Friends and Family,

As many of you know my brother, Michael, has been in Israel for about two years as a volunteer at the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem. For those two years he has functioned as their Radio Program Technician. He has also been the Director of Sound for the Feast of Tabernacles which is one of the largest celebrations Israel, as a country, takes part in.

Through those two years my brother may not have encountered what most people might think traditional missionaries would encounter, but he has seen a few mishaps while living there. He has evacuated work because of a bomb threat, he has heard bombs go off a few streets away, and has had run ins with a few scary elevators. While living through some otherwise adventurous situations my brother has volunteered his time, talents, and energy into helping ICEJ make their radio program excellent as they reach out to a lost people. ICEJ strives to reach out to God's chosen people, the Israelites, with hope, healing, and the love of Jesus in many different ways.

I have many friends that are currently raising support for their mission ventures as they seek to walk out Mark 16:15 and in that support raising I cannot think of one who is not getting any monthly support. Even if it is only $5 a month I cannot think of one missionary who has net yet to receive monthly financial support. Take a moment and consider the missionaries you are aware of. What do you think they would do without monthly financial support or a local body in America to join with them financially as they venture, many times alone, into a calling that is beyond most?

Please take a moment and consider the next sentence:

During Michael's time in Jerusalem he has not once received consistent monthly financial support.

While we appreciate those of you who have given in the past, I am asking for your help in raising money for my brother to come back to the states. Not only does he need money in about a month to come home, his reason for coming home is that he has a wedding he would like to attend in January. He had offered to be the groom and yet has no money to actually get back to the states to do that.

My goal is to get 400 people to give $5 each. I can think of 100 people to send this too and I am. If each of those people will share with 3 other people of the awesome opportunity to sow into Israel, my brother could come home.

I ask that if you don't feel to give, that you fast eating out once this week, and give that $5. If you really don't see how you can give, then I ask for your earnest prayers to the Lord to move on those who can give. If you feel to give more than $5, I am by no means limiting you to that amount.

I believe that as the body of Christ we can move forward together in times of need and this is a time of need. We would really like to be able to have the money by September 27th so that we can get a ticket as cheap as possible.

Please make checks or money orders out to

Michael Pettus

and send to

Jean Pettus
3087 Donnell Ridge Rd
Conway, AR 72034

Thank you so much for your consideration, prayers, and  financial support. May God bless you as you sow into Israel and into a missionary, a humble man of God, that has served well there.

Shalom,
Sherah Janell Pettus

Mark 16:15 says to go into all the world and preach to gospel to every creature.

Galatians 6:7 says be not deceived God is not mocked: for whatever a man sow he shall also reap.

If you stopped watching tv, listening to music, reading novels or literature, didn't hang out with your friends, and had nothing else to do or think about, what would you experience?

Most of us don't like to think about being alone, much less not doing anything. But really, what would occur deep within us all if we became still? How would we change? The word says to be still and know that He is God, but what does that experience look like?

It is an ache. A desperate ache for the divine. And it hurts . . . a lot. When I felt it I wanted to watch a movie, turn on the tv, call a friend, anything! to get out of feeling that unrelenting ache. I could not rid myself of it! I could push it down and dull my sense of hunger for God or I could cry out for more of God and it would increase!

I discovered that I had covered up my ache for God with friends, boys, tv, movies, music, money, life.

So I became still and began to know that He is God.

My soul cried out from the very depths that man cannot fathom for communion with a Holy and Fearsome God. Not that I must be scared of Him so that I follow 'rules', but that I know Him so that I love what He loves and hates what  He hates. The bible is not a list of rules to be followed but guidelines to show us how we will look when we truly follow and know God. When you get married you don't avoid adultery because you know it is a 'rule'. You avoid adultery because you love your spouse and you can't imagine doing that to them because it would hurt them so! When you are in covenant with God you don't avoid sin because it is the 'right' or 'scriptural' thing to do, you avoid it because He hates it! And you hate what He hates!

I hurt for God. I hurt to know my Savior, His Father, and Holy Spirit just like Elijah. Moses. Peter. Paul. Mary. Rahab. Esther. Enoch who walked with God and simply was no more. Can you imagine? God desiring so much to be with you He doesn't allow you to even taste death and you simply end the day at His place? These people knew God. And you know what? They didn't have a bible. They had a Holy God who desired communion with them. I desire to know the word because that is part of knowing my Beloved. But I want to know Him beyond His word. I want to experience walking with Him. Everyday.

In fact, that was part of the purpose of Christs ascension into heaven. So that we may receive a Helper(the Holy Spirit). Christ was a Sovereign Being that had limited Himself to one man, Jesus. Jesus had to leave so that He would no longer be limited and share with all of us the power and authority He had walked in.

Don't forsake the fellowship, give your tithes AND offerings, know and follow the word, serve, pray, fast, worship.
All of these things are good, but in and of themselves will not get you into eternity with God. They are along the pathway, but knowing God goes beyond a simple action. It is a covenant in which you must die to yourself every single day and choose the way of the Lord. Does it hurt? Yeah baby! Killing your flesh is not an easy thing because you don't want to die! I hurt, but more than that, Christ hurt. When we don't allow ourselves to feel our pain, we don't feel at all. We build walls and don't allow others in and end up getting hurt anyway.
Wouldn't you rather hurt for God? When the pain has a purpose?
When you open yourself up and allow vulnerability to rule, you realize how much you really don't matter. Sherah Janell doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is that I walk with God. ALL things flow from this.

Want to know. . .
your calling? Walk with God.
who you will marry? Walk with God.
deep revelation? Walk with God.
how God views you? Walk with God.
how you will pay your bills? Walk with God.
what job you should apply for? Walk with God.
how to get good friends? Walk with God.
what church you should submit to? Walk with God.
Where and how you will spend eternity? Walk with God.

The only way to know God is through His Son, Jesus Christ. You must acknowledge His Lordship in your life and understand you are no longer your own. It won't be easy, but He will always be there. If you believe you already have done this, I ask you to re-evaluate your life. The word says we are known by our fruit.  We cannot clean up our own act, only God through His Spirit can accomplish this task. Don't think because you said a simple prayer that you have avoided separation from God. The word is clear that if we do not turn from our ways, we are not in relationship with God. If you are seeing godly fruit in your life, I encourage you to take the plunge and turn off the tv, put down the book, tell your friends your busy and be still.

Don't you think putting off the temporal things to experience the eternal will give you a slightly better perspective?

That is what desperate ache for the Divine looks like. . .