It's an emotional day for me, so many thoughts and feelings are rushing through my body on this scorching hot Sunday morning in Jerusalem.
The IDF operation in Iran is over, and Israel kicked Iran hard and decisively in triumphing against its terrorist regime. It was an operation that will be studied for years to come.
After 12 dramatic - and I might add - traumatic days, we are still recovering from mixed emotions from being in total awe of what the Israeli Army and Air Force have accomplished.
As I am looking across the street from me, parents are dropping off their children in various uniforms so they can journey out to the bases where they are stationed.
Getting out of one car, a young woman is wearing the uniform of the Border Police, long sleeves, pants and black boots with a heavy backpack and her big weapon hanging on the back. Then, I see a young man is wearing the uniform from the IDF with his big weapon hanging on the back and a heavy backpack too.
Both of them received hugs from what looks like a mom dropping off her children, sending them out to protect the citizens of Israel against all of their enemies. Then the next car pulls up, and another mother is dropping of her child and saying goodbye to her beloved daughter.
As the young woman walks away being busy on her phone, her mother stand quietly watching her child walk away, until she is out of sight and only then does she get into her car to drive off. I can only wonder if this mother is maybe thinking, “could this be the last time I will see her in these hectic and perilous times?”
Just by watching her, I could feel the love of a mother for her child.
And then, the next car arrives, followed by another car arriving, all of them dropping off young people who are all wearing border police uniforms, and saying goodbye to their parents.
It touches my heart every time I see just how young they are, these defenders and “watchmen on the walls” for Israel, and saying goodbye to their parents after being home for Shabbat. I can imagine those wonderful parents spoiling these warriors lavishly for sure, as they deserve.
What are 18-year-olds doing in America and around the world? Most likely, hanging out in the mall, going to the beach, maybe being driven by mom or dad if not having his or her own car.
In Israel, all the young boys and girls go to the IDF, which is something they do proudly in defending their homeland against all enemies, domestic and abroad. It is really, really, and truly admirable.
And because of their hard work and putting their life on the line 24/7, it is completely safe for tourists to come to Israel, move around, and enjoy this majestic country.
I have many emotions racing through my body watching the young border police and IDF men and women being dropped off, as I have witnessed a lot living in Israel for more than 10 years.
The passing of 'Baby Tikva'
Now this day gets even more emotional for me, and tears are coming to my eyes as I am being informed of the death of "Baby Tikva," the adopted daughter of Lydia Prince, a Danish woman living in Israel many years ago.
Hearing about Lydia struck a nerve with me, due to my story in particular. My story started many years ago, when something happened in Denmark. That event, together with several others, compelled me to step out in faith and come to this land of miracles all alone, not knowing anyone.
Back in 2009, when I was on sick leave in Denmark, I was receiving laser treatments to prevent skin cancer on my face from severe, painful, and damaging sunburns, burns I received in Israel a couple of years earlier.
While I was in treatment, I was crying out to God, saying: "What is my destiny? What is it about Israel that you have clearly spoken about to me? What does it mean that you have confirmed that my place is to be in Israel?
How do I—in a practical way—go about this?"
A book was placed in my hands written by a Danish lady called Lydia Prince; it was called, “Appointment in Jerusalem,” so I sat on my couch and didn't get up until I had finished that entire book with tears running down my face!
Lydia was born in 1890 in North Jutland, at the northern tip of Denmark, only 1 hour and 30 minutes from my hometown.
Lydia became a teacher in the state school system of Denmark and was a pioneer in the field of home economics. By 1925, she had obtained a post as director of home economics in a large new school in the town of Korsor. While seeking more meaning for her life, she started reading the Bible and developed a personal faith in God.
She was having dreams about men in black clothes and black hats, but didn't know who they were until someone told her those men had to be Jews. She prayed a lot about that and became convinced that God was asking her to give up her position as a teacher and go to Jerusalem in the tumultuous days before Israel became a nation.
In October 1928, at the age of thirty-eight, she set out for Jerusalem with $200 in traveler's checks, no one to support her, and no idea of what she was to do when she arrived.
(Someone told me that sounds just a bit like Jane Kiel, soon to become well known as “Jerusalem Jane”…)
Lydia soon established herself in Israel and founded a children's home, becoming the cherished "mother" to dozens of orphans—mainly girls, eight of whom became her own children. She later married famous speaker Derek Prince.
