Julianne & Art

I love how the Lord has graced Julianne!  She painted this for me today.  What a precious gift from the Lord the Downs Family is to me.  I feel so blessed.

Wednesdays-Changing a Bit, for Awhile

Wednesdays have been a day set aside, devoted to walking through the Word and penning what the Lord taught me on my trek through Israel this summer and what He is still teaching me today!

The Lord is shifting what my days are looking like for this season. I will have the privilege of hanging out with Julianne as she works on school from home for rest of this semester. I will sit side by side on Wednesdays with Julianne, she with Chemistry, me with the Text, but will not have the same quiet or time to devote to blogging as before. I will still journal the pilgrimage Jesus has me on and will retrace the steps I took while in the Promised Land, but definitely won't be as consistent as before.

I am grateful the Lord is present and intimate!

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. Psalm 84:5

Joyful Wednesday!

Good Morning! Today is the day I sit before the Lord for the whole morning, simply basking in His love and hungering for more of Him! O how I long for the Lord!

I had the pleasure of sitting for a while, meditating on Psalm 84. The Lord uses the process of memorizing His Word for me to soak in the Truth and that's when He causes it to permeate to my heart, all the way to the tips of my toes.

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

Psalm 84:10 (I think)

I have been weekly going back through and walking through the Word, my memory, and with the Spirit my time in Israel, but today, I just couldn't leave Psalm 84.

O the PRESENCE of the LORD God Almighty!

Julianne was in the hospital last week and went through a plethora of tests to determine some health things going on in her body and was so thankful for the real presence of my King and my God! The Lord's love enveloped my whole being. I experienced His continual Presence and Power. I didn't have to journey to Jerusalem to get close to Him. He is in me! The veil was torn! Praise You, Jesus! I have His presence every second of the day!

My long slow paced time with the Lord on Wednesdays has been shortened today because Julianne called and her face is swelling again, so my encouragement to us as we journey together to know the LORD, our Covenant Making and Covenant Keeping God, is to remember and include Him in every moment of the day...He is present, right here, right now. We don't have to enter the Holy of Holies to find Him. He dwells, lives, resides in us as believers!

Retracing My Steps in Israel: A Pilgrimage of the Heart~Part 8

Continuing Day 2-near Gath, a shepherd's cave

I am mesmerized by this picture, by hidden beauty that I see with my heart, beyond the dirt, cave, and weeds. Tears well in my eyes as I remember what was shared in this shepherd's cave on the side of the hill. This cave is near Gath (where Goliath is from), but that has nothing to do with the reason Rich brought us to this place.

Now in the cave, smell of sheep scat, smoke from fires past infiltrated our nostrils. Low ceilings, dirt, and messes from the sheep who had found shelter here surrounded our boots. We stood and soaked in our surroundings, looking at every detail. Sure it was shelter, but not one luxurious thing about it.

Rich began to share that Jesus Christ, our King of Kings and Lord of Lords was most likely born in a cave similar to this. This hole in a hill reeked of humility.

Jesus, my Redeemer, the One who has given me abundance of life,

made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

I have no words..just wanting to sit in it...sometimes words aren't needed. When is the last time I sat in absolute silence with the Lord and didn't rush a moment with Him, fixing my mind with intentionality, for 15 minutes, 30 minutes, even an hour, on Jesus Christ and His humility and the magnitude of the implications this has on me...on the world. Philippians 2 is beckoning me to feast on the Lord, my Bread of Life.

With Jeremiah I say:

When your words came,

I ate them;

they were my joy and my hearts delight,

for I bear your name,

O LORD God Almighty.

Jeremiah 15:16

Retracing My Steps in Israel: A Pilgrimage of the Heart~Part 7

Good Morning! Today I am posting some pictures of places God used to spiritually impact me the most while hiking in the Land! I will take time to explain them in the future. As I walk in the Spirit and sense His direction on what to do with my morning, the Lord has me spending time taking care of Ashlyn, who severely sprained her ankle when she slipped on our wood floor while in green tights. (She was dressed up as Peter Pan). Also, I will go visit Grandpa, who I haven't gotten to see in the last couple of weeks.

I got to enjoy quiet with the Lord early this morning as I meditating on Ezekiel 36 and what the Lord has removed and given us, as recipients of the new covenant!

Masada-2000ft. elevation climb in 45 minutes! God used a dear friend of my to show me Christ and teach me much about who He is during this hike! I call her Mickey the Goat, with great affection.

This is the Jordan River, the same river Jesus was baptized in! How in awe of the Lord I was, as I sat and watched those in our group identify themselves with Jesus Christ. I don't know if there was a dry eye among us. One thing I love about this photo is the boat with Jewish gals in the top of the picture. There were quite a few boats of girls passing by, on a field trip, most of them never paddled a boat before. What a joyful experience- real life happening all around us!

