Testimonies

My name is Grace. Before I was formed in my mother’s womb, the Lord surely has always known me. My mother was told that she would give birth to either a stillborn or a child with down syndrome. She prayed and believed God would see through a healthy delivery. I was born, cut out of her belly. My sister a year younger than I passed away when I was two years old. My parents divorced when I was 5 years old. My mother, then, remarried when I turned 11.

Our household was dark and abusive both physically and mentally. I would see demons and was terrorized and scared every day. I wanted to think I saw angels but couldn't believe it was real. Darkness and believing I was evil was much easier.

I feared my mother and father. Every day when I was locked in the dark, I would cry out to someone. Everything was a mess, but crying and talking to someone I didn't see or know helped. One encounter I remember still as a child; a demon was standing by my and my mother’s bedroom doorway. I was frozen with sheer fear. I whisper screamed to mom telling her and she just mumbled to tell it to go away in Jesus' name and that a Bible was by our bedside table. I surely did just that. That dark presence left and I could have sworn a bright light shown from the kitchen just touching the doorway and letting me see for a glimpse the light that darkness has no choice but to flee.

With such contrast of my parent’s severity and their own brokenness, it was surely the Lord God who made me lean on Him. I did not know God but His faithfulness has followed my family and me even through our own sinful rebellion, lusts, failures, and pain.

I really acknowledged Jesus starting in middle school. I read the Bible every night, crying literally every night from the pain I couldn’t run from. I was attracted to darkness and yet drawn to His light. God spoke to me growing up in the beauty of the New England landscape with its full seasons blasting the glory of God and His majesty. His all-consuming power and might. I really encountered the Lord through His creation. Taking pictures daily kept me sane.

Here I am now, running from the church, and running from God. After all He has saved me from, and after all that He has led me through. Surely it wasn’t I that knew Him. It was because He has ALWAYS known me at every turn and thought and beat of my heart.

God has marked me for Israel. After high school, I decided to try Bible College. It didn't work out, or I didn’t want it to. It was the casual mundane every day that I had to fight and press through. It was a season of really facing my ugliness and remorse over my sin. As I was fasting and praying; the spiritual disciplines to choose over comfort, I really met His face right in front of mine. I felt the heat of His presence, when He looked right at me. As I tried to fast with my own strength and He showed me His. God is powerful. When You feel His presence, we can never be the same. Oh, to be like Him, to be with Him where He is!

He highlighted a map of Israel from an old magazine I bought from a thrift store. I taped it above my bed and knelt and prayed for Israel. His very heart is for His people. After leading me through a missions school overseas in Amsterdam NL. The House of Payer also marked me and followed me throughout the adventures Father God has orchestrated. I went on a mission trip to Egypt and Israel right afterward. I then studied the Bible for a year in Alberta CA. Then, God brought me back to Atlanta.

In Atlanta, I found myself powerless. I had been carrying emotional baggage and unresolved pain throughout this journey. I was serving His church, yet I would not let myself get vulnerable and reach out for help. The only way I knew to love my Father was to serve. I allowed pride to get in the way of serving God. I dreamed of being a missionary and serving at the base there in Canada. I greatly desired to be part of the House of Prayer ministry and even start a house of prayer of my own.

I was so attached to His house of prayer that I didn't obey the Lord and the pastor/ director at this house of prayer and I got too spiritually attached. The devil used it as a foothold. I got sent to jail for trespassing on church property after I left a letter confessing how I was feeling. I was told to leave and never return. That brutally crushed me. All I wanted to do was to be in His house of prayer alone, not because of anyone there. I really needed it and I was that weak. I realized that I am God’s house of prayer. I am His temple of the Holy Spirit. Not any place or ministry and I needed to let go.

I later got involved with a married man. I cared about and loved his family. I prayed for him, but working with him, I got attached to him wrongly. I fell in love with him. The devil used that as a snare. It deeply cut me and caused severe mental struggles. This man was Jewish and it hurt so much that I couldn't be the light and the testimony of Jesus in the right way. I felt I had failed so completely I just couldn't do anything right after that. He didn't know the Lord and I would cry stating how wrong this was while trying to share about God at the same time. That sin felt so good and right and the devil was trying whatever means to kill my identity. I felt trapped.

