Steve Conover: Welcome to the Friends of Israel Today. I'm Steve Conover. With me is our host and teacher, Chris Katulka. This is the weekend of our free online conference, AWAKEN. And AWAKEN will open your eyes to God's word and equip you for the coming day of the Lord. If you would like to learn we're about our AWAKEN conference this weekend, visit lookup.foi.org. That's lookup.foi.org.

Chris Katulka: Steve, we have a great program lined up. We have Carrie Gould, who is in the studio with us. Carrie is a new outreach representative with the Friends of Israel in our North American Ministries department. That's the department I'm in. And she is going to share with us the ministry that God's opened up as she ministers in the Jewish community. God's given her some amazing opportunities.

Steve Conover: Before we get to that, in the news, as the war between Ukraine and Russia escalates, busloads of Ukraine and Jewish orphans are looking for a new home in Israel. Nearly 100 children, ages 4 to 18 are currently under the care of an orphanage managed by the Chabad, an Orthodox Jewish organization.

The director of the orphanage said "the big thing is to give the children a feeling of security".

Chris Katulka: Steve, what wasn't mentioned here is that those children were actually on a bus from the border between Ukraine and Belarus. Because of all of the activity taking place on the border that they had to travel all the way down to the southwestern corner of Ukraine in order to cross over into Romania. But the problem that we're seeing is that it's very hard to get these children out of Ukraine. They don't have passports. And it's nearly impossible to find their parents to grant permission for them to leave. So for all of our listeners, there's a lot to pray for in Ukraine. I ask that you also be praying for these young Jewish kids, that they actually find maybe some hope and stability in Israel, and that God will protect them during this very difficult time.

Chris Katulka: Well, everybody, this is one of my favorite episodes with Friends of Israel Today. It's our Friends of Israel in Action. And I always like to remind people. I know that you might know the Friends of Israel through the radio program, or maybe you've even been receiving Israel My Glory for several years, and that's how you know Friends of Israel. But we actually have outreach ministers that are serving in the Jewish community all around the world. And we love, at Friends of Israel Today, just to take a moment to highlight the work, the ministry that's going on all around the globe.

And that's why I'm actually excited to introduce you to Carrie Gould. Carrie, you're new to the Friends of Israel. You were just approved by our board of directors to serve in our North American Outreach. And your passion is to serve in the Jewish community in New Jersey. But you've been on a journey to get to this point. Can you share a little bit, Carrie, about your life leading up to serving full-time with Friends of Israel? And I'm actually... I just want to say too, I'm so glad you're in studio with us today too.

Carrie Gould: Thank you, Chris. It's nice to be here with you. So briefly, I was married out of high school. I started my family right away. Shortly after my daughter was born, my first husband was diagnosed with cancer and he had passed away. I moved back home and raised my daughter at home with my mom and my aunt. We were involved in our church and enjoyed receiving Israel My Glory at home, and it was always part of our life. And anyway, I'll fast forward. Twelve years later I remarried. My husband also was a lover of Israel and the Jewish people. And we had planned on serving in some form in ministry at some point in our life. We did have three children.

And not too long ago, my second husband passed away. I moved back home to New Jersey after being with him in Massachusetts for many years and was looking for a way to serve and had prayed. And it was early COVID pandemic and a lot of the churches were closed. And so there wasn't much opportunity. So after praying, I spotted an Israel My Glory magazine sitting on my sofa and I thought, ah, Lord pierced my heart. And I grabbed that magazine and went to the back, looked up the website, and reached out.

Chris Katulka: That's right. And that's when you and I got in contact with one another.

Carrie Gould: Yes, sir.

Chris Katulka: Carrie, your journey is full of...for anybody listening to hear that you lost two husbands.

Carrie Gould: Yes.

Chris Katulka: And I think oftentimes at that point you might kind of start looking inward and just kind of like, I don't want to go outside anymore. But you seem to have taken a different path.

Carrie Gould: Yes.

Chris Katulka: You said, I am not going to sit idle.

Carrie Gould: Absolutely Not.

Chris Katulka: Can you share a little bit about that?

Carrie Gould: Yes. I wanted to jump in. I wanted to serve. I wanted the grieving to... I grieved, but I wasn't going to live a life of grief.

Chris Katulka: Yeah.

