Randomness

So here are a bunch of things that don't go together but I figure you should and or want to know, hence the randomness.

First, I should tell you what got me through all the security and all the visas and sort. My original flight had been cancelled and I had been put on the flight for the next day, which meant that I was able to go to church. In church we sang one of mine and Bethany's, a very good friend in the city, favorite songs. I have no idea what the title is. But since I had been to church this song was stuck in my head AND I knew what the chorus meant, since that is the only part of the song which I can sing. So standing in line at security, in line for my ticket, second security, and in Turkey unsure about a visa this song was going through my head... Kom tov chasdecha Adonia Elhi, Elohe Yishi, Elohe Yishi. Which I believe means, Your grace covers me, God of my salvation, God of my salvation. So what a wonderful song to sing when going through security.

One exciting thing, since it was so hard to get this trip planned I knew that God had ordained where to go. I discovered I think on Tuesday that Antalya, where I am, is one of the cites that Paul and Barnabas. It is mentioned in Acts 14:25 "Now when they had preached the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia." NKJV And my mom said that this is the original name and that through the years it has become Antalya. So it is fun to be in a place where Paul was.

Today, since I missed breakfast I figured that I would head down to McDonald's for lunch. Since I found the restaurant yesterday. So I was sorta surprised to find that Turkey McDonald's pretty much tastes like American McDonald's. This is one of things that I enjoy doing when in foreign countries. If they have McDonald's I like going at least once, just to see/taste the difference.

I added a new map to my blog. I found it on a friend of a friends website. I thought it looked really cool to be able to track where I have visited and for it to tell me the percentage of the countries that I have been to. So if you want go ahead and make your own, just click on it and it will take you to their website. It is one of the few places I have join, but I thought that map was worth it. So enjoy!!

Please continue to prayer for a smooth re-entry into Israel. I praying that they won't pay any attention to my last visa and that they will do the same as when I entered in April. She took my passport stamped it and handed it back to me, not a word was said, no questions were asked. So that is what I am believing for.

Alive

Mountians in Antalya, the Sea is just to the left out of the picture.
City Center of Antalya
View from my balcony

Yes I am alive. It has been a couple of busy weeks. The One Thing Conference was amazing. Then the following week was a roller coaster. My visa expired on Fri the 6th. So that whole week I was trying to get a trip planned and every time it fell through. So on Tuesday I talked with a travel agent and she was unhelpful, so that led to more tears and visiting a second agent on Wed. Yeah, it was Wed and needed to be out of the country on Fri. Well, the best thing we could do was to leave on Sun because that would kept me out of the country long enough to not over stay my next visa. So Sat rolls around and I get a call from the agency my flight was booked with and my flight has been cancelled and I have been put on another flight the next day. So now I am extremely frustrated. But God is good. I got on my flight with no problems and I am now in Turkey. I won't even go into the problems I did face in the airport.

While flying into Antalya, Turkey, it looked incredible. You have the Mediterranean Sea as one border and then a narrow city and a beautiful mountain range as the other border. Once on the land it looked alittle different, because on the drive from the airport to the hotel you went by many buildings that seemed to be no longer under development. So, it seemed very dirty and poor. Once we got to the "city" area it was much nicer. The Lord has put me in a beautiful 4 star hotel with a swimming pool and a private beach, if I can figure out where and when to catch the van to it. Today has been very relaxing and refreshing. The only thing I miss is there is no one to talk too.

The Wizard of Oz

So, yesterday I wanted to write in my blog that I wanted to go home. There's no place like home. However, today I am doing better, still not perfect, but better. Within the last three days many things have happened that are making feeling like I am just going around the mountain again. I don't feel like I am making ground. One is where to live. the lady I am going to rent from called on Mon asking if I was going to rent and I had told her 2 weeks ago that I would. And now we have to meet with her and her land lord and it just feels frustrating because last year I didn't have to do that. It could all be nothing but it's frustrating. Then on Mon I changed my airline ticket home and later that day I ran into conflicts with my visa run and the date I just changed my ticket to. And now today my visa run completely fell through. So I now have a week to plan a trip out of the country. And to top everything else off I hurt my back a little over a week ago and it hurt to sit. So yesterday I really just wanted to go home. Today I feel better however because God it good I guess. This weekend it the "One Thing Conference". There is apparently a lot of spiritual warfare going on because (so to speak) of it. I feel that if I can just push through to the conference that it will be better. It will be a good time of filling and refreshing.

And yesterday or Mon morning I had a good dream. There was a crowd of thousands of people in a stadium. The place was packed. I was coming on stage as the speaker. I was speaking on abstinence. So, that means the crowd was youth and young adults. Here comes the fun part, my husband was just off the stage and I was pregnant. And as I was talking I mentioned that this was my second child. Now I know that is a different dream but I really feel like it was from the Lord. Pretty much everything in it is a confirmation of other visions or words. We'll see what the Lord brings about.

But it's one of those things that in times like this, where I feel stressed that I need to hold onto dreams and visions and words that I have received from the Lord. And know that He has brought me here and that He will provide. Sometimes it's hard to see that in the midst of it all but it is still true.

