Hello!

Today has been a day that I never imagined. As I write these very words, I am but a few hundred yards from the very place where the Savior of the world was buried and rose again.

I say that I never imagined I would be here because just a few years ago I didn't have that much interest in visiting here. But as I boarded the final plane to Tel Aviv this evening (or yesterday - I'm not sure yet how to specificy what day it is here in relation to what day it is in the US) my heart began to soften in a way that I was not prepared for. I will share more about that later. But here we are. I am in Israel for the next 13 days with some really great people. Many of these people are young adults from our First Pres community, some are family (see my neice JoBi in the picture!) and others are either sweet FPCE family or new friends we've just met. We started preparing for this trip in 2019, but due to Covid, and all the other world events of the past couple of years, it's taken until now to get here. Over the next 13 days our team of twenty will embark on a pilgrimage. We will walk the footsteps of Jesus. We will sit in the grass and the dirt and on the rocks of the Holy Land with the living Word of God in our hands and we will look upon the places where the stories actually took place with our very own eyes.

I have wrestled with the idea of writing about this journey for a few days now. I had finally decided that I probably wasn't going to do it. We will be very busy the next two weeks traveling all around Israel and I am likely going to be very tired in the afternoons and evenings. But once we sat down on the final plane this evening and I looked around, and I heard the languages of the Holy Land being spoken, and I saw the faces of the people all around me. What my eyes saw began to shift my heart. I just kept thinking to myself. This is the face of Jesus. Obviously, I am well aware that Jesus wasn't a white, English speaking guy like me. I've known that for a long time. But for reasons of which I am not yet sure... as I sat on that plane tonight my mind just kept saying, this is the face of Jesus. And it didn't stop there. Once we landed in Tel Aviv and we made our way through the airport I just kept seeing his face. I saw his face as we boarded the train to Jerusalem and again as we walked the streets of the Old City. And my heart lept every time I saw it. It was almost as though my heart kept saying - "there he is again", "there he is again"!

Friends, it has been a long journey to get here - in more ways than I can express. But tonight, as I sit and think about the days that lie ahead and the adventure we will take, I want to invite you to follow along as I share our experience here in Israel. I have come to believe that God has ordained this trip. I am anticipating, with open arms, what he will allow us to experience.

Each day I will do my best to give you a brief overview where we went and what we did that day, but more importantly I want to share with you what Jesus is teaching me each day. So, for today, let me say this. Today, I saw the face of Jesus. I saw it on multiple faces and in many different forms. I wasn't expecting to. But I did. And it reminded me that my Savior physically walked this earth. He became flesh. He dwelt among us.

Where did you see Jesus today?

As Day 2 draws to an end, let me be honest from the outset. The Holy Land is likely much different than you have pictured in your head. Don't get me wrong, its beautiful and stunning in totally unexpected ways... but unfortunately, (and also fortunately) some of the most significant places you can visit in the modern Holy Land look nothing like the illustration you have likely developed in your mind over the years. That isn't to say that your image is wrong. The image you have in your mind may be more like the reality of it when Jesus walked this earth (it's probably not, FYI) but in any case, the Holy Land is a very complicated slice of the world that has been conquered, demolished, rebuilt, re-conquered, shifted, and established, only to be re-established again. And that definitely includes some of the Biblical sites.

Today, was a fascinating day. But it was also complicated. Complicated for a couple of reasons. First, we began our day traveling to Bethlehem to visit the place of Jesus' birth. We made it within a few miles of there only to find out that we would not be able to cross the border into that part of the country today (or so we were told). It's a long story, that's really not all that important... In short, after making a trip over to the US Embassy we found a route into Bethlehem. The second reason that it was complicated is that as we made our way to the Church of the Nativity, which is on top of the site that is very likely the birthplace of Jesus and the home of Josephs family, it began to dawn on me that I would have to change the lens through which I saw some of these sites. The Church of the Nativity is a beautiful building (see some pictures below) and it a great experience. But, it can be complicated for your mind to connect this massive stone building to the reality of Jesus' birth. The Church sits on the land, including the caves that would have likely belonged to Josephs family. After you enter the church you can go down into those caves and walk through the rooms. That is somewhat helpful as you can start to put together the Biblical story a little bit more. But, nonetheless, the version of the Nativity that I was told growing up did not include a massive stone church on top of Jesus' manger! This is what I mean when I say "beautifully difficult". These sites are beautiful. They inspire awe and reverence. But, they complicate the picture you have in your mind when you arrive. With that in mind, it could be easy to simply take the environment for what it is, which is very busy and noisy and massive... But, if you choose to do that, you might miss the bigger picture. So it takes some work to deconstruct what currently exists and to frame in your mind what the environment and context would have been like two thousand years ago. But, its very possible to do. And even if it takes a little work, simply being on this soil and experiencing this place that the Bible speaks of, is unbelievable.

In the picture above you can see me holding a piece of art that my daughter drew before I left Oklahoma. It's her rendition of our house with our dogs. I am holding her art right above the caves where Jesus would have been born. Jesus first house. In John 1:14 God's Word tells us that "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us". He became flesh in the rooms where I walked today. The God that created... became creation. He put on flesh and he began a journey that only he could take. I am so looking forward to seeing more of that journey in the days ahead. But tonight, I'm reminded that if I can let go of the phsical image I may have had in my mind, then I can be open to receiving the spiritual truth more fully. Certainly, it's remarkable to see the very place where the incarnation happened. Where Jesus took on flesh. But it's even more amazing that the Creator so loved this beautifully difficult world that he put on flesh so that he could redeem it.

Where in your life does God need you to let go of the physical reality that may exist, so that he can more fully give you the spiritual truth you need?

I will never forget today. Some days are etched in your memory in such a way that you know with total confidence that almost every detail will be rememered, and today is certainly one of those days.

Our pilgrimage today began at the Jordan River. It's very likely that the place that we were at today is where the Israelites crossed into the promiseland. Not to mention the fact that Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River! As if the being at the very site of those two enourmous Biblical moments weren't enough, the Lord granted me something very sweet and personal today as well. I was privelged to baptize my neice - JoBi (pictured to the left), a young adult in our church that is like a brother to me - Will (pictured below), and to participate in the baptism of the sweetest young lady whose family is like family to me, Chloe Reid. Several others from our group were baptized today as well! I will treasure this day and those baptisms forever. Baptism has always been one of my most favorite spiritual markers to be priveleged to be a part of in the life of a Believer, and to be able to do them in the Jordan River was surreal. I am so excited to watch as God continues to lead each person who took that step of faith today.

