Volume 2 ~Issue 9
September 2016 eMagazine of Philippi Prospect Ministries TM
Hope & Future
Table of Contents 3~Notes from Rebecca 4~PrayerWorks 14-15~StoryWorks 34-35~Young Mom by Rachel Draughn page 42 In the Potting Shed
page 5 Restoration & Renewal
36-37~VerseWorks By Jaime Dills 38-39~Namesakes 40-41~ImageWorks 46-47~ScrollWorks
page 6 Ceramics by Orly
page 44 Morning Moments
50-51~StoryWorks 52~Herbs of the Field 53-55~Seller of Purple
page 32 FruitWorks
Š StillWorks Imagery by Rebecca Matthews
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Back Cover~Subscribe to Grace Point!
page 48 Remarkables
Hello to all readers! First, I want to thank you for clicking on the link that brought you to this magazine.
New this issue:
Notes from
Rebecca
A huge reintroduction to Handmade In Israel ~ Shopworks, after being absent since February. In this issue is a great opportunity to see and purchase some of the finest craftwomanship that Israel has to offer in the skill and design of Orly Pittel and her thriving ceramic shop entitled Ceramics by Orly. We at Grace Point! are enthralled to have her shop featured this month. A huge “thank you” to Rachel Draughn, for giving us a peek into her life, and the struggle she has gone through trying to have a child. The theme for September is “hope & future” so almost all of the articles this month speak about that in some way. Also, a new page to look for is Morning Moments, and small morning study/devotion into various verses that are related to the “morning.” I am also now including my copyright on my own photos used in the magazine. Each of my photos will have © StillWorks Imagery by Rebecca Matthews at the bottom. Our goal is to be the bridge for people to cross to when desiring to know more about Scripture from the Hebrew perspective, and how it comes alive when studying the language God used to write it. The purpose of this magazine is for help, hope and encouragement toward our fellow man. We are our brother’s keeper! Our prayer is that there will be a blessing for each reader among these pages. God bless each and every one! Shalom. Sincerely, Rebecca Matthews Founder, administrator, and ordained minister at Philippi Prospect Ministries Founder, senior editor, writer, publisher of Grace Point! eMagazine Photographer and curator at StillWorks Imagery Artist at (atelier de) peinture proximité (The opinions and/or beliefs expressed in this magazine by contributors do not necessarily reflect the opinions and/or beliefs of James and Rebecca Matthews, founders of Philippi Prospect Ministries, and Grace Point! eMagazine.) © StillWorks Imagery by Rebecca Matthews
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Š StillWorks Imagery by Rebecca Matthews
Father, I pray for those who are coming into a new season in their lives, to have new instruction, new purpose and a new location. I ask for wisdom, reward, and a settling-down to take place for those in this journey a long time. I ask for receptive ears and open hearts in this new beginning. In the name of Yeshua. PrayerWorks TM a publication of Philippi Prospect Ministries TM
A Journey to
Newsletter Volume 2/Step 21
Jeremiah 29:11 is probably one of the most quoted and memorized verses in the Scriptures that speaks about hope and future. In it, we are assured, even though when in captivity, that He still loves us, and that we have hope in Him. But we, just like the Israelites in the ancient times, must bear the consequences of our actions. And that can make us feel like we have lost hope. Paul says: If in this life only we have hope in HaMashiyach, we are of all men most miserable. 1 Cor. 15:19
In Genesis, when Noah lets go the dove, it is a symbol of peace, hope, future, and all things good and positive for the new life after the flood. In the New Testament when Yeshua is baptized, and the dove lands on Him, it represents the same symbols as it did for Noah. But, birds also work for the enemy. The raven from the Noach, the winged creature from *Ezekiel 10:20, David likening himself to several birds in Psalm 102. The enemy has his ‘birds’ out there looking and listening, to see and hear anything we say or do that can be used against us. *Do not curse the king, no, not in your thoughts; and do not curse the rich in your bedroom: for a bird of the air may carry your voice, and that which has wings may tell the matter.
a publication of Ruth Ministries-The Virtuous Woman,TM a woman's restoration ministry/a segment of Philippi Prospect Ministries TM
Table of Contents
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Handmade In Israel ~ ShopWorks
Ceramics By Orly Wedding Cake Toppers | Love Birds | Ceramic Home Decoration
all photography Š CeramicsByOrly | all photos used by permission
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Hi, I’m Orly Pittel, I am married to a wonderful husband and a mother to 3 gorgeous children, and I just turned 50 :-).
