He is the giver of TRUE PEACE....

There are so many places throughout/in scripture where we see Him displayed as PEACE, whether it states it clearly or we just see Him as an answer to a situation that would otherwise cause chaos.

For instance, I think of Esther and as she prepares to enter the King's chambers, as she states, "For such a time as this...whether I lose my life or not..." there seemed to be this PEACE that came over her that no matter the result she knew what needed to happen and that He was with her. Then there is the famous three in the fiery furnace, David in the Lion den's, the disciples on the boat in a raging storm, shade by day from a cloud and fire by night for warmth as so many walked in the desert...we see a sort of PEACE that takes away differences, unites and protects and turns many to Himself. A PEACE that overtakes Mary when greeted with life altering news from an angel as she says, YES to Him!!!!!

Ephesians 2: 11- 22:
Therefore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, call "the uncircumcision" by what is called circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands-remember that you were were at time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He, Himself is our PEACE, who has made us both one and has broken down in His flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments and ordinances, that He might create in Himself one new man in place of two, so making PEACE, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing hostility. And He came and preached PEACE to you were near. For through Him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. In Him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

That is our prayer...that His PEACE that offers hope, life, love and an encounter with Jesus, Himself will be released over this Nation...over all Nations. As we take each step in the Nation that we would put on the shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of PEACE [Ephesians 6:15]. That as each step is taken, we would claim His PEACE and ask it to be released.

I love to explore and was made for adventure! This weekend, our sweet friend, Ariel (lioness of God!) came to visit us from Texas. We trampled out on the frozen lake of the Isles and I set my sight on exploring the island. This is no big island, it could be better described as a tree covered hill, but exciting to one with an adventurous spirit nevertheless! We climbed over and under fallen trees, through weeds and thickets and the mess of little trees and bushes beginning to grow. It was funny to me that every direction we walked in, we eventually ended up coming to a path of some sort that had been trampled before us. Places where branches had already been pushed out of the way and the snow had been flattened. Whatever direction we headed in, we always ended back up with this trail. 

As we set out on this adventure to Israel, I am thankful for Holy Spirit's leading, for his peace and joy that lead us. I have been so guilty of trying to plan this out on my own, making my own trail, but it is so HARD, and usually involves a couple u-turns. :)

Pray for us, that as we ask Holy Spirit about our time in Israel, where we will go, who we will stay with, who we should connect with, that he would lead us by his peace and joy. Pray that this month before we go, we would receive direction from heaven, not from the minds of man, but straight from our Father, that the voice of our Shepherd would lead us. That he would give us dreams and visions of people to connect with and places to go. We wait on Him! 

Thanks, friends. We love you! 

Say to the daughter of Zion, "Your salvation comes!"

Hoorayy!! The salvation of Israel has come! :) 

This year God has led us to pray Isaiah 62 again and again back to Him for Israel. Pray with us as we stand as watchmen on the wall. Praying that as you lift them up, God would give you his love and passion for these people as well. 

Isaiah 62:

For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,
    and for Jerusalem's sake I will not be quiet,
until her righteousness goes forth as brightness,
    and her salvation as a burning torch.
² The nations shall see your righteousness,
    and all the kings your glory,
and you shall be called by a new name
    that the mouth of the Lord will give.
³ You shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord,
    and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
⁴ You shall no more be termed Forsaken,^[a]
    and your land shall no more be termed Desolate,^[b]
but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,^[c]
    and your land Married;^[d]
for the Lord delights in you,
    and your land shall be married.
⁵ For as a young man marries a young woman,
    so shall your sons marry you,
and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,
    so shall your God rejoice over you.

⁶ On your walls, O Jerusalem,
    I have set watchmen;
all the day and all the night
    they shall never be silent.
You who put the Lord in remembrance,
    take no rest,
⁷ and give him no rest
    until he establishes Jerusalem
    and makes it a praise in the earth.
⁸ The Lord has sworn by his right hand
    and by his mighty arm:
“I will not again give your grain
    to be food for your enemies,
and foreigners shall not drink your wine
    for which you have labored;
⁹ but those who garner it shall eat it
    and praise the Lord,
and those who gather it shall drink it
    in the courts of my sanctuary.”^[e]

¹⁰ Go through, go through the gates;
    prepare the way for the people;
build up, build up the highway;
    clear it of stones;
    lift up a signal over the peoples.
¹¹ Behold, the Lord has proclaimed
    to the end of the earth:
Say to the daughter of Zion,
    “Behold, your salvation comes;
behold, his reward is with him,
    and his recompense before him.”
¹² And they shall be called The Holy People,
    The Redeemed of the Lord;
and you shall be called Sought Out,
    A City Not Forsaken.