A Book Review - My Servant Caleb

A Jewish boy

A Gentile girl

A world at war

Norfolk, England, June 1936.  "Celia kicked off her jodhpur boots with a sigh of relief. She would far rather spend her days outdoors in wind and rain, with freezing hands and feet, than live the life of a salon poodle. The memory of her year in London made her shudder ...".

When Lady Celia, daughter of the Earl of Besthorpe, meets Caleb Levine, a rising young solicitor and a Jew from London's East End, their mutual attraction horrifies her freinds and scandalises her anti-semitic parents. But just as she is an exile from her class, so Caleb is in exile from both his Jewish heritage and his now Christian family. How can their relationship survive? Can two world views ever meet?

My Servant Caleb is a story that spans from 1936 to 1952 and across two continents. This wonderful story is played out against the back-drop of a world war, the holocaust and the tremulous re-birth of the nation of Israel. A Jewish boy and a Gentile girl who against all odds fall in love and  must both find their way to the Messiah of Israel. Caleb from all the traditions of his past and Celia from a world formed almost completely on class distinction and prejudice.
What I really loved about this book is that the author has managed so beautifully to portray the coming together of both Jew and Gentile into one people ... the Israel of God through this love story. The struggles that each one of us must go through as we struggle with eternal questions individually and all the shedding and leaving behind of preconceived ideas, vanities and lies until finally we meet together at the feet of our Saviour.
This book is rich in detail and calls into question the very meaning of home ....
This is truly a story that engages the heart and until you have read the last page is very hard to put down!!


Kerstin Sheldrake, is a German born in Berlin, she supports her English husband, Andrew, in the leadership of the Messianic Synagogue in Norwich, UK.

This is a book I highly recommend, I enjoyed it immensely and am a little richer for having read it!!


Blessings

Should Woman Wear Headcoverings?

I really enjoyed this video! I enjoyed all the testimonies and encouragement from all of these beautiful women of YHVH!

Blessings and Shalom

Who Are We?

'His foundation is in the holy mountains.

YHVH loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacov.

Glorious things are spoken of you, O city of YHVH. 

I will make mention of Rahab and Babylon to them that know me: behold Philistia, and Tyre, with Ethiopia,

this man was born there.

And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the Highest Himself shall establish her.

YHVH shall count, when He writes up the people, that this man was born there.

As well the singers as the players on instruments shall be there: all my springs are in thee.'

- Psalm 87

Praise YAH for His loving kindness and faithfulness!!

The one thing that is grieving my heart this Shabbat ... is the one thing my eyes have been blind to for far too long. My eyes have now been opened and my heart is heavy ... for I am now able to see the degree of anti-semitism that has/is infecting the house and people of YHVH. At least this is what they profess to be.

The day that YHVH opened my eyes to His Torah and revealed His heart to me, is the day that life truly began! There have been many changes ... both inside and out ... I am truly a new creation! Praise YAH!!

I am called out ... called to leave behind all the lies and vanities that I have inherited. Called to leave all vain imaginations that have raised themselves up against the true knowledge of who YHVH is. Called to become a daughter of the Most High God ...

With this 'calling' comes a new identity ... a new destiny ... a new future, inheritence and hope!

And a new people that I am now a part of ...ISRAEL.

Unless I am a child of Israel ... I cannot be a partaker of His covenant.

The covenants were made with Israel and remain with Israel, and we wait with anticipation for the final fulfillment of all of YHVH'S promises to Israel!

Israel are who they are because of YHVH - the God of Israel. Their ways ... are His ways.

If His ways are now becoming my ways (by His mercy and grace I have been lovingly grafted in) - the question is... who am I going to start looking like? Is my life going to start being a reflection of His Torah? And if so ... then what people am I going to start resembling? There has only ever been one nation that are set apart in their keeping of the Shabbat and feasts and Torah of YHVH ... Israel.

Only with these changes taking place in my life have my eyes been opened to the undercurrents of anti-semitism and hatred that lie undetected in so many hearts. Many are afraid of being identified with Israel ... the land, the people and even the Jewish Messiah. Maybe we should examine our hearts a little more ... after all is it not a privilege to be identified as one of the people of YHVH ... set apart and in covenant with Him?

As the people of YHVH .. we should be carrying Israel - the people and the land - deep within our hearts, just as He does. Their struggles and wrestlings should drive us to our knees in prayer ... after all ... are they not our people. Is Israel not the home our spirits yearn for?

Just as the Psalm above promises ... YHVH Himself will declare that we belong there with Him ... part of His people ... the Israel of God for all eternity!

