Category Archives: Prophecy

February 11, 2014 · 4:00 pm

Tuesday’s Prayers for America (2/11/2014)

For the 12th consecutive year, North Korea is where Christian persecution is the most extreme. It is estimated 100,000 believers worship the Lord secretly out of a total population of 25 million people. If government authorities catch believers praying, saying the name of Jesus, owning a Bible, or assembling together, they are immediately subject to being executed or thrown into concentration camps.

Right now, 50-70,000 Christians are imprisoned in North Korean concentration camps. These believers are raped, beaten, murdered, starved, and used as slave labor in these horrendous places. The prisoners survive on rice husks, grass, tree bark, bugs, rats, mice, or whatever they can find to eat. Thousands starve and freeze to death each year.

Let’s put on our thinking caps for a moment.

How many types of divisions do you think there are in the Body of Christ in North Korea? Is there a Pentecostal/Charismatic division for those who practice the gifts? Is there a baptism division for those who dunk new believers rather than use sprinkling? Or a King James Bible division? Or a woman pastor/leader division? Or whatever?

No, of course not. You see, there are no divisions in the midst of such extreme cruelty against fellow Christians. The only division is between believers and unbelievers. Period.

Okay, what does this mean for us American believers?

“that they [believers] all may be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:21)

I guarantee the above prayer by Jesus will be fulfilled so that we believers here in America will be unified and without division. We aren’t there yet, but we will be sometime in the future.

Now, will it take extreme persecution for us American believers to finally be unified? Or can we voluntarily lay our divisions down ahead of time? It will be one or the other.

So, here’s my prayer for America today:

Lord, I pray that we American believers learn how to walk in a manner worthy of You, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Based on Ephesians 4:2-3)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you?

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for America.

Lord, Help me Love Democrats (Part 3)

The landmark Roe vs. Wade decision by the Supreme Court on January 22, 1973, blindsided Christianity. Confused Christians jumped into foxholes and hid from the wicked aftermath of the decision.

Rev. Jerry Falwell, the pastor of the largest independent Baptist church in America and the founder of Liberty University, realized Roe vs. Wade undermined the moral fabric of America. He had long held the belief that politics and Christianity should not be mixed and had often stated, “Preachers are not called to be politicians, but soul winners.”

But two things eventually changed his mind.

First, Falwell was influenced by the writings of Francis Schaeffer, who blamed society’s downfall on secular humanism. Schaeffer urged Christians, especially pastors, to become political activists, stating, “Christians had a moral duty to step into political arenas to change nations…”

Second, Falwell studied the success of the Civil Rights movement. He noted how America was forever changed because King and the other leaders forced governments to grant equal rights to all Americans, not just whites.

So, in 1976, Rev. Falwell held “I Love America” rallies across America. Large crowds gathered to hear him preach against the Equal Rights Amendment, abortion, homosexuality, pornography, the family breakdown, and communism.

These rallies catapulted Falwell into the forefront of the Christian political movement.

In 1979, conservative leaders and Republican operatives convinced Rev. Falwell to co-found, along with Paul Weyrich, the Moral Majority. Weyrich was the founder of the Heritage Foundation and also coined the term −moral majority. It was Weyrich’s knowledge of grassroots politics which helped set up Moral Majority chapters in states, especially the South.

Rev. Falwell barnstormed America during the 1980 presidential campaign giving speeches, holding seminars, and preaching sermons in every major city. President Ronald Reagan won the election and became America’s 40th president. Many credited Moral Majority and Falwell’s preaching for the victory.

The popularity of Moral Majority lessened in the late 1980’s and was disbanded in 1989.

Now, I believe Rev. Jerry Falwell was a good man who had good intentions, but I believe America is still burdened by his and other leaders’ decisions during the 1970’s. We will look at what I consider were their mistakes in future articles.

(Continued in Part 4)

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Tagged as Christianity, Church, Gifts of the Spirit, Kingdom of God, Politics, Prophecy, Spiritual warfare

February 8, 2014 · 10:15 am

Announcing: “The Hunt for Larry Who”

To think that I would ever write a memoir would have been preposterous a few years ago. After all, I don’t rub shoulders with the famous and have done little of value in my life. If I died today, my eulogy would simply be: “Larry loved God.” Who knows? Maybe that’s enough.

