every other picture is of another one gone, finally identified…either a hostage or a soldier. There are so many ‘remains’ waiting to be identified. The number has overwhelmed the forensic institute. At a funeral for a fallen soldier today in Jerusalem, everyone had to lie flat on the ground and cover their heads as the rockets flew overhead.
The babies…the children…the young, middle and old people. We weep as we see interviews with parents who have lost their minds in the midst of this grief. Where will this lead? NONE OF US KNOW. We have not walked this way before. May it lead to Him. Ultimately that is all that matters. I have had more and more opportunities to share my testimony. May it bear fruit for His kingdom. Believers seem more ‘real’ and less ‘guarded’…seeking to be restored to our first love and in a position for Him to use us as He wishes.
Again, I would ask for prayer for our daughter in the Gush Etzion area of Judea. I woke up Friday night with a sudden memory of the days when isis was being fought in the area and I vividly remembered that we were told that they had planted ‘sleeper cells’! I had forgotten. Those cells were waiting for these days. Please bring this before The Lord and pray as He would lead you.
And so, this is real and all of our years of preparation … may they bring forth fruit for His glory. Thank you so much for your prayers. Thank you so much for standing. It is painful to try to write these letters now.
Lovingly, your sister.
BLESSED BE THE GOD…THE ONLY AND ONE TRUE GOD…GOD THE CREATOR…THE RIGHTEOUS JUDGE… THE TRUTH…THE BEGINNING AND THE END OF ALL THINGS. May HE be glorified and known…touched and seen and worshipped.
War is a great sifter. The intensity…the seriousness…the moment by moment life and death reality sifts us, searches our hearts, wades in boots through the tender places of our hearts that we would rather reserve and hide.
As the fighting increases with the daily deepening of the ground war, the aerial bombings have not lessened. My neighborhood hasn’t had a siren in 2 weeks and it is amazing how quickly our systems try to ‘re-set’ to some sort of ‘normal’. I had been out all morning and agreed with a sister in Him that we are all so tired, even if we are ‘strong and courageous’…the constant stress is taking a toll on us. She took me shopping and we noted that the store shelves are really showing a difference; they are pretty bare. I got home and began checking the war progress. Last night’s violent riot in an airport in the Russian province of Dagestan shook everyone up…the videos were shocking…even more shocking than the awful demonic demonstrations around the world (yes, I know that there are also supporters and thank you to all of you!) which have re-awakened all of the memories of past hatreds…AMALEK is here and now…never again is here and now…and somehow the reality of that settles into us and takes its toll.
HOWEVER, alongside there is great brightness on many levels. On the natural level there is the endurance and resilience of the people that is so very encouraging. The kindness and yes even press toward God. There is the determination to survive, and to encourage one another along the way. There is wit. There is a humility…a ‘collective’ credit rather than one person wishing to be recognized…the credit goes to everyone. There is a seeking out of those in need.
EVERYONE is painfully aware of the hostages and their waiting loved ones…the AGONY of not knowing! This is the national burden in every heart. We are bearing the captives and their families. And everyone is bearing the soldiers…EVERYONE! I was in line at the drug store the other day and a sneezing soldier came in and I stepped aside and told him ‘Please! You first and bless you!’ and he said ‘God forbid! I always let old people go first. I won’t take your place.’ Oh my!
The hostages: There are now 239 confirmed last I heard. Two who were thought to be hostages were identified today from their brutalized remains as dead. Every other picture is of another one gone, finally identified…either a hostage or a soldier. There are so many ‘remains’ waiting to be identified. The number has overwhelmed the forensic institute. At a funeral for a fallen soldier today in Jerusalem, everyone had to lie flat on the ground and cover their heads as the rockets flew overhead.
The babies…the children…the young, middle and old people. We weep as we see interviews with parents who have lost their minds in the midst of this grief. Where will this lead? NONE OF US KNOW. We have not walked this way before. May it lead to Him. Ultimately that is all that matters. I have had more and more opportunities to share my testimony. May it bear fruit for His kingdom. Believers seem more ‘real’ and less ‘guarded’…seeking to be restored to our first love and in a position for Him to use us as He wishes.
Again, I would ask for prayer for our daughter in the Gush Etzion area of Judea. I woke up Friday night with a sudden memory of the days when isis was being fought in the area and I vividly remembered that we were told that they had planted ‘sleeper cells’! I had forgotten. Those cells were waiting for these days. Please bring this before The Lord and pray as He would lead you.
And so, this is real and all of our years of preparation … may they bring forth fruit for His glory. Thank you so much for your prayers. Thank you so much for standing. It is painful to try to write these letters now.
Lovingly, your sister.
October 29, 2023
“So His disciples went out and came into the city, and found it just as He had said to them…”
MARK 14:16
May The Lord glorify His Name.
That verse in Mark always arrests me and reminds me that I can (and must) ALWAYS trust Him. Because if it is Him Whom I am listening to, it will ALWAYS come to pass.
Today is the 22nd day of the war and it is again Shabbat.
I have just come home from Kehila in time to listen to the news where the nation was briefed concerning what lies ahead. I will print out for you a summary of the Prime Minister’s speech from YNET and Minister of defense Gallant’s speech from Times of Israel. This afternoon the Prime Minister met with the families of the captives…the number of captives has been raised to 229.
IT IS TIME TO PRAY.
.
Netanyahu: This is a second Independence War
'In first weeks of war, we have dealt severe blow to enemy to ensure safest possible entry for our ground forces,' he says during joint presser with Gallant, Gantz; rockets fired toward central Israel during speech
"This is our second War of Independence; we are fighting to defend our homeland, and we will eradicate the enemy from above and below the ground. It will be a triumph of good over evil, life over death. This is our life's mission - my life's mission," he said during a joint press conference alongside Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Minister Benny Gantz.
"We will be victorious. In the first weeks of the war, we have dealt a severe blow to the enemy to ensure the safest possible entry for our forces on the ground, and we are only at the beginning of the path. The battle within the Gaza Strip will be tough and protracted."
He also addressed the launch of Israel's ground offensive in Gaza, which he said received unanimous support from members of the emergency wartime Cabinet.
"On Friday evening, additional ground forces entered the Gaza Strip. This marks the second phase of the war. We have decided to expand the ground offensive." Netanyahu added, "We are determined to settle the score with the murderers as they deserve for the heinous acts they have committed. We've always said to the world, 'Never again - Never again is now.'"
During the press conference, a barrage of rockets was fired toward the central cities of Ness Ziona, Yavne and other neighboring communities, as well as toward the southern city of Ashkelon, which bore the brunt of rocket fire since hostilities began earlier this month.
In an earlier rocket attack toward central Israel, three people sustained light injuries. First responders reported providing medical treatment to a man in his 50s in Holon who suffered from smoke inhalation, two people who were injured while heading to a shelter in Tel Aviv and Yehud and six people who suffered shock in Kiryat Ono and Ramat Gan.
Meanwhile, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said that three rocket launches from Lebanon were detected, triggering rocket sirens in the border community of Margaliot near Mount Hermon. All three rockets landed in unpopulated areas. The army said that it was striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in response.
One rocket struck a parking lot in the central city of Kiryat Ono, igniting a fire and causing several cars to explode. Fire and rescue services reported that "the rocket fell near a residential building. The teams are engaged in extinguishing the fire and searching for casualties near the vehicles and the adjacent building."
Abu Obaida, the spokesperson of Hamas's military wing, said Saturday evening that the Gaza-ruling terrorist group would be willing to release all the Israeli hostages it holds in exchange for “emptying Israeli prisons” of all Palestinian prisoners.
"If Israel wants to address the issue of the captives all at once, we are ready, and if it wishes to break down the matter, we are prepared for that as well," he said in a statement. "The price for the large number of captives we have is emptying Israeli prisons of all the detainees."
The IDF said Saturday evening that it identified several rocket launches from Lebanese territory toward the Zar'it area in northern Israel. No injuries were reported and no damage was caused. Israeli forces were responding with artillery fire toward the source of the rockets.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the families of hostages or missing persons at the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv. Dozens of protesters gathered outside the base, holding pictures of the abductees and distributing yellow ribbons to drivers as a symbol of solidarity with the captives.
Earlier, after hours of intensive rocket fire into southern Israel, including the border area and the city of Ashkelon, Hamas targeted Tel Aviv and Be'er Sheva in the early afternoon. A rocket landed in the southern city, causing property damage but no injuries.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Saturday that Israel began a new stage in the war late on Friday when forces entered Gaza. "The ground in Gaza shook," Gallant said "We attacked above and below ground, struck terrorists of all ranks and in all places. The orders are clear. the fight continues until otherwise ordered.
Hamas said it was trying to locate eight Russian-Israeli dual citizens who were taken hostage during the terrorist attack on Israel in order to free them on Moscow's request, Russian news agencies reported Saturday. "From the Russian side, via the foreign ministry, we received a list of citizens that have dual citizenship," senior Hamas representative Moussa Abu Marzook was cited as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency. "We are looking for those people... It is hard but we are looking. And when we find them, we will let them go."
Gallant says return of captives ‘not a secondary mission,’ warns ‘long war’ ahead in Gaza
By LAZAR BERMAN
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant speaks during a press conference about the war against the Gaza-ruling Hamas terror group, October 28, 2023. (YouTube screenshot; used in accordance with clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
Speaking after Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says there is not one moment he is not thinking about the hostages.
“Over the last day, we advanced to a new stage” in the war, he says. “The strength of the fire shook the ground in Gaza, and it’s different from anything Hamas has experienced since its creation.
“IDF forces are maneuvering in the relevant places, and are striking Hamas arrays right now, above ground and underground.”
“Hamas is suffering shocks it has never suffered,” he says.
Gallant says Israeli forces in Gaza are receiving all the intelligence and supportive fire they need, adding the operation is precise, lethal and extremely powerful.
Gallant says he “has full faith” in the IDF chief of staff, the heads of Shin Bet and Mossad, and the soldiers in the field.
He stresses Israel doesn’t want to expand the war, but is ready if anyone else gets involved.
Gallant also says the country is taking care of the reservists, those living near the combat areas and those who have had to leave their houses.
Turning to the hostages, Gallant says Israel is doing everything it can to bring the hostages back. “It is not a secondary mission.”
“Let’s not delude ourselves, our enemies are not looking for humanitarian solutions.”
Gallant says the harder Israel hits Hamas, the greater the chances Hamas will agree to release hostages.
“It will not be a short war. It will be a long war,” he says.
“It is us or them,” Gallant says.
here's an encouraging article about volunteer dairy farmers
The pictures did not come through. You can see them on the media links that I sent.
The number of captives was just readjusted to 230. You might ask how this is happening. My boss sent me an article by a dentist friend and (was) a patient of ours who is volunteering at the forensic center, to identify the remains of the still many unidentified bodies through dental identification. He explained that when someone is identified as dead, it also means that someone else who it MIGHT have been, is now missing.
MARK 14:16
May The Lord glorify His Name.
That verse in Mark always arrests me and reminds me that I can (and must) ALWAYS trust Him. Because if it is Him Whom I am listening to, it will ALWAYS come to pass.
Today is the 22nd day of the war and it is again Shabbat.
I have just come home from Kehila in time to listen to the news where the nation was briefed concerning what lies ahead. I will print out for you a summary of the Prime Minister’s speech from YNET and Minister of defense Gallant’s speech from Times of Israel. This afternoon the Prime Minister met with the families of the captives…the number of captives has been raised to 229.
IT IS TIME TO PRAY.
.
Netanyahu: This is a second Independence War
'In first weeks of war, we have dealt severe blow to enemy to ensure safest possible entry for our ground forces,' he says during joint presser with Gallant, Gantz; rockets fired toward central Israel during speech
"This is our second War of Independence; we are fighting to defend our homeland, and we will eradicate the enemy from above and below the ground. It will be a triumph of good over evil, life over death. This is our life's mission - my life's mission," he said during a joint press conference alongside Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Minister Benny Gantz.
"We will be victorious. In the first weeks of the war, we have dealt a severe blow to the enemy to ensure the safest possible entry for our forces on the ground, and we are only at the beginning of the path. The battle within the Gaza Strip will be tough and protracted."
He also addressed the launch of Israel's ground offensive in Gaza, which he said received unanimous support from members of the emergency wartime Cabinet.
"On Friday evening, additional ground forces entered the Gaza Strip. This marks the second phase of the war. We have decided to expand the ground offensive." Netanyahu added, "We are determined to settle the score with the murderers as they deserve for the heinous acts they have committed. We've always said to the world, 'Never again - Never again is now.'"
During the press conference, a barrage of rockets was fired toward the central cities of Ness Ziona, Yavne and other neighboring communities, as well as toward the southern city of Ashkelon, which bore the brunt of rocket fire since hostilities began earlier this month.
In an earlier rocket attack toward central Israel, three people sustained light injuries. First responders reported providing medical treatment to a man in his 50s in Holon who suffered from smoke inhalation, two people who were injured while heading to a shelter in Tel Aviv and Yehud and six people who suffered shock in Kiryat Ono and Ramat Gan.
Meanwhile, the IDF Spokesperson's Unit said that three rocket launches from Lebanon were detected, triggering rocket sirens in the border community of Margaliot near Mount Hermon. All three rockets landed in unpopulated areas. The army said that it was striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon in response.
One rocket struck a parking lot in the central city of Kiryat Ono, igniting a fire and causing several cars to explode. Fire and rescue services reported that "the rocket fell near a residential building. The teams are engaged in extinguishing the fire and searching for casualties near the vehicles and the adjacent building."
