Israel - Part 1

Words cannot convey the gift that this trip to Israel was for me, and I would much rather tell you about all of this in person, but I will give you my best shot at sharing God’s goodness in writing.

If you haven’t read my previous post “Miracles” stop reading this post and read that one first.

There were so many amazing pieces to this trip. I walked where Jesus walked, explored a couple of cities, saw some spectacular scenery (the sunsets were amazing!) and met some really incredible people. The Lord also spoke to me about a few things, and He stirred up a more in my heart that I am still waiting for Him to sort out.

There are two things that stood out to me that didn’t need much extra explanation. Immediately I knew their significance. Then there was something else that I didn’t even realize until I had been home a few days, and that is something that I am still pondering and asking the Lord to show me more about.

Tel Aviv was a great city! I was able to explore just a little and I know I definitely need to go back to spend more time there. Since I came home a builder that I met recently told me about how much he enjoys Tel Aviv and that confirmed I need to go back. Who wants to join me?!?

We spent a few days around the Lake of Galilee. Our hotel was a beautiful resort type of area on the eastern side of the lake. The sunsets were stunning! I enjoyed seeing where Jesus’ ministry was and walking where he walked. Did you know that Capernaum means “Village of the Comforter?” How cool is that! I really enjoyed this entire area but the boat ride out on the lake looking to the shore at all of the places we had visited in person was a really special experience. I could imagine being with Jesus and the disciples on the boat. One night at the hotel, I happened to be at a really beautiful area right as the sun was setting and took a gorgeous picture of the sunset over the Lake of Galilee with the silhouette of a palm tree in the foreground. It was an incredible picture in itself, but I believe it has more meaning even than what I saw in that moment.

On our way from the Lake of Galilee to Jerusalem, we visited an area that was mainly a historical site. There was so much rich history that came from it, and so much that helped us to understand life for the Jewish people at that time, but there was also a special little treat from the Lord in that place. Our guide somewhat casually mentioned that the scrolls for Ezekiel 37 were found there. I’m sure my eyes were huge and our guide probably wondered why that was so meaningful to me. A couple of my friends on the trip knew and they immediately acknowledged the meaning as well. Ezekiel 37:1-10 are the verses a friend spoke over me a couple of days before the accident. That day, it was a call to dream again about a few things that I had set aside during the current season of life, two days later it was a reminder to me that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is in me and I could speak in that power directly to the things of the enemy. The night of the accident when I was in so much pain, I told my bones to heal in the name of Jesus. They did just that. Immediately at that site in Israel I knew the Lord was reminding me to keep dreaming about the things He put on my heart and to allow Him to keep using that gift for the Kingdom. When I got back on the bus I texted my friend who spoke that verse over me on October 4th to let her know the significance of where I was and I told the group around me on the bus about why Ezekiel 37 is so special to me. The Lord just keeps providing ways for me to share the testimony of His faithfulness. I hope it was encouraging to some of the people who heard the story.

A little later that day we drove into Jerusalem for the first time and saw the city at sunset, my favorite time of the day! We stopped at an area where we could overlook the city. Our guide told us that we should just spend some time taking it all in. Then he read us a Jewish blessing that is spoken when you have waited a long time for something and it is finally happening. The blessing translated to English is:

“Blessed You are, God, the King of the universe, that kept us alive, and sustained us,

and brought us to this moment. Amen”

I completely lost it there. I couldn’t control my tears. I was just so overcome with the truth of that description of God’s character. He did all of those things for me in the previous two months. He has done all of those things for my family in the past few years. I had an extra level of gratitude in that moment that I had never experienced before. I wish I could have stayed in that moment for days. I would still be there now if I could. There was nothing like that feeling.

Jerusalem and Bethlehem had so much to offer, too much to share it all right here, but I’m sure I will share more about some of those places as specific memories are on my heart.

A few days after I returned home I was praying early in the morning (I was still waking up a little early from the jet lag) and looked up at the project board on my wall for work projects. The board doesn’t have any work projects on it now since I rarely work from home but I still have the it up and it holds invitations, Christmas cards, etc. The largest item on my project board has been there since it was created. It is an 8” x 11” paper canvas that I painted in May of 2020 on a girls staycation (because of covid) at a friend’s house. I don’t paint, but one of my friends suggested we do it and I figured I could at least provide some laughs with my artistic abilities. I was actually proud of what I created! I painted a sunset over the water, with its reflection on the water and a silhouette of a palm tree on the shore in the foreground. It was incredibly similar to the sunset picture I took at the Lake of Galilee. I don’t yet have a clear answer for the similarities of these two pictures. Was the painting prophetic in some way? If so, what is it in reference to? Was it just about this trip, or is it something more, meant to spur on a dream or point me in a new direction? I am still asking the Lord for clarification on this. I think it has a major significance, but I am not sure of exactly what that significance is.

The entire trip was incredible! I will post more as I am prompted, but in the mean time feel free to ask questions about the trip in the comments. Questions may spur on the new posts!