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?
Never been….would LOVE to go! My favorite anticipation will be to see the EMPTY tomb! Praise God it’s empty! Thank you Jesus!
I have never been, yet it truly is on my “bucket list”. My pastor went this past January and brought back for me dirt from the top of Mt. Sinai, water from the Jordon river and salt from the dead sea. All items he picked up personally. I want to walk in the places Jesus walked and for one moment in time visualize what HE saw and to know the feeling of standing on ground where my Savior once stood.
Number One on my Bucket List is to visit The Holy Land. Enjoy your trip and sign me up when LPM organizes its trip.
God Bless you all
What an amazing trip to be able to take, with incredible company. I will be praying for all of you, and would love to see and hear about all the places that you all will walk.
May the blessing of the Holy Land be so profound and lasting.
My hubs and I desire to go to Israel and walk the places our Savior walked. When I watch video of other trips, that some of the Calvary Pastor’s have guided I just stand in awe or cry.
Thanks for sharing the wonderful news of your trip, and through the blog I will feel invited. God bless you all.
Love,
Celeste
never been to the Holy Lands, on my bucket list and hope to go very soon.
look forward to praying in the Mount of olives and Baptism in the Jordan
praying for you all and your latest adventures in God!
I think this is wonderful! I have a good friend who took this trip a couple of years ago. We sat one evening, in front of a fire, and she showed me her pictures and explained everything to me. She told me it is quite a feeling knowing you were walking where Jesus walked, even though it was years ago. She said at times they felt a presence; that would be amazing!
I am new to your blog, but believe me when I say I will be praying for your safety and that you have a wonderful time!!!!
Love, Kathy
Ok, you REMINDED me of another vow renewal…on the 17th anniversary of our Messianic pastor and his wife, he surprised her with vow renewals and new rings ON boat on the Sea of Galilee with our senior pastor officiating. Then onto baptism in the Jordan River. She turned to him and said, “I was going to get you card.” Beautiful.
WOW! A trip to Israel with Beth! How cool!
By the way, has Siesta Mamma chosen a summer Bible study for us yet?
Sadly I have never been. My mother, who will be 75 in June, has been 4 times and is going again in September. Each time she is there 2-3 weeks. She has many things she holds dear including now when reading the bible the pictures in her head are real. So hope to go one day.
Can not wait to hear about your trip.
I have been traveling to Israel since I was a baby. My father is from Israel and moved to the States to marry my mother (they met in Israel just as my husband and I met in Israel). My father and husband are both archaeologists and travel to Israel every year to dig. The last time I was in Israel was 12 years ago. My husband and I moved there for the year so he could begin writing his dissertation. Since then, he has returned numerous times, once even with our now 13 year old daughter.
I had never done a bible study nor gone to church regularly during all my travels to the Holy Land. Since then I have become quite the Beth Moore junkie and I know I would have such a real appreciation for all the things I have already seen so many times, but never valued because I was so ignorant in my faith. I still have family that live there and hope that one day my other two children can travel there to meet my grandmother.
I just got back from a Holy Land trip with Tomoka Christian Church. God placed the pastor right next to me on the 12 hr. trip over there!! So, I ended up telling him my whole testimony. To keep this short, I had a very abusive childhood so when I left home, I completely rebelled against “religion”. God changed me in 1996 out of a lesbian lifestyle I had been in for 30 yrs. Since then I have been growing Spiritually and in my relationship with Christ, but I had not been baptised because when I was 8, my dad (Baptist minister) baptised me. I talked with the pastor about this, and he said that I could be baptised again, and I was baptised in the Jordan River. The pastor’s words were: “This is a very special day for Demcie. She is going to get rid of all her past away from God and she is going to come up a beloved daughter of God”. Through the tears, when I came back up, I shouted, “Hallelujah!!” That was on April 28th.
PS. I have been taking Beth Moore studies for about 6 or 7 yrs. now. BREAKING FREE was a breakthrough for me the first time and rededication to breaking free the second time. I have grown so much through your Bible studies, and I just want to thank you from the deepest place in my heart for all you have unknowingly taught me—not just head knowledge but oh so much heart knowledge. Your testimony of abuse has meant so much to me–thank you for being vulnerable.
