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?
oooh sweet Amanda, the sin of envy is trying to creep up with all the sweet pictures in your post. I have never been to the Holy Land but I have always longed to go, and to be able to go with your mom and hear her expound on the Word and bring new life to those places would be too good for words. What an awesome time you are going to have. Enjoy and blog as much as possible!!
I would love to be baptized in the Jordan, and pray and take communion in the Garden of Gethsemane.
That picture is classic! Both the one of the overalls and of Nancy. I seriously can’t wait to read about the journey. If I would have been at Bible study the night they announced it (the one night I missed) I would have hopped on that trip asap. But clearly, it’s not meant to be! One day. I think everything about it would just leave me stunned. Until then, I’ll live vicariously through y’all and my BFF’s mom!
The closest I have ever been to the Holy Land was doing and watching your mom’s study, Jesus The One and Only. What a great study that was!
Someday I would love to go but it is a very far off someday….but someday!
Can’t wait to read your blogs from your trip.
Blessings,
Michelle in VT
I had the privilege of going to Israel in November 2008. It was the trip of a lifetime. I had completed chemotherapy treatments that year and my husband gave me the trip as a gift with my best friend. Like all the other comments, the moment you arrive, you know you are home. Just walking where Jesus walked was amazing. However, the Sea of Galilee and the Mount of Olives were my favorite places of that trip. I hope to go again one day before we all go together in the end!!! Can’t wait to follow your trip.
oh my word, i’m so excited for you guys!!!!! i did think, “oh no, i’m going to miss them!!” though! can’t even wait to hear all about it ~ i’m gonna be with you in spirit, and i guess we’ll dance around there together in the new one!!! love you ladies!!!
I have never been to Israel, but my parents just returned from a 2 week trip back in March. The did a foot steps of Jesus type of tour and were in different areas each day- the pictures and stories were enough to make me want to go. With 3 small children, I am not sure if I will make it in the lifetime before Jesus returns or takes me home- but I look forward to the new Holy Land. Can’t wait to see your pictures! Have fun and be safe! Many prayers!
Oh my, your mom looks just like you do now. Fun pictures. Have a very safe and fun time. Take lots of pictures.
No, I have not been fortunate enough to visit-YET! That is certainly one place I would love to go. I think walking on the same paths Jesus and the disciples walked, seeing the same things they saw and visiting the places they visited would just be AWESOME! I think it would all be great.
Don’t worry Amanda-the overalls were probably in style at that time! They look cute even now 🙂
Oh,wow! Those trees behind you overalled gals are amazing!!! What are they, I wonder??
I went on a tour of a refugee camp in the West Bank, near Bethlehem. (And I’ve already given Melissa the information so you, too, may be going, dear LPM-ers!) It was illuminating to see how people are living and to view it in light of the prophets’ admonitions about justice and care for the stranger. Be sure and see the wall separating the West Bank from Israel as well–the graffiti written on it is very telling. You’ll see lots of drawings of keys because so many Palestinians still have the keys to their old homes from when they were moved off the land. If you’re bold enough, write something yourself–I did. 🙂
I am jealous jealous jealous – but after I have done adequate repenting — I’ll *SO* enjoy if you do blog updates! That would almost make up for not being there! 🙂
What would I like most about going to Israel? Just like everyone else – being in the physical place that Jesus was. But every time I think that – He reminds me that he is alive and here with me! Still… I wanna go someday.
Later!
Kelly
I would LOVE to go to the Holy Land!! Have a blessed trip, and will be praying for you!
P.S. I think you guys need to sell those LMP logo travel bags! Looks like the perfect size! 🙂
I LOVED my visit to Israel!
I went as a High school graduation present to see my boyfriend’s (now husband’s) HS graduation. My “future” mother-in-law took me on a great sight seeing tour doing my 2 weeks there. There really wasn’t anything I didn’t love. She even took me to Petra, Jordan, where part of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was filmed!
Someday, I’d love to go back. I was such a new believer back then. I think the next time, I’d take in so much more!
~rachel~
I have never been to the Holy Land but would love to go!
Recently we experienced the loss of two wonderful people in our lives and my sister-in-law had surgery for breast cancer so I have been missing the blog so much. I look forward to reading all your adventures from Israel.
Have a great time,
Janice, Canastota NY
May God bless you on your trip as never before. I have never been there but I literally get choked up just thinking about the possibility of someday going. To walk where Jesus walked and see places He saw – the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane – that would be something I would cherish forever. Everywhere I went, I’d be wondering, did Jesus’ foot ever grace the very spot on which I’m standing? An amazing thought.
