Every trip to Israel is a new experience.

I set off on this past trip without knowing exactly what to expect, yet I knew that it was His trip and I was excited to see what He had in store. The Father had His hand upon this trip from the beginning (in fact, He started aligning circumstances many years ago…but that’s a whole ‘nother amazing story).

This was my first time to fly by myself, but I would connect with friends once I arrived at the airport in Tel Aviv. First, I had to fly from Atlanta to Newark. The thought of  being in the Newark airport, surrounded by thousands of people, and yet being quite alone, made me nervous. One night, as I was feeling overwhelmed at the thought of flying by myself, I felt the Father lay Malachi 3:1 on my heart:

“I will send My messenger before you, who will prepare the way before you.”

It filled me with courage. I wasn’t alone.  He was going before me. My parents were encouraging me in this trip. They would be praying for me. My friends would be praying too. I would be praying. I had nothing to fear.

My travel went smoothly, and I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that the Father answered that verse directly by sending someone to accompany me on the flight over the Atlantic. I sat next to a believer in Yeshua, and we talked for hours about prayer and faith.

This was only the beginning of the many instances where the Father “prepared the way before me.” Every day He showered His love and faithfulness upon me. When I came to Israel  I was thirsting for more of Him, and He filled me with living waters. I came not knowing quite what to expect, and He blew me away with His plans. I came wanting to serve, and He allowed me to sweat under the Golan sun, plucking out weeds in the gardens and singing (I worked alongside an amazing woman of faith who also had a passion for prayer and praise).

It was hard to leave. It’s always hard. But this trip was harder. I connected to Israel on a deeper level. I also got to visit some places that I’d never been before (like “Samaria”–the heartland of Israel).

This land is special in Yahweh’s eyes.

Every promise written in Yahweh’s word will come true. No matter what the news predicts. No matter what the future looks like from our human point-of-view, we can look to the Word of God and know that Israel will be restored (physically and spiritually). We know that there will be (and is!) an ingathering from the North and the South, the East and the West, back to the Land of Israel (Isaiah 43:6). We know that the desert will blossom like a rose (Isaiah 35:1). We can see it happening. We know that salvation (Yeshua) will shine forth out of Zion (Isaiah 62:1).

I’ve shared many of my pictures from this trip on Flickr: Israel 2016

I hope that these pictures will bring Israel closer to you today. If you love Israel, then no matter how far away you are from it today, no ocean can separate you. You can still pray. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Pray for the leaders. Pray for the believers and the non-believers. Pray about how you can bless Israel personally. (FYI: Here is a wonderful newsletter that sends out prayer points for Israel every week: Intercessors for Israel).

We live in the days when the “dry bones are coming to life” (Ezekiel 37). We live in the days when the tribes are gathering in Jerusalem once again (Psalm 122).

Our God does not lie.

His promises are true.

Mighty is our God in Zion.

There were lots of pictures taken on this trip. Between my brother, my friend Melanie, and me, there was almost always a photo being snapped as we toured the Land.

It’s always good to find a balance when traveling though, and at times I purposefully left my camera behind, so I would enjoy the sights without staring through a lens. But, alas, pictures and videos are the best for saving memories, and they’re also perfect for sharing with others. So quite often I had my little point-and-shoot on hand, because you just never know when you’ll discover something beautiful.

Here are some pictures and passages.

Feast of Tabernacles

Dwell in booths for seven days; all who are natives of Israel dwell in booths, so that your generations know that I made the children of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt. I am יהוה  your God.’” (Leviticus 23:42-43)

These booths (Sukkot in Hebrew) are set up all over Jerusalem outside restaurants and homes. Many of them are decorated elaborately, and at night you can hear the families gathered inside, singing in Hebrew, chanting prayers, or talking to one another.

For in the day of evil He hides me in His booth; in the covering of His Tent He hides me. (Psalm 27:5)

Jerusalem

It’s estimated that 100,000 people came to Israel for the festival!

Thus said the Master יהוה, “Once again I shall let the house of Israel inquire of me to do for them: I shall increase their men like a flock.“As a set-apart flock, as the flock at Jerusalem at her appointed times, so shall the wasted cities be filled with flocks of men. And they shall know that I am יהוה.” ’ ” (Ezekiel 36:37-38)

Thousands gathered to hear the priestly blessing at the Wailing Wall.

The Jerusalem March went up the street across from where we were staying. It was amazing to see thousands of Christians from around the world showing their support for Israel.

Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the children of Zion exult in their King. (Psalm 149:2)

These gentlemen brought smiles to our faces as they bursted out singing in the Old City.

Walking through the Arab bazaar is like walking through a kaleidoscope, with shops overflowing with zillions of shiny and colorful trinkets for sale. It’s quite different than shopping in the United States, since the shop owners expect you to haggle for the price that you want. Sometimes you have to walk away to get them to lower the price enough. You can get a good deal if you play it tough. ;)

“It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer; then off he goes and boasts about his purchase. (Proverbs 20:14)

Sweet Home Alabama followed us there!