The Wilderness of Zin-the Israelites were in this desert, a place that is not survivable without God. The God of the desert. The God of just enough. This was our first crazy climb-no rails, but we did have ladders.

So much to share-I am about to burst with joy as I think back and take time to remember the Lord and what He taught me in these places and what I still have yet to learn! Show us your glory!

Retracing My Steps in Israel: A Pilgrimage of the Heart~Part 6

Continuing Day 2...Onto Azekah, which is south of our last site-Beth Shemesh.

When you think Azekah, think David & Goliath!

This is the beginning of our climb to Azekah, an intense shorter but heart racing hike(if you weren't in the best shape, like me). This hill set the standard to how our following hikes were compared, such as, Masada is Azekah times 3 or something like that. I personally think Masada was Azekah times 10. (Stay tuned for Masada--that particular climb was the most significant for me spiritually while in Israel.) The picture does not paint the sweat and laborious breathing. Yvonne, drink your Gatorade and breath!

Made it! Mike Slayden (his back is seen in the picture as he teaches about the significance of this place. We are looking down at the Valley of Elah where David killed Goliath. I think Mike might be pointing to Bethlehem, where David, a boy of maybe 13 traveled from to bring food to his brothers and see how they were.)

This is a great view of the Valley of Elah. Picture the Philistines on the hill opposite the one we are on and the Israelites camping out on Azekah and in the Valley of Elah. Almost in the top center part of the picture, where the color is golden, is a creek bed where David may have retrieved his 5 smooth stones. It was surreal seeing the reality of the place. The story of David and Goliath that I learned 30 some years ago, wasn't just a story. It really happened! God's power is just as real!

1 Samuel 17 was wonderful to meditate on this morning-

Saul and the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.

So much for a fearless leader.

Why do I become afraid?

Their fear was humanly legitimate-

Goliath was 9'9" tall

His armored weighed in at 124 lbs

The end of his spear was a whopping 15 lbs

(I can barely lift my 10lbs weights, let alone chuck it at someone.)

They had forgotten who their God was.

It was the Philistine god-Dagon.

He was and is Yahweh, our Covenant Making, Covenant Keeping God.

David-a boy

He came from Bethlehem to bring food to his brothers.

Fear is contagious and had infiltrated the Israelite camp.

Fresh on the scene, David's mind was fixed on God, not self.

The name of God and His renown was at the forefront of his mind.

Who defies the army of the Living God?

David tells Saul, "your servant will fight him (Goliath)."

Three times people say David can't do it...you are only a boy.

Didn't use traditional weapons for war, used what he was skilled with-

5 smooth stones

This shepherd had confidence in the power of God.

Do I have that type of confidence?

Do I know and believe and see this power of God?

So confident that he RAN toward Goliath to kill him.

David's experience as a shepherd, protecting his sheep and killing a lion and bear, had prepared him for this moment in time. He knew the Lord would use his skills and experience to bring victory! He didn't have to wear what all the other warriors did nor did he give into the pressure or honor of wearing Saul's armor.

David said to the Philistine, "You come against me with the sward and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied."

1 Samuel 17:45

Do I come against my enemy, Satan, the father of lies, in the name of the LORD Almighty?

Jehovah-saboath

The LORD of Hosts

The One who rules over all angelic hosts

His name brings deliverance

Victory

I am never alone in my battles

God is ruler over all the armies

Do I really believe God's -NAME- is powerful or doI live in such a way that it is just a name?

The fact that David ran toward his enemy was bolded in the text to me today. Do I run toward my enemy believing God has given me victory?

Retracing My Steps in Israel: A Pilgrimage of the Heart~Part 5

Good Morning Pilgrimagers (my name for those of us who are on a long journey with a purpose, all for the sake of seeing Jesus and worshipping Him)!

Today is going to be a little rest on the pilgrimage, a chance to "sit under an olive tree" and enjoy a few pictures in no particular order of my time in Israel.

I sense the Lord would have me go and be with a friend today and clean her house and cook with her, so I say, "Yes, Lord, I will follow You". As many of you know, I protect my Wednesday mornings with Jesus very carefully, but always want it to be led by Jesus Himself and today that means a diversion of my norm.

This picture was taken in honor of Melissa Danisi, who asked if I would snap a photo of an olive tree, because we are grafted in. Glory! As I sat under an olive tree and looked straight ahead of me on the Mt. of Olives, I had a perfect view of the Temple Mount! As I turned around and looked behind me, I captured this picture.

The above picture is me looking straight ahead from the tree I was sitting under, as I contemplated Jesus returning, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. O how I long for the Lord's return! Do you see the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount?

Day 2 of our trip, Jen, my precious friend and I were accidentally matchy matchy, so of course we needed a picture.

The Dead Sea-from our hotel room window watching the sunrise and sipping on french press coffee. Stacey, my roommate for the whole trip, made us coffee every morning. We were spoiled. This was a surreal moment when we sat there saying, "Can you believe we are really truly in Israel?"

