HOLY LAND TOUR • Jerusalem

 Pool of Siloam

I prayed at the pool of Siloam
That the Holy Spirit come
And make my body fruitful
And my heart with Him be one.

I prayed for Living Water
To well up now in me
To meet the needs of others
Waiting by the spring.

I sought the Lord to use me
As a healing water stream
To flow in the ways of the Spirit
And make the leper clean.

With Jesus as my mentor
And the lover of my soul
I receive the gift He's giving
As I squat beside Siloam.

Mandee
22/1/14

HOLY LAND TOUR ~ The Negev

Wandering in the desert

(it took us a lot less than 40 years)

The land of milk and honey

The place of desert and hidden water
The sand separate from the sea
Covers the storehouse of salvation
Precious stones in the desert that draw like water from a well,
Bricks and morter, shelter, shade.

Look, what God made is hidden
Because life needs to be found not stumbled upon
Seek and yoj will find
It's in the search for simplicity and humility that you find yourself
at the right time in the right place to know that God himself brought you there.

Awake my soul in the desert place
Awake my soul and dream of milk and honey
Worship God not circumstances
Find joy hidden in the desert
An oasis looms
Salvation comes.

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HOLY LAND TOUR ~ Red Sea

Roughing it at the Red Sea

Today we arrived at Eilat which is on the port at the Red Sea. This is a very beautiful place.

On the way here, we also visited an actual size replica of the Tabernacle. I found this fascinating. The guide was wonderfully knowledgeable and I can't wait to share some of her insights when I get home.

I have met many new people and made some Jewish, Greek and British friends. The food in this country is truly amazing. It really is a land of milk and honey.

HOLY LAND TOUR ~ Masada

Magnificent Masada

Today I visited Masada which was a palace-come-fortress-come-holiday residence for King Herod the Great. I was impressed by the engineering, building and complex cistern development and water storage systems. Masada, however, was abandoned about the time of Christ.  Just prior to the destruction of the temple by Romans in 70 AD, a group of Zealots moved into Masada as refugees.They lived there safely for 4 years, after which time the Romans conquered it.

On the east side, the rock falls in a sheer drop of about 450 meters to the Dead Sea and on the western edge it stands about 100 meters above the surrounding terrain.

The local story is that when the Romans entered the city the Zealots had already killed themselves except for a couple of women and children who were hiding in the water cisterns. 

A sad story that makes me think about the good and evil in our world.

I walked down the mountain and there were glorious views of the Dead Sea and of the sandy desert.

HOLY LAND TOUR ~ The Dead Sea

The salt of the earth!

The first night we have experienced a Jewish sabbath... and its wonderful.
First of all a full feast is on the agenda, and then everyone sings with great gusto in worship to Yahweh. Everyone in the family joins in and the wine flows freely.

Earlier in the day we had a salt bath in the indoor pools (which are filled with water from the Dead Sea) and later on a dip in the sea was on the agenda.
The rich and famous come here for mineral treatments to make them look and feel younger.

At 400 feet below sea level there is more oxygen available, which makes you feel very well and boosts your energy levels. A great place for a mineral spa or to take your time to catch up on your Bible reading.

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HOLY LAND TOUR ~ At Nazareth

Good out of Nazareth?

In our 'synagogue' meeting in Nazareth today a similar question was posed:

What good will come out of each of us? 

It's a question that runs through our heads most of our lives -- what good could come out of me? We should know the answer but most of us still struggle to believe what God has in store for us and so most of us either don't rise to the occasion, or fall somewhat short of who we are called to be in Christ.

Balancing humility and boldness usually paves the way forward, but another question first: Can we clearly articulate our personal mission?

"Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked. “Come and see,” said Philip. When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.” (John 1:46, 47 NIV)

HOLY LAND TOUR ~ The Lake

The Lake at Galilee

When I saw that the Lord caused the fisherman to catch an abundance of fish,

so much that their nets were breaking... I suddenly saw in Him God's creative power; but I also saw abundance born out of kindness. 

