Bella's Birthday Party 5/2/10

We are like Postmen...

  "I have posted watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; they will never be silent day or night. For complete scripture, click here.

Blessings! Michelle Gold here. 

Today I got an email from a friend or fan of mine in Germany who I look up to a great deal. I was so impressed by the words of wisdom and encouragement he shared regarding making a difference and sharing a message as a friend or even as an artist . musician with a message of hope.  Just HAD to share it with you. 

I feel what he said is applicable to our lives as we sing for the Lord and draw His people to Him during a song or even after a concert. ENJOY this brief word...


".....Two people thanked me yesterday after praying the salvation prayer... And I thought, we are really like postmen: delivering a special registered mail, that requires a signature of acceptance and receipt! 

We have not paid their sins, gone all the way, most often we have only interceded some spare minutes etc etc our works are light and futile, useless slaves. But HE, He has taken the unmeasurable burden of all generations...I find no words powerful enough to describe...He has in His great love given us this glorious task to convey that good news and hand out and explain that glorious mail letter. Some will take it and open it and some will grow into joyous servants of the King."

12-step / Overcomer's Perspective:

All this postman talk is another reminder of how valuable you and I are to our God, the Lord. Also a reminder of how the work is done THROUGH HIM, His love and power, and by His RUACH HA KODESH (His Holy Spirit) and not through our own strength alone. All we have to do is show up and LOVE God and love His people and open our mouths to share. We can also pray for love when we don't have it. We have been posted by God. 

Messianic Perspective:

Jerusalem, my Jewish people need postmen like you and me to knock on the doors of their walls, their hearts! Many teach that my Jewish people are hopeless because we have turned away. Not tue. God is married to his chosen people.& has not rejected us who do not yet believe in Yeshua (Romans 11:1) We have NOT stumbled so as to fall "beyond recovery" or beyond believing, as some might teach. 

In fact, Sharing your message of Messiah to my people will make you rich in spirit. Some even teach that my Jewish people have an auto. pass to heaven without Messiah. Not true. Messiah gave his life as atonement for us ALL. So why not share the good news with your Jewish friends in love and with confidence? Just be a postman! **

Let's Pray:

Yeshua, Lord, I want to be a postman for you delivering your most wonderful message of hope. Give me urgency and excitement. Help me to not be silent and to not close my eyes no matter how I feel. Make me your messenger and peace ambassador. Amen.


***Short note to you who wants to be a postman today to your Jewish friend: Please note that contrary to popular opinion, a Jewish person CAN still be Jewish and believe in Yeshua (Jesus in Hebrew) . Yeshua Himself was Jewish and all the first believers were too! It's great to know that we like to call Jesus, "Messiah" or "Yeshua" because years ago, in the Holocaust, some killed in the name of Jesus. 

Thankfully, we are very certain that those people were not real believers because real believers would never kill! But because of this great tragedy, some of my people prefer the Hebrew name for Jesus (Yeshua), and prefer "Messiah" instead of "Christ." Same meaning, but more truthful to use the Hebrew names I think. 

Hope you are inspired. So please Mr/Mrs. Postman.... LOL

Feeling De-Valued?

Hey! I LOVE " blogging with you." Because I can be real and I can be myself. No reason I have to act like I have it all together, right? I am human. Though I have become a very confident woman and blessed by the Lord, I also have struggles like everyone else. Surprise! LOL! I know you are shocked right? You thought I had it all together now. (I do a bad job at sarcastic joking, dont I?) Thank you for listening to my *"mish-e-gas." LOL get it? I am so glad you are in my life.

I want to announce to you, my beloved friends and fans that during this Spring Season, more times than once, twice, etc, I ACTUALLY THOUGHT OF GIVING UP SINGING LIVE FOREVER! Planning to never minister live/ do another concert every again was something I was highly considering. I said it out loud numerous times and this seemed to be a REAL and heartfelt option. What should I say from here? I suffered with this decision as I prayed and asked my God, Does my voice really matter? Didn't I say or sing enough already? Is it over? My passion for singing left me.

