The month of July started with the basics of every month and one or two changes. Our Sunday meeting at Succat Hallel became a worship practice for our conference this coming week. Tuesday continued as our youth watch of Harp and Bowl. And Thursday nights we continued on the streets. As well as I (Stefan) had other practices 2 days a week for 2 other bands for the conference.
The first 2 Thursday nights of this month went very well. The first week we met a teenage couple from France and prophesied over them. The next week the people God brought to us were Arabs. Two of them hung around and were very open and listened. What I (Samantha) found interesting was when things broke open on the streets the first two weeks were to the Jew first and the third week God brought the Arabs (Gentiles).
We also had a staff retreat at the beginning of the month with Succat Hallel. We drove up to Acre to have a time of prayer on a boat at sea facing the Lebanese border. Rick (the founder of Succat Hallel) has been getting dreams and visions about praying protection over the waters concerning the surrounding nations and their behaviour towards Israel. So we went up to have a time of prayer over the water. I (Samantha) had been looking forward to this. I really felt it was right and good that we do this. But from the minute the boat started until we ate lunch on land I was sea sick. Pregnancy + boat ride... not good :-). We had our time of prayer on the boat and then a little more on land. Then we headed to Herzaliya for fun in the sea and then headed home. It was a good time to connect with people we don't see that often.
The following week was fun as we had the privilege of hosting and touring my (Stefan) sister and brother-in-law around Jerusalem. When we toured them around the Old City somehow we got lost on our way to the Holy Sepulchre. But when did eventually get there I (Samantha) had the privilege of explaining to some Muslim women what the site is and to let them know as a Christian that I don't believe the site has any special powers, but is a good historical site (to explain; the sepulchre is a site riddled by idolatry, a place that replaces the worship of God with the worship of relics. Unfortunately the old city is full of Christian places such as these where people bow to Mary and the saints instead of going straight to God through what the word clearly says Jesus came to give us the ability to do). After the Old City we went and celebrated both of our 2nd Anniversaries. Then in the middle of dinner we received a phone call from the Rick, the founder of Succat Hallel (more about that phone call a little later).
The rest of the week was filled with love. We had a wedding of one of my (Stefan) good friends. The morning of the Lord brought in the money for their gift. The next day we celebrated a friends engagement.
The last week of the month was the start of the ELAV Intensive. The first half of the week was prepping and Friday it stared. In the middle of the week I (Samantha) had my ultra sound to make sure all the baby's organs are developing properly, as well as we found out we are having a baby girl!
The Intensive started on Friday and went through Thursday Aug. 4th. (This is one reason this update is coming out now, we were extremely busy). The Intensive was great. It was an amazing time of learning and lots of worship. We went out on the streets 3 times and 2 people gave their lives to the Lord and another 2 are very close. Saturday and Sunday a group of Arabs from Nazareth joined us. It was a powerful week.
Now back to the phone call: so Rick, the founder of Succat Hallel called me (Stefan) to talk to me about something that had been a long time in prayer. He let me know that they've been praying and they felt that starting September 1st they needed to step out by faith and guarantee us with $1,000 a month to help move us into full time ministry with Succah Hallel. A few days later I met Rick and found out that since they prayed and heard the Lord and stepped out, the money for September had already come in. Wow! Glory be to God. This week I sat with my manager at King of Kings to talk to him about me quitting my job and moving into full time ministry with the House of Prayer. Amazingly he was delighted with what had come about in this process and told me that he had felt that this was right for us. He said he'd seen me working for King of Kings as janitor and knew that this door for full time ministry needed to open for us because that's where our hearts were drawing towards. So as of September 1st I will be done with my job and we will be full time with Succat Hallel. For more information about Succat Hallel visit www.jerusalempraise.com
The Lord had spoken to us about holding on as long as it took until He opened the door and now He did. So we walk into this new phase in our lives with our baby on the way with confidence in what He told us and also with an amazing gift from Abba. We get a bonus pay from my (Stefan) job for the years I worked at this job which will provide a financial pillow for this next season as we move into full time ministry.
Obviously we are aware that the $1,000 that we get through Succat Hallel and what is already coming in from you, our supporters, is a little bit short of our financial need per month, but we remain in a place of trusting Him that He will provide for us as He did until now. With that said, now to the practical. If you committed in November or December to support us monthly, now, we believe, is the time. We need around $300 more a month to meet all of our needs. We do understand what is going on in the world with the economy. The money form Succat Hallel in the past year would have had our rent covered but now because of the decline of the dollar we are in need of more. But still in all this we are witnessing God's faithfulness. The Elav Conference is tomorrow and we booked a room at an Inn, to be closer and more rested. We did not have the money, but we knew this is what God wanted. 1/3rd of the money came in and we kept praying for the other 2/3rds. The other night at dinner I was looking at a note that had been on our refrigerator for 2 months, and that night I saw behind the note a $100 bill. We open and close our refrigerator door every day and see it every day. We both never saw any money behind that note until this week. Now the price for the Inn is still not fully covered but we KNOW our God will provide for us. So I want to encourage you in your finances and in your giving if God has put it on your hearts to give. God is Faithful to provide.
