eugene again....?

eugene, eugene...

as i left eugene the first time last week, realization sunk in that i didn't visit a couple people i wanted to. so a couple days ago, i felt the need to come back again. it was one of those, ok God, will You hook it up if this is Your will?...

of course He did!

i was graciously lent an auto to come down with. Lord willing i will be leaving back up to salem this afternoon, but already last night was a blessings.

i love you seth and pappas! i know that God loves you so much more and that He has good stuff in store for you!

i think we will see soon if i am headed north, or how far north i am headed...

but over all of it, i completely know that He has a plan. He loves us!

the way things are looking, spontaneous and unpredictable, to those who are reading this, i may be seeing you soon. but know that i love you and thank you for your prayers.

'i pray to You because i know that You hear listen. bend down and hear my prayer. show me Your grace in wonderful ways. You rescue with power those who seek shelter from their enemies. protect me like the apple of Your eye and give me safety under the shadow of Your wing!' Die Psalm 17.6-8 translated from german (excuse all horrible mistakes )

viel liebe!!!

israel

grüße von eugene....

ich freue mich...

last tuesday i met a guy named kory. he was headed to eugene, as was i, thus he picked me up from the on ramp. immediatly i took a liking to him. he has been on the road since june and was headed to eugene to find some open mics to jam at to finance more living on the road. things were perfect in confirming timing for visiting eugene. we were both leaving back north on friday, so as things arranged, we enjoyed another ride together to salem friday.
-kory, you are a blessing and i am stoked to have met you. may God continue to provide for you and care for you in the variety He has been. you are loved and needed in this world!
until we meet again! :)

it was confirmed last sunday that i needed to visit eugene. so i left tuesday with no real plans. after some texts, things feel into place with grace.
-aj and rachel, you two have a blessed marriage and future. God has visibly shown you both His favor in your marriage and lives! please never forget how much you are both loved. may His voice be clearly in your hearts and minds and His passion burning from a depth so great, the roots define who you both are! and thank you for the time you spend with me. listening, encouraging, and blessing. you are truly a brother and sister in Christ to me! Vielen Dank!
-galassini, it was so good to see you again. i am so happy for you with your new family and joy that He has given you. in everything that you have gone through, give Him the glory for the new hope that is always there! don't neglect the things you know need to be done, but know that you are not alone. He is with you and will shower you in grace as you take steps! i pray that our friendship is not allowed to be snuffed out but that it will burn with love and truth! amanda, it was a pleasure to meet you and thank you so much for your hospitality. chris, thank you for your quick acceptance. i pray that you sink in His love! it is wonderful!
-poets, you are always such an encouragement to be with. i am so thankful for all of you. thank you for the birthday blessings and time spend listening and pouring into my life. i hope we can see each other again soon. i am praying for all of you, and sooooo glad that you are still standing firm in His truth, strength and loving grace! kaley, thank you for the card!
-redneck, dude, i hope you read this! :) i love you man. you have been such a joy in my life. it was so good to see you again and i know that God will hook it all up for you. He has never left you thus far... every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights, who doesn't change like shifting shadows! passion comes and goes, but He will always be there for you!

-everyone in berlin, you can't imagine how much i love and miss you all! i look forward to the day that we can be together again. until then, i know that God has me here for a reason, and that the hardships are totally worth it.
~zu alle in Berlin! ihr wisst nicht wie viel liebt ich fuer euch habe. ich vermisse euch sehr! ich freue mich euch wiederzusehen. bis dann, ich bin hier weil Gott ein sehr gut Plan hat. es ist sich lohnen!

i am now back in salem waiting for some mail about the school loans i need to repay. the last weeks have been soooo good. heres a short list...
jumped on a trampoline with a billion leaves.
went through a corn maze.
went on a bike ride.
found a hazelnut grove.
ate some hazelnuts.
played soccer.
sanded a car.
drove a car without a windshield.
the list goes on..
Lord willing, soon i should be headed up to seattle to work and pay toward the loans as i continue to prepare for returning to berlin. i am not sure the date, but i have some hunches and peace in my heart. just waiting for confirmation.