Retracing My Steps in Israel: A Pilgrimage of the Heart~Part 4

Good Morning to day 2 of our trek through Israel!

Lord, do a work in my heart as I remember where I have been with You! Teach me, I am listening.

First stop--Beth Shemesh (means House of Sun)

A little background about this place:

Beth Shemesh is on the via maris, the trade route and crossroads of all commerce

It was a Danite Territory

A Levitical town

Samson was here

Israelites did not drive out the Canaanites here as the Lord had commanded

The Israelites didn't want the ark of the covenant, the very thing that represented the glory of God! We could see with our very own eyes the road the never before yoked cows had walked on by themselves to Beth Shemesh with the ark and offerings from the Philistines. Obviously the LORD had directed every single step of these oxen! It brought life to the pages of Scripture. The Israelites looked in the ark, knowing they were not to do this and God struck dead 70 men. They passed the ark off to Kiriath Jearim. (1 Samuel 6:1-21) A question that was asked to us: What does the Lord give me that I don't want because it might be inconvenient? (We could stay on this topic for awhile, but want to continue on for today. If you ever want to chat about this, I would love to!)

The Lord has had me meditating and processing Living Water and Cisterns at Beth Shemesh because we got to go in a cistern while we are at this location! A real one! What on earth is a cistern? I had always pictured it being a pit, like a well in the ground, deep with walls of dirt. This particular one (many are like this in Israel) could hold 54,000 gallons of water and we walked down under the ground to get to it. This was hewn out of stone. Fascinating, a father and son found this cistern in 1997, which is rather recent considering it has been there for thousands of years.

"My people have committed two sins; They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water." Jeremiah 2:13

(Take some time to read the verse again and again, don't just skim through it, let the Word wash over you, then check out the pictures of the actual cistern and mayim chayim-living water.)

We are carefully hiking down into the cistern. It held all 60+ of us with ease. That is huge, bigger than our pool, just to give some perspective.

Just for a moment we have jumped to another location, only so we can contrast mayim chayim and cisterns. We didn't go to this site until later in our trip. Can you see the difference? I want to go jump in this right now! This water bursting forth is smack dab in the middle of the desert!

(Blue is an appropriate color when talking about water, so hence the blue font. :) Originally I went with orange font but that got changed fast when I put 2 and 2 together!)

The Lord uses comparisons to help me see how desperately I need Him and not my manmade second rate ways to "collect water", feel free to add to my list:

Cistern

Manmade

Dries up

Stagnant & Bitter (sat for months)

Dark & Covered

Breaks

Doesn't make you feel fresh

Meets a need to live

Used for evil

Place for prisoners

Living Water (mayim chayim)

Made by the Creator

Endless supply

Fresh

Constant flow bursting forth

Powerful

Draws people

Beautiful to the eye

Always provides

Cleanses the body

Satisfies thirst

Out in the open

After contemplating a bit more on the drastic difference between the two, what is it that I gravitate to?

They both supply water, but which is lasting and satisfying?

Am I content drinking rainwater that has been sitting for months in a manmade pit, stagnant with no movement or am I willing to walk through the desert to find the boundless supply of fresh, powerful, satisfying, cleansing water?

Let's revisit Jeremiah 2:13: "My people have committed two sins (evil); They have forsaken (abandoned) Me, the spring of Living Water, and have dug (to cut a rock, hewn) their own cisterns (wells), broken (burst) cisterns that cannot hold water."

The Lord=Spring of Living Water

Cisterns=manmade things we create to satisfy our desires, that never measure up to the real deal

Why would I want anything less than Jesus, the Giver of Living Water, the Only one who can satisfy, refresh, and quench?

How have I turned my back on Jesus Christ and created temporal things that substitute what is true satisfaction, like the Israelites did?

I didn't grasp how powerful Living Water is until I saw it with my own eyes as it pounded on the heads of those who stood under it. The Spirit, who lives in us is Living Water, He is all powerful and as we believe Him, the same power that raised Christ from the dead is ours to use for His glory. Do I live daily, moment by moment in His power? O, I want to! He is everything to me. O how I need Him to grace me with faith to believe that He will give me everything I need for every second of the day!

The thing I catch myself trying to have satisfy me other than Christ is Brian. Years ago I memorized Ps. 90:14 because I would look to Brian for approval and affirmation and encouragement and...so the Lord began to teach me and say to my heart, "Yvonne, I am the Only One who can satisfy completely, that's how I designed it. Look to me." I didn't stop there, I looked up Scripture, studied it, meditated on it, and hid it in my heart because I had a feeling I would have to recall truth to mind more than once or twice.

Satisfy us in the morning

with Your unfailing love

that we may sing for joy

and be glad all our days.

Psalm 90:14

Come, all you who are thirsty,

come to the waters...

Why spend money on what is not bread

and your labor on what does not satisfy.