I loved the delightful umbrellas hung above this street. :)

The Galilee

And He began to teach again by the sea, and a large crowd was gathered to Him, so that He entered into a boat, to sit in the sea. And all the crowd was on the land facing the sea.” (Mark 4:1)

This tour boat on the Galilee is called the “Jesus Boat.” From the shores of Capernaum, we could hear the Christian music they were playing.

And they went into Capernaum,  and immediately on the Sabbath He went into the congregation and taught. (Mark 1:21)

This is an ancient synagogue at Capernaum.

 “And you, Capernaum,  who are exalted to the heaven, shall be brought down to the grave. (Luke 10:15)

We have only the remains of this city today, just as Yeshua prophesied.

En Gedi

After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats. (1 Samuel 24:1-2)

This is one of the many waterfalls at Ein Gedi (an oasis in the Negev desert). I can see why David and his men hunkered down here!

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, “Prepare the way of יהוה ; make straight in the desert a highway for our God “See, I am doing what is new, let it now spring forth. Do you not know it? I am even making a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. “For יהוה  shall comfort Zion, He shall comfort all her waste places. For He makes her wilderness like Ěḏen, and her desert like the garden of יהוה. Joy and gladness are found in it, thanksgiving and the voice of song. (Isaiah 40:3)

There were lots of ibex in the park. Isn’t this one adorable?

The Garden Tomb

“He is not here, for He was raised, as He said. Come, see the place where the Master lay.” (Mathew 28 6)

This is said to be the Garden Tomb. It is one of the most beautiful places in Jerusalem. Wafting through the air was the sound of a tour group from Africa singing “It is Well With My Soul” in their native tongue.

The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

!ישוע חי! עם ישראל חי

{Yeshua (Jesus) is alive, the people of Israel are alive!}

I hope you have enjoyed this mini tour of Israel,  and I hope that one day God will make a way for you to visit His Land too. Pictures truly don’t do it justice. There’s no place on earth like Israel, and no other city like Jerusalem. Out of all the earth, this is where Yahweh has placed His Name forever. It’s where Yeshua walked,. It’s where Bible stories come alive.

It’s also where tension and terrorism is raging right now.

Let us never forget to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Psalm 122

I was glad when they said to me,
“Let us go into the House of יהוה.”
Our feet have been standing
Within your gates, O Jerusalem!
Jerusalem is built
As a city that is bound together,
Where the tribes have come up,
The tribes of יהוה,
A witness to Israel,
To give thanks to the Name of יהוה.
For there the thrones of right-ruling were set,
The thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem,
Let those who love You be at rest.
Peace be within your walls,
Rest in your citadels.
For the sake of my brothers and companions,
I say, “Peace be within you.”
For the sake of the House of יהוה  our God
I seek your good.

Amen.

My goodness, y’all, I don’t know where to begin.

I know it’s been a while since I last posted. Life has been busy and blessed, and I’ve been taking more time to cherish this thing called “life” rather than write about it. Sometimes it’s good to take a break, but I’m looking forward to sharing about the many things that Yahweh has been doing in my life.

A few weeks ago, I had the incredible opportunity of celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) in Jerusalem with some of my family and many friends from around the world.

It was a good trip, with lots of sightseeing and memory making (it was my brother’s first time in the Land.).

It’s hard to describe a trip to Israel. It’s not like a normal “vacation,” because Israel is different than anywhere else in the world. Every time I’m there, it’s life-changing. This time one of the lessons that hit home with me is that I need to be praying for Israel more than I have been.

While I was there I felt the tension in the air. Psalm 122–“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem”–takes on a deeper meaning when I’m standing in its streets, when friends talk of the riots that raged outside their hostel, when an ambulance speeds past, and when news reports are from just up the road.

Since flying back to the States, the tension in Jerusalem has risen drastically. Places where we  felt safe a few weeks ago have now been affected by terrorism. 

So often in the States, I live my life without standing for Israel like I should. It’s during these times when Israel is in distress that I feel the most unhelpful. But there is one thing I can do–something any of us can do anywhere–pray.

For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet,
till her righteousness shines out like the dawn,
her salvation like a blazing torch. (Isaiah 62:1)

During my Bible reading, the promises to Israel have been jumping off the pages. Yahweh has made a covenant with Israel, and He never breaks his covenants. He has promised to give the Land of Israel to the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob forever; and He is faithful to His Word. He has not forgotten His Land, and we shouldn’t either.

But I want to do more than just pray for Israel. And as I seek the Father, surely He’ll show me what to do. He has ways for all of us to stand for the Promise Land.

It is by His strength that Israel will become all that He has promised it to be.

“But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create,
for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy.
I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people;
the sound of weeping and of crying
will be heard in it no more.
(Isaiah 65:18-19)

I long for the day when Yeshua Messiah brings peace to Jerusalem.

Those who trust in יהוה are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be shaken but endures forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So יהוה surrounds his people
both now and forevermore.”
(Psalm 125:1-2)

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Let those who love you be at rest.”
(Psalm 122)