As we finished our time at the Jordan River we drove to the nearby Wadi Qelt. This is the place where Jesus went after being baptized by John the Baptist and spent 40 intense days. The Wadi Qelt is massive. It's hot. And it's a lot to take in. Think of it as the Grand Canyon of Israel. While there, our group had a picnic at the top of the canyon (pictured below) and then walked down into the bottom where there was a small flowing stream and lots of little caves to explore. Our group discovered one of these caves and climbed inside! While we certainly have no archealogical or Scriptural evidence that Jesus was ever in the cave we climbed into, it genuinely took my breath away when I climbed inside and thought about the reality that Jesus himself may have found shelter from the hot sun in that very cave. Again, a moment I won't forget.

What a blessing today was. So much to celebrate in the new life given through Jesus Christ and so much adventure wrapped into two more places here in the Holy Land.

As I have reflected back on today, the Scripture in Matthew 3:17 continues to come to mind. It tells us that after Jesus was baptized "a voice from Heaven said 'this is my son, with whom I am well pleased'". I was reminded today that these words are true about each of us as followers of Jesus. Not because of anything we have done to earn God's pleasure, but because Jesus - the one who took away the sins of the World - is the one whom God the Father sees when he looks at us. Jesus came to this earth, put on flesh, died on the cross, rose to life, and redeemed the relationship between God and mankind, and because of that, there is nothing I must to do to earn God's favor. When he looks at me - he says "I am well pleaed", because he sees the face of Jesus. When he looks at you, he says "I am well pleased" because he sees the face of Jesus. It can be easy to forget that I don't need to earn or achieve God's love. I just need to live into it.

Today, may you know and be reminded that because of Jesus you don't have to earn God's good pleasure and love towards you. He is well pleased.

I knew this day was coming, and there will likely be more. But, as I sit to journal about the day I'm afraid there's just too much to describe here. I've thought a lot about the process of sharing this journey online and the difficulty of wanting to share each little detail with you and to unpack the fullness of each day. As much as I, the writer, and the one on this adventure would love that - I know that after a couple of paragraphs you will be ready to move on.

While there has certainly been a lot more to write about in the previous days than I have previously shared, today is the first day that I truly am struggling with which parts to share. So, I'll quickly give you an overview of where we went today, and then I'll share a couple thoughts.

Yesterday, once we had seen and experienced the Wadi Qelt, we drove the two hours North to Nazareth, found our next guest house, ate dinner (I hope to write about the food soon) and crashed! Our group is having an amazing time and as with every ministry trip I have ever taken, it's a blessing to watch new friendships form and for people that have never met each other to sit and share meals with one another. Even as I reflect on that simple truth, I am giving praise for those blessings!

This morning, we made our way to a place called Nazareth Village. It's a place that unlike most of the other places here in Israel, has not had any construction on it since the time of Jesus. Archaelogists did find the remains of a vineyard here, and it's now the site of a reconstructed "Nazareth experience". But it's so much more than that. This place gives you the context and understanding you MUST have to be able to truly understand these sites and to see Scripture in an entirely new and accurate way. If you come to Israel, go to Nazareth Village. It will help you make sense of everything else.

After Nazareth Village, we went to the Church of the Annunciation. I hope that at some point I will be able to write about why these churches are over the top of many of these Holy sites. There is actually a really great explanation but I would want to be sure I do it justice when explaining it. For now, lets leave it to say, that while it does complicate the reality of seeing these sites in their orginal form, I am so grateful for all of the work and dedication of the generations of Believers before us who have gone to excruciating lengths to preserve and protect these sites. While I may not be able to fully appreciate the types of churches that have been built over them, I am so grateful they are there and that the sites are protected and held in reverence. The Church of the Annunciation is over the top of Mary, the mother of Jesus, original home. It would have been the place where Mary would have been visited by the angel Gabriel and told that she would bear the son, Jesus (Luke 1:26-38). This is an absolutely giant church that truly is stunning in size and scope. And right in the middle you can look down into Mary's home. Truly amazing.

After that we walked up the hill to a convent. The convent is home to the Sisters of Nazareth and there we met Sister Margaret who is 91 years young, and truly a gem! She took us inside and led us down several flights of stairs. What lay beneath will take your breath away. Beneath the convent is the home of Joseph and Mary, as well as Jospeh's tomb. This site was remarkable, in more ways than I can express. It will take me several days to process what we witnessed here. The photo above is the door to the family home. A door that Jesus would have walked in and out of on a daily basis for many, many years.

As I have already said, I could write about each of these places and likely fill an entire book with my thoughts. But, the family home of Joseph truly surprised me how much it meant to me.

One of the reasons that they have been able to identiy this as their home is because of the tomb. Josephs tomb is but a few feet (maybe 15-20) away from the home. And this would have been very unusual for this time, in fact, generally not even allowed. But the expection would likely have been made only for Joseph. Because Joseph, the father of Jesus, was known as the "righteous man" (Matthew 1:19). No other tomb would likely have been allowed to be built inside the city walls and right next to a home.

After visiting this site, our team went up and worshipped in the chapel above it where the Sisters worship. A beautiful chapel. But today it wasn't the chapel or the architecture, or the archaeology that moved me. I was overcome with emotion as I thought about Joseph, a righteous man. A good husband. A man of integrity. A man committed to God's law. A dad that loved his family and his son, Jesus. A man that was so loved by his community that his tomb was built inside the city walls. What kind of man he must have been! As I thought about this man, maybe for the first time in my life today, I wept. I sat in the chapel and just cried.

Certainly, I strive to follow Jesus. He is my savior and the one whom I pledge my allegiance. But, oh to stop and think about the man who raised Jesus. May I too, be known as a righteous man. A man who loves his wife and daughter. A man who loves his Savior. And a man who is loved by his community.

Today, I encourage you to stop and consider how you might be known? Would those who know you best call you a "righteous person"? What about your spouse and children? May you reflect on this and allow God to do what he needs to do so that these words may be so true of you as well.

Tonight, as I write these words I’m sitting in one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. That is not a sentence that I say lightly, because I’ve seen some breath-taking sceneries.

Certainly, the lodging at our guest house tonight is great, and the food and outdoor terrace are absolutely incredible (something out of a movie, really). But those pale in comparison to the fact that at this very moment I am sitting on a terrace, a mere thirty yards or less from the water’s edge of the Sea of Galilee. This is a place that I never knew I wanted to come, but now that I sit here, it’s almost as though I’ve fulfilled a dream, I never knew I had. Right now, I am sitting underneath the beautiful terrace lights, listening to the crickets (or whatever the insects are that sound very similar to crickets here in Israel), gazing off into the water (where every now and then I can hear a fish jump!), watching figs fall from the tree coming up out of this terrace, and very faintly, I can hear music playing. I’m not sure where it’s coming from, but it’s likely from another community somewhere further along the sea.