She stepped out in faith, walking into unknown territories in Israel. She lived here during the war up until Israel’s rebirth in 1948. You can read the remarkable story in the famous book I mentioned above, “Appointment in Jerusalem.”
God used the testimony of Lydia Prince to speak to me about leaving everything behind, and then I had several encounters with people about going to Israel. I dared to step out and travel alone like Lydia did, to come and comfort God’s people in Israel.
Then something incredible happened in 2019: Would you believe Lydia Prince’s daughter, little baby Tikva—who in that book was placed in Lydia’s arms to be nourished back to life after nearly dying of a fever—that same woman just happened to watch one of my videos on my Facebook page called, Israel, One Nation!
It’s a video I made when I stumbled into a cemetery in Jerusalem, and I found myself standing at Derek Prince’s gravesite, so I made a video speaking about what a huge impact Lydia Prince has had on my life. I told how her story encouraged and helped me to step out in faith and leave everything and everyone behind in Denmark.
I shared about how I came to Israel, not knowing where to live or what to do, without any income at all, and some people criticized me and asked a million piercing questions that I didn't have answers to. I only knew that God said, “GO!”
Tikva, Lydia’s adopted daughter, saw that video, and it deeply moved her, so she reached out to me through email. When I received the email, I got very emotional, because Tikva said that she would like to speak to me!
I have never thought for a minute that I would get a chance to talk to Tikva, the daughter of the woman who literally changed my life. And yet, here was the invitation of a lifetime.
We spoke for an hour and a half on a video call. It was deeply moving, and she said, “Jane, you walked into that cemetery and stood next to Derek Prince’s grave because God wanted you to meet me.”
And then she said, “The same way God sent Lydia Prince to Israel, God sent you, and He is using you mightily.”
Hearing these words from Tikva made me deeply humbled, emotional, and grateful.
I was able to share with Lydia and her dear friends just how God spoke to me about coming to Israel, the work I am doing, the long and incredible journey it has been, and how the story keeps getting more and more important as things are heating up around Israel.
I can’t even begin to describe what a Divine appointment that was for both of us. That video call happened several years ago, when Tikva lived in Australia.
Today, she passed away, which just touches my heart deeply.
My feelings about the testimony of a Danish woman, Lydia Prince, and then having a video chat with her precious Jewish daughter several years later about my inspiration that led me to step out in faith in coming alone to Israel, leave me with a profound gratitude to God.
Tikva, may you rest in peace; your legacy will live on forever.
God has been faithful to His nation and people, making the nation of Israel the biggest miracle in history since the dawn of time. The enemies of Israel don't seem to understand that when they are fighting Israel, they are fighting the God of this universe.
I have said this many times, what the Jewish nation has accomplished, and how they have made the desert bloom, become a tech giant, a military giant, and a medical giant, is beyond comparison, or the amazement of Israel’s ancient Hebrew language coming back to life.
Israel really is a nation of Lions, a nation that has the purpose of being a blessing to the world, and the enemies of Israel are jealous.
These enemies can only spread lies, hate, and propaganda against the one nation they can't defeat militarily or politically, because Israel is divinely protected by the One Who created the Holy Land.
The God of Israel will sustain this nation to the end of the ages, a miraculous reality that causes my heart to rejoice daily!
We all have a destiny to fulfill, that road is a colorful journey with highs and lows, happiness and sorrow, a path worth taking. Living in the spiritual capital of the world, Jerusalem is like being in the eye of the hurricane all the time. It's all-consuming and breathtaking.
That “hurricane” has brought many Divine appointments, Godly encounters, hard work, threats to my life, many tears, and a broken heart from wars and horrific terrorist attacks, but also amazing blessings, too many to count.
Painful mistakes happened and lessons were learned, a massive amount of trauma from terrorism in Israel, but all I can do is to continue with my undying faith and obedience in God, even when things seemed completely impossible, God was always right there walking with me in His nation.
I have also learned my limits when working and living alone, reaching the world with news and views out of Jerusalem.
And all along, my deep love for God, Israel, and the Jewish people has shaped and formed my destiny into becoming "Jerusalem Jane," the woman I am today. I can never turn back from such a great calling, as I live out my own “appointment in Jerusalem!”
It was David Ben-Gurion who said, “In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.”
I have a front row seat in seeing the miracle that is Israel, and the amazing people of this Jewish nation.