Just as Naomi and Ruth had to leave the fields of Moab and return to the land and God of Israel - so too do we along with our Jewish brothers and sisters. Let our prayer this Shabbat be for our people to return to the God of Israel ... YHVH ... and His ways, that all vanities, lies and vain imaginations will be destroyed and that His name will be sanctified in all of Israel!

May YHVH bless you and keep you

May YHVH make His face to shine upon you

May YHVH lift up His countenance upon you

and give you His Shalom,

Blessings

Feeling Uncomfortable??

Christmas Carols

With the world gearing up to celebrate christmas ... this video was such a lovely reminder for me ... this place is not home ...

I guess we all need to be reminded at times that the danger lies in becoming too comfortable ...
I love the perspective of Mrs Palatnik and I thank YHVH that He is speaking to us all the time ... reminding us, we just need to learn to listen :o)
So this christmas let all the carols and tinsel serve to remind us that this is not home ... let us be on guard to becoming too comfortable!!


Blessings and Shalom

Israel My Beloved

"They will never again defile themselves with their idols, their detestable things, or any of their transgressions, but I will save them from all the places where they have been living and sinning, and I will cleanse them, so that they will be my people, and I will be their God. My servant David will be king over them, and all of them will have one shepherd, they will live by my rulings and keep and observe my regulations. They will live in the land I gave to Ya'akov my servant, where your ancestors lived, they will live there - they, their children, and their granchildren, forever, and David my servant will be their leader forver. I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I will give to them, increase their numbers, and set my sanctuary among them forever. My home will be with them, I will be their God, and they will be my people. The nations will know that I am  YHVH, who sets Isra'el apart as holy, when my sanctuary is with them forever." - Yechezk'el (Ezekiel) 37:23-28  CJB.

We long for and look forward to that day ... when ALL of Israel will be saved and her Shalom ... final and complete.

The keeping of the Shabbat is the sign that sets us, the people of YHVH, apart from the rest of the nations. The keeping of the Shabbat is a privilege ... and a beautiful gift from our Father and our King. Many do not see this though ... and shout 'legalism' when confronted with a heart that wants to obey. If taking this one day and setting it apart from all others in order to have our spirit refreshed by His ... to have time to sing His praise and exalt ourselves in Him ... to allow ourselves to be reminded that He is the God in whose hand our breath is and in whom are all our ways ... that without Him there is no life - if all of this treasure can be labeled 'legalism' ... then a legalist I shall be. The thing is legalism does not bring freedom ... and the truth is ...

I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE FREE!!!

Shabbat Shalom to all of Israel!!

What in the World Are We Doing??

I am sure that we are all familiar with the above advertisements selling perfume to the masses (mainly women) ... although men are also becoming regular users of the various fragrances sold by movie stars, musicians and design houses. We are subtly sold the lie that some-how wearing these fragrances will make us more desirable or they will be the crowning glory to the image we ourselves are creating and projecting to the world.
The last 48 hrs have been really trying for me ... I have learned an extremely important lesson, and once again I am grateful to YHVH for His faithfulness and for leading me to a place of taking more off and leaving it far behind :o)

On Monday morning I decided to try a perfume that my mom had given to Rachel, who in turn did not like the fragrance and so she passed it on to me ... it has a really pleasant smell ... so I decided to give it a go. This is where it gets interesting ... within 5 minutes of trying the fragrance I started experiencing heart palpitations and really started feeling quite ill. I immedietely made the association between symptoms and fragrance, but wondered if this was indeed possible ... maybe this was something else?? I decided to wash the fragrance off ... but throughout the day I felt really bad with the heart palpitations constantly there. The palpitaions lasted throughout the night and throughout the whole of Tuesday. I decided to give my GP a visit, only to find out that he will only be back in his rooms as of next year. At this point I was really starting to get concerned. Many people told me that there is no way that perfume could do this including our pharmacist. But we know our bodies, and YHVH kept on witnessing inside of me that it was indeed the perfume that had triggered some kind of allergic response. He urged me to trust Him ... to walk this through ... that He would bring me through this. There were moments that I felt really afraid ...
Praise YHVH ... throughout last night I felt the symptoms lifting and my heart beat returning to normal :o)  This morning I feel soooo much better. But I have definately learned a very big lesson! My husband and I decided to google the effects of perfume entering the blood stream and were REALLY shocked by all that we read. One well known brand is known to contain over 800 compounds that are toxic to the human body!! Rachel and I decided that as an exercise today, we would look up all the individual ingredients in these perfumes ... let me just say .... the result??? We have had a major clean-out!! (Rachel will be doing a more in depth post on these toxic ingredients on her blog Peculiar Treasures). Some of these ingredients are known to cause cancer .. liver and kidney failure... respiratory disorders etc etc etc the list goes on and on. I have now come face to face with the dangers of these various toxins and  have repented to being careless with what I have allowed not only in my body .. but what I use or spray on my body!
This is a lesson I am so grateful for. Not only am I perhaps wiser in an area I was not before - but, my trust in YHVH is refreshed and restored and this morning my heart is stable and in continuous worship!! The only after effect I seem to have today is a headache!! I suppose with the toxins leaving the body this is to be expected.
Here are a couple of links that I found interesting:
Perfumes and chemical sensitivity
chemicals and toxins in cosmetics