Carrie Gould: And I love the Lord, and I knew where both of my husbands are. I wanted to just get into my community and serve the Lord anyway I could. And again, it was in Jewish ministry. That was always a desire. And, the Lord does tell us that in scripture the desires of your heart and that's what I stuck to. That's what I wanted for my life. Serving the Lord.

Chris Katulka: And you mentioned that you kind of came to the Friends of Israel during an interesting time, during the pandemic. And we were altering a lot of things here, Carrie, during the pandemic. We couldn't go out and serve in churches. Things had changed a bit. So we altered the way that we started doing our training because you had come to us and we wanted to give you proper training on how to influence the Jewish community around you and to reach out. And so we actually kept you kind of busy, I would say, for almost two years. We provided you with these special training opportunities at Friends of Israel. Could you share about some of them and maybe some of the impact that they had on you?

Carrie Gould: Absolutely. My initial experience with FOI was with the representative based in Pennsylvania. And I was able to spend a day with him, two days with him, going into Crown Heights in Brooklyn and watching how he communicates and how he serves the Jewish people. After that, my second opportunity was a Jewish outreach class with Tom Simcox. Wonderful. Informative. Just can't say enough. After that, my next step was being flown to Las Vegas, Nevada and meeting the reps there. I got to spend a lot of time with Jonathan and Linda Craft.

Chris Katulka: Was that fun?

Carrie Gould: Absolutely. It was.

Chris Katulka: They're a hoot.

Carrie Gould: They are. They're wonderful.

Chris Katulka: That's great.

Carrie Gould: Yes.

Chris Katulka: We've had Jonathan on for our outreach, our FOI In Action, and I know that their ministry is so vital in Las Vegas. What was it about them that impacted you as you were serving with them and partnering with them?

Carrie Gould: Well, between John and Linda, Ty and Becky, just seeing the different skill sets they have and being able to use that within their own community and how different it was for each of them and what they do and how they serve. And then being able to take that and bring it home and try it here in New Jersey.

Chris Katulka: The thing I loved about you being able to go out to Las Vegas to serve is I know that the ministry out there is very practical. It's practical ministry. They are serving the Jewish people in a practical way. Anything from fixing plumbing issues in a home to, maybe some cleaning up around a house, or some landscaping work that might need to be done for a Holocaust survivor. Just real tangible ways to make them feel loved by the Christian community.

Carrie Gould: Absolutely.

Chris Katulka: And you took that, you said, and you transferred it back to New Jersey, from one coast to another. What was that like?

Carrie Gould: It was a blessing. It was wonderful. Joyful. Being able to take it into different organizations within my community and being able to meet with the Jewish people and how I could implement it in my own way. And I was able to do that.

Chris Katulka: That's the next thing I want to talk to you about. We have a few more moments in this segment here. You did these online classes. We call them Friends of Israel Equip. And then you went down even further. You did a Bridges internship. What was that like to be able to engage with us online and with other people all around the country in an internship with Friends of Israel?

Carrie Gould: Yeah. It was wonderful. It was a rich and vast amount of information dealing with the Jewish culture and customs, Jewish religion, their religious history, the totality of the Jewish experience and how that affects us as believers, our responsibility to them and to God, and how he wants us to reach them.

Chris Katulka: So you and I talked earlier about the idea that Bridges was something where you learned how to communicate to your Jewish community. You had learned practical tips in Las Vegas, but then you applied it. In Bridges, you learned how to talk to the Jewish people in the community where you were living.

Carrie Gould: Yes. I was able to put myself in a position where I was with a group of women from a local Chabad. We traveled into Brooklyn together into the Crown Heights section. So my time with them was very special. But as far as communicating with them, I listened. I listened. I kind of incorporated what I've learned in... I'm also a dog trainer, Chris.

Chris Katulka: I know.

Carrie Gould: I've incorporated what I've learned from dog training and what I've taken from my art. And a lot of that is observation. So just quietly observing and spending time with the group of Jewish women and being able to communicate with them. And when they have questions, being able to thoughtfully respond appropriately.

Chris Katulka: That's great. Well, listen. We're going to take a break with Carrie and she is going to share some of the amazing things that God has opened doors. As she's done all this training with Friends of Israel, how she's been able to take the gifts that God has given to her and to translate them into real ministry right outside of New York City. One of the busiest areas where one of the largest Jewish populations in the world is right in New York City. And there's Carrie Gould right in the center of it as she continues to minister to the Jewish people. I hope you come back because she's got some exciting things to share.