Listen, listen to Me

and your soul will delight in the

richest of fare.

Isaiah 55:1-3

What a joy to journey together with Christ, the Giver of Living Water!

Some of you have said the comment section hasn't been allowing you to post, I think that is fixed now if you desire. I love to read where the Lord has you as you walk with Him and how He is encouraging your heart through the Word and challenging you as well.

I love you deeply.

Retracing My Steps in Israel: A Pilgrimage of the Heart~Part 3

Today is going to be a day of pictures.

The Lord has me camping out in Jeremiah 2:13 and the two evils Israel committed. As I process more of what the Lord is teaching me concerning Living Water and Cisterns, I will devote next week to writing about just that.

For now, enjoy People & the Promised Land with no clear order or purpose...simply fun:

I am the vine, you are the branches...this picture really truly is taken in Israel. I can imagine in my mind Jesus teaching on this and using every day examples as he and the disciples walked along the way! ABIDE!

Shawna & I dripping in sweat and loving every second of it!

Ronen, our fabulous Jewish tour guide! That man has his masters in middle eastern culture or something of the sort. Brilliant. I learned so much under his teaching. Ronen means JOY!

Back to the first evening in Israel...just can't get over the awe of it!

O how I love Jesus! Thankful for His life and for putting on skin, so we could put Him on! O how we worship the King!

Retracing My Steps in Israel: A Pilgrimage of the Heart~Part 2

As we walked away from the Solomonic Gate at tel Gezer and up a hill, what stood before me caused my heart to leap! I had to contain myself to not run down the hill and jump up and down. I am 37 (36 at the time) and had to at least act mature for the younger folk.

It has been my dream to see real "live" Standing Stones! Here they are, right before my eyes. I might have squealed, but I am not going to tell.

Rocks of Remembrance

Standing Stones

have been significant

in my walk with Christ.

My mind raced to Joshua 3 & 4. (Gezer isn't near the Jordan River, the rocks just made me think of the story.) The Israelites cross the Jordan and into the Promised Land! They are finally home! The LORD didn't want them to forget, nor the generations after them, so He told Joshua to choose 12 men, one from each tribe, to each pick up a rock from the middle of the Jordan.

Why?

Joshua 4:6,7

...to serve as a sign among you.

In the future, when your children ask you,

'What do these stones mean?'

tell them that the flow of the Jordan was

cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD.

When it crossed the Jordan,

the waters of the Jordan were cut off.

These stones are to be a memorial

to the people of Israel forever.

The Israelites had some remembering to do of the LORD's love, faithfulness, power, Keeper of covenant...DO NOT FORGET!

I have remembering to do as well and physical reminders, like big stones, trigger me to remember-yes, LORD, you are faithful, You have taken this heart of stone and made it a heart of flesh, You have made an everlasting covenant with me!

As Rich began to teach at the Standing Stones, my excitement shifted to being solemn, sickened, and contemplative. These rocks had nothing to do with God Almighty, the One true God. It was a high place, a place of pagan worship, where prostitution and child sacrifice were practiced. Sensuality and murder.

What?

Even the Canaanites, those who didn't worship God,

took time to remember and worship

something

someone.

Help Lord! Since you created every person to worship,

the question is

Who or what am I remembering to worship?

Since I will act according to what I remember,

What standing stones do I have erected in my life?

Solomon, a King who worshiped God, who controlled Gezer, never tore down these high places of pagan worship or demolish the stones, as the Lord had commanded, because his heart was divided because of his wives. A whole people were led astray thinking they could live with both-idols and God. The Lord says:

I am the LORD; that is my name!

I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols.

Isaiah 42:8

Are there any stones in my life that I or others have erected that must be demolished?

What am I remembering that doesn't shout grace and holiness?

Possibilities of pagan standing stones:

Unforgiveness

Putting people on a pedestal

Bitterness

Sensuality

Performance

Insecurity

Partial Grace

Pride

Selfishness

Kids

Husband

Friends

Impatience

Fear

Anxiety...

Must be demolished

As I sat in this for awhile, allowing the Spirit to search my heart, what must be destroyed and demolished in my life, something that doesn't shout-Jesus is HERE! He is recognizable- the Lord brought to mind a TV show I began to watch. Most shows begin fine, get ya hooked, then throw on some sensuality or a lot of it. I had to make the choice to not watch this show I had gotten into. It's amazing how easy it can be for me to justify the "little things". The Lord said, "STOP". I haven't watched it since. I confess to you that I have been tempted, thinking, maybe this time won't be like the last, but lifting the name of Jesus high is way more important to me than satisfying my desire to relax and be entertained...so I continue to say, I can't...not gonna go there.

HOW I remember the Lord is as essential as oxygen is to life!

As I smile for this picture, I am perplexed in my mind, do I smile or frown? What should my face look like as I stand next to these stones that are 10-20 feet tall that represent evil?

