I emailed Rich a big hello. Here is the thread.
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Hey Rich,
How are things? What’s going on with you and Tiki?
You engaged yet?
Things here are good. God has been talking to me like I haven’t seen in a long, long time. It’s awesome.
One of the last things He said was to ask Laura to lunch. It came yesterday am, but I blew it off not thinking it was Him. My mom was out walking the dog, and when she came home, she came in and told me that I needed to ask Laura to dinner or lunch. Funny. So, I did. I have no clue as to what is going on, but something is.
Taking it one step at a time. I have had three warnings now not to get ahead of Him. I kept seeing a chess board. The LORD has all of the pieces right where He wants them. He knows every move and the sequence. It would mess everything up to make your own move rather than let Him move you when the right time comes.
So, I wait and go when He says.
Still praying into the release into ministry and for what that looks like. And, I am praying on what Nashville means. I do believe that is where I am heading, but with the Laura stuff and all of that, I just wonder what He is up to.’
Being led by the Spirit.
I love you, my friend.
Please let me know what is up and how I can be praying.
John
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Boker tov or good morning John,
Nice to hear from you. Sounds like the Lord has you where He wants you so He can have your complete attention.
Yes, take Laura to lunch, dinner or whatever. Be the gentle man that truly loves her – show her more than tell her – that builds trust so that she will feel comfortable when it’s time to tell her. That’s my opinion……………………..but my love life was 22 years with someone who really loved me and desired to express that in every way possible-and she did. That can happen for you and Laura.
I am so glad to hear that you are patiently waiting with the Lord. This is speculative on my part and may not be the Lord – but here goes. Ministry means a lot of different things to different people. The truth of ministry in Jesus is to allow Him to actively live His life in and through you. It is no longer our old life but is the new life we have in Him. Which means we are daily being conformed into His likeness, love, character, nature and power, meaning we are changed into a different being. The problem lies in the fact that our old nature tries to resurrect itself daily and daily we have to remind it that it died when Christ died. Finally we have to allow Him to kill us rather than the devil trying to daily resurrect the old man through our thoughts and emotions.
A look at the history of your life, career, jobs, and even your degree says that so far that did not work as planned. So being in such a place with the Lord where He currently has you will bring some clarity to the past in order to move forward into the now! Day by day! Every living moment is the now – so we should live life as such trusting His Holy spirit to move us as He moved with the Godhead in the creation. He hovered (violently moving with God’s life) over the creation causing it to be life with order, animation, intelligence, and love. My prayer for you my friend is that God will show you precisely and clearly the plan He has for you. You can wear yourself out trying to figure it out (I know) – that can only bring chaos in the peace he has for you. So rest and listen carefully for Him to speak and if you hear nothing maintain the last position you know He spoke or moved you. That is my advice I believe God was in that……………………….
You asked how I am doing? I am living day by day meeting new people and some of the believers here in Arad. I am slowly but surely seeing my role here. But I only have another two months on my visa then I have to leave. I only have a plane ticket to NYC. From there I have some options in my mind. I can go to NC which is fairly close and stay at MorningStar Hotel (a bit expensive) or possibly rent a room and live the way I am living here. I feel I have to be out of the country for at least a month because I was out only one day and the authorities at the border frowned on that as I have a tourist visa which is only good for three months. I am committed to this apartment for one year and have set up payments to my landlady for that amount of time. I have a dilemma. In that amount of time I need to get an extended visa. One way is to get a student visa which could give me one year. I have looked online to no avail. Another alternative would be to apply for permanent residency which could mean denying my belief and adopt to Judeaism – not sure that is true I could just be secular I think…………..need to find out.
I could become a pastor and apply for a pastoral/religious visa – but I have no congregation. Remember I have only a couple months to do this. I believe God sent me here – I sold everything I have and made the move. My heart is grieved often with this……..sometimes I want to cry but I haven’t done that in years. I do cry out to God but He is silent except for my meeting of new people here who seem to accept me. I have done the DNA, ancestry.com and my heritage.com coming up with lots of great info but no Jewish roots as needed to become a citizen. In God’s perspective I am a citizen but the immigration laws of this country do not accept that.
Was I wrong in selling all and moving here? Was I wrong in thinking I could find love here? These two questions cause doubt in my heart and sometimes I go to bed with hope and wake up with none. Sometimes I go to bed with no hope and wake up with some. Today my heart is dull, and aching for an answer to these questions. I try to stay active by writing – I have even done some goofy “art work” which I thoroughly enjoyed. But that is all temporary. You asked how you can pray well there are some reasons. Like you I need some clarity concerning my stay here and do I apply for permanent residence which I am told is tons of red tape. The fact is my heart is Jewish but my flesh is not – oh my what a truth.
Tiki lives in Jerusalem and I live here. She is nearly 20 years younger than me and currently wants only friendship. I asked her if it was my age that is a problem – she said no because I look, act, and feel younger than her late husband. She knows I love her and insisted that I tell her because she needed to know. Well she knows and I show it but when there is little response I get discouraged. Sometimes the response is great when we have dinner, drink wine, talk about Arad, God and worship, laugh at my silly American jokes, etc. She is one hour away by car but I have to take the bus which is about 2.5 hours. Her work schedule is horrific and she is often so tired when she gets home she just wants to sleep. Currently there is no place to stay in Jerusalem because everything is booked for the holidays which will end around October 15 otherwise I would go and take her to dinner, etc. I ould have booked a small hotel near her place but during the holiday season it would have cost me $400.00 for two days. We have both expressed at times how we want to sit have some wine, dine and talk. She is beautiful to look at and has a beautiful heart for God. I miss her.
So there you have it………………..please pray for the Father’s will to be known and accomplished in these situations.
Love you bro and I pray God’s clarity for your life,
Rich
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Great to hear from you.