Wicked and unhealthy attachments and habits have led me to harmful people and myself hurting others. I have reached a dead end. I confess that I am guilty. I am a sinner and Jesus' blood has bought me. Jesus' death and resurrection have saved me and made me righteous before the Father! It didn't matter how prophetic, artistic, talented I was. It didn't matter how much I had done or hadn't done. I know what God has called me to. I have seen Him heal people. God is mighty and yet I couldn't know Him as the gentle tender loving Father. I knew Him as the mighty ruler. The invincible king! How many could I fight for Him? How much could I conquer and do for Him?

That is where I am. Our Father in heaven! He is my Father who is in heaven. Altogether holy and yet one with me through His Holy Spirit within. Knowing this and living it every day is what I need more than anything.

Throughout this roller coaster. God has been constant through my instability, sin, and pain; leading me to be still. To know that He is God and that He answers not with punishment but kindness has led me to see the truth of Himself. He has guided me on this journey, He is refining me, setting me free, making me solely His...forever.

I am in the Refiner’s fire. Surely my Redeemer lives and will stand on the earth! AMEN.

To begin, I am not Jewish. After coming to Yeshua at ten years old and realizing I am not one of the Father's chosen people, I became jealous. Could our Father ever love a Gentile like me?

As I grew in my faith, I learned that I am loved, accepted, and forgiven. I grew to understand that had it not been for our Father's chosen people I would have never known Him or His Son.

Hi, I'm Anthony Edmonson. I am a long-haul team truck driver for the 'largest craft store in the U.S.A'. with dedicated deliveries that allow me to enjoy the balance of driving and home life. In turn, the schedule allows me study time with HolyLanguageInstitute.

I grew up in small-town Oklahoma. We attended a small Christian church and I was baptized when I was young. My wife, Jenni and I have the similar early age background with the same church affiliation.

A few years ago, we began having some discussions about Noah, inspired by some videos and a movie titled "Noah". That subject seemed to resonate into an interest in the story of the flood as I am always drawn back to Genesis. In short, after seeing the language cues in that story I was drawn to the Hebrew language. Studying the original language and text of the Bible have created influences and improve my understanding. My completion of Hebrew Quest is the result of a very intentional search utilizing Holy Language Institute and the resources Izzy shares. I enjoy study and reading in Hebrew and findit can be emotional at times. I am becoming immersed.

It was April 13th, 2017 that I was born again and made a great turn to the LORD, Yeshua Messiah. Before this happened to me, I had been quite lost in darkness, wandering around the world inemptiness. From 2009 to 2016, after my graduation from college, I held many jobs and did as much as I possibly could such as financial planning, bank administrative, consulting, teaching, start-ups in overseas investments, being involved in all kinds of politics, studying at the UN, and then doing nothing for years. I tried all I could to make my way but it all amounted to nothing. Then, He began to show me a way as He loved me first.

It was some years ago that I began to follow Him as a Christian, Bible reading, church, and prayer. Then, the time came for baptism followed by a Holy Communion and worship music in Christ. In my view, my baptism was/is the complete turning point for me to be born again and to be saved. I still thank my missionary David Cervenka who baptized me. He and his family are good friends of mine.

I believe that beinginvolved in politics is the way that He has given me to go and to show His glory for those seeking the One. Therefore, I am willing to follow Him as He leads me whenever/wherever according to His will, not mine.

I don't remember the exact dates for my trips to Israel, but I believe that He's called me to go on these journeys in holy ways. The purpose for them is to go around Israel and to find the next steps to make a new life into this Holy Land with His plans. I believe that G-d is calling me to Israel because this is how my Christian life has been since the very beginning.

Hi everyone. Ok get comfortable. And get ready to be blessed. God has done a marvelous thing in two lives. I have a story to tell you. Get some tea… coffee.

In the Spring of 2018, as I was praying and asking the LORD, “What next, LORD?” I sensed He had something brewing. His presence just came so close…I felt enclosed in His love. He said, “You will be catapulted from here.” I just took a deep breath and said, “OK.” Later than night, I said to the LORD, “Hineini, here I am.” The LORD often speaks in riddles to me, so I knew to wait for what happened next.

I have had peace as a single Mom all these years, but just in the last 9 months, felt that, even though I am 69, maybe the LORD did have someone for me after all. So, I said, “Well Lord, if you do, could you put him right in front of my nose so I don’t miss it? I don’t trust my own choices. Could he be a solid guy, more mature in the LORD than me? Could he love Israel, and could he make me laugh? Better together than apart.”

I had longed to spend a week volunteering in Israel near the Galilee, but it looked like I wouldn’t be able to. Then all of a sudden, the way cleared and I could!