Table of Contents
I live in a small village in Israel and I work with ceramics, something that I started long ago as a hobby and evolved to a major part of my life. As a child I was always surrounded by creativity; my father had blacksmith business, and my mother had a factory for crocheting and knitting clothes. I was impressed by the power of taking a piece of metal and build something out of it, or taking a yarn roll and make a beautiful shawl out of it. Today, I can say that my parent's creativity definitely influenced my love of creating handmade. After graduating university I worked in the computer networking area and after a while we moved to live in the village, and there I could let my passion to creativity bloom. I started making small concrete planters, plain and combined with unique stones. With my passion and the feedback I received, I started to learn more about working with clay, and I fell in love. I took one lesson and the day after I went to buy clay. At the beginning, it was playing with clay and learning the material, but as the time passed I improved my knowledge and skills. I found myself spending hours sculpting clay in our garage, that over time turned to by be my studio. I created so many items that I gave as presents to friends and family, at a certain point, after experiencing work with ceramics for few years, I started receiving orders, and after I felt confident with my creations, I opened an online shop. Today, I live and breathe the creation in ceramics every day and sometimes I even dream about it at night. That is what happens when what you do is so close to your heart. I work in my studio, which is my relaxing place, I could spend hours there sculpturing clay, trying new things and making the orders I receive. I always try new techniques and use new tools, some I buy and some I create. There are many important tools that I work with, but I think that the most tools are the crocheted tablecloths that my mother made many years ago. I use these tablecloths as patterns for my clay creations. After I flatten the clay I firmly tighten the crocheted tablecloth to the clay and its pattern is stamped into the clay. You can call me a sentimental person but using these tablecloths my mother crocheted (and still does today!) when I was a child makes me really excited.
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I love making gifts that have a meaning, almost every item is personalized, and it is much more exciting getting a present that you know that the person who bought it for you truly thought of you when choosing it. Same thing for the buyer, it is much more fun to give a meaningful present with a personalized message.
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For the past 7 years I’ve been selling my items all over the world, and every time someone orders one of the items I created, I get excited! It is not obvious that someone from across the world sees your creation in a photo, without seeing it in person, and buys it. I really enjoy when my customers send me images of what they bought when using it. It could be wedding items in the ceremony, or an image of my ceramic flowers blooming all year long in their living room. The fact that I can make other people smile truly fills me with so much energy!
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One of my main areas is weddings, I love working with brides and grooms, I get the chance to help these unique couples get their dream wedding with one of a kind handmade cake topper for their big day, personalized wedding ring dish, special bouquet and unique favors It’s important to me to make for the couple's wedding cake toppers that really represent them and their style because it’s not something they can do over.