i have made a picture card about going back to berlin, and just finished a support letter...(hot off the press)!
i, however, left all my addresses in south dakota... it will work out! :)

soon, i will post the letter with the card for all of you to see. so, you may get one in your mail too! lucky you! :)

thank you all so much for reading these blogs and keeping up with my life. i pray that you love others despite whether or not they deserve it. that you take time to just soak in Him. and that you are all blessed with God's highest! He loves you all sooooo much. a death was paid that you could be with Him. that you could enjoy His presence!
All praise and honor to Your name Lord! thank You for Jesus!
by His blood, AMEN!!!

viel liebe, israel

thank You Daddy for today!

this is hope

what a blessing this last week was!
there was a lot of opportunity for growth and for His love to be shared with others who have a broken heart for the nations...

at the time being, i am in salem, oregon, and am not completely sure about which way to go.
i am, however, growing more sure of God's heart for germany. i had the opportunity to meet with someone from the berlin base on my first day here in salem. it was super good and encouraging. i cannot understand or comprehend when or how i will be getting back there. i do have a confirming peace in my heart that it is soon.

i am stoked for the people of ywam idaho! i instantly gained a heart for them and cannot imagine how much more our God must love them. i pray that He would continue to bring them closer in unity and love. that differences would bring them together. that hopelessness would show them His hope and grace. oh what a wonderful God we have. i love you ywam idaho and look forward to the day that our hearts can be full of joy together again!

today is my fathers birthday. i love him so much. i am so blessed with the family that God surrounded me with. they have been a huge part of joy and encouragement in my life over the past year.
my father was in a car accident last friday which left him with stitches and no auto. please keep him in prayer. God must love him soooo much! thank You Daddy for my dad! i know that You have blessings at his doorstep!

i am not sure if i will headed south or north in the next couple days. the thing that fills my mind the most is getting ready for heading back to berlin. within the next fews days i will be writing a support letter seeking monthly support for the time i will be stationed there long term, and also seeking support for the trip back. i am so excited about His heart for germany. may my life be an offering for His love to reach their hearts!
i may be headed up north for work soon. there are a couple places that i may end up visiting first. nothing is official yet. open for changes. wir werden sehen was passiert. Er ist gut und ich moechte seinen Weg zusehen.

i am not sure if most of you really know what the title of this blog is... Fortschritt und Vertrauen.
it means progress and trust. progress for His kingdom.. and trust that He is enough. i am far from fully understanding His amazing plans, His awesome deeds, and His endless love. but i am laying all my eggs in His basket. He is trustworthy. He is faithful.
i know that He has called me to germany for this time, maybe forever. and as i continue to seek Him with my whole heart, i am seeing more and more His broken heart for the whole world! thank you all so much for your time and prayers you offer so freeingly. please don't believe any lies that your prayers are not important or unnecessary. He hears and He answers.. even before we ask! He knows what we need and how to truly care for us.
thank you for praying for me, and for praying for the germans. i look forward to the day when we all see the Lord sending people out from germany in the numberless, spreading His word, His truth and light over the whole earth.

may you be left with this verse...

Gott, der euch berufen hat, ist treu; Er wird halten, was er versprochen hat.
God will make this happen, for He who calls you is faithful.
1 thes. 5.24

Das ist Hoffnung.
this is hope!

Father, You have given us hope freely. may is radiate from You in us. thank You for hearing our prayers and being true to Your promises. may my life be Yours for the making. make me part of Your plan. we pray this for all who read this blog and for those whom You love! for the U.S., for Germany.. for eastern Europe.. for those You have called Your own! through Jesus, we are all Yours!
in His name, Amen!

i hope that you know how important you are. you are not alone.

much love, israel

sam and ywam

well... it's enjoyable to see God pull something out of His sleeve. a real blessing too!

i am in idaho right now at the cascade YWAM base. for reasons i have yet to find out... i have felt a calling to visit my friend sam. i know the feeling is mutual and not so random. with plans to go to seattle, i felt God saying that i should wait for contact from sam. i did. sunday morning he called me and we chatted with much enthusiasm. we decided that i was to visit him and the base. later that night, he and a friend arrived in spokane, and we set forth to cascade idaho. we arrived and was in bed around 3 am.

