Thursday, April 14, 2016

"We Shall Be Free!" ✡ Must-See Satire: Media Reports on the Passover Story - ISRAEL365

Now we are here, but next year we shall be in the
Land of Israel. Now we are slaves, but next year
we shall be free!

Passover Haggadah
 

הָשַׁתָּא הָכָא לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּאַרְעָא דְיִשְׂרָאֵל הָשַׁתָּא עַבְדֵי לְשָׁנָה הַבָּאָה בְּנֵי חוֹרִין

הגדה של פסח

ha-sha-ta ha-kha l'-sha-na ha-ba-a b'-ar-a d'-yis-ra-ayl ha-sha-ta av-day
l'-sha-na ha-ba-a b'-nay kho-reen

Today's Israel Inspiration

This passage which appears in the beginning of the Passover Seder at first glance seems a bit repetitive. In reality, it expresses a two-fold prayer: first, we pray for our physical return to the Land of Israel followed by a spiritual, emotional return to God. In our day, we have witnessed the physical return and rebirth of the Land, let us pray that the second half is soon fulfilled as more and more people come closer and recognize the One, True God of Israel. Summit Institute brings physical and emotional stability for foster children throughout Israel, providing them safe, loving homes. Get their unique eHaggadah in Hebrew and English, as a free gift!

Passover: Breaking Ancient News

If the Passover story happened today, just imagine how the media would cover it!
 

Calculating the Messiah's Arrival

In the words of one Rabbi, "it’s not the clock that tells us when Moshiach is here, but it is a return of the Jewish people to their God that triggers the Messianic age."

Silver-Plated Shofar

The significance of the shofar dates back to the dawn of Jewish history, and its call still echoes today in synagogues all over the world. Playing an important role in the Bible, the shofar is a key part of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) and Yom Kippur, when it is played to mark the end of fasting. Shofars are also used to announce the new moon. The prized shofars of the Bar-Sheshet and Ribak families have a long and proud pedigree, reflecting the epic history of the Jewish people traveling throughout the diaspora and finally returning home to Israel.
 

Today's Israel Photo

Yehoshua Halevi's stunning photograph of the Shofar being sounded in the Land of Israel.
 

Thank You

Please help us continue to spread the beauty and significance of the Land of Israel!
 

“Blesses My Heart”

It’s great to hear from so many of you - stay in touch and let us know where in the world you are enjoying Israel365!
 
Every little piece of Israel I can get here in Michigan, USA blesses my heart.
Shalom,  ~~Dee

My name is Jacqueline Houston. I live in Anchorage, Alaska. Ever since I discovered your website, I am even more encouraged to pray for Israel. I look forward every day to what you have to say & show me. Thank you, Jacque
Shalom,
Rabbi Tuly Weisz
RabbiTuly@Israel365.com
Copyright © 2016 Israel365, All rights reserved.
You are receiving this email because you signed up for daily Israel Scenes and Inspiration on our website,www.israel365.com.

Our mailing address is:
Israel365
34 Nahal Ein Gedi Apt #17
Beit Shemesh 9909875
Israel

Broken Heart Syndrome: A Real Killer 4/13/2016 LYNN ALLISON/NEWSMAXHEALTH.COM CHARISMA MAGAZINE