Until I can take my own trip, I’ll look forward to reading about yours. Have a blast!
First! I have to say that when I started reading this post, I just assumed it was Beth writing. So, I scroll down to look at the pictures… And imagine my surprise to see that Beth looked just like Amanda when she was 17!! It was the weirdest moment!! Course, the truth did come upon me! 🙂
Secondly, I have the priviledge of knowing a young man from our church (pastor’s son, in fact), David Landis, who has been living in Isreal since his college graduation. He has helped establish “The Jesus Trail”!! It is an actual marked path that follows along where Jesus is believed to have walked. In fact, this young man and his fiancee just published a Guide Book for the “Jesus Trail” that gives all the info and details you’d need to make this 4 day journey by foot! They go from Nazareth to Capernaum. Also an optional return trip to Nazareth that visits other sites. It’s very exciting!! David graduated from H.S. with my oldest son and one of his sisters with my middle son. So we know them well.
If you want to check this out, go to jesustrail.com
My biggest hope would be to stand on a hilltop and see Jerusalem from afar. To get a sense of how Jesus felt when He looked over the city… I can only imagine.
I have not been to the HOly Land, but would love to go. We will live vicariously through the LPM crew. I wish ya’ll would do a Rick Steves type pointer on how to travel in the Holy Land.
Oh I would love to go to the Holy Land. In fact, I believe God just quickened that desire in me recently. We may have the chance next year.
My husband, myself and our two daughters had the unspeakable blessing of going in February 2010. On our third day there, it was the first time to visit different places Jesus walked. I honestly thought my heart would burst! That same day ended with all four of us getting baptized as a family in the Jordan River(EVERY picture has me bawling my eyes out). His grace and mercy on this 1st generation of believers was almost more than my heart could hold!
Enjoy your trip. As you all have SO faithfully poured out to us over the years, may you be filled afresh and anew…with HIM!!!
Marybeth <
How exciting! A trip to Israel.
I went to Israel for the first time in November of last year with the Joshua Fund and Joel Rosenberg. it was a prayer and vision trip. Seeing Israel but also visiting Messianic churches all over Israel and ending up with a prayer summit in Jerusalem.
There were so many precious moments, but I’ll try to be brief with my favorites.
1. Sitting on the hills of the Mount of Beatitudes and knowing that Jesus loved this place and the very view I was enjoying. Reading the sermon on the mount there and feeling the wind and the birdsong.
2. Taking a boat ride on the sea of Galilee… feeling the thrill of it, then hearing Chris Tomlin sing “How Great is our God’… still reduces me to a puddle of praise!
3. Eating “St. Peters fish” – fish the way Peter would have prepared it.. And seeing his little teeth still in his mouth…
4.Seeing Jerusalem for the first time… no words!
5. Singing, worshipping and dancing with jewish believers in Jerusalem. Singing a song in Hebrew that said “your name is being spoken in love in Jerusalem again”….
6. But the most memorable thing of my memories of Israel is the day we did volunteer work in a retirement home for elderly russian jews. Most of whom where holocaust survivors. We set up a little “souk” or market for them and gave them food and coffee pots, blankets and other necessary items. They were very fascinated with these christian americans. We were told most of them had never met americans before. We just hugged and loved on them and gave them their goodies. They rewarded us with tears and the most loving hugs I’ve ever had. They told us “we loved your gifts but your love meant more to us than anything!”
I will never ever forget that day. Ever.
Heidi
Wow to #6.
Amanda, I put in the wrong address to see replys. I changed it in the above Mail place. If it still comes to my home address can you help me change it?? Please!! Thanks, Vicki
I haven’t been but would love to go! The place I want to see the most is the Mount of Olives. Every since I first did Jesus the one and Only I have wanted to see that area.
Have fun!
I have never been but I want to go someday!!! How fun, I can’t wait to hear about it.
Amanda, I was honored to be in the group that accompanied your Mom to Israel for the filming of “Jesus, the One and Only” in March 2000. I loved every minute of it. This was a favorite memory that I blogged about on my blog: http://bethwillismiller.blogspot.com
It is 5:30 a.m., still dark as I settle down on the rocks beside the Sea of Galilee in Tiberias, Israel, on a cool Monday morning in March, 2000. I turn on my video camera and set it down on the rock beside me to record the sunrise and then I steady my 35mm camera for this first still shot of the pink glow beginning to peak over the eastern hills. Then it hits me…He was here, He walked here, He may have sat on this very same rock on that early morning after His resurrection as He prepared a breakfast of fish and bread on a fire for His disciples. Right here. I am in awe. His Spirit Feet shod with flesh left footprints in this sand. He is here now, with me. Emmanuel, God with us. His Spirit dwells in the innermost part of me, taking authority over my soul, the seat of my emotions, and my body, my fleshly desires and appetites. El Shaddai, my all-sufficient Heavenly Father, my Abba Daddy, speaking to me through His Word from Jeremiah 1:5, “Beth, before you were born, I knew you.” The video camera on the rock beside me hums, and I begin to sing, “My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine, for Thee all the follies of sin I resign, My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou”…and then suddenly, at the exact moment when the first golden round edge of the sun peeks over the distant hills, my voice can be faintly heard on the video recording singing the closing words of the hymn…”If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.”