I am finding that there are many things that the world has packaged as 'harmless' and 'necessary' that YHVH is busy cleaning and removing out of the lives of His set apart people ... the journey continues :o)

Blessings and Shalom

From Mainstream Christianity to Torah Truth Seeker

I was extremely moved by this mans testimony.

Out of Africa - Shabbat Shalom!!

A young Zimbabwean girl my husband photographed on a recent trip.

'...Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the Lord, speak, saying, The Lord hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For this saith the Lord unto the eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant, Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name,that shall not be cut off. Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, and to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants, every one that keepeth the Sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant, Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar, for MINE HOUSE SHALL BE CALLED AN HOUSE OF PRAYER FOR ALL PEOPLE. The Lord God which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I GATHER OTHERS TO HIM, BESIDE THOSE THAT ARE GATHERED UNTO HIM.'  - Isaiah 56: 1-7

"And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation" - Revelation 5:9

I think Africa is a place where the above verse comes alive!! YHVH is moving tremendously in the hearts of the African people. And some of the greatest blessings I have experienced is sharing with and seeing the hearts of these very people. In fact ... YHVH used a very precious African woman as one of the instruments in teaching me about head-covering and modesty :o). The 'called out' of God .... the 'grafted in of Israel'. I surely cannot comprehend what the new Jerusalem will be like in the day when we are all (every nation tribe and tongue - together with and part of Israel) praising Him and revelling in His presence.

We long for His return!!

This Shabbat I praise Him .... for all His goodness and faithfulness ... we are the generation to see the unfolding of prophecy and the truth of His word and character revealed!!

May your Shabbat be filled with the full revelation of His goodness,faithfulness and great love!

May our hearts soar in praise and may our words glorify His great name.

Shabbat Shalom from Africa!!

Created In The Image Of YHVH

"The woman was made out of Adam's side. She was not made out of his head to rule over him, nor out of his feet to be trampled upon by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected, and near his heart to be loved."  - Matthew Henry

Lighting The Shabbat Candles

No-where in the Torah are we commanded to light the Shabbat candles.
 The traditional prayer that can be heard in any Jewish home on the Shabbat will probably sound like this:

'Blessed are you, Adonai
our God, King of the Universe
Who sanctifies us
with His commandments
and commanded us to kindle
the lights of Shabbat'.

 The lighting of the Shabbat candles is not a commandment but more of a tradition. We need to realise that not all tradition is bad ... and yes, Yeshua did come against the traditions of man ... the traditions that violated or were/are held in greater regard than YHVH's Torah. Some traditions how-ever can help us to understand something in a deeper way, to help us understand the 'holiness - setting apart' of an activity or commandment we may take upon ourselves to keep. For me ... this is what the lighting of the Shabbat candles does. It is a beautiful time of the week ... and when the candles are lit it fills the room and home with a beautiful reminder of what the next 24 hrs is all about. There is nothing quite as beautiful as the darkened room being lit up by the flame of the candles ... which also serves to remind us that we are meant to be lights in this ever darkening world ... lights that burn with the life of YHVH'S Torah :o)

Maybe we can change the tradition a bit :o) .... and as we light the Shabbat candles we can pray...

'Blessed are You, Adonai
our God, King of the Universe
Who sanctified us
with His commandments
and commanded us to sanctify
the Shabbat day'.

With much Blessing

Simcha Esther

I am posting this video as part of the 'Women of YHVH' series. Sadly ... Esther is no longer with us, but her life has spoken into mine in a very profound way. I would like to add her name to the women whose lives have touched my own, who have taught me something and given me treasure to enrich my life. This is a tribute to a remarkable woman.




http://www.timeofmylife.us/blog.asp

Channukah and Head-Coverings

I found this really cute Channukiah at the mall the other day. It's not the traditional kind ... but really really cute. The pots are made out of pewter and look like they could've been dug up in an archeological dig!

This is a closer shot of the detail on the pots. Isn't it just so cute?! :o)

This is a wonderful time of the year. We get to celebrate the defending of the Torah ... and remember YHVH's provision for His people. It is also a time of contemplation as we commit to rededicating our lives in service to Yah just as the temple too was rededicated!
I hope that you are all having a wonderful time of celebration!!

