noch acht stunden

ja, genau.. nun noch acht stunden gibt es bis ich am flughafen bin und fliege los. so unglaublich ist das und die Zeit ist wirklich schnell geworden.. trotzdem gab es Zeite als es noch so fern war...
*so.. only eight hours left before i am at the airport gone... it is so unbelieveable and the time has really gone by quickly.. though sometimes it was still a distant dream...

endlich aber steht es vor der Tuer, und wir uns so bald wieder sehen.
obwohl wir nicht genau wissen, mit wem wir uns treffen oder um wann wir nach berlin fahren.. ich bin so dankbar wieder dahin zu kommen und die Leute wieder zu sehen.
sooo, nur Jesus gehoert unser Lob, dass wir echt leben duerfen und nicht um die Welt leben. genau wie kathy und ich jetzt lernen wie man in einer gute beziehung zusammen lebt... sollen wir auch mit Gott umgehen... (tatsaechlich ist es den gegenteil.. aber durch diesen Beispiel lernt man praktisch wie eine Beziehung aussieht, und kann auch dann verstehen, dass die Gott erschaffen hat, zum Beispiel dafuer.)
Und ihr maenner soll eure Frauen lieben wie Christus auch die Gemeinde geliebt hat.. Er gab sein Leben um sie... versteht ihr???
*finally it is so near, and we see each other again. we don't know who we will be able to meet up with or when we go to berlin, i am so thankful to be on the way and see everyone again. all our praise belongs to Jesus that we are able to live and not for the world. in the same way that kathy and i learn to be in a relationship together, it is the same with God.. a relationship. (it is really the opposite, but through this we learn how a relationship looks like, and can understand that God made it as an example to understand how one way we relate to Him.) and you men should love your wives as Christ has loved the church.. He gave His life for her... understand???

also.. koennte ja doch noch schreiben.. aber gerne moechte ich einbisschen Zeit nach zu denken und irgendwann auch noch schlafen.
*so.. i could keep writing, but desire some time to just think and eventually sleep.

Auf dies Abenteuer, das Leben heisst, freue ich mich zu gehen... stueck fuer stueck... zusammen!
*i am excited to go on this adventure known as life.. step by step...
together!

viel liebe, israel

childish and hopful

with just a small bit before my brother and i meet up, i know i need to write something.

first off, praise God for all that He is doing. just taking moments from a busy schedule to climb a tree and reflect is so important... just notice the birds singing their songs of life...

and in the midst of this, i am becoming more aware of something... a greater love, one that was spend fully for me and is still being poured out continually.

reading emails, chatting with those i work with or who come in for a drink...

considering the last years of intense but subtle growth and that which will still happen that it may be more poured out from myself too... it is coming down to one thing.

Jesus.

a love He carried for those that would hang Him in shame and humiliation. a source of deep passionate strength He lived from that forced the world to rethink their own motives and source.

a friend just wrote about struggles they have been going through... deep struggles that i dont believe i could start to comprehend.. and through it all, he was shown that he was fought for.

he wrote.. it doesnt matter whether i read my Bible and pray, or not because i have an occasion severely neglected them both.. He is with me because He wants to be.. because He fights for me.

paul writes in the first chapter of galatians.. He became the offering according to God, our Fathers will, and died for our sins to rescue us from this evil world in which we live.

i suppose it would be stupid of me to carry on more and more.. but i can say that it is becoming more and more real to me and my heart is undergoing some serious surgical reconstruction.. removing gunk and scum that have build up in its chambers to which the world belongs, that the world has filled up with several dogmas, religions, requirements of the law and opinions from those who misuse authority to oppress.

what child could fulfill such a life that the world asks of it..

what child could fulfill such a life that Jesus asks of it......

who are we trying to live up to...

each email i receive has given me joy and shared love because of the friendships that i have been blessed with in this life. i thank God for you all.

i am looking so forward to the time with kathy, her family and all who are so dear to me in germany. may His will be done in our meetings and time together.

and to all those in india, keep the courage to love and may His grace continue to fill all that He leads you in. He created such creative hearts in everyone.. but most dont know we are allowed to use them. become who He made you to be.

much love, His

12 days, warmer weather... and a dentist

as the temperature is starting to rise, a new season is obviously on the way. and as spring starts to show itself, so is it with the steps in what is to come regarding Katharina and myself.

He blows me away how He knows...