so, i am at the ywam base in cascade, Idaho. there are a couple possiblities that i didn't think was anywhere in the near future such as visiting people in oregon. so we will see if that is His plan and take it day by day. no promises and no plans set in stone.

i am excited to see or understand.. if it is possible.. why i am here.

i do have the priviledge of hearing lectures.. so it's like lecture phase all over again!

i do say though... thank You God for this time here. i believe You have called me here and have an absolutely wunderbar plan. how are we to know Your thoughts... but to just keep seeking and following You. may we do that... all of us here and everyone who reads this blog. that we may continually seek You for the things You have. oh we praise You Lord! there is none like You... there is none that saves like You do. may our lives be poured out as an offering for Your glory alone!

and thank You that Jesus did what no other could do... saved us from death.. from a life.... eternity seperated from You. we praise You! Danke Vater!

in Jesus name.. by His blood we pray these things and claim You... amen!

over the past couple days i have been discouraged.. or under attack. i have felt that my efforts at german are useless... that my desires and the calling that i have on my heart are questioned.. and maybe i am completely wrong in the way of going about all of this....

then i had some prayer time.. time with sam... time seeking God and reading His word.. and though i may not feel that there is progress... or that i have everyones support.. i do know that the spirit inside me confirms where He has called me... and in the things that He has lead me in.

thank you for all your prayers and continual prayers. without a constant communication with Him how can we fully live.

pray. for your country.. for the Church.. for more workers to gather the harvest, and that we can understand more fully His grace!

i love you all and again thank you for your support!

what are five things today that had His love written all over it?

nächste...

i am in spokane now! thank you for the prayers. haha, the last time i had a 19 hour layover in montana. this time is was barely 1 hour. so thanks again.

at the current time, i am considering a few possiblities for the future that could be kept in prayer. in all my preferences... i would like to get these loans payed off as soon as possible, and head back to berlin. i was blessed with hearing about some really cheap fares for returning... but there has to be things done before i just go hopping on a plane to another country to work for the Lord. again.. the main one being getting rid of them loans... gaining freedom, and i am excited to see it and be involved with it happening.
there are a couple possibilities right now... i can stay in spokane, look for a job, work.... so on...
i can head back west... same thing... or i can head over to seattle. a friend knows a ywamer (someone who is the past has completed a DTS, discipleship training school, with youth with a mission)(once a ywamer, always a ywamer. -tobi) who ownes a buisness. it is a possibility to go there and work for him.
as for other possibilities... nothing set in stone... but with God nothing is impossible.

this is the main decision that needs to be made. my main concern is just following the Lord on this one. not jumping into anything without Him. that would be a drastic mistake....!

as for support.......

i honestly can't thank you enough for the prayers, words and finances sown into my life over the last year. it's through you that the gospel is being preached all over the world. it is sooo amazing to see God provide for people, including myself, and He is using His people to do it. thank you! Vielen Dank! echt!

Thank You Father for our hands to work with. thank You that You are forever with us... wherever we are. thank You for leading us and helping us to grow. i believe You will continue to show Your path for me to follow.... i also pray for those reading this. that they may grow with You. lead them down Your path and show them Your mighty hand! with You, nothing is impossible! thank You for healing our bodies, for encouraging our hearts and saving our souls! may Your words pour out of us and Your blessings flow from our hands! Danke Vater!
we also pray for Berlin, for the spiritual walls to come down! In JESUS NAME! thank You for Your heart for Deutschland, and the blessing that the people are to the world. thank You for loving the world, and for dying for all people from all over! Du bist gut! we can't praise You enough.. but help us never forget what You continually do in our lives!
Vielen Dank Vater, in Jesus name, amen! so be it!

i will keep you updated... posted... in the web of information.... and in my prayers.

ich muss weiter deutsch lernen.... können sie deutsch reden?

blood is thick... don't allow grudges to thin it out.

tschüssie und viel liebe, israel

every prayer matters

good evening, or what ever time of day it is where you are!

i would prefer to keep this short for sleep will soon come.

i understand that many people lately are getting sick and would like to take time to lift them up in prayer.

