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!

John, for me this trip made the Bible come to life. It has made me crave and yearn for Jesus even more. It is amazing what God has revealed to me during this journey…. He has started his own uncontrollable wildfire in my heart and has used you and Moshe’s passion for teaching to fan the flames.

Thank you Father’s House for your part in tikkun olam through educating pastors in Israel, taking orphans of the streets of Davao City, Philippines, providing a way through Hannah House for babies to live and not die and their mothers to learn the life skills they need to make better choices, for supporting the education of Israeli sabra youth in cutting edge media so that they can compete in the world market. May the blessings continue to flow through you as you continue to give into the repair of the world.

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. All the materials and suggested readings before the trip really helped. The trip increases your desire to learn even more. I loved having specific Scriptures to read and information to research. I can’t wait to go back in 2013. I definitely want our youngest to have this experience too. I’m praying our whole family will be able to return Christmas of 2013.

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.

Each time I have made the trip home to Israel with Father’s House, my Abba has made sure to do something special just for me. Once, He even changed the schedule around so that I could be some place very special at just the right time. In doing that,He then added in spots that had not been on our original itinerary, but were on the list of other participants who were disapointed we were not going to those spots. Each trip is full of handpicked participants who then go on a trip that is custom made by HaShem just for them. Only our G-d could pull that off. And He does it every time. May HaShem continue to bless the Father’s House abundantly for all they are doing to enrich and change the lives of all they touch.

I was on the 2011 / 2012 Holiday trip to Israel. I want to thank Byron, Tammy and Fathers House for making it possible for me to go on this life changing trip. Hardly a day goes by that I do not think about some aspect of our trip, what I learned or what I experienced. It truly is a life changing experience. I firmly believe that every Pastor should go to Israel either while in seminary or in the first few years of ministry. Moshe has so much knowledge of historical importance, Biblical understanding, and archeological perspective of Israel that I was captivated by his lessons and explanations. Each day was something new, exciting, educational and edifying regarding new discoveries, history, archaeology, current events, biblical history, biblical truth and application. A short time ago, my wife was anxious to make plans for our next get away and she asked me, If you go anywhere right now, where would you like to go? My answer came quick and without hesitation; Israel. We hope go to Israel sometime in the next few years this time together.