Jim, a widower of 3 years, and farmer from Alberta,had begun praying for a wife for a year when the LORD told him, “Stop praying and start thanking Me.I have a special lady for you.” Just 2 weeks before he left to volunteer in Israel, the Lord said, “I have a special lady for you there.” It was there in the Galilee area, his last few minutesand my first few minutes, that we met. As Jim came up the stairs to where I was sitting, he saw me and the Lord told him, “There is a special lady.” I didn’t pay much attention to him until he mentioned Piapot, Saskatchewan. I was born there!!! Nobody knows where Piapot is, but he did. He has friends there!

Jim came over to me and knelt in front of me to talk to me. We began to talk and I felt like I had always known him. He felt the same. Then I had to leave, to do my volunteer jobs for the day, got up and took his hand to say goodbye, see you later (I didn’t know he wasn’t coming back). He wouldn’t let go of my hand. And.. funny… I didn’t want him to. So, we just stood there for a minute or two… looking at each other.

I said I had to go, and pried my hand away.  As I was walking away, I thought… hey… what did the LORD say? What did I ask? Could this be?

Well, we did get in touch with each other, and even that is a story. Through web chats and whatsapp videos and his visit to Vancouver BC and my trip to meet his married kids and family…. He asked me to marry him.

I said yes. More trips to the prairies. More trips, Jim here to meet family and friends. We could see how God had prepared us, our lives, our families.

And. We both have a love for the IDF young soldiers, and believe that the LORD has a call on us to love them, go to Israel, speak life to them, speak of their Messiah to them… and more things He has spoken.

I am returning to my roots. My parents and grandparents were farmers near Piapot Sask. We left when I was young, but those farming/prairie stories were all I heard growing up.

And that is my “Suddenly” story. The LORD surprised us with a 10-minute meeting, our lives converging, having prepared us. Onward we go. We are very thankful for our “Suddenly”.

Connie

Alberta

My name is Joshua Hodge and I live in Westfield Indiana. I'm part owner of a consulting firm and soon to be in the development space. I enjoy fishing, grilling, and spending time with family and friends.

I met Yeshua at the very young age of 8, and gave my life to Him. It hasn't been until recently that Yeshua revealed that I wasn't living in a way that was pleasing to Him. I grew up in an Apostolic and Pentecostal church and at the age of 16 my mother took us to a Messianic Jewish congregation.

I'm brand new to learning Hebrew and I'm excited for this journey although in the Pentecostal church I grew up in, our pastor taught with Hebrew in her sermons as well.

I found Holy Language Institute on YouTube while looking for scriptures that were read in Hebrew. I've had conviction through the past couple of years that traditions in the Christian faith weren’t coincidingwith what Yeshua would have taught while on Earth. A common theme would be how could I say I knew him and not know His language and Holy days. I want to know him not just an idea of who He is or who I want him to be.In my journey of desiring a closer walk with him I've had to put away former relationships and associations. In doing my own research I've had to make decisions that are contrary to how I was raised.

Please pray that my ears will be open to what direction God is leading me and my family in regards to a fellowship family, the salvation of my family, and that I would be faithful in doing God's will for my life.

My dad was a Catholic growing up. He met my mom and she was Protestant. At 28 years old my dad became an ordained Pastor. He pastored for 42 years, but in his journey inBiblical studies, he was open to learn beyond of what he knew. As we sat at the table and discussed scripture,we knew that something was missing. My Grandmother on my mom’s side had a prayer of the Modah Ani in her Bible but, that’s as far as we got.

In the 70’s, we met some hippies attending our church, not knowing they were Jewish. When we met them again later, we found they were Rabbis Russ Resnik and Eaton Shishkoff. One of the Rabbi’s taught about, “for I tell you, from now on, you see not me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Adonai.’’ Matthew 23:39. We were open and hungry to know more.

We, as well as my extended family began searching and we looked into the Hebrew Messianic movement. We had to unlearn of a lot of what we knew and renewed it through Hebrew eyes.

We knew we had found the Messiah and that He was a Hebrew. Now, as we saw Yeshua in a Hebrew setting, we could see Him more clearly, and Scripture began to unravel. We saw and read what we had missed for so many years before. Our search is over, we have finally found home.

Rachel

Hello, my name is Laurie. I have been married to the same man for 41 years (we were high school sweethearts); we have 4 children and 8 grandchildren.

I spent most of my time homeschooling all 4 children but I am semi-retired as they all have degrees now. My husband was a pastor for 10 years after we married, then was an elder, deacon, and pastor through the years. For the past 20 years, he has worked as a contractor in heavy construction building water plants.