Vater, thank You for hearing our cries. thank You for medicine.. for doctors... for Your healing! we pray and ask in Jesus name.. for all those in our lives that are sick.. with anything... that You would please heal them. that they could see Your power... and experience Your grace through this. thank You for hearing us and wanting the best for us! In Jesus name, so be it!

take steps of faith knowing that He has the power to heal and do anything that He desires.
Bei Gott ist nichts unmöglich! matt. 19.26

tomorrow i ride the bus to spokane, wa. i am not sure what will happen there.. whether work to pay towards the school loans.. or just a transition before i am lead somewhere else. i do know though.. despite what my mind may want to think, that i will be lead. HE IS FAITHFUL!
ER IST TREU! IMMER!

the time here has been amazing and hope that i will see everyone again soon. at least before heading back to Deutschland. thank you all for the time and prayers that you have sown into me. what blessings you are! Vielen dank!

as a reminder.. while in the states... loans need to be paid off and montly support raise for when i return to berlin for long term ministry. the overall montly price is about $1200, €700. always grateful for prayers in this area.


also.. please continue to pray for berlin, for the spiritual walls to come down. God is doing something and no power on earth or heaven can stop Him! as prayers served the main weapon in bringing down the concrete boundaries... so will it also play the greatest role in breaking these children free from the plans of the enemy! they are important to Him... and He hears our prayers... every prayer matters!

every prayer matters...

thank You Father...

viel liebe, israel
(much love)

(foto. dancing with muslems, 1st May)

mehr von Dir

i am truly amazed at how many people read these things... thank you all so much for caring and following me in this journey!

for the first days at my mothers and here at my fathers, my heart ached for berlin... for my friends there.. for the entire place. i would cry in the bathroom or in my room when i first woke up. it was extremely difficult.   but God confronted me on it.. i was shown that i was being selfish with wanting to go back RIGHT NOW and now waiting for God's timing. it was a hard thing to face and still is not always easy.. but i am trusting God. 

after that day.. i told God that i need help... i need someone i can speak german with... to find support... and to work and pay off loans.

later that day..... yes, THAT DAY, my dad and i went to a church picnic and it was amazing. i met a german exchange student... he said i had perfect grammar... a couple people said that they would like to support me when i go back to germany if God provides...  then i was asked if i wanted to make some money roofing a house the next day!

HA!   all three answered, just like that!

so... yesterday i had lunch with an amazing man with wisdom and love. he confronted me asking if i was praying for what i needed. i realized that i was praying in a general sort of way... but not naming specifics. so....

Father, thank You for all You have done in my life. for blessing me so much. i pray that these school loans would be paid off soon! that support would be raised to return home to berlin, and i would continue to learn german and about the history. and in all of this... may my heart become more like Yours, and may i become more of the person You created me to be. thank You that i don't need to do this alone.. and help me not to. and all those who are in the same situation as me.. that You for being with them too! You are amazing. thank You for providing all i need... all the time! in Jesus name, Amen!

tomorrow... by His grace, i am getting a ride up to rapid to be with my mom, friends and family for a week before heading back to washington. 

honestly i have no idea what to expect or how it will all work out... but please keep praying that i can keep Him and His people first... above myself and my needs. He truly loves us and i want to love others that way!

that 'plan' is to continue to learn german.. study.. maybe work... and build relationships and support. 

but we'll see what He has in mind. :)

Achso, 

another thing to be praying for is to be more radical for Christ... that i could speak boldly and trust in Him completely. that others could see Him in me.     less of me, more of Him!

over the past days that i have been visiting my father, we have gone to church or some ministry each day. i had the honor of sharing about ywam at the last two and tonight as well. the slide show is finished.. but i look to redo it... some of the slide are too fast...  you can check it out at  Berlin dts 09

thank you again for your prayers and i pray that God would show you His heart. that you could be encouraged by all that is around you. that He would continue to surround you with His people and that they will show an accurate representation of Him. He is soooo good and oh that we could know Him more. that we could trust Him more. that we could see others as He sees them.. or believe with the faith of a mustard seed. may we act in faith... doing things that can only be explained by His great glory and faithfulness. He loves us and i am being convinced more and more that does have the best for us! Er ist treu!

i pray all of this in His Sons name, Jesus Christ our redeemer!

blessings to all of you and if i can be praying for you too.... let me know.

He hears our prayers!

viel liebe, israel