Africa by Kim Bischoff

Tenacious Love

I have been back from Africa a little while now. I feel like I’m still adjusting to the culture shock! I have to say this has been one of the most life changing trips I have ever been on. I knew that going into this trip God was really going to stretch me. I honestly never thought I would go to Africa, it was never on my list of countries, but when God said go back in early spring, I had to obey, so glad I did.

It’s hard to narrow down what impacted you most from the kids, to the culture, to the atmosphere, but I have to say it would be the love. Heidi shared on tenacious love the last day that I was in Pemba. She put into words what God has been doing in me for the last few months. It’s all about the love! But it’s more than just that. It’s Tenacious, holding tightly to, not letting go, persistent. She shared from Philippians, and called us to be tenacious and loving. To be poured out like a drink offering again and again. Life isn’t about us; it’s about spreading the Love of Jesus. She told us a story about what it took to get to this village that God had given her a vision about. It took over 2 years, many obstacles, and cost her much. She said”you give up too easily.” This struck a chord in my heart. I realized that I have given up way to easily in many places of my life and on people. We see things that get in our way as a door shut, instead of a test or something that God is using. We assume that things will be given to us, instead of us having to pay a cost, or even partnering with the vision that God gives us. Jesus never said I will make everything easy for you; He said “I will be with you.”

We can’t do anything out of our own strength, it will surly run out. We have to do it through the eyes of love, through Jesus. Through Him EVERYTHING is possible. I don’t know how to put into words what God did in my heart and in my life through Africa, but I do know this I’m a puddle. I feel like I fell into the Father’s arms in a deeper more intimate way. He has placed this tenacious love in my heart, and I have adeeper faith in Him. I don’t doubt that what He says is truth, and I knowthat I have to be poured out again and again. But I have this promise, Hewill be with me, and He will pour into me more than I can ever be poured out. I know it’s worth the cost, and I’ve decided I will do whatever I need

to, to love people, to spread His fame. I just want more of Him. All the signs and wonders aAWESOME, but we can’t be about just the signs we will be empty. We must be about Him, because He is the way the truth and the life.

For the Kingdom of God is among you… One of my favorite stories is when the disciples came back to Jesus. They were so excited because they had just cast out demons, healed the sick and many other things. Jesus’ response was that’s great but don’t rejoice that these things happened rejoice because your name is known in heaven. How can your name be “known”, it’s simply by spending time with your beloved Yeshua, your healer, deliver, salvation. The more time you spend with Him, the more you act like his child. The more we act like His child the more we are like Him. The more we become like Him the more we love, and the more our vision changes it becomes clearer. Our love becomes pure, and we begin to really see.

In sharing what little of have shared of my trip to Africa, my hope is this. That God will do in you what He has done in me. Show you how much He loves you. Show you what He sees when He looks at you, and pour out His love over you. That you will be touched by the amazing unchangeable love of the Father, and that you will be like a puddle in His arms. Because when this world fades, and there is nothing left of material things, His love will stay because we were created for eternity with Him.

Much love and MANY blessings… Kim Bischoff

Shalom!

I went with Tod to Trevecca University in Nashville last Monday night as we spoke in two 30 min. sessions to the freshman. We were amazed that the school is right there in our back yard - it's a pretty nice campus! There were 600 students gathered in the auditorium for instructions and short time of prayer for the presenters beforedispersing to the various presentations. They could choose two to go to. We had about 50 or so studentscome to our room for each session. You gotta love college chapel programs, the students get fined in increasingamounts if they don't attend - they were eager to get their I.D.'s scanned at the end of each session :)

Tod did an excellent job of presenting Caleb's vision and God's love for the Jewish people and we did get about a dozen students sign up for more information and several took business cards. I shared as well about Siloam Family Health Clinic our desire to extend the love of Jesus to the refugees and patients and extended an invitation for them to connect there as well.