Just a few hours ago, as our vans pulled into the guest house that we will be at for the next four days – a beautiful water’s edge guest house along the shores of the Sea of Galilee – I took my bags to my room, changed into my swimsuit, and quickly made my way down to the water. As my feet stepped into the beautiful cool water with the smoothest pebbles of white and black covering the ground instead of sand, chills went up my spine. Not because of the cool water – although water was actually very refreshing after a really hot day – but because I was standing in the Sea of Galilee. This is a body of water and an area of Israel that is spoken of on so many occasions in Scripture. And this afternoon I had the unbelievable privilege to actually swim in that water!

Refreshing? Yes.

Mind blowing? You better believe it!

Myself and several others from our group swam about 150 yards out from the shore and just stayed there, treading water, for what felt like hours but was probably only ten minutes or so… but we were unable to talk about much more than the fact that we were now literally immersed in the place where the Gospel of Jesus Christ was birthed. It was at this very body of water that Jesus began to call his disciples to follow after him, and from that point forward, his message and the reality of redemption would begin. Tonight, as I look out over this water, I’m reflecting on the fact that the world was forever changed right here. Not just at the shores of this body of water, but all over this very region. The first flames of the Gospel were lit right here, and it was about to fan into a flame that would change the world. Everything changed here.

Today was such an adventure. We began at Mount Precipice, a very high hilltop just outside the busyness of the city of Nazareth. Although there is speculation and legend that this could have been a place where the crowds took Jesus after he had first preached in the synagogue, and they were not sure what to make of the fact that he had identified himself as the Messiah (Luke 4:29-30) it’s not verifiable that this was the exact location. Nevertheless, it’s a beautiful hilltop view that overlooks Nazareth and the Jezreel valley. From here, our group sang out in worship, read from God’s Word and prayed together. We reflected on God’s beauty and on the fact that Jesus grew up running around this little town and became a man here. This was his hometown, and from this place would emerge a man who would walk all over this country living a life that re-oriented the way people understood God and eternity.

From there, I’ll be honest that I’m not entirely sure how long we travelled (not too long, I think) as I fell asleep in the back of the van. My body is still trying to figure out this whole being on the other side of the world time clock stuff. I am told that at some point we ended up at the wrong location next, but apparently we eventually found our way to Sepphoris. This is an archaeological site where they have uncovered the remains of a Jewish, but Roman city. Sound strange? It is. There is so much history to unpack at this site – much more than I can do here, or that I even understand at this point (this site is a mixed bag of so many different people groups and time periods), but the reason for our visit was because this city was not all that far from Nazareth. Why is that important? Because Jesus and his father were builders/carpenters and they likely would have helped build this city, at least in one of its forms. The site is filled with beautiful and interesting remains of homes, several of which contained some fascinating mosaics. Our group picnicked at Sepphoris, and then loaded the vans and drove to the Mount Arbel. These are the cliffs that overlook the Galilee region. From the top you can see pretty much the entire Sea of Galilee and all the surrounding communities. It was a small hike up to the top of the cliffs, but the view was nothing short of extraordinary.

After we hiked back down to the vans, we made our way to our guest house, where we will be staying for the next four days. As I mentioned, this guest house and its location is truly a special place. I am so grateful to the couple who plans this pilgrimage for discovering this place and making it happen that we could be here. Most “Israel tour groups” do not get to stay where we are staying, and that is something I can’t emphasize enough about the uniqueness of this adventure.

Tonight as I reflect on this adventure thus far, I am reminded of what our Savior Jesus did best. He sat with people, many times who were different than him, and he talked to them. He ate with them. He laughed with them. He made them family. As our group gathered for our final instructions tonight after dinner, it was so beautiful to see that after we had prayed together, much of the group stuck around on the terrace for another hour or so. They laughed, they played games, and they became family. The resurrected Jesus is still bringing people together.

As you reflect on your own story, is there some area or person or group of people in your own life right now, that although it may seem a bit foreign or out of your comfort zone – that God might be inviting you to take a step of faith and get to know? Too often, we flock to those who look the most like us or seem the easiest to get to know. But maybe God would like to introduce you to someone that changes your life? Or maybe, you change theirs? And just maybe, in that new relationship you will see the face of Jesus.

Today, I looked at Eric (our Lead Pastor and primary teacher for this pilgrimage) and said the words, “it will be hard for you to beat the experience you just gave me”.

I said these words to him as we were leaving the boat dock of the St. Francis sailing company. We had just spent the past hour out leisurely cruising the Sea of Galilee by boat! For those of you that know me well, you know that boats mean a lot to me. I love boats. I grew up boating and it was one of the very special connections that my brother and I had with our dad. Spending time on the water and boating, in particular, was something our family did a lot growing up. It was where we rested and where we played. Today, as my niece and I looked out over the bow of the boat, staring out across the Sea of Galilee, we both agreed that my dad was very, very pleased that we were getting to experience this. Certainly, dad is experiencing so much more joy than we could possibly imagine right now, as he spends eternity in the presence of Jesus – but I know that he would have been so thrilled to know that we had sailed the Sea of Galilee! As we sailed out into the water, our team laughed, we sang, we read Scripture, and we danced! It was a truly wonderful hour. I know now why Jesus spent so much time in this part of the country. It’s beautiful. (I’m sure he had other reasons too).

Our morning began with a journey over to Capernaum (not far from our guest house, just a few miles around the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee). This was a very important city in Scripture, as it’s the place where Jesus lived, once he had begun his ministry. Although Jesus grew up in Nazareth, once he began his formal ministry, he moved in with Peter and Andrew in Capernaum. Today, you can find the remains of what archaeologists and church history tells us is likely the home they all would have lived in. There are many factors they have used to discern the likelihood of this, and although they can’t guarantee it (which is often the case with archaeology) the case they make for it being their home is very strong. Today, over the top of the home you will find another beautiful church. This one is much simpler than all the other churches that have been built on top of Holy sites, and I’m grateful for that. It’s an interesting church as far as shape and size (see photo’s below), but again, right in the middle you can look down through the glass floor of the church into the home of Peter, Andrew, and Jesus. Really cool. Just about fifty yards away is the remnants of a synagogue. The synagogue that is there today would not have been the one that Jesus would have taught in, but it is built directly on top of the one Jesus would have frequently taught in and has a very similar layout. Truly amazing to stand in "Jesus neighborhood" and look back and forth from his home to his synagogue (all the while the absolutely stunning Sea of Galilee stretching across the backdrop of all of this, a mere 40 or so yards away!)

