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The Face of the Lion of Judah Jennifer Lynn Joy © 2004On a hot, sticky Friday night in the summer of 1970, the black four-door 1964 Ford Fairlane cruised up the two-lane freeway with the songs of the Beatles and the Monkees blaring on the radio. This was my very first car and my first summer following my freshman year of college at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. Through the blessing of GOD, I was given grants and scholarships for a full four-year ride. As one who has always enjoyed learning, the academic side of college was easy, as was playing on the girl's university basketball team. Four years earlier I met my first love, Jim, at Cannon Beach, Oregon where many young romances blossom. Newly engaged, life seemed nearly perfect even though the political issues of Vietnam hovered over America like a dark, evil cloud. My grandmother, Nonnie, and my parent’s friends encouraged me to talk with this Christian Pastor/Counselor and Educator to resolve some of my questions about Christianity. Arriving at his home in the early evening, I pulled the Black Bomb into the gravel driveway of the cozy blue country cottage near Centralia Community College where he taught. We went to eat at an air-conditioned local pizza joint, looking for some relief from the muggy summer air where I began with 101 questions about the Christian Faith. Intermingled in the conversation, I had learned that he was thirty-six, had pastored a church then his wife left him taking their two sons with her. Yet preeminent above all was the new love in his life. Details rarely escape me as earlier I had noticed the two plates, two glasses and two sets of silverware in the plastic dish drainer on the kitchen counter. Blaming the raging migraine headache on the relentless summer heat, I retired early to the simply decorated guest room. A twin bed, nightstand with lamp and chair filled the small room. Awakened abruptly, much later in the dark of the night, by his words, "Jennie, don't be afraid, I want to talk to you"...but he wanted and took much more than I could even begin to understand or imagine. In the morning, he explained that Jesus had asked him to deposit God's seed of love into me so that I could know the fullness of life in God. Traumatized, frightened, disoriented and confused, I left as soon as possible with my emotions, innocence, thoughts and beliefs shredded into tiny, little pieces like confetti, blowing in the wind. A couple of weeks later, I drove over to Pacific University letting them know that I was giving up my four-year grants and scholarships...No, I really can't explain why. Then I called my fiancé to cancel our engagement...No, I am so sorry; I really can't explain why. At this time in history, America's legal system held no consequence for this type of violence. The abused were threatened to remain silent. The consequence of speaking the truth resulted in greater abuse. As the Sounds of Silence season lifted from America, fifteen years had slipped by before I could actually say the word rape out loud; and perhaps the freedom came because the one who came against me died after suffering with cancer for twelve years. Almost thirty years later, in the summer of 1999, I met an evangelist at a tent revival meeting in Sherwood, Oregon as only the LORD could order the timing. Apparently Robin Hood is still in Sherwood reclaiming the King's wealth for the spiritually poor. The Holy Spirit gave me a vision of a Lion of Judah Glory Ring for this Messianic Jew Evangelist, which I began at that time. It was a new pattern from the LORD, which meant bringing what I saw in the Spirit to the earth's realm with only the Holy Spirit’s instructions. After I began working on the Glory Ring, I learned that the evangelist and his wife lived in Centralia, Washington. It was more than evident that GOD had a very specific purpose. I believe that the LORD wanted me to give an expression of HIS Glory into the city (the territory) where I was violated, to learn to fully possess that JESUS habit of blessing those that persecute me. Over a five-year period I worked on the ring sporadically which was a continuous struggle with design, ribbons and tinsel. In 2003, I enthusiastically e-mailed the evangelist letting him know that as soon as I finish the face, the Glory Ring would be mailed. For everything I tried, I could not finish the face. Nothing worked - not tinsel, not sequins, not fabric paint, not embroidery...absolutely nothing. In 2004, during prayer, I mentioned the LION of JUDAH Glory Ring, asking the Holy Spirit to please help me finish it. HIS answer was profoundly simply, “Ask for help.” One evening when my friend, Pam, and I were visiting, I showed her the Glory Ring and asked her to paint the face, just as the Holy Spirit suggested. She did as only a true friend would do, knowing it is nearly impossible to paint on fake fur. When she brought it to our worship gathering to give to me, after taking one look, I quickly put the finished Glory Ring and all my feelings back in the bag for safekeeping. Later, on the way home, the Holy Spirit spoke into my spirit, “Now you have your face.” Perhaps one of the strangest phenomena's that happens when you are violated so brutally is that somehow you are so lost, or so broken, or so fragmented that it seems as though you spend the rest of your life trying to find out who you really are or at least where you belong. The pivotal turn for me in healing was in July 1995 when Carl, a true Christian brother and friend, one the LORD GOD had sent to mentor me, quoted Romans 11:29, “for the gifts and calling of GOD are irrevocable.” Then he took the time to pray with me for the restoration and freedom that I so desperately needed. The Holy Spirit revealed to me that for twenty-five years I had believed a very effective lie of satan ... that because I had been raped I couldn't be married to anyone in ministry let alone be in ministry. It is amazing and tragic that one believed lie, a simple collection of a handful of words, a few letters arranged in a specific order, has the power to devastate a life. God never changed HIS mind about who HE created me to be...not for a moment. When I graduated from Northwest Christian College in Eugene, Oregon in 1994 (without the full-four year free ride), our Class Scripture was, “’For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.’” (Jeremiah 29:11) The LORD's timing was key in releasing me into this ministry. Each time I have made a Glory Ring, HIS hands come over mine and HIS vision, design, purpose and message are imprinted into my spirit. HIS radiant, glorious presence continues to transform my life. Experientially through the process of ministry in the last ten years, HE has taught me that our identity is not in what we do: career, hobbies, sports, exercise, community activities or what we wear: clothing, shoes, labels, jewelry, make-up, hair color or in our relationships: mom, sister, aunt, pastor, friend, grandma, teacher, mentor, mother-in-law, great-aunt or in modes of transportation: plane, leer jet, car, SUV, truck, bus, train, tricycle, bicycle or in the places we go: restaurants, church, retail stores, coffee shops, hotels or where we live: homeless shelter, garage, apartment, duplex, house, mansion or our education: high school, college, graduate work or our history: abuse, divorce, drugs, alcohol, imprisonment, unemployment, abandonment, failure, injuries.
Perception is one essential key. Recently while my grandchildren were visiting, Sarah Joy (age 2) noticed something on the carpet. She points and proclaims, "Poop! Look Grandma! Poop!" Realizing that it is not what she is proclaiming, I scoop up the little brown piece of wood carving from a Mexican village holding it out to Sarah. "No, honey, it isn't poop, it is a little wood carving. Come Look!" She looks at me in complete disbelief, with hands on her hips and says, "No! Grandma its poop!" Finally, I convinced her to hold it and look at the little village carved on the piece of wood. Perception. Perhaps it is time that we ask Grandfather, the Native American word for ADONAI about our value as a human beings, as HIS creation. It is about ADONAI's perception, not ours. Hopefully how we treat others reflects HIS perception, not ours. Because HE gave HIS only begotten Son... The statistics in America are staggering as to the countless people that have been so violated by false apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, priests and bishops, not to mention those not proclaiming to be Christians. As this Glory Ring is released, my prayer is for any person who has been so violated will see YESHUA face to face and experience the fullness of HIS healing love and restoration. When we know HIM face to face, then our face reflects HIS face… ...then our identity is in HIM. Then our gifts, callings, anointing and personality are in HIM, through HIM and transformed by HIM because of HIS overt love and grace. Repentance and forgiveness are essential and the rest is just perception. ~~~~~~~~~~~~
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