Broken Heart Syndrome is not just an idea. It's a real health threat.
Broken Heart Syndrome is not just an idea. It's a real health threat. (Flickr )
We've all heard tragic stories of elderly, long married couples who, when one spouse dies, the other "heartbroken" spouse dies soon after. But it's not just a sentimental idea—in fact, it is a real cardiovascular condition, new research shows.
A recent study published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) revealed that the death of a partner is linked to a heightened risk of developing an irregular heartbeat (also known as atrial fibrillation) for up to a year afterward. This increases the risk of heart attack and heart failure. 
Statistics showed that the bereaved partner had a 41 percent higher incidence of atrial fibrillation than those who hadn't experienced a loss and was greater when the death was unexpected. 
But can you actually die from a broken heart?
"Definitely. There is a real disease called broken heart syndrome," notes North Carolina-based cardiologist Dr. Kevin Campbell.
"There is a heart-brain connection during acute stress such as death of a loved one that plays a role in this unusual but very tangible health threat."
About 6,230 people in the U.S. were hospitalized with broken heart syndrome in 2012, according to a recent study. Patients usually heal within a few days but complications can occur as well as fatalities, Campbell tells Newsmax Health.
The syndrome was first discovered by Japanese researchers 25 years ago. They named the condition Takotsubo's cardiomyopathy. Takotstubo is a Japanese term which means "octopus trap," a reference to the ballooning shape of the heart during an attack that resembles the trap used by fishermen.
"You can also refer to this as stress-induced cardiomyopathy," Campbell explains. "This disease actually mimics the symptoms of a real heart attack. Researchers have long established a connection between mental health, anxiety, depression, emotional stress and heart disease."
Campbell notes that when we are under extreme stress, our bodies naturally release stress hormones such as adrenaline, norepinephrine and cortisol into the blood stream. These hormones were important for the survival of early man, initiating the "fight or flight" response by stimulating the nervous system. In response to stress hormones, our heart rate increases, our breathing increases, and blood is sent to the skeletal muscles in preparation for battle.
But in modern times, that mechanism places enormous stress on the heart that can be life threatening.
"When the body releases large amounts of stress hormones at times of extreme stress in our lives, patients with Takotsubo's experience crushing chest pain, shortness of breath and can experience changes in their heart rhythm, blood pressure and blood chemistry that are identical to those seen in the setting of a heart attack," says Campbell. "However those patients do not have the traditional blockages in the coronary arteries that are known to cause heart attacks."
But the heart does begin to pump poorly for a period of time. More women than men are affected. In fact, says Campbell, 90 percent of reported cases have been female and vast majority of these women have been post-menopausal. 
Dr. Tracy Stevens, a cardiologist specializing in women's heart health and spokesperson for the American Heart Association, tells Newsmax Health that while we don't know the exact reason why women fall victim to the syndrome more often than men, it may have a hormonal component.
"Women have estrogen in their heart and blood vessels and may process adrenalin differently than men," she says. "Women handle stress differently too. When men sit down and relax, their heart rate lowers and they truly relax. When women sit down, their minds are still going on that hamster wheel and their pulse doesn't lower in the same way as men."
While victims of broken heart syndrome usually recover quickly, there can be complications.
"During the acute phase of the syndrome, the heart can be severely weakened and patients may suffer congestive heart failure requiring emergency surgery and hospitalization," says Campbell.
Dr. Steven Masley, a noted physician, author and fellow with the American Heart Association, tells Newsmax Health that broken heart syndrome is typically brought on by stressful situations, there may be other causes.
"Some medications can cause symptoms as well, such as the injection with an Epi pen or taking an excessive dosage of thyroid medication," says the Florida-based expert and president of Masley Optimum Health Center.
Campbell adds that both good and bad extreme life stressors can trigger an episode. He says that the diagnosis is made by performing an angiogram along with taking a heart ultrasound called an echocardiogram.
"In cases of broken heart syndrome, the heart arteries appear normal but the pumping chamber is often dilated and appears to be in the shape of a fishing pot used for catching octopus in Japan called the Takotstubo—hence the name."
The treatment usually involves medicine such as beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors that are given initially to help the heart pump more efficiently and promote remodeling of the heart muscle.
"Other medicine, such as diuretics, are given to help remove the excess fluid from the lungs and other parts of the body that collect due to the weakness of the heart," says Campbell. "In extreme cases where the patient develops cardiogenic shock, where the heart can't pump enough blood to the body, other interventions may necessary.
"For most, however, complete recovery is expected in days to weeks as opposed to a true heart attack, where recovery can take much longer."
New research based on a recent study conducted at New York University Langone Medical Center, is looking into preventative measures using yoga, breathing and other relaxation techniques to calm down the body's parasympathetic nervous system to avoid an episode of broken heart syndrome.
"In theory, that makes a lot of sense," says Stevens. "If we learn to deal with stress without raising our heart rates and blood pressure, we can possibly avoid broken heart syndrome." 
For the original article, visit newsmaxhealth.com.
Draw closer to God. Experience the presence of the Holy Spirit every month as you read Charisma magazine. Sign up now to get Charisma for as low as $1 per issue.
Dare to go deeper in your faith. Our "Life in the Spirit" devotional takes you on a journey to explore who the Holy Spirit is, how to interact with Him, and how He works in your life. Are you ready to go deeper?
Did you enjoy this health article? Click here to receive new health articles by email.

