 Hi,
Let me introduce myself, my name is Catherine
Chambers, I am the one on the right. I am a daughter of the one and only Living God, having
accepted Jesus Christ into my heart some 20+ years ago. That's my cat
Angel, you see scratching her fleas in the middle of the screen. She's
my blessing of a companion for the last 8 years.
The Lord has done a wonderful job with my life.
Unfortunately, I ran from him for many years until 1980 when I ran into a
dead end. Looking back, it was obvious to me how the Lord had tried to
spare me from the tragedy that has forever changed my life. Even
before I had dedicated my life to Him, He knew me. More then once He
had tried to get me to recognize Him, but I was too busy doing my own thing.
Sound familiar? I had no intention of giving up my freedom, to live the strict and
'unexciting' way of life that Christians seemed to exhibit. Hope
that's not you too, because how very wrong I was.
God had other plans! THANKFULLY!
It took being raped that
brought me running back into His protective arms. In the 1970's being
raped and drugged to forget it, was not as common a problem as it is now.
Although it was one of the worst things that has ever happened to me, by the
same token, it was one of the best. The reason being, because not only
was my life spared but so was my soul.
I knew my life was in danger and that if I stayed
where I was another night, I may not be alive. That was when I turned to
God, and I haven't looked back since. I started out by looking
for God and He led me to Jesus, who has been with me every step of the way.
After going through 4 counselors and 2 suicide attempts as a Christian, Jesus has been my
counselor, leading me through the first couple of years in 'survival mode'
to the 'faith walk' I have been in for the last twenty+ years.
The first scripture that I claimed for myself, was
Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things thru Christ who has strengthened
me".
I'm still claiming it today for a miracle of
healing from a diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis!
In 1991, I walked into Israel as a Christian
volunteer with $600 on a 'Faith Walk' and stayed for 7 years.
God met my every need as I was not supported by a ministry or church.
In 1998, I left Israel to come
back to the States when I received the diagnosis of MS, of which the symptoms had
started a few years earlier. The only obvious symptom that is seriously affected is my walking.
God has plans here too, because I know that I am healed.
Both my physical walking and my 'Faith Walk' are affected by the MS.
After giving myself in service to the Lord the year
before going to Israel, a sister in the Lord, came to me with a word, which
was: " I was to be on a Faith Walk. I was to take one step at a time.
I would end up running in the Faith, and this would be used to teach others
to do the same". I confirmed that this was an accurate word, as I knew
my first step at that time. It clicked in my spirit.
It was my 'Faith Walk' that led me to Israel and
that provided and protected me for those 7 years I was there. Believe
it or not, I lived in Bethlehem while working in Jerusalem. I went to 3
church services every weekend: the first was to a Messianic Assembly that
the Lord had directed me to; the second was to the Arab Christian Church
where I was living; and the third was to a Pentecostal church that I
personally enjoyed. I've coined a phrase (that evidently is not a new
one), that Israel is a GOOD HARD! As Good as it is, is as Hard as it
is, or as Hard as it is, is as Good as it is! That's the Gospel Truth!
I was a Christian volunteer, living a 'Faith Walk' among the Moslems and
Jews on a daily basis. Is it any surprise that I would walk into this
Faith-oriented land just fine and walk out with difficulty? The good
news is that God is not done with me yet. I'm still walking! I
will be going back and I will not only be walking or running in the Faith, I
will be dancing!
I'm
back....................
March of 2006,
the Lord was gracious enough to bring me back to Israel, the land I love.
I might add that although it had always been my hearts desire, it
wasn't until I had let go of this and was willing to never come
back, that He opened the door. At present I am with my
friend Joan at a place called Beit el Baraka and am pleased to see
how the Lord is working here. It's still a form of
reconciliation ministry, but between individuals this time. Although ultimately my desire is
to live in or around Jerusalem, I feel like Paul whom I quote,
"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in
whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." (KJV Phil 4:11)
The next thing is for me
to get my miracle of healing from the MS, so I can be a witness to
the Jew and Arab alike that our Jesus heals! Then I will
fulfill the word the Lord kept giving me before leaving in 1998 that
indeed I would be dancing in Jerusalem again! |