From Capernaum, we traveled back around the shores of the Sea of Galilee and boarded our boat. This was an experience that I wasn’t expecting to be so emotional. Obviously, I love boats - but this was just awesome. This was the very lake that Jesus walked on water on (Matthew 14:28-29)! This was the lake that Jesus called out to his disciples to come and follow him! This was the lake that Jesus spoke to a storm and told it to be still! This was the lake where Jesus met Peter after his resurection and offered forgiveness and told him he still had a mission to do! What power this lake symbolizes!

After our boating excursion we went inside the museum that is at the site of the boat docks and saw the remains of a boat that was discovered when the Sea of Galilee’s water level got very low many years ago. This boat (seen below) is believed to be one very similar to the kind that Jesus and his disciples would have gone back and forth across the Sea of Galilee in (they are able to date the time period of this boat back to that time). This would have also been similar to the kind of boat that Peter and Andrew used for fishing. The preservation of this boat is quite remarkable. It was a massive undertaking to remove this boat from the sea bed, preserve it, and move it to a permanent location for the public to see. They did an amazing job.

After we left that part of the region, we drove into a nearby town and had lunch (falafels!), spent about an hour in a grocery store stocking up on sweets and picnic essentials, and then came back to our guest house and swam in the Sea of Galilee some more (you can't get enough of that).

As I reflect on today’s adventures, I can’t quit thinking about the expectations I had for this trip before we got here. Certainly, I was looking forward to seeing these sites and knew that this was a trip that would really bring Scripture to life… but I keep being caught off guard by the emotional impact that some of these sites have on me. They are all uniquely sacred and wonderful, but it catches me off guard how some of these experiences make my heart race and find me struggling to really put words together. Even so, I know that these are just earthly sites that in the grand picture of eternity are not necessarily uniquely “holy”. All of God’s creation is holy and worth stopping and pausing and reflecting upon.

What about you though? Have you ever had a moment that you had a certain expectation about, only to have God meet you there in an unexpected and unusually powerful way and leave you totally speechless? That’s a kairos moment. A moment that you bump into the Lord in a way that alters how you move forward. May we all be deeply aware of these moments in our lives and may we give glory to God for how they give us life and move us forward in a new direction.

Today was hot! Thankfully, I have managed to avoid a sunburn so far… which is not necessarily the case for everyone, although I think most are doing pretty well! But we definitely experienced the Israel heat today and I think it is looking like even more so tomorrow as its expected to be 106 degrees tomorrow! I love the heat though, and I’m actually looking forward to seeing what it feels like here tomorrow!

Our day began with another great meal around the breakfast table. I really look forward to our meals together as a group. These have become such a wonderful time to fellowship with one another and laugh and create memories. After breakfast we loaded up the vans and drove the very short distance up into the hills to the localization site (meaning the general area) where it is believed the Sermon On The Mount took place (Matthew 5:1-16). There is a beautiful chapel on the hillside there with a breathtaking view of the Sea of Galilee that is surrounded by some beautiful gardens and little limestone pathways darting throughout. Our group paused here for a time of reflection as we considered our own journeys of allowing the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts. It was absolutely beautiful to spend time in the place where Jesus would have given a sermon that was so counter-cultural and remains counter-cultural even today.

From there we drove back down to the area where it is believed that Jesus fed five thousand men, plus women and children. At this location was a was a beautiful little chapel with a long path that led down to the water’s edge. At the water’s edge was a very simple but powerful outdoor chapel-like gathering space where our group held a communion service. We prayed together, we sang together, we were taught from the Scriptures, and we broke bread together. This is what Jesus told us to do in His word, and it was so life-giving to do it as a body of Jesus followers here in a place where our Savior fed thousands with but a few pieces of bread and some fish. As we took communion and reflected upon the Scriptures, I was reminded of the call upon our lives to go and do as Jesus did. We do not have to have the food, just as Jesus disciples didn’t have any food to feed the people who had gathered, we simply need to obey. Jesus will feed them. He is the bread of life. He is the living water. I have nothing to offer the world, except to point them to Jesus.

After our time of communion, we drove back into a nearby town and had the most American lunch we have had yet (the large sign out front read “Angus Beef”)! It was a treat. We ate hamburgers, chicken steaks, french fries, chicken strips and kabobs. Although I have genuinely enjoyed every meal we have had here, it was a nice change to have a taste of home!

After lunch we literally drove across the street to what looked like a seaside resort. In fact, not knowing what was next on the agenda for the day, when we first walked into the lobby of the place I said, “where are we, a resort!?”. Well, we were actually at a beautiful seaside resort! Interestingly though, when they were building the resort, just a few years ago, they discovered a very important Biblical community on the property known as Magdala! You heard that right – these particular remnants were just found in recent years! While working on the new seaside resort, they accidentally unearthed this city which caused them to stop construction for many years while they worked with the Israel Antiquities people. Eventually they realized that what they found in this area is truly amazing. Not only did they find the city that Mary Magdalene would have lived in, the woman who played a very important role in Jesus’ life (Jesus healed her, she supported his ministry with her resources, she witnessed his crucifixion, and she was the first person to see Jesus after his resurrection) but they also found a synagogue. Not just any synagogue, but one that specifically dates to the time of Jesus – and very likely one that Jesus himself would have taught in! Truly an unbelievable find! (Most of the other synagogue ruins that have been found were ones that were built over the top of ones Jesus would have taught in).

While we were walking around the ruins of this ancient city, Eric mentioned that he had professors in seminary who had remarked that this city likely didn’t actually exist. That it was probable that the Biblical accounts regarding this place were fictional in nature. But here we are, two thousand years later, still finding, and uncovering truths that reaffirm Scripture - just as it's written!

I thought a lot about that notion today. This idea that people thought it didn’t exist, simply because they hadn’t found it yet. But God, in his glory, reveals it in his time. And there can no longer be any doubt.

I wonder, how often I have thought something couldn’t be true, simply because I hadn’t seen it with own eyes? Simply because it hadn’t been proven. Today, I walked in the gardens where Jesus told us what it looked like to be counter cultural. I took communion at the place where he fed thousands with less food than I ate for dinner tonight. I walked in the ruins of a city that Christian, Biblical professors and scholars had said didn’t actually exist.

I love how God’s truth doesn’t depend on human evidence.

May this be something you reflect upon in your own life. Are there things that you have wondered about or maybe even things that you need, but you have struggled to believe for them because you lack the “evidence”? Certainly, it’s a gift to walk here in these places and see them with my own eyes… but may we not bank our faith simply on the things we can tangibly prove or see. May our faith be built upon the belief and the faith that Jesus conquered sin and death and because of that, the power of the Holy Spirit resides within each of us. I love the miracles of Jesus because they show us time and time again that our faith is not of this world!

