Well, one day I’m living in Jerusalem dealing with the layers of dust on my tables from the Judean desert, and the next day I’m living in Brussels dealing with the constant rain and chill in the air. Did I say “chill”? No, I meant COLD! What am I doing in a cold climate? I hate cold weather. I am the one who prays that summer will arrive quickly in Texas, because I love the 100 degree days. I seriously do. I love hot, sweating weather. And now I’m in Belgium where they say it’s a nice day if it’s 45 degrees. Yikes! I don’t even have a coat that’s appropriate for cold weather!
Belgian waffle
This is a store-bought waffle that we have here in the house for my 1 yr-old grandson, Shiloh. He LOVES these waffles! The ones they sell on the streets here are much bigger and better.
Preston and I have been in Brussels for 7 days now. (more…)
Since we arrived in Israel almost a year ago, our volunteer visa process with the Ministry of Interior has been a virtual rollercoaster. I won’t go into the sordid details now, but just believe me. It has been crazy. When we re-entered the country after spending the month of November in the States, they said we could not stay any longer. They gave us two weeks and we stretched it out until an appeal appointment on Feb. 3. At the appointment we were told we must leave the country by Feb. 17th.
We were expecting to be told we had to leave, but we weren’t expecting two weeks! Gary has a one-year visa that is good until July 2010, so he can stay. It’s just Preston and I who are having to leave. They don’t allow family members to come under the umbrella of the head of household visa any longer. So…Preston and I are leaving in two weeks and Gary will be leaving on Mar. 12th. Our one year lease is up on our apartment on Mar. 31st. Good timing, huh?! God’s leadership in our lives is so perfect!
After many confirming words, we have now set our sights on Brussels, Belgium! Even before we left the States last April, our hearts have been drawn to Belgium. There is no functioning house of prayer in the whole city, and Brussels is the capital of the European Union. Brussels is a very dark city spiritually. For that matter, Time Magazine states, “Europe is the world’s spiritually darkest place.“ USA Today says, “ Islam is Europe’s fastest growing religion.” Operation World: “80% of the French population has never seen, read or held a Bible.” Christianity Today: “Anti-Semitism in Europe is now worse than at any time since 1945.”
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I’ve been meditating recently on the two accounts in the Gospels where Yeshua ran the money-changers and animal sellers out of the temple complex. One is in John 2 right after He turned the water into wine at the wedding in Cana, and the other one is in Matthew 21 a few days before He let the people crucify Him.
The first time this happened He made a whip, drove them out of the temple complex along with the animals, knocked over the money-changers’ tables, and said, “Get these things out of here! How dare you turn my Father’s house into a market?” That day His disciples remembered a verse in Psa. 69:9 that said, “Zeal for Your house will devour me.”
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A couple of days ago I attended an intercession watch at the house of prayer. I was pouring my heart out to God, passionate in my reminders to Him of why He needed to strengthen the believers in Turkey and send them workers to help build the five houses of prayer in that country. I was in tears. I was energized. I was passionate. I was happy. And in the midst of the music and the shouts of the people around me, I heard a quiet voice saying, “This is what I have called you to do. This is what makes you joyful in the place of prayer, and this is what moves My heart.” I knew exactly what He meant. What excites me the most in prayer is a group of people crying out to God together for houses of prayer to be birthed and strengthened all over the planet, specifically in Muslim countries. I am so passionate about this. There’s no other way that the forces of evil can be pushed back in a city and a country than to have prayer and intercession rising to the throne on a continual basis through a people who are committed to each other and to Him.
Have you ever noticed that the things that you should be doing and the things that you are called to do are the hardest to stay committed to?
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2009 has been, by far, the most interesting year of my life. Every day has been a journey. We sold everything in the States, left our precious family and moved here to follow the call of God. Our motto throughout it all has been, “We only have this one life. Let’s go for it. Why play it safe?” And God has been so faithful! Every time we have cried out to Him, He has answered in the nick of time. He has confirmed to us over and over again that this is what He wants us to do. We don’t know how long He has us here, but we are enjoying every minute. We love working here with so many wonderful people who continually inspire us to abandon ourselves whole-heartedly to His call and to live on the edge. Hear what God is saying and do it! (more…)
