Dear Friends:
Shalom, shalom… perfect peace!
The Feast of Tabernacles is here, with the full harvest moon, and yes, JOY! Our family are rejoicing with our sons in Jerusalem, Finland and Greece. The grandchildren are in Jerusalem, Amsterdam, London, Paris, Denmark, and Helsinki! It is the season of Thanksgiving, as so many Canadians also celebrate with turkey dinners. We are blessed to have been ‘there’ in Jerusalem, when Merv and Merla Watson inaugurated the Christian Celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles in concert with the opening of The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. We celebrated on the grounds of the Anglican School, back then in 1980. Today the Israeli international press are praising the coming up to Jerusalem of thousands of Christian pilgrims again this year. It was Father God’s divine time to move in the prophetic in profound ways. How good it was to have been a part of it all. Jay and I were in charge of media. Being Israelis, we always worked to put up our own succah in the garden. We invited friends and neighbors in to fellowship. Here in Greece, the Feast is unheard of; but we celebrate anyway. Josh cut the palm and olive branches for our humble succah this year!
But, let us remember that life can change in a moment! It did for me on August 28th this year, when, my heart simply gave out. At the time, Jay and I were visiting, our friend in Galilee. Later, Jay said, “I refused to accept the stark reality in front of me and grabbed your feet (so to speak) to keep you from going up. Yeshua,” I shouted, “COME!”
Irene also instantly on the alert cried out “Jesus” and prayed!
They gave the impossible situation before them into the absolute mercy of our LORD and Saviour Jesus! They would not let go in prayer … until I was breathing normally again, evidence that my life had returned.
Looking back, I am quite dumbfounded, and did nothing to deserve my new life. You can imagine the gratefulness that continually wells up within me. At the time, Jay, Josh and I were busy in Jerusalem from April to August. It was perhaps the most stressful time in our lives. We were also saddened and exasperated by the dubious political and religious changes sweeping over Israel. Our home sold, Jerusalem Vistas closed.
I thank the LORD for Jay, my husband of 55 years, (we were engaged for two years, while I was in India, and he in grad school in Toronto. Irene and I were nursing students together, which began some 63 years ago in the northern Canadian city of Edmonton. She also was called to Israel.
Our official retirement began this August, when we returned to Greece with residency visas. Upon return, I saw a cardiologist here. Seeing my ECGs, immediately he booked me into the Metropolitan Hospital in Athens to receive a pacemaker. All in all it was an ordeal, painful and complicated. Don’t ask me why. Jay and Josh nursed me so lovingly. Our children were a huge encouragement as well.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your loving responses of prayer, encouraging messages via WhatsApp app, email, phone calls and gifts to help defray costs. We now have our Greek medical insurance.
It was joyful hearing from each one of you. I wait to answer any personal messages when I have more strength.
The way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death [but immortality, eternal life.]
John 3:16, 4:36, 8:51,11:26, 1 Cor15:54, Gal 6:8.
Every blessing from our home to yours.
Jay and Meridel Rawlings.
Email: meridel.rawlings@gmail.com
Meridel Rawlings, P O Box 47554, Ermioni, 210 51, Greece.