I’m testing out Mom’s new gravatar.
Oh, I love that gravatar of Beth and her man. She looks so COMPLETE!!!
(And now we will know which Beth it is that is posting, since there seem to be so many Beths on this blog!
I visited the Holy Land in March and April of 2008…. my absolute favorite moment of that incredible journey was standing on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, in of Tiberias, towards dusk. I began praying quietly, very quietly, almost in FEAR of the reverence of this peaceful place. If there was EVER a moment that I felt God’s presence so palpable and real, it was right there. And it was right there, at that very moment, that my surrender was complete 🙂
Another thing that struck me was the fact that, although there may not be much that could be classed as geographically ‘spectacular’ about Israel, the entire country exudes – better yet, is soaked with – the magnificence of God’s provision throughout this land… just witnessing their irrigation system is just amazing to behold.
To the Moore crew and to LPM as a whole, have a safe, wonderful time in the Land Where Jesus Walked.
maria cristina
I pray for a safe journey
P.S. EXCUSE the appalling grammar of my previous post! YIKES-A!
I have never been but would love to one day. Not sure that will happen though as I have a disabled child to care for. I have seen beautiful pictures and my heart always pulses at the sight. God bless you all on your trip and I look forward to the diaries of your journies.
Love to all,
April S.
Port Orchard, WA
Hey Amanda – I was so excited (and a little delirious b/c it was so late and I really was so excited for you all) when I posted late last night – that I didn’t even ask the kajillion questions I’ve got bouncing around in my head about your upcoming trip. Probably you’ll bring us all up to speed in the next few days / weeks about the purpose, etc of your trip; but here are a couple questions that I do have 🙂
1) Is Beth videotaping a new Bible series?
2) How long will you all be in Israel?
3) Are you heading down to Egypt? I always thought it would be so fun for Beth to videotape a teaching on top of Mt Sinai right when the sun is coming up – but I’m sure you have the itinerary completely figured out by now. But still, I wanted to put in my two cents (or, two shekles!)
4) Can you share what your itinerary is — or, maybe we’ll pick this up via your posts…
5) I’M SO EXCITED FOR ALL OF YOU!!!! What a great time you will all have – esp w/the wonderful LPM ladies and your volunteers. I hope you take tons of pics and share a lot online with all of us.
6) and, I thought you were clever to take pics of your pics. Thanks for letting Siestaville go to the Middle East with you “online and in Spirit”
7) Please eat a falafel for all of us here back here on the home front!
–Can’t wait to hear more from the Moore’s!
I talk about it often to anyone who will listen. I know one day I will be there but I sure would like to go BEFORE the Rapture.
May you have more holy fun that you have imagined. Take lots of pictures and share!!!
Holy hugs, Kat…
I LONG TO WALK WHERE JESUS WALKED AND SEE ALL THE PLACES I’VE READ ABOUT IN THE BIBLE. I LONG TO WALK THE STREETS OF JERUSALEM. WHEN I MOVED TO THE AREA IN WHICH I WAS BORN AND SPENT MY VERY EARLY YEARS, I FELT AS THOUGH I COULD FEEL THE PAST ALL AROUND ME. I IMAGINE THAT BEING IN ISRAEL WOULD FEEL LIKE THAT…………ISRAEL………MY SPIRITUAL HOME……………CAN’T WAIT TO READ THE BLOG WHILE YOU’RE THERE. I WISH WISH WISH I WAS GOING WITH YOU. :))
As a young – too young to fully appreciate – Navy wife, I traveled to the Jerusalem when my husband’s ship pulled into port. Can you say “Honeymoon in the Holy Land” It was amazing! Favorites: Standing at the Sermon on the Mount site over looking the Sea. So Holy a site you can hear God breath! Climbing the Mount of Olives – it is a MOUNTain. Peeking over the wall of the Garden of Gethsemane. They used broken bottles at the top of the wall to keep people out when it is closed. Worked on me but I wanted so bad to go in! The closest to my heart was the Wailing Wall. Our hotel over looked the site and it was lit at night. I stayed up almost all night every night drinking in the scene. I put a prayer in the wall asking God to let me know Him more. Little did I know that He would bring me to Moore to help me know more. When you put a prayer in – which I know you will – please add one for all of us that love you so.