Beth, I am blown away by your original blog of your trip with Beth Moore in 2000. I got shivers reading that Christ may have sat on the same rock and prepared a meal there. How awesome an experience is that. But what is even more awesome is your knowing that Christ is with us now, Emmanuel! His feet may have touched the ground, His hands prepared food for His disciples, but His Holy Spirit resides in us, His Word feeds our souls. You can’t get much more awesome than that. Thanks for sharing your experience! Lori
WooHoo! I’ll be there right along side the wonderful LPM staff and volunteers!! I received my “goodies” box on Monday and I think my husband may have witnessed me jumping up and down and squealing like a 13 year old!! I’m thinking 7 days is NOT going to be enough….but I bet we’ll cram all that we can in that short time and come home enthusiastically exhausted and blessed!
Your traveling buddy!
Mammy
Go to the archaeological museum in Jerusalem. There they have preserved the steps that led up to the Temple. There are a lot of places in Jerusalem/Nazareth/Bethlehem where tour guides will tell you “*this* is where Jesus walked” and the truth is, they can’t really know, they can estimate. You know you’re in the general area, but we don’t know exactly where the Beatitudes were preached from, or where Jesus was born, etc. But we know that he went to the Temple to pray, and these were the steps that ascended to the main courtyard, so it’s one of the only places where you can say with confidence, “Jesus definitely walked here.” And it’s nice and non-touristy because since it’s part of the Jewish Archaeological Museum, the Jesus tours haven’t gotten a hold of it.
Shannon,
My husband and I had the exact same thought when we were there. Only at the archeological park could we say that we might have actually stood where Jesus did. The Jerusalem Museum was another place where I was struck with the amazing time-traveling God we have! I was also amazed at how BIG those walls were. How on EARTH did they get those cornerstones in place?
I have never been to Israel but I look very much forward to going with my Jewish husband who gave his heart to Christ five years ago. It was a way long process (9 years)in his acceptance of Messiah but well worth the battle. Never dreamed he would be on fire for missions and so on fire for God. Always pray and don’t lose heart over those lost loved ones. No telling what God might do!!!!
I hope you do get to go! What an incredible trip that would be for both of you.
I must make this comment quick, because I have to go confess my jealousy!
Have a wonderful trip. I can’t wait to hear about it!
I just got back from my first visit back in March. Got to stay about 8 days and I have to say it has changed my life. It’s hard to pick just one place that was special but St. Peter’s church was a place where the Holy Spirit was very evident to our whole group. Not a dry eye in the place. I know our Jewish guide felt Him also. All we did was read scripture and sing a song but He filled the room with His presence. I hope and pray that I will be blessed to return some day. It changed the way I read my Bible. Now I have to have a map so I can find all the places it is talking about to see how close I was to that place. Next time I go back I would like to go at a slower pace and take it in more. Thanks for asking I like to talk about it and show my pictures.
How exciting! I have never been, but have always wanted to go. It seems like it would just make the bible come alive that much more if you were able to be there and walk where they walked.
LOVE the overalls picture. We’ve all been there. 🙂
The tomb.
I would want to see that empty tomb.
I’m crying just imagining it.
I’ve never been, but have lived vicariously through my dad’s and my pastor’s pictures and stories. They’ve been together so many times. Just hearing them and seeing the pictures brings me to tears. I can’t imagine actually walking where Jesus walked myself.
My husband has been too, before we married.
He says he’s actually seen the Holy Land twice now… once when he went to Israel, and again when he was stationed in Iraq (he said it blew past him every single day). 🙂
The only time I’ve had the privilege of visiting the Holy Land was the LifeWay trip for the filming of Jesus, the One and Only in March 2000. It was the experience of a lifetime!! I got to be on Bus #2 with David & Johnny Haines, Joy Conaway and a bunch of Beth’s other Houston friends. What a blast! Those Houston FBC girls were a wild and crazy bunch!