Blake Shelton Refuses to Leave His "Savior's Shadow" - JESSILYN JUSTICE CHARISMA NEWS

Blake Shelton Refuses to Leave His "Savior's Shadow"









Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

You can also listen here: Savior's Shadow

The Voice judge and country superstar Blake Shelton appears to have penned his latest single after his faith.  
According to Taste of Country, fans have not seen this side of Shelton, who has been dating fellow musician Gwen Stefani for the last few months.  
"Here the vocalist shows all of his vulnerabilities, revealing a man who is still very rooted in his faith and raising," ToC writes. "That's counter to who he appears to be on television and Twitter, but no less honest." 
In the song, Shelton sings: 
I'm standing in my Savior's shadow,
He is watching over me
I feel the rain, I hear the thunder,
As he cries for me
I'm standing in my Savior's shadow,
Grace will lead to where I'm free
I take his hand, we walk together
And his light shines on me
Though the devil try to break me
My sweet Jesus won't forsake me
When I'm in my Savior's shadow
Where I'm supposed to be.


Published on Apr 11, 2016
Blake Shelton's new song "Savior's Shadow" from his upcoming album, If I'm Honest.

Get it on iTunes here: http://smarturl.it/saviorsshadow

http://blakeshelton.com
http://facebook.com/blakeshelton
http://twitter.com/blakeshelton

  • Category

  • License

    • Standard YouTube License

You can also listen here: Savior's Shadow
Draw closer to God. Experience the presence of the Holy Spirit every month as you read Charisma magazine. Sign up now to get Charisma for as low as $1 per issue.
Has God called you to be a leader? Ministry Today magazine is the source that Christian leaders who want to serve with passion and purpose turn to. Subscribe now and receive a free leadership book.

ISIS Sex Slaves Reveal The True Horror Of What Is Going On Over In The Middle East - Michael Snyder THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE BLOG

Girl Silhouette - Public Domain

Posted: 13 Apr 2016  Michael Snyder  THE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE BLOG

Could you imagine being kidnapped, being auctioned off like a piece of meat, and being endlessly gang-raped every day by some of the most evil men on the entire planet for months on end?  This is what ISIS is doing to thousands upon thousands of women in Iraq and Syria, and some of their victims are as young as nine.  

The things that I am about to share with you are almost too nightmarish for words, but it is imperative that we understand what is going on.  When ISIS conquers an area that is not Muslim, they believe that they can do whatever they want to the women because they are “infidels”.  So innocent young women are being treated in some of the most horrible ways imaginable, and most of the rest of the world looks on with indifference.  But of course what ISIS is doing is just the tip of a very big global iceberg.  As you will see below, there are tens of millions of slaves in our world today, and sexual exploitation is involved in approximately 80 percent of those cases.

I came across a Daily Mail article earlier today that detailed what ISIS did to a young Yazidi woman named Khalida.  When she was captured, she was brought to one of those  infamous “auctions” where members of ISIS buy and sell women like trading cards…
A Yazidi woman sold as a sex-slave eight times by an ISIS jihadi says she was put on parade like she was being picked out in a ‘car showroom’.
Khalida, 20, was kidnapped and taken to Raqqa where she was put on display in a ‘meat market’ where women are purchased for as little as a mobile phone, or simply given away as ‘gifts’.
The most beautiful women are put into a separate ‘VIP’ room where leaders can take their time choosing their favourite three or four girls each.
Khalida and her sister were purchased initially by a very sick old man with a white beard that kept them locked away in a small room.  From time to time he would rape them, and then afterwards his wife would beat them for “tempting” her husband.