Abu Obaida, the spokesperson of Hamas's military wing, said Saturday evening that the Gaza-ruling terrorist group would be willing to release all the Israeli hostages it holds in exchange for “emptying Israeli prisons” of all Palestinian prisoners.
"If Israel wants to address the issue of the captives all at once, we are ready, and if it wishes to break down the matter, we are prepared for that as well," he said in a statement. "The price for the large number of captives we have is emptying Israeli prisons of all the detainees."
The IDF said Saturday evening that it identified several rocket launches from Lebanese territory toward the Zar'it area in northern Israel. No injuries were reported and no damage was caused. Israeli forces were responding with artillery fire toward the source of the rockets.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the families of hostages or missing persons at the IDF headquarters in Tel Aviv. Dozens of protesters gathered outside the base, holding pictures of the abductees and distributing yellow ribbons to drivers as a symbol of solidarity with the captives.
Earlier, after hours of intensive rocket fire into southern Israel, including the border area and the city of Ashkelon, Hamas targeted Tel Aviv and Be'er Sheva in the early afternoon. A rocket landed in the southern city, causing property damage but no injuries.
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said on Saturday that Israel began a new stage in the war late on Friday when forces entered Gaza. "The ground in Gaza shook," Gallant said "We attacked above and below ground, struck terrorists of all ranks and in all places. The orders are clear. the fight continues until otherwise ordered.
Hamas said it was trying to locate eight Russian-Israeli dual citizens who were taken hostage during the terrorist attack on Israel in order to free them on Moscow's request, Russian news agencies reported Saturday. "From the Russian side, via the foreign ministry, we received a list of citizens that have dual citizenship," senior Hamas representative Moussa Abu Marzook was cited as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency. "We are looking for those people... It is hard but we are looking. And when we find them, we will let them go."
Gallant says return of captives ‘not a secondary mission,’ warns ‘long war’ ahead in Gaza
By LAZAR BERMAN
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant speaks during a press conference about the war against the Gaza-ruling Hamas terror group, October 28, 2023. (YouTube screenshot; used in accordance with clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
Speaking after Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant says there is not one moment he is not thinking about the hostages.
“Over the last day, we advanced to a new stage” in the war, he says. “The strength of the fire shook the ground in Gaza, and it’s different from anything Hamas has experienced since its creation.
“IDF forces are maneuvering in the relevant places, and are striking Hamas arrays right now, above ground and underground.”
“Hamas is suffering shocks it has never suffered,” he says.
Gallant says Israeli forces in Gaza are receiving all the intelligence and supportive fire they need, adding the operation is precise, lethal and extremely powerful.
Gallant says he “has full faith” in the IDF chief of staff, the heads of Shin Bet and Mossad, and the soldiers in the field.
He stresses Israel doesn’t want to expand the war, but is ready if anyone else gets involved.
Gallant also says the country is taking care of the reservists, those living near the combat areas and those who have had to leave their houses.
Turning to the hostages, Gallant says Israel is doing everything it can to bring the hostages back. “It is not a secondary mission.”
“Let’s not delude ourselves, our enemies are not looking for humanitarian solutions.”
Gallant says the harder Israel hits Hamas, the greater the chances Hamas will agree to release hostages.
“It will not be a short war. It will be a long war,” he says.
“It is us or them,” Gallant says.
here's an encouraging article about volunteer dairy farmers
The pictures did not come through. You can see them on the media links that I sent.
The number of captives was just readjusted to 230. You might ask how this is happening. My boss sent me an article by a dentist friend and (was) a patient of ours who is volunteering at the forensic center, to identify the remains of the still many unidentified bodies through dental identification. He explained that when someone is identified as dead, it also means that someone else who it MIGHT have been, is now missing.
October 27, 2023
“He made known His ways to Moses, His acts to the children of Israel.” PSALM 103:7
“So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.”
EZEKIEL 22:30
His WAYS He made know to Moses, but the children of Israel wanted to know only His acts. They didn’t have a capacity for His WAYS. His WAYS almost never appeal to our flesh, which does not want pain and, yes, wants recognition and the preeminence. His WAY is narrow, lowly: and He shares His glory with NO ONE.
There was a notice on my cell phone this morning that there is a current cyber attack alert concerning phones and computers. I am thankful that yesterday I sent you links to my news sources so that you can read for yourself in ‘real time’ what is happening here…for it is necessary to have facts at this time. I will refrain from adding links to my letters for now. I so deeply do not want to lose touch with my children and this is the only form of communication that I have.
R...... came to help me today…my Bituach Leumi helper who has also become a friend. You might remember that I shared my testimony with her awhile back, when her niece was going through a hard time. Today I felt pressed to share with her about the way of salvation and that included some more of my testimony. She listened deeply, but then said that she HAS peace in her heart. She didn’t say ‘no’ to Him, she just does not yet clearly see her need. It’s not my work, but His, to reveal Himself to hearts. I am praying for wisdom and for The Holy Spirit to continue to work in her.
Yesterday I walked up to the HarEl School where the farmer’s market from the south was to be held. I had actually bought cherry tomatoes and cucumbers the day before, but I felt an urgency to support the farmers. The market was supposed to be open from 15:00 (3pm) until 17:30 (5:30pm). I got there right at 3 and by the time I reached the point in line to purchase, the cucumbers were gone already. I took a box of tomatoes and gave them a donation. Everybody is so thankful and trying to do whatever they can. By the time I got home at about 4:15pm, a notice had been sent out already that they were all sold out, due to the wonderful turnout. Part of my reading this morning was in 1 Chronicles 6…the beginning of the wonderful prayer of King Solomon’s as he dedicated the temple. He said ‘WHEN there is war, plague, famine, drought… ‘for all people sin…(and these are Your PROMISES to us WHEN we sin)’ …but when they turn again to You with their WHOLE HEART…HEAR! My heart churned within me to be truly FAITHFUL…to be one who will REALLY STAND IN THE GAP FOR OUR PEOPLE AND NATION(for – woe! – it is recorded in Ezekiel 22:30 that He found NO ONE)…YET BY HIS OWN HAND HE will accomplish what He sees fit.
Tomorrow morning it will be three weeks…21 days…since this nightmare began. Where will it lead? It will lead to HIM if we turn toward Him full faced.
In the midst of all of this…this – yet another very surreal part of the path – we can not forget the captives – night and day – wondering, praying, hoping…224 people…the little children…held deep in the underground tunnels below Gaza…being told lies. We all know what it is to hear the lies of the enemy. When that enemy clothes himself with a human face and voice, OH LORD! May he not prevail in any of those precious lives. May HE Who is The Light and The Truth appear to them and comfort them.
I have been the reluctant recipient of ‘good deeds to be done’ lately. With so many volunteers, people are looking for ways to help (me too)…but it seems as if the ‘good deed’ of ‘feed the widow’ is a popular one and the knocks on my door are non stop. Praise God for such kindness, but neither my refrigerator nor my body has the capacity to consume all of these blessings. I am thankful to share them around, and so as I leave now for shabbat dinner at a friend’s house, I am thrilled to go laden with exotic dishes that I have not made.
I must close now…but again…thank you for praying and for standing firm in His Truth even when the whole world rises us …may we stay behind The Lord’s standard.
Loving blessings,
Shabbat shalom, your sis
“So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the gap before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.”
EZEKIEL 22:30
His WAYS He made know to Moses, but the children of Israel wanted to know only His acts. They didn’t have a capacity for His WAYS. His WAYS almost never appeal to our flesh, which does not want pain and, yes, wants recognition and the preeminence. His WAY is narrow, lowly: and He shares His glory with NO ONE.
There was a notice on my cell phone this morning that there is a current cyber attack alert concerning phones and computers. I am thankful that yesterday I sent you links to my news sources so that you can read for yourself in ‘real time’ what is happening here…for it is necessary to have facts at this time. I will refrain from adding links to my letters for now. I so deeply do not want to lose touch with my children and this is the only form of communication that I have.
R...... came to help me today…my Bituach Leumi helper who has also become a friend. You might remember that I shared my testimony with her awhile back, when her niece was going through a hard time. Today I felt pressed to share with her about the way of salvation and that included some more of my testimony. She listened deeply, but then said that she HAS peace in her heart. She didn’t say ‘no’ to Him, she just does not yet clearly see her need. It’s not my work, but His, to reveal Himself to hearts. I am praying for wisdom and for The Holy Spirit to continue to work in her.
Yesterday I walked up to the HarEl School where the farmer’s market from the south was to be held. I had actually bought cherry tomatoes and cucumbers the day before, but I felt an urgency to support the farmers. The market was supposed to be open from 15:00 (3pm) until 17:30 (5:30pm). I got there right at 3 and by the time I reached the point in line to purchase, the cucumbers were gone already. I took a box of tomatoes and gave them a donation. Everybody is so thankful and trying to do whatever they can. By the time I got home at about 4:15pm, a notice had been sent out already that they were all sold out, due to the wonderful turnout. Part of my reading this morning was in 1 Chronicles 6…the beginning of the wonderful prayer of King Solomon’s as he dedicated the temple. He said ‘WHEN there is war, plague, famine, drought… ‘for all people sin…(and these are Your PROMISES to us WHEN we sin)’ …but when they turn again to You with their WHOLE HEART…HEAR! My heart churned within me to be truly FAITHFUL…to be one who will REALLY STAND IN THE GAP FOR OUR PEOPLE AND NATION(for – woe! – it is recorded in Ezekiel 22:30 that He found NO ONE)…YET BY HIS OWN HAND HE will accomplish what He sees fit.
Tomorrow morning it will be three weeks…21 days…since this nightmare began. Where will it lead? It will lead to HIM if we turn toward Him full faced.
In the midst of all of this…this – yet another very surreal part of the path – we can not forget the captives – night and day – wondering, praying, hoping…224 people…the little children…held deep in the underground tunnels below Gaza…being told lies. We all know what it is to hear the lies of the enemy. When that enemy clothes himself with a human face and voice, OH LORD! May he not prevail in any of those precious lives. May HE Who is The Light and The Truth appear to them and comfort them.
I have been the reluctant recipient of ‘good deeds to be done’ lately. With so many volunteers, people are looking for ways to help (me too)…but it seems as if the ‘good deed’ of ‘feed the widow’ is a popular one and the knocks on my door are non stop. Praise God for such kindness, but neither my refrigerator nor my body has the capacity to consume all of these blessings. I am thankful to share them around, and so as I leave now for shabbat dinner at a friend’s house, I am thrilled to go laden with exotic dishes that I have not made.
I must close now…but again…thank you for praying and for standing firm in His Truth even when the whole world rises us …may we stay behind The Lord’s standard.
Loving blessings,
Shabbat shalom, your sis
October 26, 2023
“Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, “If you return to the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the foreign gods and the Ashtoreths from among you, and prepare your hearts for the Lord, and serve Him only; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines.” So the children of Israel put away the Baals and the Ashtoreths, and served the Lord only. And Samuel said, “Gather all Israel to Mizpah, and I will pray to the Lord for you.” So they gathered together at Mizpah, drew water, and poured it out before the Lord. And they fasted that day, and said there, “We have sinned against the Lord.” And Samuel judged the children of Israel at Mizpah. Now when the Philistines heard that the children of Israel had gathered together at Mizpah, the lords of the Philistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard of it, they were afraid of the Philistines. So the children of Israel said to Samuel, “Do not cease to cry out to the Lord our God for us, that He may save us from the hand of the Philistines.”
1 Samuel 7:3-7
Dear Brothers and sisters, shalom.
As you know (the above verses)…The Lord defeated the Philistines, He thundered upon them and overthrew them with confusion. True repentance…true turning TO Him and not turning away…what a beautiful Lord we have and serve!
I was just out walking my dog and I was thinking about the PRIVILEDGE He has given me to be His, here at this time in this moment. I look at the preparation that He has done…and it IS ‘enough’. If I have not learned the lessons then it is only my own fault because His preparation IS sufficient and in each of our lives…and ‘the test’ comes.
This is war and it is nasty and painful. Last night’s incursion into Gaza revealed two more captives, bringing the total now to 224 in captivity (alive or dead we do not know). It is agonizing. The stories that unfold minute by minute are ripping people’s hearts out. The worlds’ reaction (generally. Thank you to all of you who are praying and seeking truth) is beyond shocking…people here can not fathom it.
I answered a letter to a sister the other day and I think that I will reiterate what I wrote to her here. I try to be very careful what I read in any media. I DO NOT WANT INTERPRETATIONS. That, I receive in The Word by the power of His Holy Spirit. I look for ‘facts’ because I feel that it is necessary and important that I be informed, but I don’t ‘MAJOR’ in knowing them or trying to figure them out. I generally do NOT read the Christian media because (as I said) I am not looking to have it interpreted. I also do not look at ‘foreign (out side of Israel) media’. I read 4 secular sources that span left and right. I ask The Lord to lead me into Truth through this. I FORGOT to tell you that our secular media (that I recommend) has some truly disgusting advertisements. (someone brought that to my attention). I admit to totally ignoring that. Please just block it out…don’t let your eyes settle on it. That’s what I have learned to do.
ynet english news
Jerusalem post
Times of Israel
Israel hayom
I am writing this because today’s stories blew me away across the board and they should be seen. Perhaps you would like to take a look throughout the day. NOT to be obsessed with it! But it is better than me picking and choosing. Please take a look. There are other good ones, but I find these give a good cross section in English. At this moment I can not stomach picking out stories…especially concerning the world response.
I have been reading about the devastation done to our agriculture and I have been concerned and began praying about it. (least we also have no food) There is no one to work the fields that are left. In the south, many farms were destroyed, as well as farm animals killed…and there just aren’t workers to harvest what is left. People have been called to just show up and work, but more is needed and I was pleased last night to get a message that there will be a farmer’s market held here in my community today to support the farmers. Praise God! I was greatly heartened and plan to go.
