Day 8—The Old City, Western Wall Tunnels, St. Anne's Church, the Wailing Wall, the Garden Tomb

For our final day in Jerusalem, we were finally entering the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem. Within these walls, the Old City is divided into four vaguely defined quarters: one each for the Jews, Christians, and Muslims, and a fourth occupied by the Armenians. We entered the Old City through the Dung Gate.

The Dung Gate, on the southeast corner of the Old City, is named in Hebrew Shaar ha-Ashpot and is mentioned in the Book of Nehemiah (2:13). It is the main entrance into the Jewish Quarter but it still remains the smallest of all the Old City gates. As we entered, we were ushered into a screening area with two lines—one for men and one for women—with metal detectors and guards checking bags. We then passed the Wailing Wall which we would visit later in the afternoon. The Western Wall plaza was filled with jews in prayer shawls coming to the Wailing Wall for morning prayers. Some wore phylacteries on their forearms or foreheads. These small boxes with scripture inside are bound with leather straps as prescribed in Deuteronomy 6. The flurry of activity in the square was mesmorizing. Our group, however, was heading to the Western Wall Tunnels.


The Western Wall Tunnels are excavated tunnels dug by archeologists to explore the wall's foundations. It follows the base of the outside face of the Temple wall along a Herodian street, below today's street level, and emerges along the Via Dolorosa. Our journey through the tunnel reminded me of an Indiana Jones movie. The further into the tunnel we progressed, the further back in time we were going. The walls and brickwork we were walking along and beside dated to the Second Temple period (70AD) and sections were even older than that. Bricks that were larger than the touring bus we traveled in made up portions of this wall. It was amazing to consider how they were quarried and cut, let alone put in place.


As we exited the tunnels, we were now on a portion of the Via Dolorosa. Known as the "Way of Sorrows," this is the path that Jesus walked on his way to the Crucifixion. We were also in the northeast corner the Old City known as the Muslim Quarter. Our next stop was inside the Convent of the Sisters of Zion which is located where the Antonia Fortress stood during Jesus' days. The Antonia Fortress was adjacent to the Temple and was built by Herod the Great in 37-35 BC to protect the Temple. It was also where the Roman government was headquartered. Most importantly to us, it was the site where Jesus was flogged before being led to his death. The site we visited was very likely the location—or very near to—the site where Jesus was beaten. During our time here, we discussed the verse in Isaiah that prophesied about Jesus being beaten and that "by his stripes we are healed." We took time to pray for each other, for physical healing, and thanking Jesus for his stripes and his healing power today.


Next, we walked to St. Anne's Church and the Pool of Bethsaida. The most impressive part of this visit was the incredible acoustics inside this stone church built by the Crusaders between 1131 and 1138. As we entered, various groups were seated and taking turns singing a cappella. We found our seats and continued to listen. The groups were from all over the globe and singing in their native tongue. First, a group singing in French, later a group singing in Russian. We sang three or four songs (in English, of course) and were amazed at how good we sounded! It was like singing in an enormous shower with our songs reverberating off the stone walls surrounding us.


We now exited the Old City through the Lion's Gate which faces the Mount of Olives to the east of Jerusalem. The Lion's Gate actually has six names, each one for various reasons. It's known as the Sheep Gate, St. Stephen's Gate, the East Gate, the Jericho Gate, or in Hebrew, Shaar ha-Arayot. By whichever name you choose, we walked through it and then headed south along the outside of the Eastern Wall and back into the Old City through the Zion Gate on the southern wall. We were now in the Armenian Quarter for a block of two until we turned into the Jewish Quarter. Our plan was to have lunch in the Jewish Quarter, but plans change. So instead we found restrooms, saw the Cardo—an excavated and partially reconstructed main street of Byzantine-era Jerusalem and the "Street called Straight" mentioned in the Book of Acts. We then boarded our bus and headed out of the Old City for a fantastic lunch.


After lunch, we returned to Dung Gate and proceeded to the Wailing Wall. Now later in the afternoon, the activity was much less. A group of Jewish school children were at the wall with their rabbi teaching them to pray. A couple of soldiers were praying at the wall. And several others whether they were tourists, Hassidic Jews, or local Israelis. The Wailing Wall is considered the holiest site in Judaism. This is due to the fact that when the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in AD70-73, Jews believed that God's presence moved from the Holy of Holiest inside the Temple to the only portion of the Temple wall that remained: the Wailing Wall. It's name comes from the time during the Ottoman period when Jews came to this wall to lament the destruction of the Second Temple. Today, worshippers visit the Wall to celebrate Bat and Bar Mitzvahs, to recite daily prayers or the entire Book of Psalms, and others who believe petitions to God made at the Wall are especially effective, will write down prayers and insert them between the stones. As I approached the wall, I took time to pray with one hand placed overhead against the wall, thanking God for this amazing experience. I prayed for my kids and for their future and then inserted a written prayer in between the stones.