Later she was sold to other owners, and she was gang-raped by ISIS fighters multiple times.  Here is more of her story from the Daily Mail
Raped up to three times a day her ‘slave master’ or gang-raped by groups of ISIS fighters, this quiet young woman was bought and sold by eight different men – each more brutal, callous and perverted than the last.
She told MailOnline she was force-fed contraceptive pills and once taken to hospital for a contraceptive injection after she was rendered unconscious by one particularly brutal gang rape.
‘They [ISIS] did not want me get pregnant, especially if there was more than one man because they would not know who the father of the baby was,’ she said.
This is going on day after day in the Middle East, and yet it doesn’t make a lot of headlines in the western world.

Perhaps we think that if we can ignore what is happening to them that we are justified in not doing anything about it.

Next, let me share with you the story of Nadia Murad.  She was just 19 when ISIS conquered her town, and she saw ISIS kill all of the males in her family right in front of her eyes
Murad and her mother and sisters watched out of the window, along with hundreds of other women and children from the Yazidi village of Kocho, as ISIS slaughtered their men and boys. “We could see outside—they were shooting the men and they were beheading them as well. They were also taking them away in buses.
“My six brothers were killed in this way.”
In the western world, we tend to think that such things could never happen to us.  But in my new book I discuss how Christians all over the globe are eventually going to be facing this kind of persecution.

If you are under the illusion that you are somehow going to be exempt from all this, then you are going to be in for one heck of a wake up call.

After Nadia Murad watched ISIS butcher her family members, she was sold 13 different times, and her various “owners” were incredibly brutal
I first met Murad in July last year, four months after she managed to escape from her captors in Mosul. She visited the UK with two other former captives and former Iraqi MP Ameena Hasan Saeed, who helped to smuggle her out of the Islamic State. Speaking anonymously, she described in blistering detail how she was abused, raped, and sold through the ranks of ISIS troops, enduring a total of eight months in captivity and 13 owners who kept her locked up, starved and disorientated.
At the time, she showed me scars from cigarette butts burnt into her skin by the fighters who worked for her first owner, a commander called Salman. He had his men gang rape her after her first disastrous attempt at escaping. “I found a small window so I climbed out and jumped from the second story, but one of Salman’s guards found me and brought be back to him. I could have died jumping, and after that I wished I had.”
I don’t know how anyone can read these stories without having an emotional reaction.

Just imagine if this was happening to your wife or your daughter.  How would you feel?

Unfortunately, even if ISIS could somehow be wiped off the face of the planet tomorrow, that would only put a very, very tiny dent in the overall problem of sex slavery in our world.  The following are 11 facts about human trafficking that come from dosomething.org

1. Globally, the average cost of a slave is $90.

2. Trafficking primarily involves exploitation which comes in many forms, including: forcing victims into prostitution, subjecting victims to slavery or involuntary servitude and compelling victims to commit sex acts for the purpose of creating pornography.

3. According to some estimates, approximately 80% of trafficking involves sexual exploitation, and 19% involves labor exploitation.

4. There are approximately 20 to 30 million slaves in the world today.

5. According to the U.S. State Department, 600,000 to 800,000 people are trafficked across international borders every year, of which 80% are female and half are children.

6. The average age a teen enters the sex trade in the U.S. is 12 to 14-year-old. Many victims are runaway girls who were sexually abused as children.

7. California harbors 3 of the FBI’s 13 highest child sex trafficking areas on the nation: Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego.

8. The National Human Trafficking Hotline receives more calls from Texas than any other state in the US. 15% of those calls are from the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

9. Between 14,500 and 17,500 people are trafficked into the U.S. each year.

10. Human trafficking is the third largest international crime industry (behind illegal drugs and arms trafficking). It reportedly generates a profit of $32 billion every year. Of that number, $15.5 billion is made in industrialized countries.

11. The International Labour Organization estimates that women and girls represent the largest share of forced labor victims with 11.4 million trafficked victims (55%) compared to 9.5 million (45%) men.

To me, those numbers are absolutely staggering.

Most people tend to think of slavery as something that happened in less civilized times, but the truth is that it has been estimated that there are more slaves in our world today than ever before in human history.

We live in a world that is absolutely brimming with evil.  This is something that those that believe that people are “generally good” and that humanity has a “bright future” really struggle with.

If humans are “generally good” and we really have advanced so dramatically over their centuries, then why are there more slaves in the world today than ever before and why do we see so much evil all around us?

