SWORDS OF IRON & NORTHERN ARROWS (2nd year)

NAHARIYA, ISRAEL. SUNDAY 03.11.24

(Micah 6:8) He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the Lord require of you
But to do justly, To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

With the war going on, one tends to glue oneself to news on the media, to check what other people are thinking and doing, and to see how many people left the country. All activities that in the long run cause aggravation, and keep one's focus away from one's priorities. I was unhappy with the direction my thoughts and attention were going. As I mumble a word or two to God, He reminds me of Micah 6:8. “Check your priorities!”

Oy, He can speak a short lecture, does He? A verse or two and I see the need for changing my direction.

So what are my priorities?

1- walk close to God. In February, when my eyesight failed me and they started to “shoot” my eye, I was unable to read my bible. My daily walk with Him flattered. It affected my prayer time and our relationship. In the last few weeks, Willie had been reading a Psalm every night and a chapter of the Bible every morning. It brought me back to the centre, God comes first. Two days ago I was able to join Willie in the reading, I could see well enough to reread the bible. Praise God.

2 - Look after me and keep my health up. Adding food supplements and Complete protein to my diet did wonders for my body. Increased energy and strength allowed me to add exercise at home and morning walks. It is important to be healthy and strong in Israel. The Home Front has mainly school-age children and old people who need to be looked after. Israel's population is an upside-down pyramid, the top is loaded with the aged. Most of the strong, 20-50 crowd is at the front, with the Israeli Army. We, older ones need to be strong and not a burden. So I do my part – I stay healthy.

3 - love my husband and help him to be strong & healthy so we can age together.

4 – relationship with friends and neighbours. Keep them in prayer, and spread God's love.

5 - Work my business, and help others to stay healthy and productive.

When my priorities were clear, my focus shifted away from the war and the worries. I was able to sleep better, wake up with a song, and laugh much more. The News is forcing a way into my life with the sirens, but my eyes are on God and my vision is clearer.

(Lamentation 3:22-23)

Through the Lord’s mercies, we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness 

SWORDS OF IRON (2nd year) & NORTHERN ARROWS

NAHARIYA, ISRAEL. Saturday 02.11.24

Finger Size Shrapnel 

Yesterday, I asked many of our prayer warriors around the globe to pray for Willie. He slept off and on all day and was dragging his feet when he walked. I was concerned.

War Fatigue?

The Britannica Dictionary definition of BATTLE FATIGUE

• A mental illness that is caused by the experiences of fighting in a war and that causes extreme feelings of nervousness, depression, etc. Also called combat fatigue, or shell shock.

Although I felt that it was not a physical issue, I wasn't sure that it was a spiritual one until the thought hit my brain, “how would you support yourself if he is dead?” Then I knew. This was a thought whispered in my ear by satan; Willie is not supporting us now, God does. God has been supporting us for more years than I can count. We learned to pray for needs, not for money. We have no debts. We give tithe, offerings, and whatever God says to give to whoever He points out. And God covers all of our bills. When one of us dies, the others will be supported by Him, regardless.

(Romans 5:5) Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

No, what Willie was experiencing was fatigue. I called it War Fatigue. We are at a war, we pray almost 24/7, we have covered the border with Lebanon since 2008 with prayers and now we also pray for the nation, the settlements, the Lebanonees who live among us and their families on the other side of the border, for the hostages, for the wounded, for the Lord of Hosts to sent His armies to win this battle. Willie was told this week by God that He plans to eliminate the terrorists of Hezbollah and Hamas totally and we need to pray that our government and IDF leadership will not give up until it is done. Of course, we are fatigued.

A shrapnel fell down by the building as I tried to write this blog. It sounded like it hit the building when it fell. Escalation of activities comes with increased noise and more sirens and phone calls we make to check on friends. It increases in a direct correlation to the increase in our tiredness. We are not mentally ill, and being that our general is Yeshua, we will not suffer from a long-lasting shock effect. We are, however, very sleepy.

When I wrote asking for prayers, a few phone calls from across the globe came in. Most encouraging. One does not know how extremely warm and loving the act of phoning another until you are on the receiving side. It lifted our spirits. I cannot thank you enough for your prayers and caring and for reaching out to touch us. It sounds corny, but it is a sanity and life-saving action. Thank You.