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My Cake Toppers are custom crafted. Once the order is placed, the cake topper is sculptured for the finest of detail especially for the customer’s request. I make custom handcrafted love birds from stoneware clay in variety of shapes and I glaze them in the preferable colors of the couples to further personalize their wedding cake topper to match your wedding theme. Placing them on top of the wedding cake will really wow the wedding’s guests. The personalization and all those little details to make them even more special, but not only during the wedding event, the love birds make a charming keepsake to use as part of the home decor looking at them reminds us the special day! I usually work with customers that do not want to have a standard wedding, they want something that their guests remember and more important, something that they will remember, that’s why they add a touch of shabby chic elegance to their wedding day. Having the unique cake topper is only a part of the wedding; I make unique ring dishes so my customers can make a statement on their special day and a sentimental keepsake for decades to come. 14
As you probably understood by now, I really love working with couples preparing for their big day, this is correct but not only, I also loved working with these couples after they get married, every year after the wedding to be more precisely. I believe that my items truly capture the essence of any couple’s bond and I also make personalized anniversary gifts. It makes a lovely reminder to keep at home. These little beauties are guaranteed to generate a whole lot of smiles! After visiting Italy, I started making miniature houses, the next step was to start making inspirational miniature houses are a perfect way to brighten someone's day. If there's one place we all long to go, its home. There's no place like it. Home is where our heart can be found, even if we're miles away. They make wonderful thoughtful gift for yourself, for a family or friends, your clients, your child's favorite teacher, employed, or anyone who is special for you. Anyone would be thrilled to receive this miniature house as a gift. You can let your loved ones know they are special with this unique inspirational gift. It’s a trendy and chic way to give a truly unique gift and display an inspirational and motivational phrase in any space, particularly an office space, or a family room. 15
The ring dishes can be personalized with a hand stamped message or quotes that symbolizes the love of the couple, quotes from the bible or any other text that you believe in! The rings holder is just in the right size to hold the wedding bands in elegance for that walk down the aisle. They handcrafted from high quality white stoneware clay in a unique harmony of design. It is perfect to place it in their ring bearer's palms to hold the wedding bands safely. You can call me romantic but I enjoy so much to add love quotes to each ring dish with the couple's initials and the wedding date. Yes, this is my thing. After the ‘I dos’, it makes a precious family heirloom that can be passed down from one generation to the next. When a bride to be orders a cake topper for her big day I’m creating a new item for her where she can add their initials, change the colors or add other elements that I offer, all is legitimate to make this item one-of-a-kind and super personalized. I will do all I can to make the cake topper she dreamt about. I always keep in mind that they will always have it as a reminder for their big day. Each time I make something for a wedding I get a piece of these emotions, this is so great. Knowing that this or that couple chose my item to feature on their special day is priceless.
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This beautiful hand crafted miniature house is completely customize-able. You can choose different words. This could be your own words, or your favorite meaningful quote from something that inspires you. You can also choose the glaze color for the roof. The inspirational houses are surely a great way for a reminder of goal setting all the time in your home office or studio! It also makes a magical gift idea for new homeowners celebrating their first holiday in their new home. Having this message carved into the house can inspire the person who receives it every day. I get lots of feedbacks from customers saying how accurate the message on the miniature house they received was. You can only imagine how much this motivates me! In the past few months I developed a new line of miniature houses, this is followed by a request from overseas customers - miniature houses all related to the love of Israel. I love my country, proud of it, I love the people here and I’m glad that I can reflect all these in my miniature houses. I’m sure that anyone who loves Israel would be thrilled to receive this miniature house as a gift. It lets people to show and express their love for Israel in a unique and special way.
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The most important thing I learnt over the years is being a professional with no exceptions! When I create an item for my customers, I always imagine their face when they open the package, my goal is to make them happy at least as they were when they saw the image of the product and placed the order, no less. When I just opened the shop I listed only items that were already made and ready for shipping, then I realized that customers may like the item but might want to modify it a little and add their touch of design, it can be according to their wedding theme or the colors of the house they live in. I give the flexibility to change the color palette almost on every item that i create so it can perfectly match the environment the item will reside in. Each item I make is starting as a piece of clay, no shape or color. When I think of something that can fit my creations I add it to my wish list, every time I get to the working table at my studio I open this list and chose the ideas I like to create today. There are so many items that are on this list‌ stay tuned :) Usually, I don’t work with sketches, I simply play with the clay until it gets the shape I have in mind, and this is so exciting! While working with it I can generally imagine the final product. Sculpting and glazing are made by hand so every piece is totally unique with its own personality. The next step is to wait for the kiln to cool down; this is the most annoying step‌ Opening the kiln at the end of the firing process is indeed the most exciting part, I can create the same item over and over again and each time it will be a bit different. Because of the nature of the clay and the glazes, no two items will ever be the same.
