My Heart of the Matter

Peace In A Troubled World

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Peace

Peace is mentioned in the Bible over 400 times, and in most cases it has to do with divine revelation. Peace is what our hearts yearn for; we can rest in the assurance that when we are at peace we can get through any trial.

In my personal experience, whenever I’m confronted with a dire situation my first reaction is to panic. After a few minutes I gather my crazy thoughts and submit them to prayer.  Prayer always reverses the panic and calms my spirit. Aside from that, prayer changes everything, and trusting in God will bring peace.

We have all been  given the same tools to get through our spiritual battles, but until we surrender all to God, we will struggle to attain peace.

Surrendering

How do we surrender? When our prayers are not immediately answered, many of us resort to impatience.  Surrendering all to God is complicated because we, out of habit, take things into our own hands and start to worry about the problem again. Not trusting God during our storms opens the door to fear. Once fear creeps in, we begin to believe that God does not hear our pleas. All this self- talk leads to another level of despair. Fear and despair make a perfect potion for self-pity. With self-pity we view ourselves as victims.

Out Of God’s Realm

A victim mentality is exactly where the Enemy wants you. Yes, you pray, you cry out to God but deep down you are too weak to surrender. Why? You did not surrender all your burdens to the Lord because you lack trust.

Learn From The Master 

When Jesus was with His disciples on the Sea of Galilee a violent storm engulfed the waters. The disciples were filled with fear and thought they would all die. What was Jesus doing at this time? He was peacefully asleep. Jesus was calm in all the storms of His life because He was in the constant presence of God in prayer. Nothing could break His peace. Not even the Crucifixion robbed Him of His peace.

Lauren and Sylvia

Lauren and Sylvia are two young women who are in the midst of a storm; both are suffering from cancer. As I prayed for these two women I ask that God would strengthen their family members so they could continue to battle on their behalf. I am praying for a miracle. I know that many are coming alongside them, petitioning for the same thing. These types of storms are teaching us to travail and to have faith and trust God.

The doctors’ reports are just another reason for us to pray. If the report is negative, we continue to bombard heaven. In the battlefield, we wait for our commander Jesus to direct our prayers. We never give up until we hear from God. I pray for Lauren and Sylvia to experience the presence of God and to have peace during this horrendous trial.

My sisters: Jo, me and Norma

My Sister Jo

About a month ago my sister was having two procedures done. One of the surgeries was a full hysterectomy. I was concerned about this because these surgeries combined were going to take six hours. Pleading with Jo I said, “Why, can’t you do these procedures separately?” She replied, “No, I want it over with! Then I thought that maybe she should have a partial hysterectomy. Needless to say, I was concerned. I prayed about it and on the day of her surgery I offered up my communion on her behalf.

The Surgeries

I was in contact with her oldest son, Frank, calling him for updates. Finally after  the two procedures her doctors said the surgeries were successful . The following week Jo received a call from one of the doctors. He informed her that she had developed  first stage cancer. The doctor went on to explain that it was a good thing that she had decided on a total hysterectomy; otherwise the cancer would not have been detected.

The Lord knows everything, and He put it in my sister’s heart to proceed with what I believed was an unnecessary surgery. I praise God that this cancer was found and removed. During this entire time my sister had peace about her surgeries; nothing was going to deter her decision.

Amiee

A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine approached me after Mass. She was in tears as she asked me to pray for her daughter Amiee. Through a routine examination cancer was found and she was scheduled to get further testing to see how far the cancer had spread. My friend said that Amiee did not want to share any news with her children until the results of the tests were available. I prayed so hard for Amiee’s healing, and I know her family was waging war on the same battlefield.

The following week I looked for my friend after Mass and asked about the tests. With tears of joy she announced, “The doctors could not find a trace of cancer!” We hugged and praised the Lord for this victory.

I see my friend at daily Mass.  We both share the same thoughts about being under the covering of a God-fearing church; this offers us peace. And receiving communion on a regular basis amplifies our inner peace.

Attaining Peace 

I have mentioned this on several of my Blogs: we all need a covering. My covering is the Catholic church. I know where to go when my life gets out of whack, or when I have fallen short and have sinned.  Through my fellowship with God and the Eucharist, I can survive all that the Enemy throws my way. Whenever I feel guilty about something that I’ve said, the Holy Spirit immediately convicts me and my conscience becomes unsettled. If I cannot shake off the bad feelings, I go to confession. But for the most part receiving communion frees me from the guilt.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, I continue to pray for Lauren and Sylvia because I know that You hold them in the palm of Your Holy Hand. Comfort them and give them a supernatural dose of peace during their trial.

As we gather together as a family during this Thanksgiving and Christmas season, grant us peace to get along with our families. May we not only open our homes but our hearts as well, offering love and peace.

