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!