December 31st--celebrating for a different reason!

December 31st is always a hard day for me. On Dec. 31, 1985 my brother, Jacob was born, however, he was stillborn. Today, was different though, today, I preached a sermon at my church, then I went out to lunch with my friend, Jessica, her son Edwin, and her boyfriend Seth! And I realized that it's okay to be a third wheel. After lunch I went to check on my friend Frances, at the hospital and as soon as I walked in she said "Rachel, pray with me." It was the first time that I have ever felt like a real minister.

Then I did what I always do on Dec. 31st, I went to South River Baptist Church, the church where I grew up and I visited my brother's grave. You see what a lot of people don't realize about me, is that I was taken to the morgue to see my brother and I remember this wisps of red hair he had and I remember thinking "Wow, this is my new brother." I also remember some of the funeral. I remember as a child going to the grave site every year to take him flowers on his birthday. And even though we don't go as a family any longer, visiting Jacob's grave has been a staple in my new year's tradition.

Today, I posted a selfie after I went by to take him some flowers. My heart heavy, but as I have always said, "if he (or any of my siblings had lived) they would be amazing people! And I imagine they would be as proud of me as I would be of them.

Several people have sent condolences about my brother passing--but the truth is--I am not sad. If anything I am envious that my brother didn't have to endure this life and the heartaches it so often brings. When I visit Jacob's grave, I do so and speak to him as if he was there, because in some ways it makes me feel close to him. I mean I know he's not there, but it brings me comfort.

Today, the conversation that I had with Jacob was about how cold it was, but that I bet he was having a tropical vacation with Jesus; it was also about my sermon and my goals...and somewhere deep inside, I know that if Jacob was here, he'd be my number 1 supporter! 

Sexual immorality, abortion and other conversations I had today...

I wish I could say something really profound as we leave 2017 behind. I wish I could give you a word of encouragement for 2018. However, my heart is heavy tonight. It is heavy because today, I spent some time listening to women expound upon why abortion is their right and none of my business.

What these women didn't understand is where I come from in my life and why I am not pro-choice. For me, your choice was to get in bed with that person. It was your choice to not use protection; however, whether you allow another person (yes, I believe life begins at conception) live or die is NOT your right nor is it your choice.

For a lot of people reading this, the first thing you are going to think is "What about rape or incest?" Well, what of it? They are horrendous crimes and the man should be held accountable. However, the video that I was responding to, wasn't engaging people that were raped or becoming pregnant by some other horrendous crime. It was glorifying abortion as a corrector of mistakes, a convenience method to getting rid of a child.

What these women didn't accept is that not only was I speaking out against abortion, but I was also speaking out against sexual immorality. One woman decided to mock me and say "So what is your deal? You say you're a virgin, but the next sentence you say you can't get pregnant. SO which is it?" Then she bragged about putting me in my place. At which point I told her "When I was 23, I went through premature menopause and found out at 26 I would never have children. I am a virgin, but because of what was going on in my body, I found out something that most women don't find out until after they are married or are trying to get pregnant. So next time you want to put someone "in their place" maybe you need to find out why they are having infertility issues and maybe instead of assuming that they are lying, try finding out what is going on for them."

Christmas Parade...not a place for Politics!

Christmas parades are not political events! Christmas Parades are family events that should have nothing to do with politics. Yesterday, I was at the Statesville Christmas Parade, I saw a total in the parade 4 of our county leaders in their official capacities. Yet in true form for the democrats in Iredell County, the parade was suddenly polarized into "them against us." At first I saw some people holding signs, and really wasn't interested so I looked down to check on Lizzie the Corgi, and suddenly I heard "Hey Rachel!" It was my friend Martha. I waved and then saw on the back of the float, "Thank Democrats for..." I started reading the signs and realized they wanted me to "Thank them for Bi-partisan successes."

Iredell Democrats...bringing politics to the Christmas Parade

I am not usually one to care about politics and political stances; however, Christmas is the one time we don't need to polarize the world; we don't need to split it up into them against us. I am really disappointed that our Parade organizers thought in a world of political unrest, it was a "Great idea" to let them throw political issues into the parade instead of letting it be a day about family fun, and togetherness as a community.

Now before everyone gets their knickers in a knot, I am NOT saying this because I am a conservative, Trump-supporting, gun-toting, liberal hatin' redneck. Because 1) I don't support Trump, 2) I don't hate liberals and 3) I ain't a redneck.

I am stating this simply because I feel like a Christmas parade should be about being with family. It's about coming together as a community to celebrate the successes of the North Iredell Lady Raider's Volleyball team, watching the Chillbillies do a NASCAR maintenance run on a tractor with a trophy deer head on the front, listening to high school marching bands play their hearts out, freezing,  it's hearing the National Anthem played on bagpipes; it's seeing your Sunday School kids play in band and embarrassing them by yelling their names at the top of your lungs and finally it's the arrival of Santa Claus on the back of a BIG OLE RED STATESVILLE FIRETRUCK!

So yes, I am very disappointed that the Iredell Democrats couldn't share in that happiness--instead they decided to polarize me and hundreds of others--though they may not say it.

Jerusalem: A Political Issue for some, Spiritual for others...

Right now Jerusalem is a hotly debated topic. "Why should we care where their capital is?" "Why the riots?" "Don't you think that Donald Trump should leave 'God's Country' alone?" 

Everyone seems to be up in arms over the fact that the person elected to represent our country as it's leader has spoken for us as a nation on Israel. Presidents have been speaking for us about Israel for years and no one blinked an eye. The United States has, for decades, positioned itself as the primary mediator between Israelis and Palestinians. Neutrality ostensibly allows the United States to remain a credible arbiter and keeps both sides at the negotiating table. It is only because "The Donald" finally took a step towards recognizing reality that Jerusalem was set up by King David in approximately 1010BC as the capital of Israel. I know you are thinking "But what about the Muslims? Isn't Jerusalem sacred to them?" 