Amazon Book Description:

Although the author’s surname is Nevenhoven, few can pronounce it. So what do they do? They wrinkle their noses and say, “Larry who?”

The actual hunt for Larry Who began on a farm in the 1950’s surrounded by loving parents and country churches. It continued down a winding path through the 1960’s and the University of Illinois, ending up with Larry being an agnostic. Then, it was off to Detroit, Louisville, and Fort Dodge, Iowa, where Jesus blasted Larry’s agnosticism to pieces on the day of his planned suicide.

From his salvation day onward, life should have been one triumph after another, but that was not the case. He trudged through deep valleys of loneliness, poverty, rejection, firings from jobs, climbing into dumpsters, homelessness, divorce, and failures.

But it was during Larry’s worst disappointments and deepest valleys when the Lord revealed Himself as a loving Father with unlimited grace to soothe the pain in His child.

“The Hunt for Larry Who” is a series of snapshot experiences about a farm boy from small-town America who desired to be wealthy, as in stinking rich, but ended up falling in love with Jesus. Paul the Apostle described Larry to a tee:

“This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life (1 Timothy 1:15-16 New Living Translation).”

If you are looking to read another vanilla flavored story about a Christian that does everything right, “The Hunt for Larry Who” is not that book. It is a down in the trenches account of an ordinary man who struggles to serve an extraordinary God.

300 pages $3.99 Author & Publisher: Larry Nevenhoven

Available on Amazon for Kindle and Kindle Apps

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February 7, 2014 · 4:01 pm

Friday’s Prayers for Prisoners (2/7/2014)

Jesus sat in His home in Capernaum, teaching a crowd of people. Four men carried a paralytic on a stretcher to His home, but they could not move through the throng. They carried the paralytic up the stairs to the roof and proceeded to rip apart the roof tiles. Then, they lowered the stretcher, with the paralytic on it, down through the hole in the roof to the floor below.

Because of the noise and the falling debris from the roof tiles, every eye focused on the paralytic as he was lowered down in front of Jesus. The Lord recognized the men’s faith and said, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

The scribes and Pharisees got all bent out of shape because Jesus forgave the paralytic’s sins, but then Jesus said something amazing:

“Which is easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk?'” (Luke 5:23)

Most of us probably believe that it’s easier to be forgiven by God than to be healed by Him, but Jesus did not answer like that. He forgave and healed the paralytic.

Because of this story in Matthew 9, Mark 2, and Luke 5, I am convinced that if we have enough faith to believe the Father will forgive our sins then we have enough faith to believe God will heal us or others when we pray for them.

Okay, if this is true, then why aren’t more people being healed in America? And why are people being healed in Third World nations?

Sadly, we Americans have so complicated the gospel with teachings, books, seminars, and religious rigamorole that we can no longer see the simplicity of Jesus’ message. But the people in Third World countries are not burdened by all of this and simply believe His Word.

We need to change!

Today, I prayed for us American believers:

“Lord, open the blind eyes of us Americans to bring us out of our prisons of unbelief.” (Based on Isaiah 42:7)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you?

Join with me on Fridays to fast and pray for prisoners, according to Hebrews 13:3.

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February 5, 2014 · 11:48 am

Lord, Help me Love Democrats (Part 2)

In the late 1940’s, Ja-shil Choi had her spiritual eyes opened by the Lord to the ungodly direction South Korea was heading. Her heart was broken by the nation’s sin and knew something had to be done.

At the time, 3% of South Koreans were Christians. These believers were poor and powerless, mainly because of Japan’s occupation of South Korea from 1910 until the end of WWII. Japan banned Christianity during the occupation. Those believers who ignored the ban and were caught by the Japanese were thrown into prison or executed.

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. (James 1:2-3)

The “prayer mountain movement” began during Japan’s occupation. Believers climbed up mountains during the late night hours and prayed until sunrise. They then climbed down to put in a full day’s work before returning again that night.

Ja-shil Choi followed the examples of the “prayer mountain movement” believers and began fasting and praying for her nation, even though she was finishing up Bible school and had three children. She often prayed through the night for ten hours or so. She continued this routine for almost ten years before she met David Yonggi Cho.

