Friday 31 October 2014

Praying for the Persecuted Believers

I did a five minute Friday post just before this one and it actually leads in to this one. Five minutes is way too short to write all I wanted to write. But let me just say that although I wrote about the momentary longing on my heart for the beautiful family of Jewish people I left behind, I am more then loving where God has brought me. Also what He has deeply embedded in to my heart, is His Love for the nations.

During the Feast of Tabernacles this year, a few of us gathered in our home to praise God and to spend time in prayer. Just before these friends arrived I was talking to Abba Father and He began sharing with me, the depth of His breaking heart for the nations of this world. In my spirit I heard "the nations of this world have become the nations of our God." And I felt the longing and pain Yeshua has in His heart - for that day, for that final day when all is completed, when finally the nations - the people of the world, will finally be sanctified, will finally belong and call out to Him. What a great day that will be!

The nations are on Yahweh's heart at this time and so we have decided to join together with the International week of prayer initiative to pray for the persecuted believers worldwide. There is so much persecution taking place in the world today, the news reports say it is the most persecution of believers that has ever taken place in history, at one time. I want to encourage you to join with believers worldwide and pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. The first 2 Sundays of November are dedicated for this purpose, let's unite in spirit to pray for the believers worldwide!

For more information about these days of prayer please visit the following link:
Don't Stand in Silence


Countries of Persecution

FMF: Leave a Space for Them

Five minute Friday Post and I am writing with a tender heart today.
STart!!!

I still get the Rabbi's posts, I dont often read them because I left that life behind. But of course I am still Jewish and I love to know what my own people are doing. This week thousands of women around the world joined together and baked bread, not just any bread but challah. Thousands of them and thousands more joined together to keep Havdalah and all of it was inspired and spear headed by the Jews of South Africa. And for a minute I wondered, how it would be to be part of something that big and that meaningful and that special. But I can't go back, my husband reminded me. I can't go back because it is not my path anymore, years ago it was my time to leave I am no longer part of it, I cannot be - because I chose and keep choosing Yeshua my Christ. A Messiah they will not acknowledge and will not know and because I shine in His footsteps, because I am His Disciple and i am so in love with Him - they will not see me. And it is okay because I love them still, my blood is still Jewish and my heart is too. I am that Yiddishe girl who still loves to light Shabbat Candles and wear headcoverings and giggle with the girls online who just accept me. But sometimes, just sometimes I miss them. I miss the Shabbat family, I miss the warmth and the glow that is the Jewish community. I really miss them because as hard as it is I am still a Jew, just growing apart from my family. My family now are the believers who call Yeshua their own, except I struggle to find people who embrace each other in the community as tenderly as the Jews do. In those moments I hold on to this truth and final fact, so all Israel will one day come to know Yeshua and be saved (Romans 11:26)
STOP!
Linking up with Kate Motaung

Tuesday 28 October 2014

The Loft - Why I blog..



I am joining the conversation on the couch this afternoon, with my beautiful peeps over at The Loft. So come on in and take a seat, today we are drinking some cold water (if you are in South Africa like me) or we are enjoying a hot cup of something good (if you in the Northern Hemisphere) so let’s talk about why do I blog?

I started this blog in 2011 to make sense of the depression I struggled with. Being a believer with depression opens you up to some very severe judgment not to mention condemnation. Given the fact that my husband and I were newly married and newly in full time ministry, I needed a place to go and share my feelings where I was not going to be judged. I found that space on my own blog. Once I had traversed the seven seas of healing, God did amazing miracles in my life and amazing healing, I no longer struggle with depression. So I let slip the hand of my own blog until this year.

Round March this year I was sitting thinking about writing an article on the 20th anniversary of the Rwandan Genocide. I had been writing for magazines for over 3 years and was enjoying seeing my stories, encouragement and psychological “advice” published. But God was taking me to a new level, He turned me softly back within and told me to take a look. I was amazed at what I saw – I saw a revived, fresh me who wanted to share from a deeper place. I started in March this year to write deeper, in April I published that post on Rwanda and after that I prayed about what Yeshua wanted me to do with my blog. He showed me that He wanted it to be a resting place, not only for others but also for me. A place I could rest beyond the judgments (I don’t publish judgmental or criticizing mother-like comments even) and a place I can just be open with my heart, which is vulnerable but here is the place I can be me. It is also a place where people can come and feel God’s presence, a place to rest, an open space. He gives me messages sometimes which I post on line. I do prophetic poetry – live and on stage and also in writing in my own poetry book and for anthologies etc. These are often birthed forth in messages for His daughters, His women, His bride. This blog is like the smell of a beautiful flower to me and I intend to guard this garden and be good with it. I always pray that God will keep nasties from this page, because there are so many bitter people who take to blogging to rant. This is not that place – this is a place that is open, an open garden where the smell is the fragrance left behind from where the King has been walking. I want to enjoy that smell and so I invite you to join in, see the open gate, walk through it and walk in the smell of Gods fragrance too!  You are always welcome.
(For more on this blog see my About this Website Page


Friday 24 October 2014

FMF: Dare to be!