(Ephesians 3:16-19) that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

We waited for rain all through Sukkot, like we do every year. This year I kept looking at the blue sky and thinking that even if there are rain clouds, the activities in the sky just drive them away. Karmiel, northeast of us, just had golf balls hail, our turn is next.

It is only 17:15 but it is dark now. It also quieted down. The last Hostile aircraft showed up at Binyamina 34 minutes ago. Maybe we'll be eating supper in peace.

(Isaiah 26:3) You will keep him in perfect peace,

Whose mind is stayed on You,
Because he trusts in You.

SWORDS OF IRON (2nd year) & NORTHERN ARROWS

NAHARIYA, ISRAEL. WEDNESDAY. 30.10.24

(Jeremiah 29:11) “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope”

While we lived in Canada, I hated this time of year. Around Halloween, I felt the spirits of hell coming out to play.

When our sons were 6 and 1, they were taken to “friends” to get candies. That night they both fell asleep and did not wake up for 48 hours. In the ER I was told that they consumed drugs. I never allowed them to go out again on Halloween, and in times, I refused to give candies to the kids who came to our door. I was rather disappointed when they allowed their daughters to go out on October 31^st, “the other kids went out we don't want them to be different”.

But those of us who know God whether Jews or believers, are different. We don't worship satan in any shape or form. We avoid actions that might be interpreted as evil or have the appearance of evil. At least we are supposed to know the difference.

I feel these spirits tonight. We don't celebrate Halloween in Israel. But the spirits of evil know it is their time. They have been attacking us today since 03:52.The noises are made by our soldiers,
sailors and pilots that diverted the drones and rockets from Lebanon; it continued with sirens all along the coastal line from Lebanon as far south as Ashdod and Ashkelon. Hundreds of terrorists are coming out of the tunnels, wearing only underwear surrendering to Israel. They complained that the Israelis let them sit for hours naked outdoors. At least they had fresh air and water, and it was warm outside – much better conditions than they gave our hostages, which we still don't know if any are still alive.

A spiritual war. Demons screeching like it is Halloween night – I keep praying for our young men and women to return home safe.

(Philippians 4:7) And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

SWORDS OF IRON (2nd year) & NORTHERAN ARROWS

Earthquake

NAHARIYA, ISRAEL. SATURDAY 26.10.24

Life in Israel is never dull.

We went to bed around 8 pm (20:00). It became necessary. One never knows if we have a full night's sleep or not. We didn't tonight.

Praise God - around 4 am a siren woke us up. The phone fell out of my hands a few times while I tried to leave a message to our “checking on everyone in the North group”.

“Sleeping”, I finely wrote and turned over in bed to continue my sleep. Around 6 am a siren + loud announcement "Earthquake" shook us up.

- “Earthquake, we have to leave the buildings, away from falling stones and such, get going”.

• “Do you feel anything? “

• “No, but I heard the voice”

• “but...”

• “no buts, the alarm sounds 5 minutes before the event; get dressed”

I just made up that rule. I am slow, and I had to add socks and shoes for safely running down the stairs. Misty was as calm as they came. My friend upstairs did not show up. Willie peeked outside - people gathered on the sidewalk.

We started to pray out loud, for wisdom, protection and peace of heart. Whatever happens, do not be afraid, you have Yeshua overseeing all.

Still in bewilderment, we went down our 60 stairs to talk to the young neighbours who made it outdoors and were as unsure as us. We prayed and felt safe but that was the first time ever for that announcement.

The outside cats gathered for their customary breakfasts and for patting; they showed no signs of worry. “the animals are peaceful” said the lady from the next building “It must have been a false alarm”.

It also was the second time for morning exercise, we need to be in shape over here. 

I called Hot-line #106 of our municipality and waited for a long time for an answer. The entire city was online! “We just got that alarm like you did. All we know is that all is clear and you can go back home”. The young voice was calm and assuring; we returned home.

Notices came in from everywhere on the globe - “Israel hit military targets in Iran; Israel blow up 380 tons of explosives in an underground city in Lebanon, it set off the alarm for Northern Israel”

I was still putting my socks and shoes on and they already knew the reason and the result. Amazing.

What is even more amazing to me is that the army bosses named the strike on Iran “Operation Days of Repentance”.