He knows everything.. before we knew.. even as we ran after other plans, goals... people.. He, the entire time, knew.

our wedding date is still set for July 14th, and though this is still not the formal invite, all of you are more than welcome to join us in rapid city, s.d., for the smaller celebration of becoming even more a team for Him!

the time has ticked down from some 30 weeks to less than two.. about 700 hours.. hehe

we can only hold close to Jesus and the hope and love that He has continually built inside of us over the last several months.

Lord willing, a week from saturday i will fly to switzerland. this marks the beginning of the next season for us. we are not sure of what will take place over the next couple months before she flies to america, but look to spend a lot of time just seeking God together and talking all of this over together. how great it is to be learning to function as a team. learning to trust Him together, learning to hope together.

He continues to reveal glimpses of a future that He has assured us. though the jist of it is still beyond what is visible from this point, each valley, each river and each step takes us closer to something much bigger and it is from Him that we gain strength.

please pray for us and with us for wisdom in these next steps, and a deeper knowledge of how great that power that lives inside of us, the same one that raise Jesus from the dead, removing our hopelessness and own self-righteousness from us, and giving us true life.

last week, shortly after getting my dental insurance, a filling fell out. ha!

talk about continual provision.

through a few visits to the dentist, things are getting worked out, and possibly prepared for another long stretch.. or adventure in which dental work would create a burden.

none the less, i am thankful to get the work down and see another way that He provides for us on a very practical level.

work, stressful for a few weeks, has been again a place of desired ministry and opportunity to bless those who come in through genuine interaction and a humor that carries through the drive-thru....

within the next couple weeks, my father will go in for back surgery. i just learned about this today, and have not had the chance to talk with him. thank you for every prayer for him, and i will update as i also learn about whats going on.

12 days... :)

Danke sehr Jesus um was Du mit uns machst.

after the three weeks with katharina, i start the parks dept. job again in hopes of paying a massive chunk of the loans gone. this will also mean that i will be working a lot. the schedule is not worked out yet, but i know it will be good.

it may be possibly that i move into what could be kathys and my first place together too when i get back. it has been a blessing spending so much time with my mother and staying at another friends place, but this step i look forward to.

thank you all for the prayers and support through encouragement finance. the months ahead, i believe, will be a very new adventure and i hope that the things He is doing through us will bless you too, or even encourage you to do something outside of any possible sanity that the world claims. lets live!

thank you really for the love and time to read what is happening in the life He blessed me with...

much much love, israel

unsichtbar

no one ever said this would be easy.

*niemand sagte uns, dass es einfach wird.

does it feel easy to you right now?

*fühlt es euch da so einfach?

i have felt under attack, and have witnessed since last weekend more and more dear ones undergoing similar heart blows....

*in der letze Woche, bezeugte ich viele Menschen, die schreckliche Angriffen erleben, genauso gleich wie ich auch erlebe...

whether we realize it, or choose to acknowledge it.. we are in a war. against our heart, our hope, our families, our relationships, our manhood... we are fighting for our lives and for those so close to us...

and yet, most do not know that this is not us... but what is against us, our unity.. our true identity.

*und ob wir es merken, oder es anerkennen wollen, wir sind im Krieg, der gegen unser Herzen, Hoffnung, Familie, Beziehungen, und unsre Männlichkeit steht... wir kämpfen um unsern Leben und des Lebens denen, die wir lieben und schätzen.

und was noch... die meisten Leute wissen nicht, dass wir nicht böse sind.. sondern das es gegen uns, unsre Einheit.. und unsre wahre Identität, ist.

no one ever said this would be easy.. but we are told we dont have to do this alone...

*niemand sagte uns, dass es einfach wird.. jedoch sagte Er, wir machen es nicht allein...

my dear brothers and sister... lets stand in unity of prayer and encouragement for another. where those are who have plenty, give to those who have none. those who are comforted, comfort those who are alone. and who can fight, fight for those who cant! fight for your heart! fight for hope!

*meine Liebe Schwestern und Brüdern... lasst uns durch Gebet und Ermutigung untereinander, zu einer Einheit führen. der, der viele besitzen, soll mit denen, der nichts hat, teilen. ebenso soll er, der Trost hat, denen auch trösten, wie auch er es erfahren hat. und der, der kämpft, soll um denen kämpfen, die selbst ihre Feld nicht halten können. kämpft um euer Herzen! kämpft um die Hoffnung!

i write this in truth that things have been hard lately... but in each thing, God was more than faithful to provide.. and in those things that are yet to come, or need still clarity, we can place all our hope in Jesus!!!