The stores are now showing the strain of the situation. Again, it is NOT critical but I do miss some of the products that I grew to love. Oh well, again, it is a privilege to have been trained by Him and now the tests are here. May we pass them and bring Him glory! How ARE we supposed to WALK in the times of great pressing? We are to praise Him…to be found of Him in His Peace…to be of a quiet heart and a PRAYING HEART turned to Him. We are to fear not and to be strong and courageous. We KNOW the scriptures because He exhorts us to meditate in them day and night…but then the test comes, and we get a glimpse of what is in our own hearts. Here we are Lord…glorify Your Name!
Thank you for all of your prayers for our country and our people and HIS PURPOSES to be fulfilled.
Again, I apologize for the quick, very unpolished, note.
Loving blessings.
A sister.
1 Samuel 7:3-7
Dear Brothers and sisters, shalom.
As you know (the above verses)…The Lord defeated the Philistines, He thundered upon them and overthrew them with confusion. True repentance…true turning TO Him and not turning away…what a beautiful Lord we have and serve!
I was just out walking my dog and I was thinking about the PRIVILEDGE He has given me to be His, here at this time in this moment. I look at the preparation that He has done…and it IS ‘enough’. If I have not learned the lessons then it is only my own fault because His preparation IS sufficient and in each of our lives…and ‘the test’ comes.
This is war and it is nasty and painful. Last night’s incursion into Gaza revealed two more captives, bringing the total now to 224 in captivity (alive or dead we do not know). It is agonizing. The stories that unfold minute by minute are ripping people’s hearts out. The worlds’ reaction (generally. Thank you to all of you who are praying and seeking truth) is beyond shocking…people here can not fathom it.
I answered a letter to a sister the other day and I think that I will reiterate what I wrote to her here. I try to be very careful what I read in any media. I DO NOT WANT INTERPRETATIONS. That, I receive in The Word by the power of His Holy Spirit. I look for ‘facts’ because I feel that it is necessary and important that I be informed, but I don’t ‘MAJOR’ in knowing them or trying to figure them out. I generally do NOT read the Christian media because (as I said) I am not looking to have it interpreted. I also do not look at ‘foreign (out side of Israel) media’. I read 4 secular sources that span left and right. I ask The Lord to lead me into Truth through this. I FORGOT to tell you that our secular media (that I recommend) has some truly disgusting advertisements. (someone brought that to my attention). I admit to totally ignoring that. Please just block it out…don’t let your eyes settle on it. That’s what I have learned to do.
ynet english news
Jerusalem post
Times of Israel
Israel hayom
I am writing this because today’s stories blew me away across the board and they should be seen. Perhaps you would like to take a look throughout the day. NOT to be obsessed with it! But it is better than me picking and choosing. Please take a look. There are other good ones, but I find these give a good cross section in English. At this moment I can not stomach picking out stories…especially concerning the world response.
I have been reading about the devastation done to our agriculture and I have been concerned and began praying about it. (least we also have no food) There is no one to work the fields that are left. In the south, many farms were destroyed, as well as farm animals killed…and there just aren’t workers to harvest what is left. People have been called to just show up and work, but more is needed and I was pleased last night to get a message that there will be a farmer’s market held here in my community today to support the farmers. Praise God! I was greatly heartened and plan to go.
The stores are now showing the strain of the situation. Again, it is NOT critical but I do miss some of the products that I grew to love. Oh well, again, it is a privilege to have been trained by Him and now the tests are here. May we pass them and bring Him glory! How ARE we supposed to WALK in the times of great pressing? We are to praise Him…to be found of Him in His Peace…to be of a quiet heart and a PRAYING HEART turned to Him. We are to fear not and to be strong and courageous. We KNOW the scriptures because He exhorts us to meditate in them day and night…but then the test comes, and we get a glimpse of what is in our own hearts. Here we are Lord…glorify Your Name!
Thank you for all of your prayers for our country and our people and HIS PURPOSES to be fulfilled.
Again, I apologize for the quick, very unpolished, note.
Loving blessings.
A sister.
October 25, 2023
"The Lord reigns; Let the earth rejoice; Let the multitude of isles be glad! Clouds and darkness surround Him; Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. A fire goes before Him, And burns up His enemies round about. His lightnings light the world The earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord At the presence of the Lord of the whole earth. The heavens declare His righteousness, And all the peoples see His glory. Let all be put to shame who serve carved images, Who boast of idols. Worship Him, all you gods. Zion hears and is glad, And the daughters of Judah rejoice Because of Your judgments, O Lord. For You, Lord, are most high above all the earth; You are exalted far above all gods. You who love the Lord, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked. Light is sown for the righteous, And gladness for the upright in heart. Rejoice in the Lord, you righteous, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name." PSALM 97
Good morning. I asked the taxi driver yesterday 'How he is' and he said to me 'If I get up in the morning and am alive, I must be thankful.' I know that that is often a sober joke among us older people, but he wasn't older and right now here it is no joke. It was nice to talk with him. Everyone is 'real'. A social worker came to see me yesterday and I have not met her before. S.... is probably in her 40s and has a 13 year old son. She asked me if I wanted to leave the country, because she did. As we talked and shared, she told me that she was born during the '67 war. Then there was the 1973 war. Then she fought in the war of 1982 and then the two intifadas. She said 'I was born during the sirens and sirens I hear all of my life. Atleast my son has not had them from birth. I can not stand them anymore!' She told me that her mother was a holocaust survivor and told her that there is a difference between those who were born here and those who were not: that those who were born here think that there is something better for Jews outside. She said 'I see that you are still Zionist'. I told her that I believe God and I believe His plan and purpose and that I have peace in my heart. Sadly, she represents many war weary sabras. (those born here).
There are some wonderful things to report: The unity of the people is extraordinary. The volunteerism...the helping...the kindness...it is something to see. For years there has been a battle between the secular and the haredim claiming that the haredim won't fight for the country (they often study religion rather than go to the army. There is a move among the haredim to join the army and in the past 2 weeks more than 2,000 have gone and signed up to fight. This is very healing.
You know that in the past I have found that I can look at the weather here and 'suspect' what might be ahead of us. This week is expecting a strong unusual heat wave. That puts a check in my heart. We had MUCH activity from both the south and the north yesterday. Between 3-5 in the evening I asked a neighbor if there was thunder and she told me 'No...it is the bombs', which I expected, but hoped that perhaps it was thunder.
I have been having some discussions with people about news sources. I want to share with you 'my opinion' concerning what I listen to and why. I try to NOT look much at the news, but I feel that it is important to know what is happening. I VERY RARELY LOOK FOR INTERPRETATION (for that I go to the Bible) and for that reason I only go to a cross section of our own (NOT international) secular press. RIGHT HERE I HAVE TO APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I HAD FORGOTTEN HOW DISGUSTING OUR ADVERTISEMENTS ARE IN THE SECULAR PRESS AND WHEN I SEND IT TO YOU, SOME OF YOU ARE SHOCKED. PLEASE FORGIVE ME...I HAVE LEARNED TO KEEP MY EYES BLIND TO THAT. I find by this - and the discernment of The Holy Spirit - I can usually come up with what really is taking place on the ground - and is not sensationalized. I LOOK TO THE LORD ONLY FOR THE INTERPRETATION.
Having said that, I want to resend a couple of links if you missed them. They are worthwhile taking a look at:
My pastor rarely speaks in English here, so this site that he just put up in English I HIGHLY RECOMMEND. It is his teaching.
https://www.youtube.com/@_HungerForGod
Also the article that I sent yesterday from Chris Mitchell...I didn't see until after that there was a video and on the video is an WELL WORTHY TO WATCH (EXCELLENT) interview with Michael Oren - a brilliant man who used to be Ambassador to the US.
FINALLY...ONLY FOR THE STRONG OF HEART...I send this with a caution...it is shocking.
It is a recording from a terrorist on the first day who took the cell phone from a woman that he had killed and called his parents to ecstatically boast how he had just killed 10 Jews and their blood was on his hands. His parents rejoiced with great joy with him. It is shocking but it is important to hear (if you can stomach it)
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-769989
their blood is on my hands
Please keep praying (as most of you are...THANK YOU!)
If anyone wants a list of the names of soldiers to pray for please ask me and I will send it.
May He lead us into Himself ...and be glorified.
Lovingly, your sister.
Good morning. I asked the taxi driver yesterday 'How he is' and he said to me 'If I get up in the morning and am alive, I must be thankful.' I know that that is often a sober joke among us older people, but he wasn't older and right now here it is no joke. It was nice to talk with him. Everyone is 'real'. A social worker came to see me yesterday and I have not met her before. S.... is probably in her 40s and has a 13 year old son. She asked me if I wanted to leave the country, because she did. As we talked and shared, she told me that she was born during the '67 war. Then there was the 1973 war. Then she fought in the war of 1982 and then the two intifadas. She said 'I was born during the sirens and sirens I hear all of my life. Atleast my son has not had them from birth. I can not stand them anymore!' She told me that her mother was a holocaust survivor and told her that there is a difference between those who were born here and those who were not: that those who were born here think that there is something better for Jews outside. She said 'I see that you are still Zionist'. I told her that I believe God and I believe His plan and purpose and that I have peace in my heart. Sadly, she represents many war weary sabras. (those born here).
There are some wonderful things to report: The unity of the people is extraordinary. The volunteerism...the helping...the kindness...it is something to see. For years there has been a battle between the secular and the haredim claiming that the haredim won't fight for the country (they often study religion rather than go to the army. There is a move among the haredim to join the army and in the past 2 weeks more than 2,000 have gone and signed up to fight. This is very healing.
You know that in the past I have found that I can look at the weather here and 'suspect' what might be ahead of us. This week is expecting a strong unusual heat wave. That puts a check in my heart. We had MUCH activity from both the south and the north yesterday. Between 3-5 in the evening I asked a neighbor if there was thunder and she told me 'No...it is the bombs', which I expected, but hoped that perhaps it was thunder.
I have been having some discussions with people about news sources. I want to share with you 'my opinion' concerning what I listen to and why. I try to NOT look much at the news, but I feel that it is important to know what is happening. I VERY RARELY LOOK FOR INTERPRETATION (for that I go to the Bible) and for that reason I only go to a cross section of our own (NOT international) secular press. RIGHT HERE I HAVE TO APOLOGIZE BECAUSE I HAD FORGOTTEN HOW DISGUSTING OUR ADVERTISEMENTS ARE IN THE SECULAR PRESS AND WHEN I SEND IT TO YOU, SOME OF YOU ARE SHOCKED. PLEASE FORGIVE ME...I HAVE LEARNED TO KEEP MY EYES BLIND TO THAT. I find by this - and the discernment of The Holy Spirit - I can usually come up with what really is taking place on the ground - and is not sensationalized. I LOOK TO THE LORD ONLY FOR THE INTERPRETATION.
Having said that, I want to resend a couple of links if you missed them. They are worthwhile taking a look at:
My pastor rarely speaks in English here, so this site that he just put up in English I HIGHLY RECOMMEND. It is his teaching.
https://www.youtube.com/@_HungerForGod
Also the article that I sent yesterday from Chris Mitchell...I didn't see until after that there was a video and on the video is an WELL WORTHY TO WATCH (EXCELLENT) interview with Michael Oren - a brilliant man who used to be Ambassador to the US.
FINALLY...ONLY FOR THE STRONG OF HEART...I send this with a caution...it is shocking.
It is a recording from a terrorist on the first day who took the cell phone from a woman that he had killed and called his parents to ecstatically boast how he had just killed 10 Jews and their blood was on his hands. His parents rejoiced with great joy with him. It is shocking but it is important to hear (if you can stomach it)
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-769989
their blood is on my hands
Please keep praying (as most of you are...THANK YOU!)
If anyone wants a list of the names of soldiers to pray for please ask me and I will send it.
May He lead us into Himself ...and be glorified.
Lovingly, your sister.
October 22, 2023
"Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, Or ever You had formed the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, THOU ART GOD." PSALM 90:1
“That in all things HE might have the preeminence.”
I decided that I needed to get out for a walk earlier today. The temptation to simply stay in by myself is an old trap for me. I stepped outside the gate and wondered if I should walk to the left or to the right; should I go to Rami Levi or Super Ofir? So I prayed. I felt that I should go right, and remembering how The Lord has trained me to listen to and obey His ‘nudges’…His ‘checks’…His ‘still small voice’. I turned right and had walked about 10 steps when I heard volleys of gunshots off to the left. I stopped and listened. I thanked The Lord for His faithfulness to remind me to look to Him for even the smallest thing. It was so reassuring! The days of ‘training’ seemed long…but we are no longer training. This is the real thing. We need to remind ourselves that this is all really happening, but the grieving are abundant, so we can't forget for long.
The streets are pretty empty and until last night I didn’t realize that I hadn’t been out of my area in two weeks, since the war began. Last night I was blessed to go back to the Kehila for the first time and I was overwhelmed as we drove through Jerusalem. The last time that I was there the city was filthy with all of the dust from so much construction, and huge signs covered buildings and billboards displaying the discord in the nation and the political division. Last night, the city looked so clean and EVERYWHERE were only Israeli flags. The political signs had been replaced with ones like those pictured below. They say (ya’khad n’netzhak) ‘TOGETHER WE WILL WIN' -some add ‘Israel lives’ (am Yisrael khai) or ‘we are strong together’. (khazak be’achad) It was dramatic.