The two then began a church in Ja-Shil Choi’s house. The two fasted and prayed 5 to 6 hours per day in what they referred to as a prayer tent.

Their first church eventually grew to one thousand members. David Yonggi Cho then started a second church, which grew to ten thousand members. Along the way, David Yonggi Cho married Ja-shil Choi’s daughter.

A third church, Yoido Full Gospel Church, was built in 1973. Today, Yoido has over 800,000 members with weekly prayer meetings numbering in the hundreds of thousands. A Christian retreat, Prayer Mountain, has facilities for 10,000 believers to spend time in secluded prayer and fasting.

South Korea is now home to six of the world’s largest churches, ranging in size from 47,000 to 800,000. Christianity has grown to 30% and South Korea’s economy is one of the strongest in the world.

How much of this came about because of Ja-Shil Choi’s faithfulness?

We won’t know for sure until we arrive in heaven, but my guess would be: a large percentage of it.

(Continued in Part 3)

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February 4, 2014 · 11:40 am

Tuesday’s Prayers for America (2/4/2014)

Does God still need America? Is America still relevant for His future plans?

Lots of good people are stating that God is not done with America yet and are talking about a great revival, which will sweep America clean from our many sins. A few even mention that President Obama will be saved and changed, much like Paul was on the Damascus Road. If these believers are correct, then America will enjoy a new age of Christianity, unlike any we have witnessed in the past.

Hey! I hope these believers are correct because nothing would make me happier than to be wrong about the future I see for America.

Yet, scripturally America compares well with Sodom. Our nation is a fertile land (Genesis 13:10). We are filled with pride, too much food, and prosperous ease. Fornication, adultery, homosexuality, sexual perversion are accepted as being normal.

Jesus Himself said it would be better for Sodom in the day of judgment than it would be for a people like us Americans. You see, Sodom had no Bibles and had never heard about the good news of Jesus Christ. We Americans have millions of Bibles and have heard the gospel so often we have no excuses before His throne.

Our only hope is that His mercy still triumphs over judgment, but even with this there are strings attached.

For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. (James 3:13)

My prayer for today:

“Lord, I pray that we Americans open our hearts and billfolds to show mercy to the poor and needy in extravagant ways, befitting our many sins.” (Based on James 3:13 and Ezekiel 16:49)

What do you think and has the Lord spoken to you?

Join with me on Tuesdays to fast and pray for America.

Lord, Help me Love Democrats (Part 1)

What national leader do you trust? President Obama? Vice President Biden? Senate Majority Leader Reid? Senate Minority Leader McConnell? Speaker of the House Boehner? House Majority Leader Cantor? House Minority Leader Pelosi? Any senator? Any congressional representative? Or even the Republican Party or Democratic Party? Can you believe much of anything these leaders ever say?

If you have the common sense of an amoeba, your answer has to be “NO.”

But maybe you think your favorite politicians and favorite political parties are better than the opposition because your favorites lie less than the other political side. Okay, maybe you are correct with your assumptions, but a liar who prevaricates fewer times than another politician is still what? That’s right! That politician is still a liar.

Good golly Miss Molly!

How did America end up with shameless liars for leaders who have not an ounce of remorse in them, even when they are caught in their lies?

“We have met the enemy and he is us.” (Pogo Comic Strip poster, Walt Kelly, Earth Day, 1970)

Most of us Christians are quick to point our fingers at politicians, judges, attorneys, the media, talk show hosts, or whoever and blame them for America’s downfall. But that is foolish because we believers are the ones who should be wearing sackcloth and ashes, bowing down before everyone in our shame for allowing America to undergo such a horrendous transformation on our watch. We are the blame! Repeat: we are the blame!

It won’t be long before both political parties will be labeling the 2014 Midterm Elections as “the most important elections” in the history of America. So to be ahead of the curve, let’s look at what I consider some bad choices we believers have made over the last sixty years which need to be handled now.

(Continued in Part 2)

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January 5, 2014 · 9:31 am

Inside Israel

Once again, it’s time to hear from our sister in Jerusalem about what she is witnessing there as a believer in Yeshua. Put your prayer shawls on and pray for Israel and Sister J. Now here she is …

In this New Year, according to the Gregorian calendar, I greet you in the Love of Yeshua. I pray that this will be the year each of us is changed into His image for His glory. May HE be blessed and glorified, and may you be blessed, beloved friends.