Getting to visit the Holy Land has forever changed the way I read the Bible. My ultimate dream is to go back again one day – so, I just have to confess, looking at your plans has me battling jealousy in a BIG WAY. GRIN I WANNA GO!!!!!
I told people the only thing I didn’t take with me that I needed on the trip was Preparation H! Not for what it’s designed for – but for my puffy eyes. I was so overcome with emotion throughout the trip I cried some part of every day! Good tears though – experiences I’ll never forget! God met me in one of the most profoundly personal ways I’ve ever experienced while I was in Jerusalem. Totally changed my perception of His love for me!
Never Been…would love to go…
So exciting for your crew… Since we can’t be there with you all it will be nice that you and Melissa will blog while there.
Hope this trip is life changing for all in some way…
oh my goodness – I would so love go to the Holy land someday!
So jealous….I wish I could go. What a blessing—enjoy!!!
I’ve never been, but I would love to support Israel. Will there be a Siesta Summer Bible Study when you return??
Going to the Holy Land and experiencing places where Jesus was has been on my heart for some time. One day I believe God will open doors that will allow me this privilege. I want to see everything. I’d love to be able to be in the Upper Room where Jesus had the last supper and where the Holy Spirit was poured out from heaven onto the disciples. WOW !
May our Lord be behind you and in front of you keeping you safe and may you all experience a new revelation of His presence.
Overalls ROCK!! Lived in them all during college (1975 – 1978). I had a dressy pair and a hangin out pair. My Dad wasn’t impressed. Oh well. What did he expect, I was an art major.
God Bless this trip cuz these women sure love working hard for you.
Loving the concept of dressy overalls. We need a picture!
OK….when I said “dressy”, I meant they were still a nice dark blue denim without any tears or holes. The hangin out ones were soft, faded, and just well loved (holes). It was so hard giving them up and it took God sending my future husband into my life that did it. Guess I wanted to look more girly than overalls could offer.
I wouldn’t know the first thing about how to put a picture on here.
I had the privilege of speaking at a retreat for single missionary women a couple of years ago. We stayed at a hostel tucked away in the hills just north of Tiberius. I loved walking along the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee, picturing Jesus and Peter walking on the water. Another favorite spot was St. Anne’s Church in Jerusalem by the Bethdsda pool. Have you been there before? You HAVE to go inside…head to the alter area… and SING! It’s the most amazing thing. The acoustics in this Crusader built church made the three of us (my Mom and a girlfriend with me) sound like Sandi Patty, Ella Fitzgerald and the entire femals section of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir wrapped into one amazing voice. We stood there singing Holy,Holy Holy with tears streaming down our faces. When we turned around to leave we were faced with a huge crowd of tourists that were in awe of the music. Sing more…they said! We did… and invited them to join us! I get chills right now…just thinking about it again. Oh, I so hope you get to go there. I’m already looking forward to the blog you’ll send out!
Sandi
I was able to go to Israel when I was 16, with a group called Summit (ministries?). I will never forget the tour we had of the Garden of Gethsemanine, Golgatha, and stepping into the (possible) tomb of Jesus. My favorite part of that place was that the owners of the area were very clear in saying, “We have no idea if this is where the events in Jesus’ life and death occurred, but we are absolutely certain that they occurred, and that is all that matters!” Can’t wait to read about your journey!
I was reading a book and it mentione 3 possible burial places of Christ. In the final summary it was mentioned that it was good that people do not know where He was buried. It stated that some people, not all, might get carried away and revere the site more than what happened there-the Resurrection.
I went with my mother when I was 19 years old. It was a trip of a lifetime. I wished I had spent more time just enjoying her company, especially since she is gone now.
But our favorite place was the Sea of Gallilee…..it still to this day is a place I can remember how it looked, how it smelled, how full of the Holy Spirit it was! I could hear the “Sermon on the Mount” as I stood there…Absolutely amazing.
Have a wonderful and safe trip! God Bless!
I’m so excited for you guys!! My pastor, Greg Laurie, and his wife, along with some others from my church, Harvest, in Riverside, Ca are there right now!! They are posting updates and pictures all the time, and one that touched my heart was Pastor Greg by the “wailing” wall! How awesome is that! I would love to be there, especially at the garden, the tomb, and even the Sea of Galilee. I know my church has done baptisms there, and they get on boats there, singing worship songs to our Lord on the Sea!!! Wow…can’t imagine how beautiful that would be!
I will be praying for you all while you are there!!