The city is sacred to all three of the monotheistic religions. Christians, Jews, and Muslims all revere the city and see religious significance there. As such, it has been the gem in the eye of conquerors for centuries. The Romans, Crusaders, Ottomans, and the British Empire all once sought for control of the city. Since the creation of the modern state of Israel, both the Israeli leadership and their Arab neighbors have laid claim to the historic city. For example: In the center of the Old City is a hill with great significance to both Jews and Muslims, for example. The hill is known to Jews as Har ha-Bayit, or Temple Mount. To Muslims around the world, the hill is known as al-Haram al-Sharif, or The Noble Sanctuary.

That hill was the home to Jewish temples during antiquity, though many of those no longer exist above ground, and just a restraining wall for the foundations can still be seen. That wall is known as the Western Wall, and Jews view it as a sacred place for prayer.

Muslims, on the other hand, revere two holy sites just yards from that wall. They are named the Dome of the Rock, and the Al-Asqa Mosque. The mosque was built in the 8th century. Muslims consider the site to be the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medina.

But maybe that doesn't appeal to you; maybe you want to know what this means politically?  Well most people mistakenly believe that Jerusalem became a united capital of Israel in 1967 during the Israeli-Arab conflict. However, that isn't when the modern conflict began. Truly it began when British rule of the area ended in 1948, the Jordanian military invade to occupy the Old City, and Arab East Jerusalem. Decades later, Israel captured that land from Jordan during the 1967 Middle East war, and annexed it. That move has not been recognized internationally. The Israelis passed a law in 1980 that declared Jerusalem the “complete and united” city of their country, and its capital. The United Nations, which regards East Jerusalem as occupied, took the position that the city’s status is disputed and in need of resolution through negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. 

The Muslim answer to all of this has been tried and true: Between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, Palestinians threw Molotov cocktails a road near the Israeli West Bank city of Ma’ale Adumim, causing no injuries or damage. Border Police in the area arrested 10 suspects, the report said. Rioters also threw Molotov cocktails and stones at Israeli cars on a road near the West Bank village of Rantis, outside Ramallah. There were no reports of injuries. Also on Wednesday night and Thursday morning, several thousand Palestinians marched in the Hamas-run Gaza Strip, burning US and Israeli flags while chanting “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.” In a Wednesday address from the White House, Trump defied worldwide warnings and insisted that after repeated failures to achieve peace a new approach was long overdue, describing his decision to recognize Jerusalem as the seat of Israel’s government as merely based on reality. "Trump also said the United States would move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, though he set no timetable for that. Furious Palestinian leaders in the Fatah-controlled West Bank had responded to Trump’s speech with outrage, declaring that the United States could no longer serve as Middle East peace broker." 

When the truth is, the Palestinians don't want peace; they want to take control of all they can and conquer all they may as their Qu'ran tells them to do.  As a matter of fact, "Palestine" wasn't founded until 1988 as a nation; Modern Israel was recognized as a Jewish state in 1948, but originally founded in 1050B.C. as a kingdom by King Saul. And that is truly when the trouble starts; if one actually bothers to read their Bible, you will note a timeline of exile and return, due to people wanting to lay claim to Israel. 

Timemaps, a history site (that uses timelines and atlases to share information) posted this timeline of events in Ancient Israeli History. 

c. 1300-1200 BCE: The Israelites enter the land of Canaan: the age of the Judges starts

c. 1050-1010: The Israelites establish a kingdom, first under Saul (c.1050-1010) and then under David (c.1010-970)

c. 970: David’s son Solomon becomes king. He builds the Temple in Jerusalem

c. 931: After Solomon’s death, Israel divides into two kingdoms: Judah in the south, Israel in the north

722: The northern kingdom of Israel is destroyed by the Assyrians

c. 620: A major religious revival takes place in the southern kingdom of Judah

597-582: Judah and Jerusalem are destroyed in a series of invasions by king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon. The leading men of Judah are taken into exile in Babylon

538: The Persian king Cyrus allows the exiles back, and encourages them to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem

164: The Jews revolt against the Seleucid kings under the leadership of the Maccabbees brothers

63: The Romans conquer Judaea and soon install the family of Herod the Great as rulers of Judaea

66-73 and 132-5 CE: Two great Jewish rebellions against the Romans end in the destruction of the Temple (70) and the expulsion of the Jews from near Jerusalem (135)

So what does this mean for the long term: Warnings of a long-term shift tend to hinge on the idea that losing American neutrality means losing American leverage over Israelis and Palestinians to achieve peace. But the simple fact of American power makes the country an important broker, neutral or not. American leverage with Israel also comes from implicitly guaranteeing Israel’s security and providing it with lots of military hardware. Still, because Israel got something for nothing from Mr. Trump’s announcement, it has little reason to make difficult concessions. 

American leverage over Palestinian leaders is also significant, since those leaders rely on American support to keep their administration funded and stable. But those leaders are deeply unpopular with their own people. A real risk here is that they one day grow so unpopular that their administration collapses. This would risk chaos and violence in the short term and, long term, a likely takeover by the militant Palestinian group Hamas. 

All of that points toward a future in which peace is less likely, a Palestinian state is less likely and Israel is one day forced to choose between the two core components of its national identity: Jewish and democratic. Either it asserts permanent control over Palestinians without granting them full rights — a sort of state that critics sometimes compare to apartheid South Africa — or it grants Palestinians full rights, establishing a pluralistic democracy that is no longer officially Jewish. 

Mr. Trump’s move likely edges Israelis and Palestinians closer to that future. But things were probably moving in that direction already.

So in the end, I think what Mr. Trump has done is exactly what I believe he was meant to do. He recognized reality; one that will possibly bless Israel, certainly bring some blessing to America. Now to find out what all this means spiritually...

