Dear Reader… THIS is Our God (A Testimony)

Dear Reader,

As I sit here reflecting on the last four months, I have to give Yeshua/Jesus all the glory and praise for His faithfulness and mercies! My family’s recent move would’ve been impossible if it weren’t for Him. We had no money, nowhere to live, and everything stacked against us. Yet, through trust, obedience, and faith, Yeshua led us through the impossible and into a new home that meets our every need. We witnessed miracles, answered prayers and blessings that are too good to keep to ourselves. I pray this testimony will be a beacon of hope to you, wherever you are in life, to draw closer to the Father and allow Him to lead you into the promises and callings He has in store for you!

Matthew 21:21-22, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also. You can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”

Four months ago, I set a countdown on my phone, marking the days until we needed to move house. With no idea where we’d be by July 31st, my family and I stepped into each day by faith, trusting the Lord to light the way and provide for our needs. It wasn’t easy, though. Each day my mom and I picked up a box to pack, a heaviness fell over us until we had to call it quits after only three boxes. Looking for a place to live also felt burdensome. We spent weeks scouring Yad2 (Israel’s Craigslist) and Facebook Marketplace for potential homes, but nothing met all of our individual needs. My dad was also in Scotland at the time, so the responsibilities fell on my mom and me, making the weight feel even heavier. However, we were not alone. When things became overwhelming, we got on our knees and asked the Lord for strength and peace.

Reader, I know you might be fed up hearing people say this, but the only way to lighten the load and move forward on sure-footing — especially when facing a difficult season — is by laying your burdens at the Father’s feet and relinquishing control to allow Him to lead. How do we do that? By having the faith to let go and praying something like: “Take it, Lord! I can’t carry this on my own. I am incapable, but You are not. You know the end from the beginning, and I trust You will lead us out of this. So, here, take the reins. Our situation is in Your hands. Now, guide us to the other side.”

Prayer is power. We are not called to operate through the flesh but by the Spirit, and the first step to doing that is by looking through spiritual eyes rather than earthly ones. Of course, there will be times when our faith will falter, and we’ll have to repeat the prayer above. Some days, you might find yourself praying it multiple times a day, and that’s okay! The important thing is that you recognize who has the authority. NOTHING can be done out of the authority of our Savior, Yeshua!

After two months of dead ends, no furniture sales, and slow progress, my family and I reached July with new urgency. However, after viewing six apartments in one day, my mom and I knew we wouldn’t reach our deadline if we continued doing things out of fear and doubt. So, rather than wasting all of our energy on wild goose chases around the surrounding cities to find a place to live, we released control and stopped looking — much to people’s shock and disapproval. I wrote in my prayer journal on July 2nd, “29 days. We have 29 days until the big move. With no place on the horizon, not enough money in the bank, and too many questions, we walk into July by faith. Like Noah, we will build the boat (pack the house) in preparation for Your direction. Wherever You send us, Lord, we praise You and trust You. Make the road ahead clear.”

Three days later… the floodgates opened, and everything rushed into place!

We found a garden apartment that, while smaller than what we were looking for, was exactly what we needed. For most of the move, my dad had been going on and on about buying a container to store his studio equipment, which friends were holding in the North. Initially, my mom and I dismissed his desire as another grand idea not fitting to our current situation, but as we stepped into the long stone-surfaced garden, I turned to my mom with wide eyes and said, “This is the perfect place for a container!” My dad’s vision was coming to life, but was this the right home for us?

As we awaited my dad’s homecoming, we prayed for confirmation, which promptly came during a phone call a few days later. Two years ago, during our last move, our friends had swooped in like angels to take our studio equipment to an available storage room near Tiberias. So, talk about God’s timing when, just days after finding an apartment with the space to store it, they called to say we needed to move our stuff! Nevertheless, there were still more obstacles to conquer in the coming weeks.

With fourteen days to raise the money, we searched for a container, confirmed the movers, and met with the owners to sign the contract. However, thirty minutes before we arrived at the apartment to close the deal, the owners received a surprise offer to buy the entire building! We had agreed to a minimum of two years, but once we sat down to discuss the situation, we learned we’d only have a maximum of fourteen months! Obviously, with everything we’d gone through, the idea of moving so soon gave us pause. Was this another test of our faith and trust?

Taking the day to deliberate, we looked at a few more places to see what else was out there, but nothing fit our needs as this apartment did. So, though it wasn’t the time factor we wanted, we recognized that the apartment provided everything we needed right now and trusted God to work out the rest. Signing on the dotted line, we made it official… We had our new home!