But the more I pray today, the more I think of all the people I know and the people I don't know who are suffering. I remember now that God uses music and that music can be a very powerful tool to bring a message of hope, of healing and of salvation in ways that the spoken word is limited. I recall now "the meeting" I had with the Lord when I was just 8 years old and had thought about ending my life. A voice I heard in my head said, Michelle Gold, you cannot die. I have have a purpose for your life to sing and bring a message of hope to the world. I knew the thoughts were too mature to have come from my own heart. these words MUST have been from our God who loves us and has a plan for our lives.

Today, I ask God to renew the joy of my salvation. I ask Him to restore the joy of sharing the message which I have so passionately shared for over 11 years (just counting my years singing Spiritual music alone) in the U.S., El Salvador, Denmark and all over Europe and Israel.

So what happened? Being in Nashville, where everyone wants to be a star and everyone sings like Celine Dion and Ce Ce Winans, I got jaded. Beginning to unappreciate my gifts, I began to cast them aside. How am I valuable in this world?, I would ask myself. There are 90,000 other singers who sing about God's greatness so why me?

Today I know that I am valuable in God's Eyes. We must look at our lives, our selves, our gifts our beings THROUGH HEAVEN'S EYES! (Check out my favorite song from Prince of Egypt called Heaven's Eyes for the full message) I once had a vision of a candy store FILLED with chocolate bars! ooh! My favorite! It was revealed to me in a dream how all of those chocolates were so important. If we only had one, we would be sick of it soon. The variety of taste and richness fulfills us. So our gifts and talents also are important NO MATTER HOW MANY OTHERS EXIST! This vision I remember now and I realize how my existence matters.

12-Step Perspective or "spin": Just for today, I shall know that I am valuable to my God or higher power.  God does not make junk. We are His handywork. I will look at myself thru the eyes of a LOVING Father. I will speak to my spirit the way I speak to my little baby girl- with love, gentleness and great faith in her abilities.

Messianic Spin: the prophet Isaiah said to God's people like you and me:  (Chapter 62)

You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD's hand,
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
No longer will they call you Deserted,
or name your land Desolate.
But you will be called Hephzibah (my delight is in her)
and your land Beulah (married or beautiful)
for the LORD will take delight in you...

PRAYER OF RESPONSE:
Oh my Adonai, my mighty God and loving Father, please imprint these words onto my heart- that I am loved by you, that I am your royal diadem and that you delight in me.
Remove the ugly words in my head that I say toward myself and help me to see myself and my gifts through heaven's eyes. May I NEVER throw away the gifts you have given me. That would be aweful and it would hurt your heart as much as seeing those I love throw their gifts and lives away. Fill me with your sense of purpose and restore the joy of my salvation. Amen.

* *Mi-she-gas. n. (pronounced mish-eh-GOSS). Also spelled mishegoss or mishegaas. Once again, Jewish people can’t agree on how to spell anything, such as Hannukah or Chanukah. Mishegas is a Yiddish word that literally means insanity or madness, but is more often used in a playful description of a wacky, kooky state of being. For example, "Mishegas of Motherhood" is intended to describe how children drive their parents crazy.

American Idol's "Big Mike" got saved, How about you?

Last night, on American Idol, one of the top contestants, Big Mike, who has a voice like Luther Vandross got booted off. (temporally, that is) With his great talent & his winning personality, you just knew he was bound to win. But there he was, in the bottom 3, the one how received the least amount of votes.

Did America forget to vote? It left us all feeling lost. Was all of his talent and personality worthless? I don’t think so!!!! We all knew he was born to win. He has class; he has heart and smooth vocals that can tame a lion. LOL!

Bottom line, the judges then gave him a free pass, which overruled all of America's votes or lack of. AND BIG MIKE WAS SAVED!!!!! You’ll see him on the show next week and he's bound to be a winner or at least make great music for us all.

A guy with a powerful voice- a new Dad, a man with a beautiful wife who cries for joy on TV when he wins and probably cries with love for him when he loses.

But what about you? Are you like Big Mike? Have you been overlooked by the world? Have you been unfairly forgotten? Has all the work you've been doing gone totally un-noticed? Do you feel scared about your future and family's security in this crazy economy? Do you feel lost?

Well, I was once like you. Then, Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah, came along and just like Big Mike, I GOT SAVED! Saved out of being sick and tired of my life, saved out of sorrow, saved from fear of my future (anxiety). And I was saved out of my biggest fear of all- the fear that God was far away.

