Some very exciting items are beginning to accumulate in my dining room. There are travel hair appliances, a travel bag, a neck pillow, a name tag, luggage tags, and an itinerary.
Did you spy the LPM logo? Our whole LPM crew and lots of our volunteers are taking a journey together in a couple of weeks. Wanna guess where we’re going?
The Holy Land!
My passport’s a little rusty, but it still works!
When I was 17 years old I had the amazing blessing of going to Israel with my mom. I found that old photo album this morning. Pardon the unfortunate quality of these pictures. I don’t have a scanner and rather than drag my babies up to the office to use theirs, I just took pictures of my pictures. I’m a skilled blogger, y’all! Melissa and I are going to blog from Israel and I don’t want to steal our future thunder, so these will be pretty random.
Here I am in the airport with my friend Debbie.
Here’s Mom in a funny hat on our 12 hour layover in London. I fell in love with England that day.
This is Mom with Mary Helen Davis, whom our resource center is named after. We love her so much.
This is something that will never happen again as long as I live – a mother-daughter overalls picture. Wrong…very, very wrong.
Here’s the wonderful Nancy Mattingly in the airport on our way home. I’m sure she was calling her family to say she would see them soon. Her youngest, Sara, would have been 5 years old at the time. Sara is now my kids’ babysitter and her graduation announcement is sitting on my counter. Time? It is a’flyin’!
Have you ever been to the Holy Land? If so, what is one of your favorite memories of being there? If you’ve never made the pilgrimage but hope to one day, what do you look forward to experiencing?
Oh, what fun! I want to go to the Holy Lands so much. What a wonderful time ahead of you!
Oh Amanda!
How exciting! I have never been, but I have dreamed many dreams of going. My hubs has an Archaeological Bible and all of the pictures….just wonderful. I just imagine being in the same city where my precious Savior walked, taught and died for me…overwhelming. Putting a prayer in the Wailing Wall, seeing the Mount of Olives, walking the Via Dolorosa, oh my! I’m about to bust and I’m not even going! Ever since reading one of Elizabeth George’s books where she talks about Masada, I have wanted to hike there too. I can’t wait to see pictures and here about all your experiences. Hope you all have a safe trip and experience the Lord in new, wonderful ways.
Jennifer
Love the pic of you and your mom in overalls 🙂
No. Never, been. Dying to go. Can’t wait for the blogs!! May need more than one post a day.
I’ve never been to the Holy Land, but if I should ever go, I believe I’d want to see the Garden of Gethsemane–the place where Jesus struggled and then won the victory over the enemy’s torment. Then I’d want to see the place of His crucifixion where He carried out what He had decided in the Garden–taking on God’s wrath because of my sins, suffering and dying so I could be free and live forevermore. “To God be the glory, great things He has done.”
Walking the same streets that Jesus walked …………
What?? You are going – WITHOUT US??? 🙁
just kidding – we will definitely be praying for you to have an amazing, blessed, and safe trip!
Can’t wait to hear what you see and do…
I have Holy Land-going envy…forgive me Lord:) If I don’t get to go before His glorious return at least I’ll get to see the new one! Praying you all have an incredible time.
I would love to walk where Jesus walked someday. Honestly, I’m somewhat timid to go over there with all of the violence!
But I do love the overalls. If they were still in style, I’d definitely be sportin some!
Get out!! WOW! You will certainly be covered in prayer! Have never been, would love to go! Maybe a LPM siesta field trip…?! 🙂
Much love,
Katie, Sherrill NY
Can’t stop thinking about that siesta trip idea! Wouldn’t that be a trip of a lifetime!!
Never been, but would love to go see where our dear Jesus lived, moved and had His Being!
Have a wonderful time!!
Margaret
I just want to walk the streets of Jerusalem and sing that old song, “I Walked Today Where Jesus Walked!” What a great experience for you guys! We’ll all be with you in prayers.
I’m with Joyce… walking where Jesus walked… How incredible would that be?? I so hope that someday I get to go!! 🙂 Will be praying for a safe trip for all of you, and can’t wait to read your blog posts from there!!
I’ve never been to the Holy Land. I suppose I will want to one day. I’m afraid it will be too touristy and I don’t want to think of Bible lands that way. Perhaps when I’m older I’ll be able to see through the touristy stuff and capture the essence.
Totally! I get what you are saying! I want authenticity – GOD will line up the right group and tour leader to go with, HE will be your leader ultimately! I Pray you get there!
Super fun! Oh Nancy looks just the same!!! I too have overall pics – my cousin and I had matching ones. I’m sure everyone in our age bracket does!!!
I have never been to the Holy Land, but it is something I would love to do one day!