Walking up the steps to Caiaphas’s house . . . knowing Christ walked those very same steps . . . realizing I was walking in HIS dust. Very powerful.
Loved the pics of the Holy Land trip. Yes, it was an incredible trip and one everyone should take. My greatest memory was being baptized in the Jordan River!! I remember this like it happened yesterday! Awesome!
I don’t have a favorite memory of the Holy Land, YET! I am scheduled to leave for the Holy Land on June 14th, 2010. So far, my best and most awesome memory of this experience has been the incredible way God provided for this trip. I made the commitment but told God he would have to do it, cause I had no means to come up with the necessary funds. Leave it to the Almighty to provide every cent I needed and then some. I am so overwhelmed by his awesomeness and that, for whatever reason, He called me to do a work for him. Pray for our group, that we can touch lives! BLessings to you
Ok…as far as my tired worn out mama brain can recall-I have never posted a comment. but I am coming out of the shadows because I cannot believe that first picture!! I can’t get past the fact that you and Amanda look EXACTLY alike! wow! I looked at that picture for a long time just amazed! as for Israel…what an amazing trip that is going to be!
blessings~Heather
Heather, that first picture was me. I’m not sure how, but I managed to confuse a lot of people into thinking that was my mom. Sorry, y’all!
-Amanda
How AWESOME that you get to go to the Holy Land!!! Will be praying for your safe trip!!!
I have never been & not sure I’ll get to go but if I could, I would love to visit, the wailing wall, Solomon’s temple, the empty tomb, any place that Jesus was. Even the hill. So amazing to walk where He walked!!!
God be with you!
lovingly, Barb
My husband surprised me for our 5th Anniversay in 1995 with a trip to Israel. We loved it. What a memory maker for us. We loved it all and especially Masada and the Dead Sea. But, my favorite was the Garden Tomb where Jesus was laid. I had a neat experience there. We finally got our turn to go in the Tomb and while in there I was so moved that I was in tears…then I turn to walk out and on the door was a beam of sunlight shining right on the small sign that read, “He is not here, He is risen” My heart seemed to jump with joy. It was a real sense of what I call a God smile:-) Enjoy your trip sweet one.
We went with our church 2 years ago and hope we can go back again someday. I loved being able to touch the western wall and walk in the tunnel along side it, knowing Jesus walked there and that the same stones are still there is just almost too amazing to believe – suddenly His life does not seem so far in the past. Caperneum was special since He was there so much, but the wilderness road from Jerusalem to Jericho was the most shocking – I could never have imagined how rocky, how dry, how VAST and lacking in any vegetation thia area was, and yet Jesus and the disciples would have had to walk this way to reach Jerusalem. The valley of Armeggdon(can’t spell today) was also a sight I will never forget. I could go on and on, but if I could go back today, I would ask for an extra 10-15 minutes at each site, with no one lecturing or saying this was your chance to take pictures quickly and get back on the bus, but just letting you sit and stare into space and absorb the lecture you just got and picture the events that took place there – really think about what Jesus said and saw and felt and did when He was there. Be sure you find time to do this at least a few times.
1 – the mother/daughter overalls picture made me lol for reals
2 – Once upon a time, I was in Jerusalem staying at the Ecce Homo hostel.
Oh, Amanda, this just turned into a whole blog post.
love mis
i went to the Holy Land with my mom this past spring, and it was amazing! Jerusalem was my favorite, but especially the Garden Tomb. i also loved our trek over to Ben Yehuda street in search of our favorite Ayala Bar jewelry the morning before we left for the airport…..we had too much fun and had to sprint back to the hotel!
have a wonderful trip!
Hey Amanda, I just love the picture of you and your mom in overalls! My daughter and I have a mother-daughter picture of us in our overalls too and believe me she agrees with you that it is wrong, very wrong!
I went to Greece, Egypt and Israel with my church in 2007. I LOVED everything, but some highlights were climbing Mt Sinai (we rode camels forever, then climbed the rest of the way) to watch the sun rise; being baptized in the Jordan River; walking a few places we KNEW jesus had been; the empty tomb. I completely changed the way I read the Bible! Have fun!!!