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Choosing a gift for our loved ones can become a complicated task‌ over the years I learned that we should not hesitate to give a cheerful gift to our loved ones. As I already mentioned, the best gifts are the personalized ones. Many of my customers that ordered a gift for the holidays or other events eventually decided to leave the gift for themselves‌ I totally understand them as many times the gift we choose is something that we would love to get. The wide variety of the ceramic items allows you to sort out easily a present for your mate, friends and yourself. Exquisitely designed items can help to change the entire look of a room. They can add a touch of style, sophistication, color and elegance to the room. Almost all of my work is inspired by nature, I tend to collect objects that I find in my garden, on my daily walks or any other trip I go and use them in my studio. If you take a look at me phone gallery or my albums on my PC you can see my passion to flowers, trees and all the beauty nature has to offer. When I travel with my family they should literally drag me so I will stop shooting images and join them...
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Because of my love and passion to flowers, I developed a complete series of ceramic flowers, next time you’re in Israel, stop by in my studio and see how my love for flowers reflects in the items I create. The lifespan of real flowers is short, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't enjoy their colors in your home all year long. I make colorful flowers that allow bringing the joy of spring and summer flowers into our homes all year round. These flowers are a stylish alternative to fresh flowers and will add a splash of color to any home decor. I love to bring the outside in with this colorful arrangement; this arrangement needs no watering to stay in beautiful condition, a delight for you and your family every day. Simply group a few colorful flowers together for gorgeous special place. Even the lemon tree leaves from my garden became a part of my items as candle holders.
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Special things I love about the autumn season are fallen leaves! I love the way they change their color from green to so many shades of brown and yellow, falling from the trees and leaving a trail of colors on the ground. I combine the leaves shape in my creation and I can say for sure that leaves guarantee to create a calming presence when placing them in any room of the house. Nature has so much to offer, flowers, leaves, birds, owls, fruits, tree textures and many more, all you have to do is look around‌
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You can easily guess that I really love the ocean blue by the turquoise I use so much of in so many items, including the jewelry I make. Placing beautifully crafted turquoise ceramic bowls in a room can create a lively ambiance in it. The turquoise hues add so much charm and beauty and can be very stunning for others to walk into. After all, after a long hard day's work, it is so nice to come home to your own personal space and relax with your feet up and ponder on the beautiful decor of your home. That’s why I think we all must ensure the kind of look we want for our home to have. In my opinion, everyone should pick the best styles, designs and patterns that reflect their personality and let your home speak of yourself. One of my customers orders a ceramic stone for each destination she visits; I think this is a wonderful idea! She has a glass jar with stones reminding her each place. This customer also ordered ceramic stones with motivational phrases so she could give them as gifts to her friends.
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I love creating items that are functional as well decorative, for the coming Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year) I create many items that will be used for the holiday like serving plates and more that can be used for yourself or as a unique present. Personally, I love to cook and bake, I can spend hours in the kitchen trying new recipes and I love to have the holiday's dinner in my home with my family and friends and I can appreciate the meaning of a unique centerpiece that can make every standard dining table to a one that your guests will not forget. Preparing for Christmas and Hanukkah, I spend a lot of time in my studio making sure all orders will arrive my customers on time. I really enjoy creating modular Hanukkah Menorahs that can be rearranged every day in a different way. I can tell you a little secret, when I make these Hanukkah Menorahs I totally get into it and find myself singing Hanukkah traditional songs‌ Also here, in the Christmas tree ornaments and in the Hanukkah Menorahs, you can find nature inspiration; birds, butterflies, owls and fish can decorate any room and make it unique. The ornaments are eye-catching gifts for the holidays and wonderful trinkets to hang on the Christmas tree, so, if you want to please your friend or colleague with a stylish gift, you can easily count on some magnificent items that are available in my shop.