Amanda you don’t look any older than when you were 17! I was so blessed for Israel to be part of my college foreign study experience. I can’t believe it has been 10 years since that trip. One favorite memory? When everyday was incredible? The thing that I most often tell people though, is about the first day. Our group of 41 had an arduous journey that included a 6 hour layover in Germany. So after arriving in Tel Aviv and driving to Jerusalem, we ate dinner at the hotel and collapsed into our (twin) beds. Feeling very refreshed the next morning, after breakfast we got on the bus which took us directly to the top of the Mount of Olives. There we stood gazing at the old city of Jerusalem – completely surreal. From there we walked down the Mount into the Garden of Gethsemane. I couldn’t believe it. The garden I had heard of all my life where Jesus prayed and was arrested – and I was standing in it??!! Amazing.
That same day included the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Garden Tomb. What a day! But I guess I always tell people about the very beginning because that when I was so profoundly struck by the fact that I was walking where my Savior had walked.
I loved the videos for Jesus the One and Only so that I could see some of the wonderful places I had been. So thrilled for you all to be going and I can’t wait for the blog reports!
I am so excited for you guys, if there was an opportunity open up to the rest of us to go I would jump on that plane in a heartbeat! You guys have an absolute blast! I can’t wait to share in the riches of your experience as you share them with us! You are greatly loved!
My husband went Israel with a group from the chapel when he was stationed in Germany. We were both in the army and we had just started dating each other, so I missed the chance to go with him. Would love to see everything!
I hope this will lead to the next BIBLE STUDY, because I have been looking up the historical timeline of Israel, the different types of temple and the symbolism of things in the Bible. Would like to know more about the Christian Jews.
So excited for you all and hope you have a blessed, wonderful trip. Cannot wait to hear from you again!!!
Will keep you in prayer.
This is a secret between me and you, ok?! I just want to walk where Jesus walked, and SING! Larnelle Harris’ “I walked today where Jesus walked” over and over. I may even embarrass a few of my people and certainly be expressing a lot of egalio shamelessly!
Someday…
I have been blessed to go to Israel three times, one of my favorite places is Ein Gedi, I can envision David there hiding out, writing the Psalms, in the springtime the waterfalls are so refreshing and beautiful, it speaks allot about the waiting seasons of life and to trust on God’s timing!
I loved En Gedi as well! I took pictures of myself hiding in the little caves!
YES!!! I was so blessed to go three years ago for our 15 year wedding anniversary! I loved the Sea of Galilee. So peaceful pondering all of Jesus’ teachings that happened right in the very place! I could go on and on…the wailing wall, mount of olives, dead sea, Corinth, Athens, Garden Tomb, Bethlehem, Jericho….so much to take in….
I have to say though the best part to me….my husband surprised me to no end on that trip!! We were at the wedding church at Cana where Jesus performed his first miracle. There is a little chapel there where you can renew your wedding vows. We had been through a very hard time in our marriage for a few years before this trip. My husband surprised me and we renewed our vows there in that little chapel and he presented me with a brand new wedding ring!! I WAS SHOCKED. While he was talking he said what better place there was to celebrate our anniversary than where Jesus had performed his first miracle since our marriage was such a miracle!! Precious time!!!
Have a WONDERFUL TRIP!!!
That is the coolest vow renewal ever!
Thanks for all your sweet words! It was a beautiful time and I am so thankful the Lord allowed us to experience this beautiful “new start” of our marriage!
what a beautiful surprise! You have a special man!
WOW!
My parents just returned from a trip to Israel and did the exact same thing for their 30th anniversary- a vow renewal!
Wow! That made me cry. Beautiful!!
Oh that is so awesome! Where’s my tissue???
OH MY GOSH What fun!!!
And can we please have a re-take of the mother/daughter overalls?! Pretty please?
How exciting to read this post. I just told my husband recently that that is all( not much, right) I want for our 25th anniversary in 4 years…..a guided trip to the Holy Lands. Can’t wait to hear from all of you.
I was blessed and did a mission trip in Tel Aviv with a messianic congregation a few years ago. We were able to take 2 day trips to Jerusalem which were def unforgettable. One of my favorite memories was standing on the Temple Mount at the Eastern Gates, trying to imagine Jesus walking through the gates on Palm Sunday. I also loved the Mount of Olives. Makes me want to grow an olive tree in my backyard, but I doubt Atlanta would be the proper climate for it to sustain. Can’t wait to read the posts.
Would say I’m soooooo envious but that wouldn’t be very Christian-like, huh? Instead, I will simply say…
Praying for a wonderful time for all the LPM people!!