The women's section of the Wailing Wall is separated from the men. So Susie and the other women on our team entered a different sections area to pray. The one marked difference we all noted between the women and the men was that when the women finished praying they walked backward away from the wall while still facing it. The men did not do this. Apparently, the women, who do not want to "turn their backs on the presence of God," are more spiritual than the men. The ladies in our group seemed pleased by this fact!

After the Wailing Wall, we returned to our bus to make the final stop of our journey: The Garden Tomb.


The Garden Tomb is located outside the Old City walls and is north of the Muslim Quarter between Herod's and the Damascus Gates. Towards the end of the 19th century the British General, Charles Gordon, was visiting Jerusalem and started a dispute among archeologists. As he looked out the window of his room, he saw a skull-shaped hill and what he concluded had to be Golgotha—the site of Christ's Crucifixion referred to in Mark 15:22. He also surmised that the site of Jesus' burial had to be here and not at the nearby Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The debate still continues today. The Garden Tomb is a beautiful garden setting overlooking that same skull-shaped hill and features a first century tomb carved out of rock in the hillside. A British Christian ministry operated the garden and our host not only shared the history of the site, but he made a clear presentation of the Gospel. He made no claim that this was the actual site of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. But he made a solid case why it could be. He left the decision making up to us, but mostly this was a great way to see what Christ's tomb probably looked like—if it was not in fact the real thing.


After viewing Skull Hill—which overlooks an Arab bus station adjacent to the Garden—we walked over to the nearby Tomb. I smiled when I read the sign on the door, "He is not here. He is Risen!" The small tomb was indeed empty, except for the four of us crowded inside to take pictures. That empty tomb is the central difference that separates Christianity from any other religion. Jesus said He would rise again and His empty tomb proves it. Mohammed, Buddha, Confucious, and all the others are still in their tombs. Jesus is alive!


Our final moments in the Garden included Pastor Jim leading us in a time of reflection—sharing stories and personal impacts from this trip—followed by communion and worship. To take communion in Jerusalem, in the garden near the place where Jesus suffered, died, was buried, and rose again, cannot be put into words. It was a moment that will stay with me all of my life.

It's equally hard to summarize the past eight days in Israel. We have seen more than I ever imagined. Pastor Jim said that a visit to Israel is like a year of intensive Bible seminary education. I can't disagree. I'll be processing all that I've seen and heard for weeks and months to come. One thing I do know... When I read the Bible and encounter place names like the Mount of Olives, Capernaum, Sea of Galilee, the Garden of Gethsemane, Caesarea, and so many more, I no longer just see names on a page. Now I see the actual places. The Bible has come to life. A friend said before I left that when she visited Israel it made the Bible become 3D. It's so very true. My Bible is now in 3D. I've always known that the Word of God is living and active—but now I feel like it's been supercharged, at least in terms of my own imagination and understanding as I read it's pages.

My final thoughts: put a visit to Israel on your life's "to-do list." It wasn't on mine. This opportunity came as an invitation by Pastor Jim to be the trip videographer. Now that I've experienced Israel, I would jump at the chance to return. Again, put israel on your personal bucket list. It will change your life and you'll never read the Word of God the same ever again!

Day 7—Masada, The Dead Sea, and Jericho

My morning began by meeting John Bartlow for a 4 mile run around Jerusalem. The morning was warm and bright as we hit some different streets around our hotel. It was nice running with my running partner as our pace was faster and we chatted about our experiences so far here in Israel. After we returned to the hotel 45 minutes later, we enjoyed breakfast with our group and then got ready to depart.

Today, we hit the road out of Jerusalem and dropped 4,000 feet in elevation to 1,380 feet below sea level. As our ears popped, we passed Bedouin camps with their sheep, goats or camels and makeshift homes. Bedouins are the nomads of the Judean desert here in Israel. They have lived this way for thousands of years traveling from place to place as they care for their animals. But in the last handful of years, they've stayed in one place as they've been able to tap into the electrical grid, work in the cities, and take advantage of schooling for their children. Now their Bedouin tents have refrigerators and televisions.