To some this is ushering in the end of Days. Certainly if Dr. Tim LaHaye were still alive, he'd tell you this is what is going on, so would Jerry Falwell, and I would say "The "End Times' have already started; this is just a part of all that." I have said so many times before and my cousin Wendy will be more than happy to confirm this..."Truly this could be the last trump!" 

For many conservative evangelicals, Jerusalem is not about politics. It is not about peace plans or Palestinians or two-state solutions. It is about prophecy. About the Bible. And, most certainly, it is about the end-times. 

As Diane Butler Bass wrote: Jerusalem has an important role to play in these end-times events. When the Jews rejected Jesus as the messiah, he explained, God chose the church to accomplish his mission. Soon this "church age" would end with the rapture of true believers. But God still loved the Jews, and wants to redeem them. Thus, absent the church, the Jews would experience a great religious rebirth and rebuild their temple in Jerusalem. This would spark a series of cataclysmic events that would culminate in the Battle of Armageddon, the last war of humanity. But it would also cause the Jews to finally accept Jesus as their savior. After all this occurred, Jesus would return in glory and God's kingdom -- a thousand-year reign of peace. And it would begin in Jerusalem.

This theology -- a literal belief that all these things must happen before Jesus will return to reign on Earth -- is called "dispensational pre-millennialism" and it is not the quirky opinion of some isolated church. Although the majority of Christians do not share these views, versions of dispensational pre-millennialism dominate American evangelicalism. 

This teaching is hardly new; it started in the 1840s, and by the 1970s was furthered with Hal Lindsay's "The Late Great Planet Earth" and in the 1990s and 2000s by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins in their Left Behind series--which if you get past the pre-millennialism theology--isn't a half bad series to read. If you know evangelicals, chances are very good that you know this theology, whether you believe it or not. You cannot avoid it. And if you hear the President of the United States say something about Jerusalem, you take notice. Especially when that President won 81% of the white evangelical vote.

When the President issued his order, I was not the only person hearing echoes of dispensationalism. Robert Jeffress, one of Trump's evangelical advisers, declared: "Jerusalem has been the object of the affection of both Jews and Christians down through history and the touchstone of prophecy."

Other evangelical pastors and teachers also praised the action as "biblical" and likened it to a "fulfilled prophecy."

While that may sound benign (or perhaps nutty) to the theologically uninitiated, they are referring to the "prophecy" of the conversion of the Jews, the second coming of Jesus, the final judgment, and the end of the world -- the events referred to as the biblical apocalypse.

I doubt that President Trump could explain dispensational pre-millennialism. I doubt he knows the term. But his evangelical supporters know it. Some of his advisers are probably whispering these prophecies in his ears. Trump might not really care how they interpret the Bible, but he cares that white evangelicals continue to stand with him. Moving the embassy to Jerusalem is one way to affirm his commitment to these evangelicals -- reminding them that he, Donald J. Trump, is pressing biblical history forward to its conclusion and that he is God's man in the unfolding of these last days.

Dr. Michael Brown also asked the question; and his answers are based off the blessing Christians are promised in Genesis 12:2-3 2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. 3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and pin you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

He states: My question is spiritual in nature: Will God bless President Trump and the United States for making this bold and courageous move?

I believe He will, since:

1. In doing so the president is blessing Israel, and God still blesses those who bless His covenant nation, despite that nation's sins;
2. Out of all the cities on the earth, the Bible only calls us to pray for the welfare of Jerusalem (see Psalm 122; Isaiah 62:1-8);
3. The tremendous resistance to the president's decision gives evidence to the intensity of the spiritual battle over this city; and
4. There are prophetic scriptures that speak of a Jewish Jerusalem welcoming back the Messiah, and so the decision to fortify the unity of the city is in explicit harmony with those Scriptures (see especially Zechariah 12 and 14).

And what about God's love for the Muslim world? What about justice for the Palestinians? The answer is simple: If they want to be blessed, they too must recognize the Jewish claim to Jerusalem, a city that they do not need to possess or divide. They don't need to call for violence and war. Instead, they need to accept that East Jerusalem will not be the capital of a Palestinian state, that working with the Jewish people rather than against them will be in their best interests too, and that the Jewish people have a massively greater claim to Jerusalem than the Muslims do. As for President Trump, he is convinced that this formal recognition of Jerusalem will aid and abet the peace process. But even if that is not the case, I truly believe that God will bless him and bless America for making this courageous and righteous decision.

Charisma Magazine shared this "fact sheet" 

Naming Jerusalem the Capital of Israel Fact Sheet:

Historical Significance:

• The history of Israel dates back to Genesis and the story of Abram who would become Abraham.
• Abraham was promised a land by God (the promised land), and that land was Canaan and would later become Israel (Genesis 12—fulfilled when descendant Joshua takes the land in Joshua 6 when the walls come down).
• David declared Jerusalem to be the capital of Israel (City of David- 2 Sam. 5).

Political Significance:

• Legally documented in 1950, the Jerusalem Law was passed by the Israel Knesset, declaring Jerusalem to be the eternal, undivided capital of the state of Israel.
• In 1995, Democrat President Bill Clinton signed a statute stating, "Since 1950, the city of Jerusalem has been the capital of the state of Israel."