We attended the same church for 22 years - but we could not tolerate the replacement theology and postmodernism we felt was invading there any longer. Now we attend a Messianic synagogue in Dallas (at least we did before the plague hit) and I have already been through 4 years of an online Yeshiva (a very in depth one) run by a Rabbi who attended the same synagogue. I went as far as I was able to in his program (the Rabbi did not think I was learning fast enough at the end but I was really working as hard as I was able). I would like to keep learning more now. I am 60 and grew up learning Greek as all pastors and their wives do. We have realized the complete failure of Christianity to tell the truth to people about our Messiah and so we no longer identify with evangelicals.

My great grandmother read Hebrew and was very scholarly and I think I am a lot like her; I am trying to pass the legacy of a Hebraic mindset of the G-D of Abraham on to our grandchildren. This is my goal. My granddaughter with 3 kids homeschooled has stage 4 breast cancer- so my time is somewhat taken up by helping her. My hobbies are painting, gardening, and reading (now through audible as my eyesight is getting worse). We live in rural Wise county in Texas.

I am excited to review and perhaps learn more.

Respectfully,

Laurie

My name is David. I live in a small town in Pennsylvania in the United States. I was born and raised in a Christian family and I have been going to church all my life. After High School I joined the army and it was during that time of my life that I first started to really rely on God. After the Army, I got into construction work until I fell off of a roof and suffered some injuries. During a year of recovery, I again had to lean on the Lord and trust in His strength to get me through. In my down time I started volunteering more at my church. I eventually became a youth pastor, then an associate pastor. I was then called upon to fill in at another small church that didn't have a pastor.

After a few months there, they asked me if I would be willing to stay and they voted me in as their pastor! Last year I was involved in a pretty bad car accident which took me about a year to recover from. It took me four months of recovery before I could start trying to walk again. During this time, I decided to try and memorize the book of Matthew. It was a hard time in my life physically but probably one of the best times of my life spiritually. During this time my immediate family and church family grew much closer together. Things were going great until two weeks ago when my wife and I we're involved in a motorcycle accident. A deer jumped into the side of my bike. My wife and I both suffered injuries but God was with us and we will recover.

Now I find myself back on the couch waiting to heal up enough to start walking again. This time around I decided to use this opportunity to learn to read the Bible in Hebrew. After looking at dozens of websites and courses I foundHoly Language Institute. I watched an introductory video and was impressed with both the quality and the heart of this ministry. I don't want to just learn Hebrew but I want to learn more about God and grow closer to Him in the process. I've only been a member for about 10 minutes and have already been welcomed on the Marco Polo app. There's definitely a family feel here. I'm glad that I won't be taking this journey alone. I can't wait to start learning and see what the Father has in store for me! Thank you, Holy Language Institute, for all that you've done and I pray that God will bless you mightily.

I signed up for the course for a number of reasons. I want to deepen my knowledge of God’s Word, thus deepen my relationship with Him. I enjoy learning history and about other cultures and their languages. One day I hope to visit Israel.

My spiritual journey began when God interrupted my life as an atheist, revealing Himself to me one night nearly 34 years ago. It would take a very long time to share everything God has done in my life since then. I can, without hesitation, say that my life has changed drastically since that moment, and I am thankful and grateful daily for the new life I have in Him.

My family left Louisiana last year and moved to Tennessee. We moved in with my parents to help maintain their home and property. We were blessed to find a church that is deeply committed to teaching God's Word. The pastor often shares the meaning of Greek and Hebrew words in his messages, and he challenges us to get into God's Words daily.

Last year, I committed to studying each book of the Bible in-depth rather than my usual topical studies. Right now, I am studying Isaiah and Revelation. I find myself wanting to immerse even more in His Word. I have the Logos program which provides lexicon/word studies, but I would really like to understand more than just a word here or there. I want my relationship with Jesus to grow and flourish more and more, and I believe learning the original language of the Holy Scriptures will allow me to do just that.

I am a retired educator who now works as an independent research consultant. I spend a great deal of time crunching data, writing reports, providing organizations and legislators with data and information, helping draft legislation when asked, and testifying before legislatures on education policy. When I am not working on research, I spend time volunteering at my church, homeschooling my 15-year-old grandson, going on camping adventures with my husband, hiking, biking, kayaking, and roller skating.