And it IS dramatic. Although we are experiencing a defining moment in the spiritual war (which this ALL is and has been all along- it has ALWAYS been a spiritual war) I can not help but look and see what is around me and try to describe it to you. I thought about how the whole world is so divided and up until 2 weeks ago, so were we... right there at the top. That changed in a moment of time and it is extraordinary to see.
I got a phone call from a number that I didn’t know. ‘I’m calling from the city. How are you doing?’ the voice asked. ‘Is there anything that I can help you with? Do you need food or medicines or someone to talk to?’ I said ‘Well…actually no, but what I do need is a place to volunteer since I don’t have a car and I don’t get around as easily as I used to.’ He said to me ‘You know what? We think that it’s time that you have done enough and we want to help you instead.’… it was quite a touching conversation, actually it is the second call that I received like that. There literally is NO one who is not volunteering. (see article below) Cauldrons of soup are boiling on stoves, food is being packed, necessary clothing and hygiene articles are being boxed…cars load them on and bring them up north or down south to the soldiers. People take on doing laundry for soldiers. Families open their homes to the hundreds of thousands of displaced families and others are taken in by the hotels. Boxes of clothing and toys stack up for them. Calls go out asking who can take care of animals that are stuck without their families. Others go to pick crops on farms where the owners are on the fighting lines. IT IS EXTRAORDINARY!
It is hard to keep away from the media. It takes a lot of self discipline to limit how much I will look at. It is incredibly discouraging to see how quickly the truth is distorted and 'the world' tells us to 'back off'...it's our fault anyway. I listened to an Arabic interview with the head of Hamas. The (Arab) interviewer said to him ‘They are calling you isis! They are asking how you could do such an awful thing…babies…children…’ He sat there calmly and looked at her and said ‘Where did you see these things?’ She said ‘Everyone can see it! It is being shown everywhere!’ So calmly he looked her in the eye and said ‘It is all lies. You are watching the Israeli lie…Netanyahu has made it all up so that he can slaughter us. It is a lie and you are watching the Israeli lies!’ My mouth fell open! Brother, sister…he could have convinced me!
Israel is surrounded by 500 million Muslims! They are angry and are eating lies.
The war on the northern border is rapidly heating up and our northern communities have been evacuated. (as have our southern communities ofcourse)
We remain poised to go into Gaza. In last night’s briefing we were told that this war is very different and it will be long and painful. Everyone is very sober but trying to strengthen one another. Again (you must be tired of me saying this) may we be found of Him in His peace, glorifying Him alone and doing only what He tells us to do…even if our part is scrubbing the bathroom. Obedience is better than sacrifice.
Before I close, some people have asked if there is enough to eat. Yes. The shelves may look somewhat empty but really, we don’t ‘NEED’ all that we think that we do. We really can do with much less. We may not have our 'dainties' but we have sustaining food.
Thank you for praying for – above all – the revelation of Yeshua…to all alive; the captives, the grieving, the fearful, the strong, the weak, and even the enemy…all…we need HIM.
Lovingly, your sis
The entire home front has become a network of WhatsApp groups buzzing non-stop. Everyone is helping everyone all the time.
“That in all things HE might have the preeminence.”
I decided that I needed to get out for a walk earlier today. The temptation to simply stay in by myself is an old trap for me. I stepped outside the gate and wondered if I should walk to the left or to the right; should I go to Rami Levi or Super Ofir? So I prayed. I felt that I should go right, and remembering how The Lord has trained me to listen to and obey His ‘nudges’…His ‘checks’…His ‘still small voice’. I turned right and had walked about 10 steps when I heard volleys of gunshots off to the left. I stopped and listened. I thanked The Lord for His faithfulness to remind me to look to Him for even the smallest thing. It was so reassuring! The days of ‘training’ seemed long…but we are no longer training. This is the real thing. We need to remind ourselves that this is all really happening, but the grieving are abundant, so we can't forget for long.
The streets are pretty empty and until last night I didn’t realize that I hadn’t been out of my area in two weeks, since the war began. Last night I was blessed to go back to the Kehila for the first time and I was overwhelmed as we drove through Jerusalem. The last time that I was there the city was filthy with all of the dust from so much construction, and huge signs covered buildings and billboards displaying the discord in the nation and the political division. Last night, the city looked so clean and EVERYWHERE were only Israeli flags. The political signs had been replaced with ones like those pictured below. They say (ya’khad n’netzhak) ‘TOGETHER WE WILL WIN' -some add ‘Israel lives’ (am Yisrael khai) or ‘we are strong together’. (khazak be’achad) It was dramatic.
And it IS dramatic. Although we are experiencing a defining moment in the spiritual war (which this ALL is and has been all along- it has ALWAYS been a spiritual war) I can not help but look and see what is around me and try to describe it to you. I thought about how the whole world is so divided and up until 2 weeks ago, so were we... right there at the top. That changed in a moment of time and it is extraordinary to see.
I got a phone call from a number that I didn’t know. ‘I’m calling from the city. How are you doing?’ the voice asked. ‘Is there anything that I can help you with? Do you need food or medicines or someone to talk to?’ I said ‘Well…actually no, but what I do need is a place to volunteer since I don’t have a car and I don’t get around as easily as I used to.’ He said to me ‘You know what? We think that it’s time that you have done enough and we want to help you instead.’… it was quite a touching conversation, actually it is the second call that I received like that. There literally is NO one who is not volunteering. (see article below) Cauldrons of soup are boiling on stoves, food is being packed, necessary clothing and hygiene articles are being boxed…cars load them on and bring them up north or down south to the soldiers. People take on doing laundry for soldiers. Families open their homes to the hundreds of thousands of displaced families and others are taken in by the hotels. Boxes of clothing and toys stack up for them. Calls go out asking who can take care of animals that are stuck without their families. Others go to pick crops on farms where the owners are on the fighting lines. IT IS EXTRAORDINARY!
It is hard to keep away from the media. It takes a lot of self discipline to limit how much I will look at. It is incredibly discouraging to see how quickly the truth is distorted and 'the world' tells us to 'back off'...it's our fault anyway. I listened to an Arabic interview with the head of Hamas. The (Arab) interviewer said to him ‘They are calling you isis! They are asking how you could do such an awful thing…babies…children…’ He sat there calmly and looked at her and said ‘Where did you see these things?’ She said ‘Everyone can see it! It is being shown everywhere!’ So calmly he looked her in the eye and said ‘It is all lies. You are watching the Israeli lie…Netanyahu has made it all up so that he can slaughter us. It is a lie and you are watching the Israeli lies!’ My mouth fell open! Brother, sister…he could have convinced me!
Israel is surrounded by 500 million Muslims! They are angry and are eating lies.
The war on the northern border is rapidly heating up and our northern communities have been evacuated. (as have our southern communities ofcourse)
We remain poised to go into Gaza. In last night’s briefing we were told that this war is very different and it will be long and painful. Everyone is very sober but trying to strengthen one another. Again (you must be tired of me saying this) may we be found of Him in His peace, glorifying Him alone and doing only what He tells us to do…even if our part is scrubbing the bathroom. Obedience is better than sacrifice.
Before I close, some people have asked if there is enough to eat. Yes. The shelves may look somewhat empty but really, we don’t ‘NEED’ all that we think that we do. We really can do with much less. We may not have our 'dainties' but we have sustaining food.
Thank you for praying for – above all – the revelation of Yeshua…to all alive; the captives, the grieving, the fearful, the strong, the weak, and even the enemy…all…we need HIM.
Lovingly, your sis
The entire home front has become a network of WhatsApp groups buzzing non-stop. Everyone is helping everyone all the time.
October 19, 2023
Dear praying brothers and sisters,
Things are fluid here and events are moving rapidly. So thankful that you are praying for His discernment. May we be steadfast upon The Rock, free from personal opinions and preferences, sensationalism, and the like. I think that we hear better when we are lower lower...flat on our faces. We are of His kingdom.
A couple of hours ago (more or less) there were about 30 rockets in our north from Hezbollah and Hamas both in Lebanon. They fell at the same time as a large barrage from Hamas in Gaza targeted the South and Tel Aviv. It appears that the war is now on two fronts. There were 3 injured in Kiryat Shmona in the North as their building had a direct hit.
At the same time, the troops were briefed and told that 'soon they will be seeing Gaza from the inside.' This is difficult. If you are praying for IDF soldiers, please understand the horror that they may be walking into. Also, may His Light lead them to the captives...some may be in other countries...out of Gaza already. It is also stressful on the soldiers, not knowing 'when'...being ready and then having to wait. We don't want them to lose the energy that they have now, but the unity war cabinet is being very prudent and as accurate as possible for the sake of the troops and the hostages.
Many world leaders are arriving here showing support... Presidents from the USA, Great Britain, Germany and many others. Russia and China have not. They have allied with the Arab countries and Iran.
BUT GOD...WHO IS SOVEREIGN AND LORD OF ALL, reminds my heart constantly to stand firm on The Rock and look to Him Alone.
Thank you for praying with us.
Please see the video below. Sadly it has been clipped from the one that I saw earlier today, but it is still a blessing! These are all soldiers.
IDF singing and praying Psalm 12
Things are fluid here and events are moving rapidly. So thankful that you are praying for His discernment. May we be steadfast upon The Rock, free from personal opinions and preferences, sensationalism, and the like. I think that we hear better when we are lower lower...flat on our faces. We are of His kingdom.
A couple of hours ago (more or less) there were about 30 rockets in our north from Hezbollah and Hamas both in Lebanon. They fell at the same time as a large barrage from Hamas in Gaza targeted the South and Tel Aviv. It appears that the war is now on two fronts. There were 3 injured in Kiryat Shmona in the North as their building had a direct hit.
At the same time, the troops were briefed and told that 'soon they will be seeing Gaza from the inside.' This is difficult. If you are praying for IDF soldiers, please understand the horror that they may be walking into. Also, may His Light lead them to the captives...some may be in other countries...out of Gaza already. It is also stressful on the soldiers, not knowing 'when'...being ready and then having to wait. We don't want them to lose the energy that they have now, but the unity war cabinet is being very prudent and as accurate as possible for the sake of the troops and the hostages.
Many world leaders are arriving here showing support... Presidents from the USA, Great Britain, Germany and many others. Russia and China have not. They have allied with the Arab countries and Iran.
BUT GOD...WHO IS SOVEREIGN AND LORD OF ALL, reminds my heart constantly to stand firm on The Rock and look to Him Alone.
Thank you for praying with us.
Please see the video below. Sadly it has been clipped from the one that I saw earlier today, but it is still a blessing! These are all soldiers.
IDF singing and praying Psalm 12
October 18, 2023
Dear friends,
As the country...and, indeed, the world, continue to reel through these days, praying for discernment that we are not sidetracked by sensational or simply news that is really lies, I have a personal request (even as I listen to the planes flying overhead).
My younger daughter, her husband and (children.........) returned to their home today. They have been with me for well over a week and .... (my son in law) feels that they would likely be as safe there as here. They live in Judea and Samaria, the heartland of Israel, but often considered the 'disputed areas' or 'the settlements'. There are many Arab villages around them (as there are here) but what makes them particularly vulnerable is that they are a very small communitie (like the kibbutzim in the South) that could be easily overrun.
I ask you to pray for their safety and mostly, for them to come to know HIM. Our daughter knew Him in the past. I thank those of you who would pray with me for them. Thank you.
You all have heard about the destroyed hospital in Gaza, and most of you have heard about the fact that the blame was first placed on Israel until the truth came out that it was actually an Islamic Jihad rocket that misfired from a graveyard behind the hospital. The Arab countries and most Arab media have NOT reported the true findings, so the damage (free press...) was done and there is increasing rage in the countries around us. The days ahead of us ... are all in HIS Hands. HE IS SOVEREIGN AND HE IS LORD. Our job is to seek His Face and do what He says for HIS glory.
I'm off to bed and send you my love.
THANK YOU FOR PRAYING ACCORDING TO HIS WILL FOR HIS HEART'S DESIRE.
Lovingly, a sister here.
As the country...and, indeed, the world, continue to reel through these days, praying for discernment that we are not sidetracked by sensational or simply news that is really lies, I have a personal request (even as I listen to the planes flying overhead).
My younger daughter, her husband and (children.........) returned to their home today. They have been with me for well over a week and .... (my son in law) feels that they would likely be as safe there as here. They live in Judea and Samaria, the heartland of Israel, but often considered the 'disputed areas' or 'the settlements'. There are many Arab villages around them (as there are here) but what makes them particularly vulnerable is that they are a very small communitie (like the kibbutzim in the South) that could be easily overrun.
I ask you to pray for their safety and mostly, for them to come to know HIM. Our daughter knew Him in the past. I thank those of you who would pray with me for them. Thank you.
You all have heard about the destroyed hospital in Gaza, and most of you have heard about the fact that the blame was first placed on Israel until the truth came out that it was actually an Islamic Jihad rocket that misfired from a graveyard behind the hospital. The Arab countries and most Arab media have NOT reported the true findings, so the damage (free press...) was done and there is increasing rage in the countries around us. The days ahead of us ... are all in HIS Hands. HE IS SOVEREIGN AND HE IS LORD. Our job is to seek His Face and do what He says for HIS glory.
I'm off to bed and send you my love.
THANK YOU FOR PRAYING ACCORDING TO HIS WILL FOR HIS HEART'S DESIRE.
Lovingly, a sister here.