The first 2 Thursday nights of this month went very well. The first week we met a teenage couple from France and prophesied over them. The next week the people God brought to us were Arabs. Two of them hung around and were very open and listened. What I (Samantha) found interesting was when things broke open on the streets the first two weeks were to the Jew first and the third week God brought the Arabs (Gentiles).
We also had a staff retreat at the beginning of the month with Succat Hallel. We drove up to Acre to have a time of prayer on a boat at sea facing the Lebanese border. Rick (the founder of Succat Hallel) has been getting dreams and visions about praying protection over the waters concerning the surrounding nations and their behaviour towards Israel. So we went up to have a time of prayer over the water. I (Samantha) had been looking forward to this. I really felt it was right and good that we do this. But from the minute the boat started until we ate lunch on land I was sea sick. Pregnancy + boat ride... not good :-). We had our time of prayer on the boat and then a little more on land. Then we headed to Herzaliya for fun in the sea and then headed home. It was a good time to connect with people we don't see that often.
The following week was fun as we had the privilege of hosting and touring my (Stefan) sister and brother-in-law around Jerusalem. When we toured them around the Old City somehow we got lost on our way to the Holy Sepulchre. But when did eventually get there I (Samantha) had the privilege of explaining to some Muslim women what the site is and to let them know as a Christian that I don't believe the site has any special powers, but is a good historical site (to explain; the sepulchre is a site riddled by idolatry, a place that replaces the worship of God with the worship of relics. Unfortunately the old city is full of Christian places such as these where people bow to Mary and the saints instead of going straight to God through what the word clearly says Jesus came to give us the ability to do). After the Old City we went and celebrated both of our 2nd Anniversaries. Then in the middle of dinner we received a phone call from the Rick, the founder of Succat Hallel (more about that phone call a little later).
The rest of the week was filled with love. We had a wedding of one of my (Stefan) good friends. The morning of the Lord brought in the money for their gift. The next day we celebrated a friends engagement.
The last week of the month was the start of the ELAV Intensive. The first half of the week was prepping and Friday it stared. In the middle of the week I (Samantha) had my ultra sound to make sure all the baby's organs are developing properly, as well as we found out we are having a baby girl!
The Intensive started on Friday and went through Thursday Aug. 4th. (This is one reason this update is coming out now, we were extremely busy). The Intensive was great. It was an amazing time of learning and lots of worship. We went out on the streets 3 times and 2 people gave their lives to the Lord and another 2 are very close. Saturday and Sunday a group of Arabs from Nazareth joined us. It was a powerful week.
Now back to the phone call: so Rick, the founder of Succat Hallel called me (Stefan) to talk to me about something that had been a long time in prayer. He let me know that they've been praying and they felt that starting September 1st they needed to step out by faith and guarantee us with $1,000 a month to help move us into full time ministry with Succah Hallel. A few days later I met Rick and found out that since they prayed and heard the Lord and stepped out, the money for September had already come in. Wow! Glory be to God. This week I sat with my manager at King of Kings to talk to him about me quitting my job and moving into full time ministry with the House of Prayer. Amazingly he was delighted with what had come about in this process and told me that he had felt that this was right for us. He said he'd seen me working for King of Kings as janitor and knew that this door for full time ministry needed to open for us because that's where our hearts were drawing towards. So as of September 1st I will be done with my job and we will be full time with Succat Hallel. For more information about Succat Hallel visit www.jerusalempraise.com
The Lord had spoken to us about holding on as long as it took until He opened the door and now He did. So we walk into this new phase in our lives with our baby on the way with confidence in what He told us and also with an amazing gift from Abba. We get a bonus pay from my (Stefan) job for the years I worked at this job which will provide a financial pillow for this next season as we move into full time ministry.
Obviously we are aware that the $1,000 that we get through Succat Hallel and what is already coming in from you, our supporters, is a little bit short of our financial need per month, but we remain in a place of trusting Him that He will provide for us as He did until now. With that said, now to the practical. If you committed in November or December to support us monthly, now, we believe, is the time. We need around $300 more a month to meet all of our needs. We do understand what is going on in the world with the economy. The money form Succat Hallel in the past year would have had our rent covered but now because of the decline of the dollar we are in need of more. But still in all this we are witnessing God's faithfulness. The Elav Conference is tomorrow and we booked a room at an Inn, to be closer and more rested. We did not have the money, but we knew this is what God wanted. 1/3rd of the money came in and we kept praying for the other 2/3rds. The other night at dinner I was looking at a note that had been on our refrigerator for 2 months, and that night I saw behind the note a $100 bill. We open and close our refrigerator door every day and see it every day. We both never saw any money behind that note until this week. Now the price for the Inn is still not fully covered but we KNOW our God will provide for us. So I want to encourage you in your finances and in your giving if God has put it on your hearts to give. God is Faithful to provide.
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