About four years ago, I qualified with the United States Roller Sports Association and began skating competitively. I'm too old to jump and spin anymore so I compete in dance and figures only. My goal in life, after having been sick for a number of years, is to live the life God has given me to the fullest, to enjoy the abundant life He promised us, and to live in such a way that when I stand before Him, He will say "well done good and faithful servant."

I just finished Lesson 2 in Hebrew Quest and have learned so much in just those few lessons. I am looking forward to learning even more.

Hello!! I’m Lorrinda.

I live and was born in North Carolina. I accepted Yeshua as my Lord and Savior when I was 8 years old. We attended a Pentecostal church. It seems like we were there every day of the week sometimes since my Granny was the Pastor.

I help a Bible teacher with online business and he started learning Hebrew a while ago. My interest has been growing since. I wanted to understand how to lookup Hebrew and Greek words and do a real Bible Study, as that was never taught in my home church.

I took Dr. Chuck Missler’s course “How to Study the Bible” at the Koinonia Institute where he mentioned e-Sword as a recommended Bible software. I didn’t know how to use it; then I found the Holy Language Institute’s e-Sword course. Izzy’s videos are so helpful!

I am thrilled to be here. I will start with mastering e-Sword, then venture into learning Hebrew.

Hello! Shalom my name is Amanda or Mandy for short. I am a 28-year-old newly appointed Trainee English Teacher based in London.

I have always had a head knowledge of Christianity and Jesus as I grew up in the Catholic faith and still attend my family Catholic Church. I have, however, always wanted to develop a deeper understanding of Yeshua and I’ve found at great moments of uncertainty in my life, knowing Yeshua more intimately has always seen me through! I signed up for the Holy Language Institute because I felt a deeper need for knowing Yeshua and His Hebrew roots. I wanted to better understand that when the word became flesh he saved me.. and everyone in this group and beyond - amen!

I guess I’m really interested in developing more of a heart knowledge of Christ and that comes with knowing His Hebrew roots. I’ve always wanted to learn Hebrew and I believe this course will help me to gain a better understanding of the beauty and complexities of the Hebrew language and in turn bring me closer to Yeshua our risen Lord and Saviour!

That’s my story! Thanks for reading - I hope I will get to know you all better through time in this course.

Sending Blessing and love in the name of Yeshua,

Amanda

Shalom! My name is Eliana and I live on a tropical style rural farm in Chiapas Mexico.

My life goal is to know, live, and be transformed by the Torah of YHWH, and to build something lasting for Yeshua´s Kingdom. I have a non-conventional approach to work than the usual 9-5 and I work on a freelance basis which allows me to take periods of time to focus on other pursuits, which is a blessing for which I thank Abba. I have skills in language translation, language teaching, administration, and design, and I earn mostly through these, mostly online. I am also finishing a Master’s degree in Biblical counseling.Right now, my focus is to work more closely with the land here, to make it more productive, (something that is very labour and time intensive but also rewarding), and encourage others here in the learning and practice of Torah. My prayer is that a community of like-minded disciples of Yeshua may be formed in this region.

I began learning Hebrew using a self-taught method with books, in 2011, when I still lived in the UK. I found Holy Language on YouTube, and decided to take the course to test my level of language learning in a more formal way. I found Izzy´s lessons to be well researched, and well designed. I am so glad I did! And I discovered that Memrise is also great fun!

I would share with those interested in studying Hebrew, that my experience has been that learning Hebrew is much more than just the intellectual learning of any other kind of language. Learning Hebrew is a spiritual pursuit without limits, on multiple levels of learning and growth. It holds promises and treasures hidden within it, that one must discover with child-like excitement and joy. I feel like I am still only just beginning my Hebrew journey. I would love to be able to converse fluently in Hebrew, so that is a goal I will be gradually working towards.

May you all have your own wonderful adventure of discovery with Hebrew learning, and may it encourage deeper intimacy in your walk with haShem!

I just turned 50 at the start of the month. A couple of years ago, I began to think back on my grandmother. One tends to become more sentimental with age. Anyway, I remembered the way she always vehemently denied being a Jew. It was a very delicate subject, as I recall. As far as she was concerned, we were Presbyterians, and that was the end of the story.

My grandmother was born in 1904 and grew up in a large Mulatto family in Louisiana, whereas my mother implied--some of the children had been quietly adopted. Being Jewish in the American South at that time was certainly quite dangerous. And many of my grandmother's stories seem to attest to this fact. She spent her youth as an itinerant school teacher in Louisiana and Mississippi, always trying to avoid the activities of the KKK. Finally, she moved to Los Angeles in 1925 and started a new life. As for my mother, she quietly left the Presbyterian Church while in her early 20s, and became observant through her mid-30s. She instilled a great deal of Jewish faith in me. The hours we spent talking about Moses and Abraham, High Holydays, and the happy years she spent in shul are some of my best memories.

