On occasion I get an e-mail or call with a question that is probably on the heart of not only the person asking, but others as well. I’m a pretty open book about most things in my life and my service to the Lord both here and in the land of Israel. So, don’t be shy, if you are curious ask. The first question reflects the same headline that was written about me in 1992 when the Charlotte Observer did a full-page article on my first book. “How do you do it?” Grace and faith and a large amount of believing that I’m on the journey that the Lord has chosen for me. The Scripture says “Faithful is He that called you, who also will do it.” Perhaps one of the questions in the how does she do it pertains to the travel expense portion of going back and forth to Israel each year. Let me put it into bite size pieces. First, as a testimony to the faithfulness of God and a wonder to my family and others is that there has only been one occasion where my family had to help me with expenses for Israel. We are a one-income family relying on David’s machinist income to maintain our family. The thrifty home books I wrote in the 90’s is what I continue to live, but we are a paycheck to paycheck family. It was the year 2003 and I had used air miles for my ticket. I was in Eliat and “thought” that I could change my return when I knew I was going to miss my flight out. Air mile tickets carry blackout dates and numerous restrictions. To change the return flight I would have had to stay in Israel for another week or so until there was a seat on the air reward system. So, David had to purchase a one-way ticket for me. That was the year that his job had moved to Mexico and he was unemployed for nine weeks. It was the timing of God for Him to have the finances as he had cashed in his savings plan and was able to get me home. Other than that occasion I am as any other “missionary” believing that the Lord is sending me for a purpose. Through the years I’ve bought and sold a variety of items where I’ve squirreled away the dimes and dollars with the sole purpose of getting back to Israel and being a blessing. When I had a van I would go to estate auctions and buy furniture to resell which was a really good way to earn dollars and not just dimes, but for the last four years I haven’t been able to earn finances this way, but I would love to do it again. We live on the corner of a busy street and I put the furniture in the yard and often could turn it in less than a week. The last six years I’ve been selling tomatoes on the porch, and have a yard sale a few times a year. Both add to the dimes and quarter category. The last few years I’ve had opportunity to set up my Precious Oils table at a few conferences. I would love to do more, but opportunities are rarer than a blue rose. As far as Precious Oils goes, I send out hundreds of vials each year. It’s an apothecary/Hegai/bridal ministry. The oils have been freely sent out since 1991 because I believe that the anointing has no price because Yeshua paid the full price. God has used the little vials of oil to bless thousands of individuals, prayer groups and ministries over the last 17 years. Precious Oils is a faith-based ministry, which is okay because it all belongs to Him. The oil has always been available to any who ask. The Lord keeps me in supplies and quite frankly, it’s been really neat to see how the Lord continues my ministry. The soaps, salts, Fragrance Boxes of the Queens, jewelry, and shofars that I have for sale, it’s been a little here and a little there that has helped me build an inventory. I’m not in debt with it, nor do I plan to be. I am working on a mini-catalog because I do believe that the items that I have are quality products with a message. As with any ministry, offerings are the main source of income for my journeys. It the collective amount of financial gifts that help me with the ministries that I have, in which I am greatly appreciative. This year I had a good portion of my first journey intact and was a little surprised when I was feeling that I needed to make back-to-back journeys. A short time later a substantial offering came in in which I held back enough for the airfare from Atlanta to Israel for the 40 year anniversary and Pentecost. I also opened a $250 bank account in Israel and we were able to bless numerous Israeli’s with financial gifts that came in. Offerings that are given to me are tax deductible through Liberty Ministries, Inc., my Pastors of seventeen years, Barry and Linda Taylor. Liberty Ministries receives the tithe from these offerings. The last few years is resulting in a much deeper and larger calling that I thought I would ever have to the people in the land of Israel. I believe that the relationships that continue to build in Israel are going to increase, which takes me to the next questions. What do you do over do when you are in Israel? Each journey is the same, but different. I go to be an encouragement to the people in the land. In various ways I let them know that I represent the heart of many who would like to tell the people in the land they are not alone and we are praying for them. Most always I take gifts and encouragement to the hospitals in Israel, bringing bears, crayons and coloring books to children. My journeys have allowed me to connect with individuals in unique ways. I believe that the Lord is allowing us to “adopt” the Shalom family. They are the Messianic Believers in the Negev. How the Lord connected us is divine providence which really began by someone sending me an e-mail to pray for them and the persecutions they had been enduring in their desire to see the desert bloom. I believe that we are to continue to help them with their vision of grapes, olives (oil) and their retreat and teaching center on the 40 acres of sand dunes near the Egyptian border. I believe that as this ministry grows I will be adding more families. My ministry is personal and giving to young families and not large organizations will allow us continual communication of the needs. Are you connected with any one ministry or individual when you go to Israel? At this time, the Lord has me in relationship with a variety of ministries and individuals, not any one in particular. Our tent borders are ever increasing and are eyes are opened to the great need of support in the land—from aliyah to charitable outreach organizations to supporting the Messianic community in their evangelistic missions. All are Scripturally based. If you ever travel with me you’d be able to understand more fully. Now the number one question for me to take the space to answer is . . . What about David and the children? How can you go away from them? First, it would be great if the resources were available so that David or one of the children could go with me on each journey, but they are not. Of course, when I am gone I miss them and they miss me, it’s absurd to think anything different. No, it’s not always easy to be apart, but we have grown as a family and we know that the Lord’s hand is upon us. At this time of our lives, we are a typical busy, busy family. A household full of teenagers and young adults, each with their own activities. David’s job has him gone 10+ hours a day. I keep busy way beyond doing the cooking and dishes and we’ve always been a family that does good to the household of faith in ways that the average Joe doesn’t know of. Often these are the people who miss me more when I am gone. There are very few people, in this day and age, like myself, that can take the elderly woman or the handicapped man to the doctor or the store at the drop of a hat, pick up someone else’s child and take them to the orthodontist because they can’t get the time off of work, or go and help the single mom because her car died at the side of the road and etc., all because I am available. In Israel things are no different in a sense, but I can’t drive there. One time I was on a bus and an elderly woman got on the bus with a large folding laundry rack. I ended up carrying it for her up and down numerous sets of steps and far out of my original destination. When we arrived at the apartment she kissed me and thanked me for my mitzvah (good deed). You couldn’t video tape me on any given day to get the whole scoop of my life here or in Israel. Perhaps the best compliment has come from my daughter Katherine, 21 years of age. She is a student at a Christian youth mission program called The Master’s Commission in Huntsville, Alabama. Her MySpace.com site had me in tears when I read about her hero — it is me. What I do to help others here and abroad has settled in her heart that she is the one I write about in the latter and former rain outpouring article in this issue. It is an example that actions speak louder than words. May God bless you and please, if you have any questions, e-mail me or call David, he’ll tell you.
I attend the Feast of Tabernacles yearly, because the Jerusalem March is one of the most rewarding events that I participate in. It’s the nations in the streets of Jerusalem. I love to give encouragement to the people from the child within me with the bears—they bring joy and comfort. This year I have some beautiful roses that are made from birch wood—light weight, easy to carry and speaks to the heart.