I know now that Yeshua, the Jewish Messiah, gave his life for me and for you as an atonement for our wrongs, our sin our shame. He is never far away but lives in our hearts when we invite Him in. Believing in Him, the Jewish Savior of the world and of MY HEART, I have never been more happy. And as for my Judaism, I have never been more Jewish in my life than I am now by believing in the Jewish Messiah. I just prayed a simple humble prayer sincerely to allow him to lead my life.

Do you want to be saved? I want you to be saved. God is proposing to you. Will you say yes?

PRAY WITH ME:

Avinu Malchenu, my Father and King. I admit to you that I am lost without your love. I need to be saved. Come into my heart and be my leader and my friend. Be my Messiah. Replace my fear of the future with hope for tomorrow, replace my sorrow with joy and dancing. Thank you for writing my name in your book of life, heaven, forever. There is no greater joy than YOU.

Amen.

Further Reading for Believers:

Messianic Spin: Yeshua (Jesus in Hebrew) was born the Jewish Messiah and has come for His Jewish people and for every man world-wide. There is nothing more Jewish we can do that to believe. His mother's name (whom we call Mary) is really Miriam and He, the anointed One celebrated the Jewish Holidays and came to fulfill the law. Mathew, Mark, Luke and John were all Jewish believers and the first thousands of believers were all Jewish too! Cool! Huh?

12 Step / Over-comer's Spin: Without a higher power, we are all lost and live in fear. We do not need to live in fear. we can trust our higher power to care for us and to make us successful or to help us heal in times of failure or unrest. Step 2 talks about believing that a power greater than ourselves can restore us to sanity. 

Seeking for our higher power to SAVE US from life's insanity or self-produced insanity iS WHAT HEALS US. When all others have let you down, why not let God save you? He is not a man that He should lie or cheat or steal hearts. He is awesome and loving and wants what is best for you.

WHY NOT MAKE MUSIC TOGETHER?

You have turned my sorrow into joyful dancing.

No longer am I sad and wearing sackcloth.

 I thank you from my heart, and I will never stop singing your praises,

 My LORD and my God. (Psalm 30:11-12)

It’s 4:40pm at the Gold-Franco house and Bella and I share something extremely special. Besides hugs and kisses and the regular day’s grueling schedule of being a Mom,  we STOP and MAKE MUSIC TOGETHER!!!           

Shaking the shakers in the air, Bella joins in by clicking her sticks. A few seconds later I hand her the my two blocks showing her the awesome rhythm they make. Then, the harmonica makes its sounds and before you know it, Bella and I are marching around the room singing and playing. I say to myself, “I cant believe I am marching around the room with a sinus infection and a headache the size of Brooklyn!" But we laugh and sing and supernatural strength comes over me when I see her joy!

This is the joy of music together. I’ll be teaching  a class this April in Nashville at the Green Hills Mall in TN. (Thursday afternoons) The class comes with 2 cds (one for the car, one for the house) jammed with phenomenal LIVE music for children with exotic tempos &  interesting melodies from all over the world, major and minor, and even some songs we all grew up with. It’s fascinating music to share.

12-STEP / OVERCOMER’S PERSCPECTIVE:

I sit on the couch now playing footsies with Bella. I wish every moment was like this. But it’s not. Sometimes she just cries and cries and wants to be held when I want a break. She tickles my toes and kisses one saying MMMMMMMMMMWA! LOL!  I am learning to ASK GOD FOR WHAT I NEED.  I need His SUPERNATURAL Power. 

Why not read the proverbs and psalms or scriptures everyday? His love and His word refresh us like a fountain pouring over us. Since becoming a Mom, I consider the Word of God medicine to my soul. I sit in bed with my coffee and my Bible. Without it, I tire, I have compassion fatigue and nothing within me sparkles with joy.

JEWISH AND MESSIANIC PERSPECTIVE:

I’m reminded of what I love most about my Jewish culture. When you are Jewish, it’s unheard of to have a celebration without a song and a dance. Davidic dancing, or dancing in a circle is something we do for fun and rejoicing. We sing and dance at weddings and at Shabbat Service on Saturdays. It is tasteful dancing, praising the creator of the universe and giving thanks.  (To check out FREE or affordable Israeli dance classes in your area, check out http://www.israelidance.com)

Though there are many bills to pay and miracles that I am awaiting, I forget all my worries and cares and remember what it means to come to the Lord like a child. Let’s learn to sing and dance and thank God even when things are not perfect.