There has been a letter literally burning in my heart. Sorry to sound so dramatic, but that is exactly how it feels. It developed through a moment of standing before Him and asking, “What does it mean to be a witness of the things that You have called me to be a witness to?”

I was shocked at how quickly the answer came, but it came on so many levels at one time that I pray I can translate it into an understandable communication. And on top of that, I will start with the end, or at least the part, which is working itself out today.

Today, here in Israel, in the Fertile Crescent, in the Middle East, I am a witness to change that is occurring so rapidly there is no time to catch my breath. There is no room here to be a frog, slowly boiled to death as the heat rises. Why? Because the flame is on high. No history lessons now, no TIME for them, but here’s a witness’ view of today.

I heard the sirens a short time ago as US Sec of State Kerry headed out of Jerusalem toward Ramala, ending the second talk with our Prime Minister of this 10th round of secret peace discussions. And they ARE secret. Although different ones claim to have a leak or a source, anyone familiar with the history, area, and people taking part in the discussions knows these are just guesses or smoke screens, and not accurate reports.

And, brothers and sisters, it is scary. Not for God, of course because He KNOWS the outcome, and to an extent, so do we. Many in the body are saying we are at “this moment now” or “that one,” but even we DON’T know what the path we are taking LOOKS like. It is NOT a path that we have been down before and HIS WORD − “a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path” − shines just far enough ahead so we can see the next step. Just as HE said, “NO man knows the time or the hour,” so it is, there are many things that NO man knows.

We do know this: We know that the Syrian war HAS spilled into Lebanon. We know that ALL of the countries, which experienced Western intervention for overthrowing their rulers, are in bloody chaos and instability. We know that when Egypt wrested itself from the brink of becoming another Gaza after the Moslem Brotherhood took power, that the upside down world condemned them. We know that our ex-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon who has been in a deep coma since 2006 after suffering a massive stroke following his disastrous removal of Israelis from Gaza is right now at the door of death, the last of the early heroes of our modern state.

We know that as a result of the unusual massive snow storm that impacted our entire nation, food prices have skyrocketed – particularly the vegetables (an Israeli staple), but almost everything you look at – pushing many over the edge into poverty and hunger. We know that daily terrorist attacks are increasing again. We know that men are shaking in their shoes at the changes happening here. And we KNOW that men have no answers. Not for the weather extremes nor for the political extremes, nor for the despair that grips the souls of men.

And in the midst of all of this, I asked, “To WHAT exactly am I a witness?” The answer came: “To ME and to the FAITHFULNESS OF MY WORD!”

Scripture after scripture poured into my poor brain, and I understood what He meant. HE chose Israel to be an inheritance (Jer. 51:19), HE established the plan (Levit. 20:24), set the boundaries and borders (Deut. 32:8), judged and chastened a disobedient son, (the book of Jeremiah), BECAUSE HE IS FAITHFUL. HE is still going to carry out HIS plan and purposes in, for, and to this country/nation/people, IN SPITE of our stiff necks, IN SPITE of the world’s opinions and rules, and IN SPITE of our own interpretations of what HE said.

So I want to “re-witness” or perhaps proclaim again, loudly, what I am seeing. HE drew these borders for this land. HE laid claim to this land and said that NO ONE could divide it because it is HIS. HE judges this land and its people. HE has been calling this people from the four corners of the earth to the land that HE gave to them more then 5,000 years ago. HE sent His Son to fulfill HIS Word, His promise, and His plan. HE sent HIM to this land that is His and He said that He would be coming BACK here again to this land: Israel.

HE blinded the people here and HE will soon open their eyes. THIS is what I am witness to. I am a witness of the fact that EVERYTHING HE has said, intended and promised concerning this land and this people is coming to pass before my eyes, and sometimes I feel as if I need to shout it. NOT to YOU my DEAR friends. To myself! To the Church! To the world! To Israel!

But I REJOICE with you because you KNOW already, that HE IS FAITHFUL AND HE WILL FULFILL HIS ENTIRE WORD and we must be careful to walk HIS ways.