Theological Importance:

• Christianity begins in Jerusalem serving as the context for Jesus' life and earthly ministry
• The city where Jesus was crucified on a cross
• The city where He was laid in a tomb
• The city where He rose from the grave
• The city where He showed Himself to many others over a forty-day period
• The city where many believe Abraham brought Isaac up Mt. Moriah and passed God's test of faith
• The city where King Solomon built the magnificent Temple, declaring it a house of prayer for all nations
• The city Isaiah envisioned as the world's center where the nations would beat their swords into plowshares, and learn war no more
• The city where Jesus wept

Shared Significance with Orthodox Jews:

• The significance of Jerusalem to Christians cannot be separated from the significance of Jerusalem to the Jewish people 
• Their history is our history
• We are intertwined through our Old Testament scriptures and spiritual legacy. Their biblical examples are our biblical examples and we share this heritage in Jerusalem as our spiritual capital while Israel also legally proclaims it as her national capital. Their national history has become our spiritual history

Contributing Sites: 
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/09/world/middleeast/jerusalem-trump-capital.html

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/888913/Palestinian-riots-Israel-over-Donald-Trump-US-embassy-move-to-Jerusalem

https://www.timesofisrael.com/palestinians-riot-in-west-bank-gaza-as-tempers-flare-over-jerusalem/

http://www.cnn.com/2017/12/08/opinions/jerusalem-israel-evangelicals-end-times-butler-bass-opinion/index.html

https://www.onenewsnow.com/perspectives/michael-brown/2017/12/07/the-political-and-spiritual-significance-of-trumps-decision
https://www.charismamag.com/life/culture/34967-jentezen-franklin-the-biblical-significance-of-recognizing-jerusalem-as-israel-s-capital
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ge 12:2–3.

Jerusalem...a capital?

This week President Donald Trump declared Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel and everyone went nuts! Why? It’s not like Jerusalem never was the capital of Israel. The reason that people have gone crazy is that Jerusalem is a hotly contested area in Israel. The US supports Israel in diplomatic and military matters not because of the strength of pro-Israel lobbies like the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, or out of sympathy stemming from the events of World War II, but for practical reasons. Israel's intelligence and insights into Middle Eastern affairs is "unparalleled" throughout the world and "benefits the US in all sorts of ways." For decades, intelligence analysts have regarded Israel's Unit 8200 as one of the most elite in the world. The unit functions similarly to the US National Security Agency, and the two work closely together.

President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital is a perfect response to President Obama’s benighted decision to change American policy by engineering the United Nations Security Council Resolution declaring Judaism’s holiest places in Jerusalem to be occupied territory and a “flagrant violation under international law.” It was President Obama who changed the status quo and made peace more difficult, by handing the Palestinians enormous leverage in future negotiations and disincentivizing them from making a compromised peace.

The following are ten reasons why it’s vital that the US supports Israel:

1.      Jerusalem has been the official capital of the State of Israel and the center of its government since 1950. Jerusalem is the seat of Israel’s President, Knesset, and Supreme Court, and the site of most government ministries and social and cultural institutions. Jerusalem is the ancient spiritual center of Judaism and is also considered a holy city by the members of other religious faiths. Israel protects the holy sites of all faiths.

2.      In 1967, Jordan rejected warnings from Israel and opened an aggressive war against Israel by bombarding Jerusalem. In response and in self-defense, Israel captured east Jerusalem, then controlled by Jordan.

3.      As such, Israel’s status in eastern Jerusalem is entirely legitimate and lawful and accepted by the international community under the international law of armed conflict.

4.      The 1967 unification of Jerusalem by Israel through the extension of its law, jurisdiction, and administration to eastern Jerusalem, while not accepted by the international community, did not alter the legality of Israel’s presence and status in, and governance of, the city.

5.      The United States has consistently stated that the issue of Jerusalem must be solved by negotiation as part of a just, durable and comprehensive peace settlement.¹

6.      Numerous politically-generated resolutions and declarations by the UN, UNESCO, and others, attempting to revise and distort the long history of Jerusalem and to deny basic religious, legal and historic rights of the Jewish People and the State of Israel in Jerusalem, have no legal standing and are not binding. They represent nothing more than the political viewpoints of those states that voted to adopt them.

7.      The PLO and Israel agreed in the Oslo Accords that “the issue of Jerusalem” is a permanent status negotiating issue that can only be settled by direct negotiation between them with a view to settling their respective claims. The U.S. President, as well as the presidents of the Russian Federation and Egypt, the King of Jordan, and the official representatives of the EU are among the signatories as witnesses to the Oslo Accords.

8.      Neither UN/UNESCO resolutions, nor declarations by governments, leaders, and organizations can impose a solution to the issue of Jerusalem, nor can they dictate or prejudge the outcome of such negotiations.

9.      Acknowledging the facts that Jerusalem is the capital city of Israel and acknowledging that locating the American embassy in Jerusalem is the sovereign prerogative of the United States would in no way prejudice or influence the peace negotiation process. They would be an acknowledgment of a long-standing factual situation and rectification of a historic injustice.

10.  Statements by the King of Jordan, the Palestinian leadership, and Arab leaders that recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital or locating the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem will endanger the peace process and bring a wave of violence, are nothing but empty threats and unfortunate attempts to threaten a sovereign government and incite.  Surrendering to such threats of violence and terrorism would be a dangerous precedent and a sign of weakness.

Candidacy and Psychological Evaluation...not what you think

Many of you are following me on my journey to become a minister. I am sure a lot of you have questions about whether or not, I am suitable to be a pastor and what that will look like and others have come to me with statements that let me know they disagree with where I am and what I am doing. Others have come to me inquiring about the Candidacy Process and whether it is allowing me to truly discern God’s calling in my life or if I have signed on the dotted line and am past the point of no return.

So I have decided to open up, about the Psychological Evaluation part of the Candidacy Process. When people think “Psychological Evaluation” immediately they think “Oh no! I won’t lay on a couch and talk to some stranger about my life.” or they think “We can’t put crazy in the pulpit; that’s why they are do a 3 hour psychological evaluation.” That both of these things are true, but they are also not what the evaluation/assessment is for. Think of it as a future boss asking you to meet someone you may eventually work with and they just want to get to know you.

However, what is cool about this person who gets to know you is that they do subject you to some psychological testing—4 separate personality tests to be honest with you. 1-complete the sentence, 

The Myers-Briggs Personality Type Indicator, The Neo-Pi and the MMPI. I will say that the last two were my favorites, but the last one had me scared out of my mind!

