final countdown

"Now many of you don't know this, but Turkey and Iran are now coming together to invest in the extraction of the natural sources of Uranium, and perfect the engineering of the bomb that they will use to launch this massive atomic uranium bomb on Israel. And then America...blah blah blah blah"

...I'm beginning to tune out of this sermon because all I am getting from this guy is the fact that I am dead. meat.

At three days until my launch into the far reaches of the earth, I had woken up massively anxious. My mind was racing, trying to sort through everything that I need to get done, all of the things that I didn't finish yet, how was I going to pack ten weeks worth of clothing, shoes, necesities etc. into a not large pack...Decided that it would be a good idea to get myself to Church to spend some time thinking about things that were True, Lovely, Admirable etc etc and not what was going to give me a premature ulcer. So I decided to check out a church that I had visited a lot when I was in high school when I had rehearsals or events on Saturdays and had to miss time at Olive Tree. I was slightly discouraged to find that a guest pastor was preaching, but almost "jubileed" (spontaneous dancing...great word though, right?) when he said that he was speaking about the Holy Land! I almost turned to the lady next to me and exclaimed, "I'll be there in less than a week!" I contained myself though, and poised my pen ready to take note.


10 minutes later, my heart is racing, my palms are sweating, and I'm squirming anxiously in my seat while mentally kicking myself for going to church alone. After hearing the little bit on uranium bombs I was thinking that this would be an appropriate time to share some nervous laughter with someone I know, or politely ask if I can borrow their inhaler because I am feeling myself begin to hyperventilate. In a word, I was fearful I can see a little more clearly now that this heart racing, mind spinning, get-me-out-of-this-church-pew fear that I was experiencing was not simply a product of a pre-trip jitters.

I think, it was a form of spiritual attack, by way of a sermon of all things!

Satan certainly is crafty...


Luckily, the Lord prevails. And while The Deceiver is at work to try to pelt my heart with doubts and fears, cold feet, second guessing, the Lord has gone before me to prepare a way for me and the team that I am serving with. I think that I have just been affirmed in the fact that I really cannot do this summer without a total dependence on Yeshua, that every good thing will be a tangible reality that His grace really is sufficient and His love knows no bounds.

I am comforted by the promise of His faithfulness not only to me, but to the people Israel.

Fear, mostly quelled. Excitement, all time high. Can't wait to see where Jesus lived!

Thanks for praying,
Rachel