*in der Wahrheit schreibe ich euch das, denn es ist letztlich für mich schwierig worden... aber in jeder Ding, erscheinte Gott weit mehr als treu um uns zu trösten.. und was noch kommt, oder wozu wir klarheit brauchen, hoffen wir doch auf Jesu!!!

may you be filled with truth! with hope! and know that we are not alone.

*dass ihr mit der Wahrheit und der Hoffnung erfüllt seid, und wisst, dass ihr nicht allein seid, wünsche ich euch!

much love, israel

focusing opportunities

i must say again and again, how great is our God!

*ich muss es immer wieder sagen... wie groß ist unser Gott!

He has done too much for me not to believe!

*Er hat so viel getan, dass ich glauben muss!

i am filled with joy at the thought of what He has done, what He is doing and all that is yet to come. oh, so much more than we could ever imagine.. ask for.... even hope for!

*ich bin begeistert als ich denke darüber nach, was Er hat, tut und wird nocht tun. ach! so viel mehr als wir uns vorstellen können, Ihn darum bitten oder auch nur hoffen würden.

the ride down to neb. was touching to my heart. i had to pull over a couple times, get out and just stare... what a vast array!

*die Fahrt nach neb, war bewegendt. ein paar mal müßte ich anhalten, draußen stehen und halt anschauen... was für eine gewaltige Region.

the ride itself was filled with thoughts, prayers, joys, and renewed hope.

*unterwegs war von Gedanken, Gebete, Freude und erneuert Hoffnung erfüllt.

in the evening, my heart was greatly blessed to see so many come together over dinner, that i... merely blessed dust... could see them all again and share about what Jesus is doing over the last months.

*am abend hatte mein Herz sich gefreut, so viele zusammen kommen zu sehen um abendbrot. und dass ich.. nur gesegnete Staub... dürfe sie wieder sehen und berichte darüber, alles was Gott mir ein die letzt paar Monate tat.

Thank You Jesus for such an opportunity to brag about You.. Your goodness and Your love.

*Danke Du, Jesus! um eine solche schöne Möglichkeit, von Dir meinen Mund voll nehmen.

i met one lady, whos granddaughter did her dts at the base where sam is working. ach! wow!

*ich traf eine Frau, dessen Enkeltochter ihre dts tat, bei der gleiche Base, wo Sam mitarbeitet. ach, Wannsinn!

and as i sit here and write.. i am still so amazed at how much He loves us. how much time He takes for each one of us... ach.. He is outside of time, but even if He wasnt, He would take eternity for everyone. how truly amazing are we blessed!?

*als ich hier sitze und schreibe.. bin noch sehr erstaunt über wie sehr Er uns liebt.. wie viel Zeit Er um je uns ausgibt... ach.. Er ist außerhalb Zeit, aber sogar wenn Er damit Grenze hatte, würdet Er trotzdem eine Ewigkeit um je uns nützen.

thank you all for your prayers and teaming with us to praise Him, and share His message of forgiveness to the whole world!

*Danke euch alle fürs Beten und Teilhaben mit uns.. Ihn zu preisen, und allen Seine Botschaft der Vergebung, die in der Welt sind.

kathy and i see each other in 45 days! jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

*Kathy und ich sehen einander in nur 45 Tage! JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

after that, Lord willing i will start the job again at the parks dept. and search a place of residence, preparing for Kathy coming here. you are more than welcome to continue to keep that in your prayers.. we are believing for His leading and strength through anything and everything!

*danach, Gottes willes, fänge ich an mit der Stadtgärtnerarbeit, nach einer Wohnung suche, und bereite vor um Kathys Ankunft. ich lade euch ein, mit uns darüber weiter zu beten. wir glauben um Seine Führung und Stärke, damit wir durch alles gehen.

today, i meet with a man who picked me up hitching, when i was heading up to rapid to find a job.

we have kept in contact and look to join up, practice our german, and praise God!

*heute treffe ich mich noch mit einem man, der mich mitgenahmen hat, als ich nach Rapid ging, um eine Arbeit zufinden. wir halteten Kontakt und freuen wir uns auf den Termin, Deutscheübung, und zusammen Gott loben.

tomorrow i drive back to rapid early.

and tonight will be hanging out with my dad.