I got the results from my Myers-Briggs and my type is INFP. INFPs focus much of their energy on an inner world dominated by intense feeling and deeply held ethics. They seek an external life that is in keeping with these values. Loyal to the people and causes important to them, INFPs can quickly spot opportunities to implement their ideals. They are curious to understand those around them, and so are accepting and flexible unless their values are threatened.

The other two tests the Neo-Pi and the MMPI were coupled with my sentence completion to give a better understanding of who I am. My Neo-Pi results were pretty spot on but I also think that of my scores on the MMPI, which I can’t give you tonight as I don’t have them. However, I can tell you the results from the Neo-Pi and how they present me:

• N Domain: I scored as calm, relaxed and generally free of worry. I sometimes feel frustrated, irritable, and angry and I am prone to feel sad, lonely and dejected. I am good at controlling my impulses and am able to handle stress as well as most people.
• E Domain: I am as assertive as most women when the circumstances require; I have a low energy level and prefer a slow and steady pace.
• O Domain: I have a vivid imagination, I am responsive to beauty found in music, art, poetry or nature and my emotions are normal in variety and intensity. I am conservative in my social, political and moral beliefs.
• A Domain: I am frank and sincere, you are considerate of others. I can hold my own in conflict, but am willing to readily forgive and forget.
• C Domain: I can be sloppy and disorganized and I am sometimes less dependable and reliable and more likely to bend the rules than I should. I have high aspirations and strive for excellence in whatever I do. I also sometimes act without considering all the consequences.

The last test was the MMPI. If anything this is the test that scared the blue blazes out of me! Why? It’s a psycho-pathology test. This is a test that they give in psychiatric wards around the nation. Most people tend to test extra bad when they want to seem sicker than they are and want an extra day or so out of work. Then on the other end of the scale there are people who test extra good when they are going into careers such as pastoring churches. My psychologist told me “Rachel, your test was refreshing! It’s the first test I have ever gotten where I feel like the person was being completely honest.” He went on to say that all those diagnoses that I was told I had never spiked on this test. I no longer tested for depression. I did spike a little on the “Disregard for Authority” but the psychologist said that was probably because “You like to do things your own way.”

As you can see my tests didn’t come back bad; as of matter of fact, I learned a lot about myself that I know I need to work on. While a lot of people think the Candidacy Process is long and arduous (and it is), I do see where it benefits each candidate as they move through this process. I look forward to continuing to grow through this process; and seeing where God leads me. 

When God is Silent: 1 Kings 19:9-15a

I love Elijah! He’s a man that I would probably be able to sit down with, share a pizza and maybe even a few stories with. Why? Because honestly Elijah is a lot like me! He expects more from God’s people than he is able to give of himself, he focuses on a problem and no the solution and he believes that God can be maddeningly hard to get! Even God says that His ways are not our ways and He really means it!

Let’s Read 1 Kings 19:9-15a

Some background on Elijah is that he’s a prophet, living approximately 1000 B.C. to 700 B.C. He’s probably one of the most interesting and colorful characters in the Bible, yet his life is filled with turmoil—one day he’s up emotionally, and the next day he may be down and out. He’s called fire from Heaven, stopped a drought through prayer and killed all the Baal prophet, which is why he is on the run from Queen Jezebel. This is where our story starts: It is this encounter with victory where Elijah is happy to know God. He’s just killed the Baal prophets, he’s seeing the people of Israel starting to turn back to their God…THEN…Jezebel hears that her prophets are dead and she threatens to kill Elijah!

Much like our lives…we all have then encounters with God where He breaks into our lives with power answering our prayers and wins our trust by watering the garden of our faith, making it lush and green; then out of nowhere chaos careens with apparent carelessness through our lives and the world leaving us shattered. Or an unrelenting darkness descends; maybe an arid wind we don’t even understand blows across our spiritual landscape, leaving the crust of our soul cracked and parched. And we cry to God in our confused anguish and he just seems silent. He seems absent. All God’s saints, if allowed to live long enough, are led into the lonely, disorienting, weary wilderness. Unfortunately, while we are there we tend to lament; for example:

• Job: “I cry to you for help and you do not answer me; I stand, and you only look at me.”

• King David: “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of groaning?”

• Jesus on the Cross: “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”

In his lesser known book A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis wrote: When you are happy, so happy you have no sense of needing Him, so happy that you are tempted to feel His claims upon you as an interruption, if you remember yourself and turn to Him with gratitude and praise, you will be — or so it feels— welcomed with open arms. But go to Him when your need is desperate, when all other help is vain, and what do you find? A door slammed in your face, and a sound of bolting and double bolting on the inside. After that, silence. You may as well turn away. The longer you wait, the more emphatic the silence will become…”

However it is in these moments of silence that God may really be answering our prayers. You see, like Elijah, we often think our problems are too big for God and then we focus on the chaos and not the still small voice. God doesn’t always speak in the miraculous—those big TA-DA moments. I found myself in this position prior to coming to Clarksbury. A year ago, I was a member of a large six campus church. I felt like I was growing in Christ and that I was being allowed to use what I had learned in seminary to teach the kids at church; I was happy.

Suddenly, the very people who introduced me to this church stopped talking to me. I went to work one day and everything was fine and the next my friend came to me and said “Let’s just say it’s [our friendship] over.” The next Sunday, a mutual friend came to me and told me “The reason your friendship ended is because everyone thinks you are crazy and need psychological help.” I was heart-broken. I went directly to our minister because our church had a peacekeeping by-law and I wanted to make use of it. So I went to peacekeeping, and their celebrate recovery group; where we’d have discussions about what forgiveness would look like. However, my “friends” were never required to make an effort. Eventually the senior pastor’s wife would tell me “Your job teaching children isn’t as important as the keyboard player…you will need to find a new campus to attend.”