As Day 8 winds down, I am sitting in my room at our guest house tonight listening to the old song “Big House” by Audio Adrenaline. Anyone remember this song? If so, comment on either my Facebook or Instagram! I have very distinct memories of driving around with my sister growing up listening to this song on cassette tape. I can still remember most of the motions that go with it too!

Why am I listening to this song? Great question. I certainly didn’t expect to have this song stuck in my head when the day started, but I was so moved by one of the sites that I saw today that could actually be directly connected to this song. Who knew?!

Our day began way up in the hills on the East side of the Sea of Galilee. I wish I had the time and space to write about the adventure that took place to get to our first site, but I’m sure those of you who are following along who have relatives or friends on this trip will likely hear the story, if you haven’t already. For the rest of you, let me suffice it to say - we took a wrong turn and found ourselves in a cow pasture surrounded by cows, who were just as confused as to why we were there as we were. And for those of you who are thinking to yourself – “this sounds about like a normal ministry experience that Brett would get in to”, I actually had nothing to do with this one! There’s a lot more to this story, much of which significantly raised my stress levels, but it’s not important – we eventually made it back to real streets and carried on to our first site. Our first site today was the city of Hippos. As we parked the vans and began walking the long sidewalk further up into the hills where supposedly the city was, I was pretty unimpressed with what I could see of this site. I wasn’t sure why this would be a stop on our trip. That is, until we crested the hilltop and found the remains of this city, Hippos. What a marvel of a city this is, and certainly would have been. They would have even had some form of running water, way up in the hills! The rock pipes they built are still there (see picture below). I’m still studying up on exactly the history of this city, as it has a really long history, dating back to before the birth of Jesus even. So, with that in mind, it’s important to understand that this city has been through a lot. There have been multiple people groups who have inhabited it and conquered it. As such, the city does have some pagan worship roots. However, it was also a Christian city at one point as well. This mix-match of people groups and worship makes for a really interesting city. But the ruins are just remarkable, and how fun it was for our group to be at a site that you are relatively free to roam around and just explore. One thing that we briefly discussed while we were at this city was the Old Testament idol and pagan worship of “high places”. This site would have fit that description well, in regards to the fact that it was way up in the hills and would have been a site of idol worship. I hope to possibly write more thoughts about the Scriptural command to eradicate the “high places” and what that looks like in our own lives at some point in the next couple of days, but we will see what this adventure holds!

From Hippos, we drove back down the hills a little way to what was originally believed to be Bethsaida. More recently they have come to believe that this particular site may not actually be the exact location of Bethsaida (there are a couple of different sites they are trying to discern), but regardless, it is in fact a fortified section of the Kingdom of Geshur (King David’s third wife was the daughter of the King of this Kingdom). Also, Jesus disciples, Simon, Andrew, and Philip all originally came from this town. Again, a site with so much interesting history. One thing that I found really interesting at this site was right inside the city gate. At the city gate you get a first-hand picture of what it means in Scripture when it talks about the elders sitting at the city gates. Right as you walk through the gate of this town you find four large cut outs in the walls – two on either side (see picture below). This is where you would find the elders of the town who would essentially act as judges for the community and settle disputes, etc. For a New Testament perspective on this town, Jesus healed a blindman here (Mark 8:22-26). Our group had a really meaningful time of prayer for healing for some of the guys in our group while we were at this site.

At this point in the day, we were getting hot and hungry! So, we made our way a little further down the hill to one more archaeological site, that is actually still an active dig site. This is the town of Chorazin. Here our group had a picnic and spent some time worshipping and hearing from God’s Word. Unfortunately, as you explore this city, you will clearly see that this too was a city that dealt with idol and pagan worship, as is clearly indicated by the fourth century synagogue in this town. You can tell a lot about the type of worship that went on in a town based on how they designed their synagogue (this synagogue is the cover photo, today). However, right across the street from the synagogue was something that was sort of unusual in Jesus’ time – and this is where I began to recall the song “Big House”. Just to the East of the synagogue sits a very large home. Clearly, the home of someone very wealthy. As you enter the remains of this home it is clear that this home had many rooms. Why does this matter? Again, this type of very large home with a sprawling courtyard and many rooms was very unusual, and Jesus would have seen this home on several occasions as he came through this city. It could be, that this home was what Jesus was thinking of when he says in John 14:2 – “in my Father’s house are many rooms, if it were not so would I have told you that I was going to prepare a place for you”. Wow. To think that as Jesus spoke these words this was the image that the people who heard him would have immediately thought of. A big house, with many rooms.

Why did this particular thought strike me today? Because as adopted sons and daughter of the King, he is preparing rooms for us in his house. His oikos. You have a room being prepared for you. I have a room being prepared for me. We will live in his house together, forever. As we come and go, we will see the face of Jesus.

May you be reminded today that whatever “home” circumstances you may have right now, whether they are wonderful or not so great. Jesus is preparing a new home for you. A home with many rooms.

Today’s adventure has me totally wiped out. The past several days have been hot and the heat alone can take the energy out of you, not to mention the walking and hiking we’ve done along with it. I had never even heard of something called “liquid iv” before this trip, but now they are my new best friend. We put some serious mileage under our feet today. There is some dispute amongst the apple watches in the group about how many total miles exactly that we walked today, but it is somewhere between six and nine (I'm not sure how there could be such a big difference)! After dinner and a shorter worship service tonight, I think pretty much everyone went to their rooms and crashed!

Our day began by heading further north. The Sea of Galilee and the guest house we have been staying at the past four nights is pretty far north in Israel, but some really important and interesting sites are further still. Our first stop was at a hill called Gamla. You may not recognize the name, but you would probably remember one particular people group that were from Gamla, which is the Zealots. Who were the Zealots? That’s a complicated answer, but essentially, they were people who were overly zealous for God/religion and that zeal was often transferred into really dramatic things. It’s important to understand this because Gamla, as I previously mentioned, was literally built on and into a giant hill that is protruding out of the ground. The city is described as literally building and homes that were stacked on top of one another cascading up this hill. You can see this hill and the ruins for miles away. The major chunk of our hiking today was down a winding pathway that led the base of Gamla, and then we hiked all the way to the top of Gamla – a serious task! Once you reach the top you can see all the way back to the Sea of Galilee, which is nearly 10 miles away. Why does any of this matter? Well, not only can you see the Sea of Galilee, but just before the shoreline is a very important town that we visited just a few days ago… Capernaum. Remember, Capernaum is where Jesus lived. So, what’s the point? Well, it is very likely that at night, from Capernaum you could turn and see the lights of Gamla – a city that was built on a very high hill. Sounding familiar yet? In Matthew 5:14 we see Jesus say, “you are the light of the world, a city built upon a hill cannot be hidden”. Gamla, is literally a city that is built on a giant hill protruding out of the ground. Certainly, we have no proof that Jesus was speaking specifically about Gamla, but he would have likely looked it every night and it would make sense that this imagery was in his mind. Gamla was an interesting site, that like many other sites has gone through several occupational changes over the years. But to me, it was very moving to stand on top and look out and see the topography of Jesus ministry.