I said I would begin at the end, and so I will also bring the end of a great and precious promise we are to stand on, before I close this letter:

For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:36)

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!

AMEN! MAY HE BE BLESSED AND GLORIFIED! And may we walk humbly before Him and one another!

If you have time, start at the beginning:

I ask, then, has God rejected his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? 3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” 4 But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal.” 5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. 6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened, 8 as it is written,

“God gave them a spirit of stupor,
    eyes that would not see
    and ears that would not hear,
down to this very day.”

9 And David says,

“Let their table become a snare and a trap,
    a stumbling block and a retribution for them;
10 let their eyes be darkened so that they cannot see,
    and bend their backs forever.”

Gentiles Grafted In

11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!

13 Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry 14 in order somehow to make my fellow Jews jealous, and thus save some of them. 15 For if their rejection means the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance mean but life from the dead? 16 If the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, so is the whole lump, and if the root is holy, so are the branches.

17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, 18 do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you. 19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.” 20 That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. 22 Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off. 23 And even they, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God has the power to graft them in again. 24 For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree.

The Mystery of Israel’s Salvation

25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
    he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
27 “and this will be my covenant with them
    when I take away their sins.”

28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they arebeloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord,
    or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has given a gift to him
    that he might be repaid?”

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. (Romans Chapter 11, ESV)

But scripture out of context never gives the whole picture, just as events out of context can never give the full story. We must walk through it all with His Spirit because we can’t possibly see clearly without Him.

I have been happy to hear many have begun the New Year reading through the entire Bible in order, in context, from Genesis 1:1 and Matthew 1:1. This is my habit, too. I am so thankful He established it in me. I encourage each of you who have begun, not to be discouraged if you fall behind. You are not in a race, so if it takes two or even three years, may you persevere, and then begin again.

Your sister in Jerusalem,

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December 29, 2013 · 8:46 am

Inside Israel

Pre-Celebration snow mop-up.

Oh may The Lord BLESS you as you prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior Yeshua h’meshiach, Jesus Christ, The Light so humbly coming into this dark world and in His great mercy, we know Him and are part of His body. How overwhelming. May the wonder of it all be NEW and full of worshipful wonder to each of us this year and may He find that we have made room for Him.

Blessings to you and may He be blessed and glorified.

Could someone PLEASE tell me how potatoes, hanging in a basket at room temperature can freeze and turn stinky, while the chicken and fish in the freezer can thaw? Because that is JUST what happened in my kitchen, during the 3 days we were without electricity.

Things are beginning to function again. We got a phone line again today, a full week after the storm. *[scratch that one…no phone line again]* Yesterday was the first day that I was finally able to get to work, walking gingerly on the ice and climbing over trees and dirty snow mounds. The geography of this small but powerful city was starkly demonstrated in this blizzard by the delineation line between the east side of the mountain and the west side (we being on the west side). The east side, which faces the eastern deserts, had substantially less snow and damage with just 1 ft or 1/3 meter and we had about 3 feet or a full meter. It felt odd to take the train and bus to work in the morning and passing from a disaster zones into pastoral winter scenes.

My husband and I are still pretty tough, but some people suffered greatly from this storm which is the worst in Jerusalem for the last 150 years. Yesterday an elderly man collapsed downtown and was rushed to the hospital where he died of hypothermia. Although we have received much teasing about being Alaskans and this being a piece of cake for us, I explain to people that in Alaska we had wood burning stoves for heat AND cooking, kerosene lamps, insulated homes and very warm clothing, including furs. We were both prepared for and expecting this kind of weather.

One of our patients, who just passed his 100 year birthday, was without electricity for 3 days but some people took him and his helper in and they were treated royally. Another elderly man looked at me with misty eyes and put it much into perspective when he said, “What was HARD was 1948! Now THAT was hard!”

He began to tell me about his life, being born here in Jerusalem some 80 years ago (as were his parents, grandparents, and ALL of his generations back). He lived on Kibbutz Ramat Rachel when the modern state of Israel was re-established and all of the surrounding Arab countries declared war. At the same time the British were forbidding the Jews to have weapons. He told me about the few living on the Kibbutz and how they fought for their lives against the infamous Jordanian Legion. He said, “THEN we were starving, freezing and hopeless. But if it weren’t for our miracle we would all be dead.” Yes, that put it into perspective all right.