Lord, we need peace in this world that is filled with hatred and anger. Send Your healing angels throughout the corners of the world to bring peace. Change the hearts of those who oppose the Word of God. Annihilate the plans of the Enemy and destroy all of his strategies to do evil. Amen.

 

 

 

 

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Missionary Outreach

A Canvas, Old City Jerusalem

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The Holy Land

Each year our ministry leader, Joanne, announced that we were going to the Holy Land; then her voice dropped, as she said,  “This may be our last trip.” This statement always bothered me because of my secret obsession to purchase original artwork. How was I ever going to have enough money to pay for a painting?

How I managed to convince my husband Mike to give financial support for these missionary trips is still a mystery. His reaction was always the same because he worried about my overseas travels – not so much for my safety but of the expenses I would incur. Only through the providence of God was I able to make all these trips. Mike always supported my missionary efforts, but after the fifth trip to Israel, he took a different role.  He decided that he would only pay for half of the expenses of the trip. How the rest of the money came together is somewhat of a conundrum.

Funding

I was employed but my position was more of a volunteer, teaching Bible studies at several public schools. On the last  year of my employment, I earned  a total of $600! I also tutored after school, and for years I had dedicated one day a week to watching my grandchildren, also receiving a stipend. I’ve been blessed to be surrounded by benevolent friends and family who graciously donated cash to help me pay for my trips. The money may come in at the last minute, but for us missionaries it always comes through.

 

Dov, Robert, Linda and Jim (our team)

The Guide

Part of our ministry was to carry the Cross down the Via Dolorosa in drama on Good Friday, so our travels were always during Holy Week. On this particular trip we were assigned a new tour guide, Dov, pronounced with a long O.  Dov was a tall, slim Jewish man who left a lasting impression. Since we spent so much time with our guides, we got to know them pretty well. Dov was different, as his gentle mannerisms and kind words filled with knowledge of the Holy Land made him unusual, even unique.

Dov’s eyes revealed his pain, and it took several days for him to share that he had recently lost his son to suicide. His pain was raw, but he knew to place it on the shelf when he came to work. Our group was different because we were in one accord, we ate the same spiritual food, and Dov was safe with us. We were praying for God to give him and his wife special graces to get through their horrendous trial.  We bonded because of his broken spirit, and our love filled his heart with hope. He was our physical guide but we were his spiritual balm to comfort.

Dov knew all the ins and outs of the Old City. We had just visited the Temple Institute, an organization that is dedicated to getting all the instruments prepared for the coming of the Jewish Messiah. Our team was in the gift shop when I asked Dov if he knew of any local artists. Dov said that he had a friend who was an artist, and that his gallery was within the Old City. I told Joanne that I wanted to go with Dov to the artist’s shop and her reply was to not take too long.

The Painting

For about  half an hour, Dov and I ran through the worn cobblestones of the Old City, passing all types of different shops. I had never been to this section of the Old City, but we were focused on reaching the art studio of Dov’s friend, so there was no stopping us.

By the time we arrived in this section of the Jewish Quarter, I was winded. As I was catching my breath,  Dov introduced his friend Eli Olayon. I looked around the art gallery until my eyes fixated on a beautiful painting of the Western Wall. I had a total of $200.  We still had a few more days in Jerusalem, plus an extension to Turkey. I thought to myself,  “I could sacrifice for this purchase and borrow a few dollars from other members of the team.” I picked up the painting and asked, “How much is this one?”  Eli answered, “$500.” I quickly set it down and asked if he had anything similar. He pulled out a whimsical copy of a painting on thick paper. “This one is $45.” I took a deep breath of disappointment and said, “I’ll take it.”

God’s Favor

As he was rolling up the artwork to place  into a tube, I told him that our ministry traveled to the Holy Land every year. I explained “For more than 30  years our  team has been coming here.” Then Eli  said, “Well if that is the case, why don’t you make payments on the painting that you really want? Give me your credit card and I will deduct $100 a month.” I looked over at Dov for approval. Dov looked surprised that I would question his friend’s integrity. I gave the stranger $100 cash, and much to my surprise, I  agreed to the deal. I was in shock and felt so foolish that I handed over my credit card information to a total stranger. Again, Dov reassured me that his friend Eli was trustworthy.

When we  returned to the group, it was well over an hour later. Joanne did not hold back about how inconsiderate my actions were. While she was berating me, her voice fell on deaf ears.  All I could think about was that I had given a stranger my credit card information. I told no one in the group about my foolish venture, not because I was being discreet, but because I was afraid of their criticism as well.

Return To The United States

After I returned to the United States, I’d check my bank statements every morning for any unusual activity, but all was well. As per our arrangement, Eli was deducting the agreed amount.