Our first stop in the desert was Masada. This isolated mountain-top fortress about 1,300 ft. above the banks of the Dead Sea was fortified as early as the first or second century BC and then enlarged and reinforced by Herod the Great, who added two luxurious palace complexes. Our tour of Masada began with a cable car ride to the top. I would have loved to hike to the top, but the hike takes an hour and I had to my duty as trip videographer. Tony our Tour Guide showed us around the various rooms and sections of Masada including a sauna, synagogue, and the Roman ramp used during the Roman siege of Masada in AD 70-73. I and about 15 or so others decided to hike down from Masada along the Snake Path. Our return route took 25 minutes and was actually a pleasant hike. We passed several hikers taking the long climb up. "You're almost there!" we called to them... regardless of how far they actually had to travel.

After Masada, we drove further south along the shores of the Dead Sea to a Hotel/Spa where we changed our clothes and waded into the Dead Sea. Before I waded in, I stood on the shore and shot some video of our group. I was blown away by how bizarre this looked! People were floating "on top" of the water! I had never seen anything like it. I set down the video camera and waded on out. The "sandy beach" was actually crushed salt crystals. The water felt slightly oily to the touch, like a light salad dressing. It felt denser than regular water and I could feel it pressing on my legs as I waded out to where Susie was already floating. I sat down in the water, laid back, and popped right to the surface! I've never been great at floating on my back. My legs always seem to sink and the rest of me follows. But not here. It was effortless. I laid back in the Judean sun and soaked up the rays while every muscle relaxed in the salty water. At one point, a splash caught my eye. To say it stung really underestimates it! And you can't wipe your eyes with your own salty hands. So Pastor Betsey who was nearby wiped my eyes with her shirt tail and I went back to floating along. When it was time to go, it was had to leave this place. So incredibly relaxing!

Our final stop was in Jericho which lies in the Palestinian-controlled West Bank. Jericho is the oldest, continually occupied city in the world. It's claim to fame in history is it's the first city captured by Israelites under the leadership of Joshua. Later, the prophet Elisha healed the water spring now known as the Ain es-Sultan spring. And in Jesus' day, it was Jesus himself who came through town, met a small man named Zaccheus who was hanging out in a tree to see Jesus better as he walked through town. Jesus called him down from the tree, invited himself to the man's house, and made a new friend. Our time in Jericho was marked by a visit to the Tel Jericho, an archeological dig revealing the 23 cities beneath the current one. There, we took time to pray for the cities of the world. Pastor Jim remarked that God has a love affair with cities. The theme of God loving cities is replete through the Bible. We prayed for our own cities, for Jerusalem, and—as the Muslim call to prayer echoed through the valley—we prayed for Jericho.

Tomorrow will be our final day in Jerusalem. Our visits will be to the Old City, the Rabbinical Tunnels, the Wailing Wall, St. Anne's Church and the Pool of Bethsaida, the Jewish Quarter, and the highlight of the day—the Garden Tomb where we will see what could have been Golgotha where Jesus was crucified and a tomb very similar to where he was buried and rose again three days later. We'll take communion there and celebrate our pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

Photos from today are here.

Day 6 — Bethlehem and Yad Vashem

Today, our travels were a bit lighter and day less packed which made it more of a Sabbath of sorts being Sunday and all. But, we still had a lot to see. Our destination this morning was to Bethlehem, a 20-minute drive south of Jerusalem. The first thing we noticed, and were informed, about Bethlehem is that this city—located in the West Bank—is under the control of the Palestinian National Authority. In fact, our Jewish tour guide, Tony, was not permitted to entire Bethlehem so we had a temp from Bethlehem fill in for him for the morning.


When we arrived in Bethlehem, we passed through a guarded checkpoint beneath guard tower and an immense wall that spanned the perimeter of the city. This wall was erected about three years ago and stands 25 feet tall and stretches for 240 miles. It's ugly but apparently a necessary evil to reduce terrorism. I get the feeling the Palestinians hate it.


Our first stop in Bethlehem was the BSC: Bethlehem Souvenir Center where we could do some shopping. As we gathered in the Christian-owned store, the store owner gave a welcome speech to our group and shared his heart about life in this Palestinian-controlled, mostly Muslim city. He said that though our government wants Israelis and Palestinians to co-exist in peace, that true peace will not come until the Prince of Peace, our Messiah returns. He asked for our prayers. I appreciated his genuineness and honesty. Then he told us about several of the items available in his store from olive wood carvings to menorahs to antique Roman coins and jewelry. Susie and I picked out some small Christmas gifts for family but others in our group were doing a masterful job of shopping and depleting their souvenir accounts as fast as they could! I don't think anyone left the store empty-handed.