I have been to Isreal two times. Loved it. My favorite place the first time was the empty tomb. Its really hard to have a favorite place, I loved all of it. Hope to get to go back one more time.Hope you have a wonderful time.
Oh how great! I was able to be a part of the taping in 2000 of “Jesus the One and Only” on site in Jerusalem. What a trip!! To sit under Beth’s teaching then step out into that precious land was in one word…sensory overload! Please Beth, arrange a big trip and take us all back soon. Once you go, your spirit cries to go back home. I know Jesus is everywhere but He is SOOO much THERE.
I went to Israel and here is a story from an experience I had,
Our group was in Shepherd’s field having alone time. The sky was dark with not one star in the sky. When i noticed our host of the group was standing a bit away from me and crying. I would usually avoid someone having a moment but I felt compelled to go over. She looked at me with tears and said I just want to see a star. So I said a quick prayer jesus give Wanda Jean a star and I looked around and no star. i felt a bit stupid and she said thanks and i walked away as her husband walked up. Moments later As I walked on with the group I looked up and saw the biggest brightest star! I ran through the group like a mad woman asking people if they could see it and they did but with a “who let this girl in our group” look!
Well when we got on the bus wanda jean shared a testimony of losing her baby and how being in bethlehelm and being in shepherd’s field brought so much emotion. She had asked Jesus for a star to show he was near, to remind her that her baby was safe. And she got one after I prayed. When I prayed I thought we just wanted a star not only did we get a star but one more confirmation that God is emmanuel. Thanks Jesus for using the heavens to show your love. O how you delight in us
How AWESOME!!! Thank you for sharing this memory and answered prayer!!!
lovingly, Barb
Thinking I may need to learn to zip myself up in a suitcase, like the lady Beth saw on Oprah, so I can be a stowaway on this trip!
You look just like Amanda I thought that was a picture of her!
Have never been but would love to go too! I love the idea of going for a special anniversary. I think the Garden of Gethsemane would be top of the list. Me and my husband are going to Turkey in 2 weeks and we might go and visit Ephesus. Just the idea that you can see places mentioned in the Bible is so exciting!!
I went to Israel aged 16 as part of a school trip. I had the most fantastic time with many great memories (and some not so great – I got a stomach bug and was sick -literally- at many famous sites, including the garden tomb)
However my best memory by far was being on the Sea of Galilee. It was so calm and peaceful and right in the middle a large Japanese group on our boat starting praising Jesus. The words were in a language I didn’t understand, but the tune, and the obvious worship and love for our savior was instantly recognisable. As a ‘baby’ Christian I was just floored to be reminded that God has children in every tribe and tongue. It was beautiful.
I’m pretty sure that it would be Absolutely Awesome to actually be in the very places where Jesus lived and breathed.
I spent three weeks in college touring Israel (life of Jesus) and Greece (Paul’s missionary journeys).
So many highlights, but tucking my life long secret prayers between me and my Father into the cracks of the Wailing Wall will forever stand out.
Mt. Massada, Jericho, swimming in the Dead Sea, and the site of the Dead Sea Scrolls were pretty stinking awesome as well.
I was blessed to go to the Holy Land February 2009 for 10 days with 9 other members of my church. It was an incredible, wonderful time. My favorite “fun” time was floating in the Dead Sea with our girlfriends from church. We laughed so much as we spread the healthy mud on our bodies and floated around the amazingly mysterious salty sea. The most profound was the “pit” under the High Priest’s home in Jerusalem. Probably the spot where Jesus spent His last night during the mock trials He was subjected to. Wow! We all cried seeing the blackness of that pit and knowing what He carried there for each one of us. Then we walked out into the courtyard where Peter would have denied Him. Grace, grace, grace … I will never forget His grace.
Hi, AJ and all
How I have dreamed of going to the Holy Land!! I even put a down payment on a trip several years ago–then came Desert Storm. Our trip was cancelled. Just to walk where Jesus walked–imagine Him on the Sea of Galilee–oh well. Have a great time and go for those of us who may never make it. Give my love to your precious children. Love ya!