After Gamla, our group loaded up and drove to Ceasarea Philippi, a site that if it wasn’t so beautiful from a natural wonder’s perspective, it would be devastating to visit. This was where there were all kinds of strange sacrifices, idol worship, and other immoral activities, particularly to please “pan” one of the ancient Greek gods. This is also the site where they believed was the entrance to the “underworld” and was referred to as “the gates of hell”. So, when Jesus says to Peter that “on this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it” it was probable that this location was a physical representation of what would have been conjured up in the minds of the disciples. Again, a site with so much history and influence, but also very sad to think about all the horrible things that happened here.

Finally, we made the short trek over to Banias Waterfalls. This is the location of an absolutely beautiful and powerful waterfall. Why go to a waterfall? Well, who doesn’t love a great waterfall right? The Scriptures give us indications that Jesus would take his disciples north of Galilee for times of rest and to get away from those who knew them and they also tell us that Jesus did not specially enter Ceasarea Philippi – so it’s very probable that Jesus would have taken his disciples to Banias waterfall (just around the corner from Ceasarea Philipi). Not only would Jesus have brought his disciples here to rest, but also to prepare for the physical and spiritual journey that was to come in the days ahead.

After our time at Banias we loaded up the vans and headed South. Tonight, we are back in Jerusalem and tomorrow we will begin to unpack Jesus final days on his journey to the cross. I have a feeling it will be a powerful few days.

Tonight, though, I am struck by the imagery of Gamla. A city on a hill.

When you think about your own life, what do the words “a city built upon a hill” mean to you? Do you strive to let the light of the Holy Spirit shine to the broken and hurting world around you? Are you committed to letting God fortify your heart and life so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you will be able to withstand the things of this world and shine as an example of what our God is all about?

Today was a very full and exciting day! Even as I write these words I am having trouble keeping my eyes open. Our day began with a quick bus ride out to Bethany, just a few miles outside of the Old City walls of Jerusalem, to the tomb of Lazarus. Admittedly, I was a bit surprised at the location of the tomb. It’s located in what appears to be a residential type of area. Can you imagine living right next door to this place where this wild Biblical story took place?! You simply walk up the modern street and there is a sign that shows you which door to go in. This was a very different experience than many of our other sites where there was a lot of pomp and circumstance surrounding the site and usually a very large and ornate church (usually Catholic)! This site is not like that at all. Just a very simple door, where inside you can walk down into the tomb. This site is also where Mary and Martha’s home would have been. Mary, Martha and Lazarus were all really importand and dear friends of Jesus. As one person from our group mentioned tonight as we were debriefing, it is a powerful experience to walk into this tomb and realize that this was not just a Biblical story. In fact, a dead man came to life in that tomb and walked back out (John 11).

From Lazarus tomb, we loaded up the bus and made a very quick drive over to a location known as Pater Noster. This is the localized site where it is believed two important Biblical events happened. One – the location where Jesus would have taught his disciples to pray the Lords prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Two – the location where Jesus would have ascended into Heaven to sit at the right hand of God the Father (Luke 24:5-53). There is chapel at the site, but the really cool part of this site is that all throughout the area there are beautiful renderings of the Lords prayer in virtually every language on the face of the planet. A great reminder that God desires a relationship with all of mankind in every language! Also a wonderful reminder that God our Father knows and is fluent in every single one of those languages!

Pater Noster was our last stop with the bus today and thus began another day of lots of walking! I’m not sure how many miles we trekked today. It didn’t feel like quite as many as yesterday, but yesterday was mostly strenuous due to the climbing of steps and over rocks. From Pater Noster, we walked down the hill to the Mount of Olives. It was here that I was given a privilege that I will cherish forever. Today, I was able to preach on the Mount of Olives about Jesus triumphal entry into Jerusalem, with Jerusalem in the background! It was surreal. To not just be in the place where the story happened but to be able to share with our group what it was that God had laid on my heart about that story was really, really fun. After a time of worship on the Mount of Olives we continued our walk towards Jerusalem where we entered the Old City gates and found our lunch spot for the day. As Jesus made his way into Jerusalem on a donkey on Palm Sunday, he would have followed a path very similar to the one we walked today (but it’s not likely he had cheese pizza for lunch just inside the gate that day, like I did today).

After lunch we explored the Pool of Bethesda (located at the Church of St. Anne) where Jesus healed a man who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. This was another site that looked nothing like what I had pictured in my head the many times I have read this story in Scripture over the years (John 5). The pool of Bethesda is an absolutely massive pool and today you can pretty much roam around and explore the remains of it (not full of water these day). Fore warning – there are lots of pigeons that call this place home – and I have already had one unfortunate encounter with a bird this week!

As I reflect on all of the things that we have seen and experienced so far on this pilgrimage, there is one thing that I continue to think about. I have always loved how Jesus used illustrations and stories to bring Scripture to life and to speak about spiritual things. But I guess I always just thought that Jesus was a creative guy who could just think these things up (which I’m sure he could). But it is really so amazing to walk in Jesus’ footsteps and to realize that when he told stories or used illustrations, he was often drawing a connection to a real physical place or reality that those who were listening would have been able to identify with.

As followers of Jesus today, may we learn this art from our Master. May we learn to have spiritual conversations with the world around us that draws them in, because we know how to relate to what they see and experience every day in their lives. May we learn how to look for opportunities to speak God’s truth into their lives in such a way that causes them to say – “oh I get it now”!

Tonight, as I’m writing and reflecting on another day in this amazing country and in particular this city, Jerusalem, I am again reminded of what I wrote about on Day 2. I remember trying to process all that I had just experienced on our second day of this pilgrimage and thinking how much more difficult it was to understand this place than I thought it would be. As Day 11 winds down, I find myself returning to those same thoughts – but this time for entirely different reasons. But I say again, this is a beautiful but complicated and difficult place.