Personally, attending this function has allowed God to drive and attitude deeper into my "knower" that we carry truth that it vital for people to believers to understand and be awakened to in these days.

It was a pleasure to be invited to Trevecca and be warmly received. This in contrast to the two pieces below on American education:

The first I read on World View Weekend - it's a quote from an educator in 1987

Dr. Raymond English gave a speech before the National Advisory Council on Educational Research and improvement on april 2, 1987. In his speech, Dr. English defined critical thinking as follows;

"Critical thinking means not only learning how to think for oneself, but it also meanslearning how to subvert the traditional values in your society. You're not thinking critical if you're accepting the values that mommy and daddy taught you. That's not critical.

The second is from Frontpagemag.com. A new book has come out detailing US academias wide spread support of Nazi atrocities against the Jews - excerpt from the news post and link below:

"Norwood’s book is a must-read, but also a sad and uncomfortable read. He details the reactions of America’s professors and universities to the rise of Hitler. The responses on American campuses ranged from complete indifference and refusal to join in campaigns against Nazi Germany to widespread support for German Nazism, including for German atrocities committed against Jews. This was not mere Yankee provincial ignorance of what was happening outside the country."

http://frontpagemag.com/2009/10/26/nazis-in-the-ivory-tower-%e2%80%93-by-steven-plaut/

God has indeed blessed us with His knowledge and truth. May we be strengthened each day by the power of His love as we run the race set before us, engaging in more opportunities like Trevecca.

Blessings,

Jon

Faith Comes to New York!

Faith Gilmore is a graduate of Caleb Leadership Training and writes about her recent trip to New York City.

I felt God ask me to give the trip to Him, since it was the first of the Jewish New Year and He's been teaching me the principle of first fruits. When we give the first of anything (in this case the year) to God, He multiplies it:

Jesus was God's first son and His death and resurrection produced a multiplied harvest for God, Hannah dedicated Samuel to the Lord and was given more children, we give God our tithe and He supernaturally blesses the remainder of our finances and so on.

So, I looked up on the internet to see what Jewish activities were going on and found a tour of Lower East Side as it relates to Jewish History. However, before this scheduled tour I started seeing Jews everywhere on 34th street. I felt like God ask me to ask for their forgiveness on behalf of the church for all the hundreds of years of persecution they've endured.

The first two looked shocked and hurried by, not sure how to respond and appeared somewhat bothered, but then I continued on and said the same to about 100 more Jews. Out of than number, only 4 men didn't respond or look at me and I think it's because they were Orthodox Men who couldn't look at me because I was a woman. But, the others all appeared shocked in a good way, and their jaws dropped as they said either "thank you," "I appreciate it," "bless you this year," "I am in awe this is really happening," or "it's not necessary for you to take on that guilt."

I spoke first mostly to the elderly the first day, middle age men and men in their 30s the second day and a group of Jewish youth the second night. All were so thankful and receptive to this.

On the third day, I decided to ask random people who appeared Jewish yet I wasn't sure because they weren't Orthodox nor did they have a kippah on their heads. "Are you Jewish by any chance?" Almost all of them were either older women or older married couples and most said "yes." So, I was able to ask their forgiveness as well and all received me. One couple got tears in their eyes and held my hands. I felt God in our encounter.

When I went on the Jewish tour, I was one of only two people who took the tour--the other was Jew from Israel and the tour guide was Jewish. What was to be a 90 minute tour lasted 5 hours and the tour guide invited me and the other woman to dinner with he and his wife. I let them know I'm a Christian and then asked their forgiveness. They said "wow!," then became silent, and then said it's not necessary for me to say that or take the guilt. I told them I want to acknowledge the injustice and say it's not Yeshua's way.

They were kind to me about it and reminded me the following Sunday is Yom Kippur, the day of repentance. I thought to myself how cool it was that God positioned me there to repent right in between Rosh Hoshannah and Yom Kippur.