October 16, 2023
“Oh, do not remember former iniquities against us! Let Your tender mercies come speedily to meet us, For we have been brought very low. Help us, O God of our salvation, For the glory of Your name; And deliver us, and provide atonement for our sins, For Your name’s sake! Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” Let there be known among the nations in our sight The avenging of the blood of Your servants which has been shed. Let the groaning of the prisoner come before You; According to the greatness of Your power Preserve those who are appointed to die;” PSALM 79:9-11
SHABBAT SHALOM,
How wonderful that The Lord gave us Shabbat…a gift to His creation…a tool to draw us back to Him…calm us and shelter us. Lord, YOU ALONE are good, and righteous!
REPENTANCE has gripped me…my inability to truly repent…my lack of understanding of WHAT true repentance is…my need to know…the DESPERATE need to know!
Oh, I KNEW, and I did truly repent and was saved beyond a doubt…but as I look into the abyss (and yes, it is… the abyss of this battle between the kingdom of dark and light and I seek to know HOW to pray and WHAT to pray…I feel the need for the key of true repentance – which can come ONLY through The Holy Spirit– for judgment begins FIRST at the household of God…and I may be the only one that believes that we are seeing (but NOT seeing? HIS judgment) I could go into that more deeply with someone who would ask me, but I know that this is ‘NOT’ spoken about by many others, and I do NOT want to be a tool of division.
I began writing the above two days ago. THIS IS A POOR ATTEMPT AT AN UPDATE…GRACE PLEASE!
Each day at this point is a lifetime…and many lifetimes are drawing to a close.
The reason for my silence is that our daughter,..... and ..... children, ......have come to stay with me until they feel that it is safe to go home and the situation (mat’tsav in Hebrew) is fluid and changing minute by minute. It is an answer to prayer (for which I thank you for praying!) that she and the children are with me (Y was also with us over Shabbat) and I am thrilled, but the fact that we are in two small rooms most of the day and that we all seem to have a nasty cold has made even answering what’s apps very challenging. They are all upstairs right now getting baths. My landlords have an ‘air b and b’ on the top floor of this house and have given it to them to sleep there at night as there are no tourists now. What a blessing for us and how thankful I am. ..........
The situation from my point of view:
Most of you probably know what is happening. The magnitude of the butchery leaves the people (including me) speechless and traumatized. Is there anyone who does NOT know what has been going on? Let me know and I will try to update you. Thank you for those of you who have sent me news from different believers here…but I have enough. As of today, there are over 1,300 Israelis dead, at least 126 taken captive into Gaza, and more than 5,000 have been injured. Inspite of the fact that we are pretty well flattening Gaza from the air, have cut off electricity, fuel, water, their bombs continue to fall in Southern and central Israel (including Tel Aviv). I saw a report today that Hamas has dismantled the water pipes to build bombs. The photos of beheaded people…children…infants… burned…pools of blood…simply horrors…it is difficult to fathom that this is really happening right now. People constantly say with a sense of unbelief: ‘This is really happening now’. The heartbreaking stories coming out of the destroyed kibbutzim in the south increase daily as people search in agony for their loved ones and the mangled bodies take time to identify.
The beginning of the ground advance is just starting and it is the most dangerous, horrific part of war for soldiers…and these are the children and spouses of my friends and neighbors. All out ground fighting in Gaza is what lies ahead and it won’t be in and out. The constant overhead planes and booms are preparing the way into the area. Now Hezbollah in the North has joined in, albeit still tentatively, we have already had one killed in the north and people restricted from the border areas. The Palestinians within our country are being emboldened. Our government has formed an emergency unity war government (war was, yes, officially declared) and they announced today that they are prepared to battle on all THREE fronts. (that is why my daughter and children, who live in a small village in the Judean mountains ......, are with us)
So…what does it physically look like from where I am seated:
My village is a 12 minute bus ride from Jerusalem and it is legally a ‘moshav’. It is a very patriotic village where just about everyone was or is in the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) The area is governed by a local council that is deeply involved in the well being of the people. There is a WhatsApp group and at least 3 times a day we are informed about everything that is going on, injuries, needs, and given directions. Literally everyone who is able, has volunteered for something. When I walk the dogs in the morning, I see cars loaded with water, supplies, food, home cooked meals, clothes, heading either north or south to bring them to the soldiers. Anyone who is able to bear arms has been licensed and equipped. Checkpoints have been set up all around and there are armed patrols day and night. At this point, only food stores, doctors and pharmacies, and fuel stations are to be opened, but I understand more and more stores are opening as much of the economy is hand to mouth. Everyone has relatives and friends fighting. Classes and most activities are suspended. People are all checking on one another.
This is NOT like any other war in the past more than 50 years for us. It IS existential and I have been told first hand that it is worse than the Yom Kippur war. There has been and probably will be more…fighting from house to house…and that is the reality, and yes, that is scary, although I AM FEELING NO FEAR BUT ONLY DEEP PEACE IN MY HEART, I know that that does not mean that my body will not be harmed. His kingdom is one of Peace. I look at the ways that He has been preparing me: “Let go of the rudder in the storm”. “Cling to Me…for you have not passed this way before.” “Not my will but Yours”. “It is not about you…it is all about Me”. “This cup too is from Me. Will you take it and drink it down?”, the shedding of all of our possessions, the move, the timing of the forced retirement…all of this…what Love!
It is about 9 years ago already that The Lord impressed on me one morning to ‘Learn My ways in judgment’, and I began reading my scriptures noting the causes and effects of His judgments and what He expects of me in the midst. I made copious notes and was taken by surprise by the fact that His PROMISES of judgment is as abundant as His PROMISES for blessing…even for His disciples. I have prayed and watched and wondered and heard very little about such things as I watched nations polarize and fall apart, confusion, darkness, plague, natural disasters, arguing, and most grievous, the church itself leaving it’s first love and running after conspiracy theories and entertainment. I AM NOT A PROPHET! I am a sheep…and if I am wrong, God have mercy! I pray daily …I BEG Him to fill me with His Holy Spirit and a Spirit of discernment; to keep me from deception and to search me and correct me…to keep me in His Word and His closet of prayer. I fail Him constantly and have to run to Him…but this does not leave me. ALL of His promises are true and amen…ALL of them. He tells us (Luke 12 -is not what I’m looking for but can’t recall at the moment the exact verse) that although some of us will be killed, not a hair of our head will be harmed. Surely our values need to be conformed to those of His kingdom.
I have been saddened by some local believers, close friends, who have glommed on to (what I call) a ‘spiritual rumor’ that this has all happened because of the wickedness of the ‘rave’ party that was going on in the south where many (some 260 I believe?) young people were slaughtered in the first assault. ‘They were dancing around a statue of Buddha’! they say in amazement. This WICKEDNESS has been going on for YEARS…both here and around the world…rave parties, burning man concerts…Woodstock… love orgies. I am saddened that believers would want to sensationalize, and that is what it is. HOW GOD MUST BE GRIEVED BY ALL OF THE TERRIBLE WICKEDNESS that has been going on all around! Will we yet be proud to think ‘oh, it was this or that?’. In Daniel 9, we read a true prayer of repentance.
I’m sorry for going on and on. Many people have asked me how to pray. I believe that we MUST be led by prayer by The Holy Spirit Who will show us and I will leave to others the lists, but please do pray for the captives to have Him come to them…for their families, for the soldiers to be strong and courageous, for HIS WILL in every area…for the soldiers to have enough food and equipment (there are tons of initiatives right now both in the country and outside of it) to provide for the needs of the soldiers. Please pray that they are expedited and that each soldier gets what he or she needs. Thank God for all of the believing soldiers! May they be found in Him in His Spirit and be given much fruit for His kingdom in the midst of this! May they see Him in the battle! MAY HIS NAME BE GLORIFIED AND MAY HIS SALVATION BE SEEN IN THE MIDST. My daughter told me that the religious Jews are reading Zechariah and believing that NOW Messiah will come and ‘the temple’ will be built! May they READ Zechariah and SEE HIM WHO THEY PIERCED! May He be revealed NOW! [and PLEASE GOD, to my daughter and her family as well!] May God be gracious for His Great Name’s sake!
My Pastor sent out the prayer notes below, so I will include those.
Thank you SO MUCH for your love and prayers and for staying in touch! I love your notes and sweet touches! Thank you for caring! I personally am fine, SO THANKFUL THAT E AND FAMILY ARE WITH ME…albeit physically tired and in pain (a pretty normal thing for me, I have had systemic lupus for years) and have a bad cold that I PRAY does not progress into anything that needs attention. This has been my ‘normal reality’ for years anyway, but I don’t want to be an added burden on anyone at this time. (there are so many that need medical attention). Yes, please pray for the weary medical system, the broken equipment…you know…He can lead you…all of those working so hard and worrying and grieving and seeing unspeakable things. That the eyes of the witnesses would be washed with eye salve. That The Lord would be glorified and seen…isn’t that our purpose on this earth anyway. Below is from my Pastor.
2Cor. 1:4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
Dear praying friends,
Mal. 4:2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
As horrific as this war is, we continue to begin and base our prayer on the foundation of the Word of God and His promises to Israel.
If we are not careful, our emotions may get the better of us and lead us into "wild praying." "Wild" in the sense that they will be manufactured by the flesh and our emotions rather than the Spirit. These kinds of prayers may satisfy our own needs or our sense and desire for justice, but they may not reach God.
So we begin with the most significant thing that WILL COME TO PASS in the last days.
Mal. 4:2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
Israel will be visited by her Messiah and brought face to face with the "One whom they have pierced." (Zechariah 12:10)
"The Sun of Righteousness" is no other than Yeshua, the Messiah, Son of God, Son of man, Son of David. "God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God." (1)
"With healing in His wings." - Note that the revelation of Yeshua to His people, their (implied) repentance (the light that shines is Righteousness), is followed by an inrushing of the Holy Spirit (symbolized here by 'wings') with healing.
With the healing reconciliation after two thousand years of estrangement between Israel and her God will come the healing and comforting of Israel's heart. She will find that she has not been abandoned but loved all along.
2Cor. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
2Cor. 1:4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
"Father" is Source. God is Himself the source of ALL comfort. He is the source of ALL needed mercies.
Pray with us:
· Dear Lord, we call upon you to arise as the Sun of Righteousness in this hour of darkness. Shine the light of Messiah; shine forth the glory of God in the face of Yeshua upon this bleeding nation.
· May Israel see Him who IS Love, and may Israel see Him as Love crucified.
· May Israel's eyes be opened to the Wonder that Messiah is.
· May Israel's heart be broken not by terror but by the fear of God that arises in one who sees the Holy Love of God.
· Lord, we ask that You fulfill Your promises and show Yourself Great in all the earth by what You do in Israel as You bring her to Yourself.
· We pray that Your Goodness will cause the nations to "hear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.'" (Jeremiah 33:9)
· Lord, we have seen what the devil can do up to now, but we long to see what God can do!
· Show yourself, mighty Lord, Mighty to give Life, Mighty to save, Mighty to heal.
Praying for Israel at this time of war
Zooming out to the immediate verses before and after Malachi 4:2, we see the larger story!
Mal. 4:1 "For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up," Says the LORD of hosts, "That will leave them neither root nor branch.
Mal. 4:2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
Mal. 4:3 You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this," Says the LORD of hosts.
As you can see, part of the package of Israel's restoration to Himself is God's dealing with wickedness in general, and for our purpose here, the unfathomable depravity of Hamas (which for all practical purposes is ISIS—ISIS flags and manuals were found on the ground where the terrorists have been.)
We prayed :
For the hostages and their families
We must resist the notion that they are beyond the help of God. That is precisely what the enemy wants you to feel so that you don't pray. God is not limited in ways and means to reach them. How often have you read stories of supernatural and divine help that captives or imprisoned hostages have received?
Heb. 1:7 And of the angels He says: "Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire."
· Pray for the Lord to reach them.
· Pray for angelic protection and aid to each of them.
· Pray for God to sustain them. (Do you remember the three Hebrew children in the furnace? Daniel in the lion's den?)
· Pray for God's intervention — He can even bring their release, by Israel's army or otherwise.
· Pray for the families who know that their loved ones are in captivity.
· Pray for those who do not yet know but whose loved ones are missing.
For the families of those who died and have been massacred.
Many are left whose loved ones have not yet been identified or accounted for.
· Pray for the grace and comfort of God, both supernaturally by the Lord Himself and through those who are near and who surround them.
· Pray for the coming days as these families process what happened. Some stories are beyond human endurance to bear. The cruelty and evil are a great shock to Israel, let alone these dear ones who have lost family, even lost a whole family.
For the IDF
We pray for the IDF, which is our whole nation's sons and daughters and grandkids.
Pray for the right strategy, even genius ideas and tactics greater than the 'evil genius' of the Hamas.
· Pray for minimal causalities as the IDF goes into Gaza; the IDF will encounter a whole city set as a trap by roadside bombs, etc.
· Pray for the ongoing threat coming from Lebanon's Hezbollah.
· Pray into this Day of Rage (today), which has been called for the uprising of the Arabs in Israel and in Judea and Samaria and the nations surrounding Israel.
· Pray for the IDF's leadership.
For the government
A Unity government has been formed, with a small Defense Cabinet comprised of Netanyahu, Galant, and Eisencot.
· Pray that this Defense cabinet will succeed; there is much bad blood between Netanyahu, Galant, and Eisencot.
· Pray for good and solid decisions to be made and carried out.
Although Israel is now united by a common enemy, for now, an enormous amount of anger at this present government is accumulating beneath the surface. Evidence is mounting that the greater responsibility for this disaster lies at the feet of Netanyahu's government.
· Pray for Israel's 'day after.'
· Pray for "good shepherds," according to Ezekiel 34, Jeremiah 23.
Other issues:
The social media war.
A HUGE war is going on social media. The amount of venom and hatred spewed at Israel is enormous! This war is just as important as the physical war.
