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Monday, 10 August 2009
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Keep 'em coming
Being a girl and flying solo on the weekends in a country I am totally unfamiliar with in regards to terrain and language, can be a little daunting at times. Thankfully God has my back and the covering of Jesus' blood over me has kept me out of some sketchy situations that have had potential to go extremely wrong. But the nice thing about flying solo is that it's just me and my God. When I pray that he revel himself to me through some divine encounters or some whisper of some sort He delivers!
Spiritual warfare is so real and so intense, even suffocating at times. But that means that I need the raw presence of His reassuring touch even more. Just spending less than a week in Israel I was already so spiritually malnourished and so drained. I literally carried a burden of emptiness that I never felt before and was it unexplainable. People say you can feel the spiritual atmosphere of a place once you step foot somewhere, I really never understood what they were talking about, but I do now. Tel-Aviv is a spiritually draining place, for me at least...
When the first weekend rolled around, the first chance I got I jumped on the 6am bus and headed to Jerusalem's Old City. With nothing more than a change of clothes and the mere essentials packed away in my backpack (just in case God led me to a place to stay) I traveled an hour and a half to where Jesus spent his last hours. Quite a challenge to travel and not have a real set plan but good thing God always has a plan! The moment I step foot into the Old City a old man came right up to me! (Granted I have "I'm a tourist, I don't belong here" written all over me and probably the only Chinese person let alone girl standing by herself but that's not the point!) He offered to be my tour guide and to take me around. Quite shady if you ask me, I tried to decline but boy was he relentless so I finally agreed and began following him. (Well I reasoned that there was enough people around that if I had to I'd make a run for it but hey, it's a God encounter and I'm still here to share of it!)
His name is Sammy, a 76 year old Arabic Muslim man that makes his wages by acting as a tour guide once a day. And to think, I was his one tour of the day! Haha pretty amazing. He reminded me a lot (well of what I can remember) of my grandpa; tall skinny man with distinct kind eyes that smokes. He originally agreed to take me around for 2-hrs but before I knew it we were chilling in the shade on the roof of a church overlooking Mt. Zion, Mt. Olives and the Mourning Wall. I took advantage of the moment and asked him if he could give me any words of wisdom about life and anything in general. Sammy just happen to have an ant crawling on him at the time and began telling me we must be like the ant that doesn't stop. When obstacles come in the way for instance when a finger comes down and blocks the ant's path, she adapts and continues, focused with her goal in mind. She doesn't stop and pout about the inconvenience and pity herself, she adjusts not just once but time and again to the situations and her environment. (Haha who comes up with something like that the spot?! That's so deep!) He also told with me that I shouldn't be concerned about what others are doing, that as long as I keep God as my center, that would be all I need. Worrying about the past and about the future can change nothing (sounds familiar! :p) so I should look at the present and be sure to appreciate the family and the people God has put in my life cause they are not there by mistake. He ended by saying that even how we met was not a coincidence. Not going to lie I was tearing up cause that was a priceless moment where God's presence was real raw! (Just how I like it!)
Sammy leading the way
This last weekend I was thinking about where to go and some subtle hints were dropped that my second weekend in Israel would be spent in Haifa/Isifya where Mt. Carmel is. I got the contact information of a Bed & Breakfast of a Christian family in the area and made arrangements to stay there for the night. So at 7am I got my backpack all packed and headed off to the bus station. Getting there was a lot more complicated and took about an hour but it was one beautiful ride! I love when God penetrates my heart! On the ride there I was praying that I may feel God's abundant love because I miss family, fellowship and Cali. A whole bunch of bus transfers later I felt a little unsure of where I was going. I wan't sure if the bus driver understood where I wanted to go and had to beat the Shabbat close down so I was freaking out a little. I had a free seat next to me so I pointed at it to a girl who just got on to see if she wanted to sit. She came over and we started talking and what do you know, she knew the people I was staying with! She had to get off early but she told the bus driver to drop me off at this petrol station. I had no clue what to expect, where to go when I do get off or who to look for but once I stepped out of the bus a woman came up to me and yes, it was one of the people from the B&B. Turns out I got a cozy two-floored flat to myself owned by Hana and Sadika, a Arabic Christian family. First thing they tell me is that I'm staying with family, not a B&B. Once she brought me into the flat I was staying at I felt an overpowering sense of love and peace, of family, safety and warmth. The wife, Sadika, prepared a plate of fruits for me and set some towels out so I could settle in. She left me to get aquainted with the place and went to go get ready for an Arabic wedding she was going to bring me to. I sat in the living room of the flat just snacking on the juicy fruits and soaking in the place and a cool thought popped into my head. "You're dinning at the table with Me, you're dining at the table with the King". I was like oh shoot so that's what I was feeling! It was an estatic feeling! A little later Sadika came and got me and we walked over to her nephew's wedding. Haha a traditional Catholic Arabic wedding! The bride was stunning, the ceremony beautiful and the snacks were substantial! I really did feel like part of the family! When we got back from the wedding Sadika brought me into her house for dinner and it was so refreshing to hear of God's faithfulness working in the life of Sadika and Hana. Some good solid God-conversation makes the soul feel good! And the top it all off as I headed to bed they told me to sleep well and to dream dreams from God. I was like haha for sure, I'm on it!