~H
I went when I was a teenager with my family also. It really made some of the dusty of old pages of the Bible come alive for me. I remember at one point, we were in jerusalem somewhere and we were standing on some pavements stones that Jesus would have probably walked on. I remember the overwhelming urge to throw myself on them and weep. The idea of my Lord and Savior walking this earth was so very real for me at that moment.
I was also struck by the heaviness of the enviroinment. We were there during a Muslim holy time and hearing the calls to worship was quite upsetting and it sounded like someone was crying. It struck my that God’s heart was probably feeling that way everytime one of his created bowed down to worship another.
Hmm…I didn’t find it heavy. I found it quite stunning actually, the call to prayer echoing near the Wailing Wall…but then I think the Muslim call to prayer is quite beautiful.
Ashley,
I have that same feeling when I hear the call to prayer. It is haunting and heavy, the sound of lost souls trying so hard to reach God on their own. I’ve lived & traveled through Muslim countries and the call to prayer always chills me. It also reminds me to pray for the missionaries I know who are reaching out to them.
It is a DREAM of mine to go to the HOLY LAND! One day, I know I will. I’ve asked Jesus if He could show me around when I get to Heaven, if I never make it there in this time on earth. Although upon hearing the other day that “in the new Jerusalem…” It fell afresh on me, “LORD, are we all going to live there!?” I will live there one day, if I don’t visit it first.
Have an AMAZING time – and yu know I expect some pictures and random stories, like y’all teasing your hair in the bathroom of a starbucks over there somewhere!
Love you all – be safe and I will be praying and thinking of all of you!
< Siesta OC
How blessed you are! Can’t wait to go with you..via the blog world, that is.
Praying for all the preparations.
Kelli
Oh man! When my bff & I went to the SSMT weekend we said, “If Beth ever has a Siesta trip to the Holy Land, we are sooo going.” Okay, so the staff & volunteers need to get their feet wet first. –But in 5 years dear Missy, let’s plan a trip for Siestas!
Please video blog from their if you are able!
I went to Israel back in 2007. It was a trip that changed my life and would love to go back. I would say one of my favorite moments was standing on the Mount of Beautitudes looking over the sea of Galilee and realizing where I actually was that was enough to bring tears to my eyes. Here I was just 27year old girl origianlly from WV now standing looking out over the Sea of Galilee. Then another moment was the firt time going into Jerusalem. We went in at night and they were playing the song “The Holy City” and there wasn’t a dry eye on the bus. I still tear up everytime I think about it. Then getting to have the Lord’s Supper in the Garden of Gethsamane. What a moving moment and actually walking where Jesus walked. The Bible came alive to me and I just get so excited when I read passages that took place where I had been!!!
Have a great trip and can’t wait to hear all about it!
Would love to go walk in Jesus’ steps. I have never been.
I personally have not. But one of the senior ladies in our church, a great mentor to me over the years, was able to travel there years ago. And guess who was on her trip???? Your mom! Sylvia proudly displays a group picture of her standing beside your mom in the Holy Land in her living room.
So excited for you guys!
Tracy L.
Richlands, NC
I have never been but would like to go. I want to see the Wall and just absorb all of this according to what is in the Bible about it. I just get a peaceful feeling just thinking about it. Now for a funny. I personally-being from the south-think we all whether we admit it or not have a pair of overalls in our closet or pictures. I love mine. Great for all those home projects and working in the garden. Ya’ll sure looked liked southerners in that picture to me! Have a great time. I will pray for your safety and that you have a good pilgrimage.
In January of 2010 I was privileged to take a ten-day tour of the Holy Land. We spent the first half of the trip in the Galilee area, visiting key places of Jesus’ ministry. Writing to describe that trip would be a small novel, but two spiritual experiences in the Galilee stand out in my memory. One morning we visited the Arbel Vale. Located north of Tiberias, it is now a national park with hiking trails winding through the dramatic rock-strewn landscape. Sheer cliffs on each side of a small trail through the valley were the site of Roman massacres during the Maccabean revolts. Lush grass tried to cover the limestone rocks scattered everywhere along the lower slopes. A small stream trickled beside the walking trail. Our guide explained that this was the ancient road leading from Nazareth to Capernaum, a route Jesus would have walked more than once. As the sun topped the southern cliff, the morning mist glistened like jewels in the air and on the greenery. I was thinking about Jesus, about his choice to die, reflecting that perhaps he was relieved to return to celestial realms and leave the cruelty and injustice of this world. I remembered a moment I had experienced many years before when I was thinking similar thoughts. I had an image of Jesus, standing in a place similar to the Vale, with the wind blowing his hair. He was looking at the landscape and saying to me, emphatically, that it was very hard to leave this earth. He loved every atom of this planet as the Manifest Creation of God Most High. “Never think it was an easy thing for me to choose to leave this life, this world. I am most intimate with every aspect of Nature as Designer and Redeemer. I will long for the feel of earth-wind on my face, the taste of cool spring water on my lips. I will return with great joy to restore this planet to its intended Garden state.” Stooping down, I touched the earth of the trail and lingered there. It was Holy Ground for me, with no monument or church to mark its sanctity. I prayed a blessing over the humble Arbel Vale as we left. My journal records this entry: “Today I surely walked where Jesus walked.”