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Another main area in my studio is ceramic jewelry, also inspired by nature, I make modern flower rings showing the beauty of nature and bringing it to fashion! Ceramic jewelries have different fashionable and trendy look and they differentiate you in a colorful uniquely exceptional way from others. A colorful ceramic jeweler is a great way to show off your jewelry in style with just the right amount of uniqueness to catch your eye. I learned that no matter what you wear, a ceramic jewelry adds a little POP of color to your outfit. Women always like to look attractive and gorgeous and this statement jewelry has real presence - they are definitely something outside of the box :) Best of all, each jewelry I make is one of a kind (no matter how hard I’ll try) so you will not find an exact copy of it. These jewelries are fashionable and it is always fun to add a little modern and eye-catching piece to your jewelry collection. You can find me at: http://www.ceramicsbyorly.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CeramicsByOrly Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ceramicsbyorly/
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a closer look at the fruits of the Spirit
Hope
In Galatians 5:22-23, we are given a list of the fruits of the Spirit. They are the guidelines to which we conduct ourselves in our daily walk. These are nine different aspects of Godliness that we must adhere to in order to live to our fullest spiritual potential. They vary slightly, depending on the translation, but the foundational fruits of the Spirit are: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. While at first glance, these all look the same, a closer look reveals small differences in their meanings, which translates to differences in their application and implementation. This article is meant to shed light on each of these nine characteristics of holiness, to explore their nuances and minute differences. Hope falls under the category of Joy.
What is it? What does it look like? The modern definition for this word is most often linked to an expensive diamond, or something else that is out-of-reach. But, what does this word really mean? How do we apply it? And, is there a Scriptural model? The dictionary describes hope in the following way: As a noun 1. the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best 2. a particular instance of this feeling 3. grounds for this feeling in a particular instance 4. a person or thing in which expectations are centered 5. something that is hoped for As a verb 6. to look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence 7. to believe, desire, or trust 8. to feel that something desired may happen 9. to place trust; rely
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dictionary credit
Romans 8:24-25 For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees? But if we hope for that which we don't see, we wait for it with patience. These two verses are self-explanatory, but makes the excellent point that hope is something we do not see, but is for something we want to see. Hope gives us expectation of a thing, and is part of the integral foundation of our view into the future.
Job 17:14-15 If I have said to corruption, 'You are my father;' to the worm, 'My mother,' and 'my sister;' where then is my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it? Job, in his struggle to understand what was happening to him, and why, makes a very clear statement about the origin of hope. There is no hope in death and destruction. Hope springs from life, and life springs from hope. Both of them together is what takes us from the present to the future, which then becomes our present. To have hope is to have life. And to have life is to have hope.
Jeremiah 31:16-17 Thus says Yahweh: Refrain your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; for your work shall be rewarded, says Yahweh; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. There is hope for your future, says Yahweh; and your children shall come again to their own border. Here, Yahweh Himself is speaking hope for the future, through Jeremiah. If our hope is in Him, and He has made a promise to us, then we can count on that promise. That promise is assured to us because we have hope. If we lose hope, we lose the promise, and everything that went with it. God’s part is to make the promise. Our part is to believe it.
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Young Mom Not long ago, there were two people that fell in love, Nathan and Ivy. They connected instantly and were very happy. About a year or so into their relationship, they decided they wanted to have a baby. They were getting serious and had talked about marriage, but concluded that a baby was higher on their list. A couple of months later, Ivy was pregnant! They were both so excited. But it was not meant to be. Nathan and Ivy found out the pregnancy was ectopic and Ivy had to undergo treatment to get the egg out of her tube. A few months later Nathan and Ivy decided to try again to have a baby. Ivy became pregnant again, but sadly it ended in a miscarriage. About a year later Ivy had another miscarriage. Ivy thought there had to be something wrong so she went to a doctor to try and figure it out. There were so many blood tests, pills, and still no answers. By this time, almost four years had passed and Nathan and Ivy were still trying to have a baby but to no avail. Ivy was very depressed and the couple just wanted answers. Her and Nathan decided to put having a baby on hold because it was basically consuming them. Instead they focused on preparing for their wedding and getting married. It was one of the best days of their lives. Everything was perfect and Ivy was truly happy. But about a month after the wedding, Ivy found out she was pregnant again. But alas, it was still not meant to be...another miscarriage. 34
by Rachel Dills