Love you,
Kelly
My husband and I were able to spend a week in Jerusalem in 2006. My husband had meetings at the University of Haifa so we flew out a week early and stayed just outside the old city in an adorable little inn. It was so amazing to walk the streets, smell the smells and taste the tastes (I’d never had Turkish coffee before.. num)! I was amazed at how SMALL the city was, and how BIG the walls were and how run down it all seemed. But my most amazing memory had to do with our trip to the Jerusalem Museum. I try to do a ‘read through the bible in a year’ reading every year. That year I was going through a chronological reading and was in Joshua 8 the morning we went to the museum. It was one of those ‘destroy and kill’ chapters… not full of a lot of life application. It says in verse 28 “So Joshua burned Ai and made it a permanent heap of ruins, a desolate place to this day”. So we toured the museum and what did we come across? An ENTIRE exhibit on Ai!! It was like God spoke through time to me, He felt SO real to me that morning. The God of the universe arranged time and events and He KNEW I’d be there that morning and He KNEW the portion of scripture I’d read that morning. It was such a profound event in my life, I felt like a thousand years just fell away when I walked through the exhibit, like time was just a doorway. And I understood the God of time in a new way. It was just so overwhelming. I kept telling my husband, “I just read about this THIS morning!”
What fun! I took a mother daughter trip with my mom years ago (granted it was to San Diego not Israel) and will never forget that time. It was priceless.
I’m blessed! I’ve been to Israel many times because I’m a travel agent and its one of the places I take groups to. I think I have just as much fun planning the tour as I do going along – and believe me, I ALWAYS make sure I put myself in there as the escort!!!!
My favourite parts of Israel are the Garden Tomb (during the trips I’ve taken to Israel on my own, I’ve enjoyed just going there and sitting in a peaceful spot and marvelling at the resurrected Saviour) and the Old City of Jerusalem. I love the narrow alleyways and the smells and sounds of the people selling their wares.
So please tell – are you going there for a taping or what???? And is there any possibility that Beth would ever take a group of Siestas to the Holy Land? Perhaps as a prize for our next SMT Celebration? Ha ha ha.
Judi, it’s not a taping – just a plain old tour! We wanted to do something special for and with our volunteers.
YES, I have and it changed me forever, profoundly, like nothing else except my salvation, or the birth of my children. The experience was so deep that words cannot convey the response of my heart and soul. May you all be blessed, I am so very jealous, ( a good way I hope) may God bless us all with such an experience. Shalom
A trip to Israel is on the top of my bucket list. I’m loving the itinerary guide. How in the stinkin’ world does your mom do it all?
i’ve always longed to go to Israel. My sister and I joke all the time we must be Jewish… and well, i guess we are as we have been grafted into the Vine!
you ladies have an awesome time. i look forward to reading all about your trip!
Jackie
How wonderful for you all! I wish I could go with you. We went in December of 09 (so not very long ago) and met some of the most wonderful people. In fact, we are having a reunion on the 4th of July weekend in Texas! One of the ladies has a ranch and has invited all of us to come.
My favorite part was being on the Sea of Galilee, the boat motor had been turned off, so it was very quiet. The crew played praise music and we had worship, then read the Bible. After that they played Jewish music and we did dances on the boat. It was fabulous. I also enjoyed the Garden Tomb. Our group had a communion service there. Precious, precious memories.
Have a fabulous time – all of you.
Lawan
Phil 4:8
I’ve been wanting to share a testimony that blessed me and I hope is a blessing to others. I’ve been dealing with some challenges lately and have been drawn over the past few weeks on how our Lord is our strength and our shield.
Ok…..get ready to be blown away. Last Thursday, I was driving to work in Houston, on the freeway (290) in early morning rush hour traffic. I was in the right lane just before my exit (Antoine) and noticed, up ahead on the right shoulder, a huge pickup truck with the flashers on. Of course, I slowed down to be cautious. When I passed the truck, there just in front of it were two of the cutest brown speckled ducks waddling along this busy freeway’s shoulder. But, there also following obediently right behind them were three baby chicks. It was an “Aha” mement for me.
Right then I knew God had sent this huge truck to be their shield and keep them safe and protected. And what really got me was the absolute show of total confidence the ducks showed. No Fear ! Talk about faith. I thanked God right then and there for his faithfullness and provision.
Psalms 28:7 My Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart will trust in Him and I am helped.
I just hoped the ducks got off at the next exit. Praise God and thanks for listening. Just had to share.
Maybe you’ll run into my sister…..she teaches at Jerusalem College! She’s loves all things OT and is an incredible teacher. She is actually leaving in July to pursue her PhD and we are going to see her before we miss out on the opportunity. Having 9 and 11 year old boys with us means a lot more cool cliff climbing and less deep theological lessons, but I’m excited all the same!
Have a great time!!