07:20 – A statement from the spokeswoman of Nahariya Municipality:

“Following the warnings that were heard regarding an earthquake in large areas of the country, the IDF stated that it was a false discovery and there is no fear of a security incident.
🔸 The IDF attacked Iran tonight, and our forces returned safely, we are in tense days but as of now there is no change in the defensive instructions for the city.”

It is 08:35 now, and it is good to know that everything is still in the hands of God.

As I often say, it is never dull in Israel. We would be so bored in a Canadian Old Age Facility... Thank God He called us home.

(Isaiah 46:11) Calling a bird of prey from the east,
The man who executes My counsel, from a far country.
Indeed I have spoken it;
I will also bring it to pass.
I have purposed it;
I will also do it. 

SWORDS OF IRON (383) & NORTHERAN ARROWS

NAHARIYA, ISRAEL. Wednesday. 23.10.24

Today, is “Hoshana Raba”, meaning “Save Us Abba” (Father). A day of prayers, asking God for His salvation from all the enemies of the nation. There are lots of them right now and the prayers' area at the Kotel (Western Wall) in Jerusalem is packed.

I thank God that the nation is turning toward Him for help and acknowledging that only He can truly save us.

Tomorrow, is “Simchat Torah”, meaning, “Joy of the Torah” (God's law. The first 5 books of the bible). A day of gladness, for God gave us His word, His law thus declaring us His nation. However, tomorrow, (as per our Jewish calendar) is also a year to October 7 Massacre.

(Isaiah 61:3)

To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”

Tomorrow, will be a day of immense gladness only if all the abducted hostages return home; only if God will turn the sadness, the heartaches, and

the horrors of the massacre into a day of freedom and return our people home.

(Jeremiah 31:16-17)

“Refrain your voice from weeping,
And your eyes from tears;
For your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord,
And they shall come back from the land of the enemy.
There is hope in your future, says the Lord,
That your children shall come back to their own border.”

SWORDS OF IRON (382) & NORTHERN ARROWS

22.10.2024

22.10.2024

NAHARIYA, ISRAEL. TUESDAY. 22.10.24

This coming Shabbat the Torah reading starts over again, from its very beginning.

(Genesis 1:1)

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.”

That's the fact of our existence. God is. He created. Without Him, there is no life. When we start our day, our meditation is on Him. Our questions are toward Him and our answers are from Him.

God is the antidote for the stress and the fear and all these other things that we are experiencing daily in Israel. Over ½ the country was in bomb shelters this past night and early morning.

But we know that He is our Iron Dome.

Moses wrote as he was instructed by God, for the future leaders of Israel:

(Deuteronomy 17:18)

“Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. “

We pray continually for our leaders to follow God's direction and to have His wisdom.

When Joshua was instituted as the general of Israel after Moses, God commanded him,

(Joshua 1:8-9) “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

It is always the same command. It is always the same direction. Follow God. Meditate on His Word. It brings you blessings. God's Word gives you long life, wisdom, direction for your daily needs, health, strength and courage. It is your protection, always.

SWORDS OF IRON (381) & NORTHERN ARROWS

NAHARIYA, ISRAEL. Monday. 21.10.24

(Matthew 4:16)

“The people who
sat in darkness have seen a great light,
And upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death Light has dawned.”

This verse was in my head when I woke up. My sight has been blurring in the last few days, and it is nagging at me. So I hear the Lord, and I think of the practical application for my eyes.

My heart is aching continuously for the abducted hostages. I pray for their release and ask God to bring them home miraculously. As do my prayer partners.

In our early morning prayer meeting this verse was repeated. I took it as a confirmation that God is hearing our prayers, sees our hearts and attends to our hopes.

“God looks at everything through the view of eternity” - my best friend Helene [26 Oct 1942 - 19 Nov 2015], used to repeat often. As her birthday approaches, I remember her teaching. It still guides me, corrects my thoughts and brings me back to a closer relationship with Him.

In the current situation, as the war being referred to, it is not easy to keep my heart and mind on Him. The atmosphere around us affects my emotional state and sadness seeps into my being and floods it . I need to struggle often toward joy and hope and swim upward to God. At times it feels like I'm drowning, but a lifeline always thrown at me from somewhere helping me to hang on and surface up again.

Willie adopted a new habit, he reads Psalms to me each night. Surprisingly, it helps me to sleep more peaceful. God is my lifeline. I pray that the people around us will see Him also and surface up from the sadness that is flooding them. 