The answer to that question reveals a lot more about someone than you might think.
If you would like to take a shot at that question, please feel free to share what you think by leaving a comment below…

*About the author: Michael Snyder is the founder and publisher of The Economic Collapse Blog. Michael’s controversial new book about Bible prophecy entitled “The Rapture Verdict” is available in paperback and for the Kindle on Amazon.com.*

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Ugandan Jewish Community Gains Official Jewish Agency Recognition By JNS - BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

Members of the Abayudaya Jewish community pray in a synagogue near Mbale, Uganda. (Photo: Moshe Cohen via Wikimedia Commons. / JNS)
Members of the Abayudaya Jewish community pray in a synagogue near Mbale, Uganda. (Photo: Moshe Cohen via Wikimedia Commons. / JNS)

Ugandan Jewish Community Gains Official Jewish Agency Recognition

“Again will I build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel; again shalt thou be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.” Jeremiah 31:3 (The Israel Bible™)
A group of converts to Judaism in Uganda has gained official recognition from the Jewish Agency for Israel.
In a letter to Rabbi Andrew Sacks, who serves as the head of the Conservative movement in Israel, the Jewish Agency confirmed that “as of 2009, we view the Abayudaya in Uganda as a recognized community registered with the Masorti-Olami world Conservative movement,” Haaretz reported.
Additionally, the letter also stated that the Jewish Agency recognizes the authority of Rabbi Gershom Sizomu, who serves as the spiritual head of the Ugandan Jewish community.
Discover the deep wisdom of Breslov in Hidden Treasures. Buy the book!
The recognition paves the way for Uganda’s Jewish community to become eligible for Israeli citizenship under Israel’s Law of Return. The recognition also will allow members of the community to obtain visas from Israel’s Interior Ministry in order to study at yeshivas (Jewish schools) in the Jewish state.
The Abayudaya Jewish community originally splintered off from Christianity in the early 20th century, when its members began observing Jewish laws and customs. In 2002, the 1,500-member community was formally converted to Judaism by a Conservative rabbinical court. Israel’s Chief Rabbinate, however, only accepts Orthodox conversions.

Biblical Brigades of Christian Soldiers Mobilize to Fight ISIS By Ahuva Balofsky - BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

Members of the Christian Babylon Brigade train for battle with ISIS. (YouTube Screenshot)
Members of the Christian Babylon Brigade train for battle with ISIS. (YouTube Screenshot)

Biblical Brigades of Christian Soldiers Mobilize to Fight ISIS

“A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:8 (The Israel Bible™)
Persecution of Christians in the Middle East at the hands of the Islamic State (ISIS) has become so serious a problem that it has been recognized as genocide. Some Christians in the region are unwilling to go like lambs to the slaughter, however, and have begun forming militias to fight back.
One such group is the Babylon Brigade, some 500 to 1,000 Christian fighters who mobilized after ISIS took control of their hometown in Mosul, Iraq in 2014. Christians were forced to leave, convert or pay bribes, and many were expelled from their homes. Women were raped and sold into slavery or killed.
Not content to let things be, the members of the Babylon Brigade are offering resistance to ISIS forces. They are a part of a larger group called the Popular Mobilization Forces, which qualifies them for funding from the government.
ISIS “displaced us from our houses, they took our money, killed our young men and women and they took our properties,” the group’s commander, Rayan Al-Kildani, told NBC News. “Therefore, Christians decided to fight the terrorists of ISIS.”
This is a far cry from turning the other cheek as typically mandated by Christian doctrine, but the Babylon Brigade is not alone. Dwekh Nawsha, which translates from Syriac to “one who sacrifices”, was formed the same year to protect Iraq’s Assyrian Christians from ISIS. Dwekh Nawsha operates in coordination with the regional and international security forces and counts several foreign fighters among its ranks, including from the US, France and Australia.
Meanwhile, the Nineveh Plain Protection Units consist primarily, though not exclusively, of Christian fighters. Most of Iraq’s Christians are concentrated in this region.
Delight in the cantorial talents of Aryeh Samberg in the Gates of Hope CD. Buy it now!
Not all the Christians standing up for themselves, their people and their homes are men, either. In Syria, the “Female Protection Forces of the Land Between the Two Rivers” of the Syriac Christians Brigade celebrated its second class of fighters in early January.
“I’m a practicing Christian, and thinking about my children makes me stronger and more determined in my fight against [ISIS],” one fighter named Babylonia, who graduated with the first class in December, told AFP. She said she is fighting for her children’s future and “against the idea that the Syriac woman is good for nothing except housekeeping and make-up,” something her husband, also a soldier, encouraged her to do.
Just last year, Iraq also welcomed its first all-Christian brigade to its regular forces, as well. The “Tiger Guards” answer to the government of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region.
“Around 600 peshmerga from our Christian brothers in the Nineveh plain joined this course, which focused on physical training, military lectures and shooting exercises,” said Abu Bakr Ismail, the commander of the training academy.
“All the participants are volunteers…and want to liberate their land from ISIS and then protect it,” the Kurdish special forces major general told AFP, according to its report carried by al-Arabiya.
As King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, there is a time for peace, but there is also a time for war.