Chris Katulka: So you've been listening to Carrie Gould. And you can read all about Carrie's ministry opportunities that she's had in our magazine, Israel My Glory. We have a section in there called FOI In Action. And it actually features both what's happening in the United States with our ministry to our Jewish friends and also work that's happening internationally as well. I want to encourage you if you're not already a subscriber to Israel My Glory, you can actually go to foiradio.org right now and subscribe and receive one year, free subscription to our award-winning Christian magazine, Israel My Glory. There you'll be able to read all about Carrie's ministry and the ministry of many others, as well as great biblical content concerning Israel and the Jewish people. Additionally, you can also sign up for our digital Israel My Glory. By doing that, you're going to get 40 years of Israel My Glory content. Steve, can you share with our listeners how they can receive a free subscription to Israel My Glory?

Steve Conover: Sure, Chris. The easiest way is to go to our radio website. You can connect with this program or you can learn more about Israel My Glory. Visit foiradio.org. That's foiradio.org.

Chris Katulka: Well, it's great to be back with Carrie Gould. And Carrie is a new field outreach representative with Friends of Israel. And it's been a joy to see her as she's been trained by Friends of Israel to go out and to minister in the Jewish community. And she really... Carrie, you grabbed the bull by the horns. That's what I like to say. You really took this opportunity that we've given to you very seriously. And one of my favorite stories is that you used a gift that you have. You are a professional artist, and I've seen your work and it's just amazing. And you went to your local Jewish Community Center. And, why don't you tell the audience what you did with that gift that God's given to you.

Carrie Gould: Yes. This one particular organization that I had reached out to., I showed up one day to explore my options and see what might be available to me. And I introduced myself to Deborah, the director. So after a lengthy conversation, I shared that I was an artist and she was very excited. I had offered my services if there was an opportunity to possibly teach a watercolor class, I would love to do that for them. And she was thrilled. She was involved in art also so she was very excited. We sat down and started planning out a schedule and she asked how much I would charge for classes. And I told her that, well, I'm involved with Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry and that it would be a free gift to them. She asked why I would do such a thing. And I was able to share that the Friends of Israel and myself, as an evangelical Christian, loved the Jewish people and love Israel and support them. And I wanted to support them in my local community. And it would be a free gift for them. She couldn't believe it.

Chris Katulka: Yeah. What was her face like when you said that?

Carrie Gould: She was shocked. She had tears in her eyes.

Chris Katulka: Did she really?

Carrie Gould: Yeah. She was just completely moved and never had met... She had shared she had never met anyone who had ever given a free class. Nevermind, a free class to a Jewish group of people. So we've been building on that and we've been building on our relationship. Actually that day she had offered me a job, you see.

Chris Katulka: I had to beg you not to go there. I had to beg you to stay with Friends of Israel.

Carrie Gould: Right? It would defeat my purpose.

Chris Katulka: That's right.

Carrie Gould: So I am continuing-

Chris Katulka: Were you nervous to go into the JCC?

Carrie Gould: No, I wasn't nervous. I wasn't as nervous as this interview. I was able to walk in, and it depends on who it is. If it's somebody that's another woman, it's easy. It's easy to speak to another woman and to be able to communicate something that we both can appreciate.

Chris Katulka: And since then, there's a lot that's happened in the Jewish Community Center where you live in New Jersey. You were asked to hang, actually, some of your artwork in the JCC. Can you share about that? That's a pretty cool opportunity.

Carrie Gould: Absolutely. Yeah. It was really exciting. They do have art exhibits every month and she wanted to hang my art. It was actually this February. And so, they get a lot of foot traffic and a lot of questions. And my name was plastered on the wall. I've had a gentleman reach out to me wanting to take private lessons. I had another gentleman call wanting to buy a piece of artwork, and he's invited me to his home-

Chris Katulka: That's amazing.

Carrie Gould: ...to see where this art piece will hang. It's wonderful. And a group of women who are signed up for the watercolor classes as well. Men and women.

