Thank God for the wonderful trip to Israel! I went with a Bible study tour group (Hope and Help, and Beloved Truth) and we spent 4 day traveling around northern Israel, mostly near the Sea of Galilee, one day traveling down the Jordan River to Jerusalem and four days wandering around Jerusalem. Here are some of the highlights:
Safe travels to and from Israel (Thanks for your prayers!
Wonderful friendships! I had met several of these friends in online Bible studies, but now we were together in person.
Great hotels with abundant food. (We hiked and climbed several hours a day, so we burned some of it off.)
A boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, complete with Israeli dancing and a demonstration of first-century fishing
A visit to Capernaum including the probable sites of the synagogue and Peter's home.
A visit to Jericho, with a ride on a donkey!
Visiting Qumran, the site of the Dead Sea Scrolls
Riding the cable car to see Masada
Getting baptized in the Jordan River--that was a highlight!
A night by the Dead Sea (we floated but didn't really swim)
Listening to a triumphant song while entering Jerusalem
Praying at the Western Wall
Seeing the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock
Wandering around the Old City and seeing the amazing architecture
Mourning at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum
Wandering from Mount of Olives down the Palm Sunday Road to the Garden of Gethsemane to the Via Dolorosa and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
But what I liked best was the peaceful Garden Tomb, where we had a Communion service.
Praise God for this wonderful trip--great friends, great sites, tracing the footsteps of Christ.
En route back, I slept in one of the tiny cubicles at the Mexico City airport. When I woke up, I thought I was in the Garden Tomb!
Now, try to match the descriptions with the photos below.
Thank God for an excellent, unforgettable trip to Israel, walking in the footsteps of Christ. And thank God for a safe trip home again--after more than six weeks of travel, it is great to sleep in my own bed. Thanks for your prayers and encouragement and support. Let me know how I can be praying for you.
Let me close with the shortest Psalm, Psalm 117:
1 Praise the LORD, all nations;
Laud Him, all peoples!
2 For His lovingkindness is great toward us,
And the truth of the LORD is everlasting.
Praise the LORD!
Happy Thanksgiving! We have a lot to be thankful for.
With love in Christ,
Jody