Hi group!

I hope that by now you are all safely back to your home locations or safely on the way to where you were going next. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciated the opportunity to take this journey through Israel/Palestine with you and to get to know each one of you better throughout the trip.  As people opened up during our trip, it was clear that each of you have leadership abilities in specific areas and that God is using and will continue to use your gifts and talents in ways unique to your gifting.  The trip was a spiritual journey for us as leaders as well and I personally learned again how to rely on God’s faithfulness and protection while traveling in new places. I hope each of you realized God’s peace in various ways and that you navigate any reverse culture shock well. Remember you can all keep posting here to continue the conversation if you want to.

I was going to be technologically savvy and upload the prayer that I wanted you all to hear while we were out there and my MP3 player died, but can’t figure out the format it needs to be in so am sending you to youtube instead….I hope you can pray it remembering the people you met and the way that God’s love was evident in unexpected places. You’ll find a somewhat dated version at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYxI__6FTK4 unfortunately the whole song isn’t there.

Another one of my other Steve Bell favourites is Deep Calls to Deep (it sounds a little middle eastern) and you can find it at: http://www.cbc.ca/radio2/cod/concerts/20071221sbell ….click on Deep Calls to Deep

Hear our Prayer
Music by Steve Bell
Lyric by Steve Bell and Jamie Howison

Now we pray to You Father for peace in the world
For the right use of all You have given
A respect for creation in us be restored
Lord in Your mercy
Hear our prayer

And we pray for the poor of the world everywhere
And for all those who suffer from hunger and fear
For those who are homeless – for those who need care
Lord in Your mercy
Hear our prayer

Now we pray for those close to us, those who have needs
For the friends that we love and for all our families
For these loved ones we pray Jesus grant them Your peace
Lord in Your mercy
Hear our prayer

And we pray for ourselves for forgiveness of sins
For the evil around that is born from within
And we ask You oh God that You heal us again
Lord in Your mercy
Hear our prayer

Now in closing we ask You dear Father on our knees
Lord for mercy on all those we call our enemies
So that all might be one in Your love and Your peace
Lord in Your mercy
Hear our prayer

With love and peace,
Hinke