Now we boarded our bus and drove to where the shepherds watched their flocks by night and were the first to hear the Good News of a Savior being born in Bethlehem. We went to the Shepherds Filed YMCA. In the back of this YMCA building and campground is a cave that is very similar to where Mary and Joseph resided when Jesus was born. In fact, prior to being incorporated into the YMCA property, it was adjacent to a home where the homeowners kept their livestock.While inside this rock cave grotto, Pastor Jim shared from Luke 2—the traditional Christmas story—and then read Philippians 2 which really describes how much Christ gave up to leave Heaven and His Father's side and become a baby, being born in a feed trough inside a cave really only suitable for animals. Talk about humility. We sang "O Come Let Us Adore Him" and I felt like our Sunday morning service was one of the best ever. Christmas in May. I'll take it.

On previous trips, Pastor Jim has taken groups to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Today, we only drove past it. The lines were enormous and, in Pastor Jim's opinion, the experience can leave a person somewhat deflated when you see how this church has taken the spot where Jesus was born—a humble, simple cave-like grotto—and transformed it into a place adorned with marble and mosaics. The humility was long-ago removed. Our experience behind the YMCA was probably far better than being crowded into the high-church atmosphere of the Church of the Nativity.


Leaving Bethlehem, we passed through the checkpoint. An Israeli soldier boarded our bus, walked the aisle asking us if we were all US citizens. I couldn't help but notice the semi-automatic rifle he carried. That kept our rebellious tour group in line.

Now we returned to Jerusalem for lunch at Kibbutz Ramat Rachel Hotel. The lunch was fabulous and I decided that Tony was right on day one when he told us all we'd be gaining about a pound a day on this trip. Susie and I finally found some t-shirts and sweatshirts we liked and purchased a Hebrew University hoodie and a Jerusalem t-shirt. Check that off the list.


After lunch we went to Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. Yad Vashem, meaning "a name and a place" (from Isaiah 56:5) is an archive, research institute, museum, and above all, a monument to perpetuate the memory of the more than six million who died in the Nazi Holocaust. The museum is one long corridor carved into the mountain, with 10 exhibition halls, each dedicated to a different chapter of the Holocaust. Most moving are the 2500 personal items donated by survivors which truly gives a first-person feel to the horrors of Nazi rise to power, concentration camps, and death marches. You left this place feeling emotionally drained but thankful for a museum so well-done to ensure we never forget.


Our final stop of the day was a brief visit outside the Knesset—Israel's parliament—where a sculpted seven-branch menorah (the symbol of the State of Israel) in located. It's the work of British sculptor Benno Elkan and was a gift from the British parliament. The relief work on its branches depicts crucial moments in Jewish history and is accompanied by biblical quotations.

Tomorrow, our journey heads back to the Dead Sea. We'll climb Masada, the desert fortress from the first century, we'll float in the Dead Sea, and we'll be at our lowest point on this trip—elevation-wise that is: 1,348 feet below sea level.

More photos from the day are here.

Day 5 — Jerusalem!

Our fifth day in Israel began with a half hour sunrise run in the neighborhood around our hotel. Well, just me on that run. The other 51 in our group were probably still asleep. The streets around our hotel are government buildings, the Supreme Court, the Knesset (Israel's legislative body—our as our tour guide calls it, "The National Zoo"), and the Wohl Rose Garden. I ran around most of these buildings and areas.


After breakfast, we boarded our bus and headed to Mount Zion, which is southeast of the Old City. Our first stop was St. Peter in Gallicantu. This church commemorates the traditional site of St. Peter's denial of Christ which fulfilled the prophecy, "Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice." (Mark 14:72). The most remarkable aspect of this church is the ancient caves beneath the church that were used as prisons. This is the site where Caiaphas' house was and one of these caves was where Jesus was imprisoned after appearing before the Sanhedrin. He would be taken to Pontius Pilate the next day. Our group assembled in this cramped cave-prison while Pastor Betsey read Psalm 88. The feeling was powerful, yet dark and emotional as each of us considered what Christ endured on our behalf.


Following Gallicantu, we drove a short distance to a location traditionally known as the Hall of the Last Supper or Coenaculum. While not the actual room, this room is traditionally known as the site of Jesus' last meal with his disciples and—of equal, if not greater importance—the Upper Room where the Holy Spirit fell at Pentecost. Pastor Jim spent some time teaching on the Holy Spirit and the power available to the Christian who asks for the outflowing of the Holy Spirit. We also took time to pray for one another.


