Categories for Stories of Hope

The Pretzel Man

Yesterday morning, I took Ruth home following our Thursday morning meeting at ANM. “Mom Ruth” became a widow recently. Before her husband, Gordon, the ANM chaplain, became ill and died, she attended the meetings every week. In fact, her presence added spiritual vitality to our gatherings. However, when she asked me the night before if… View Article

Please pray for my mother, she is dying

I am a firm believer that God gave man coffee. I suppose tea also applies, because either one can open the door for meaningful conversation. What would otherwise be an ordinary building, a coffee shop can be a place where lives are transformed in a community setting. Alex and I were sitting in the back… View Article

The Juggler

Part One Yosef Ben Chaim means Joseph Son of Life. He is the 11th son in an ultra-Orthodox Jewish family in Israel. I met him in India. It was an unlikely meeting, but there appeared to be nothing of the average in this young man, even though he thought very little of himself and even… View Article

Ready for Takeoff

When I make plane reservations for myself or team members, I try to reserve aisle seats for a few reasons. First, it is the “servant seat.” It provides the advantage of helping the flight attendant and those seated beside you to pass trays and trash back and forth. It is easy to move into the… View Article

View from the 17th Floor

I awoke this morning in the 17th floor apartment of a Holocaust survivor woman named Clara and her husband Eliya. They live in Netanya, Israel. Brian, the founder of Abundant Bread of Salvation, introduced us to them and requested our stay. We arrived late, but that did not hinder Clara from coming to the ground… View Article

Faces Etched with Pain – Thoughts from a Mother in Israel

The following article is a guest post submitted by a Messianic mother in Israel. We recently drove Michael (alias) to Ammunition Hill to send him off for his 3 years of mandatory military service for Israel. As we walked to the gate to tell him goodbye, we passed multitudes of families giving one last hug… View Article

The Substitute Sherut

In Israel, a Sherut is a mini-van driven by a professional. If you need a ride for more than 4 people and can’t take a public bus, you need to hire one. In the Old City, there are many available, but not many are honest. At the guesthouse where we stay, they recommend honest drivers…. View Article

Farhan, a Man of Peace in the Old City of Jerusalem

In the Old City of Jerusalem, worlds collide and cultures divide. The area is literally divided into four quarters. The tension becomes tangible at times. This was my third stay in this section where the Armenian, Christian, and Muslim Quarters touch. Farhan, a man of peace I have come to recognize shop owners and they… View Article

The Story of Mario: A Divine Setup in Jerusalem

“Anything, even a shekel,” he begged in a raspy voice. “Lo, todah,” (no, thanks) I answered. Wrong answer. He knew it and I knew it. My problem was that I was getting used to beggars in Jerusalem. There are many. Unless you walk the streets, you wouldn’t see them. In fact, most Americans don’t realize… View Article