I chose to smile

because of what these rocks taught me

how desperately I need

Jesus, my Living Stone!

The only way a stone can be living is if the Lord breaths life into it!

Strong, obvious to others, moving around,

not in one place like other standing stones

Shows the World that Jesus is ALIVE!

I am like a living stone...am I pointing all to the Living Stone?

I want my every thought, my every memory to be of Jesus Christ! The Only One who is worthy of my remembering and living!

Our time at Gezer has drawn to a close as Shabbot was about to begin. We paused soaking in the view; we were really in Israel. Lizz read Deuteronomy 6 as the sun set. O the Presence of the Lord was thick. The cry of my heart-Lord, show me Your glory! You are my Gate and my Living Stone.

I would love to hear your answers to questions I posed to myself as I journeyed through the Land. Will you sharpen me, encourage me, and challenge me. I need you!

Retracing My Steps in Israel: A Pilgrimage of the Heart~Part 1

As we stepped off of the plane in Israel, we met Ronen, our Jewish tour guide, and Eli, our bus driver. One of the first things we were told in the Promised Land was, "A picture speaks a thousand words. While you are here, we will show you a thousand pictures." That phrase played over and over in my mind during our 10 day trip.

Rich, our leader from Hume, shared with us that as Americans we think in words: God is omnipotent, omnipresent, and so on. The Jewish people think in pictures: God is our Rock, Fortress..I think I have become Jewish, because my mind is filled with pictures of a place that is in my blood and feel the urgency to go back and see more of the glory of God (yes, I know that the earth is full of His glory and I see it all around me...there is just something about that place...)!

My desire is to share some "pictures" with you that have changed my life forever and have grown my love for the LORD Jesus by leaps and bounds. This is quite a discipline for me, because writing doesn't flow from me, yet the Lord uses it to cement things He has and is teaching me. Plus, if there is any way to peak your interest in visiting the Land the Lord chose, I am jumping in your suitcase!

First Stop immediately after leaving the airport:

Gezer (means "

increase")

Some insight into Gezer:

*It's a tel-a hill, 26 civilizations are on top of each other.

*A great place for a city because it is near water, food, defensible, on the via maris trade route.

*18 miles north west of Jerusalem

*Town was apart of Ephraim's inheritance.

*A Levitical town

As Joshua began to conquer Canaan, the Israelites defeated the King of Gezer near Lachish, but the Canaanites were never completely driven out. David struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon to Gezer. King Solomon inherited Gezer because it was a wedding gift to one of his wives from her father, Pharaoh, the King of Egypt. He used forced labor to build up the wall around Gezer and the town itself (Joshua 10; Judges 1:28,29; 2 Samuel 5:22-25; 1 Chronicles 20:4; 1 Kings 9:15-17).

The Gate

This is the first picture etched in my mind and has had significant spiritual ramifications in my life.

It was hard for me to put my mind around the fact that we were sitting on part of a gate to a city that was thousands of years old!

This was a Solomonic Gate, as Solomon built similar gates in various cities.

It wasn't simply a gate with a door that swung back and forth. A person entering or leaving the city would have to walk through a small tunnel where there were rooms or chambers on either side of you and above you. This would aid in protection of the city because the gate is the weakest part of the city.

As I contemplated why the gate was so significant, these thoughts rushed into my mind: the gate opens and closes; it serves as a filter of who comes and goes; prepares someone to enter the city; a place of influence, prestige, justice, prominence. With a little research through God's Word, I discovered that the Gate is the place to be! If one wanted to know what was going on, hear important announcements, hear God's Word, to seek a decision from judges, or to buy food. It seems similar to what Twitter, Costco, Life Group, Court, People magazine all lumped into one place is to us today. (I photo boothed this drawing of what a city gate may have looked like. It helped me envision the hustle and bustle better.)

A place of influence...

While sitting at the Solomic Gate, we were asked a couple of questions:

Where does God have me to influence others?

or

Am I being influenced by the world?

I continued with more questions for the Lord to search my heart:

How can I be distinct and different from the natural current of our culture?

&

How am I influencing our culture and others?

Influences in our modern context:

Social Media Church Family Friends My home

• Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, movies, tv
• Podcasts, pastors, professors, leaders
• Mom, Dad, sisters, brothers, inlaws, kids
• One on one conversations, life group

Obviously this is not an extensive list, but seems overwhelming, none the less, so where do I begin?

MY HOME! It makes absolute sense! This is my primary place of influence. Whoever enters through our door, my prayer is that they sense the peace of Jesus Christ: a sacred, safe, warm place where all can find Jesus in every corner, oozing with His love. What do I allow through our "gate" or front door? If I allow things that are just ok or blatantly sinful to enter, it's as if I would allow an enemy to enter my fortified city. We would never allow that! That would defeat the whole purpose of having a gate: to filter who can come and go.