Our last stop before lunch was The Israeli Museum. The first exhibit we viewed was an immense 1:50 scale model of Ancient Jerusalem. Tony took us on a tour around the model which really gave us a better sense of what we see—or don't see—when we view present day Jerusalem. We could see the original Herod's Temple (circa 36 BC-70 AD), the original walls and how they contrast with the walls in place today, and where Jesus would have been tried, scourged, crucified, and buried. The second exhibit was a great companion to our visit to Qumran yesterday. The Shrine of the Book highlights the Qumran discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls and looks at the life of the Essenes who lived in Qumran and were the scribes of those scrolls. Facsimiles of the Dead Sea Scrolls were on display. The originals are pretty well protected from folks like us!

Lunch as at an amazing Arab restaurant that was beautiful just to sit in and talk with one another. But when the food arrived, we dove in and all conversation stopped. We had pita with traditional arabic fillings, beef meatballs, spicy chicken, rice, and much more. The dessert was a soft sponge cake that had me tempted for a third piece.


Next we drove to the top of the Mount of Olives. After a group photo overlooking Jerusalem from the east, we stopped for photo opps with a decorated camel giving very short rides to anyone with $5. We had to jump on top and take the camel for a spin.

We walked from the top of the Mount of Olives, retracing the same Palm Sunday path that Jesus would have walked, until we reached the Jewish Cemetery. This cemetery is enormous. The graves appear to be above ground but are merely markers for those buried there. Each grave points straight to the Temple Mount as those buried here are placed face-up, feet pointing toward the Holy City, so that when Messiah comes (as the Jews believe) the dead will rise up, feet forward and facing Jerusalem.


Our walk continued down the path past the Dominus Flevit Chapel which means "The Lord Wept" and commemorates the place where Jesus wept over Jerusalem. Further down was the Garden of Gethsemane with ancient olive trees that likely were alive when Jesus prayed in this Garden. Next to the Garden is the Church of All Nations or also known as the Church of Agony because it is built over the rock in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed the night before he was arrested. The church features incredible stained glass windows, Three magnificent mosaics depicting Christ's agony, betrayal, and arrest.

Our final stop before heading back to the hotel was a large store that featured antiquities, jewelry, sandalwood, artwork, Persian rugs, and much more. Really... all I was looking for was a cool t-shirt.

After dinner, I had a special treat. Susie and I had dessert and coffee with an Israeli friend, Boaz, and his wife, Efart (yes, that's really her name.) I met Boaz in 2008 when we rode together on the America By Bicycle Ride the West. We were roommates for six days and though we didn't keep in touch after the ride, I thought I would email him anyway. We had a nice time catching up on stories about my ride across the U.S. last year, our families, life in Israel, and what we had experienced so far. It made for a very nice conclusion to a long, but wonderful day!

Tomorrow, we'll head to Bethlehem, the Holocaust Museum, and probably into the Old City. Photos from today are here.

Day 4 — Nazareth, Gideon's Spring, Qumran, and Jerusalem

This morning, we loaded our luggage into our air-conditioned coach, departed Tiberias and Galilee and headed southeast toward Nazareth. The cloud cover made today far cooler than yesterday—still warm, but not hot.

On our way to Nazareth, we passed through Cana (now called Kfar Kana) where Jesus performed his first miracle—turning water into wine at a wedding in Cana.

Nazareth was the home of Joseph and Mary, as well as the town in which Jesus grew up. As we entered Nazareth, I could tell that the population—at least in this part of town—was predominantly muslim. The signage was mostly in Arabic and occasionally Hebrew. Upper Nazareth is where the Hebrew population lives. We got off the bus and took a walk through a small market where everything from meat to toys was being sold. And by meat, I mean a full side of butchered animal hanging up in the storefront.


We continued through the market and up a street to the Synagogue Church, built over the original synagogue where Jesus announced he was fulfilling Isaiah 61:1-2 that we read in Luke Chapter 4. Pastor Jim gave us a devotional talk describing that scene which was immediately followed by Jesus being rejected and tossed out of town. But the main message for us is that—as followers of Christ—we, too, are called to preach the good news to the poor, to proclaim freedom for the prisoners, and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

We took a short rest stop at a Kibbutz restaurant and grocery store after Nazareth that was notable because this Jewish community makes their own pork products. If you know anything about Jewish life, that's not Kosher. But this community is of Russian descent and don't abide by the same food laws. Susie and I ordered some pepperoni, cheddar cheese, and fresh bread to make a simple sandwich to tide us over until our late lunch near the Dead Sea.



