Greetings From Turkey!

We’ve been on a long journey and I am surprised how quickly the time has gone. What can I say to summarize our tour of the Holy Land? I think I’ll give a few small bites of the trip.

The sights were nearly unbelievable. Rocks and more rocks that soon morphed into several thousand-year-old cities.

This is our hotel in Jerusalem

We saw the Jordan River and the Spring of Dan, one of the three springs that feed the Jordan River. We hiked up to a newly discovered Canaanite Gate—The Gate of Three Arches, where findings revealed Abram would have walked through with his nephew Lot and wife Sarai.

Gate of Three Arches, Where Abram entered

Entering the Dead Sea. Once in, it was great!

The streets of Capernaum, where Jesus walked

Where Jesus walked

On top of Mt. Carmel, where Elijah challenged Baal

A few of the people on the tour took notes, but for me—a habitual note taker—it was too much. There were too many awe-striking views to photograph, listen to the lectures by our tour guides, let alone write down much of the facts that were given. 

We listened to Dr. Ron Allen’s lecture at each location. They were full of information peppered with biblical facts and stories. I snapped photo after photo ’til the battery of my iPhone died, then we’d use the other phone.

Seeing the country with names such as Mt. Tabor, Mt Hermon, Mt Gilboa to name a few. Hopefully when we are home we can piece together our itinerary with our photos and remember more. We may have to return!

Meanwhile, I’m reflecting on what I’ve seen and what it means to me spiritually and otherwise. Every bit of the Bible has opened up to me.  When we read from our Bibles, we get out the map and remember our time in that particular spot.



There's so much more I could say, but I'll wait a few days. We've been in Turkey the past five days with a wonderful family. Thank you Kai and Chris! We loved our time with you in a "real" foreign town, complete with stone walls, Turkish toilets, and the sound of the calls to prayer from the Minarets. Such a sad sound.

Tomorrow we return home. I  think we'll see things differently now. We have more of an old world perspective.

Enjoy the remainder of this Holy Week.  And the most important day, Resurrection Sunday. Hallelujah! Christ is risen!

Possible tomb where they lay Jesus--empty now!

Marriage Takes Three--God-shaped prayers

Thirty months ago today, I heard a friendly voice on my phone asking me for a coffee date. I had my fingers crossed and high hopes that our first face-to-face meeting might produce a relationship that would lead to marriage. That's why I was on this matching service. I'd had more dates in my sixties than I'd ever had in my teens. Many of the dates were duds, but I was always optimistic that someday I'd meet a perfect match. The good thing about an online matching service is if the person doesn't work out, you can just tell them you don't think you're a match--via email, usually--and that's that. This guy, Jim, was different. We clicked immediately and as I've told you before, we knew we were a match almost immediately. Three months later, we were married. 

I could tell you more of the back story--but just go here: http://www.shirleymozena.com/other/bsc_excerpt.pdf. I will tell you that after several disappointing encounters with the opposite sex, I was ready to give up. I even told God that He'd have to bring a man into my life. I asked Him--God--if He would bring a guy who loved Him as much--or even more--than I did. And of course, that this guy would be crazy-in-love with me. 

That brings us to today. How's it going after thirty months? Jim was worth the wait. He was worth the wait after a heartbreaking engagement--and two previous profound losses. Our marriage is nearly perfect. We are compatible. We enjoy our daily routines with each other. First, we must have coffee. Then we read our Bibles together and pray. We do this every morning. One of my favorite mugs is one that was a gift at Christmas. There are two mugs, actually. A "Mr." and "Mrs." 

On the back of each mug is a reminder:

A marriage that follows God's plan

takes more than a woman and a man.

It needs a oneness that can be Only from Christ

marriage takes three.

Our marriage is sweeter because we each know what it's like to be with a marriage partner. And without. We both know we've been gifted to each other for this time. Of course our imaginations go to fearful thoughts like, what we would do without the other? Yet, we go back to the trust factor. I know--and Jim knows, too--where our every breath comes from: the Giver of Life. In the meantime, though, I will be grateful for the special gift God brought into my life thirty months ago. I will not fret or worry, for it doesn't help one whit. I love what Paul the apostle says in his letter to the Philippians:

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

The Message, Philippians 4: 6-7

So my friend, you might ask, why doesn’t God bring a man into my life? A man of my dreams? I don’t have an answer for you. I can’t promise God will answer your prayer as He did mine, but I can tell you He is there. He cares and He knows where you are and what your deepest desires are, too. But do take your worries into prayers—and God promises that you will have a “sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good and settle you down.” It’s right there. Trust in those words. It's worth it.