Father’s House, Thank you so much for the time, energy and care you put into our Israel trip. I am so grateful for the loving attention you gave to our group from Pedernales River Fellowship. May the Lord continue to bless you as you serve Him. In Christ, Greg
Shalom! Tell Israel that I WILL be back there someday!!! My life was changed during that trip and will never be the same again. God will surely bless you, Byron, for installing you love of Israel in others.
My first trip to Israel was December 2010 and I was elated. That trip was the fulfillment of a 58 year dream. It turned out to be more than I had ever imagined. I had always wanted to have a real study experience in Israel. I got exactly what I wanted. It was so much more than a tourist trip.
Thank God for the efforts and planning of Father’s House Educational Foundation and an expert guide like Moshe. I have read and studied the Word for 58 years, but that experience brought it alive.
Since my return it seems that a light was turned on when I read the Word. When I share it through teaching and/or preaching, it is so exciting to see and hear the excitement of those hearing the information and seeing the pictures of the land of Israel. What a joy it is to share with others. The inmates in my services at the prison where I am chaplain are thrilled.
I am thanked over and over for allowing them to enjoy the Power Point presentation of things they will never get to see because they are felons. I thought I was excited after the first trip, but when I came back in June of 2012, I could hardly keep silent. Most of the people where I work get excited just hearing about the trip.
What I found was that the second trip compounded what I had experienced on the first trip. We revisited a few of the places from the first trip, but it was amazing how much more was added to what I had already learned. In addition we went to new places which expanded the knowledge gained 18 months later. For instance in the 18 month time between the two trips we were able to see the ruins of King David’s palace in the City of David. On both trips there was such wonderful fellowship among the groups. Anyone needing a refreshing spiritual uplift should really consider making this trip to Israel.
Our trip to Israel with the Father’s House was truly heart changing. I had heard from people who have been to Israel before and how God seemed to speak to them in the Holy Land. I wondered deep down, would he speak to me, what would it be like, what if he didn’t? With all those thoughts swirling around my head, my prayer was God speak to my heart. As a man, pastor, husband, and dad, I struggle with pride.
I did not want to come back and be a know it all about Israel, I wanted to come back with a changed heart. And that’s exactly what happened. Sure, I learned, experienced, and gained tons of knowledge and I will never read the bible the same or preach the same again, but God’s greatest gift to me was a more loving heart. I tell people that Israel made me a better LOVER. I love my wife, my kids, others, and my God more and it’s easier to show it.
The second to the last day of the trip John gave us the opportunity to be baptized in the Sea of Galilee. Inside I thought, I’m a pastor, I’ve already been baptized, I baptize others, I don’t need to be baptized. But then at the same time I felt our Father say, Do this for me, humble yourself, who cares what others think or say, do this for me, humble yourself for me. The wrestling match continued until the spirit won out and I got dunked. It was awesome. Humbling but awesome. It just felt right. Thank you for that opportunity. It was one of my highlights.
Hi Sir Byron, My memories of Israel are refreshed by just reading this. Thanks for sharing it, Sir. We love you, ma’am Tammy and the Father’s House family. Indeed, the impact of that trip with the FH (January of 2010) is still fresh and unforgettable. The zeal, the vision, focus and purpose is unquenched even up to this very day.
We are committed to do the main thing God called us to do, which is to love Him with all our hearts and to love our neighbors as ourselves and to teach God’s commands diligently to our children and to our children’s children. Simple, but this truth never came to life within me, no not until we went to the Holy Land and received great spiritual treasures beyond words. I can go on and on, but I still don’t know how to describe God’s amazing grace.
So let me just say again, thank you Father’s House Educational Foundation for obeying God’s call and vision. You are strengthening the under-shepherds that God called to full-time ministry in helping, training the saints, and advancing His cause. Hallelujah!
-Bro Armand V
We are so thankful for the heart of the Father’s House to connect Pastors and others to the heart of our Father. The trip to Israel was life changing. It has given us a better prospective of God’s heart for all His children. We are planning now to take a very large group next year.
The trip changed my life by making the Bible real. I always believed it, but now it is real. The ones I talk to about it,I tell them if they have been wrestling with their faith, they need to go to Israel. It will settle everything for them.
“Dear Tammy and Byron,
Thank you so much for your generosity and support. We appreciate your contribution to the Hannah House ministry!
May God bless you,
Amber
A Hannah House girl”
I have been challenged in several areas spiritually and will be using this next year to work through some of the spiritual truths that were shared on the trip. On my first trip to Israel two years ago, I felt like it was more learning about the places and what happened there, but on this trip I really sensed a greater connection between the places we visited with the spiritual themes being emphasized. The repeated spiritual truths and connections were great. I am so grateful John got to share spiritual insights I could grasp. He greatly increased the spiritual growth experience and was always ready to answer my many questions. Ron was also easy to understand and I appreciated his teaching as well. I thought it was great how well they worked together to help us understand the spiritual truths related to what we were seeing.
The boat ride on the Sea of Galilee was a spiritual high this trip. After experiencing the wilderness, the beauty of the sea and the worship music was very moving.
Distances of populated sites to others were much closer than previously thought; Historically, the same sites were richly reused. Mountains much steeper than pictured before; great effort, thought, & preparation required then & now to scale them & transport goods & people.
The Bible is more personally real now in understanding site, task, & time difficulties faced by the Jews. Seeing, hearing, & witnessing the Bible places unfold: “They were here” & “I am in the same place!”
The guide and leader of the group were well educated with clear delivery. Safety minded. Compassionate, pleasant, & professional.
Free connections on the bus to the internet, laptops, & cell phones. Materials beforehand & “live” on location. More time to study!!
I would recommend a Father’s House Trip to others as it was excellent on all counts.