What the enemy meant for evil…

Over the last few years of completely surrendering, following, and being as obedient as we know to be at the time, I have come to realize that living in those conditions everything is in God’s timing. Where you are, who you are with, what is happening, what is being said, and what you are learning is all in His timing. Even what the enemy has done and is doing plays into His timing also, that is how He uses it for good. His plan is an ever-unfolding mystery, we may know some of it, but there are these amazing unveilings that happen when conversations shift, ears and eyes open, and hearts take note and you know there was a mystery that happened that was beyond what you saw, heard, or thought was going on a lot of times.

I am using this to preface our current experience in the war right now. We have been in this situation before, we know God’s will and purpose for us during these times, and yet we found ourselves close to home the last few days out of “necessity”. I was sick Saturday evening to Sunday evening when the war really kicked off. We were at a friend’s home for prayer and just as we were about to start praying, I was instantly not feeling well. I won’t get into much detail because it is not a significant part of the story, but it was an intense battle. I have never been sick and known it was spiritual until this week. So, we have been close to home since then, AT home. Where last June during the 12-day war we were running all over Israel meeting with families and communities in their bomb shelters. But I have been tired physically, and I was putting my emotions aside daily because I wanted to be running all over Israel. But it was not what the Lord wanted.

Our home has a private miklat (מקלט) which is a large bomb shelter. Our neighbors do not have one, so they come into ours with us whenever there are alarms. These are people I have met in passing, and Stephanie and the girls met more often and made soups for and got small gifts for as well when we moved in. There is a Jewish couple who are in there mid 60’s, and a single woman also in her mid 60’s. So, we went from “in passing” to seeing each other for twenty to thirty minutes evert one to two hours for the first day, and then a few times a day the last two days. We have talked about everything we could think of, and some things that we would not have thought of that Maddy at four years old brought about I think just to liven the room up. It was obvious, and they were not hiding it emotionally or conversationally, that they were having some hard time with what was going on. I just never felt like there was an opportunity to press into the trauma that was in the room and honestly, I was beginning to question whether I was missing something simply because I was not feeling well physically. Then TODAY, one of the women asked, “how do you do what you do with talking to families about trauma, what is that process”. It was really kind of out of nowhere too, we weren’t talking about it, I cannot remember what we were talking about, but I looked at her and saw it was a real and personal question. Her eyes, which are always so kind (even when she is frustrated at us guys lingering on our way down to catch the scene of a couple interceptions) were filled with enough water to for me to see but not make a tear. So, I told her about our “process” and honestly it is the same process, but it never happens the same way and I do not think I explain it the same way ever. After I finished talking the other lady chimed in with her own questions, and she had studied psychology and had had all her own ideas and had had them for a long time, and her questions were just as genuine. I got to answer her and she literally said, “I have known this, but never heard it explained where I understand it like now.” We have not gotten to go back to the shelter yet, but I am really looking forward to hearing the other side of what they have been thinking about.

If you know me, especially if you knew me before four years ago, I was not one that can articulate things more than one or two ways (at least not without becoming frustrated and ending the conversation). I cannot take credit for the work that the Lord does through me anymore than you can take credit for the work He does through you. But isn’t it SO EXCITING to get a front row seat to seeing God use your experience, healing, surrender, obedience, and heart to sow TRUTH into a room that is seeking with all their heart and get to find it?! If you just read that and thought “I do not know if I have experienced that”. I want to take a second and encourage you. You do not have to figure out how to be a tool, you just have to know that is what you are. I do not believe in coincidence, so I do not think it is a coincidence that “being a tool” in our language today carries a negative connotation. I believe it was on purpose and slow work overtime that the enemy brought this to fruition. Call yourself what you are, and God will build you up into it YOU are a vessel, a tool, that he will use to overflow into others around you. And you do not need anything but the word of God, and an intentional pursuit of intimacy with Him to bring it about. I have never been schooled in ministry or missionary work I just know God’s heart for the people in front of me, it is the same heart he has for me.

I know this has gotten long, and I appreciate you reading it, I appreciate you praying for us, I appreciate your heart for Jesus, and those that do not know Him yet. We are living in incredibly exciting times where hearts are being shaped right before our very eyes everywhere we are and we cannot see it or be a part of it without you.

WE ARE SAFE, we know that Jesus has said to “STAY”, and we are looking forward to what He has tomorrow! We know whatever the enemy intended for evil; Jesus works it out for His good!

We Love you all, we are praying for you!

The Pulaski’s.