Happy Passover Week!

This is such an important week for Jews and Christians around the world. Starting with Palm Sunday yesterday to Resurrection Day on Sunday, it's a time of remembrance and celebration in the Christian faith.

For Jews, it is Passover, also a time of celebration and giving thanks for deliverance—the deliverance of their ancestors out of Egypt.

Passover 2020 officially starts on Wednesday, at 7:03pm Jerusalem time, and this year will be especially poignant:

For the first time in over 3500 years, Israelis will not even be able to leave their houses over Passover. While this is due to COVID-19, it's interesting because in Exodus 12:22, when Moses gave the people instructions about what to do, he said, "None of you shall go out of the door of his house until morning."

Wow! What a fascinating time we are living in!

Israel to form an emergency government

We are living through a CRAZY time right now. As I write this, Israel, Italy, and Wuhan, China, are still in full quarantine because of the coronavirus, and other countries are on the verge of declaring this as well.

We are still in the "no one knows what will happen" phase. The death, loss, and fear are horrifying. I'm trying really hard not to think about how I was supposed to fly to Israel tomorrow. I don't know about you, but:

Anyone with me?

I'm not trying to make light of the pain mentioned above. But I will say that the creativity, innovation, gratitude, and generosity I've witnessed (big and small, interpersonal and online) during this time has been so life-giving. And from a storyteller's perspective, this season is fascinating. Still the unknowns and limbo of right now are SO HARD.

photo and article from Washington Post here

Last week, I saw an interesting announcement concerning the elections in Israel from March 2. In light of what's been going on (and that was the 3rd election for a Prime Minister), Israel has elected to form an emergency government called the "Corona Government". Benjamin Netanyahu will remain the prime minister for at least 18 months. His opponent, Benny Gantz, will serve as Parliament Speaker, with the possibility of being Prime Minister after this time period (depending on the outcome of the charges brought against Netanyahu).

So, now that this has been decided, it will be interesting to see what will happen!

April 2020 trip to Israel is cancelled

Oh, Friends...

To use a Biblical metaphor... the writing has been on the wall for a while, but I have been holding against all hope that somehow I'd still be able to go to Israel in April.

Now, the fact that I was to land in Tel Aviv on April 1 feels like sick irony (April Fool's Day) instead of a cool turn of events (it being 3 years to the day since I left in 2017).

I'm speaking, of course, of what's going on with the coronavirus, or 'Rona. As I write this, we have no idea what all is going to happen. We are watching countries close their borders and order their citizens in strict quarantines (Italy and China). At this point, Israel has said that anyone coming needs to immediately go into a 14 day quarantine... and my trip was only for 13 days. In fact, my flight with El Al Airlines was cancelled. (Edit: March 20, 2020 - As of today, Israel is having a mandatory 7-day quarantine for all citizens. They can only leave their homes to go to the store or for medical care).

This is obviously a big deal, and the loss of life is not insignificant. So much is being impacted by this pandemic that it is both fascinating and terrifying (at times)—economy, trade, industry, etc... not to mention day-to-day life. So, I'm not minimizing that at all. But at the moment, I honestly feel sick at heart.

To say this is a great disappointment is not an exaggeration. Ever since I learned I'd be going back to Israel for this short trip, I've been dreaming of each moment... planning new (to me) places to explore and things to learn. I've even started learning Hebrew! I've envisioned attending a sunrise service at the Garden Tomb with thousands of Christians from around the world, wade through Hezekiah's Tunnels, climb David's Tower, attend the Wailing Wall on Passover... and of course, explore Petra. Even though I pray I can go back in the future, it isn't the same.

We're all facing disappointment with something right now, I know (as well as many different emotions). This is one of mine... definitely the biggest one. What Solomon said in Proverbs 13:12 is so true:

"Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life."

Israel 2020 Elections: Results

Wow!

Last week was the 3rd attempt at voting in a Prime Minister in Israel. As of this moment, there is no clear winner. The current PM, Benjamin Netanyahu, won the popular election, but he didn't get the 61 seats needed for a majority in the Knesset. He's only short 3, so now he has some work to do.

But his primary opponent, Benny Gantz, is working to collect the same seats out of the 62 remaining that are up for grabs. If he can do this, then he will be the Prime Minister.

Like I said last week, I don't really understand it all. But Amir Tsarfati with Behold Israel has been able to break it down for me in a clear way, so if you're interested, check out his Middle East Update here:

Israel 2020 Election Day

Today is a big day in Israel!

photo from Jerusalem post

Today is a big election in Israel. It's the 3rd attempt at electing a Prime Minister. The current Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who is a right-wing leader, is running again. Since Israel is a parliamentary democracy, he needs to secure 61 seats for a majority of the Knesset (this happens through votes) in order to form a government.