I read in a Bible dictionary, "to have the gate, is to have the city". Who is the authority of our "gate"? Who filters who comes and goes?

Jesus

He is the Door

He is the Gate

He is the Authority of our home

The Lord answered my question quite simply: with Christ as our Door, we, the Downs, will only allow such things to enter our home that lift up the name of Jesus and cause Him to be recognizable.

Some things are easy for us to figure out what to allow, other things are subtle, and Satan, the father of lies, who love nothing better than to trick us into thinking the little things are ok and won't hurt too much. But the question must remain, are we distinct and different and filled with grace or do we look like the norm of our culture? O, how abiding in Christ is the answer!

What tv shows and movies will I watch at home? This is one the Lord has had to convict me with more than once. I like tv and to enjoy a good show. I began to watch a show this summer online and the Spirit began prodding my heart to stop. Great action but it began to include sensuality and the Lord is so clear that there should be no hint of it, so it took some weeks before I made the commitment to stop watching it all together. I sensed my flesh desiring more and knew that was my queue to be done. Upon seeking the Lord more extensively about Jesus being my Door, I made a clear decision- ENOUGH. The thing is, it wasn't horrible, just not best or even good. Psalm 15 and Philippians 4 kept coming to mind. Yes, Lord, I humbly submit to You! You have all my affections and I willingly surrender this to you. It's been a few weeks. The thought enters my mind to watch it and I quickly say, "nope, not gonna go there" and then fix my gaze on Jesus!

More areas: my conversations, books I read, magazines, my time, what I eat & drink, etc.

Will you read John 10 and then I would LOVE to hear where the Lord is leading you in this or what you are wrestling with.

If you actually made it through this post, you may not have had any idea that you would really be on a pilgrimage (a long journey with a purpose), that is only the half of what the Lord has stirring in my heart concerning The Gate!

Thank you for the accountability from some of you to make sure I took the time to journal this today. The Body of Christ blesses and sharpens me!

Retracing My Steps in Israel: A Pilgrimage of the Heart

My last post was some 10 months ago and what the Lord has done in that time is powerful and breathtaking.  He is glorious!

The previous post was written by Brian as we enjoyed time in the Grand Tetons on a family vacation this summer!  He usually writes witty entries about the trips we take, but the mountains beckoned us and taking care of Julianne (with her broken leg) didn't allow for blog time.

Every Wednesday I am devoting the morning to retrace the steps we hiked in Israel and dive into the Word concerning each city or place mentioned.  The Lord is using this time to transform my heart and mind in significant ways.  I would love to invite you on my pilgrimage of the heart.  As a part of the process of the Lord teaching me through His Word, I will post what I have learned for the day.

I love Him more now than ever!  I long to know and love Him more deeply every single day!  He is worthy!

Grand Tetons (take 2)

So after visiting Jackson Hole, WY and the Grand Tetons several years ago, Yvonne had it in mind to return.  So after some prodding, we got the entire Downs clan to join us for a week.

Of course while Yvonne is in Israel, that left me to get things ready... which gave me the opportunity to take the kids up to Yosemite for a quick trip and hike around and look at the waterfalls.  Figured since I was buying a park pass I should use it as much as possible.  Needless to say a photo op turned into me having to carry Julianne down the mountain with a broken leg.  And having to get her into urgent care and a specialist ended up causing us to leave a bit later than I had planned.















So off we go, Julianne with her custom Dodge Caravan recliner and me with two additional drivers.
We were able to stop off and see some friends outside of Reno the first night, then it was the long trek across Nevada.  What a waste of asphalt... Seriously, if aliens keep coming here, I say give it to them, at least we could maybe tax them, think of all the tariffs we could put on intergalactic commerce.












There was one section of roadway which made me dream I was in a Pixar title sequence.  That only lasted a couple of seconds until a billion bugs decided to use my windshield as expression art.

The bright point of the day? Finding a gas station selling at under 3.50 a gallon.  Then the sunset reminded me that...hey, wake up, don't buy the lie that this is cheap...












Oh, boy what fun this trip will be.  Now if only got a few hours before Yvonne gets here and I'd better think of some things to talk about.

Two Lives Intersect...forever changed.

THIS IS A LONG POST, BUT ABSOLUTELY AMAZING TO SEE THE LORD'S HAND IN EVERY DETAIL, SO ONLY READ THIS IF YOU HAVE SOME UN RUSHED MOMENTS AND IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE LORD'S LOVE AND SOVEREIGNTY IN A PROFOUND WAY.

You are about to enter into two ladies' lives who "happened" to meet on a plane going from Fresno to Dallas. What has taken place is supernatural...this is how the Lord works, only He can transform our hearts.

Betty Nobles and I have written Facebook messages to each other over the past 4 days and with her permission we want to testify of the Lord's kindness to us and that He is greater than our sorrows. Also, that we would each be encouraged to ask the Lord to fill us, His empty vessels, (whether we are a row boat or a luxury ship), with who He is, so as to proclaim Him every moment of the day no matter where we are or what we are doing. We are simply a tent that carries Jesus from place to place...

