Through the Hills and Valleys of Jesus

Mt. Arbel

On the Sea of Galilee

Wow. I cannot believe we have already completed day four of our trip to Israel. Time is flying by, yet just yesterday feels like ages ago. Each day I wonder, “Wow, tomorrow cannot top that…” but it always does. How?! Many times I feel like I need to pinch myself, and today in particular felt like a movie. Let me share a bit why:

Our amazing tour guide, Ronen, has been filling our brains with so much history and knowledge that I feel like I need to receive a degree by the end of this trip. The first three days we’ve been delving into the Old Testament, and today we reached Jesus (Aka the New Testament!) That, in it of itself, was a striking part in our journey. Today we truly experienced the beauty of Jesus.

Among the numerous of places we visited today, the most memorable experiences I had were at the Mt. of Beatitudes, Capernaum, Mt. Arbel, and our boat ride over the Sea of Galilee. No words can come close to summing up the feelings we felt, and the sites we saw, but trust me when I tell you it was the most breathtaking, soul-refreshing, and life-giving experience. In a few short points, here’s why:

We read the Sermon On The Mount…on the mount. We walked on top of the synagogue where Jesus taught, and checked out Peter’s house. We took in the greenest grass, highest heights, and sat in silence experiencing a prayerful getaway. Lastly, we rallied with a celebration of dancing, worshiping, and sharing one another’s hearts on top of a lake that Jesus once walked on. I wish, I really do, that I can put my experience into words, but I simply cannot. All I can say is that God is incredible. Jesus’s love is so deep, so wide, and so personal. His love is not like a movie I’ve witnessed on a screen. His love reaches out to us and is more beautiful than any of the sites I’ve seen (and that’s saying a lot).

Today is going to feel like ages ago tomorrow. However, we are so ready to see what else is in store!