SWORDS OF IRON (380) & NORTHERN ARROWS

Comfort Time

NAHARIYA, ISRAEL. Sunday. 20.10.24

“I feel the war today”, says my man.

Sirens are on before we leave the house and
when we come back; bombing sounds are loud we see the diversion making little white clouds up in the blue sky while we walk, and the birds are conversing loudly across the treetops in the park. We ran out of “Vegetable & Fruit” capsules for a week and feel sluggish and older. Yes, the war is getting to us.

It was a week of ups and downs. God allowed a rookie to shoot Sinwar and bring a release of breath that non of us knew we held in. What a great saviour we have.

We trust that He will safely bring the abducted hostages home as well.

PM Netanyahu's house in Caesarea was bombed today, and no one was wounded. Bibi and Sara were not home. The house next door was damaged as well.

We were blessed by a couple who hosted us in their Sukkah in Nahariya, and another couple are waiting for us to arrive in their place tomorrow in another town and join them in their booth on the balcony. We are debating that trip since we will need to take the train. So far, however, public transportation is flowing easily across the country.

God is keeping us well hidden from all harm. 

(JER 16:19) O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction...

SWORDS OF IRON (377) & NORTHERN ARROWS

NAHARIYA, ISRAEL. Thursday.17.10.24

Matching Colors

Chag Sameach. It is the first day of Sukkot, thus a Shabbat.

In the past two hours Northern Israel from the Mediterranean Sea, along the Confrontation Line, as far as the Central and Upper Galilee, experienced barrages of sirens and rockets. I am praying that all of our friends and family in these areas are well, in spirit, soul and body.

I have no special wisdom to bestow on anyone today. However, in my email box arrived a write-up from my husband Willie. I copied it here:

Today's Daily Manna

Walk In Wisdom

(Ephesians 5:15-16) See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Entering Into The Manifest Presence Of God

Does anyone need to be told that the days we live in are evil? Do we need to be reminded that Satan has come to kill, steal, and destroy lives in this world? But we need to be reminded of the walk-in wisdom, to be aware of what is happening around us and not to let Satan influence our thoughts to where we leave behind all wisdom. To walk as foolish children, treating life as a game we must learn to play. I have been told that I can be very intense and that I am so spiritually minded that I am no worldly good.

What the world needs is some light to shine into their lives. They need an example of a Godly lifestyle that they can look to that will lead them out of their chaos. Therefore, we must redeem our time, during our day, to make the best use of our living testimony. We live our lives to the glory of God, and in a way that allows people to see that there is an alternative to the life they are living. Our time here on this earth is limited and the return of Jesus for His bride is near. Soon the trumpet will blow calling us home.

Amen! Have a happy Sukkot - it is the law of God,

(Deutoronomy 16:14) And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy man-servant, and thy maid-servant, and the Levite, and the stranger, and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.

SWORDS OF IRON (375) & NORTHERN ARROWS. (17).

NAHARIYA, ISRAEL. TUESDAY. 15.10.24

Our Weapons

Slowly I opened my eyes this morning to another cloudy cover at my window. I slept in. How delightful. The night was quiet.

Until the afternoon I worked at my home business, a great diversion from the war, and talked to friends on social media. I am learning to use the technology, but at times I get confused with too much information and so many groups. It's OK, in this arena it is not a life and death issue.

My wonderful husband helps out. He cooked French toast for breakfast, warmed up leftovers for lunch, and just called me to the table... how special is that! After lunch he went down to the grocery store to buy some ice cream... a-ha... by then the sky was blue again.

Sirens pierced the quiet air. First time ever that he was outside when that happened. I thought, “he is closer to the underground shelter, that's good”. Then the sky exploded right above our window, you can see the small cloud forming where the Iron Dome hit something flying. The door opened, “oh, did you go to the shelter?” “No, I have ice cream it'll melt”. Priorities become rather sharp and focused at war.

Friends checked with us. One, from Netaniya, made me laugh. She wrote:

“here's my only in Israel moment from yesterday!!
I was in Yochananof [a grocery store] in the queue with a million others and the app on my phone went off - I shouted out “tzeva adom” [red alert] like a crazy woman and the man next to me is like shtuyot [non-sense] (can't be bothered typing in Hebrew!) and then there was an announcement and we all started running towards the miklat [safe underground] of course it was the furthest away point at this stage!!! Down 3 flights of stairs into the bowels of the building to this massive miklat and I thought OK if there is something big I actually feel quite safe down here!!! 10 minutes later we're back out and back to the queues with everyone arguing about who was in front of who - and life returns to normal!!!”