One of my patients who is in her late 80’s went to the Holy Land in 1973 and 1979. She showed me several pictures and was truly touched by our sweet Jesus she had tears streaming down her face as she told be about visiting the tomb and no he wasn’t there and the note above the door. I can’t remember what it said but she was touched. She told me about kneeling down at the cross where Jesus died for her and how she thanked him. She said, Kelly Jo when you visit the Holy Land the Bible comes to life and you will never read it the same. She also told me that she went to the “wailing” wall by now you know I can’t spell and I’m not sure if I understand this to good but are there people still there crying???? and why are they crying? She said when I went to the garden to pray I felt God’s presence fall upon me! I’m thinking that is pretty powerful I wonder what it feels like. Oh YEAH I’ll be going to the Holy Land I don’t know when but I’m sure I’ll make it!! I’m focused 🙂 Can’t wait to hear about your trip I’ll be praying for you all. LOVE YOU
How fun! I know y’all will have a blast! I probably won’t get to visit the Holy Land until I step foot in the New Jerusalem, but I look forward to living vicariously through your adventures.
Those overall pictures brought back memories . . . I have pictures of me and my best friend sportin’ the ole overalls. I’m sure that trend will come back around by the time my baby is a teenager.
I got back from Israel yesterday morning. WOW! The warfare alone was an experience, but to to be in the presence of the Lord and have His word speak there was incredible. Everyday I read my Bible and the places we went to had to do with what I read. His very word spoken to me. It was 1 John and John 1 every where to behold and see and touch Him, the only begotten of the Father.. Everyone, pray for the peace f Jerusalem, the city of our God. I look forward to our fellowship in the New Jerusalem.
I’ve been to Isreal twice, in 2007 and 2008 with Christian groups. One highlight? WOW! Being baptized in the Jordon River was amazing! Standing on the shore of the Sea of Galilee and then riding a boat on it was beyond words- Just were Jeus was! Then, the experience of floating in the Dead Sea and seeing where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. WOW! The most meaningful place though was sitting in the Garden Tomb and having communion there as well as singing praises to God there. Now, when I read my Bible, I picture where things took place so much more realistically. It was also so amazing to see how close everything is with today’s transportation. It is a small nation, given to the Children of Isreal by God and preserved all these years. I cried when we drove out of the tunnel and saw Jerusalem for the first time with “Jerusalem” playing over the speakers of the bus. Someday we will rule with Jesus there, our future home.
How crazy is this? I’m going to be in Israel in a couple of weeks also! Specifically, the 14th through the 26th. I have been before in 1999, when I was a single parent with 2 boys (about 8 & 10 at the time). It was an amazing experience – lots of fun kid memories – especially my youngest being baptized in the Jordan river.
I had remarried in 2005 and my husband and I had planned to go to Israel together. Unfortunately, his health declined and we were not able to go. He passed away in January 2009. So when the opportunity for this trip came up, I knew I had to go. For my husband. For me. For the kids. I convinced my 2 boys to take off summer session from school (both are now in college) and join me – it’s probably the last real vacation we can do together before they go off and start their own lives. I know it will be a very emotional trip for me, but I am looking forward to what the Lord will be doing in all our lives while we are there. It would just be icing on the cake to run into a few Siestas while there!
Hope you have a wonderful trip and I will be praying for you.
Amanda,
To be in the land where Jesus’ blood allowed to be shed for me! No matter how many years or centuries pass the power in His blood will always be felt!
Praise Him!!
OM
I went to the Holy Land in Feb. 2008! Wow, what an experience, to be where our Lord and Savior walked and see all the wonderful places that He had been. My favorite was the Sea of Galilee, knowing that it had not been covered up with pavement, knowing that I was actually on the water that He walked on! My husband was baptized in the Jordan River, what a blessing! The whole trip took my breath away. The whole experience was breathtaking and the best trip that I have ever been on in my life!
Oh what I would give to be able to go on that trip! And to have Beth as a tour guide! I sure hope you are going to let us share some of what you experience.
I haven’t been to the Holy Land but it is at the top of my Bucket List! Would love to walk in the footsteps of Jesus, see the Temple Mount, Calvary, and on and on…… But until then, will follow your blog and look forward to pictures from you! What a wonderful BLESSING to experience! 🙂 Have a great time!! and by the way, our bible group is studying STEPPIN UP and it is such a wonderful experience for us all….