It's hard to describe the feeling I had when I began to put the pieces together. My grandmother (and her brother Newman) were Jews, although she spent her life denying it. Now that I am older, I understand why she tried to distance herself from all things Jewish. Even after making it to Los Angeles, she remained fearful. As for me, I can finally understand myself better, as I look back upon my grandmother and mother.

For so long, my heart had been crying out to the Jewish people, whom I had missed dearly for my entire life. Really, I don't even have the words to describe what it's like to be separated from the people I have always loved like my own soul. Today, thankfully, I am aware of my connection, a truth that was almost lost to memory.

Now, I'll trace the narrative back to my mid-forties, to the beginning of my Christian journey.

At the age of 44, I came to repent of the grievous sins I committed against a holy and righteous God. I knew that I could not save myself, and that I needed the Lord Jesus Christ to redeem me with his blood. And so, I came to faith and began my walk with the Lord. By this time, my parents and grandparents had long since passed away, and solitude allowed me the space that I needed for reflection.

This is my journey of faith--and family history. After drawing close to the Lord, he showed me the contents of my heart by revealing my grandmother's secret.

My name is Dove and I live close to Barrie Ontario Canada.

For work sometimes I get a survey job for a couple of days but mostly I am retired. For fun we like to go in the malls and pray for people to get healed. Also, we go to fairs and give away walking sticks with beads on them that tell the gospel story. I also like to learn new things on how to grow closer to the Lord..like this course.

I was raised Catholic and then studied with Jehovah’s Witnesses for a couple of years before I met the Lord in 1984 and have been on fire since. He broke all my chains and healed all my wounds and now I am free to help others do the same.

I started learning the Hebrew alphabet last year on a couple of apps...then I found a couple of songs on YouTube to help me learn.

This year I was invited to a Shabbat and learned even more. It was there that I was told about learning Hebrew from Izzy at Holy Language Institute.

Following Yeshua in Hebrew is one of the tools I am using to get to know the Jewish ways and culture better. I listen to whatever is free on this site ...so ...so far still trying to put pieces together. I really love the lessons on how to read Hebrew. I am so excited that I am learning how to read Hebrew. The grammar got a bit much but I loved the teaching about suffixes and prefixes.

So far, my biggest challenges are navigating through web site and trying to put all the pieces together. All I know is the more I just keep on, the more I will understand.

My name is Leah and my family walked away from our church when I was in high school. It wasn't because we didn't believe in God or that we had any particularly bad experience, but because there was an overwhelming sense of deadness (is that a word? lol). I wasn't super close to Yeshua at the time so I didn't quite understand it, but my parents looked around as if a veil had been lifted and realized that many churches weren't producing spiritual growth. At the same time, my mother was discovering the significance of the seventh day as the Sabbath and once she got us on board, we were doing 'church' at home.

That turning point changed my outlook on religion, church, and relationship with God. Over time, it's been freeing to learn more about Judaism and to connect with Messianic teachers. It's like the Bible has come full circle for the first time. Many people don't understand this viewpoint or movement, but I've learned to treasure it in my heart, and on rare occasions, celebrate the connection with people like you.

Shalom! I’m Sue and I’m absolutely thrilled to be a part of the Holy Language community!

I’m a Human Resources Consultant and I am the founder of Woman of Noble Character ministry (www.womanofnoblecharacter). I support and equip Christian women to grow closer to God and strengthen their marriages through Bible study, creative worship, and Christian living resources. I’ve written three books: The God Centered Marriage, The Complete Proverbs 31 Woman, and Verse Mapping 101 and Workbook.

I’m a big sports fan and sad that right now we are without sports, but safety first, right?

I was raised Catholic but always questioned what I was taught and how some of it seemed to conflict with the Bible – I’ve always been curious. Twenty years ago, a friend shared how I could have a relationship with Jesus and I yearned to know more.

One evening, I felt Jesus’s presence in my bedroom. I felt Him sit in the rocking chair in my room telling me that all would be OK and that He would never leave me. I gave my life to Him that night.

Since then, I have grown in faith and have made studying the Bible a priority.

For years I have been interested in the Jewish faith and Hebrew studies. I often incorporate Hebrew translations on my website, but never truly studied the language.