I thought I would share some pictures of two new head-coverings that I am experimenting with. I like this hat ...more like a snood really. It is comfortable and light-weight. I still need to get used to wearing a new type of head-covering as I have always and only worn Tichels. I love the Tichels, but felt I could do with a bit more variety :o)

This wide head-band I really really like :o)  The fabric is super light-weight (which is really necessary for an African summer!). And they come in really bright colours, which I love!! I have also found some cute hats that provide really good coverage and have an old world kind of feel. I will be posting some pictures of those shortly.

Once again ... Shabbat Shalom!!

Blessings

Friday Night Roast Chicken

This recipe has become one of our favourites ... especially for Shabbat :o)
Chicken, particularly this one, has become one of our favourite Friday night Shabbat dinners. It is really good accompanied with Potatoe salad with a lemon mayonnaise dressing. Both these recipes follow below :o)

Friday Night Roast Chicken

Prep time : 15 mins
Cooking time: approx 85mins
Serves: 6

2-2.5 kg roasting chicken (giblets removed)
1 bunch (about 25g) fresh rosemary
1 lemon, sliced into wedges
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped
250ml dry red win
salt
freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees C / 400 degrees F/Gas mark 6. Pull the skin from the breast of the chicken and slip some rosemary, lemon wedges and garlic cloves under it. Place the rest of these ingredients in the chicken cavity.

2. Arrange the onion in a roasting tin. Pour the wine over the onions. Add enough water so the tin is three-quarters full.

3. Place the chicken breast-side down in the tin. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with foil.

4. Bake for 80-85 mins. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 10-15 mins. Carve into portions and transfer to a serving platter.

Keep the bird covered until the last 15 mins of cooking time. Remove the foil and place back into oven for the remaining 15 mins allowing the skin to crisp. Adding the red wine and water to the roasting tin keeps the chicken succulent and prevents the flesh from drying out.

Potatoe Salad with Lemon Mayonnaise

Prep time: 10 mins
Cooking time: 20 mins
Serves: 8

2 teaspoons sea salt
750g baby new potatoes, cleaned and halved
2 large egg yolks
Juice and zest of 1/2 med organic lemon
1 teaspoon dry mustard (any variety)
1 tablespoon castor sugar
Freshly ground black pepper
300ml vegetable oil
Snipped chives to garnish

1. Fill a large saucepan with water. Add 1 tspn salt. Bring to the boil over med heat. Add the potatoes and cook until tender (approx 20 mins). Drain and leave to cool.

2. Place the egg yolks. lemon Juice and zest, mustard and sugar in a blender or food processor. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Blend ro process until the mixture is smooth.

3. With the blender running, slowly add the vegetable oil. Blend or process until the oil is thoroughly blended into the mixture. Adjust the seasoning as desired.

4. Mix together the mayonnaise and cooled potatoes. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with chives and serve.



Of course this is served with gorgeous home-made Challah and fresh green salad :o)

Shabbat Shalom to you all!!

Blessings

A Watered Place

'The Best Way Out is Always Through...' - Robert Frost.

Psalm 66 v 9 - 12

'Who hath placed our soul in life, And suffered not our feet to be moved.

For Thou hast tried us, O God, Thou hast refined us as the refining of silver.

Thou hast brought us into a net, Thou hast placed pressure on our loins.

Thou hast caused man to ride at our head. We  have enterd into fire and into water, And Thou bringest us out to a watered place'. - Youngs Literal Translation.

This Shabbat ... wherever you are, or whatever it is that you are going through ... know that you can rejoice in the knowledge that YHVH will bring you out into ' a watere place'.

He has promised - and He is faithful!!

Shabbat Shalom!!

May His peace that passes all knowledge surround you and keep you

May His love encourage and establish you

May His presence be made known to you in a very intimate way on this beautiful day...

His day

His Shabbat!!

His Heart - My Heart

"He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me" (John 14:21)

Just what are these commandments, which I must obey in order to show Him that I love Him?

Yeshua answered:  "The foremost is, 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is One, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.' The second is this, 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these" (Mark 12:29-31).

The Shema is a statement of faith and truth, as well as the prayer that finds its way up from the depths of our heart to become precious words in the sight of Yah that are uttered from our lips. These words are not only a statement of faith ...  but they are words that at their very core demand sacrifice. They demand the 'living sacrifice' of the one who not only believes in these words but proclaims them to be truth.

If I am to love the Lord my God with all my soul, I must realise that this will involve spiritual cost. There is a price to pay in giving Him my heart ... I will have to let Him love through me those whom He desires to love (even the seemingly unlovable and ugly) ... even if this at times seems to break my heart. Loving Him with all my heart will demand emotional cost. I have to give Him my will, my right to decide and choose. I must hand over to Him all my relationships ... allowing Him to guide and control, even when I do not understand.