Ivy couldn't take anymore. Emotionally and physically she was drained and it was causing turmoil in her and Nathan's relationship. She needed answers. She was tired and her and her husband wanted a baby together more than anything. Within those four years, she had desperately cried out to God and begged him to grant her prayers. Everyone around her was having a baby, so why couldn't she have one? What had she done wrong? Eventually, Ivy stopped praying. She stopped talking to God. She didn't understand why God would deny her something so precious that so many others had. But the thoughts of having a baby consumed her. She constantly researched how to boost infertility. Nothing was working. Ivy finally hit rock bottom. She decided to cry out to God one more time. She put all of her trust and Him and let it go. During that time, she also decided to go see another doctor. She still needed those medical answers. There were more blood tests, and Ivy was told she would get the results in about a week. One day, the doctor called Ivy. “You have a genetic disorder. It's called MTHFR Gene Mutation. This is what has resulted in your miscarriages.” FINALLY! Ivy had an answer. She couldn't help but cry. Now she knew what was wrong. She immediately made an appointment with the doctor to discuss the next step. He told her when she gets pregnant again, call them immediately and she will need to get started on a special shot. So Ivy turned back to God. She prayed like she had never prayed before and put all of her trust in God. Now there was a possibility that Nathan and Ivy could have a child together! All Ivy did was pray and research about the mutation and pregnancy. About three months later, Ivy was pregnant! She called the doctor and they saw her almost immediately. Ivy started on blood thinner shots and vitamins. A couple of weeks later an ultrasound was scheduled. Going in, Ivy was so nervous. She was so afraid she was going to get bad news. The technician sat down with Ivy and asked if she was ready. After Ivy was prepared, the ultrasound started. Ivy kept her eyes on the screen. Soon, this little “peanut” came up on the screen. Ivy could see the heartbeat. The technician let Ivy know that baby looked right and was right where it should be. After the ultrasound, all Ivy could do was cry and thank God. She was still on edge though. She was so afraid something was going to happen. She continued to pray and follow her doctor's instructions. Ivy is now 20 weeks pregnant with a baby boy! She and Nathan are so excited! It's all thanks to the Lord. Although Ivy is not totally sure why, she knows God had his reasons for the past. She continues to thank Him and pray for a healthy pregnancy. Ivy's story just goes to show that God knows what's best. It may have to do with timing, with the people you are around, or some other circumstance. The Bible says “Take delight in the Lord, and he will grant you the desires of your heart.” (Psalms 37:4) Just put your trust in Him and pray. 35
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He is the Lord, and God of all, There is nothing too big, or too small. Call unto Him, and he will answer you, And reveal the all the mighty deeds He can do. He knows all things, that we know not of, For they are His gifts from up above. Have hope and strength for what will come. Look towards the future, not where you came from.
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inspired by Jeremiah 33:3
VerseWorks TM is a trademark of Philippi Prospect Ministries TM
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by Jaime Dills 37
Joseph He Increases
Our names are more than just what we are called. God gave names, or changed names, in Scripture, in the lives of those whose names were changed. Do up to the character of that name? Or, do you feel
Hebrew Transliteration: Yoseph Hebrew Spelling: יוֹסֵף Anyone with the name “Joseph” can look very much like his namesake in Scripture. Here are a few examples of the characteristics of the name. Genesis 30:24 She named him Joseph, saying, "May Yahweh add another son to me." When Rachel realized she was pregnant, the long period of barrenness was finally over. When Joseph was born, she named him from her desire to have more sons. We are the same way: when we receive a good thing, especially something that we have waited a long time for, we want more of it. So, Joseph’s name is a synonym to the receiving of future blessings. Genesis 41:14-16 Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon. He shaved himself, changed his clothing, and came in to Pharaoh. 1Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I have dreamed a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. I have heard it said of you, that when you hear a dream you can interpret it." Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, "It isn't in me. God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace." Joseph had a knowledge of how God worked based on his own experiences, and was able to advise Pharaoh in his God-given wisdom. Joseph was used to make a great transition for all people. So, a Joseph uses his gifts from God, and helps people when their need is greatest. 38
They can reveal a lot about our character. When it signified that a change was about to take place you have a Scripture-based name? Are you living a name-change is in order? Genesis 45:1 Then Joseph couldn't control himself before all those who stood before him, and he cried, "Cause everyone to go out from me!" No one else stood with him, while Joseph made himself known to his brothers. If we have any “Joseph” in us, we can look at the dire situation we are in, or have come through, and see how God arranged it for a certain purpose, so that we hold no anger or grudges against whoever God used to get us there. A “Joseph” understands that his cause is for the bigger picture, and involves more than just him. Genesis 47:29-30 The time drew near that Israel must die, and he called his son Joseph, and said to him, "If now I have found favor in your sight, please put your hand under my thigh, and deal kindly and truly with me. Please don't bury me in Egypt, but when I sleep with my fathers, you shall carry me out of Egypt, and bury me in their burying place." He said, "I will do as you have said." A “Joseph” honors his parents, and takes care of them in their old age, and gets them through hard times. A “Joseph” also keeps the promises he makes, and makes sure their parents’ final resting place is where they desired to be. Exodus 13:19 Moses took the bones of Joseph with him, for he had made the children of Israel swear, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones away from here with you." Because of all the good a “Joseph” does in the lives of people, they will honor his last and dying wishes, because they know without him, they would not be there in the first place. 39
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ImageWorks TM is a trademark of Philippi Prospect Ministries TM
What does this picture say to you?