Just as I was about to leave work today a man stopped by for prescriptions and asked how we had fared. When I first met this man some 16 years ago, my boss told me he held the sad record of being the longest Israeli prisoner of war that had been in captivity and come out alive. He had been held in Lebanon I believe, for seven years and severely tortured and is one of the most positive people I have ever met, always cheerful. Again things fall into perspective.

The day before the blizzard I made notes to write to you about winter clothes as I think that I have a unique perspective in this area, too. In the summer people from different ethnic backgrounds wear different clothing, but it pretty well blends in. In the winter, however, I enjoy the colorful display of diversity that is represented on the bus and train. The rich assortment of countries that have given up their captive children of Israel through aliyah, have their handiwork displayed like a lovely bouquet. I see the intricately woven and designed sweaters and jackets from the regions around Kazakhstan and skin and fur hats and boots that I know are Siberian as we had similar ones in Alaska. There are beautiful rich Scandinavian knits and rich British wools. There are Ethiopian fringed shawls and Moroccan and Yemenite designs pulled out of old trunks as people seek to bundle themselves up in whatever way possible. What a beautiful exhibit of God’s work, a sign emblazed proclaiming, even singing: “I SAID THAT I WOULD BRING THEM BACK FROM THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE EARTH AND I HAVE BECAUSE I AM FAITHFUL.” Somehow it reminds me of the scripture in Exodus 12:35, 36 –

“Now the children of Israel had done according to the word of Moses, and they had asked from the Egyptians articles of silver, articles of gold, and clothing. 36 And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus they plundered the Egyptians.

We bring some of the beauty of the places to where we were driven. Perhaps I’m carrying this too far, but it is what I was thinking about as I sat on the train tracing the designs with my eyes bedecking the elderly woman across from me. I give thanks for the toasty clothes I am wearing, given to me as gifts from the body. I pray that I may be clothed in items representing The Kingdom that I am part of, His heavenly kingdom, not representing this earth but with the clothes of a pilgrim.

Perspective is what we get when we look unto Jesus, Yeshua. Then it ALL falls into perspective. What a gift this Christmas season can be, if we put it ALL in His perspective. May we give Him a greater gift of pure incense…prayer…at this time. May we seek Him and to glorify Him with all that we give, and to all whom we serve, and in all that we do.

Before I close and go to bed, I want to share a very special secret with you. Thank you for those of you who prayed for me to know His will and do it. It is a secret from my children. But after MUCH wrestling and prayer, I have taken a leap of faith and bought an airline ticket to go to the Bay Area of California to see our children and grandchildren. It has been 8 years since I have left the country and 1.5 years since I have seen the kids (except for little Ana who was with us for a month this summer by herself). My ticket has me leaving Israel on 15 Jan and returning 27-28 Jan.

I APPRECIATE PRAYER FOR THE MANY THINGS INVOLVED. And especially for our younger daughter who is dated to bring forth her firstborn 8 Jan and for my husband who will be here alone in the middle of winter. For our older daughter who plans to be our younger daughter’s doula. For safety traveling. FOR SALVATION FOR THOSE NOT WALKING IN HIM. Thank you so much for caring when you all have your own families and needs. I hope to write again before Christmas, so I will just ask Him to bless you all and draw you near in your preparations.

Lovingly,

your sis J

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December 15, 2013 · 9:13 am

Inside Israel

Greetings, Dear brothers and sisters. May The Lord be blessed and glorified and may you be blessed.

SHELEG! SNOW!

A big joint gasp went up from the people on the bus this morning as the driving winter rain SUDDENLY turned to big white flakes while I was on the way to work. Three of the mentally challenged regulars began to giggle with joy and their faces filled with real wonder and delight at the beauty. They expressed it with their mouths as well: “SHELEG! NIRAY! SHELEG! EZEY YAFFAY!” (Snow! See! Snow! How BEAUTIFUL!)

They ran to the front of the bus and then the back looking out of the windows. I sent my boss a text message: “Should I go home?”

