danke sehr

the thanksgiving has just begun.

one thing that it says in the Bible is that if we want to experience His inheritance, it includes the amazing and the complete difficult.

i had to drop dominik off this morning at the bus station that he heads back to iowa before heading to nicaragua. i miss him though so much already. and as i keep in contact with those who i have had the great honour to meet whether it be in india, or hitchin, or in some other form...

my heart breaks. i would never trade the life that God gave me, but sometimes i wonder if some of that complete difficult we are destined to experience looks different than we could have imagined. that it is that longing and desire to heal the hearts of the broken all around.. to hold deep and close fellowship with those it seems that you never get enough time with.. or the tears that come from the hope that He continues to give us through everything.. for everyone.

die Freude am Herrn soll unsere Stärke sein. amen.

this thanksgiving was sooooo good. dominik spend almost the last week with my mom and i and we were so blessed with the food, fellowship and grace to be together and have so much fun.

we also spent a lot of time talking and catching up from the last year. how great is God that He would bless us so much.

i hope and expect much much more of Him in us as we continue through these forests, drinking just enough to get by.. but really deepening something inside of us that will forever hold to Him. let Your rivers of love and hope fill this world once again Lord!

work, at the moment, seems a bit hard. the mountain seems so big to cross. but God gives us what we need to make. this is yet a time of killing a lion!

God hooked up the bed just in time for dominik coming. i am blessed with two jobs still and have an opportunity to start another as the seasonal ends.

easter, if it is His will, i will head to where Katharina is. i believe this time is important and would be worth every extra bit of work done for it! sie lohnt sich!

katharina is not sick anymore. many others got sick too.. but i think the majority is getting better! thank You God and thank you all for the prayers!

loans are getting paid towards. and i am so excited to be free from debt! please keep praying too for katharina, for the school fees. and for health.

He has a perfect timing for all things.

i am more thankful for all of your prayers for katharina and i than you could ever know.

we will get through this with Him!

also, please continue to pray for my family.. and those who are around the world serving Him!

you are all in my prayers and i really thank God for all of you. i have been greatly blessed by the relationship with you and pray His highest good over you all.

i suppose i should go to work now....

:)

thank you Father!

much love!

israel

thanks God

for a quick catchup...

*um ein schnelle Update...

i have been at the starbucks job for two weeks now. i believe my training is officially over. :)

i really enjoy it here and consider it a blessing for sure!!!

*ich habe seit zwei wochen bei Starbucks gearbeitet. ich glaub meine Übung ist offiziell vorbei. da genieße ich es sehr und weiß, das es unbedingt ein Segen ist.

i am still at the parks dept too, but am not sure how much longer that will be. two checks are better than one.. but i am debating whether it is good to just keep one after the seasonal is done until next spring when they need people again.

*ich arbeite immer noch bei der Stadtgärtner aber bin nicht sicher wie lange noch. von zwei Arbeitsstelle zu verdienen ist besser als nur eins aber ich überlege ob, wenn diese Arbeite beendet hat, ich eine neue nehme. ich kann auch nur warten bis in Frühlings und noch mal bei der Stadtgärtner wieder arbeiten.

we have also been praying and considering whether it is possible that i fly back to germany for easter with Katharina. of course we both would like this, and we believe that it is also important. at that time we will have been apart for 6 months. i have been looking at flights and they went from 900 to 750 round trip. that is still a bit of money that could be used for loans (as one put it). so we are praying about it and trusting Him whichever decision He helps us to.

*Katharina und ich beten gerade ob es möglich ist das ich am Ostern bei ihr bin für 3 Wochen. natürlich wollen wir es beide und glauben das es sehr wichtig ist. dann sind wir seit 6 monate getrennt. ach... ich suche nach einem Flug und fand und merkte das das 900 war und jetzt ist 750. es ist ja noch teuer und ich könnte eigentlich das Geld benützen um die Schulden (als ein Man sagtet). wir beten und überlegen darüber und vetrauen das Er uns auf dem richtigen Weg hinführen wird. danke Gott!

Katharina and 6-7 others got sick from a virus that sneaked in there and so sore throats, coughing and fevers are going around but i pray and thank God right now for the healing for them all! that it would not affect the studying or overall joy and perseverance of the school, but instead strengthen them in God. i thank God also for personal healing for Kathy and her sister that we have been believing for! i thank Him now because i know that He hears our cries.