Galilee and Me

How still the waters

How clear the sky

The perfect day

For birds to fly

And it is here

This very day

That I will ponder

And re-find my way 

Mandee

15/1/14

The Lake

The lake

Fresh water

Fresh breeze

The bustle

The boats

Must be

The Master

Moving among us

Men

Muscle

Mission 

The mountains

The echo

The call

Must be

The Master

Moving among us

The boats

The bustle

Fresh breeze

Fresh water

The lake

Mandee  15/1/14

HOLY LAND TOUR • Ruins of Jerash

Last Day in Jordan at Jerash

The ruins of the city of Jerash are truly amazing. Here, you go back in time to see paganism in all its 'splendour'. Established on a major trade route, the city was full of market places, hot baths, theatres, shrines and holy places. The goddess Diana and Zeus were a top-raating attraction, as were the chariot races and other kinds of entertainment. Magnificent fountains and water systems, a hubbub of people buying and selling, paved streets lined with imposing pillars, even traffic 'roundabouts' classified this Graeco-Roman city as important in Jesus' day. 

In this setting today I was privileged to read Psalm 100 in the northern theatre from the sweet spot where the amphitheatre's acoustics would reach everyone. As I began to read Psalm 100 the vibration of each word reached each ear and even my own. And today the words of the Psalm glorified God and touched our hearts.

Psalm 100:1-5 NIV

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

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HOLY LAND TOUR • Wadi Rum

No, Wadi Rum isn't translated
'Want some rum'

Wadi Rum is a mountain. It is located almost 265 kilometers from the city of Jerusalem and 40 kilometers from Petra. It is where the movie Lawrence of Arabia and Red Planet were filmed.

It is a uniquely shaped massive mountain that rose amongst the orsy red sand of the desert with towering cliffs of various brownish, reddish and golden colors. I wish I could describe it to you as I stand in awe of it today, but sadly I won't have access to internet for another day or so. But I am having a jeep tour of this gorgeous area and tonight am staying at the Hotel Geneva. My husband Barry is posting this for me today.

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HOLY LAND TOUR • Lost 'n Found

How could you lose a city?

Built possibly as early as 312 BCE this was the capital city of the ancient people called the Nabataens. In 363 an earthquake destroyed many buildings and because it crippled the vital water management system and because of the invasion of Arabs who conquered the region in 663, the inhabitants abandoned the city. The ruins of Petra have been an object of curiosity throughout the Middle Ages. The first European to describe them was Swiss traveller Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812.

Today is a very full day where we see visit the lost city, the Treasury, the Roman theatre, the Corinthian Tomb and Palace Tomb to the Roman road.  

Unfortunately, I cannot describe what I see today because I still don't have internet access.My husband Barry is posting this for me again today.

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HOLY LAND TOUR • Up 'n Away

A view to behold

Today it's farewell to one plane and hello to another. I landed in Dubai's busy airport this morning at about 5.30am after a very long sleep. Having found the rest of the ACOM tour group and transferred onto another plane for the last leg of the journey we arrived in Amman, Jordan  about 2 hours later.

Soon we were on our bus and heading down the Desert Highway via Madaba and Mt Nebo to check in at the Panorama Hotel before we head off for an introduction to camel trekking in the desert.

Unfortunately, I cannot describe the amazing views from the place or give my impressions of the biblically-famous Mt Nebo right now because I don't have internet access today. But imagine with me, Mt Nebo, the place where Moses
was granted a view of the Promised Land. From there you can see a panorama of the Holy Land - the River Jordan, the west bank of the city of Jericho and Jerusalem on a very clear day. 

My husband Barry is posting this for me today.

Deu 34:1-3  And Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is opposite Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land--from Gilead to Dan, and all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah to the western [Mediterranean] sea, and the South (the Negeb) and the plain, that is, the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palm Trees, as far as Zoar. 

