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Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Luke 23:34 There are two locations in Jerusalem where it is thought Jesus spoke these words. The first site is within the large and ornate Church of the Holy Sepulchre. At the top of steep stone steps is the Altar of Calvary. Here pilgrims line up to kneel and touch the rock believed to be where the cross of Jesus stood. The second setting is near the Garden Tomb. From one corner of the Garden you can see a craggy rock face. In it are hollows resembling the eyes and nose sockets of a skull, althoughRead More →

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I am pleased to share a sample of my brand new devotional e-book based on what God showed me during my recent trip to the Holy Land.  Focusing on ten ways that Jesus taught us to live differently, the e-book is filled with over 40 full-color travel photos and scripture graphics, thoughtful reflection questions and historical context to put you on the scene as Jesus brought a new way of living to his times and ours.  If you’d like the complete e-book emailed to you, click here to request your free copy.  Approach God Differently To get to the Western Wall in Jerusalem, you have to enterRead More →

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The piercing call to prayer from the minarets scattered around Jerusalem, prompting the city’s Muslim inhabitants of their duty to pray, can be a surprise to the first-time Christian pilgrim. The sound is a reminder Jerusalem is holy not only for Christians but for followers of Islam, too. The Dome of the Rock stands on the place where it is believed Mohammed ascended into heaven, which happens to be the foundations of the Jewish temple. This site has great significance for Jewish people, too. Jewish tradition teaches the Temple Mount is the focal point of creation. Many Jews come to the Western Wall, the onlyRead More →

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I stood under the showerhead on the beach and washed myself clean of the mud from the Dead Sea. Not far from the Dead Sea are the remains of ritual baths in Qumran, used by a community of people called the Essenes. The name means “pious ones.” These baths were used as part of their purification ceremonies, where they washed themselves clean numerous times a day. However, Lysa TerKeurst shared a better picture of how to become clean. It is an image drawn from the layout of the land of Israel. It begins north of the Sea of Galilee, and barely visible in the distance,Read More →

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The waves lapped gently onto the rocky shoreline. The lake shimmered and sparkled as the morning sun, still low in the sky, climbed higher in the sky. A gentle breeze rustled the reeds behind me, and blew my hair back from my face as I stood looking at the glistening water. This is where Jesus appeared for a third time to his disciples. Jesus watched his disciples from the same shoreline where I stood. Peter’s boat was not far from the shore. Fish like warmer shallower waters, and Peter had fished all night. Jesus beckoned for the disciples to come and join him, and heRead More →

experience

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Rough gravel crunched under foot where mottled sandy colored rocks littered the ground. The sun, still strong, began its descent in the sky behind us while the blue waters of the Sea of Galilee stretched out in front of us. The rocks made good seats to rest on after the short but steep walk, and from which to sit and listen. Mount Arbel is the kind of place where you would like to slip away and be alone—just you, your thoughts, and the Gospel of Mark. Jesus went up on a mountainside alone to pray, Mark tells us. That mountain overlooked the Sea of Galilee.Read More →

dead places

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A steep descent to below sea level from Jerusalem, we are in the Judean wilderness. The sun burned the back of my neck even in the warm dry breeze. This is where Jesus faced temptation for forty days. The Dead Sea and Masada are our destinations. You don’t expect to find much living in these locations. Yet life can be found in surprising places. Not a single creature exists in the salty, murky waters of the Dead Sea. Yet, the waters are rich in life-giving and healing minerals. Digging my fingers into the bottom I scoop up black slimy mud and smear it on myRead More →

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Looking gnarled, lined and thick around the middle is not how we desire to be. Our culture does not look at age with kind eyes. Instead, youthfulness is revered. Yet, we can learn from the ancient olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane. They stand dignified under the walls of Jerusalem.  Solid and still bearing fruit. If only we viewed each additional year of our lives as an opportunity to produce worthwhile results instead of longing to go back. Some of the trees are thought to be more than two thousand years old. These are the actual trees under which Jesus and his disciples likedRead More →

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Note:  This is the first post during my trip to the Holy Land with Lysa TerKeurst and Proverbs 31 Ministries.  I pray you are blessed by following along with me as I walk where Jesus walked. The slabs of limestone still make a distinct path down the hill where the soldiers dragged a bound Jesus. I stood in my Nikes on the rocks—stones on which Jesus stood on that fateful evening. On the left, white rectangular boulders made in a distinctive outline of a building marking the site of Annas’ House. This is where the soldiers took Jesus first after they had seized him inRead More →

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I’m packing my bags. This time next week we will be in Israel on the Proverbs 31 Holy Land Experience with Lysa TerKeurst. No need for you to pack your suitcase, though. Just sit back and be refreshed. I, on the other hand, must get ready. The truth is, I’m procrastinating, not packing. I always have a hard time deciding what to take with me. I want to pack my whole closet—just in case. Considering how much I travel, you’d think I’d be better at this task. Deciding on books to bring with me is easy though, and I hope these add depth to our experience,Read More →