Why the Bible May Be Older Than We Thought - CBN News

Why the Bible May Be Older Than We Thought
CBN News 04-13-2016
There's new evidence that parts of the Bible may have been written long before some scholars thought.
Israeli mathematicians and archaeologists used handwriting analysis technology, similar to what's used by banks and intelligence agencies, to analyze the signatures.
The researchers from Tel Aviv University say they found proof that some biblical texts from the Book of Joshua to 2 Kings may have been written before the Babylonian captivity following the destruction of the First Jewish Temple, built by King Solomon, in 586 B.C. and lasting 70 years until 538 B.C.
Some scholars say this period actually began in 587 B.C.
In any case, that's several centuries older than when scholars believe the Dead Sea Scrolls were written.
The team's findings were released in an American scientific journal called Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Why You Won't Lose Weight From Eating Less, Exercising - TERESA SHIELDS PARKER CHARISMA MAGAZINE

There's a hunger inside of you that can't be satisfied with food.
There's a hunger inside of you that can't be satisfied with food. (Charisma archives)

My heart is hurting today. It's not that anything out of the ordinary happened. It's not that anyone close to me passed away. It's that I have this great burden for those who are caught in the overwhelming stress of life that leads them down the path of continual weight gain. Everyone is looking for answers, but almost no one wants the real answer.
I got an email recently. Essentially it said, "I'm reading your book and I am confused. You say you've been on low-carb diets and gained the weight back again. Now you're on a low-carb diet and losing the weight and keeping it off. What changed?"
What Is the Problem?
In my response, I put on the coach's hat and said, "Obviously, it's not about what we eat." Then I told her reread Sweet Grace and look for the hidden keys. "They are not so hidden."
We always go to what we eat as the cause of the angst we feel over our weight loss. Doctors will tell you what they always use to tell me, eat less and move more. Let me tell you, when I had over 250 pounds to lose, that sounded like Charlie Brown's teacher. Wah Wah Wah!
It is true on a very basic level, but it doesn't get at the core of why we eat. Without going to that deep place, we will always eat more than we should and continue to gain weight.
We Are Complex
Changing our mindsets is vital. However, in order to do that, we have to go to the root of why we eat when we are not physically hungry. It is head hunger, plain and simple. Part of it is physical if I eat foods which are addictive to me, but the reason I eat those foods is out of an emotional need.
We are very complex human beings. We know we need to change. We have good intentions and then something goes haywire when we try to implement it. There are many layers to this, but it starts with acknowledging we have a problem that goes deeper than sticking to an eating plan.
Stress from working long hours, stress from bills, stress from relationships, stress from not eating right, stress from not working out, stress from not being spiritual enough, stress from giving in to temptation, stress from not doing our daily devotions ... stress, stress, stress is a major culprit. We eat to stave off stress and then we get more stressed because it shows on the scale.
Live Freely and Lightly
Here's what God has to say about that. "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me, and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."1
Wouldn't that be awesome to live freely and lightly? These verses tell us it is possible to stop the spinning for a minute and let God lead. I'm not saying to do forced Bible study, though studying the Bible is great.
Let God Minister to You
I'm saying to allow God to minister to you as only He can. Running to food when we are stressed does not hold a candle to running to the only One who can really comfort us, the precious Holy Spirit, the Comforter Himself.
When is the last time you took even five minutes to soak in His presence, focusing only on Him and asked Him, "Holy Spirit, what do you want me to know today? I invite You to lead me every step of the way today. I invite You fully into each moment. Speak to me."
We do not have to worry. His yoke is "easy"2 because we are joined in this battle with Him. We don't have to pull alone. He's pulling with us. As long as we are going His direction, "the yoke is easy to bear, and the burden is light."2
I Am Weak 
It's OK that I am weak. God delights it my weakness. Losing 260 pounds has been the easiest hard thing I've ever done because I surrendered my weakness to Him.
He says, "My grace is enough. It's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness." His grace is all the power I need to take the next step out of overwhelming difficulty and heaviness into living freely and lightly.
Are You Weak?
Are you weak today? That's awesome, because when you let Christ take over, the weaker you get, the stronger you become.4 Stop doing this in your own strength. Stop trying to bear your burdens alone. He's ready to shoulder them if you just take your hands off. 
1 Matthew 11:28-30, MSG
Matthew 11:28-20, NLT
3 2 Cor. 12:9, MSG
4 2 Cor. 12:10
Teresa Shields Parker is a spiritual coach, speaker and author of three books. Her newest is Sweet Freedom: Losing Weight and Keeping It Off with God's Help. Her first book, Sweet Grace: How I Lost 250 Pounds is still number in Christian Weight Loss Memoirs on Amazon. Free Chapters of all her books, as well as a FREE 10-video Course #KickSugar are available on her website, TeresaShieldsParker.com.
Draw closer to God. Experience the presence of the Holy Spirit every month as you read Charisma magazine. Sign up now to get Charisma for as low as $1 per issue.
Dare to go deeper in your faith. Our "Life in the Spirit" devotional takes you on a journey to explore who the Holy Spirit is, how to interact with Him, and how He works in your life. Are you ready to go deeper?