If I am to love the Lord my God with all my mind, ... this will involve intellectual cost. He asks that I give Him  my intelligence, all my powers of reasoning. I must trust Him to work through them, even when He may appear to be acting in contradiction to logic or our much prized common sense.

To love the Lord my God with all my strength will demand physical cost. I must allow His Ruach Ha Kodesh to indwell me, to lead and guide me ... through the words that I speak, the thoughts that I think. I must relinquish and hand over every desire and every fear. I must trust Him, whether He chooses sickness or health, strength or weakness ... that the outcome is in His hands and that He IS good and working all things out to and for His purposes. 

 YHVH graciously and tenderly 'invites' each one of us to trust Him enough to allow Him to work the desire to lay down all for Him into our hearts ... He will do the stripping away and sandpapering. He will snap off the thorns of hidden jealousies and unknown pride. He will do the  stripping of the bark which is finally death to self ... self defence ... self pity ... self justification ... self sufficiency.

I guess the only question is ... am I willing to pay the price? Some-days the cost of being a 'living sacrifice' and loving Him in this way seems too high a price to pay.  Praise Yah ... these unrefined emotions do not last too long when I am gently reminded of His great love for me ... of the greatest price that He paid for my freedom.  He paid the highest price in order to give me life. I am reminded once again that the Shema is an invitation ... an invitation to offer up to Him the response of my heart ... of my whole being in gratitude for what He has done in that one full, perfect and suffcient sacrifice offered up on my behalf.

Once again I ask myself ...in order to keep His commandments and to show Him that I love Him, there is a price that I must pay ... am I willing?

Yes Yes and again Yes!! For it is the only way of expressing my gratitude to YHVH  for all that He is, and for all He has done and given for me.

There is no other way to do this...

I must Shema ... 'Hear and Obey'.

Those Boundaries

I guess that I am no different to alot of ladies out there struggling with personal issues particularly within our marriages. I am married to a man created in the image of YAH and precious in His sight ... I sometimes forget this :o( ...
We have had some REAL ups and downs and come through many challenges. We are not always on the same page when it comes to our individual walks with YAH ... he struggles alot, and more often than not gives in to the temptations that assail him. He struggles to commit 100% to his relationship with YAH and there has been alot of hurt sown and consequential reaping. I am writing all of this ... not to put him down  but instead to let it be known that in spite of all these things by the grace and love of YAH I will continue to love him and to be committed to him. I will continue to strive to be the help-meet that I was created for and I will trust all the rest to YAH ... he will rise up one day and be the man YAH intends him to be!!
A well meaning friend of mine gave me the book 'Boundaries' by Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend. I did not feel all that comfortable with the title and left it unread for awhile, that was until yesterday. I went straight to the chapter that deals with boundaries within marriage and started to read. At first I felt that alot of what they had to say made sense, it sounded good and made sense. I forgot that the enemy loves to hide in a cloak of light. I decided to implement some of what I had read ... and my husband and I had a terrible night argueing till 2 am this morning!! So much for that :o)
The whole morning I have felt nudged by YAH ... 'When to say yes and how to say no to take control of your life' - these are the words on the front cover. Have I not given YAH control of my life .... this includes my thoughts, my words, my actions and my heart. His Torah should be teaching me how to respond in matters of conflict. How I should treat my enemy and definately how I should treat and respond to my husband with whom I am now one. I don't think taking control over my life and setting up self once again on the throne of my heart is the counsel I or any other daughter of YAH should be taking. In Proverbs we are constantly told to 'get wisdom', 'seek wisdom' and James says if we lack in this area all we need to do is ask.
Below there is a link to a very good article concerning the pitfalls of the above mentioned book.How so many marriages are being affected negatively through it and even ending in divorce. I encourage you to take some time to read it :o)

http://www.cephas-library.com/psychology/psychology_boundaries.html
http://www.emilysfavorites.com/BoundariesInMarriageHeresy.html

Will the Men of YHVH Please Take Their Place?

What makes a man a real man?

Is he prince charming riding gallantly on his steed to rescue his princess in distress? (The Proverbs 31 woman certainly doesn't need rescuing but I guess somebody forgot to tell Disney this).

Is he perhaps the image that Hollywood has spent years and billions of dollars selling to us ( Picture any of the silver screen heroes we are all so familiar with).

