Walking on the Walls of Jerusalem

You can see a lot from the top of the walls of Jerusalem. On a clear day view stretches for miles. It's incredible to see all of these historical places in perspective from up high.... definitely gives a new understanding of this important and beautiful city!

On a hot July afternoon, my friends and I decided to walk on the Northern route of the Ramparts walk, starting at the Jaffa Gate. In the distance (below) you can see the Tower of David (next week's post). These walls are almost 500 years old, constructed by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent of the Ottoman Empire in the 1500s.

The entrance to Jaffa Street!

I love this French hospital. Such a beautiful building!

Definitely very little shade up here! Bring water!

Looking out from the Arab quarter:

I'm not sure why, because I knew where we were, but when I looked up and saw the hillside beside the building, it took my breath away. There it is: Golgatha.

The ancient and modern together always amazes me.

Turning to look inside the Old City, here's the rooftop view with the Mosque in the middle:

A peek at the Mount of Olives:

That's it for the tour of the northern part of the Ramparts Walk. I hope to go back and walk the southern route later this year. Stay tuned!

He is Risen!

"He is not here; He is risen, just as He said. Come see the place where He lay.” Matthew 28:6

Praise the Lord, the tomb is empty!

📷from the Garden Tomb, 2017 #bestdayever

The wine press just in front of the Garden Tomb: proof it was in a garden!

Have a wonderful Easter! 

He is Risen!

 “He is not here; He is risen, just as He said. Come see the place where He lay.” Matthew 28:6

Praise the Lord, the tomb is empty!

I'm going to take this week and next off of blogging, so I'll see you in 2 weeks!

Have a wonderful Easter! 

📷from the Garden Tomb, 2017 #bestdayever

He is Risen!

I was "supposed" to be right there, at the tomb today, celebrating with Christians all over the world the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. But while I cannot be there because of COVID-19, my joy is still great because this truth remains:

“He is not here; He is risen, just as He said. Come see the place where He lay.” 

Matthew 28:6

Praise God who reigns on high!

Have a wonderful Easter!


📷from the Garden Tomb, 2017 #bestdayever

BIG NEWS!!!

Hi, Everyone! I'm starting the year off with AMAZING NEWS!!!!

I'm going back to Israel! I'll be there March 31-April 13, 2020, and to say that I'm excited is a HUGE understatement. I CAN'T WAIT!!!

And it's so fun, because not only will I arrive 3 years to the day that I left Israel in 2017, but this time I'll be able to spend Passover in Jerusalem! Y'all know exactly where I'll be on Easter Sunday!

And... since the Saturday of Passover weekend is the Sabbath, and all the big sites will be closed... I'm going to take a day trip to Jordan to explore Petra! AHHH!!! That's something I didn't get to do last time and I am SOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!

The Livingstone Chronicles: Hidden in Time

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

I  just finished reading book 2 in Michael Phillips' The Livingstone Chronicles, and again, his book came alive for me in a new way.

In Hidden in Time, once again we travel with British explorer and archeologist Adam Livingstone, Juliet Halsey, Scott Jordan, Rocky McCondy, and a few others as they pursue another major Biblical artifact. Again, it's not a secret because it's on the cover: the Ark of the Covenant!

This time, they travel in Europe, Ethiopia, and finally, Jerusalem, where they end up mere steps from my favorite place in the entire world *ahem* spoiler alert *ahem*.

I probably first read this book 15 years before I ever went to Israel. So I had no idea of so many of the locations and their importance; at least, not to the understanding that I have now. So as Adam and his team are racing around the city and exploring the tunnels underneath it, I could literally see these locations in my mind... which made the final chapters all the more incredible!

This fictional series is definitely worth a read, especially if you love Biblical history and archeology!

He is Risen!

“He is not here; He is risen, just as He said. Come see the place where He lay.” Matthew 28:6

Have a wonderful Easter!


📷from the Garden Tomb, 2017 #bestdayever

Visiting the Vatican

One morning, I woke up early and travelled across Rome and the Tiber River to visit the Vatican. Since it's considered a sovereign state, that meant it was a new country for me! Yay!

The hours I spent (and the miles I walked) inside the Vatican, outside of it, down in the catacombs, and then up into the basilica, were breathtaking. So much history. So much priceless art—sculptures, paintings, mosaics, tapestries, and sooooooo much more—and there's so much more that wasn't even available to see. 

They say that if you spend 1 minute in front of every piece of art, it would take you 4 years to see everything. 

It was art overload, and it was stunning.

Then, came time for the Sistine Chapel. Cameras aren't allowed, so I don't have pictures of it. It was beautiful. It left me speechless.

But honestly, I would have rather have spent more time here, than even in the Sistine Chapel, as beautiful as it is.

I'll never forget that day... it was simply too much to take in. I left so thankful, very tired, already limping because of my foot problem. Time for gelato!

He is Risen!

“He is not here; He is risen, just as He said. Come see the place where He lay.” Matthew 28:6

Have a wonderful Easter!


📷from the Garden Tomb, 2017 #bestdayever

Inside the Garden Tomb: it's EMPTY!

Just steps away from Skull Hill, this is tomb believed to be where Jesus was buried - and rose again. It sits in a garden, which is in the middle of modern day Jerusalem... and the garden itself is full of an indescribable peace. You feel it the second you walk in.

There's a lot of historical/Biblical evidence to this is the place being the actual tomb (mentioned in Calvary's picture), but here's one I hadn't heard before: When Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw it empty, and Jesus appeared to her, she thought He was the gardener... which means the Tomb had to have been in a garden and there had to have been an actual gardener for her to assume that. And she was steps away from a winepress, the remains of which are still there.

I got to go inside the Tomb three times, but my favorite moment was at the end of the day. Our tour ended early, and Betty and I realized we were only an 8 minute walk away. So we went and sat for an hour, watching tourists enter the tomb. Finally, the crowd dwindled, and I went in again. The girl in there left, so it was just me. And suddenly, I had to sing, praising the Risen One in the place where it happened. The acoustics were amazing; it was a moment I will never forget. I sang 3 songs, and only left because they were closing the actual garden for the day. #gardentomb #israel #apictureadayofIsrael