Dining with the King
Just two of the major divine appoinments I've had, can't wait to see what's next!
Monday, 03 August 2009
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In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps
-Proverbs 16:9
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
-Micah 6:8
I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17Sanctify[b] them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.
-John 17:14-19
ah. okay.
Friday, 24 July 2009
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Is it time to leave yet?
A big note to self, do not wait till the last few hours to start packing...
haha I pulled it off for Brazil but it ain't happening for Israel!
and yes, a break from packing = returning to xanga to blog
why? because this is when all the thoughts of "OMG WHAT WAS I THINKING GOING TO ISRAEL" comes full-force
as well as the occassional "OMG I'M GOING TO DIE"
with spirts of "OMG I KNOW NOTHING ABOUT POLITICAL SCIENCE! I'M GOING TO FAIL AT LIFE!"
haha well for whoever reads this...some prayer requests:
-Safety First! :D
but most importantly...
-Divine appointments and divine encounters!
Pray that I might meet ppl who can take me to Jerusalem's 24/7 prayer house and around on a Bible tour and of course meet some of my people from Taiwan there! (haha how awesome would that be :p)
I leave you with two songs that God has really been using to keep me sane and been using to tell me to trust Him with the decisions I made, both reccent and not . (cliché I know, but true!)
Haha also pray I wake up on time to leave for my flight!
If you say go -Vineyard Music
If you say go we will go
If you say wait we will wait
If you say step out on the water and they say it can’t be done
We’ll fix our eyes on you and we will come
Your ways are higher than our ways
And the plans that You have laid are good and true
If You call us to the fire You will not withdraw Your hand
We’ll gaze into the flames and look for YouWe’ll gaze into the flames and look for You
我心安穩 - Hillsong
将我隐藏 你荫庇下
jiang wo yin cang ni yin bi xia
大能双手 扶持我到永远
da neng shuang shou fu chi wo dao yong yuan
当狂风巨浪向我靠近
dang kuang feng ju lang xiang wo kao jin
我必与你飞越过风浪
wo bi yu ni fei yue guo feng lang
唯有你胜过一切危难
wei you ni sheng guo yi qie wei nan
我心安稳 知你是神
wo xin an wen zhi ni shi shen
我灵安息 基督怀里
wo ling an xi ji du huai li
我心相信 全能至高真神
wo xin xiang xin quan neng zhi gao zhen shen
Hide me now
Under your wings
Cover me
within your mighty hand
When the oceans rise and thunders roar
I will soar with you above the storm
Father you are king over the flood
I will be still and know you are God
Find rest my soul
In Christ alone
Know his power
In quietness and trust
Monday, 11 May 2009
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I will waste my life I'll be tested and triedWith no regrets inside of me to find I'm at Your feetI'll leave my father's house and I'll leave my motherI'll leave all I have known and I'll have no otherI'll say goodbye to my father my motherI'll turn my back on every other lover andI'll press on yesI'll press on
Friday, 30 January 2009
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It is amazing to be used by God and even more amazing to see Him work, seeing everything come together.
The worldly eyes have been shed and have been replaced by the spiritual eyes that I have been unaware of.
This new outlook is amazing! I've come to understand a lot these past few weeks...what it truly means to be broken by God, how to be a leader, what my calling is and how God communicates to me.
Living on the edge, trusting God and being completely obedient to what he reveals
Greater things are yet to come.
LittleForest
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- Name: Elaine
- Birthday: 4/19/1989
- Gender: Female
- Member Since: 6/29/2005
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About Me
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Integrity and Allegience... choose to stand for the right, live it out through His strength