Today our adventure began at the Temple Mount, or what it must be referred to when you are on it – “the beautiful place” (The Dome of the Rock). This is where God chose to have his dwelling place long before his people would ever arrive here (Deuteronomy 12:5). This is Mount Moriah. This is the place that Abraham took Isaac where he thought he would sacrifice him (Genesis 22:1-19). This is the land (the threshing floor – 2 Samuel 24:18-25) David bought to build an altar to God. This is where the Temple was built. A Temple that was a massive and elaborate and remarkable structure. It is truly a magnificent place. It will probably take me a few weeks to truly find the words to describe my experience there, but for the sake of writing each day down while on this pilgrimage – I will try to share my thoughts as they exist tonight. For some context, the “beautiful place” is not controlled by the Jewish community today, it is under the control of Muslims. The history of this is not something I will unpack here. But, as such it is a tremendously complicated place to go. Not only are the parameters of your visit there very strict, but the compilation of people groups and religions that exist in and around this space makes it wildly difficult to comprehend. One religion controls the area where the Dome is and all of the ground up there (Muslims) and one religion has control of the space where the Western Wall (Wailing Wall) is and the area all around it (Jewish). The Western Wall is in effect “holding up” the very existence of the space on top where the Dome is. Further, within both of these religions you have differing levels and groups of orthodoxy, strictness, and formalities. Then you add in all the tourists, pilgrims, Israeli police, security for the different religions, and Christians – and you’ve got yourself one really interesting and difficult place.

I’ve been trying to mentally prepare myself for the visit to this site for several days, and in all honesty, I struggled with my time there today. I knew I was going to. As one person in my smaller group of pilgrims said tonight, I was not at peace most of my time there. I really resonated with that. It is hard to be at peace when there is so much turmoil that surrounds the place, but even beyond that, I find the site troubling. I won’t elaborate on that here, but my prayer going into our visit today was that God would give me a sense of peace about it. For most of my visit there this morning, I was struggling to find that peace. While I was standing alone processing all that was up there, I struggled to look at the dome. I can’t really explain it. So, instead God caught my attention with a sparrow. A small sparrow landed near my feet and began to play all around the large limestone up there. He ran all over the place picking at insects in the cracks of the rocks and flew from place-to-place landing wherever he wished. He was at peace – because, as we know, “his eye is on the sparrow”. He (or she) was the only one of God’s creations that I watched from that place today that seemed to be at peace, and as I watched it play, God was able to get my attention and remind me that he is not to be found at that place any longer. He does not dwell there. His dwelling place is in the hearts of those who follow Jesus. This reminder was the peace I needed. From that point forward I wasn’t really all that interested in what there was to see atop the platform anymore. I was more interested in watching the birds.

After our time up there, we went down below and experienced the Wailing Wall. Again, not a place that I have been able to process fully yet, but it was really, really interesting. When we began planning this trip several years ago we invited our church family back home to write prayers that we would leave at the wall, and so today we finally made that a reality. Certainly, as followers of Jesus with the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us, we do not believe that prayers must be stuck into the cracks of a giant limestone wall for God to hear them, but it was wonderfully symbolic of the holiness and reverence of God to bring these prayers here and invite the members of our group to stick them in the wall. And while we absolutely believe God heard those prayers when they were first written many years ago, it was special to bring them here and leave them knowing that God is more solid and trustworthy than those giant rocks could ever be. It's also nice to be done carrying the giant envelope of prayers around in my backpack (no offense First Pres family!). Once we had prayed at the wall, our group explored the Davidson Center at the base of the Temple Mount where there are some really great archaeological expositions of the area around the Temple Mount that give so much depth and insight into the life that happened all around there so many years ago. I could definitely go back there and explore some more!

After lunch at a really cool restaurant cut into the walls of the area right outside the Temple Mount (see below) a few of us who had arrived late to this adventure 11 days ago and originally missed the trip out to the Dead Sea rented a car and drove out there! We had an absolute blast. The Dead Sea is unreal – and if you come to Israel, you must visit there. People will try to explain it to you, but you will not understand it until you have experienced it. This body of water is the lowest elevation on earth and as such it the saltiest as well. When you walk in, because of the massive amounts of salt, you can lay back, put your feet up and relax. Your head will not go underwater and your feet will automatically recline at the surface of the water. It’s unbelievable. We laughed and hunted for salt crystals until it was time to head back to Jerusalem!

With so much to process from my experiences this morning, tonight I will simply leave you with this. God dwells in those who confess with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in their heart that God raised him from the dead. You do not need to look for him and have a structure built to bow at or offer prayers or sacrifices. His eye is on the sparrow, and he sees you – follow after him.

One thing that almost always happens on a trip where Believers gather each day and Jesus is the center of the trip is a sweet, unexplainable bond between brothers and sisters in Christ. I’ve seen it happen over and over again for the past sixteen years. This trip has proven no different. As a trip like this comes to an end, I always love to think back on the first day or so together and laugh about how awkward and silent everyone is at first. At that point in the trip there are no inside jokes, there are no hilarious moments, no one has been defacated on by a giant bird, you haven’t found yourself out in the middle of a cow pasture moving giant rocks so the vans can get down the dirt path, you haven’t watched as someone in the backseat randomly starts talking to their window, you haven’t swam in bodies of water that are crucial in Scripture, you haven’t prayed with one another and cried together and sang together and read God's Word together and heard one another’s stories. But thirteen days later, somehow you are different. You as an individual are different and collectively you are a different group of people. You have ate so many meals together that you can’t remember them all. You have driven hundreds of kilometers together, you have created memories that you laugh about the moment someone across the room shoots you a glance. This is the beauty of Christ centered community. The Holy Spirit binds you together, gives you the words to speak over one another, creates moments of pure joy, allows you to edify one another, and ultimately the Spirit unifies you and reminds you of what Christian community is supposed to look like. What a joy the body of Christ is. The past two weeks have been a reminder of that once again. Certainly, before we came here I knew the names of many of the people on this trip. I knew them as colleagues or as young adults that I minister to, or as family, or as people I have been on zoom calls with. There were only a few that I had never met before. But now I know them all differently. As this group of pilgrims has walked in the footsteps of Jesus (literally miles and miles of them) and had our minds and our hearts reoriented to context and culture and evidence and truth, we have shared so much, and I am so grateful for each and every one of them. These are people of peace.

