The ten.

Well so far things in Israel have been a bit of an up and down journey. And like most journeys there seem to be days where all that can be seen are the mountain tops and days that make you wonder if the mountain tops will ever exist again. Spiritually Jerusalem is the hardest place I have ever been. Waking up one finds themselves immediately in a spiritual battle. Heaviness seems to be a way of life here. I feel often that there is a constant pressure on my chest and a heaviness that is a apart of this city. It is often said because this is the birth place of the three main faiths that as a result Jerusalem breathes spiritual warfare. From the different quarters of the city that spill out the Ultra Orthodox Jews to the Arab and Muslim Faiths to the few Christians that walk the streets here. I am constantly surprised to see how secular Jerusalem appears, at least to me. And when you do see faith it is usually being lived out in very legalistic sense such as Judaism. At all times of the day you can hear horns and the Muslims call to prayer, and the Ultra Orthodox Jews. It is a place that one never knows exactly how to respond to. I am constantly stared at, I'm not sure more because of my western appearance or my blonde hair. There are many reasons to feel alone here, yet I am finding a strange, subtle strength in the Lord that is somehow not exactly forceful yet constant. So far my favorite place to go is the Western Wall. I know it is a obvious statement. But to see it lit up at night and the Jews praying and moving and surrounding the wall is an amazing sight. It is a place of prayer, and one can feel the power that this physical location will one day be apart of in the spiritual. Bridges is good. I am getting adjusted fairly well. They are very busy and I'm still struggling to understand everything. But they do amazing things and the people that work there are amazing. As for prayer...My own needs are continually just safety. That God will be a strong wall and place of peace in a place that peace seems at best evasive. There are the financial needs that I have here. And as always pray for the peace of Jerusalem. I still do not have internet which hopefully I will have secured in the next two weeks. So until I get that it is hard to update this, but when I get that...Things will flow easier. Please write and stay in touch. I need the support of friends very much here.