*mit 6-7 andere hat Katharina ein virus bekommen und haben sie halsschmerzen, Horchen und ein Fieber. ich bete aber und Gott danke jetzt um Heilung für denen, die Krank sind. und das es nicht die Stimmung von Lernen, Freude und Ausdauer raubt sondern stärkt die in Gottes Kraft. ich danke Gott auch um persönliche Heilung, darum wir glauben, für Katharina und ihre Familie. ich danke ihm jetzt denn Er hört unser Schreie!

dominik, from my dts in berlin, is coming tuesday for 4-5 days over thanksgiving. i am super excited.

*Dominik, der von meine Dts in Berlin, kommt dienstag um 4-5 Tage und feiern wir thanksgiving zusammen. ich freue mich schon.

the airmattress i have been blessed with stopped keeping its shape the other day. i have no problem with this, but am thankful instead for a roof and warmth... and a pillow. but i just learned today that God is hooking us up with a real bed. thank You God.

*die Luftmatratze, die jemand mir gegeben hat, ist kaputt geworden. es ist kein Problem und bin ich dankbar für eine Zimmerdecke und Hitze.. und einen Kopfkissen. ich hab aber heute gelernt das jemand uns ein richtige Bett gibt. Gott hat sich um uns gesorgt! danke Gott!

it is a blessing to see everyone here and i hope that we can connect more.

thank you all for the prayers and encouragement.

my wrists are at full working ability. i didnt realize how important wrists or knees and ankles are.. well.. how important our entire bodies are until a part is not working as normal.. or there is pain...

may we work as a body, helping and encouraging. i am part of the same body as you and you are part of the same one as me... we need each other to be at full working ability!

*es ist bestimmt ein Segen, die, die hier sind, zu sehen und ich hoffe wir können noch mehr Zeit zusammen haben. danke für die Gebete und Ermutigungen!

Meine Handegeleken fühlen sich ganz besser! ich merkte nicht wie wichtig die und andere vergleichebare Teile sind! also.. wie wichtig unser ganze Körper ist bis er nicht funktioniert wie normalerweise oder tut Weh.

lasst uns funktionieren wie ein einzige Körper, das wir einen anderen Hilfen und Ermutigen. ich bin ein Teil des gleiches Körper wie du, und du bist ebenso wie ich! wir sind nötig um ein ander um zu richtig funktionieren.

thank you!

for the prayers, encouragement, support and time.

thanks for caring!

be thankful!

*danke sehr!

für die Gebete, Ermutigung, Unterstützung und Zeit.

danke fürs Kummern!

sei dankbar!

much love, israel

almond sunset

i wish words would just come to me when i want to write instead of sitting here with a butterfly net only finding mosquitoes...

*ich wünsche mir Worte wen ich schreibe. aber ich sitze mit einem Schmetterlingsnetz und finde nur Stechmücken.

i also wish that i could catch a glimpse long enough to hold on to, of what God is doing right now in this time.. in me, in kathy, in berlin, in india, around the world and in this time here in rapid city.

something that would not just die or fly away, but instead become a part of me. that i would become a part of it.

*ich wünsche mir auch das ich nur ein bisschen begreifen könnte und es auch halten, was Gott jetzt macht.. in mir und Katharina, in Berlin und Indien, über die ganze Welt und hier in Rapid City.

das ich es halte und es nicht wegfliegt oder sterbt. stattdessen es mich wird. das ich es werde.

i forget from who or in what i read this... and it is probably far from quoting.. but birds were made to fly. they were made to fly with the one hinderance of need to land. they are created with wing on purpose and when they fly, they are fulfilling there calling.

just like the bird, we are created to love our Father and be loved by Him.

*ich hab vergessen von wem oder worin ich das gelesen habe... und es ist wahrscheinlich weit von genau... Vögel sind erschaffen zu fliegen. ihre einzige Hindernis ist zu landen. geschaffen sind sie mit Flügeln mit absicht. und wenn sie fliegen erfüllen sie ihr Beruf.

genau wie ein Vogel sind wir geschaffen unser Vater zu lieben und von Ihm geliebt sein.

when we love..

*wenn wir lieben..

when we are loved..

*wenn wir geliebt sind..

we are fulfilling our purpose.

*wir erfüllen unser Beruf.

when we are loving God, whether it be through loving others or surrendering to His love, and just being.... loved, we are complete.

*ob es durch andere Leute lieben oder Ihm gehorchen, wenn wir Ihn lieben und wir einfach geliebt sind, wie sind vollständig.

though we can never be fully complete until we are with Him in His sanctuary, worshipping with all of His creation, free from distraction and comparing...

when we love here on earth, we are bringing more of that heaven here!