Where does my future lie? What is beyond my horizon? What is beyond this expanse in my life? Is my hope in the clouds? Am I a cloud without water? Am I on the edge of a different world? Where do I go from here? Have I risen above the cold, dark world below? Can I focus on the light ahead of me, instead of the darkness below me?
We all come to a place in our lives when we must leave the past behind, and all those who chose to remain there. Hope resides in our hearts, and the future is in front of us, even if we are unsure about the landscape through which we must travel to get there. Therefore, hope is the fuel that keeps us going to get to the future that, upon reaching it, becomes our present. 41
In the Potting Shed by
Rebecca Matthews
The
Distinction between
Bowing and
Falling
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There are many beautiful flowers of various types, and in different regions all over the earth. Each type has its own unique features and distinctions that make it different from others. We humans are no different. But, what happens when we grow too quickly, but still produce beauty? We become like a flower whose bloom is too heavy for its stem, and the most beautiful thing about us has fallen to the ground. The stem, because of insufficient growth, is weak and cannot hold up the very part of it that should reproduce the seed for the next generation. (see 1 Timothy 3:6)
Beautiful, but top-heavy and falling down.
Then, there are those of us that grow strong in our stem, and our stalk is large enough to hold the weight of our blooms, and the seed produced for future generations. We are cultivated for a specific purpose, and carry that honor by letting YHVH lift up our head, so that we do not lift it ourselves in pride, arrogance or conceit. We know that our beauty is because of Him, and we strive to fulfill our mission in the timespan He has given us. (see Psalm 3:3) There are also those of us that are either called, or have volunteered, to be in service to YHVH, and have a deeper understanding of who we are, and who we are not. We have strong stems, firmly rooted stalks, are full of seed and, and by submitting our will to Him, can endure the storms that come our way. Bowing to Him during the wind and the rain actually works in our favor, even though the storm is hard to live through while it is going on. The wind carries our seed into far reaches of society, and the rain washes it into territory that we might not go into any other way. (see Isaiah 6:8-13) If we continue to grow in Him, we will become beautiful, strong, confident, trusting, reverent, and deeply rooted, and able weather the storms that come our way. (see Colossians 2:6-15)
Beautiful, strong stems, full of seed, confident, trusting, and in awe of YHVH.