Leaving Nazareth, we turned south and went to a garden-like setting known as Gideon's Spring. This was the site mentioned in 1 Kings 7 when Gideon amasses an armed force of 32,000 soldiers to defeat the Midianites. And then God reduces his army down to a paltry 300 soldiers. Pastor Betsey shared with us in the quiet setting that we, too, will often get all our resources ready and lined up and then God steps in, changes things up, and brings us to a place where we must rely on Him and not trust in our own strength and might. She mentioned, too, that He will use nobodies like Gideon—and us—yet steps beside us to show that we are no longer nobodies, but daughters and sons of the Almighty God who is standing beside us in battle bringing us to victory.

After Gideon's Spring, our route took us south along the Jordan River parallel to the Israel/Jordan border and crossing into the West Bank which is Palestinian controlled. The border into the West Bank was quick to cross, but I spotted several armed guards at the checkpoint.

We were now driving through completely different terrain—this was desert. The scene was sandy, dry, with the occasional date palms orchard or small village. We saw Bedouin nomads herding their goats, a couple of camels, and distant mountains and caves.


It was in one of those caves in 1947 in Qumran, our next destination, where a Bedouin shepherd boy discovered what we now call the Dead Sea Scrolls. Now Qumran is a national park with a restaurant (where we had lunch), extensive gift shop, and walkthrough tour of the ruins discovered here in the 1950s. We were grateful that the weather was cool. Pastor Jim said he's been here on days when he felt like he was in a blast furnace.

On Monday, we'll stop and sea the Dead Sea, but as we drove past it, we learned from Tony our tour guide that the Dead Sea's waterline has dropped about 100ft. over the past 40 years. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth at 1,300 ft. below sea level.

Now we were leaving the lowest point on Earth and going up to one of the highest points on Earth—at least spiritually speaking. We were going up to Jerusalem!


The road to Jerusalem from the east rises from 1,300 ft. below sea level to 2,600 ft. above sea level. That's why people always use the expression, "Going up to Jerusalem." As we neared the city, we drove through a long tunnel and Tony said to keep our eyes focused out the left side of the bus. He turned on some music appropriate for the moment—a praise song about going to Jerusalem—and suddenly there was the Holy City right before our eyes.

We parked the bus atop a viewpoint on Mount Scopus where we could see the Temple Mount, the walled Old City, and several other points of interest we'll be visiting in the days ahead.

Now, we are in our hotel, a 21- story building at the highest point in western Jerusalem. Our room looks to the northeast, but I imagine there's a fantastic view of the Old City from the east side of the building. It's a Friday evening, so it's the beginning of Shabot (the Sabbath) and things are a little different here. Shabot services were taking place in the meeting rooms downstairs, families were dressed in their Sabbath-best, and the elevators have a special setting for Shabot. Two of the four elevators run automatically and stop on every floor. That way, you do not have to work on the Sabbath by pushing elevator buttons. We took the elevator where we could push the buttons. But, maybe I felt a little guilty about it.

Tomorrow, I plan to get up early and go for a short run in Jerusalem. I'll be staying close to the hotel, but I expect it still to be a pretty amazing way to start the day and one of my more memorable runs. Even more interesting is that I emailed my roommate from my six-day bike ride along the California coast in 2008. His name is Boaz and he lives in Israel. He emailed back and he lives only 30 miles from Jerusalem. We'll connect tomorrow and try to meet up while I'm here!

Thanks for your continued prayers! Photos are posted here.

Day 3 — Upper Jordan River Valley, the Sea of Galilee, and Baptisms in the Jordan River

Today started early, especially for me. I awoke extra early in order to get a half-hour run in before our touring day began. The sun wasn't quite up yet, so in early morning darkness, I ran along the Promenade the stretches for a few blocks along the western shore of the Sea of Galilee and then ran south on one of the main streets through Tiberias. The day was getting lighter, but the cloud cover kept the morning cool. It was quiet run except for the songbirds making a lot of noise throughout the city. I got back to the hotel room with a few miles behind me and an adventure ahead of me.

Following breakfast, we boarded our tour bus and headed north through the Upper Jordan River valley for about an hour's drive to Caesarea Philippi. Yesterday, after arriving in Israel, we went to Caesarea-on-the-Sea. This city is also named Caesarea because these cities in Bible times named their cities after Caesar in order to avoid paying taxes. Ancient Caesarea Philippi was located near one of the main sources of the Jordan River at the foot of Mount Hermon. The original name was Panias, after the Greek god Pan (the modern name Banias is an Arabic corruption of Panias). In Matthew 16:13-20, Jesus took his disciples to Caesarea Philippi as kind of a teaching road trip. This area was a cultural crossroads on a busy thoroughfare. Travelers could stop in this grotto and pay homage to the god of their choice—Pan, Zeus, whomever. It was in this place of worshipping dead gods that Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do men say that the Son of man is?" Peter answered for the disciples saying, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." To see the environment where Jesus asked this question makes so much sense now. He and the disciples were surrounded by temples for worshipping dead gods. Peter proclaims Jesus is the Son of the living God.