'Chaos' engulfs social media landscape as Israel-Hamas war shapes digital narratives
Food Supply and Demand
Although Israel does not lack in food, the supply chain is greatly hampered. Many workers in that sector (grocery chains, etc.) are Arabs, and they are afraid to appear at work. One food chain, for example, said that in one of its stores, instead of the usual 150 workers, only four appeared. This includes truck drivers, etc.
Farms in the south:
https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/bjbmtx8ba
Pray for the Church: Its silence is deafening!
Shabbat Shalom,
Ofer
SHABBAT SHALOM,
How wonderful that The Lord gave us Shabbat…a gift to His creation…a tool to draw us back to Him…calm us and shelter us. Lord, YOU ALONE are good, and righteous!
REPENTANCE has gripped me…my inability to truly repent…my lack of understanding of WHAT true repentance is…my need to know…the DESPERATE need to know!
Oh, I KNEW, and I did truly repent and was saved beyond a doubt…but as I look into the abyss (and yes, it is… the abyss of this battle between the kingdom of dark and light and I seek to know HOW to pray and WHAT to pray…I feel the need for the key of true repentance – which can come ONLY through The Holy Spirit– for judgment begins FIRST at the household of God…and I may be the only one that believes that we are seeing (but NOT seeing? HIS judgment) I could go into that more deeply with someone who would ask me, but I know that this is ‘NOT’ spoken about by many others, and I do NOT want to be a tool of division.
I began writing the above two days ago. THIS IS A POOR ATTEMPT AT AN UPDATE…GRACE PLEASE!
Each day at this point is a lifetime…and many lifetimes are drawing to a close.
The reason for my silence is that our daughter,..... and ..... children, ......have come to stay with me until they feel that it is safe to go home and the situation (mat’tsav in Hebrew) is fluid and changing minute by minute. It is an answer to prayer (for which I thank you for praying!) that she and the children are with me (Y was also with us over Shabbat) and I am thrilled, but the fact that we are in two small rooms most of the day and that we all seem to have a nasty cold has made even answering what’s apps very challenging. They are all upstairs right now getting baths. My landlords have an ‘air b and b’ on the top floor of this house and have given it to them to sleep there at night as there are no tourists now. What a blessing for us and how thankful I am. ..........
The situation from my point of view:
Most of you probably know what is happening. The magnitude of the butchery leaves the people (including me) speechless and traumatized. Is there anyone who does NOT know what has been going on? Let me know and I will try to update you. Thank you for those of you who have sent me news from different believers here…but I have enough. As of today, there are over 1,300 Israelis dead, at least 126 taken captive into Gaza, and more than 5,000 have been injured. Inspite of the fact that we are pretty well flattening Gaza from the air, have cut off electricity, fuel, water, their bombs continue to fall in Southern and central Israel (including Tel Aviv). I saw a report today that Hamas has dismantled the water pipes to build bombs. The photos of beheaded people…children…infants… burned…pools of blood…simply horrors…it is difficult to fathom that this is really happening right now. People constantly say with a sense of unbelief: ‘This is really happening now’. The heartbreaking stories coming out of the destroyed kibbutzim in the south increase daily as people search in agony for their loved ones and the mangled bodies take time to identify.
The beginning of the ground advance is just starting and it is the most dangerous, horrific part of war for soldiers…and these are the children and spouses of my friends and neighbors. All out ground fighting in Gaza is what lies ahead and it won’t be in and out. The constant overhead planes and booms are preparing the way into the area. Now Hezbollah in the North has joined in, albeit still tentatively, we have already had one killed in the north and people restricted from the border areas. The Palestinians within our country are being emboldened. Our government has formed an emergency unity war government (war was, yes, officially declared) and they announced today that they are prepared to battle on all THREE fronts. (that is why my daughter and children, who live in a small village in the Judean mountains ......, are with us)
So…what does it physically look like from where I am seated:
My village is a 12 minute bus ride from Jerusalem and it is legally a ‘moshav’. It is a very patriotic village where just about everyone was or is in the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) The area is governed by a local council that is deeply involved in the well being of the people. There is a WhatsApp group and at least 3 times a day we are informed about everything that is going on, injuries, needs, and given directions. Literally everyone who is able, has volunteered for something. When I walk the dogs in the morning, I see cars loaded with water, supplies, food, home cooked meals, clothes, heading either north or south to bring them to the soldiers. Anyone who is able to bear arms has been licensed and equipped. Checkpoints have been set up all around and there are armed patrols day and night. At this point, only food stores, doctors and pharmacies, and fuel stations are to be opened, but I understand more and more stores are opening as much of the economy is hand to mouth. Everyone has relatives and friends fighting. Classes and most activities are suspended. People are all checking on one another.
This is NOT like any other war in the past more than 50 years for us. It IS existential and I have been told first hand that it is worse than the Yom Kippur war. There has been and probably will be more…fighting from house to house…and that is the reality, and yes, that is scary, although I AM FEELING NO FEAR BUT ONLY DEEP PEACE IN MY HEART, I know that that does not mean that my body will not be harmed. His kingdom is one of Peace. I look at the ways that He has been preparing me: “Let go of the rudder in the storm”. “Cling to Me…for you have not passed this way before.” “Not my will but Yours”. “It is not about you…it is all about Me”. “This cup too is from Me. Will you take it and drink it down?”, the shedding of all of our possessions, the move, the timing of the forced retirement…all of this…what Love!
It is about 9 years ago already that The Lord impressed on me one morning to ‘Learn My ways in judgment’, and I began reading my scriptures noting the causes and effects of His judgments and what He expects of me in the midst. I made copious notes and was taken by surprise by the fact that His PROMISES of judgment is as abundant as His PROMISES for blessing…even for His disciples. I have prayed and watched and wondered and heard very little about such things as I watched nations polarize and fall apart, confusion, darkness, plague, natural disasters, arguing, and most grievous, the church itself leaving it’s first love and running after conspiracy theories and entertainment. I AM NOT A PROPHET! I am a sheep…and if I am wrong, God have mercy! I pray daily …I BEG Him to fill me with His Holy Spirit and a Spirit of discernment; to keep me from deception and to search me and correct me…to keep me in His Word and His closet of prayer. I fail Him constantly and have to run to Him…but this does not leave me. ALL of His promises are true and amen…ALL of them. He tells us (Luke 12 -is not what I’m looking for but can’t recall at the moment the exact verse) that although some of us will be killed, not a hair of our head will be harmed. Surely our values need to be conformed to those of His kingdom.
I have been saddened by some local believers, close friends, who have glommed on to (what I call) a ‘spiritual rumor’ that this has all happened because of the wickedness of the ‘rave’ party that was going on in the south where many (some 260 I believe?) young people were slaughtered in the first assault. ‘They were dancing around a statue of Buddha’! they say in amazement. This WICKEDNESS has been going on for YEARS…both here and around the world…rave parties, burning man concerts…Woodstock… love orgies. I am saddened that believers would want to sensationalize, and that is what it is. HOW GOD MUST BE GRIEVED BY ALL OF THE TERRIBLE WICKEDNESS that has been going on all around! Will we yet be proud to think ‘oh, it was this or that?’. In Daniel 9, we read a true prayer of repentance.
I’m sorry for going on and on. Many people have asked me how to pray. I believe that we MUST be led by prayer by The Holy Spirit Who will show us and I will leave to others the lists, but please do pray for the captives to have Him come to them…for their families, for the soldiers to be strong and courageous, for HIS WILL in every area…for the soldiers to have enough food and equipment (there are tons of initiatives right now both in the country and outside of it) to provide for the needs of the soldiers. Please pray that they are expedited and that each soldier gets what he or she needs. Thank God for all of the believing soldiers! May they be found in Him in His Spirit and be given much fruit for His kingdom in the midst of this! May they see Him in the battle! MAY HIS NAME BE GLORIFIED AND MAY HIS SALVATION BE SEEN IN THE MIDST. My daughter told me that the religious Jews are reading Zechariah and believing that NOW Messiah will come and ‘the temple’ will be built! May they READ Zechariah and SEE HIM WHO THEY PIERCED! May He be revealed NOW! [and PLEASE GOD, to my daughter and her family as well!] May God be gracious for His Great Name’s sake!
My Pastor sent out the prayer notes below, so I will include those.
Thank you SO MUCH for your love and prayers and for staying in touch! I love your notes and sweet touches! Thank you for caring! I personally am fine, SO THANKFUL THAT E AND FAMILY ARE WITH ME…albeit physically tired and in pain (a pretty normal thing for me, I have had systemic lupus for years) and have a bad cold that I PRAY does not progress into anything that needs attention. This has been my ‘normal reality’ for years anyway, but I don’t want to be an added burden on anyone at this time. (there are so many that need medical attention). Yes, please pray for the weary medical system, the broken equipment…you know…He can lead you…all of those working so hard and worrying and grieving and seeing unspeakable things. That the eyes of the witnesses would be washed with eye salve. That The Lord would be glorified and seen…isn’t that our purpose on this earth anyway. Below is from my Pastor.
2Cor. 1:4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
Dear praying friends,
Mal. 4:2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
As horrific as this war is, we continue to begin and base our prayer on the foundation of the Word of God and His promises to Israel.
If we are not careful, our emotions may get the better of us and lead us into "wild praying." "Wild" in the sense that they will be manufactured by the flesh and our emotions rather than the Spirit. These kinds of prayers may satisfy our own needs or our sense and desire for justice, but they may not reach God.
So we begin with the most significant thing that WILL COME TO PASS in the last days.
Mal. 4:2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
Israel will be visited by her Messiah and brought face to face with the "One whom they have pierced." (Zechariah 12:10)
"The Sun of Righteousness" is no other than Yeshua, the Messiah, Son of God, Son of man, Son of David. "God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God." (1)
"With healing in His wings." - Note that the revelation of Yeshua to His people, their (implied) repentance (the light that shines is Righteousness), is followed by an inrushing of the Holy Spirit (symbolized here by 'wings') with healing.
With the healing reconciliation after two thousand years of estrangement between Israel and her God will come the healing and comforting of Israel's heart. She will find that she has not been abandoned but loved all along.
2Cor. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
2Cor. 1:4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
"Father" is Source. God is Himself the source of ALL comfort. He is the source of ALL needed mercies.
Pray with us:
· Dear Lord, we call upon you to arise as the Sun of Righteousness in this hour of darkness. Shine the light of Messiah; shine forth the glory of God in the face of Yeshua upon this bleeding nation.
· May Israel see Him who IS Love, and may Israel see Him as Love crucified.
· May Israel's eyes be opened to the Wonder that Messiah is.
· May Israel's heart be broken not by terror but by the fear of God that arises in one who sees the Holy Love of God.
· Lord, we ask that You fulfill Your promises and show Yourself Great in all the earth by what You do in Israel as You bring her to Yourself.
· We pray that Your Goodness will cause the nations to "hear and tremble for all the goodness and all the prosperity that I provide for it.'" (Jeremiah 33:9)
· Lord, we have seen what the devil can do up to now, but we long to see what God can do!
· Show yourself, mighty Lord, Mighty to give Life, Mighty to save, Mighty to heal.
Praying for Israel at this time of war
Zooming out to the immediate verses before and after Malachi 4:2, we see the larger story!
Mal. 4:1 "For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up," Says the LORD of hosts, "That will leave them neither root nor branch.
Mal. 4:2 But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
Mal. 4:3 You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this," Says the LORD of hosts.
As you can see, part of the package of Israel's restoration to Himself is God's dealing with wickedness in general, and for our purpose here, the unfathomable depravity of Hamas (which for all practical purposes is ISIS—ISIS flags and manuals were found on the ground where the terrorists have been.)
We prayed :
For the hostages and their families
We must resist the notion that they are beyond the help of God. That is precisely what the enemy wants you to feel so that you don't pray. God is not limited in ways and means to reach them. How often have you read stories of supernatural and divine help that captives or imprisoned hostages have received?
Heb. 1:7 And of the angels He says: "Who makes His angels spirits And His ministers a flame of fire."
· Pray for the Lord to reach them.
· Pray for angelic protection and aid to each of them.
· Pray for God to sustain them. (Do you remember the three Hebrew children in the furnace? Daniel in the lion's den?)
· Pray for God's intervention — He can even bring their release, by Israel's army or otherwise.
· Pray for the families who know that their loved ones are in captivity.
· Pray for those who do not yet know but whose loved ones are missing.
For the families of those who died and have been massacred.
Many are left whose loved ones have not yet been identified or accounted for.
· Pray for the grace and comfort of God, both supernaturally by the Lord Himself and through those who are near and who surround them.
· Pray for the coming days as these families process what happened. Some stories are beyond human endurance to bear. The cruelty and evil are a great shock to Israel, let alone these dear ones who have lost family, even lost a whole family.
For the IDF
We pray for the IDF, which is our whole nation's sons and daughters and grandkids.
Pray for the right strategy, even genius ideas and tactics greater than the 'evil genius' of the Hamas.
· Pray for minimal causalities as the IDF goes into Gaza; the IDF will encounter a whole city set as a trap by roadside bombs, etc.
· Pray for the ongoing threat coming from Lebanon's Hezbollah.
· Pray into this Day of Rage (today), which has been called for the uprising of the Arabs in Israel and in Judea and Samaria and the nations surrounding Israel.
· Pray for the IDF's leadership.
For the government
A Unity government has been formed, with a small Defense Cabinet comprised of Netanyahu, Galant, and Eisencot.
· Pray that this Defense cabinet will succeed; there is much bad blood between Netanyahu, Galant, and Eisencot.
· Pray for good and solid decisions to be made and carried out.