Today we began our adventure by walking the Old City Jerusalem streets to the location where the Upper Room would have been. It is a beautiful setting where a church now resides, and it was a glimpse of what was to come for our group as we closed out our day. It was very powerful to sit over the place where such a catalytic moment for the church happened. From there we walked to the Garden of Gethsemane. Although the outside of the Old City of Jerusalem has modern roads, etc… the path that we walked today would have likely been very near the one Jesus walked as he left the upper room and went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. Although it was warm today and cars were bustling all around once outside the Old City walls, it was very moving to walk the path and think about how Jesus was now in preparation mode. The time was now quickly drawing near where he would become the perfect Sacrifice for all the sins of the world. The Church of All Nations, just outside the Old City walls, across the Kidron Valley and up the hill a little ways to the Garden of Gethsemane is a church that sits on the site where it is believed Jesus went with his disciples to pray before his arrest. It’s a very symbolic church with regards to its architecture and paintings, and as most churches that are on holy sites, it is very ornate. But inside the church, just at the front before the chancel, you will find a very large rock. This is where it is believed that Jesus spent some very intimate time with the Father praying on that most difficult night (Matthew 26:36-56). This is also the location where Jesus would have been arrested (John 18:1-8). Back outside and just a small stone’s throw away is another symbolic location. There is a cave that is tucked back just a little ways where it is believed that Jesus and his disciples may have slept that week that they came into Jerusalem for the Passover and quite possibly the place that Peter, James and John slept while Jesus was praying (Matthew 26:40).

As we made our way back across the valley to go back to the Old City, we stopped at another church that sits on top of an ancient prison/torture pit from the time of Jesus. There is speculation that it may have been the site that Jesus was kept after his arrest, but there are other sites around the city that make this claim as well. They have yet to verify with a lot of certainty which site may be the most accurate. In any case, at this particular church you can go down underneath it and find a prison and a torture pit. These are incredibly difficult to see, and it’s hard to imagine how human life was so mistreated in these places, especially the life of the King of Kings. Although this may not have been the exact location of Jesus imprisonment (although it could be) most of the other sites where he might have been imprisoned would have had a very similar look and design them. From this site you can also look out over the valley and see the place where Judas hung himself. It’s an interesting realization that this all took place within an eyeshot of each other – one of many “a-ha” moments on this pilgrimage. You can pretty much see each location from the previous one. This certainly adds a different dimension to the picture in my mind. It can be too easy to think of these locations as a long distance from one another and as singular events, but in truth they are all right near one another and each one connects seamlessly to the next. Truly amazing to see this full picture of Biblical events unfold as you look out across this landscape.

As, I mentioned above, this evening our group shared a very special meal together. We participated in a traditional Passover Seder Meal. We went through each traditional segment of the meal (talking about their Old Testament symbolism as we went) from washing your hands in the bowl of water, dipping rosemary in salt and eating it, eating the bitter herbs, eating the chopped apples, feasting, and sharing in communion. The meal together tonight was a great time to reflect not only on the journey we have taken to all these amazing sites over the past two weeks, but also our own spiritual journeys of following in the footsteps of Jesus.

Tomorrow our pilgrimage comes to an end. It has been wonderful and hard, enlightening, and frustrating. I’m so grateful for every single moment of it. This pilgrimage is very well done and if you ever have the opportunity to go on a Footsteps of Jesus pilgrimage with Bob Rognlien or Eric Laverentz or John Walker, I don’t just recommend it – I insist that you do it. (Just a heads up, I’m pretty sure that FPCE will have many more opportunities for you, stay tuned!)

Today, I saw the face of Jesus one more time. This time though, not in any human face. I saw the face of Jesus in the art that hangs over the rock where Jesus prayed on the night he was betrayed (the cover photo today). I saw the face of Jesus differently today. I saw it as someone in a lot of pain and anguish over the fact that in a very short time he would bear the sins of the world and then go to war to defeat sin and death for all of mankind. Friends, I pray that you know that Jesus. The face of the man who takes away the sin of the world.

As I sat in the Charlotte, North Carolina airport on the way back to Oklahoma this afternoon I reflected on so many years of ministry trips. So many experiences, van rides, airplane flights, memories made, lives impacted, and eternities altered. These trips are one of the highlights of my calling in ministry. They are mountain top moments. I am so grateful for the reality that I’ve literally travelled all over this country and now the world with students and young adults watching the Holy Spirit do what only he does – transform the heart and mind. This pilgrimage with these people has been no exception.

Yesterday (I’m struggling to know which day it is again because I boarded a plane at 12:55 am Tel Aviv time on Friday and then I spent over fifteen hours on planes) – but yesterday morning (Friday) to me, our group woke up at 5:30 am to walk the Via Dolorosa – the path that Jesus took as he carried his cross to Golgotha. There was hardly anyone out walking the Old City streets, the shops were closed, the sun was just beginning to rise above the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem, and we walked in complete silence other than to pause at each “station of the cross” and read Scripture and pray. The photo above (taken at sunrise) is what is believed to be the gate that Jesus would have been led out after his condemnation by Pontius Pilate (John 19:4). Here at this place the people would have heard the words: “I find no guilt in this man”. Truer words could not have been spoken and yet the truth of these words sealed the fate of Jesus. What irony this is? The one who had no guilt in him, became the guilt of all men so that they might be set free.

What a powerful last experience with this group of people to walk the Via Dolorosa. We came to this country with one purpose – to better know the person of Jesus and the places he lived and walked and ministered and we ended our pilgrimage together in silence walking his final steps where his blood and tears would have poured down. I believe that I can say with confidence that we achieved our goal. I can certainly say that I know my Savior so much more intimately than I did thirteen days ago. Does taking this journey change anything about my faith? No. My faith is not built on what I can see with my eyes but on what I have put my faith in. But walking in the Holy Land for the past thirteen days did open my eyes to see the Scriptures in a much clearer and more profound way, which ultimately drew me so much closer to my King.

When I was in college I fell in love with the song, “Walk Down This Mountain” by Bebo Norman. The lyrics say:

“It's a better place

Standing high upon this mountain

I've seen your face

Full of the light that this height can show…

So walk down this mountain

With your heart held high

Follow in the footsteps of your maker

With this love that's gone before you

And these people at your side

If you offer up your broken cup

You will taste the meaning of this life”

These words sum up what I’ve felt this past two weeks better than I can right now.

There is no flat place in this country – it’s all mountain. And at every height of it you can not only see the face of Jesus, but his fingerprints as well.

As our group spent the final day enjoying the company of one another before we caught our late night/early morning flights – I saw the face of Jesus in each and every one of them. I saw the fingerprints of the Creator all over them. And I know that because of their time walking in his footsteps the lives of those around them will be changed as well.

Tonight, as I settle back in with my family that I was missing so much and eat some chinese food, my prayer is that as I walk the streets of my own city of Edmond, and Oklahoma City and the halls of my church, and my favorite restaurants, and the grocery store... that I would continue to look for and see the face of Jesus.

PS. Thanks for following along on this pilgrimage here. I have greatly enjoyed sharing about our journey as well as getting my thoughts and heart out each day. The blog has had over 500 visitors from more than 59 cities and 3 different countries around the world! I appreciate you taking the time to read!

-Brett