That was the last time for nearly a year that I went to church. When I was approached about church and my beliefs, I would say “I believe God exists, that Christ died and resurrected—I don’t believe there are true Christians in the world today. So many people are giving lip-service to the title of Christian.” I had been hurt by people who said they belonged to God. Chaos, had literally came into my life, turned my spiritual landscape upside down.

During those 6 months, I approached God. Whether I was sitting at home crying or at home yelling at God, like Robert Duvall in The Apostle—I was asking God to give me answers and God was giving me the silent treatment. If you have been in this place, then you know it takes a lot of effort and time to pray in the silence; to present requests with prayer and supplication to God. For me, God brought Christians into my life that would become my closest friends; my life group, women who would continue to walk with me and wouldn’t allow me to retreat into my own self-pity. God was teaching me not just through direct instruction [His Word], but also through hints and subtle provocation.

When I speak of subtle provocation, I am talking about various phone calls that came from friends asking me to come back to church or inviting me to church. One such call came from a young woman named, Mary Grace, “Rachel, I’d love for you to join me at church sometime.” I think I laughed and made some snide remark. A few weeks later, I got a text from her. I decided “okay, I’ll go, but I never have to return to church!” Needless to say I found a community of believers that I am proud to call mine.

Elijah’s story doesn’t end with Jezebel threatening him and his running away; God made a way to keep Elijah safe and then God appeared in the silence and even though Elijah continued to focus on the negative, God invited Elijah to join back in His eternal plan. Just as my story didn’t end with leaving the mega-church and going through a chaotic time—God was using my time of silence to grow me and then to invite me back into His eternal plan. I can honestly say I think in the moments of silence I endured God was saying “Rachel, I want to give you something better. Different people to grow with, other people to learn from.”

Maybe you feel like God is giving you the silent treatment on something you want; instead of focusing on the negative and getting angry at God, I want to encourage you to ask six questions: “Who, what, where, when, why, and how?”

Then listen—even if it seems that God is being silent. 

Not your traditional Thanksgiving Post

It’s that time again! Time for my annual Thanksgiving post! I know everyone looks forward to this post as much as they look forward to waking up and seeing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and sitting at their TVs waiting for Santa to arrive at Herald Square in front of Macy’s department Store in New York City!

I want to talk about something that has been weighing on my mind. My previous post about racism I spoke about a young woman who went on a racist rant about how Thanksgiving was a white holiday celebrated solely on the account that “white people came here and stole land from Native American Indians and were still abusing them today.” In that light, I decided to write about some of my ancestors that I am thankful for and share some of their stories; I am thankful for the men and women who make up my rich tapestry known as my ancestry.

However, let me get my cliché thanksgiving post over with. I am also thankful for my family, my friends, and my haters. I am thankful for people who choose to bless me, to be a part of my life, I am thankful for people who are willing to join me in speaking up against social injustice and those who are terrified to do so because they think they will be unfairly judged! I am thankful to live in the land that my family helped found along with other families that left the “old world” for a “new world” of religious and eventually, political freedom.

Now, let me tell you about some of the ancestors that I am thankful for; whose contributions would not only be seen today, in history books, but in the faces of their descendants. I have several ancestors whose stories are my favorites; and I am going to share some of them with you; and maybe then you will see why I am so 1) thankful for my ancestors and 2) really upset by racism and bigotry. 

The first ancestor I am thankful for is William Anders, the first Anders recorded in the Colonies. I am pretty sure he came to the colonies as an Ulster Scot seeking a better life to worship God. It's possible, but not 100% that he could have been a Quaker. 

William Penn

My first favorite story is about Joseph Haines. Joseph’s family was coming to the new colony of Pennsylvania. King Charles II of England specified in the charter given to William Penn that the name should be Pennsylvania. This is a combination of the Latin word ' Sylvania ' meaning woodland together with Penn. Joseph was born the same day his father died on William Penn’s ship The Amity. Joseph’s family had to forge a new life in a strange land. They couldn’t just hop back on a boat and return to England, they had left England to live in a completely unknown land, just so they could worship God the way they saw fit!

Next we have the story of Benjamin Harrison, my 11^th great grandfather, maybe this name doesn’t mean anything to you and that is completely fine. However, he’s also an immigrant, and his story states: Benjamin Harrision, the Immigrant. Born in England and came early to VA. He would endure the Indian Attack of 1622. That he was a man of exceptional education is shown by his appointment as a clerk of the Virginia council before 1633. He was a member of the House of Burgesse in 1642. By his wife Mary, he had two sons: Benjamin II and Peter who died in middle life without issue. Mary, widow of Benjamin Harrison, married (second) Benjamin Sidway. Her will, dated March 1, 1687-88, bequeaths to granddaughter, Hannah Harrison; to sons Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Sidway, and John Kersey.  His descendants include President William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison V, signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Huguenot Cross

The next family member that I really enjoy their story is that of my French 9^th great grandfather, the Marquis De La Calmes. Marquis was born about 1675. Marquis Calmes ... He passed away about 1741. The son of Guillaume William de Calmes “Seigneur de Barbeiran” and his wife Francoise de St. Cernin, Marquis Guillaume De Calmes was born in 1675 in Trebs Dioc de Carcassone Languedoc France. While the family was titled, Marquis was probably not a rank. The family was Huguenot, and Marquis fled with his parents from France to England in about 1685 to avoid the religious persecution in France, as the Edict of Nantes, promulgated in 1598 by Henry IV, was revoked by Louis XIV in 1685. Marquis De Calmes was granted English citizenship by King James II on 5 January 1687. He is listed as a member of Huguenot Church on Threadneedle St., London in 1687 and 1688, and while there in England, he married Isabella Elliche. Marquis De Calmes and his wife Isabella arrived in Virginia between 1696 and 1700. They first lived in a Huguenot settlement on the James River, and then were granted 711 acres on the North Run of Acquia Creek, in Stafford County, Virginia on 11 May 1706. He was granted another 744 acres on the South Run of Acquia creek adjoining his other acreage on 01 Sep 1709. He died prior to 1741 (although this cannot be confirmed due to the destruction of records during the Civil War), and his wife died in 1742. 