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HOLY LAND TOUR • Family Farewells

Ready and raring to go.

Anticipation is rising as I am busy going through my lost minute list. Things still to do are a phone call to a friend, packing a couple of last-minute items, sending an email and watching a movie with Pipa and Naomi.

Today is taken up entirely with travel, but there is perhaps another movie I can enjoy on the plane and then - zzzzz - plenty of sleep.

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HOLY LAND TOUR • Footwear & Funds

Last sleep in my bed for 17 days.

Today I got out the black polish and made my old boots shine. They're not my my best boots, they are the old faithfuls. Boots that have done the hard yards-
a knock and a rip here and there, and like me, ready for a walk on Holy ground. I haven't worn them for a long time so I did a test run with them when I went
down town to find a shop that would sell me some money. It cost me just over $40 to get $32 American dollars. So I have one $20 note and twelve $1 notes!

Sleep and feet are the two big things for me right now. Sleep because
I want to be fresh and alert to take in all I can when the door's of the plane
reveal for the first time its landscapes so mysterious to me, and feet because
from now on for the next 17 days its all about traveling, and a lot of walking.

Exodus 13:21  The Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.

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HOLY LAND TOUR • Prayer 'n Plate

                   But its not all about sleeping.

It's about eating, or not, too. Eating is enjoyable. It comforts the stomach and gives the mouth something to do beside talk. 

I read some research papers a while back where scientists have proven that spasmodic calorie restriction lengthens your life. Apparently, when you fast your body, after a while, will go into some kind of 'emergency' mode that causes the body to fight for life which causes the body to live longer. Interesting isn't it?

Today was the second and final day of my fasting and prayer. I wanted to do this because it has helped me focus on what is ahead. I believe the learning opportunity is too important to just flippantly pack my bags and jump on the plane. I felt I wanted to surrender myself to God and ask Him to for a greater revelation of His Truth. Its certainly not easy to put your guard down when
you're a 'control freak', and I realize that I could do with a good dose of humility. So, like Ezra from the Old Testament era I proclaimed a fast.

Ezra 8:21: " I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions."

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HOLY LAND TOUR • Packing Bags

Emirates Flight EK 345 in 3 more sleeps 

I managed to tick some more preparatory items off my list today and made a
mess in my bedroom choosing the right clothes to take. The weigh-in of my 
suitcase took the scales up to about 13 kg! (Barry was quite astounded that 
I managed to keep the weight so low.) I'm hoping to bring back some little
treasures for the children, so I'm glad the bag is light and there's still plenty
of space. 

My thoughts tonight have been focused on making more room for God in my
life and how the Holy Land experience might open up my limited understanding
of Him. Now I'm thinking... if my packing exercise is in anyway indicative, then
there is hope for a girl who wants to know God more fully and more intimately. 

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HOLY LAND TOUR ~ Daily Examen

4 more solid 8-hour sleeps to go.

This morning I am reflecting on my expectations for the tour. I am looking over my pre-tour reflection that I did a few weeks ago and taking note of what I handed in as a Bible College paper:

"... So, between the 10th and the 26th of January I will be putting myself out of my comfort zone. This action is more of an invitation for God to mess with my head than anything else, and by doing so I hope to recreate my narrowly-focused western mindset and discover new things about who I am and what's I am in Christ as I am challenged by what I see, hear and do in the Holy Land.

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HOLY LAND TOUR • Blog Release

Just 5 more sleeps 'till I go to the Holy Land. 

As you see I have my travel hat ready. You can tell its a 'travel hat' because its one of those hats that you can scrunch into a bag easily. It's just what I need to keep the sun off in Jerusalem in the middle of winter! 

The best part of my preparation for the tour today was with my Living Grace church family who prayed for my safe journey and encouraged me in my desire to be changed by what God and the Holy Land has waiting. Today I have resolved to let the Holy Land change me.

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