My dear friend, Diane, knew of my interest and referred me to Holy Language. I’m only on lesson 2, but each lesson is taking me quite some time to get through as I am feverishly writing notes on the material and rereading the notes. I am loving the lessons and can’t wait to learn more.

I find that the more I learn, the greater my hunger gets for learning about Judaism, our Christian roots, and the Hebrew language.

As for a prayer request, I have stage 4 colon cancer and have finished 7 rounds of chemo. I am to have surgery to remove tumors from my liver on May 12 and then another 6 rounds of chemo. The doctors say my prognosis is good. I am standing firm that God has me and will see me through. Please pray for a successful surgery and that my husband will be able to be there for the surgery (with the pandemic, they are not allowing visitors, right now).

I'm happy to tell you my story. I was born 56 years ago. I prayed a prayer of repentance and an invitation for Yeshua to come into my life and be my Savior and Lord when I was 13 years old. At that time, I thought that I had come to understand fully what was missing or what was wrong in my Catholic background because I had genuinely experienced a good change in me. Yet over the years through many seminars, church services, and ministry activities, I knew there was something I needed to find.

As you probably know... scripture, the TORAH, prophets and the writings are not really a big thing for Christians. The focus on the New Testament and the wrong belief that it is independent of the Old Testament is really fatal to our journey of faith. We have lost the anchor and basis of interpretation and understanding of God's instructions.

When God so graciously led me back to the scripture, I thanked Him and went happily to a new discovery of His word. I acquired the desire to learn the scripture from its original language and that is what led me to your You tube videos.

Let me now take this opportunity to thank you for all the free videos you have shared. They have helped me a lot.

God bless you even more.

Jules

My name is John Lockwood. I currently live in Apple Valley California where I’ve been since the early 1980’s. Prior to that I was born and raised on the East coast living in New York, Florida and Georgia. I grew up in a ‘unchurched’ family. Attended church perhaps 10 times prior to getting out of the Air Force in 1985. I always felt like there was a God but didn’t know how to know Him.

Little did I know how much of a sense of humor Abba has. Shortly after getting out of the Air Force I was living in the same town I served in. I rented a room from another single guy. One day this teenager named Larry comes knocking on the door asking if we need the lawn mowed. Of course, we had no problem helping the young lad out. Especially since it meant neither of us had to do it. The kid was a hard worker and did a great job. Over time a pretty strong relationship developed. So much so that Larry became like a little brother. Larry began to share the bible with us and kept talking about his relationship with God. I was only half listening but letting him talk none the less. Larry was 17 and a Jr. in High School. He didn’t have a driver’s license at the time. One day he asked me if I could give him a ride to a home bible study. It wasn’t far away so I agreed. I also decided to stay because driving out and back twice didn’t make any sense.

To this day I remember the very house we were in. I remember borrowing a KJV paperback ‘prison bible’ to follow along with a Baptist Pastor named John as he taught from the book of Galatians. I don’t remember much about the study of Galatians, but I do remember that during that study he took time to explain to us how God called Abraham out of his family and His country. As he was explaining this something, inside of me kept saying “pay attention, this is important, this is truth.” Part of me wishes I could tell you I immediately followed after Yeshua with great fervor. That’s just not the case. I left the bible study and returned to my ways. See, I had a failed marriage while in the Air Force and didn’t take the pain of divorce that well at all. Abba was still working unbeknownst to me. Over the next few months and years Larry continued to share.

I remarried and decided that God needed to be part of our family, so I decided to take my wife, my stepdaughter and our son to church. It was ‘Easter Sunday” and it was the first time we went to this church. The church was small and held 3 services every Sunday. They had too many people to hold the ‘Easter Services’ at that small building so they rented the “PAC Center”. I found this out that morning as I pulled into the church with my family for the first time and we were the only car in the parking lot. The first time I decide to go to church… church is closed. There was a note on the door that said “Services at the “PAC Center”. The sign failed to mention what or where the “PAC Center” was. We later found out it was the Performing Arts Center at the Community College, but it wasn’t that morning we found it out. ^_^ Abba has a sense of humor. What was cool about that experience is that I wasn’t upset. I had this peace inside that I was on the right path, headed in the right direction. I laughed about the whole experience.

My lovely bride, Terri, and I served in the men’s and women’s studies as well as the sound ministry in that fellowship for 10 years. It was a 30 minutes’ drive from home. Later, we discovered there was an affiliated fellowship right in town, about 5 minutes away.