I really don't understand it all, as far as the process of elections and forming a government, but from what I understand, it isn't super likely that he'll be re-elected.

So, it'll be really interesting to see what happens! Check back here next week for more on the Israel 2020 elections!

"A Chosen People" Novels by Robert Whitlow

So, last year I read a contemporary Christian novel by Robert Whitlow called Chosen People, and I recently discovered that there's a second book in this series called Promised Land.

(I love that this photo has them with Jerusalem stone!)

What is so interesting to me about this series is that the main character, Hana, is a Christian Israeli Arab woman from Galilee who is living in Atlanta. She speaks Hebrew, Arabic, and English fluently, and through the course of these 2 books, travels between Georgia and Israel. In classic Robert Whitlow style, these legal thrillers are full of adventure set against the backdrop of legal drama. And, you get to do all of this while visiting some of the biggest historical sites in Israel—does it get any better?

It was fascinating to see the world through Hana's eyes, especially as a Christian Israeli Arab woman, to see her love for Israel and for the Lord. I feel like I'm going to need to read these books again in order to grasp the depth of her insight into the conflict in the Holy Land.

Reading these books only made me more excited for my trip! I'll be in Israel is just over a month! I can't believe it!

Reading through the Bible Chronologically

A few years ago, I decided to read through the Bible chronologically, which is something I've never done. I've always just read it in the order it exists in the modern-day Bible, or read specific sections or books at a time.

But this time, I wanted to understand the Story of the Bible even more.

So I found this plan online and purchased the mac daddy of study Bibles. I love this Bible because it has an overview of every book, as well as in-depth content on translations, cultural information, historical information, cross-references, and so much more. It has maps, charts, graphs, and even photos of the confirmed ancient places. I got new highlighter pens and soon, my Bible was psychedelic in the best possible way.

I once lived with a cat, and he loved the book of Leviticus most of all

I learned soooooooo much from this study. It took me a year and a half, but it was soooo worth it. Since I started right after I returned from Israel, I was able to see so much more in my mind than I had before. I was able to connect people and stories to places in ways I hadn't before. It gave me a big thrill to mark with a bright blue * all the places I'd been! I wasn't in a hurry, so it took me about a year and a half to complete, but it was 100% worth it. The benefit of reading chronologically is that you are reading in 'real time'... like, you read about David hiding in the caves of En Gedi in 1 Samuel and then the Psalms he wrote while there. You're able to match what prophets were alive during which king's reign.

There were so many moments that took me by surprise, even though I knew what was going to happen. For instance, as the Old Testament counted down to 586 BC and the destruction of Israel under King Nebuchadnezzar, I was unprepared for how heartbreaking it was to finally get to that part and see it happen. There were so many moments of small verses or phrases that took my breath away, like in Joshua 21: 43-45, where it says that God fulfilled His promises and gave the Israelites rest in their own land, as well as instructions on how to live... only read just pages later about their rebellion.

Perhaps the most exhausting part was reading of the different kings who followed the Lord and the ones who didn't. It seemed like almost every other one put up altars to false gods in the high places, and then the next tore them down. It made me tired to read even though I knew it happened over generations, and wonder about the people putting them up and taking them down. Didn't anyone say, "Wait, I built this like 60 years ago, then I was commanded to take it down, and now I'm building it again?"

Anywho...if you've never read the Bible chronologically, I highly recommend it. The plan is free (see above), and you don't need to buy a new Bible. I just wanted more contextual info than my regular Bible could give me. Reading through this plan was the best thing I've ever done, and I can't wait to do it again one day.

Have you ever read through the Bible chronologically? What did you think? Please let me know in the comments below!

Isaiah's Daughter by Mesu Andrews

Isaiah's Daughter is the first book of Mesu Andrews that I've read. I really enjoyed it! Andrews was able to take the reader through so many historic moments through different eyes—this time through King Hezekiah's Queen.

While my favorite retelling of this story is Lynn Austin's series The Restoration Chronicles and Chronicles of the Kings, I thought that Andrews did an amazing job. Her attention, not only to literary detail (and an enthralling story!) but also to historical/cultural accuracy (even more important in a Biblical retelling) is impressive. 

I think what I loved most of this story is that it is about a time in Israel's history that isn't as commonly known, but there's so much incredible truth about God and his power there. It makes me want to go back and re-read those accounts in the Bible—which is the best compliment I can give any book. Any story that points me back to the truth of God's Word needs to be shared!

I loved this story, and cannot wait to read another of Andrews books. To purchase it, click here!