Although Israel is now united by a common enemy, for now, an enormous amount of anger at this present government is accumulating beneath the surface. Evidence is mounting that the greater responsibility for this disaster lies at the feet of Netanyahu's government.
· Pray for Israel's 'day after.'
· Pray for "good shepherds," according to Ezekiel 34, Jeremiah 23.
Other issues:
The social media war.
A HUGE war is going on social media. The amount of venom and hatred spewed at Israel is enormous! This war is just as important as the physical war.
'Chaos' engulfs social media landscape as Israel-Hamas war shapes digital narratives
Food Supply and Demand
Although Israel does not lack in food, the supply chain is greatly hampered. Many workers in that sector (grocery chains, etc.) are Arabs, and they are afraid to appear at work. One food chain, for example, said that in one of its stores, instead of the usual 150 workers, only four appeared. This includes truck drivers, etc.
Farms in the south:
https://www.ynetnews.com/business/article/bjbmtx8ba
Pray for the Church: Its silence is deafening!
Shabbat Shalom,
Ofer
October 8, 2023
Although I experienced a quiet night where I am (except for the noisy militia - may they be blessed for guarding the village), the strong fighting continues in the south, and the personal stories emerging from there are horrific. Many older people have likened this to the 1948 war of Independence. So many are weeping for their family members, kidnapped in front of their eyes...children, spouses, parents...begging to find their loved ones; having watched them dragged off into Gaza.
But even beyond that...another woe!
Hezbollah is sending rockets into our north. Our armed forces, already overwhelmed in the south, now have a northern front with Iran pulling the strings.
Everybody who can, has been called to fight.
Thank you for continuing to pray for my daughter and family. She is texting me every few hours so far that they are safe.
PLEASE LET THE HOLY SPIRIT LEAD YOU IN PRAYER, FOR PRAYER WE NEED.
(I personally am at peace and not anxious)
But even beyond that...another woe!
Hezbollah is sending rockets into our north. Our armed forces, already overwhelmed in the south, now have a northern front with Iran pulling the strings.
Everybody who can, has been called to fight.
Thank you for continuing to pray for my daughter and family. She is texting me every few hours so far that they are safe.
PLEASE LET THE HOLY SPIRIT LEAD YOU IN PRAYER, FOR PRAYER WE NEED.
(I personally am at peace and not anxious)
October 7, 2023
AMOS 3
I do not want to start this letter with this scripture but it keeps coming to me…I can’t even write it out. Hopefully it’s just ‘coming to mind’ for no reason.
Greetings brothers and sisters, HE IS STILL GOD AND RULER OVER ALL! I have no doubt and I hope that you also have no doubt. MAY HE ALONE BE GLORIFIED! May we be sharpened and before Him Alone.
I want to write this update now. I am not sure if we will have electricity or the ability to communicate as this war is different. They are saying that there has been nothing like this since 1973 – the devastating Yom Kippur war. As of now (I am listening to our local news as I write) they are reporting over 250 Israelis killed, over 1,100 injured…and many (the number is NOT being announced although I know that there are people saying that they know…the government told us that the numbers are NOT accurate, even thought I know that there are some believers giving numbers) …many civilians and soldiers have been captured and taken hostage into Gaza.
Olga came over for dinner last night and before she left, we prayed that we would sleep well. Lately I have been waking up at 2am. The Lord answered that prayer and I woke up at 6am, thanking Him for the wonderful sleep… however I kept hearing strange ‘booms’. I wondered if my neighbor was dropping items. I took Gila out and looked toward the west. Boom after boom filled the air. A neighbor came out and we looked at one another…’that knowing look’. I went back in and checked the news…yep…just after 6am the first bombs were fired from Gaza. 2,500 bombs. I turned on my air raid alert app. It didn’t stop flashing. Usually, the Jerusalem area is not targeted until the END of a war, but by 11:00 I had been directed to the shelter 7 times with atleast one direct hit (thankfully no one injured) in my small village. Each time, the bombs were very close. There is a shelter 2 doors away from me, but when it was open, I saw that there are many steep steps inside going deep underground and I am choosing to stay in my bedroom and pray.
I am not thinking about writing, and this is not ‘flowing, but I want to send out facts as I know them, and prayer requests.
The communities in the south around Gaza are being devastated. At the start of the attack, the border fence between Israel and Gaza, was bulldozed down and terrorists overran the south…they also entered the country by sea and hang gliders. They attacked (I believe) 22 communities in the south, burning houses, kidnapping and killing from house to house…breaking windows and entering homes and killing entire families. It took an extremely long time before security forces could get to them. It was a nightmare in the eyes of the entire country.
I am including 3 local news websites that I usually go to, to try and glean ‘facts without interpretation. Ynet is a translation of a Hebrew newspaper, The Jerusalem Post serves the English speaking community and Times of Israel is left wing…however reading the 3, I can usually figure out what is going on. I offer them to you as my ‘tool’. I TEND TO NOT LOOK FOR INTERPRETATION. (As I write, I am listening to the 8pm news in English and an Israeli General is giving the report. It is very sobering, but it is good to be listening to an update by a General)
In my new, small community, I have been getting announcements all day on my whatsapp. A local group has formed. The message went out asking who has weapons to please report. There are volunteers forming checkpoints at the entrances to my area and others to drive through as ‘watchers and helpers.’ Everyone is volunteering for everything.
There has been a general call up of all reserves.
That is what I have to report at the moment.
These are some concerns that I have:
Those of you who have been here on a trip have often commented that you were surprised at how close Israeli and Palestinian towns (NOT Israeli Arabs, who are Israeli citizens…but Palestinians, WHO ARE NOT ISRAELI CITIZENS) are to one another. In these Palestinian towns, the mullahs have been inciting their people over the minarets to destroy nearby Israeli villages. This is serious. An uprising from within … Please…my daughter Elena and her family live in such a community in Judea…I am asking for prayer for them. Please pray for them.
MANY believers have been called up and are now fighting and we are asking for them. Do you want names? There are SO SO many, but I will ask for Natanel, Marco, Ben, Gabriella, Liora, Nir, …Oh I can not think of them all…hundreds! AND then there are all of those soldiers who DON’T know Him! Thank you for praying!
The people in the South are traumatized and being slaughtered….
Hezbollah in the north is a serious concern. A battle on all sides is a horrible possibility. Iran is involved in this.
We have been a violently divided country. We need to unity to not be temporary…but real and enduring.
We need more blood donations.
Thank you for praying. I’m sorry that this is such a poor update.
I have no fear, but only peace in my heart.
THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!
ynet English news
Jerusalem Post
Times of Israel
My Pastor Ofer's update :
Shabbat Shalom, to each of you,
We sent the following bulletin to our congregation. You may want to see how we are praying and perhaps join us in prayer.
I am including a link to a bulletin in Ynet news. It will give you a picture of the gravity of the situation.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rysg8i0l6#autoplay
******
Dear Kehila Shabbat Shalom,
We all woke up this morning to the sounds of an attack from Gaza. Rockets were fired, and terrorists infiltrated in several places.
Greetings brothers and sisters, HE IS STILL GOD AND RULER OVER ALL! I have no doubt and I hope that you also have no doubt. MAY HE ALONE BE GLORIFIED! May we be sharpened and before Him Alone.
I want to write this update now. I am not sure if we will have electricity or the ability to communicate as this war is different. They are saying that there has been nothing like this since 1973 – the devastating Yom Kippur war. As of now (I am listening to our local news as I write) they are reporting over 250 Israelis killed, over 1,100 injured…and many (the number is NOT being announced although I know that there are people saying that they know…the government told us that the numbers are NOT accurate, even thought I know that there are some believers giving numbers) …many civilians and soldiers have been captured and taken hostage into Gaza.
Olga came over for dinner last night and before she left, we prayed that we would sleep well. Lately I have been waking up at 2am. The Lord answered that prayer and I woke up at 6am, thanking Him for the wonderful sleep… however I kept hearing strange ‘booms’. I wondered if my neighbor was dropping items. I took Gila out and looked toward the west. Boom after boom filled the air. A neighbor came out and we looked at one another…’that knowing look’. I went back in and checked the news…yep…just after 6am the first bombs were fired from Gaza. 2,500 bombs. I turned on my air raid alert app. It didn’t stop flashing. Usually, the Jerusalem area is not targeted until the END of a war, but by 11:00 I had been directed to the shelter 7 times with atleast one direct hit (thankfully no one injured) in my small village. Each time, the bombs were very close. There is a shelter 2 doors away from me, but when it was open, I saw that there are many steep steps inside going deep underground and I am choosing to stay in my bedroom and pray.
I am not thinking about writing, and this is not ‘flowing, but I want to send out facts as I know them, and prayer requests.
The communities in the south around Gaza are being devastated. At the start of the attack, the border fence between Israel and Gaza, was bulldozed down and terrorists overran the south…they also entered the country by sea and hang gliders. They attacked (I believe) 22 communities in the south, burning houses, kidnapping and killing from house to house…breaking windows and entering homes and killing entire families. It took an extremely long time before security forces could get to them. It was a nightmare in the eyes of the entire country.
I am including 3 local news websites that I usually go to, to try and glean ‘facts without interpretation. Ynet is a translation of a Hebrew newspaper, The Jerusalem Post serves the English speaking community and Times of Israel is left wing…however reading the 3, I can usually figure out what is going on. I offer them to you as my ‘tool’. I TEND TO NOT LOOK FOR INTERPRETATION. (As I write, I am listening to the 8pm news in English and an Israeli General is giving the report. It is very sobering, but it is good to be listening to an update by a General)
In my new, small community, I have been getting announcements all day on my whatsapp. A local group has formed. The message went out asking who has weapons to please report. There are volunteers forming checkpoints at the entrances to my area and others to drive through as ‘watchers and helpers.’ Everyone is volunteering for everything.
There has been a general call up of all reserves.
That is what I have to report at the moment.
These are some concerns that I have:
Those of you who have been here on a trip have often commented that you were surprised at how close Israeli and Palestinian towns (NOT Israeli Arabs, who are Israeli citizens…but Palestinians, WHO ARE NOT ISRAELI CITIZENS) are to one another. In these Palestinian towns, the mullahs have been inciting their people over the minarets to destroy nearby Israeli villages. This is serious. An uprising from within … Please…my daughter Elena and her family live in such a community in Judea…I am asking for prayer for them. Please pray for them.
MANY believers have been called up and are now fighting and we are asking for them. Do you want names? There are SO SO many, but I will ask for Natanel, Marco, Ben, Gabriella, Liora, Nir, …Oh I can not think of them all…hundreds! AND then there are all of those soldiers who DON’T know Him! Thank you for praying!
The people in the South are traumatized and being slaughtered….
Hezbollah in the north is a serious concern. A battle on all sides is a horrible possibility. Iran is involved in this.
We have been a violently divided country. We need to unity to not be temporary…but real and enduring.
We need more blood donations.
Thank you for praying. I’m sorry that this is such a poor update.
I have no fear, but only peace in my heart.
THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!
ynet English news
Jerusalem Post
Times of Israel
My Pastor Ofer's update :
Shabbat Shalom, to each of you,
We sent the following bulletin to our congregation. You may want to see how we are praying and perhaps join us in prayer.
I am including a link to a bulletin in Ynet news. It will give you a picture of the gravity of the situation.
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rysg8i0l6#autoplay
******
Dear Kehila Shabbat Shalom,
We all woke up this morning to the sounds of an attack from Gaza. Rockets were fired, and terrorists infiltrated in several places.
- Please pray for the people of those towns most affected; they are paying the highest price.
- Please pray for the political and military security establishment that they will know how to respond best.
- Please pray for Israel amid one of the most severe political/social crises since its founding.
October 5, 2023
“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Therefore many from the crowd, when they heard this saying, said, “Truly this is the Prophet.” Others said, “This is the Christ.” But some said…” JOHN 7:37-41a
Greetings, sisters and brothers, from Maoz Zion…a stone’s throw from the city on the hill, chosen by God Almighty, The Creator, as the place where He would put His Name. May HE be seen and known and recognized and adored. May He be blessed and glorified, and may you be encouraged and blessed.
Today is Thursday the 5th of October. Even though I now live outside of the city, the sukkahs are full of happy families and friends, joyful children and the smell of ‘mangal’ (grilling meat) fills the air. It has been an INTENSE week! Yesterday was the Jerusalem march which includes the much loved march of the nations, organized by ICEJ (International Christian Embassy Jerusalem). Although the Jerusalem march, which is 68 years old, is organized by Israel, the largest and most anticipated part is the Christian representation. This year (according to our local news) there were over 3,000 participants from more than 90 nations. Many of them march in their ‘native’ dress and dance under banners blessing Israel. Trinkets are tossed to the delight of bystanders, and in the past, when E and I would attend, we have watched with wonder how this display of love softens the hearts of the hardest and most skeptical. One year we were standing alongside of several families who were sort of mocking the Christians and suddenly the man beside me saw a leather jacket on one of the marchers. Somehow, the marcher in the jacket was moved to take that jacket off and give it to the man. I cannot explain well what I saw…but I saw GOD soften the heart of that man and his family…I SAW his heart change. I believe that that one small sacrificial act changed all who saw it forever. So much happens in small corners…in hidden quiet corners that bring much glory to God. And, yes, there is also hoopla…but God is greater!
And the march is really one of the sideline events in this wonderous week.