One of the best stories I know about the Broyhill (yes, the furniture makers) family is that of my 5^th great-grandfather John Norman Broyhill. His son Nathan was a Cherokee Indian. John Norman apparently married this Indian woman around 1803.  Her maiden name is unknown, but Paul wrote that he is also connected with the Dawes family of North Carolina. The Wilkes County, NC marriage records show that he married Polly Davis in 1810. Either he abandoned his Indian wife or she had died.  His parents obviously knew of this marriage became both Norman's father, James Broyhill, and his son, Nathan Broyhill, provided testimony in an 1828 Wilkes County hunting accident.  Broyhill family records show that his son Thomas was born October 17, 1816 at Moravian Falls, NC and that his son, John, was born in Tennessee in 1820.   John Norman Broyhill appears on the 1820 Census of Tennessee as John N. Brawhill. The family was back in Wilkes in 1821.  The following year, his younger brother William left for Tennessee, perhaps inspired by John's stories of new land.  His other brother, James Jr., later moved to Tennessee. Family oral tradition maintains that his wife and children came home from Church one Sunday to find John's new shoes sitting on the kitchen table.  In them was a note stating, "Norman is gone."  And indeed he was because he completely disappears from Wilkes County records. 

Black and White by Leslie Dula McKesson

I am going now to tell you about my ancestor, 2^nd Cousin-6x removed, James Alfred Dula. His first wife died after giving birth to 6 children. She had been given a slave, Harriet, when she married, her [Harriet] picture indicates she was probably part white, Cherokee and black. James never remarried but had 8 children by Harriet. He gave her land and money to protect her and his children. If anyone tried to take what he had given her his will states they would receive nothing. Dulatown in Lenoir, N.C. consists of the land given to Harriet and her children.

Today, I am truly thankful for my family; my ancestors for forging life in a land that was completely unforgiving and not welcoming to them. I am thankful for a God who supplied their every need; to the point that truly they could sing out “I know the plans I have for you, not to harm you, but to give you a hope and future!” Jeremiah 29:11

Racism...ugly in all it's forms!

If you know me at all you know that I hate bigotry and racism in all it's forms. Whether it's a white person making rude racist remarks about any minority or even a member of a minority group making fun or rude remarks about a white person. So yesterday when a "friend" posted this status on Facebook, I was really enraged that she would think it's okay to say what she did. 

My friend's post read "Happy 'White people stole land from native American Indians and are still mistreating them' day or in other words 'thanksgiving.' 

 My response to her racist rant was "seriously?" I am an eighth Cherokee and possibly a sixteenth Creek, and I don't feel that the "white people stole land from Native American Indians and are still mistreating them" at all. Last time I checked Native Americans are welcome to come and go and live on reservations or not live on reservations. They have educational opportunities that equal and somewhat rival those of white people. So I am a bit offended that someone of color would remotely say something this stupid. 

Her response was "Don't be mad at history Rachel."; I am not mad at history. I am mad at the ignorance surrounding history and what Thanksgiving exactly is. So yes, I did decide to write her a lengthy response on how racism is ALIVE and WELL among Americans of EVERY color and how I felt that it is very unfair that if a white person says anything at all about race, we are immediately labeled as racist; but if a minority, and in her case a person who is supposedly of "African" descent says anything it's suddenly "Okay!" 

When will the race baiting stop? My favorite movie quote is from Kevin Costner's Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves; A little girl (Sarah Alexandra) asks Azeem, a Muslim (Morgan Freeman) about his face, in the way all children do. "Did God paint you?" Azeem replies laughing "Did God Paint me? For certain..." Then the girl asks "But Why?" Azeem lovingly says " Because Allah loves wondrous variety."

For me, this quote says more about the human spirit than anything we can remotely say today about humanity. You see God didn't create people to hate one another it's a learned act. That little girl was curious as to why Morgan Freeman's character Azeem was different and he explained it in a way that amazingly anyone can understand..."God loves variety."

God didn't create just ONE race and then all others came from it. God didn't BLESS one race and curse another.

He created us all one and we are to LOVE one another, not race bait; not send out hate filled messages to anger people.

Racism is a heart issue; it's learned. It's taught by parents who post this garbage on the internet stating that certain holidays are there because White people stole land from Native Americans. We ignore the fact that those "White people" gathered their belongings and moved 3500 miles from home to live in a place that wasn't friendly to them, a hostile environment where they could worship God the way they felt was best and honorable. They struggled that first winter in 1620, when they arrived on the shores of Plymouth, Mass. and didn't have enough provisions to feed themselves or their families. Many of them died, due to not having proper medical care, and no ability to feed their families. Then in 1621, they met a group of Native Americans whom they befriended and they taught these white people how to grow corn; dig a mound, place some seeds in, throw a fish on top for fertilizer and let God bring the harvest. That harvest was so great that they had plenty of food that they set a day aside to give the creator of the universe thanks, and they invited their new friends to join them.

I doubt that the early pilgrims saw that the Wampanoag were extremely different from themselves. I mean sure they had different beliefs and dressed according to the season; while the pilgrims dressed modestly, usually wearing the same clothing style year around. But instead of dwelling on the differences of the Patuxet native American and others of the Wampanoag tribe; they focused on giving thanks to God for the bounty they had. That small group of Englishmen and women thrived and more would come to the New World in the 1600s; including my own family in 1682, on one of William Penn's Ships, The Amity. However, my family didn't steal land from Native Americans; instead many of them lived side by side with their native neighbors learning from them. 

One thing that I find most people who race bait forget is that Western Civilization has eradicated slavery. The end of slavery was purely a movement of Christians. Men like John Wesley, John Newton, William Wilberforce all spoke out against slavery. 

