by Six months ago, we were three days from boarding a plane to return home to Southern Israel, when tragedy hit our family.
My relatively healthy brother in law Gary, suddenly died of a massive heart attack at the young age of 46. He was my husband’s younger and only sibling. He also cared for my in-laws, who are deaf and are not in the best health.
We stayed to grieve and sort out the many details of Gary’s funeral and belongings for a few weeks. It was through this time of shock and grief that the Holy Spirit began impressing scripture and melodies on my heart, one in particular which would later become the single I am releasing today.
Our plan was to get his parents into an assisted living situation because they could not come with us to Israel but the next thing we knew, the whole world turned upside down with covid. Not only were we denied compensation for our return airfare but now we were not able to find a good place for my in-laws because of all the new restrictions.
Never would we have imagined that come September, we would still be in America, not able to return home for complicated reasons involving my husband’s Israeli citizenship, my inlaw’s well being and the still extreme lockdowns in Israel.
Trying to make the most of my time while we waited for answers, I began recording this song and others for my fourth CD project. Little did I know that this song would become the theme of an unexpected initiative from the Lord for my husband and I and our kids to go and tear down strongholds in worship and prayer across America.
Even as I write this, we are traveling. We have been in the heart of the insurrection here in America, we were at BLM/George Floyd, ANTIFA, CHAZ/CHAD and others, calling the saints in these areas to agree in prayer and share God’s hope and love with many lost and hurting.
We have traveled from the East Coast to the West, from Orlando to Atlanta to Nashville, through most of the Midwest to Minneapolis, Portland, Washington State and many State Capitols and strategic locations in between. It has truly been a radical journey of faith and it doesn’t seem to be over.
This song is called Heal Our Land. This is my prayer and my heart’s cry for God’s mercy on us in this difficult season. It is a special song, written by the Holy Spirit and produced/sung/played by me and some anointed and talented artists.
Would you have a listen and if you are moved to do so, would you share this link to your email lists, on social media and however else you feel led? It is a powerful melody and a strong word for such a time as this, (lazman hazeh, in Hebrew). May God give us the GRACE to be BOLD in these last days. He has a greater plan than we could ask or think and is calling us to a deeper level of faith and obedience— may we all heed His call.
Many Thanks and Much Agape Love,
Baht Rivka Whitten (for the Whitten Family).
Watch the music video — Heal our Land — https://youtu.be/6iA3HNG3raA