Maybe it is not only we women who are confused by what makes a man a real man .... perhaps our men are just as confused. Perhaps they too have bought into the lie that is sold to us on every magazine rack and billboard advertisement? The world has packaged them in all different shapes and sizes. We have the metro -sexual (don't worry ladies I am also still trying to figure out exactly what this means), so far I think ... he's the man that isn't ashamed to be in touch with his female psyche, and will give any woman a run for her money when it comes to salon treatments, moisturiser and eye cream. Then we have the more 'manly man', he is made a better man  by the brand of jeans he wears, the beer he drinks or the brand of cigarette he smokes. Unfortunately... just as women are sold the' perfect' female image by the media, so too are men. Perhaps though, in order to understand things a little better,  we should take a couple of steps back. 

1 Corinthians 11 v 3 - 'and I wish you to know that of every man the head is Christ, and the head of a woman is the husband, and the head of Christ is God'. How many times does our focus fall on 'the head of a woman is the husband,' which is absolutely and unequivocally true ... but ... who exactly is the head of the man?? Should and does this govern the way a man lives his life?? Why does Rav Shaul state firstly that the head of every man is Christ?? How many men forget this. How many men forget that not only will they have to give an account for themselves .. but .. for their families as well. Many men want to be treated and respected as the head of the home but fail to fill that exact position. They fail to be the provider (which is not only physical), protector and nurturer that Yah has ordained them to be. They fail to take their place as the spiritual head and sadly are content in allowing their wives to function as such in their place. Some are abusive... physically, verbally or emotionally and don't realise that this does indeed hinder their prayers and ... mould their children. The worst part of all this though, is that these men are not unbelievers but professing men of YHVH.

These men do not realise that not only are they in the process of shaping the next generation but their walk very much shapes a large part of their wives walk too. Maybe there's a much deeper level to Yah's words 'The sins of the fathers are visited upon the children even up to the third and fourth generation'.

Yes, by Yah's grace He uses each one of these situations to strengthen and sculpt the prayer life and heart of His daughters .... and when a man fails to rise up to the task Yah will and has used women (think of Deborah in the book of judges) but I often wonder just how much His heart aches each time one of His sons chooses not to be a man and step out into the life and strength that His heart and death secured for  them  or  for every tear that falls from His precious daughters eyes. By no means do I intend to sound as though I am lumping all of YHVH'S sons into one basket. I am very well aware that there are true men of YHVH who are not perfect but on the journey ... who love Him with all of their heart, soul and strength and whose lives are governed by His heart ... His Torah. Men who love their wives and are showing and training their children to know what a real man looks like and how and by what a true mans  life is governed. Yes real men make mistakes, yes real men fall ...but... real men do not take Yah's name in vain and are very well aware of the  consequences of doing so.

So .... what makes a man a real man?

The same thing that makes a woman real woman.

The heart and Torah of YHVH.

I have often wondered why we have such a clear cut description of a woman of Yah in Proverbs 31 and nothing similar for a man. But then I realised the entire word of Yah is filled with the  description of the men of Yah, from Abraham and Moses, Joshua and Caleb and of course the entire account of the life of King David himself who is called a man after Yah's own heart. These men's lives were governed by the Torah of Yah and even though they fell by Yah's grace they always got up again.

Whether they have bought the lie the world has sold or are sitting in passivity the men of YHVH need to realise that only they can make the choice ... the choice to rise up and to take their rightful place.

It's been empty for far too long.

Let Me Not ......

Sonnet 116

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds
Or bends with the remover to remove:
O no! it is an ever-fixed mark
That looks on tempests and is never shaken,
It is the star to every wandering bark,
Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken
Love's not times fool, though rosy lips and cheeks
Within his bending sickles compass come:
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But bears it out even to the edge of doom
If this be error and upon me proved,
I never writ, nor no man ever loved

This is truly one of my favourites :o)

This Sonnet in particular never fails to remind me of just what true love is and should be ..... but somehow it also has the ability to to fill me with courage!

I guess this lies in the fact that Shakespeare has so beautifully expressed the 'bench-mark' or 'test' of what true love is. It goes beyond emotion and once again lands squarely in the realm of choice :o)

Some-how this also causes me to ponder on the Saviours love for us  'Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove ...' .

I pray that this Shabbat will find us meditating on this great love that the King of the Universe has for each one of us ... His love that does not alter or is ever in danger of being removed ....instead it is an ever fixed mark!

I pray that we too will learn about choosing to give this 'true love' to others ... to walk in this kind of covenant love is most definately a choice, one that we can make moment by moment (I am still learning).

May the blessing of YHVH rest upon each one of our lives and our homes this Shabbat.