Israel's History - a Picture a Day Passover: Whoever Is Hungry, Come and Partake of this Yemenite Seder

Israel's History - a Picture a Day (Beta)


Posted: 12 Apr 2016 12:05 PM PDT
Passover is one of the three pilgrimage festivals mentioned in the Bible along with Sukkot and Shavuot.  Historians and rabbinic literature refer to hundreds of thousands of pilgrims who filled the streets and alleyways of Jerusalem, bringing sacrifices to the Temple.

The Temple Institute's depiction of a Passover seder at
the time of the Temple. Note the pascal lamb on the table.
Today as well, Jews from all over the world and from all over Israel make their pilgrimages to the holy city.

The Library of Congress photographic collection includes a series of photographs of Yemenite residents of Jerusalem celebrating their Passover seder in 1939.  Note their low table and compare it to the painting of a Seder during the time of the Temple, taken from the Passover Seder Haggadah of the Temple Institute in Jerusalem.

In 1882, the Christians of the American Colony adopted a wave of Yemenite Jews who arrived in Jerusalem penniless, hungry and sick. The Colony believed the Jews were from the lost tribe of Gad. For decades the American Colony photographers continued to take pictures of the Yemenite community.





Yemenite Passover Seder: Drinking wine in the Kiddush ceremony. Note the table is covered at that point, and all men are leaning to their left as prescribed. (Library of Congress)



Yemenite Passover Seder, eating the bitter herbs  (1939)
Washing hands during the Seder. Note the children's involvement and wonderment. A major theme of the Seder is to teach the children about the Exodus from Egypt.




Passover meal.  Note the square matza












The Yemenite community has a tradition of a soft matza, similar to Middle East pita or laffa bread, which they bake daily during Passover.  

Discussing the local Yemenite matza, an ancient traveler to Tza'ana in Yemen quoted his Yemenite host, "There is no requirement that the matzos be dry and stale because they were baked many days before Pesach.  Every day we eat warm, fresh matza. "

The traveler reported, "I enjoyed their special kind of matza -- it was warm, soft and didn't have the usual burnt sections which was present in every matza I had ever eaten until then."

Unfortunately for the 1939 Yemenite family, it appears that the only matza available to them was the square and stale machine-made matza.