Graciously, our new landlords said we could move our studio equipment into the garden before our lease began. Unfortunately, though, a few hours after receiving the money and ordering a 20ft container, it was confirmed that a container would NOT fit into the garden because the gate was too narrow for the truck to fit through and the power lines too close to allow a crane to drop the container over the wall.

This revelation confused me. Hadn’t God given my dad a picture of a container and later revealed to me that this was the space for it? How could it not fit? And where were we going to put our stuff?

Throughout this journey, one of the main themes came from Proverbs 16:3,9, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans… In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.” We might’ve had a plan or idea of what we needed, but the verses explain that the Lord establishes those plans according to HIS vision, not ours. And that’s precisely what He did!

God performed another miracle the following day by supplying us with a metal warehouse! Typically, an order can take up to one week to process and be delivered, but we only had four days until the studio equipment needed to be moved. Incredibly, the company found the warehouse we wanted in their storehouse and said my dad could pick it up that day! Thanks to a kind neighbor, we were given a trailer to borrow so my dad could retrieve our new warehouse and get to work.

Of course, nothing is ever simple, especially when you’re walking by faith and not by sight. I believe these trials are God’s way of testing our belief in Him and our willingness to put in the work.

Building the warehouse was a nightmare! My dad spent two days deciphering the directions and building the frame. By Saturday night (hours before the movers began their pickup), the walls were still on the floor!

BUT GOD!!

As the Bible says, two is better than one, so once again, the Lord heard our prayers and answered, this time with a helper. Gabi, a Christian Arab from Nazareth, had come to our house earlier that week to buy our camping tent and had hit it off with my dad. Desperate for manpower, my dad called Gabi to see if he was free and was grateful when Gabi agreed to spend the whole day finishing the warehouse with him! Meanwhile, my mom and I drove to Tiberias to direct the movers. It was a team effort and a great reminder that when we ask, we shall receive!

Reader, find people who will pray and stand with you in all seasons! Each person who met us on this path was sent by God. From our friends who prayed over us to those who sacrificed their days to help, every one of them played a crucial role in this move.

After walking by faith and witnessing so many miracles, we knew the Lord would see us through. With one week to go, we sang praise to the Lord as the furniture finally sold, the studio equipment fit into the new warehouse, the money we needed came through, the agent halved her fee, and the final boxes were taped shut!

By July 31st, we were exhausted, but the grand finale had arrived! Our movers were great and worked diligently to set up our bedrooms so we had somewhere to sleep that first night. And, the items we thought were too large fit somehow perfectly, like we had moved inside Mary Poppins’ bag. Everything had fallen into place, with God’s hand guiding us through each turn and loop. As we sat on the couch and looked around at the end of the day, we were in awe at all the Lord had accomplished. We were home.

A few days after our move, I sat in my new office and wrote in my prayer journal, “Lord, you are the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. This move was entirely Yours. All glory and honor goes to You. Without Your leading, provision, strength, and love, we would be on the streets. Instead, You met each of our needs — even the crazy asks — and provided a house that, while small, is just what we needed! So, thank You for everything. Thank You for all that You’re going to do in this new home and the words You’re going to lead me to write in this very room. Prepare the space. Establish our steps. Continue to strengthen us to create a home and unpack these boxes. Thank You for Your unfailing love. We honor You, worship You, and give all glory to Your name! Amen!”

This is our testimony. THIS is our God!!

It’s easy to look back and see the blessings once we’re out of the fire, but what about while we’re in the middle of these trials? As I step into this new season of my life, my prayer is that I will be less doubtful and cling tighter to the Lord’s faithfulness because I know He is more than able!

So, Reader, do not doubt God’s ability to get you out of whatever impossible situation you’re facing. Lay it all at His feet. Seek His face. And build the boat by faith. Rain is coming, and it will come suddenly, so prepare yourself.

My family and I have experienced countless testimonies like this one, and each time, our faith grows stronger as we recognize that the Lord will never leave nor forsake us. Sometimes, the silence and uncertainty are scary, and when I try to take control of the outcome, fear and anxiety are quick to attack; but by laying everything at the Father’s feet and trusting Him to lead us to the finish line, peace and assurance always wash over me.

God wants you to trust Him with your life, too. All of us are called to live by faith and not by sight, walking in accordance with God’s will for our lives, but are we ready to relinquish control and allow Him to lead? I hope this testimony will give you the courage to say yes.

1 John 5:14-15, “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of Him.”

Be encouraged. The Lord is with you and will not leave you lacking for anything! Take that leap into the unknown, and watch the Lord carry you on His wings. Soon, you’ll be sitting where I am, looking back at your incredible testimony and praising God for all He has done!

Sincerely,
Hannah-rose Russell