*wir können ja noch nicht ganz vollständig bis wir mit Ihm sind in Seiner Zuflucht sind, ihn preisen mit der ganzen Schöpfung, ohne Hindernis und Vergleicht...

wenn wir, die auf die Erde sind, ein ander lieben, dann bringen wir doch Sein Himmel hierher!

i have been working at the parks dept for about three weeks now. i suppose in some ways i could be called a gardner... may be a far stretch...

over the past week , roses have been the thing. cutting them back for new growth later, covering them with nutrients for the winter.. then leaves to keep them warm and finally wire to keep them safe. it is really intense how much it is in likeness to how God cares for us.

(take that where you will, i am sure we have all heard the comparison before, so i will save my opinion.)

as i enjoy working outside, this job is tough. my wrists are finally getting better that i can move them without deep pain. thank you for the prayers.

but i find myself thinking so often to the use of this job...

why do i work, why am i covering flowers or pulling them.. cutting plants or even hanging christmas decorations...?

why am i doing this job, how is it bringing Heaven to earth. how it is helping the people who do not have a bed at night or wake up without food in there stomaches only to add to that emptiness with more lack of daily needs that all should experience...?

like a dream playing, the time in india takes a bus to my heart. it sits down and each second it gets closer, it reminds me of the faces, the voices, the head nodding and the people who are there searching, being misled, stuck in cycles of destruction, and those who are faithfully there reaching out to those people... when i ride to work, i am riding closer to what God has for us (kathy and i). the seemingly wasteful but quick time at work is leading to freedom.

this time,

this time is preparation.

i just started a blessing of a job on the side to the other one at starbucks. learning about coffee and tea interests me and is a art of its own. the ethics of the company are what really strike me as hope. it is as if it is a ministry coffee business. besides being a big international corporation and not doing it all verbally for the name of Jesus... it gives a great!!! opportunity to build relationships with those who regularly come in.. and in fact, that is the starbucks experience! treating them as people and not walking wallets full of money.

i am super thankful for the time with family and seeing everyone here again. i really desire to get together with more people and share stories of what God is doing, as well as encourage and come to our saviour together.

God has a plan.

as the sunset marks off a glorious creation of a day, so can our lives mark the coming of His kingdom.

eternal His,

israel

maps of promises

sometimes the title is the greatest fun in writing a blog. it sums up, in any way you desire, the entire entry or pouring out of heart.

can one really say to judge a blog by its title?

it is good to know how to sum up what you are trying to say.. keeping the main point always in mind. even when talking with people.. the get the point across and be able to express it in multiple ways but saying, in the heart of it, the exact same thing.

keeping the goal in mind is more than a complete sentence.

in this time of our lives, it is loaded.

what is our goal?

what are we living for?

why are we working, or saving, or why are we spending?

what are we living for... and why?

though i can not see the complete outcome of what kathy and i are doing right now.. it is because i can not fully comprehend, imagine, hope for or expect how wonderful His plans are and the end of His paths we walk on.

completely necessary is the need of paying off the debts.. gaining more freedom from this world.. and trusting.

i awoke yesterday morning with a song about Gods faithfulness on my heart.

it was completely contrary to how i felt about my own self.

He shows Himself faithful to those who are faithful.

does that shoot a boulder back?

taking the steps of coming back and pursuing freedom from debt has shown me glimpses of His faithfulness in comparison of how much He really is.

i do expect more miracles as katharina and i look past our needs and towards making His kingdom more and more important in our lives.

my wrists are in need of prayer from the work over the last week.. and possibly the work still to come.

saturday i got a nice phone call about being accepted on the team at starbucks.

God has forsure blessed me with such a fast opportunity for work though it does involve a lot of patience.

what a controversial blessing!

kathy is still studying hard and i thank you all for the prayers as she... well.. we continue to go deeper with our Saviour. this time is exciting as we both are expecting new birth of His talents and gifts Hes placed inside of us... especially her! and as we both grow in His love and grace while we are apart, yet growing together.

His faithfulness in response to all the prayers is what i am completely thankful for.

though we are not in india, or i am not in germany... we are still in need for a covering of His blood and protection.. especially in this time of preparing before we are sent out as a team.. as one.

thank you thank you thank you!!!!!!!!

i have appreciated the birthday wishes today from so many. this year, i desire, will be even better than the last. it will not be an easy year to top.. so i can only expect great grace.

oh we are so blessed!

needs:

prayer for kathy as the school is seriously intense.

for our relationship with Him to deepen as well as with each other.

health

grace with finances (for the SBS-kathy, and the school loans-me)

continual strength and grace to keep on His paths!

i am so thankful God for everything that You are!

i dont deserve all that You have done through me...

thank You for using us!

we trust You!

i pray His highest good over all of you. thank you for the prayers and reading about my life.

wow... thank You God!