Another fact that people who race bait forget is that slavery is alive and well in Africa today. Men, women and children are traded in Northern Africa today, by Muslim slave traders.  Slavery isn't a "White issue." It's an every man and nation issue. 

My point to this entire thing is...yes, many people were wronged during the American Slave trade; however, instead of race baiting an American society because you feel that you have been unjustly served in life based on your  skin color; instead of getting mad because someone you don't like is president; instead of running off at the mouth and alienating people, start learning to fix the problem, don't add fuel to a fire that needs to stop burning. 

November 14, 2017: Israel Prayer Update Shut Down

 As many of you know, I have spent many years writing prayer requests out for ministries in Israel as well as just prayers in general for the country that has given my faith so much to be happy for. Today, a 5 year legacy of writing about Shabbat, Torah, Judaism, Messianic Judaism, questions and prayer requests has ended. I got one final post in, before the blog was shutdown by Google--at the request of several of my readers.

The Rejection of Jesus' Sacrifice and the Reality of Hell

            Today I have spent a lot of time thinking about the reality of Hell. Evangelist Billy Graham has said many times “Some teach ‘universalism’–that eventually everybody will be saved and the God of love will never send anyone to hell. They believe the words ‘eternal’ or ‘everlasting’ do not actually mean forever.” The reality is that everlasting and eternal mean just that, forever. The doctrine of eternal punishment, though unpopular and frightening, is found as a part of the confession of every branch of the Christian church. It has only been in the last century that under the influence of liberalism some have denied the reality of hell.

            Earlier in the week, I had a discussion about a Bishop in the Western Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church. Everyone who called out sin, was seen as being hate-filled and wrong. While others stated what a wonderful person the Bishop is. These people don’t realize it, but they were trivializing sin. Sadly, Trivializing sin blocks us from receiving a full revelation of God’s love (Luke 7:47). God didn’t just look the other way or change His attitude toward sin. He paid for our sins in full through the sacrifice of His Son (2 Cor. 5:21). Anyone who rejects or ignores such a great sacrifice will spend eternity paying for that.

            Sin has to be judged (Rom. 6:23), and it was judged, in the flesh of Jesus (1 Pet. 2:24). But those who don’t make Jesus their Lord will have hell to pay for the greatest sin of all—rejecting Jesus’ sacrifice (John 16:8-9). The sacrifice that Jesus made was infinitely greater than we have ever imagined. Not only does the Bible teach that He was not recognizable as a human being (Is. 52:14) while hanging on the cross, but it also teaches that He actually became sin (2 Cor. 5:21). Just before He died, Jesus said, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46). God forsook Jesus. He could not look upon the sin that Jesus had become. And if He forsook His only Son, what chance would any of us have? That is why, for those who foolishly ignore this great sacrifice, there is a real hell.

            In the story about Lazarus and the rich man, the rich man spoke to Abraham from hell, the place of torment. Luke 16:22-26 says,

“And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom:     the rich man also died, and was buried; and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted and thou are tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed.”

            It makes it clear that in she’owl, or hell, those who were in torment could see those across the gulf. They could hear, thirst, feel pain and sorrow, and even communicate with those in paradise. But the one thing that the people in hell will never be able to do is die. After the Resurrection, things concerning hell changed. Jesus went to hell, took the keys of hell and death (Rev. 1:18), and set the captives free—those who were in Abraham’s bosom.

Ephesians 4: 9-10 says,

“Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might      fill all things.”

            After defeating the devil and setting the captives free, Jesus took those in Abraham’s bosom to heaven with Him, where all believers go now. But we will not live in heaven forever. We only live in heaven until the end of the age. Then God is going to make a new heaven and a new earth, and all the believers will live there with Jesus in the new Jerusalem (Rev. 21:1-4). The Scripture, in Luke, also shows that the people God honors are not necessarily the same people the world honors (Luke 16:15). This rich man had a beautiful home, fancy clothes, and the best of everything. He had it all, but he never showed the beggar any mercy. When he died, I guarantee you he had a fancy funeral. Thousands of people may have gathered, all talking about how great his accomplishments were.

            Yet the Bible says only that he was buried, left to rot in the grave. On the other hand, the beggar who was most despised on earth was carried away by angels. Which of the two would you rather have been? When you see this from an eternal perspective, it makes the suffering of this earth pale in comparison to what God has prepared for us (Rom. 8:18). That is why we have a section of a wall at Charis Bible College-Colorado dedicated to those we call “Heroes of the Faith.” These are graduates, like our extension school directors, who are giving their lives selflessly to take this message around the world. I believe that these are the people God honors, and it would serve all of us well to do the same (1 Sam. 2:30).

            We can also see from Scripture that there are no second chances. There is no purgatory, as the Catholic Church teaches. There is no ultimate reconciliation. On earth, the rich man rejected God and went directly to hell. When the rich man pleaded for mercy, Abraham could do nothing. There will be no mercy, no hope, and no goodness of any kind in hell, ever. There isn’t a single person on this earth who deserves anything good from God. And there is absolutely nothing people can do to gain His favor. If that offends you, then you have just experienced the offense of the cross (Gal. 5:11). In comparison to God’s standards, man’s righteousness is no better than filthy rags (Is. 64:6). But God loves man so much that He sent Jesus, a Lamb without spot, to be a sacrifice for sin. If Jesus died for past, present, and future sins—which He did—then what determines whether we spend eternity with Him or in hell? The Bible makes it clear that the Holy Spirit convicts us of one sin, and it’s the only sin that will cause people to go to hell. That is the sin of rejecting the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

“And when he [the Holy Spirit] is come, he will reprove the world of sin. and of righteousness, and of judgment: Of sin, because they believe not on me” (John 16:8-9, brackets mine).

            To say the least, avoiding hell is big. However, what Jesus accomplished on the cross is far more than the avoidance of hell.