Journal Entry 5/27/24
I want to be vulnerable and share my journal entry from exactly one year ago today.
5/27/24 11:05 p.m.
Today we met our team and had a security briefing. Tomorrow, we head to the Gaza envelope and Nova festival area. I know tomorrow will be hard and emotional Lord. Help me to give comfort and let me be able to put a face to the people of Israel when I return home. Lord, help me to get a better understanding of what it is like being Jewish right now. Help me to connect with them and let them feel your love through me. Many of the members of our team are Jewish. Help me to listen and not speak so that I can feel and understand what you need me to and what you have brought me here for. When I speak, give me your words of love and light. We heard there was a stabbing today in Jaffa that was hate related, Lord be with that family and give them peace.
It amazes me how today, G‑d speaks to us through His word — and sometimes even through our own past words. When I wrote this entry, I had no idea how dear our team from Authentic Israel would become to Michael and me. And I certainly had no idea how hard the very next day would actually be.
I’m so thankful that He heard my prayer that night. Over the past year, He’s placed a huge burden on my heart for the people of Israel — for my Jewish brothers and sisters. It’s a longing to be back in Israel, a longing that’s hard to explain in words. I knew so little that night. But over this past year, He has taught me so much.
G‑d opened so many doors and brought people into my life that I truly can’t imagine doing life without now. My desire to share truth and stand with Israel has only grown. My love for the Lord and for what His word teaches has become like a fire inside me — a fire that can only be satisfied by living according to His word and following, in complete obedience, the call He’s placed on my heart.
Not everyone agrees, and some will never understand. Following Jesus is not easy. In fact, if you’ve never experienced any difficulty in following Him, you’re probably not fully following Him. One of the biggest things I’ve learned this year is that nothing is by chance. If you take the time to be still and look closer, you’ll see that everything is G‑d-ordained.
Just this morning, I came across a blog on Forge about following Jesus, even when it’s hard. I love what the writer had to say when asked about it:
“It is one of the worst lies of modern Christianity that following Jesus is easy. Following Jesus is not easy. It’s incredible, life-giving, and so much more!! But ‘easy’ is not an applicable word.”
Following Jesus comes at a cost. Still, I will follow and seek Him in all that I do. I will search for the truth in this world, and continue to speak that truth in love, even when it’s difficult and do my best to keep learning and growing.
If I’ve learned anything this past year, it’s this: following Him has a cost — but not following Him carries a cost far greater than I’m willing to bear.
It’s a burden I gladly carry.
I wouldn’t trade the friendships and love the Lord has brought into my life this past year for anything. Thank You, Lord, for all that You’ve shown me — and for all that You’re doing in my life and in the lives of those You touch through me.
-Bridget