Summer 2007 (Betty and I took time to recollect our lives the day we met and this is the first time we have shared this from our perspectives.)

Yvonne: August 4, 2007 (at least I think this is the actual day) marked a day in life that would be etched in my heart as long as I have breath. The Sovereign LORD orchestrated each detail of this day and knew what would take place, before time began. What is amazing is every single day is under His absolute control motivated by love, all for His glory! I felt much anticipation as this day approached, because I was flying to Florida to pick up Julianne, our 11 year old, who had served with Teen Missions in Honduras for six weeks. (Julianne would soon learn that we were moving to Fresno within three weeks of her arrival home after living at Hume for almost 13 years.) The Lord’s hand was evident for, Brian, months before had booked First Class tickets with flyer miles. Never had I flown in such luxury before that summer and felt so blessed to enjoy warmed mixed nuts and huge seats. As usual, I asked the Lord to fill me, His empty vessel, with His love and to use me as He saw fit, to share His matchless love with anyone He would lead me to, whether it was in a line at the airport, the bathroom, or in plush seating at the front of the plane. Betty Nobles, you sat down right next to me, just the two of us, since First Class only had two seats per row…see what I mean, God Almighty is in even the smallest detail!

I remember reading my Bible and memorizing Scripture on 3 x 5 index cards (within three hours of meeting you, I wrote your info on one of those cards) and soaking up the quiet moments of a full summer of ministering at Romance Conferences at Hume. We chitchatted about where we were going and a bit about our lives, and somehow our conversation led into the Lord’s love. I loved you so much, Betty. The Lord flooded my soul with deep affection for you. Isn’t that breathtaking? I didn’t even know you, but that is what the Jesus does, He lavishes His love on us, so that we can’t help but love deeply. My heart broke when you shared that I didn’t know where you had been and what you had done and that the Lord really couldn’t love you because of your life. Oh how I longed for you to experience the real love of God through Jesus Christ. I had no idea where you had been in your life or the secrets that you carried, but I knew myself and the sin and brokenness of my own life and how the Lord restored me…and if the Lord could redeem me, there was no doubt, not one iota, that He could do that in you. The blood of Jesus Christ is all-powerful!

I kept asking the Lord for wisdom and that some how, some miraculous way you would know and believe that you were precious to the Lord and that He loved you completely, without any conditions, that the day you acted your best and the day you were most ashamed, that He loved you absolutely on both days and every one in between and for all eternity! I have experienced the Lord’s grace and mercy in such a profound way and I desperately wanted you to know it in your soul.

I had “In Christ Alone”, a modern hymn, in my Bible and on the side of the paper I had taken notes for a sermon I heard. I have no idea what the sermon was on or what was written in the margin, but I wanted you to walk off the plane with the truth, “no guilt in life, no fear in death, this is the power of Christ in me…”

In Christ Alone lyrics

Songwriters: Getty, Julian Keith; Townend, Stuart Richard;

In Christ alone my hope is found


He is my light, my strength, my song


This Cornerstone, this solid ground


Firm through the fiercest drought and storm



What heights of love, what depths of peace


When fears are stilled, when strivings cease


My Comforter, my All in All


Here in the love of Christ I stand



In Christ alone, who took on flesh


Fullness of God in helpless Babe


This gift of love and righteousness


Scorned by the ones He came to save



Til on that cross as Jesus died


The wrath of God was satisfied


For every sin on Him was laid


Here in the death of Christ I live,

There in the ground His body lay


Light of the world by darkness slain


Then bursting forth in glorious Day


Up from the grave He rose again



And as He stands in victory


Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me


For I am His and He is mine


Bought with the precious blood of Christ



No guilt in life, no fear in death


This is the power of Christ in me


From a life’s first cry to final breath


Jesus commands my destiny



No power of hell, no scheme of man


Could ever pluck me from His hand


Til He returns or calls me home


Here in the power of Christ I stand



I couldn’t help but put these words to the song in our story, because regularly when I hear or sing this song, you come to my mind. We parted ways, you heading home and I was continuing on to Florida, amazed with the intentionality of the Lord. I prayed for you as I flew the rest of the way across the USA.

Betty: When I got on that plane to Dallas....and saw you....I thought you were the most beautiful person I had ever seen....but when you spoke about Jesus.....I thought I was sitting with an angel....Your words just flowed like someone else was speaking....and I know it was the Holy Spirit.....I needed someone to talk to....My father was about to have to start kidney dialysis....He was 89 years old at the time....and I lived in Dallas and yearned to be closer to him so I could help my mother...For 6 years I had been driving 3 1/2 hours each way to be with my family on my days off and I was so tired.....You ministered to me on that plane ride and consoled me like you had known me all my life...What an impression you made that day......You prayed for me and told me how much Jesus loved me.....but I really didn't think He did.....When we said goodbye that day....I knew I would never forget you and what you had with God.