After Caesarea Philippi, we turned south with the Golan Heights to our left (and Syria beyond them) and Lebanon to our right, and drove to the ancient village of Korazim. The National Park that is there now has remains from the village including homes, streets, and a synagogue built from basalt. This city is notable in the Bible (Matt. 11:21) as one of three Jesus cursed for their lack of belief and repentance.

Our next stop was the Mount of Beatitudes. This beautiful church and gardens is located overlooking the Sea of Galilee on what is believed to be spot Jesus taught the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Here, we gathered together in a quiet corner of the garden while Pastor Jim shared briefly and then had each of us read three verses from Jesus' teaching. Here we were reading the words Jesus spoke on this mountainside 2,000 years earlier.

From the Mount of Beatitudes, we continued around the north edge of the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, Jesus' home base during his three years of ministry. The location now reveals a synagogue built from sandstone probably in the 4th century. There is also the site of which is believed to be the Apostle Peter's home.

Our journey continued around the Sea of Galilee, across the mouth of the Jordan River, through the region of the Gadarenes where Jesus healed a demon-possessed man and cast 6,000 demonic spirits into the bodies of pigs grazing on a nearby hill (Matt. 8:28-34) and then they chucked themselves off a cliff and into the water below. We saw the cliff where this would have taken place and learned that this area, just below the Golan Heights, is noted for wild boars that can weigh up to 600 pounds and are open year-round for hunting.

Our lunch stop was next at a restaurant at Ein Gev Harbor that featured local tilapia from the Sea of Galilee known as "St. Peter's Fish." The fish came on the bone, head and all, and was delicious. Some in our group were looking for coins in its mouth (Matt. 17:27). After lunch, we boarded a boat that took us on a ride around the Sea of Galilee. The day was beautiful with the sun shining and a light breeze. But you could easily imagine the wind and the waves picking up quickly and Jesus silencing the storm. In fact, storms on this lake are common and they do come about very quickly. While on the boat, Pastor Jim and Betsey's daughter, Laurie, gave an excellent devotional about casting our nets on the other side of the boat. We took time also to give thanks to God for what He's doing in our lives and celebrating this experience so far.

The final stop of the day was a real special one. We went to the southern edge of the Sea of Galilee to the Jordan River at a place known as "Yardenit—The Baptismal Site on the Jordan River." Here, about 20 or so from our group decided to be baptized by Pastor Jim in the waters of the Jordan River—the same river where John the Baptist baptized Jesus. Yardenit is a large resort-like complex with baptism areas set up along the river for groups to conduct public baptisms. There's a viewing area for spectators, and even a snack bar and a gift shop. (Wanna buy a video and a t-shirt of your Jordan River baptism?) But, even with all that, the atmosphere is really special and meaningful. Each person in our group was genuinely touched by this experience and it will be a lifelong memory for each of them. The other thing that struck me was the diversity and internationality of the place. After our group got out of the water, a Russian Orthodox church group of about 30 men, women, and children from Moscow, Russia were being baptized. They sang worship songs in Russian and then all climbed into the water for what looked more like a "group swim" then a baptism!

Our journey concluded once we returned to the hotel to clean up and have dinner. Tomorrow, we leave Tiberias, our hotel, and the Sea of Galilee and head for Jerusalem!

You'll find all the photos from today here.

Days 1 & 2 — Seattle to London, UK to Tel Aviv, Israel to Tiberias, Israel

Let's see how much we can pack into 36 straight hours? We left SeaTac International Airport on Monday, April 26 around 7:15 p.m. No sleep it would seem was available for me as we flew direct to Heathrow International Airport in London, UK. We arrived in London around Noon their time but it was 2 in the morning our time. We met our tour director for the afternoon bus tour of London. But didn't board the bus until after I could find a decent latte!

Our bus was comfortable and a few of the 52 among our team decided to nap. But I soaked in the sights. It was a whirlwind, but we saw all of the highlights: Trafalgar Square, London Bridge, Westminster Abbey, Parliament, Buckingham Palace, The Eye of London, and of course, Big Ben, which we learned is the name of the bell inside the tower. The tower is actually named St. Stephen's Tower.