Five Minute Friday! Start!


Dare, you call me daring when I stare down intimidation to be myself.
Dare, I am daring - God called me to be free, to be all and everything of me.
Dare, like Joshua, - brave, courageous, daring.
Dare, it's about bravery, it's about diving from the top, about being more then your skin, more then your flesh, take it off to meet the real God, to meet the real King, to meet the real you.
You have to be someone who is willing to risk it all, take the daring leap, the jump into what is amazing, to be all you are for the Kingdom of eternity.
Dare, I dare to stand in my own shoes and love them, to settle within the boundaries I have erected, to live within the guidelines God has mentored me in. I dare to stand face to face with those who don't care about who I am or who you are, I won't dare back down.
Dare, wasn't Messiah the most daring Person to walk this earth! Leaving the joy, the Holiness, the beauty and love of Heavens throne to come sojourn here - in a place defiled by peoples sin, in a place of ridicule, torture and rejection. Wasn't He daring by giving it all up so that He could pick it all up again and piece it all together through the wood of His own cross?
So shouldn't we as His kids be daring too, to cry out as Paul did "to live in this life is Christ but even death is gain to me."
Daring, here is the chance for you to risk it all woman out there, a chance to build your boundaries firm, to know who you are in Christ, to risk it all to find it, to jump, take the leap and join them. The men and women of faith who went before and to join Christ by being transformed in to His image daily, now that's daring....

Stop! Linking up with Kate Motaung

Wednesday 22 October 2014

You were not born for Dishonour

I want to tell you today that the world is full of the enemy's desire to devalue and dishonour.
And I want to tell you that our Father, our Comforting Daddy, our Strong King of Kings, our Nurturing Mama, our Beloved Saviour who died to give us everything, He is not a God of dishonour.

He is a God who reaches down from Heaven, picks up each tear that rolls down our cheek and pains with us in the struggle.
I am not just saying these things because I think they are true, I am saying these things because today was a day where I felt it, where I knew it and I know it still and I believe that you need to know it too.

Yeshua our Messiah, He loves us. So passionately, so fiercely. Dear friend and family member, I want to tell you that you are special, you are valuable. Do you know when other people say things to hurt you, when they don't listen to you, when they judge you before they know you, when they don't hear the beating of your soul, when they cant see the beauty of your spirit, do you know that when it pains inside of you - that your Father pains inside too. It is true.

But I want to reach over to you today and turn your face back to God. You are learning beautiful one, you are learning, you are learning in the pain to know who you are. Because this is the season where God is doing amazing wonders for those who are His. He calls you a Rose of Sharon, a lilly of lillies among the wild flowers of the valley. God really loves you - feel it in your spirit, be renewed - know it's true. And you know what I want to tell you something, something that is also true - I am sending love to you because my heart is so full of Messiah's Love for you. If you are reading this, it is no accident, there are no accidents with God. You are accepted in Messiah, He does not withdraw from you. Do you think He is afraid of your pain, or your sin? He is big and tough and oh so brave and oh how He is filled with Love for you. He values you precious one, come in to His arms. I love you!

(I'm having coffee with my friend Holley Gerth today!)

Sunday 19 October 2014

FMF - "Long"ing

Five Minute Friday - Here goes!
Long for you, this longing like a baby in it's mothers womb, drifting softly in the space of comfort being fed without a cry, without a sound. Birthed out in to the world, first cry is heard, the first cry of a baby longing still for it's mothers womb.
Crying still as I learn to walk, crying with the longing for Mother's Milk.
Crying with longing as I fall from a tree, broken bone, bruised knee, crying with crocodile tears, a child of five longing for its Mother's comfort in the midst of pain.
A teenager of 13, the dandelion fluff drifting from the parent stem but always fastened tight. Faces around me are mean, a bully,a teeanger, thrown in to lifes game at only thirteen. The longing from within me, the longing for Mother's Power, strong arms of protection, longing for Mother still.
A child of 21, key in hand, world open wide but still through the smile a longing, a longing to breath in Mother's womb, comfort and Guidance. The wombs calming power of calling a big world, small.
Smiling, married, comforted, whole, a disciple, married to the King of Kings, still longing, still yielding, still growing, always longing for the power of Mother still. 
Stop!