A very Israeli moment indeed.

The sky is blue, and Willie is watching old Star Trek. It is time to share some ice cream.

(Psalm 34:8)
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

SWORDS OF IRON (373) & NORTHERN ARROWS. (15).

NAHARIYA, ISRAEL. SUNDAY 13.10.24

Sirens off and on today - all is well.

(Ephesians 4:23-24) and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.

Yum Kippur was quiet in Nahariya, in the Haifa area there were rockets. Today, we had two sirens in the morning and other areas of the North had sirens in the afternoon. People in stores tell me that the head Rabbi told everyone not to evacuate Nahariya because nothing would happen here. Willie and I agree with him.

We need the spirit of our minds to be renewed.

The young delivery driver refused to drive to Nahariya because it showed on the Red Alert that we had 2 rockets. The fact that they never touched down did not make a bit of difference, he was scared. My fruit order was cancelled and if I want frozen fruit I have to find the competition and see if they deliver. The therapists in Haifa also cancelled our appointments even though we are the ones who travel to the clinic. Fear is taking hold of some young people who feel unsafe. I pray for our IDF, medics, hospitals, and all those in service, they cannot be fearful, it debilitating.

We need the spirit of our minds to be renewed.

Israelis are quick people with quick reactions and quick results. Over a year in a war not of our making, some are tired out, allowing fear to set in, and others cannot force them to change. A type of trauma, one of many.

We need the spirit of our minds to be renewed.

Only God can help us change the spirit of our minds. Only God can remove the fear and trauma and help us to think clearly and recover from confusion into decisive actions. Pray for us that God will help and that we as a people will accept those changes.

Come Holy Spirit and help the spirit of our minds to be renewed. 

YUM KIPPUR - SWORDS OF IRON (371) & NORTHERN ARROWS. (13).

NAHARIYA, ISRAEL. FRIDAY 11.10.24

(Lamentations 5:21)
Return us, O Lord, to you,
and we shall return, 
and our right hand shall be restored 
anew as before.

Yum Kippur – Day of Atonement is at the 
gates.

On Friday, from the early afternoon, all of 
Israel will slowly shut down until all focus
on the last meal before the Holy Fast. 

Loud sounds from the border artillery exchange and aircraft 
travelling both ways did not stop yet. 

The sky was covered with grey clouds this morning, and it is 
now back to the Baby Blue of an Israeli Shabbat. 

Prayers for the safety of our soldiers and the return of the 
hostages did not cease. 

We went downtown to buy last minutes items, to pick the
weekend newspaper for the lady next door, and a small gift box
of Dates for the lady upstairs. We stopped at a few stores and
bless them with the traditional blessings of “Gmar Chatima 
Tova”  -  May your name be written in the Book of Life - and 
“Shanna Tova”, which hopes for our world to live in peace. 
 
The airport will shut down tonight by 14:00 and will resume its
activities by Saturday night at 22:00. TV and Radio stations will
be silent even though we are at war. Only emergency stations 
will function.  

Shabbat and memorial candles will be lit at 17:31 tonight 
Friday 11.10.2024, and will end 25 hours later, on 
Saturday, 12.10.2024 at 18:48. 

Willie's and my phones will also be silent three hours from 
now and we will rest at home until the end of Yum Kippur. 

On this Holiest of Days, we ask forgiveness from God as a 

nation and from each other as individuals.  We believe that He 

forgives us and we receive it by faith. It is harder to forgive each

other and to believe that others have forgiven us. Yet, 

repentance is the heart of our relationship with God Almighty, 

and with it comes forgiveness.

God gave us Yeshua as a sacrifice to pay for our sins and if we 

believe in Him we will have an everlasting life. Thus, we forgive 

others and receive their forgiveness as well. 

Please forgive us if we offended you in any way - 
it was not done intentionally.  

(Psalm 121:4)

Behold, 
He who keeps Israel

Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

Blessings from the heart of a wounded yet thriving to live - free nation.

I pray for a true Holy Day for all of Israel. 

Gemar Chatima Tova!