LET'S PRAY:

Lord, I ask you for strength. Give me a heart of gratitude. Help me to sing and dance like a child. Let me experience your joy!!!

TO JOIN MY MUSIC TOGETHER CLASS THIS APRIL  (UNDER DIRECTOR,  KYM JOHNSON) 

OR GET MORE INFO, CLICK HERE: http://musiccitymusictogether.com.

New classes begin before April. Registration OPEN NOW! J see you there!

Beauty and the Beast... When you just don't feel beautiful

So Joe and I go to a party. We're talking to a new friend, and Joe says, "You know, people often call us beauty and the beast. But I don't think she's a beast!" 


They all laugh cuz they think I am beautiful and he's the beast. Or they laugh because they think he is adorable and cute and not a beast! I don't know. But it's funny and it always makes me laugh. 
I heard Marty Goetz (a singer I really like who sounds like Josh Groben goes to Jerusalem) sing Beauty and the Beast. In his version, we feel like beasts, but God imparts His beauty to us. It was Marty who gave me the idea for this blog. 


To all you ladies reading this who don't feel pretty, and to the men who feel insecure: Perhaps you feel overweight or like you don't measure up the way you would like. I want to admit to you that I sometimes feel the same way. We all do. I take comfort in the fact that our King and Daddy in Heaven removes the "beast" in us and makes us His beauties when we allow Him to fill us with His love, and when we ask him to help us change our attitudes about ourselves. 


Overcoming / 12- Step Perspective: 
Just for today, I will accept myself and who God made me to be. I am not where I want to be but I am not where I used to be. The serenity prayer asks God to give me the peace to accept what I cannot change and so on...and the courage to change what I can. 


WHAT CAN I CHANGE? My attitude.  I can "ACT AS IF," a popular concept from Dale Carnegie, meaning - act like what you know God made you to be, and your mind and heart will be happier. I can also change what I eat, I can wear clothes that make me feel beautiful, and brush my hair and walk like a princess belonging to a God who thinks I am beautiful. I cannot change my weight in one day. It's a process!!! I CAN love myself as my DADDY IN HEAVEN's daughter and princess and let the beauty of the Lord shine through me today.




Isaiah 62:3-5
Then you will be called by a new name which Adonai himself will pronounce
You will be a glorious crown in the hand of Adonai, a royal diadem held by your God... For adonai delghts in you...your God will rejoice over you.

Proverbs 31:30 (Complete Jewish Bible)

 Charm is a lie, and beauty can vanish;
       but a woman who fears Adonai should be praised.

Messianic Perspective:
The Lord , in Isaiah 62 is talking to my Jewish friends who do not yet know the Messiah, Yeshua. When my Jewish people confess and beleive Yeshua is the Messiah, they will be crown in the hands of God- beautiful inside and out and priceless like a royal diadem. My Jewish Mom and brother and friends will be ROYALTY in the sight of God- God's little princesses and princes!


LET NO ONE EVER SAY THAT MY JEWISH PEOPLE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE IN MESSIAH YET ARE FORGOTTEN BY GOD! (Book of Romans, Chapter 11 at the end says All of Israel WILL BE SAVED!) Messiah will present Himself to all the Jewish people and they will believe.
The reason it says the Jewish people "Will be" a glorious crown, is because without the Messiah, we cannot approach the Father who is perfect and Holy. 


We are reminded of the holiday of Yom Kippur when Jewish people fast for their sin to be forgiven by a perfect and Holy God. Many of my Jewish friends feel they are really NOT FORGIVEN.  I think it is because this ritual of fasting for day for forgiveness of sin is not from the Holy Scriptures but instead, created by man. The scriptures say that there must be the shedding of blood of a perfect lamb for forgiveness. (Book of Leviticus chapter 17:6) Jesus or Yeshua was that perfect lamb. Yochanan (John) saw Him and said, "Look! There is the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sin of the world! (John 1:29)


If you know Yeshua today and He lives in your heart, YOU HAVE BEEN MADE BEAUTIFUL! AND MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN BEING BEAUTIFUL ON THE INSIDE, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL IN HEAVEN'S EYES! NOW THAT IS A BEAUTY WHICH SHALL NEVER FADE...THE LOVE OF A FATHER IN HEAVEN FOR HIS DAUGHTERS AND SONS.