Allison, that was beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing.
Patti Hayes
I’m going this November. I’m so excited. I’m looking forward to your blogs.
I live in Jerusalem! How exciting to know that you are going to be here. If you should ever need any assistance from a local, I’m at your service!!! I’ll be praying that God will richly bless your time here.
I have been to Israel twice. My favorite thing, of course, was walking where Jesus walked. I loved being in a kibbutz on the Sea of Galilee and taking a boat ride on the Sea. I loved being at Caesarea in the arena where it is alleged Paul made his defense. There are just so many favorites, I don’t know where to begin. Have a wonderful trip!
You guys are looking good in those overalls. Who knows, overalls could be fashionable again. I doubt it…but styles seem to always come back to haunt us, so you never know.
I’m so jealous!! I would love to go one day. I love to travel and experience new places and cultures, so I would go practically anywhere, but the Holy Land would be so cool!! Hmmm a graduation trip in a few years perhaps….Hope you guys have an awesome trip.
I would love to go to the Holy Land some day. I’d be happy just to stand there and stare. There isn’t a specific place that I’d like to go to, or things that I’d like to see – just being there would be peaceful to my soul.
Have never been but it’s number one on my bucket list! I dream of walking on the same ground that our Lord and the apostles and the patriarchs walked on! The very thought just brings tears to my eyes and takes my breath away!
I was able to go last year on a study tour with Precepts. It was such a blessing to be there and to be able to sit down in these remarkable places and and listen to Kay Arthur and her crew teach us about what happened at those sites.
As soon as I got off the plane and stepped onto the soil of Israel, my Spirit immediately felt at home! I cried when I left and am longing to go back one day soon!
Oh that overalls picture is HILARIOUS!! Especially the fact that you actually posted it!
Never been to Israel, but would absolutely love to. It fascinates me. Can not wait to hear about it via the blog!
Jessica
I have not been to the Holy Land but would love to go.Remember to ask for a duplicate copy of your passport in case you want to go into another country and then enter back into Israel.You can leave on one passport and re-enter on the other passport due to political tensions.
I’ve never been, and would LOVE to go. I think the longer I walk with Jesus, the more I want to walk where He walked on this earth. I can’t even imagine how awesomely emotional it would be to sit on the Mount of Olives and contemplate the mighty work done for me! Will be praying traveling mercies for you on your trip. Come back with lots of pictures and stories!
If I am ever able to go, it would be incredible to see Calvary. Just thinking about makes me stop and pause at the magnitude of Jesus’ love, commitment, fulfillment of scripture, the turning point of all time! wow! Of course the empty tomb and hillsides, lakes and paths where Jesus was physically at would also take my breath away not to mention where he’s coming back! See it all for all of us!
Love the overalls, hehe… and I too am praying that you will have a wonderful trip, blog lots and plan a “group” trip sometime in the future. I would be soooooo there 😉
So fun that you are going. I am happy for you all! I have never been to Isreal. I have been to Jordan many times. I have see the Holy Land from the Dead Sea and fromteh Jordan River. My oldest Grandson was baptized there and just across the river was Jerusalem. Wonder day, wonderful memories. I would like to go to the Holy Land, however, I will spend my moneies on Jordan since four of my Grandbabies are there and my daughter and her amazing husband. You all take lots of picutes and if you are interested I can send you some of mine that my daughter sent when her and her family had to leave Jordan to get their visas renewed and they went into Jerusalem. I have some great pictures of the babies there with the flowers in this Garden that are amazing! Anyway – have fun and be blessed as you go. Love you all, Vicki
Never been to Israel, but after studying the “Stepping Up” series I would love to walk up the steps to the temple gates and say the Psalms of Ascent as I proceed. What an awesome experience that must be.
Have a great time. My wish…to be baptized in the Jordan.
That would be awesome!
I would love to go to the Holy Land but don’t know if I ever will. When do you leave & how long will you be away? Look forward to hearing all the stories! Amanda, who will be taking care of your precious little ones?
Be sure & have a fantastic time!
Love
Colleen