Back to our "normal" lives- August & September 2007-2008

Yvonne: We moved to Fresno August 21, 2007 and the Lord kept impressing on my heart to either call or email you just to say hello and let you know I was thinking about you. On the plane you said you either didn’t have a Bible or if you did, you didn’t have any idea where it was. I am not sure if I am remembering that correctly, but I couldn’t wait to go to Berean Book Store and get a Bible for you with your name inscribed on it, hoping that you would know that the Lord wanted to show you how much He loved you.

Betty: A miracle happened about a week later....I was offered a job in Austin....only 1 hour from my parents.....My father started dialysis on the 16th of September,2007....With this new job.....I was able to take the days off I needed to be with him and help my mother by driving him to the clinic....People his age usually can't take the harshness of dialysis....but he wanted to live and he never complained about the huge needles that were used and having to be stuck sometimes up to 5 times before they could get it right or the having to sit still for 5 hours because if he moved his arm...they might have to start over again.....I wanted to cry each time I drove him to the clinic....because every time...he would say "thank you hon" .Eventually it got worse and worse for him.....sometimes he would be so weak...he couldn't get out of the car...and we had to call an ambulance to help us.....I thought of quitting my job....but was hoping for a miracle that American would offer an early retirement package...They had been talking about it for months and months...and on September 5th,2008....I was able to move in with my parents to care for my father.....

Now...going back when I received the bible you sent me.....I couldn't believe you would send me a bible....and then to have my name placed on it....There are no words to say how grateful I was for you to do that for me. And to continue to call me with no answer from me....I can only say how sorry I am.....I suppose I was running from God....and if I talked to you....I would have to think about Him....but....even after moving 3 times.....I carried that brown paper with your name and address on it with me each time.....I only threw it away a few months ago.....

2009

Yvonne: My heart soared the day, about a year and a half after we met, you answered the phone. It was in April of 2009 (maybe…I am not so good with dates. J) I was flying and didn’t even need a plane to do it. I felt then that the Lord had given me such a gift in hearing your voice. The Lord continued to bring you to my mind over the last year and a half we didn’t have communication and I would speak of you to my family and some dear friends in the Lord.

Betty: My father continued to get worse....and my mind was all consumed with him....never having the relationship I wish I had had with God during this time.....and when it was my fathers last day on earth....it was not an easy death for him and I blamed God for deserting him.....My father was buried exactly 1 year after I retired....September 5th,2009....I feel like I lost my soul this past year.....

Summer through November 2010

Betty: I was so disappointed in God.....and my grief nearly destroyed me......but I started comforting others who lost people in their lives....telling them things about God that I didn't apply to my own life......and finally,I did something I didn't have to do for someone whose mother had died.....and God touched me with His glory and my heart changed.....I knew true love for Him...and I knew His true love for me.....all the tightness in my chest was gone and I had only joy.....When I went places....people looked at me differently....I saw everyone how God sees them....with great love.....I decided never to let go of Him.....again..........That feeling has faded.....but I will wait for it again...No matter how long it takes...That's when He put it in my heart to start reading the bible....and I wanted to tell you but didn't have your last name anymore.......I opened my bible and there you had written such sweet words to me and had included your first and last name....I am so thankful for that.....and here we are......again....So thankful for you......You are my gift!

Yvonne: A few months ago, I tried to find you on Facebook and your name didn’t pop up, and didn’t know if we would ever be able to connect on this earth again. Praise the name of Jesus, He knows our heart’s desires! I love His perfect timing.

November 12, 2010

Yvonne: Facebook Friend Request--“Are you the Yvonne Downs who I met on a plane and sent me a Bible?” I read that, squealed and told Charlotte, a gal who lives with us, “Betty Nobles Facebooked me!” The Lord has used you to teach me more of His relentless pursuit of us, that He is our Shepherd and will find His Sheep. I know that He will continue to use you to care for others as they grieve in this world of pain and brokenness and that nothing compares to knowing Christ Jesus our Lord, the God of all comfort. Thank you for letting me see into your life the work the Lord is doing in you! Oh how He loves us!!

After 3 1/2 years of asking the Lord for Betty to know and believe the love of Jesus, the Lord has answered!!! I glory in Him.

The message below is part of the first interaction Betty and I have had in a year and a half:

Betty: Yvonne....God is so amazing and shows us His love in so many ways......I had kept the wrapping from the bible you sent me for many years.....and just last year threw it away....never knowing how much I needed to tell you thank you for never giving up on me and for your prayers for me......Oh how I wished I hadn't thrown it away......and I picked up my bible this morning....and read the words you wrote in side....and there your last name stood........God DOES love me!

Does this encourage your heart and grow your faith? We are so loved by Jesus Christ! Let's daily remember His love and live in it!