A Turkish gentleman

I never thought a guy would go by the name of "Heidi". And every time I call him "Heidi" I want to chuckle. He was dark with very distinguished looking grey hair. He is constantly busing himself around the mission, cleaning up, tidying up things. With a quick humor and easy manners he can talk quite a bit.

This particular day I got the honor to go with Heidi to young's place and help her with some gardening work. On the way I will get to find out the story behind this Turkish gentleman...

"You would not believe me if you saw me a few months ago! I'm a completely different man right now! I used to sleep right there in the park next to the mission. I was an alcoholic and had to be on bunch of psych drugs. I couldn't walk except with a crutch. But now I can run!"

"Whenever I passes by, your friend, young, she would always come up to pray for me. She would grab me and pray for me ( I can just imagine Young, grabbing people from the road and lay hands on them. she tells me "this is the heart of the Father!"). Then one day, when she prayed for me, I don't know what happened. I just got struck by something and I fell down. The Holy Spirit just hit me and I didn't know where I was. Ever since then, life changed completely for me. I used to not be able to sleep at night, unless I took drugs. and one night I just prayed for myself and decided that the Lord would heal me. I have not taken drugs in ages and I sleep very well at night. One day I wanted to go to church, but my legs are weak and in pain. So I told my legs, 'legs, you are going to take me to church today!' oh man, i couldn't catch up with them on the way to church."

Heidi wanted to tell everyone about Jesus, especially all his family in Turkey. It was amazing sitting with this brother, basking in the incredible grace of our Father. I cannot describe that heavenly feeling. Deep down inside, I'm praying for my family. I'm asking the Lord that they too will know the height and the depth of His redeeming love.

By Faith and sight?

I took a bus yesterday from Toronto to NYC. Arrived in the evening. I had really felt the Lord showing me NYC(and a very surprising msg about Kansas City) during this trip and wondered if I was supposed to stay in NYC. I went and looked up housing in the city and found this room in Brooklyn for sublease to the end of July for about $600 + utilities. This is a very reasonable price for the city. I was trying to make all the arrangements but was not able to find a place to stay in the city for the night. I was really puzzled and stopped at time square to pray. Part of me wanted to stay in the city by faith and see what happens and part of me just want to go back to Philly to rest. I didn't know what I should really do. I don't know if you guys ever had this dilemma. It happens quite a bit to me after I started to just follow Him and learn to live totally by faith, cause I don't want to just make my own arrangements for personal security, but yet there is a certain amount of security that I realize I still need. In any case I walked to time square and sat down. I felt peace in my heart the whole way, so unlike what I felt before walking in this city. I felt like I should make my way to the bus station to catch the bus to Philly. I told the Lord if I received some phone calls from anyone in the city offering a place to stay then I would stay, but if not, I will go back to Philly, pray and seek Him and make out here to the city when I feel sure I hear His voice again. Do you think that I have done right? or have I compromised? Anyways, I make out to the bus station, there was no msg for me. But I found a bus ticket I bought for Philly from a previous trip so I used that. As I sat on the bus I started to feel very rested. The truth is I was so exhausted so I fell asleep right away.

I got off the bus and I was standing right in the middle of a crazy part of downtown Philly. It looked so much like the Harlem. I was standing there and the glory of God was there! I can't explain it but the clarity in the air, even though the place is littered with homeless people sleeping and intense looking burly men staring at me. I felt total peace and just the desire to worship Him. He was there with me! I ran into an extremely kind and polite homeless man, sat and shared food with him and some other guy showed up and chatted. Just felt the love of Jesus flowing in our midst. Then went home with auntie Mim.

In a way I'm so glad that I got "home"! oh and what a comfort to be here with auntie Mim. But on the other hand I wonder what would happen if I stayed in NY last night? Have I chosen wisely? What would you do?

Jerusalem

Isaiah 62:1 For Zion's sake I will not keep silent,
for Jerusalem's sake I will not remain quiet,
till her righteousness shines out like the dawn,
her salvation like a blazing torch.

I do not know how I miss the central subject of this one of my favorite chapters in the scripture and the numerous other verses that talk about this. But it seems that it pleased Him to take me on a little path of discovery of His passion. I cannot say that I'm head over heels yet but my heart is waking up to this. Right before I left Philly about a week ago, a book arrived in the mail from a good friend of mine I just met at the intercessors gathering. Just holding the book in my hand, I felt a surprising excitement inside. oh I needed to read this on my way to Toronto.

This is a story of a Danish school teacher who was led to this city in the 20's. "Oh Lord, let me see the way you see, think the way you think, and feel just the way you do." Taking in Jewish and Arab orphans on the streets, Lydia lived by faith alone in the Living God. Along the way the Lord showed her His desires for Jerusalem, and made her a pioneer intercessor for Israel. There is no earthly reasons that gives me any affinity towards Jerusalem. But I'm starting to see how Jerusalem, alone, amongst all the cities, is the vortex of the greatest spiritual conflict of these end days. What is happening in the spirit realm will without doubt manifest in the physical.

"If I forget thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget her cunning. If I do not remember thee, let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I do prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy." Psalm 137:5-6

The day I arrived in Toronto, my dear Korean intercessor friend urged me to apply to the school of intercession in Jerusalem and shared about her upcoming trip to Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Cyprus. A friend of mine from NYC called me up randomly, a lady called to the Jews and we would spend hours on the phone talking about what the Lord is revealing to us about Israel, the current situation and the end time plans of the Lord. On my bus trip back, right across the aisle from me is a Jew. He told me that he applied for one of those free trips back to Israel(because he was a Jew) but he does not think he will get it. But half way through the trip, he looked up to me and said "hey, this is really strange, I just received an email from them and I am accepted!"

Zechariah 12-14, Matthew 23:37-39, the whole book of Isaiah. It's like a whole new world is opened up to me and I feel so small, like a wide-eye child in the concrete jungles of the big apple.