Jerusalem is very excited when we get snow and also very unprepared, although the city always boasts our readiness and displays our snow plows the night before. It is not a frequent occurrence and we often go for years without seeing any although we all prepare for a “once a year” occurrences. To see it once is great joy and twice becomes a double joy, but this early is a rare event.

Usually if it comes, it is in January or February. As a matter of fact, just several days ago we had all been commenting about the unusual dry heat that we have been having so late. We had gotten up in the night to look out of the window, but there was still driving rain, as it was in the morning when I left the house and the radio had already said that schools would be open. That eventually changed.

Like the rest of the world, we have been experiencing the changes and shifts in weather patterns and intensity, but we have so far, mercifully been spared the disasters that others have experienced.

When snow is predicted for Jerusalem, it is announced on the national news. The mayor is shown smiling beside the snow plows and inspecting the salt, tenderly petting each vehicle with pride and assurance. “Sheleg!” is the focus of every conversation the day before. “It will SNOW tomorrow,” one says. The other replies, “Nah! It won’t snow!”

But everyone is on tip toe. We were told of this strong and large weather system entering the region on Tuesday. I had stopped at the market to pick up some groceries and it was FULL! That is, full of PEOPLE. The shelves were already pretty empty. People were buying EVERYTHING. The check out lady asked the manager. “What is happening today? It’s TUESDAY not THURSDAY (the day when people shop to prepare for shabat). What is happening?” His answer, “Sheleg!” “Ahhhh,” she answered, “I’d better get some food too.”

Usually our snow falls at night when it is coldest. It was an ominous sign to me when it BEGAN at sunrise and it was coming down heavily. Surely it won’t stick, I thought. This was the second day of the predicted country wide (from the Golan to Eilat) 4-day storm and the streets were rivers of water, everything saturated. Trees were down, electricity out much of the night, but before I got to work it was not only sticking but was already several inches thick. I sent another message to my boss. No answer.

Two hours later he called. It would just be he and I today. No one else could make it in.

I told him that there had been no calls, no messages, lots of snow. “Can I just go home?” (I live across town)

“No…wait for me…I’ll be in. It will be fine. If the buses stop I’ll get you a taxi.”

I asked, “And if the taxi’s stop?”

Silence. “Then I’LL drive you home.”

That was NOT very comforting because if the buses and taxis can’t get through, can he?

At 10:30 he arrived and said, “Well…go ahead and leave. It is pretty thick.”

As I approached the bus stop a bus went past, and a snow plow. That was a good sign that things were running. I huddled with an ever growing crowd of people at the bus stop for 40 minutes. No more buses. Someone tried to call the bus company. No answer. I called my boss. “Come on back. I’ll call a taxi,” he instructed.

I trekked back. No taxi places were answering. As we began to drive across town we found out why, seeing taxis strewn across road after road. We skidded, slipped and jockeyed as I gained new respect for my boss who drove like a true Alaskan, avoiding stalled cars, going the wrong way on one way streets, picking up stranded people. It took almost 2 hours to get home, (normally 10 minutes by car) but I was thankful to watch people helping one another and the joy of children throwing snow balls in the streets. A car crowned with 2 snow men holding palm branches slowly made it’s way along the road. Most roads were completely plugged with stalled cars. The train stopped. The buses stopped. The central bus station stopped. The post office didn’t bother opening. The bus company closed.

It’s a “PLAY day” for Jerusalem and so very beautiful, but a cold one. My heart goes out to those who can’t keep warm. It is below freezing and supposed to be for several more days. We are blessed with food, a heater, one another, but what of those without? We have a caring country. People WILL go door to door checking on one another. What of the African migrants? What of all of the Syrian displaced people in camps? And the old lonely ones.

I lift up a prayer, a weak one in the face of the immense problem, but when looking at our Immense Immense and Able God, I ask for direction how to pray. I do what I can and check on friends, beginning with the weaker ones. And for some reason that I have not been able to understand, this deep sadness continues in my heart.

Wishing that you could all see Jerusalem in the snow and rejoice in this part of the beauty of God’s creation, I need to go and make a WARM dinner for my husband. May our hearts be warmed to Him and turned to Him and may we glorify Him alone. I send much love!

Your sis here

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