Happy Father’s Day

Before the painting was paid off, I received a package from Israel. It was Eli’s painting! The first thing I did was thank God that Mike was not home. Otherwise I would have a lot of explaining to do.

So on Father’s Day Mike received a beautiful original painting by Eli Olayon with a rather lengthy explanation. And, as usual, Mike  finished paying for the painting. He always does!

My Prayer

Dear Lord, I thank you for all the special graces You have bestowed on us. May we continue to seek You in every area of  our lives. Lord, shed light into the hearts of those who live a life of darkness. Deliver those who are addicted to any substance abuse, fulfill the longing in their hearts. Dear Jesus, be with all who are affected by war, bring peace to the wars in Ukraine and Israel and to the hearts of all mankind. Amen.

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My Heart of the Matter

Beloved Israel

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Our friend Dimitri’s shop in the Old City Jerusalem
My beautiful artwork from Bethlehem


After visiting  Israel for 20 years, you become familiar with its people and its many different cultural customs. With each visit came more knowledge of how this beautiful country, with all it complexities, exists.

In the Old City of Jerusalem are hundreds of shops selling their goods. Most of these businesses depend on the generosity of tourists to make a living. For years I have made purchases of religious items from these vendors. The Old City, along with Bethlehem has the best deals. Bethlehem is located in the West Bank. This is also where Shepherd’s Field is located.

Bethlehem

I pray for my friends in the Holy Land;  some are Muslim and some are Jewish. In particular I pray for Bethlehem, where the population of Christians is shrinking and is now less than 2%.

On one of my last visits to Bethlehem, I met a wonderful Christian couple who had a shop with beautiful artwork. I purchased several items from them, and they shared with me that their life in Bethlehem was becoming more and more difficult. With fear and uncertainty for their future, they were planning to leave their beloved city.

Bethany

The beautiful eilat stone altar at  Church of St.Lazarus in Bethany

Bethany is also in the West Bank Where we always visit the Church of  St. Lazarus. We also visit The Tomb of Lazarus. Directly in front of the entrance is a mustard tree. A family waits for us to exit the tomb to sell mustard seeds.  This is one of the few places in the Holy Land  where mustard seeds can be purchased.  I always purchase these biblical seeds to share with my students.

Precious Franciscan Priest who is th pastor of the The Church of  St. Lazarus Church in Bethany

This Catholic Church is completely secluded from the rest of the city of  Bethany. The gardens are beautiful and well kept. The last time we were there the priest shared with me that there were only five families who were part of this parish.

Commerce

There has always been mutual respect between the Jews and Muslims in matters of commerce. Our Jewish guides were always friendly with Muslim merchants because the guides bring them business. The vendors, in turn , will share part of their profits with the guides. Will they meet for dinner later? No! because it’s strictly business.

Drawing the Line of Division

With the recent war between Israel and Hamas, the guides and merchants must take sides.  Before the Palestinians and Jews were at peace with one another; but war changes everything.

The deeply embedded hatred rears its ugly head, and both groups are back to square one. This is the perfect plan for the Enemy. Setting the stage comes natural because all the props are easily accessible. It’s the same miserable play that has lasted for generations. As the bombs go off, it is music to Satan’s ears; after all he is the conductor.

Generations of Hatred

During the war there is no love lost, and without Jesus there is no love. The blood of hate runs deep within all the terrorists so when you are ruled by hate there is no escaping the generational curse.

God Takes Sides

We all know that God will rescue Israel because this is His beloved land. History will once and for all see this manifest. I pray that it is soon.

God loves the Palestinians just as much as he loves the Jews. There is no distinction of who He loves more because we are all His creation. He sees the oppression of the Palestinians brought on by Hamas. He hears the cries of all of His children, and He will intervene! God will bring justice to all who have been afflicted and He will restore peace to His land.

How Can We Help?

First of all stop listening to the news or watching hatred play out on social media. Satan has orchestrated and manipulated the news to his favor. Instead ask God to give you revelation. Set aside time to pray on a daily basis. Ask for God’s holy intervention and pray for the Lord to reveal Himself to all who are hurting because of this conflict.

My Prayer

Dear Lord, You know all the atrocities that the Jewish people have experienced because of  these heinous attacks by Hamas. Lord, You know the hearts of all Your people and only through a miracle can peace be attained. Lord, make Your presence known to Hamas, Hezbollah and all terrorist organizations. Touch the hearts of all those who have been affected by violence brought on by war. Lord, free the souls of those who are longing to see justice. Jesus, it is only through You that justice will prevail. Strengthen the hearts of those who are seeking comfort and hope. Restore Your faith in all humanity. For the sake of Your sorrowful passion, destroy the Enemy. Amen.

 

 

 

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