Terri and I have 10 children that are scattered all over the country right now. The two oldest are girls, then six boys in a row and then two girls at the other end with our youngest being 12 years old right now. We (mostly Terri) have home schooled for over 20 years with minimal exceptions. We served together at the second church for almost 10 years. I eventually served as assistant pastor. However, there were (and are) things being taught that just didn’t line up with what I was reading.

In 2009 I stepped down as assistant pastor and within a few months stepped away from the church.

Something was not right and I just couldn’t figure out. I could see things woven through scripture that the other leaders either couldn’t or wouldn’t see. They have been leaders longer than me, so I held my tongue. Eventually I couldn’t listen anymore. I left, but silently, causing the least number of waves as I could.

I floundered for a couple of years but kept reading the word. My wife continued at that fellowship and it was difficult to dispute her because I couldn’t put my gut feeling into words. Eventually, while looking through teachings online I came across 119 ministries and they talked about Torah. Something inside me lit up! I began searching based on Torah, something I’d never heard of before. Suddenly things were making sense. The Hebraic mind and culture had been missing. Since then, I’ve begun to see that things get clearer every day.

My wife is not quite on the same page with me. God has not yet told her to leave nor revealed to her what He’s revealing to me. I’ve moved on to another fellowship. I have found a local Hebrew Roots ministry in Lucerne Valley about 20 minutes away. Here’s the cool part. My wife has a servant’s heart, no doubt. After I’d been going out there for several months there was an instance where Valerie needed to clear some land of brush and debris because it was deemed a fire hazard. I offered to help and… so did my wife. Her and Valerie have been getting closer by the day. Terri goes out there often, without me. Her and the younger girls love spending time out at Old Paths. She also accompanies me on Shabbat when she doesn’t have a commitment with my youngest daughter and the Young Marines group she’s part of.

I don’t have time in this letter to tell you everything, and I’ve skipped over so many times we’ve seen Abba’s hand in our lives. We’ve survived our youngest son arriving EIGHT weeks early and spending five weeks in NICU. I’ve survived a heart attack and cancer. Abba is faithful. There will be time to share more Abba willing, like how I found Old Paths in the first place.

I’m learning Hebrew because I want to follow Yeshua and know Abba. I found your ministry while trying to learn a second online Bible Software. My primary Bible software is Blue Letter Bible at this time, but I’m learning e-Sword and also studylight.org. I like online resources because they are easy to share with family that’s on the East coast and even those out here. 

My name is Diane. My grandmother was 100% Ashkenazi but my grandfather was Protestant. They allowed my mother to choose her own faith when she was old enough to make that decision. So, in spite of having a Jewish mother, I was raised in the Catholic church.

I, like my mother, grew up in a very Jewish neighborhood in New York City near Yeshiva University. There was still a good deal of anti-Semitism at the time (in the ‘40s). My mother’s decision was largely influenced by the fact that many of my mother’s friends were Catholic and there was a large Catholic church in our neighborhood. So, while I was surrounded by a Jewish family and even my sister was Jewish (she is 17 yrs. older than me and she married a Jewish man) I myself was sent to Catholic school and attended a Catholic church.

However, I had felt God calling me from the time I was 8 years old. I would grab my mother's Bible and hold "mass" for my stuffed animals on my bed. I also got into trouble in religious instruction because I would question my teachers on things I read in the Bible that didn't seem to go with what they were teaching me.

When I was 30, I was going through a difficult time in my life and was talking on the phone with my sister who lived over 1,000 miles away. She had been saved for several years. She then promised to send me a package. In this package were several books and a Bible. It was the first time I had ever had a non-Catholic Bible.

I got saved alone in my apartment on my living room floor. The books my sister sent me confirmed EVERYTHING I felt God had been speaking into my life for decades. That was 1996!

After some time, I had a conversation with my aunt who was Jewish and I began to learn more about my culture and heritage. I began going to a Messianic congregation where I became close friends with my Rabbi (Moshe Laurie, author of the book Living in God's Army) who is a former IDF and Mossad officer. He and his wife Martha are both believers in Yeshua. I felt like I was finally home! I attended there until they moved to another state and I moved away as well.

I began to learn Hebrew and to study more. Even though I don't attend a Messianic congregation right now as there is not one near me, I continue to study and learn as much as I can. I am also a full-time blogger and I love to teach women about our Jewish Messiah!

I was so happy to find Izzy and begin to learn more and more as I continue to grow in my walk and in my roots...and learn even more about the Hebrew language!