LET US PRAY:
AVINU MALCHENU, my Father and King, help me love and accept myself today and see the beauty within me as YOU DO! Fill me with acceptance and help me release control over what I cannot change today. Fill me with your beauty and grace. Help me share your beauty with each precious person you place in my path today. Amen.


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Michelle Gold Music: Often described as "Celine and Mariah meet Y'shua (Jesus) in Jerusalem." 

Vision: Spreading a contagious passion for proclaiming the good news of Y'shua to Jews and gentiles worldwide

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CAN SOMEONE TELL ME THE ANSWER ALREADY!!!!????

What ARE YOU thinking about today? WANTING ANSWERS?

I am thinking about all the times I go onto GOOGLE to find answers to questions I have. I read all these great blogs by people just like me. 

But can't I just talk to the experts and get the answers!? I realize today that the problem is, often, the best answers are the ones we discover ourselves! THE BEST ANSWERS ARE OFTEN THE ONES WE DISCOVER AS WE EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES.  Sounds deep huh? 

I put the experts in my life on pedestals sometimes as if they are mini-gods. Oh Lord, my God, forgive me for this. 

 Lots of answers can be aquired from asking our doctors, lawyers and couselors, other people who do what I do- and do it better than me. 

BUT I RECALL TODAY THAT THERE ARE SOME ANSWERS GOD WISHES FOR US TO FIND ON OUR OWN. He knows we need to find it by searching, the search (the process) itself makes us wise, and in the end, it makes us a blessing to others. If we have all this information, we can teach others and help them when they have a need.

WHAT DOES SCRIPTURE SAY?

 Luke 22:31 says "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers."

This scripture above could take up pages of explanation. I encourage you to google it...to go more in depth...LOL I LEAD YOU TO GOOLE! I am not a Bible scholar and Baby Bella is waiting for me so I only want to touch upon the latter part of the scripture if you don't mind. What I notice is Yeshua telling Simon and showing us that because of the process and pain we have gone through, we will be able to use that pain to strengthen others. 

STRENGTHEN: (transitive) To animate; to give moral strength; to encourage; to fix in resolution; to hearten.

(http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/strengthen)

Just for today, I can know that my searching for answers will be used to bring joy to others one day. Perhaps the answers I find will be answers that will help someone else.

UNTIL I FIND THOSE ANSWERS:

 I might even DECIDE TO ENJOY THE SEARCH! What a novel idea! It might be painful to NOT KNOW, but I can decide to enjoy my day whether I have found what I need or not. Why? Because I am loved and have the blessing of giving love. My joy is based on the love of God and not on people, places and things. And certainly, I WILL NOT ALLOW MY JOY TO BE BASED ON HAVING MY QUESTIONS ANSWERED! So SELF! Get outa the way! This little Jewish girl from Brooklyn is gonna enjoy this day!

WE CAN DECIDE/CHOOSE to enjoy this day. The scriptures say THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE, LET US REJOICE AND BE GLAD IN IT! 

Step 1 (The 12-steps of AA and Alanon) says "We admitted we were powerless over alcohol (people places and things) - that our lives had become unmanageable. (I added text in parentheses which can be used for those who are overcoming from other addicitions- like addictions to obsessing)

King David said this in Psalm 131:1 

 "Lord, my heart is not proud;
      my eyes are not haughty.
   I don’t concern myself with matters too great
      or too awesome for me to grasp"

LET'S PRAY...

AVINU MACHENU, My Father and King,

I admit to you today that I am powerless over people places and things. I am powerless to change the fact that I don't yet have answers to my questions. I surrender all to you and enjoy THE NOT KNOWING. After all, YOU KNOW WHAT IS BEST FOR ME! (Isaiah 48:17)  Speak to my heart as I read your instructions for life (The Word of God) and journal about my cares. LET ME SEARCH FOR YOU MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE I KNOW! Let me rejoice that I know You, Y'shua know all the answers and that You are on my side and living in me to guide me. Amen.