After hearing many stories from my husband about his journeys to Israel, I was able to go with him 2 years ago.
Even after hearing these stories, I was not prepared for what I actually saw and experienced. His words and stories could not do justice to the actual experience. Being able to see and go to the places Jesus went was amazing.
Now, the Bible has truly come alive for me and I can visualize these places as I read. I’m not able to just read the Bible anymore, I’m able to live it.
Going to Israel was special to me. Some of my favorite places were the birthplace of Jesus, the City of David, and the Sea of Galilee.
Three days before I left for Israel, I accepted Jesus as my Savior. I was baptized by my dad in the Sea of Galilee near Capernaum. You need to go to Israel because it is life-changing and an experience you do not want to miss.
I was so blessed by being able to go to Israel. I have always had my own idea of what Israel was and is today. That view has been enhanced and changed forever.
Being able to walk where Jesus walked, seeing Peter’s home, walking in the Garden has given me a new understanding of Israel. It was awesome to be in the land where Jesus was born, grew up, left this earth physically, and will one day soon return.
If you ever have the opportunity, you must go to Israel. The experience will change your life.
After serving in the pastorate for 33 years, I wish that I had gone to Israel 20 years earlier.
The Old Testament and the Gospels became crystal clear concerning the plan of God for His people. In fact, everything now is not only clear, but alive.
I am aware today that it is not only about what has happened, but about what is happening now. If you have the opportunity to go, do not delay!
My 10 days in Israel. it was awesome! Our tour guide was a general in the Israeli army during the six day war in 1967. He was intense, but he got us into some pretty amazing places.
We’ve read about these places and studied them all of our life and have even taught others about it, and to actually be there and being in the places where the Bible took place was an incredible experience.
When you’re at the Sea of Galilee, you’re right there on the shore and Jesus was right there on the shore. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. There was a lot of old, old ancient ruins where the Bible took place and you’re actually walking right in that area.
To be a pastor and to go there and see it, I think the difference it made for me was you read about those places, but you don’t know what they look like, where they’re at, what topography it has and after being there, when I read the city name, like Nazareth, I can picture it on the hill where it sits. It just brings it out, how far places were from one another when you read about Jesus going from this place to that place or David going from this place to that place, you can picture how far they had to walk.
It’s instant whenever I read the name of the city I’ve been to, I picture it and it just brings it right out so it’s easier to describe to people what it looked like, how far it was, how long it took them to travel, it just makes a difference. I think that’s the thing I drew away from most, the picturing it and knowing.
It wasn’t a trip that changed my faith at all. It was very confirming though to go to places and find things and see things that I’ve read about in a context.
That was probably the best thing about it because it gave a context that’d be hard to get unless you’ve been there and seen it.
A lot of times you read things from the Scriptures and you understand the point but not having the surrounding context of the places and things of that nature, it’s hard to really understand what it was like.
We took quite a group from our church and never felt unsafe. We never saw not one tank or anything. We never saw convoys or anyone getting ready for anything. I have felt more uncomfortable in some parts of Denver than I did in Israel.
I know more than ever that the roots of Christianity are there. I understand that it is important for us to know that our Christian heritage is there. Everything came through Israel. That is the nation God chose to manifest Himself and His plan. It was an honor to be walking on that land and learn. It was a tremendous time, a great education.
Wow what a journey!!!!
I definitely have a whole different perspective and appreciation for descriptions in the Bible of places that were beautiful, crying out in the wilderness, and praising when God provided. Huge difference of perspective!