I will start with the fun side of life.
We are busy at the house with Bethany’s entire family in town for the next 2 weeks. This means 8 kids ages 6 and under running around having a blast and 9 adults attempting to converse over the noise. Needless to say we’ve all been having a grand time! Bethany’s younger sister, Anna, was in the internship with me in 2002, so it’s been a lot of fun to reconnect. We’ve been doing and will be doing lots of cooking and laundry too! I will attach a picture of the kids. Also we recently added two miniature bunnies to the household, which have been bringing lots of joy to the kids (their first pets). Yoshi named them Jessica and Katie, which are about as non-Jewish of names as you can think of! So life has been going just fine on that end of things.
About two weeks ago a woman prayed over me and said she felt God was bringing me into a new place and releasing me into new things. Last week during the sets I lead I felt a new freedom and release to hear what God was saying and then sing it. I think I might have used 2 actual songs over the 4 sets that I lead, the rest was all spontaneous. It was so refreshing just to sing before my Abba. I didn’t try to plan out what I was going to sing about, I just focused on being with Him and singing whatever He put in my heart at the time. God had been speaking to me about being Abba and relating to Him in that way and I had sung about it in several of my sets. Then toward the end of the week I got to have a long talk with my Dad and the entire conversation ended up being focused on God as Abba. It was so encouraging and funny how God continues to speak similar things to so many people at the same time, I love it!
Now on to the more serious matters. I don’t know if much is being said on the news in the States about Iran right now. Here we are receiving some major threats from Iran in regards to February 11th. Last week we during our night-watch one of the girls felt we were specifically to pray about the rockets that Iran has been testing. We went into an intense time of crying out for Israel and for salvation from God. Toward the end of this time one woman said she saw the rockets coming toward Israel, but they never landed, or if they did they did not cause any damage. We are still praying into this and proclaiming it as truth! God has many times bared His arm on behalf of Israel, so we are trusting Him to do the same again.
I haven’t noticed much of a change in the atmosphere of the people on the streets as of yet. I’m glad that there isn’t an intense spirit of fear right now. But it can also be dangerous to think life is going on as normal and not be aware and on guard for what could come. Being on guard does not mean being afraid. As watchmen we are to see what is coming and then prepare for it or go out to meet it and send it away. I don’t know for sure what God’s plan is this time around, but we are asking for mercy. When judgment is being sent out God looks for those who will weep and mourn (Ez. 9) over the sins of their nation and cry out for mercy. This is the attitude I believe He is looking for as we enter times of testing. I think that I John 4:17-18 is key for us to remember now.
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so we are in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
I have a huge praise report! As I told you before, a few weeks ago some of the local rabbis called a day of prayer and fasting to repent before God. Well, we have had huge amounts of rain since then (compared to absolutely no rain before that). But we have also seen the fruits of this in regards to abortion! Last week the torah portion covered Exodus 1:15-21 (Jewish people are given specific portions of scripture to read each week). This section speaks about the Hebrew midwives who refused to abort the Hebrew babies as instructed by the Pharaoh. It clearly states that these women refused to do so because they feared God. For many years in Israel a child has not been considered alive until after it was born, but things are changing! Many of the rabbis were instructed to teach against abortion for the first time and actually stated that it was murder. This is huge! This teaching was not across the board, only certain sects of rabbis taught this last week. Previously abortion was encouraged (and still is in certain groups) because it was far more embarrassing to the families to have their un-wed daughters pregnant.
God is calling out to any and all who will hear His voice! Thank you all for your many prayers. Please continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Please pray as much as possible for God’s covering tomorrow (Thursday). I love you all! Blessings!
Pictures: #1 - Me with my new hot water bottle! This is how I stay warm at night.
#2 - Our 5 kids and two of their 3 cousins. As you can see, they are all young! One baby was napping.