On Tuesday was the blessing of the Kohenim…the priestly blessing (Numbers 6:23-27) given to the people by those who are aware that they are from the priestly line. https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Synagogue_Blessings/Priestly_Blessing/priestly_blessing.html#loaded
Many people gather to receive the blessing. Daily the streets are packed out with a variety of tourists from all over the world, religious Jews taking part in various activities and secular Jews also coming from around the country to participate and to tour the city during this wonderful season, to ‘come up to Jerusalem’ as all of the tribes were commanded…to sit in sukkahs and to share. It is truly a wonder. It’s also a …balagan!
Last Thursday was my last day at work. That’s right…I’m officially retired as there are not many places that wish to hire a 78 year old, nor do I really want to train for a new job. Traveling to work that day, I got off of the bus early to walk past places that I might not walk through again. Emek Refaim is a colorful, rather artsy, neighborhood street with many restaurants and small shops. All of the restaurants put up sukkahs for their clientele to eat in during Sukkot. Well…I got to watch a 5 (?7maybe?) Arabs trying to put up a Sukkah outside of a restaurant. (Most of the modern sukkahs -although not all- are sort of snap together metal ‘modules’) Now THAT was a funny sight! ‘Balagan’…total confusion…a mass of many things happening at once. Watching them scratching their heads and trying to figure it out just tickled my funny bone and was an appropriate last walk to work. But, yep…the word ‘balagan’ would be my best effort - trying to describe Jerusalem during the fall feasts…more and more as they approach the climactic finish.
“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood…” [in the temple] …He came to participate…for so it was commanded. Tonight begins ‘the last day…the great day of the feast.’ Beginning this night and through tomorrow…the Hoshana Rabba…the people gather again at the Western Wall of the temple (the Kotel) and pray for RAIN…the outpouring of the physical water…but also the outpouring of The Spiritual Water as shouts of ’Hoshana!’ fill the air and we remember that Yeshua said on that day to those people crying for the heavens to pour down…that it had INDEED poured down and HE …THE LIVING WATER…WAS STANDING IN THEIR MIDST! Psalm 69:23 “Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see; And make their loins shake continually.” David had prayed, actually cursing the people…and thus it still is. HE stood in the midst and they did not recognize Him, for their eyes were darkened. He still stands in the midst…The Living Water…and we are still praying for the veil to be ripped off of all eyes…that HE may be seen in the midst and known! Romans 11:26-29 reminds me constantly to pray with fervency… “And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:“The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.” Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Again…we see a graphic picture of God’s plan before our eyes…and with longing we await the fulfillment and the outpouring.
All has not been ‘well’ during this season of the fall feasts. On the holiest, most awesome day on the Hebrew calendar, Yom Kippur, there was hatred and dissention in the streets of Tel Aviv when a prayer service became a political, idealistic battle ground. For me and many others, it was heartbreaking to see. The political schism has filled the air with hateful rhetoric…yet the commanded feasts continue. I remember a wonderful series of messages that my Pastor gave us about ‘Looking away unto Him’. He spoke of Daniel opening his window 3 times daily to pray, looking away toward Jerusalem, even when the penalty for doing so was that he be thrown into the lion’s den. He spoke of Elijah, seeing the blue sky but KNOWING that rain was coming, putting his head between his knees to pray (looking away from the sky, unto The Lord) UNTIL…the answer came.
I remember another time when we sat in our little sukkah and things were not well…although the attacks were from outside rather than inside. It was during the intifada as we tiptoed or ran between bombs and bullets…and yet the command came to sit outside in flimsy shacks and REMEMBER that it is GOD Who is our protector, our tabernacle, our ALL. It was a bit surreal as we sat there under our date palm roof covered with flowers and fruit and listened to the bombs…but we SAW they sky and beyond that, to our LORD and the peace of KNOWING THAT HE WAS LORD OF ALL really did fill our hearts and I remember thinking of the verse “The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.” He COMMANDS us to sit in flimsy booths and to REMEMBER and to REJOICE! Perhaps next year someone will help me to build a sukkah. For now, I will sit in other people’s and REMEMBER and REJOICE.
And…it’s not over yet! Starting Saturday night (I THINK) IS Simchat Torah…the joy of the Torah (first 5 books of the Bible). It celebrates the completion of the yearly cycle of the reading of the Torah. There will be dancing and singing in the streets around the Torah scrolls. I find it a joyous time. This is NOT a ‘commanded feast’ but it has hooked along…and I don’t mind at all.
It is funny how a stumbling block works…it is simply ‘there’ and the stumbling is our part. I used to have a ‘cartoon’ on my refrigerator that illustrated: “The difference between a stumbling block and a stepping stone is how high you lift your feet.” To me, this was very profound. And perhaps, it still is. If you are like me, you ‘beg’ God for His Spirit of discernment and to be kept from deception …that we not get sidetracked into bunny trails. To my understanding, NOTHING that He has given is given to trip us up, but to grow us up. There are those here who are saying that we must not rejoice because of the mess that we are in and because ‘the religious’ are making a mockery of it. BUT THE LORD SAID TO REJOICE…before Him, and unto Him I will rejoice, for HE commanded it. Others are caught in the ‘Jew/Gentile’ snare. I council you to buy of Him GOLD tried in the fire! If you are a gentile and joining in with the commanded feasts will be a snare or a stumbling block to you or someone around you, or (GOD FORBID!) a source of ‘pride’? Refrain from outward displays. Whom we are called to be, that is who we are! May we each walk in the FREEDOM of HIS SPIRIT to obey and follow Him as He leads us…BUT GOD FORBID THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING OUR FLESH OR ANOTHER SPIRIT! And this is a real snare and concern seemingly prevalent in the body today.
Well, the flavor of this letter suddenly turned while I wasn’t looking! We live in ‘narrow days’ and walk on ‘narrow path’, BUT GOD REMAINS FAITHFUL! May we be found following Him! It’s funny in a way, but being rather dramatically stripped of everything that made up my life until now…I have found that it was NEVER about me at all…but that it is ALL ABOUT HIM! May we be found of Him in His Peace, which is such a safe and wonderful place…the pearl of great price…worth it all.
God bless you and keep you and make His Face to shine upon you and give you His Peace.
Lovingly, a sister here.
Greetings, sisters and brothers, from Maoz Zion…a stone’s throw from the city on the hill, chosen by God Almighty, The Creator, as the place where He would put His Name. May HE be seen and known and recognized and adored. May He be blessed and glorified, and may you be encouraged and blessed.
Today is Thursday the 5th of October. Even though I now live outside of the city, the sukkahs are full of happy families and friends, joyful children and the smell of ‘mangal’ (grilling meat) fills the air. It has been an INTENSE week! Yesterday was the Jerusalem march which includes the much loved march of the nations, organized by ICEJ (International Christian Embassy Jerusalem). Although the Jerusalem march, which is 68 years old, is organized by Israel, the largest and most anticipated part is the Christian representation. This year (according to our local news) there were over 3,000 participants from more than 90 nations. Many of them march in their ‘native’ dress and dance under banners blessing Israel. Trinkets are tossed to the delight of bystanders, and in the past, when E and I would attend, we have watched with wonder how this display of love softens the hearts of the hardest and most skeptical. One year we were standing alongside of several families who were sort of mocking the Christians and suddenly the man beside me saw a leather jacket on one of the marchers. Somehow, the marcher in the jacket was moved to take that jacket off and give it to the man. I cannot explain well what I saw…but I saw GOD soften the heart of that man and his family…I SAW his heart change. I believe that that one small sacrificial act changed all who saw it forever. So much happens in small corners…in hidden quiet corners that bring much glory to God. And, yes, there is also hoopla…but God is greater!
And the march is really one of the sideline events in this wonderous week.
On Tuesday was the blessing of the Kohenim…the priestly blessing (Numbers 6:23-27) given to the people by those who are aware that they are from the priestly line. https://www.hebrew4christians.com/Blessings/Synagogue_Blessings/Priestly_Blessing/priestly_blessing.html#loaded
Many people gather to receive the blessing. Daily the streets are packed out with a variety of tourists from all over the world, religious Jews taking part in various activities and secular Jews also coming from around the country to participate and to tour the city during this wonderful season, to ‘come up to Jerusalem’ as all of the tribes were commanded…to sit in sukkahs and to share. It is truly a wonder. It’s also a …balagan!
Last Thursday was my last day at work. That’s right…I’m officially retired as there are not many places that wish to hire a 78 year old, nor do I really want to train for a new job. Traveling to work that day, I got off of the bus early to walk past places that I might not walk through again. Emek Refaim is a colorful, rather artsy, neighborhood street with many restaurants and small shops. All of the restaurants put up sukkahs for their clientele to eat in during Sukkot. Well…I got to watch a 5 (?7maybe?) Arabs trying to put up a Sukkah outside of a restaurant. (Most of the modern sukkahs -although not all- are sort of snap together metal ‘modules’) Now THAT was a funny sight! ‘Balagan’…total confusion…a mass of many things happening at once. Watching them scratching their heads and trying to figure it out just tickled my funny bone and was an appropriate last walk to work. But, yep…the word ‘balagan’ would be my best effort - trying to describe Jerusalem during the fall feasts…more and more as they approach the climactic finish.
“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood…” [in the temple] …He came to participate…for so it was commanded. Tonight begins ‘the last day…the great day of the feast.’ Beginning this night and through tomorrow…the Hoshana Rabba…the people gather again at the Western Wall of the temple (the Kotel) and pray for RAIN…the outpouring of the physical water…but also the outpouring of The Spiritual Water as shouts of ’Hoshana!’ fill the air and we remember that Yeshua said on that day to those people crying for the heavens to pour down…that it had INDEED poured down and HE …THE LIVING WATER…WAS STANDING IN THEIR MIDST! Psalm 69:23 “Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see; And make their loins shake continually.” David had prayed, actually cursing the people…and thus it still is. HE stood in the midst and they did not recognize Him, for their eyes were darkened. He still stands in the midst…The Living Water…and we are still praying for the veil to be ripped off of all eyes…that HE may be seen in the midst and known! Romans 11:26-29 reminds me constantly to pray with fervency… “And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:“The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them,
When I take away their sins.” Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.” Again…we see a graphic picture of God’s plan before our eyes…and with longing we await the fulfillment and the outpouring.
All has not been ‘well’ during this season of the fall feasts. On the holiest, most awesome day on the Hebrew calendar, Yom Kippur, there was hatred and dissention in the streets of Tel Aviv when a prayer service became a political, idealistic battle ground. For me and many others, it was heartbreaking to see. The political schism has filled the air with hateful rhetoric…yet the commanded feasts continue. I remember a wonderful series of messages that my Pastor gave us about ‘Looking away unto Him’. He spoke of Daniel opening his window 3 times daily to pray, looking away toward Jerusalem, even when the penalty for doing so was that he be thrown into the lion’s den. He spoke of Elijah, seeing the blue sky but KNOWING that rain was coming, putting his head between his knees to pray (looking away from the sky, unto The Lord) UNTIL…the answer came.
I remember another time when we sat in our little sukkah and things were not well…although the attacks were from outside rather than inside. It was during the intifada as we tiptoed or ran between bombs and bullets…and yet the command came to sit outside in flimsy shacks and REMEMBER that it is GOD Who is our protector, our tabernacle, our ALL. It was a bit surreal as we sat there under our date palm roof covered with flowers and fruit and listened to the bombs…but we SAW they sky and beyond that, to our LORD and the peace of KNOWING THAT HE WAS LORD OF ALL really did fill our hearts and I remember thinking of the verse “The Lord hath done great things for us, whereof we are glad.” He COMMANDS us to sit in flimsy booths and to REMEMBER and to REJOICE! Perhaps next year someone will help me to build a sukkah. For now, I will sit in other people’s and REMEMBER and REJOICE.
And…it’s not over yet! Starting Saturday night (I THINK) IS Simchat Torah…the joy of the Torah (first 5 books of the Bible). It celebrates the completion of the yearly cycle of the reading of the Torah. There will be dancing and singing in the streets around the Torah scrolls. I find it a joyous time. This is NOT a ‘commanded feast’ but it has hooked along…and I don’t mind at all.
It is funny how a stumbling block works…it is simply ‘there’ and the stumbling is our part. I used to have a ‘cartoon’ on my refrigerator that illustrated: “The difference between a stumbling block and a stepping stone is how high you lift your feet.” To me, this was very profound. And perhaps, it still is. If you are like me, you ‘beg’ God for His Spirit of discernment and to be kept from deception …that we not get sidetracked into bunny trails. To my understanding, NOTHING that He has given is given to trip us up, but to grow us up. There are those here who are saying that we must not rejoice because of the mess that we are in and because ‘the religious’ are making a mockery of it. BUT THE LORD SAID TO REJOICE…before Him, and unto Him I will rejoice, for HE commanded it. Others are caught in the ‘Jew/Gentile’ snare. I council you to buy of Him GOLD tried in the fire! If you are a gentile and joining in with the commanded feasts will be a snare or a stumbling block to you or someone around you, or (GOD FORBID!) a source of ‘pride’? Refrain from outward displays. Whom we are called to be, that is who we are! May we each walk in the FREEDOM of HIS SPIRIT to obey and follow Him as He leads us…BUT GOD FORBID THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING OUR FLESH OR ANOTHER SPIRIT! And this is a real snare and concern seemingly prevalent in the body today.
Well, the flavor of this letter suddenly turned while I wasn’t looking! We live in ‘narrow days’ and walk on ‘narrow path’, BUT GOD REMAINS FAITHFUL! May we be found following Him! It’s funny in a way, but being rather dramatically stripped of everything that made up my life until now…I have found that it was NEVER about me at all…but that it is ALL ABOUT HIM! May we be found of Him in His Peace, which is such a safe and wonderful place…the pearl of great price…worth it all.
God bless you and keep you and make His Face to shine upon you and give you His Peace.
Lovingly, a sister here.