Blessings and Shalom

Love .....A Choice

I was not planning to do a blog post today. For  a while now YHVH has been dealing with deep rivers in my soul, but He has promised to bring me through and to still and quiet the storm :o)

Today I read the blog of a beautiful daughter of YHVH...     Passing Through The Valley of Weeping   .... today was definately one of those 'For such a time as this' moments. Running beautifully alongside this blog and story of this precious woman, YHVH has used this last Torah portion 'Vayera' to revive me, to lift me above the confusion and to give me a much needed  re-newal of perspective. In the previous Torah portion 'Lech Lecha' we are told of the account of Abram and Sarai his wife going down towards Egypt for there was a famine in the land, and we see Abram asking Sarai to say that she was his sister because of her great beauty and the possisbility that Pharaoh might kill Abram in order to gain Sarai. The beauty is in the way Abram consults with Sarai ... ' Lo, I pray thee, I have known that thou art a woman of beautiful appearance, and it hath come to pass that the Egyptians see thee, and they have said, 'This is his wife,' and they have slain me, and thee they keep alive ... say I pray thee, thou art my sister, so that it is well with me because of thee, and my soul hath lived for thy sake.' - Youngs Literal Translation. There are many interpretations on why Abram did what he did, and truly we will never know the true intent or motivation of his heart, but YHVH has opened my eyes and taken me a little deeper to teach me a lesson I really need to learn. This time ... I see a man gently 'asking' his wife to do this ... for both their sakes. Could they have known the out-come of all of this? I see a woman submitting to protect her husband which in the end is protecting herself -  the two shall become one flesh -  (was this always there Abba?I never saw this before) and I see a God who is so wonderful and Big and PRESENT .... He undertakes for His daughter. Regardless of how the plan 'back-fired', God was there making sure that Sarai was not harmed. He had her back even when her husband could do nothing about the situation. He was her protector when Abram could not be and He was her deliverer ... Abram was not. Did Sarai need this lesson all those generations ago just as much as I need it today peering down through time through the window of the Torah? Did Sarai also need to know who this God was that she was entering into covenant with? The covenant was not only made with AbraHam, but with SaraH too, and we know that we serve a God that wants to be known. How did this experience affect and change Sarai? We know that 8 chapters later we see what seems like the same plot unfolding once again ... Why?? Well again ... will we ever really know? But again we see the protection of this daughter of YHVH, she is delivered once again, and we are even more astounded by YHVH's grace as He keeps Abimilech from sinning against Him in v 6!!... Abraham prays and  Abimilech's household is healed.
Loving a man that is not perfect is not easy but trusting a God who is ...is a lesson I think I am going to spend the rest of my life learning!!  And maybe this is a lesson that Sarah spent her life learning too :o) I must remember that Abraham... and... my Matt had/have to spend their lives learning to love imperfect women and learning to trust a perfect God too!!

The haftorah of Vayera was 2 Kings 4 1-37 and WOW!! It seems to be the same thread running through (I should not be surprised!) How have I missed this before?? In the beginning of the chapter we meet a widow who is in debt and is being threatened with her children being taken away from her if she cannot pay what she is owing. Again we see a God who loves His daughters.....and she is provided for. All her debt is taken care of and she even has leftover on which to live. The next account is if a great woman, who didn't need much and instead provides for the prophet of God. But YHVH knowing the hearts of His daughters ... was about to bless her with a son. We are not told the reason for her barrenness, but once again God provides her with the desire of her heart even though she didn't even ask and she is blessed with the birth of a son. Later this same child is restored back to life again by God's great love and grace toward His daughter. All of these above accounts were there to teach these women that they could rely on the God of Israel, who is faithful ... a God of covenant, whose word is sure. A God who wants to be known, trusted and loved. When Sarah's husband could not defend or deliver her .. who could? When the widow's husband died and could no longer provide for her .. who could? And when the woman who seemed to need nothing except her deepest lonings fulfilled ... well... who gave her the desires of her heart? The answer is the same...the God who has His eye on us ... His daughters. We were never meant to put our husbands up on a pedestal, although young love does encourage this!! :o) There should only be One on the throne of our hearts. We are to love our husbands but expect every-thing else from our Father. Our husbands were never meant to fulfill our deepest longings and desires and to calm and eradicate our deepest fears., or to bring us endless happiness....that is not their calling. Our beautiful husbands are meant to be sacred influences with in our lives. To help mould us and to challenge us to become the true daughters of YHVH made and formed to His image. Being married is the hardest thing I have ever had to do and the reason for this I am discovering... is because having things cut-away, character flaws challenged and the very core of who I am changed is the most painful thing I have ever had to go through. BUT at the same time my marriage has also brought me the greatest treasures I have ever known........

