(Excerpt of Jeremy’s message to Stonewater Church during his journey, June 5-15, 2012.) Church Family, Misti and I have had an amazing time on our trip to Israel. I am spiritually refreshed and ready to serve our Lord. I am totally in love with the Lord and my wife. This was the most amazing trip I’ve ever taken. It was hard, exciting, full of adventure, peaceful, and created much joy. Please pray for us as we travel today. I look forward to seeing you on Father’s Day. Your Pastor, Jeremy White

I knew a year ago that I wanted to go on the Israel trip. I saw the transformation in Roxie that I knew that I wanted to go if the opportunity came about. When we arrived in Israel we were greeted with welcome home. This is really appropriate since Israel is the birthplace of Christianity.

Our family roots are there. My heart seems tied to Israel in a way I can’t really describe. For me the trip has really created more of a hunger to understand God’s Word and pay attention to every jot and tittle. I’m having fun seeing connections that I’ve never seen before. I loved seeing the covenant signs Israel having fun seeing passages about covenants. We stood at the gate where Boaz gave his right sandal to redeem Ruth. We learned that right is right and left is wrong. Right is clean and left is unclean. Then in Gilgal where the children of Israel had their camp when they crossed in to the Promised Land there is a huge outline of a “right” foot/sandal in boulders in the midst of the camp. What a reminder that they were in a conditional covenant with the Lord. If they obeyed they would be blessed if they disobeyed they would be cursed. Now go with me to The Cave of John the Baptist. You go into the cave and then descend steps that lead into the water. Before you get to the water you find a deep impression of a foot. Those coming to be baptized would put their foot in the depressions cleanse and anoint it and then go into the water to be baptized. Afterwards, they would come out of the water and break the jar against the wall of the cave. What a picture of no longer being a slave to sin that would have been for them. They have entered into a new covenant written on their hearts. Now picture us at the wailing wall. What a visual of Israel breaking covenant with the Lord. They are standing on the outside of a broken wall to worship. I was so moved standing at the wall, touching it, and praying for Israel and the Jews. What a privilege to be a Gentile believer and to be in a covenant relationship with the Lord. Our sign of being in covenant is the seal of the Holy Spirit that was given to us when we believed in Christ.

We don’t even know where to begin to start thanking you for the amazing gift that you gave Steve and I.  It was truly life changing in every way.  We have fallen in love with the homeland of Israel and will never, ever be the same again.  Our days were so full but oh so, so good.  Our cups were so full that we were drinking out of our saucers.  Every single day, we thought wow, surely tomorrow cannot top today, but it did.  We cannot wait to sit down with both of you to share our experience.  Thank you so much Byron and Tammy for having the heart for Israel and for sending Pastors there to learn and to experience the life of Jesus. John Turner, Rick Hamm are great men of God that we respect so much. They love the Lord and it radiates through them.  It was a blessing to experience this trip of a lifetime with them and the other wonderful people that we met. We look forward to returning again soon.

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.

So many wonderful memories of a beautiful country with an amazing history. So special

This trip is one of my FAVORITE memories! So beautiful and amazing! To be where Christ did most of his miracles made me feel so close to our Savior.

The trip to Israel was awesome! It was not something that I had ever dreamed or even thought about doing, but so thankful that my husband made it possible for me to go. The understanding that you gain from actually visiting each site can only be obtained by being there! You can read and study and hear the scriptures all your life, but once you have seen it and been there you will never be the same!

I am Armando Lagda Valdez, married to Lilybelle Grace Mamaril.  God blessed us with four kids (3 boys and 1 girl), plus added precious children under our care.  I am a product of “Calvary Bible Institute” – supervised by Sir Ken Sandberg.  My wife and I are pastoring a church in Davao City, that is affiliated with – Maranatha Fellowship in Maryland, USA (IPHC).  We have established relationship with Sir Ken & Ma’am Cris and partnered with them in equipping the saints through conferences, summer camps and at CBI. And just recently, after our Sunday morning service (Nov. 8, 2009), we received a phone call with the grandest surprise – A TRIP TO ISRAEL!  It blew me away and made me shout for joy!  Hallelujah, glory to God!  To step in the soil of Israel was only a dream that we hope would come true sometime in the future. Now, that the door to visit the birthplace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is in progress, I can’t explain the thrill and excitement going on as the days go by.  The trip to Israel is truly a big inspiration to us and this is happening because of the Lord’s kindness through my Bible School mentors (Sir ken & ma’am Cris) and through your generosity.  Honestly, we don’t really know how to express the gratitude and the joy that is within us.  Words may fall short to express it, but we sure are grateful to the Lord and to you.  May the good Lord multiply your blessings! Again, i want to let you know that we appreciate the love, the blessings and the big heart.  Thank you for sponsoring our trip.  Indeed, we don’t know how to repay you.  Simply, because we don’t have the capacity to do it.  But the Lord Yeshua HaMashiach will! God bless you and your family Sir Byron and Ma’am Tammy.  God bless you sir/ma’am John Turner.  God bless the “Father’s House Foundation”.  God bless “CBI” family.  We look forward to see you on December 5 & 6, 2009. To Sir Ken and Ma’am Cris, thank you for the high level of trust and favor.  God bless us all. In Christ, Armand & Lilybelle V

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!