Israel - or lack thereof - update

Israel update anyone? Well, I've decided not to pursue Israel at this time. In June, about the time my life started to go haywire, I really felt that God was speaking to me through his word. I read Psalm 37:7: "Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him." When I first started to pursue going to the Middle East, God was opening doors like crazy! It was amazing to see what was coming my way. The second I arrived back in California, all those same doors were shut pretty swiftly. In light of understanding - or trying to understand - what it means to be still before God and wait patiently for him, I've decided to wait. And when God makes it as clear as he did the first time around that I should be going to Israel, I will go. In the mean time, I don't have a peace about it, and I don't have not a peace about it.

Interestingly enough, when I was reading through my journal last night, I ran across some entries that seem very appropriate. A couple: Isaiah 64:4: "Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him." And on December 2nd I wrote, "Jerusalem is so surreal. People ask me how I feel and I feel almost apathetic because it doesn't seem like it's actually gonna happen. It seems like something is in place to thwart my plans. But Lord, You are faithful and so I believe you will bring it to completion in your way - whatever that may be... Beyond going to Israel, I don't know what you're asking of me, but I pray that you would bring clarity and light to my desires and yours. Open doors, shut them, please get my attention so that I can really, really hear you." Be careful what you pray for!

In other news, I am so grateful! After many, many bouts of phone tag, the server manager at the Thousand Oaks PF Chang's and I are meeting tomorrow to get my paperwork done and get me up and running on the schedule. I can't even begin to explain how wonderful it will be to a) have some cash flow, b) have something to do, and c) potentially meet some people my age in the area!



Lastly, I just finished a book called Illegitimate, by Brian Mackert. It's about a guy that grew up polygamous and became a Christian. So interesting and such an encouraging work. If this subject interests you, I definitely encourage you to pick it up. I'm also almost done with Children of Jihad, by Jared Cohen, which so far I really like! And I just started Persepolis, by Marjane Satrapi. It is a graphic novel about Satrapi growing up in Iran during the Islamic Revolution. I'm especially interested in reading this in light of what Cohen had to say about meeting youth in Iran. Good reading material these days!

Well, I guess that's it for now! Off to watch some Biggest Loser!

Peace.