The Square

So, yesterday I spent the day relaxing. Taking a true Shabbot. Actually I was trying to recover from an injury that had occured earlier that week. However I was very bored by 10pm, since I had done nothing all day. So I gathered my few things I would need if I was to go out and went down to the lobby. See stuff usually happens down in the lobby. After sitting there for awhile in slight pain a friend came down the stairs and said she was going to join a group in the square just a block away. Now, I should have stayed home and gone to bed, however, I really wanted to see people. So we went to the square and there was a group of people sharing the good news, and there was a group of musicians. So, I chatted with a few people, that I knew. And then I just sat there praying for the people there. Both the Jews and the Christians. I'm sharing this because when I talked to the students at the school I used to teach at one of their questions was have I shared the Lord with anyone. My answer is still no, but now I can say that I was there backing those people with prayer support. Because I know that as of now my role is not an evangelist, but a behond the scene type person. It was fun, my injury than did not go away but I am positive I was where the Lord wanted me.

Tel Aviv

Mediterranean Sea
Us girls when we got out of the sea

Last Shabbot I went to Tel Aviv with my friends from the Hostel. It was a blast. We hopped a Sherut to Tel Aviv and then one to the beach. The sand was hot and we walked around to find an umbrella and chairs. We tanned (first time tanning because I really am not into that but I don't like being in the water by myself)first because the girls wanted to be hot before going into the cool water of the Mediterranean Sea. It is much warmer than the Pacific Ocean though.

But we went into the water twice. I was only about knee deep and there were monstrous waves that kept crashing into us. Oh yeah it was also a black flag day on the beach, letting us know that it is very dangerous to swim. It was a great time in the water. About five mins after we got out of the water there was a little shark spotted in the water near the shore.

We stayed on the beach until sunset and then we changed and ate dinner on the shore. It was a wonderful day. I will post pictures later when I am on my computer.

Stuff

Well my posts are almost caught up. Just one or two more days of catching up. The hardest part is finding time to sit down here and do it. So one fact that I find amusing is that I just learned that Jordan's proper name is the Kingdom of Jordan.

We'll start with today. I finally made my way up to the actual wall at the Kotel (Wailing wall). I would have to say that the presence of the Lord was there. Touching the wall was nice but there was no majesty in it. The thing I noticed was that both times I closed my eyes, once at the wall and once a few yards away, was that I felt like I was all alone with the Lord. It felt almost like I was out in an open field with Him. It was a very amazing feeling.

Yesterday was as an odd day. I had had a good day and then I went to church. The pastor preached an amazing sermon. But the whole time I was struggling with something. Then the sermon ended and we were having quiet time with the Lord than we started to worship and I was now struggling with something else. And Bethany wasn't there to talk to. Then I went out to eat with a friend, Jacki, and someone else came along, so there was no time to chat. So I waited at the bus stop with her and a lady from church was there and talked the whole time. So I went home and sat on the roof for awhile and was just still feeling crappy and like I needed to cry, so I called 2 girls who are staying at the Hostel and volunteering with KKCJ as well. But they were busy. So a last resort sort of, I went to see if Daniel, a guy from the Hostel who is Messianic, was around. He was and I asked if he would join me up on the roof. He said yes. We were walking up the stairs and he asked what was wrong because he could tell something was up 'cause I asked him to talk. And right there on the stairs I started to cry. We made it all the way to the sitting area and we just talked. He listened and threw in his two cents every now and then. After about a half hour or an hour he left and I felt better.

Today, Bethany comes over and we were hanging out and she says that she didn't come to church because she was feeling bad. Then it clicked. She had been interceding for people and the Lord had me helping her or interceding for her. So I told her next time she has to call. Because she sat at home for awhile trying to figure out if it was her or what. And that was the same for me. So it was nice to know today that yesterday wasn't me, however, I need better discernment to know when I am interceding and when it is myself.

Visitors

So last week I had visitors. I don't know if you have ever been on a trip and your in a foriegn country and someone you know is coming to the same place. Well, you get excited. That's how I felt last week. The pastors form HRC came for a whirlwind tour of the Holy Land. So I only know 2 of them but I invited them to the Prayer Tower as well as we were having the Jerusalem Praise Experience. Another girl who is up in the Prayer Tower is from HRC so she was inviting them as well. So on Tuesday night they showed up as I was closing the Prayer Tower. There was much confusion. Most of them went down to the Praise Experience and a few stayed because of the presence of the Lord in the Upper Room. Then all of them came up at the end and had their own private worship time. It was amazing.

Then on Wednesday we went to their evening meeting. I was excited to find out that the person speaking that night was Robert Stearn. Then I had a time of prayer with a few people and I recieved a few words. One person said she saw me under a large wing and that I am in a safe place. That in this safe place they will ask me to do things that I have never done before but they will come along side me and mentor me. When this learning time is open that it will open the door to the nations. So that was very encouraging. That was fun.

Then that Saturday I was at a birthday party and I learned that the Levites when they turn 25 start being trained in temple duties and that when they turn 30 they begin full time ministry in the temple. I felt like I am in my training time but I also feel like it will be an accelerated training time. I can't wait to see what God does.