I have been pondering on these matters for awhile, but reading Denise's blog today made me cry, as I realised that I as a woman am guilty of not appreciating the gifts tha YAH has so tender heartedly given to me...and that too often the one on the throne in my heart is sadly ... self.
I want to take this moment to thank YAH my God, my King, my every-thing for this life that I have, for this husband that I have the opportunity to choose to love every-day, for the privilege of knowing that I am greatly beloved ... these gifts that make up my life (family) are evidence of just that.

Thank you Denise for sharing.

Blessings and Shalom

Gray Is Beautiful?

I woke up this morning and I am sure that there are a few more gray hairs visible today than  yesterday :o)  Maybe not ... maybe today is just one of those days where I have to remind myself that growing older does not necessarily mean growing old :o) that acceptance of the natrual evolution of the ageing process that our Father has ordained for us contributes to the wealth of the spirit and shines through the windows of the soul!
If I consider all the money that I have wasted trying to achieve the 'perfect' colour for me, or the hours wasted in the salon having streaks put into my hair .. when YHVH already gave me the perfect colour just for me, and is now blessing me with streaks all for free :o)
In the book of Proverbs gray hair is esteemed as a crown of glory. Isn't it wonderful to see a mature woman who walks in elegant assuredness as she adorns herself with her natural crown of glory? On some days though I think we all need a little assurance that graying hair is just the next stage in the maturing of our beauty. The beauty of youth is represented by blondes, brunettes, red-heads and every shade in-between, this same beauty never dies but is simply transformed into the deeper beauty that gray hair signifies. Wisdom gained from life lessons and spiritual growth in Torah and our relationship with our Father, a life lived sensibly and in righteousness is all evidenced by the crown of glory that is a testimony to this incredible journey that we are on.
It is sad that the glory of gray hair which our Creator has blessed us with is being suffocated in the days in which we live.  More and more women believing the lie that they cannot and must not be satisfied with who they are or might become ...  not only dye but also nip, tuck, inject and implant.
May we, the daughters of YHVH, accept the beautiful gift that we may already or are in the process of possessing and may we very much look forward to attaining it in its fullness.
I encourage you and myself to wear our gray hair with a smile ..... your beauty will shine through as you bring glory to the One who gave it to you.

Blessings

The Choice - A Book Review

Very few people (ladies) can resist a good old-fashioned love story, this is the story of how one woman fell in love with a man, a country, and a city, and the obstacles they had to overcome.
The author of this book, Elizabeth Robertson Campbell, is an accomplished South African artist. She lives in Cape Town (arguably one of the most beautiful places on earth!) with her husband ... this is her strory.
Elizabeth lived in Israel and fell in love with an Orthodox Jewish man. Together they overcame religious and cultural differences, life-threatening political and public persecution, separation and distance ... only to be put to the ultimate test of their love. Her story intertwines love for a man with love for our rich heritage in Israel and ultimately love for our Saviour and God. This is a self-published book that has found its way from her home in South Africa all the way around the world, it is a love story that will keep you turning the pages   and  on the edge of your seat right up until the very end.
I read this book in one sitting, and it is officially one of my all time favourites :o)
I believe that this book will challenge each one of you just as it has me, and will become one of your favourites  that you too will  recommend to others. There is nothing like a 'true-life' romance .... and just how does it end ... with happily ever after?? Well, you will have to read it to find out!!

Elizabeth is truly talented and you can see her art and visit her web-site at Elizabeth Robertson Campbell

So grab a cup of some-thing really good to drink and maybe something to nibble ... and Enjoy!!

Blessings and Shalom

A Make-Over!!

My daughter Rachel has designed this beautiful new blog page for me!! I am REALLY pleased with the end result!
I have decided to re-name my blog ... I have chosen 'BatYah', which is not too far off from the original as the meaning is the same 'Daughter of YHVH'.
The new look has inspired the writer in me and caused some of my creative juices to start flowing once again. So I hope to be posting more often ... if time allows, that is :o)

The days are flying by under the African sun ... and although sunset is much later now, there still does not seem to be enough hours in the day for all that needs doing. I guess time management (which is not my forte) and prioritizing are two character traits that still need some (alot) of work. But praise Yah for his patience with me!! I guess perfection is still something I expect from myself, and I tend to feel quite down when I fail to be all that I so wish to be to please Avinu :o) Once again ... I thank Yah, that He knows that I cannot live up to the expectations that I have of myself, and... that is OK. I am still on this journey (even when there are days that I feel I am sitting on the side of the road watching many others walking with a stronger step and broader stride). At times like this, I find Yah's hand confidently stretching over mine and once again I am lifted to my feet by His strong arms and great love .... the path stretches on before me, my feet are moving and the sun is shining!!

'Thy shoes shall be iron and brass, and as thy days, so shall thy strength be. There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms ...'   Deuteronomy 33 v 25,26.