What a blessing to once again travel to the places the Bible tells us about and especially the ones Jesus walked and lived. This time (it was my third trip) I was with my sister and a group of great Christian people walking the land together. John Farwell was our leader, you can find out about his trips on the sight called "walkthestory.com". He is a great teacher and we all highly recommend his trip if you are able to go.
There is so much a person could share about the trip but I realize you would get totally sick of reading so I'll share one moving thing that happened for me and something I had never thought of before. Since I have lost two great husbands in my life I know what it is like to suffer almost unbearable loss. John told us a story about a tour guide who died suddenly on his friend's tour. This man lived in Israel so John's friend had to go to the man's wife and let her know what had happened His friend explained the moment the woman saw him at her door instead of her husband she knew something bad had happened and she just fell down weeping in front of him. The woman's son happened at the same time to come into the room seeing his mother weeping on the floor. His immediate response was to tear his shirt from top to bottom and weep with his mother. They both knew by the look on John's friend's face the news was fatal. John's friend said he will never forget the sound of the man's shirt tearing and the buttons hitting the floor. It made the grief so profound in that moment. John explained this story as at the time we were having a teaching on Jesus death and all the things that happened when Jesus died. He likened it to the grief of the Father when Jesus the Son died on the cross and the curtain in the temple tore from top to bottom. Me personally had to do everything to keep from weeping out loud hard! Even now as I write this it makes me cry since I know this kind of grief so up close and personal. I loved how it made my God and Lord and Savior so up close and personal with this amazing story even though it makes me cry. My prayer for you who might read this can feel the unbelievable love of the Father in giving up His Son Jesus so we could have life eternal and one day be expected in Heaven!
I sign off with John's favorite saying on our trip "till the next time we are to meet here on earth or at the Golden Gates"!