Deuteronomy 32: 11 As an eagle that stirs up her nest, that flutters over her young, He spread abroad His wings and He took them, He bore them on His pinions.

Sunday 12 October 2014

The Freedom Climb




I have been led by Father to write this post and share with you about a worldwide initiative that is very close to my heart. This initiative is called the Freedom Climb.

For those of you who have not heard of the Freedom Climb before, The Freedom Climb is an initiative of Operation Mobilisation (OM), focused on helping women and children who are oppressed, exploited, enslaved and trafficked.

OM has projects around the world that care for vulnerable women and children, such as widows and orphans, through prevention projects, rescue & rehabilitation and skills development.


The Freedom Climb is really special as it creates awareness for women and children worldwide who have been sold as victims of human trafficking. It also raises much needed funds to fight this injustice.


The Freedom Climb was kicked off officially in January 2012 in Tanzania, where 48 brave women from across the globe gathered to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Mount Kili is the highest mountain in Africa and the highest free-standing mountain in the world at 5,895 metres or 19,341 feet above sea level.

These women faced the challenge of climbing to the top of mountain Kilimanjaro so that they could encourage and inspire others to know that no mountain is unconquerable. Women like you and I, housewives, mothers, sisters, missionaries, doctors, beauty queens – you name it, they took up the challenge and they did it. A year later, they climbed Everest and now another year later, there are climbs and events around the world that form part of the Freedom Climb.



This weekend was the Table Mountain South African climb. South Africans – men, women and children now had their chance to climb Table Mountain as a chance to raise their voices for victims of human trafficking, exploitation and other horrors.

I personally have met three wonderful women who did both Kilimanjaro and Everest and now Table Mountain and so I raise my hands up to God and honour those who have taken part in the Freedom Climb. It is a wonderful initiative, one that is changing lives and I want to encourage you to find out more about the Climb, you don’t just have to be a climber to be involved, but you can raise awareness where you are or you can raise funds. I am looking in to doing a short interview with one of the girls who climbed but will keep that a surprise.

On the same day I felt led to share about the Freedom Climb, I read the following story about a young girl being forcibly removed from her village in Northern Ghana. She is only thirteen and is forced to marry at her age - please read her story and intercede on her behalf. Let us be the change!
How do we bring Hope?


For more information on the Freedom Climb and the projects it works with, here is the link:
Freedom Climb Facebook Page 

(Linking up all over this week, so that people can know more about the Freedom Climb! One of these great places of encouragement is over at Holley's) Also linking up with The Loft

Friday 10 October 2014

Inspirational Quotes for Today

I love inspirational quotes and wanted to share some of my favourite ones from Aslan today. Enjoy!
These feel like truths or promises and they really touch my heart like a burning fire! "roar"




FMF - Because He cares for me

       Five Minute Friday Post!
Start!
                  


 Do not hand over the life of your dove to wild beasts;
    do not forget the lives of your afflicted people forever. Have regard for your covenant,
    because haunts of violence fill the dark places of the land. Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace; may the poor and needy praise your name.
 Rise up, O God, and defend your cause
                        (Psalm 74)



I am His turtledove, because He lives - He cares for me.
When I am downcast, caught within the valley of trembling or despair, I cry out and hide in the cleft of the Rock and rest, because He cares for me.
When I am safe and I smile, warm in the sunlight and just resting by His side, I snuggle in to His arms and say "I love You" - I am peaceful and content because He cares for me.
Because He cares for me, I can turn the pace down gently and be still, feel my heart smile and nod it is not stressed because in His presence is love and rest, all because He cares for me.

Because He cares for me, He laid down His will as He kneeled beside that heavy stone, sweating blood for the painful death that awaited Him. Praying for Gods will to be done, He laid down it all and was nailed to a bloody tree, a death I close my eyes and cannot even imagine, but a death that whispered, "I chose these nails for you" all because He cares for me.

When I wonder, and feel alone as feelings often lead us to feel, I reach out and whisper "Daddy dont be far, I always need the nearness of Your Heart" and He draws closer, draws me in and whispers "All because I care for you...."  

Stop. Linking up with Kate Motaung