*morgen früh fahre ich wieder nach Rapid.

heute abend noch haben ich und mein Vater Zeit zusammen.

please also pray for sam and beth, as they are waiting for her visa.. and for josiah and binu.. who are waiting for similar needs to come back to the U.S..

*bitte glaube mit uns um ein Visum für Beth, als sie auch noch auf dem Warte dafür sind... und für eine ähnlicher Stelle, wo Josiah und Binu stehen.

with God, all things are possible!

*bei Gott ist alles möglich!

do you believe that?

much love, israel

starting in the garden, breaking the lie

i sit now at the gering publich library while my father works, a man searches childrens books, sophie goes to a doctor appointment, my mother possibly sits and ponders, others make coffee, lattes and cappuccinos, dear ones sleep on the other side of the world, sam enjoys his time with beth, kathy rests, and others go on with their days possibly not realizing the affect they have, the power that is at work within them, the underlying yet louder than life hope, that cries inside to be allowed a say.

i spent last wednesday learning more of what is inside of me.

i made my way to buzzards roost, stared off into the distance, searching a point to which i would wander.

maybe a week ago, a man came into starbucks, and through small talk, comments and unthoughtful deep statements, i mentioned to him... its about the journey somewhere, not about getting to the place, because we are never just there, but starting on yet another journey.

-enjoy the journey, because you will always be on one.

the trek i made was not about just getting to the place far off in the distance, the place that may have seen many a cold nights without foot travel, but about making the path to get there.

from climbing down buzzards roost, to trekking across the forest floor, pacing down steep hillsides, crossing a mostly frozen creek to finally huffing and puffing up the steepest incline, stopping multiple times to breath... reaching the top, laying in the snow... knowing... the journey i am now on, builds me for those that are ahead. it creates deep in me an understanding of something deeper, that one day i may share with those who will carry on after me.

it strengthens me for the battle.

it teaches me how to carry my sword.

and it awakes me heart to a deeper cause.

how intense is it that each experience we endure is a parallel to the unseen.

there are some moments when it just hits you. your mind is on something about something, your thoughts running full speed...

and then,

unexpectedly,

everything stops.

you step out of where you just were..

your eyes are open to the brightness of the sun.

your hands are bitten by the crisp wind.

...and His way is revealed.

i cant describe exactly how this is...

it is like climbing over a hill thinking.. was that it. was that all there was?

then, peeking over the crest you see a peak... followed by endless more.

its a beach, and every grain is a snow covered peak that reaches further in the sky than the last...

a vast array!

who told us to stop dreaming...

who told us that we need to settle....

who told us not knowing is bad....

who was it that lied to us...

no compromise

just finished reading and writing emails galore. for these, whom i am in close relationship with, am i very thankful. for those i have not spoken or written to in some time, please forgive me as my time is used for such things as one needs when many of his loved ones are in random familiar places. i have not forgotten you!

today was yet an attack from the enemy, as i am finding more and more of these more frequent.. or maybe just noticing more. may our eyes be open to what is really going on.

i have been reading a greatly encouraging book, wild at heart, and am finding the need for attention to specific things.. realizing these attacks being one of them.. to become the man.. the warrior i am created to be.

sam, a warrior and dear brother, is not in england. due to crazy flight delays and weather clouds that covered a third the united states, his were delayes, creating a necessary slumber party in chicago. his spirit, though, was far from being dampened, and caused me to look again at my own through difficult situations. i always prefer to be the one stuck somewhere than hearing of dear ones undergoing such an event.

only 50 more days until Kathy and i are again together. for this meeting, we are both more than blessed and excited. can you hear my heart beating faster???

thank you all for the prayers.

dominik, he who visited over thanksgiving, is now in nicaragua for a internship. we are hoping of meeting up again over easter and celebrating what God has completed in our lives over the past couple years..(this including meeting with markus and his wife, luiza-domis fiancée, and kathy-my prinzess!).

just over 2000$ has been put towards the loans thus far. the progress seems small yet ginormous! and i must thank God for a wonderful workplace, a place to live, and providing all that i have needed since being here. in all, i have yet 10000$ to be paid.. it shall be done!

next thursday, Lord willing, watch out people of scottsbluff. praise the Lord for the opportunity to drive to you and spend a day and half there with you. i truly look forward to seeing you all again!

was noch....

for now, that be it.

the world needs prayer! dont stop.. He hears you!

thank you for the prayers already for me, kathy and our families. may we continue to follow Him with no compromise! He is worth it!

much love! israel