Beautiful, strong stem, full of seed, bowed in meekness, and reverent to YHVH. 43 21
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Yah teaches me, then I teach you. That is the simple message being spoken here. When the verse is laid out in Hebrew, the full magnitude of the statement Yeshayahu (Isaiah) makes has us realize the depth of his sincerity in his service to YHVH. A sincerity that we should emulate. 44
Verse 4: Adonai: sovereignty, possessing all authority | nathan: to give, given | lashon: the tongue, speech, language, word | limmudim: accustomed (learned) taught, to operate in | yada: to know, acknowledge, advise, answer, appoint | uth: speak in season, to hasten, to assemble yourself | yaep: faint, weary, exhausted, to be tired | dabar: advice, answer, book, business, a matter, a thing or cause | ur: awaken, raise up, stir, to open the eyes, wake up | boqer: morning, early, dawn, to search, to inquire, to seek, to break forth | ozen: ear, hearing, audience, hearken, to listen | shama: to hear intelligently, attentive, obedience, discernment Verse 5: patah: to draw out, to let go free, to open wide, to loosen, to vent | anoki: I, myself, me | lo: no, neither, nay, never | marah: rebellious, bitter, to disobey, to rebel, to be against | achor: trouble, to stir, to disturb, to afflict | sug: driven, to turn away, to go back, to retreat If some of these Hebrew words look familiar, it is because we have read them in other parts of the Torah. Here are a few examples: Nathan-there are eight different Nathan's mentioned in Scripture, the two probably most familiar is the prophet in King David's time, and the name of one of David's sons. It is the basis of Benjamin Netanyahu's name, which translates into the English name Nathaniel. Ur-This is the land from which Abraham came. Shouldn't we all come from where Abraham did? Shouldn't we all wake up and have our eyes opened to Yah, and what He wants to do in our lives? Achor-This is the valley that was named thus after the stoning of Achor for disobeying Yah's instruction concerning Yericho. It is also mentioned figuratively in Hoshea 2:25 as being a door of hope, and inYeshayahu 65:10 as a resting place for herds of cattle. There are very strong metaphors in the verses from Hoshea and Yeshayahu. From Hoshea: when we are in trouble, Yah will open a door to give us a way out. From Yeshayahu: when cattle, or any other livestock, is at rest, it means there are no enemies lurking about. Animals sense things before we do and, therefore, serve as warning for us if trouble is near.
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For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says Yahweh, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope and a future. __
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Yirmyahu 29:11
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Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul - and sings the tunes without the words and never stops at all. ___
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Emily Dickinson
Remark a b l e s
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Several years ago, a distant family member of mine had a Boston Terrier, which she spoiled in a lot of different ways. One thing that caught my attention was the fact that she fed him hot dogs, without the bun, which gave the dog very foul- smelling gas. So, when she would have the dog in her lap, or laying beside her on the sofa, he would expel a putrid odor, usually accompanied by a loud noise. She would then get mad at him, throw him to the floor, and curse under her breath. At first, I thought it was a little inside joke that she, a woman who lived alone with several dogs, had just as a bit of humor. But, to my horror, I realized she was seriously mad at the dog for passing gas within her proximity. The hot dogs were the cheapest the grocery store carried, so their ingredients were more of a “meat-like product� than anything nutritional, for man or beast. For some reason, she could never put two and two together, and realize that she was actually causing the gas by feeding him the hot dogs that were full of fillers and by-products. This story has served a lesson for me over the years, to keep myself in check when dealing with issues that I have a part in.
Moral: Don’t complain about a problem if you are the cause of it, or contributing to it.
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He causes the grass to grow for the livestock, and herbs for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food out of the earth. Psalm 104:14
What is it that makes pickles so‌ well, pickle-y? There are several herbs and spices that go into classic pickles, but the main ingredient is dill. So, what is dill, and and what else does it do? It is an annual herb in the celery family Apiaceae, And it is the sole species of the genus Anethum. It’s leaves are threadlike, and very similar to the leaves of fennel. Fresh and dried dill leaves (sometimes called "dill weed" to distinguish it from dill seed) are widely used as herbs in Europe and central Asia. Like caraway, the fernlike leaves of dill are aromatic and are used to flavor many foods such as gravlax (cured salmon) and other fish dishes, borscht and other soups, as well as pickles (where the dill flower is sometimes used). Dill is best when used fresh as it loses its flavor rapidly if dried; however, freeze-dried dill leaves retain their flavor relatively well for a few months. Dill seed, having a flavor similar to caraway but also resembling that of fresh or dried dill weed, is used as a spice. Dill oil is extracted from the leaves, stems and seeds of the plant. The oil from the seeds is distilled and used in the manufacturing of soaps. Dill is the eponymous ingredient in dill pickles: cucumbers preserved in salty brine and/or vinegar. See more about the health benefits of dill here and here. 52
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