Following our tour, we had dinner at an authentic London Pub. I was excited that the meal of choice for our entire group was Fish and Chips! It was delicious. But our visit to London would have to end there. Our next stop was back at Heathrow to catch our 10:30 p.m. flight to Tel Aviv. By now, I was fading and ready for some serious Zs. I changed clothes at the terminal to get comfy, laid down on the floor, and started to doze off. I was awakened by voices in a language I didn't understand but sounded familiar: Hebrew. Yep, this was the flight to Tel Aviv. About a half dozen hasidic young men were talking and then as we began to board they excitedly pulled away from our area and began praying, bobbing their heads back and forth, dressed in long black coats, black hats, and wearing long beards (untrimmed at the corners.)

The flight went quickly and I definitely slept. Upon our arrival in Tel Aviv, we were met by the remainder of our group—Tom from Florida, and Rick and Laurie who had spent some time in France ahead of us. We also met our tour guide for the week: Tony. He's a jewish man with a wealth of knowledge who has been leading tour groups for more than 40 years. He knows the history of the area, the people, the three major faiths, and I suspect much more.

Our agenda for today was to have breakfast in Jaffa (the historical port city of the biblical Joppa), followed by Ceasarea, then a trip to the top of Mount Carmel, lunch, and finally Megiddo. Joffa was a fun first stop. We visited a couple of small street front bakeries that had delicious cheese, egg, or meat stuffed breakfast pastries. Susie and I found some iced blended coffee, sat down at a small table, and tried to take in the realization that we were in Israel!

We drove along the Mediterranean coastline talking about the significance of the biblical city of Joppa. This was where Jonah left for Tarshish and was swallowed by the whale. The New Testament account of St. Peter's resurrection of the widow Tabitha written in Acts 9:36-42 takes place in Jaffa. Peter later had here a vision in which God told him not to distinguish between Jews and Gentiles as told in Acts 10:10-16. We passed by the house of Simon the Tanner mentioned in that chapter.

We drove on to Caesarea which is an archeological marvel. So many ruins here have been uncovered and preserved over the past 50 years. We walked along the shore and then stopped where Pastor Jim shared with us that this city, in fact this very point on the globe was where the Great Commission first became real. The message of Christ was sent to the unbelieving Gentile world from this port. We took time to consider our personal and appropriate response to the Great Commission. If you've heard Pastor Jim say that before, it was at this location where he first considered those words.

Following Caesarea, our guide Tony took us to the top of Mt. Carmel. The view of the Jezreel Valley below is stunning. You can see all the way to Mt. Tabor to the east and to Mt. Gilboa to the south. We discussed that valley and the incredible scene that will play out in the Book of Revelation. But more about that when we visited Megiddo. We were actually at a site commemorating the Prophet Elijah when he challenged the prophets of Baal. You can read about it in 1 Kings 18. Tony did a great job detailing the scene and retelling the story. Pastor Jim followed up with some personal application for us. It really is amazing to be standing on the site where a biblical story played out thousands of years ago.

After Mt. Carmel, we headed toward Tiberias for lunch and enjoyed a sit down meal that filled us full. There's a downside to not knowing the cuisine here. When we were seated there was a variety of garnishes and sauces, oranges, lettuce, and cabbage. Then a plate of flatbread was brought out. Hmmm. Is this our meal? None of us knew. So we assumed it was and ate everything in sight. Then each of us was brought another plate with the main course. Grilled chicken, curry rice, and vegetables. No matter, we'll eat that, too!

Lunch was followed by a final stop at Tel Megiddo. A "tel" is an archeological dig site with several layers of cities one atop the other. We visited a small museum that told the story of the surrounding "tel" and the history of Megiddo. Then Pastor Rick Sherman gave us a brief devotional about Megiddo, the Valley of Jezreel, and the endtimes epic battle of Armageddon (which means "mountain of Megiddo") written about in Revelation 16. We climbed up the mountain amid rocks and ruins and then down a series of 183 steps and through a long dark tunnel into the ancient water system. It reminded us of the queue line for the Indiana Jones Ride at Disneyland. But this was the real thing.

Our final stop of the day was our hotel in Tiberias, right on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. I don't think there are sufficient words for any of our team members to describe how glad we were to have a hot shower, a bed, and a fresh change of clothes!

Tomorrow is a new adventure with some of the highlights being a visit to the Sea of Galilee and baptisms in the Jordan River!

You should be able to view all of my photos at http://gallery.me.com/eternaldesign2#100703

Thanks for your continued prayers! Shalom and Layla tov!