Discovery at Magdala

So, while I was in Israel in 2017, I learned something very interesting about the land itself.

Because there are so many unexplored archaeological sites (and many that no one knows about because they are buried so deep), people will just randomly stumble on ancient artifacts. When that happens, everything shuts down and they need to call in officials. When people buy property, they can build on the land, but anything found in the land (or under the earth) belongs to Israel. It's like how in Texas you can buy property and own land, but not own the mineral rights (so if you find oil, it's not yours').

In fact, my tour guide had a friend in that very predicament. He bought property to build a house, and when they started, the remains of a Philistine settlement were found. So the friend had to stop construction while archaeologists moved in. Fast forward many years later and everything has been excavated and the friend finally has his house—on top of a museum of Philistine artifacts. 😂

Something similar happened at Magdala a few years ago. In 2009, Fr Juan Solana purchased land in Magdala, Israel, in order to build a guesthouse for pilgrims. During the mandatory archaeological testing, they discovered something amazing—the remains of "the only first century synagogue on the Sea of Galilee – one of only seven synagogues from this period in the world – along with the archaeological remains of the 2,000 year-old city of Magdala" (quote and photo from here).

In Israel, there are 4 kinds of places: places with no official record of Jesus officially being there, places where Jesus was in the area so it likely could be where you were standing, places where we know it happened either "here" or "there", and places where we know without a fact that Jesus was there.

The discovery of the synagogue is the latter—with a certainty we can say that Jesus was here, and likely taught in this very synagogue. WOW!

When I was there in 2017, this location wasn't available for me to visit. It is, however, open to the public. Needless to say, it's now on my list! Maybe on my trip in March? That would be awesome!

They Turned the World Upside Down

AHHHHH!!!!

So, last Saturday was my birthday and I just found out that Charles Martin has a sequel to What If It's True? coming out! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! It's called:

 They Turned the World Upside Down: A storyteller's journey with those who dared to follow Jesus

3 guesses as to who this is about (*ahem* Early Church *ahem*)!

I'm SO EXCITED! And wondering how I'll be able to wait an entire year to get my hands on this book, because its release date is January 5, 2021. (Yes, I've already purchased it; no I do not need to calm down!).

So, go check it out and even pre-order it... you can bet we'll have a series on it next year! WHY IS IT SO FAR AWAY?!? This is almost as hard as waiting for my Israel trip... which is a little over 2 months away! AHH!!! I'm so excited!!!

Behold Israel: The state of modern day Israel

So, in the last post, I talked about a ministry I recently discovered called Behold Israel.

He's been fascinating to listen to, because in addition to his deep knowledge of the Bible, he has an invaluable perspective as a Messianic Jew.

In addition to learning more about God and deeper cultural/Eastern meanings, I've also learned a lot about Israel along the way, just by listening to Amir.

Here are a few of the things I've learned:

Since Israel's independence on May 14, 1948 (just 72 years!), Israel has:

• seen an never-before-witnessed return to Israel by Jews from around the world
• the 8th largest economy in the world
• is top in the world for defense (the IDF) and security (cyber-security)
• a top manufacturer of arms (and diamonds!)
• seen not only a return of its people but also a return of the land as even the desert is blooming
• more varieties of fruits and vegetables than any other country in the world
• the world's most productive cows
• invented the drip irrigation technique, and between this and other incredible inventions, is literally able to harvest water from the air
• discovered the Leviathan oil field (2010 and began exporting it in 2019; now they have enough oil to last for 40 years—and are exporting it to Europe, making it the largest energy project in the nation's history.

Wow! Did you know all of this? What in this list was a surprise to you?

That's it for now for my posts on Behold Israel, but I know I'll come back to discuss more... there's some amazing teachings on things like Jewish holidays, the menorah, and so much more that I can't wait to share!

Behold Israel

So, recently I discovered this amazing ministry called Behold Israel. Have you ever heard of it?

When a friend told me about Amir Tsarfarti and his ministry, I was in a season where I had some free time on my hands. So I took the time to listen to many of his teachings on youtube. Soon, I'd signed up for his newsletters and social media. The things I've learned from him are incredible! 

What I love about Amir's teachings is how he really knows the Bible and teaches from it—and his perspective as a Messianic Jew is invaluable. I love it when I hear a Bible teacher who encourages me not to take his word for it, but to go to the Word of God. Any teacher whose teachings make me want to study the Bible is worth listening to, in my book!

I'll talk some more about things I've learned from Amir Tsarfarti in future posts; this week I just wanted to introduce him and his ministry because of how cool it is. If you have a few moments, definitely check out his videos!

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!