Chris Katulka: Well, what feeling does that give you? Because really, here you took a gift that God has given to you in art. And you could just use it to paint art and whatever. But you used it as an opportunity to reach into the Jewish community. When I see this, I see an opportunity to shine the light of the Messiah, the Lord Jesus at the JCC where you are, so that people can see the love of Christ in what you're doing. It sounds like Deborah already saw that by you saying, nope, this is a free gift. And she was shocked by that. Tell me, what feelings do you have when people are contacting you and saying, I'd love for the lessons from you, or I'd love to buy your artwork. Tell me what you're hoping comes from all of this?

Carrie Gould: Well, of course the art is secondary. It's meeting the Jewish person and being able to show my love to them in a tangible way. And at some point, hopefully being able to share the gospel with them. And I mean, that's the ultimate goal.

Chris Katulka: That's amazing. You know, Carrie, you are such an encouragement to me, and you're an encouragement to everybody in the organization because you're taking a gift that you have and the training that you receive from Israel My Glory and you're going out and you're loving the Jewish people. You're just a real testimony to the love of Christ. That even in the pain that you've experienced over the years, that you were able to... Instead of, like I said earlier, look inward. You were able to find a way to serve others. And it's really an opportunity to serve the Lord. And you're using your gifts to be able to do that. Can you share really quick? There's a group of ladies, and we only have a few moments here left, but there's a group of ladies that have gravitated to you, Jewish ladies, and they've invited you into Brooklyn and other things. Can you share a bit about that relationship as well?

Carrie Gould: Absolutely. It is with my local Chabad.

Chris Katulka: And it's an Orthodox...

Carrie Gould: Orthodox, yep, synagogue. A group of women had invited me to participate in a trip into Brooklyn in the Orthodox section of New York. And spend time, spend the day with them and go to different locations, see the sites, and have a meal at a home of one of their relatives. And it's a phenomenal experience and opportunity to be able to spend time, and that kind of time, with a group of women like that. And it's about building bridges and building a trusting relationship with them. And how do you do that? How do you go about building a trusting relationship and a friendship?

Chris Katulka: And it seems like you're doing that. The piece that we wrote on you in Israel My Glory for the FOI In Action, I hope that our listeners get a chance to read that. The whole piece is called, Just Show Up. And that's what I feel about you, Carrie. I want you to know that, is that I feel like you've taken seriously... Sometimes, we don't need to have everything planned out. And I think sometimes we need that to feel comfortable in ministry that we're doing. Everything has to be planned out. A lot of times, God doesn't call us into the planned things of life. He actually just calls us to show up. And you just showed up one day to that JCC, and you just showed up one day to that Chabad, and God has opened doors to be able to bless the ministry that you're doing. So I am so thankful, Carrie, that you chose to step out of your comfort zone, if you will, and to just show up and to show the love of the Lord Jesus.

Carrie Gould: Well, thank you, Chris. And I thank the Lord Jesus for the opportunities that he's laying before me.

Chris Katulka: Now, listen, maybe you're sitting here and you're wondering, I'm interested in this training. What is this training? I want to invite you to go to foiequip.org, and there you'll find out more information on ways that you can get plugged in with outreach, with Friends of Israel, ways that you can get trained, our free online classes. Again, that's foiequip.org. That's what Carrie's been doing for the past two years. Carrie, thank you so much for being faithful to the Lord and serving Him right in your own Jerusalem.

Carrie Gould: Thank you, Chris.

Steve Conover: Thank you for joining us today. It was such a joy to have Carrie Gould with us. Chris, why don't you tell our listeners where we're headed on next week's program?

Chris Katulka: Steve, we have the Friends of Israel blog. And one of our very own, Cameron Joiner, wrote a blog article called, Will I Recognize My Loved Ones in Heaven? This has been viewed tens of thousands of times. And so we wanted to bring Cameron on to talk about this great blog article that he wrote, Will I Recognize My Loved Ones in Heaven? Let's hear what he has to say about it.

Chris Katulka: Our host and teacher is Chris Katulka. Today's program was produced by Tom Gallione. Our theme music was composed and performed by Jeremy Strong. And I'm Steve Conover, Executive Producer. Our mailing address is FOI Radio, PO Box 914, Bellmawr, New Jersey 08099. Again, that's FOI Radio, PO Box 914, Bellmawr, New Jersey 08099. And one less quick reminder before we leave. Visit us at foiradio.org. The Friends of Israel Today is a production of The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry. We are a worldwide evangelical ministry, proclaiming biblical truth about Israel and the Messiah, while bringing physical and spiritual comfort to the Jewish people.