When I see the Middle East conflict on the news from now on I will always see it through a different lens. We visited the United Nations border between Israel and Syria today and chatted with some of the soldiers at their look out post. Standing there just a few feet away from Syria and only a few hours from Bagdad it made it all seem so much more real than just “Breaking News”.

No better place to celebrate those roots than at the Wailing Wall as the sun sets to usher in Shabbat while thousands gather to praise God in dance, song and prayer.

img_0283  Click Link to see video

As with Jewish tradition the men gather on one side while women gather across a fence.

Meeting up with Tatyana again in Israel, a young woman, whom I ministered to in Russia last year. How awesome is that! Anything can happen in Israel.

Shabbat Shalom!

John and I were both proud to have served in the Royal Air Force where we met each other at the R.A.F. base Credenhill in Hereford England in 1963. We have served in the UK, Cyprus, West Germany and the Persian Gulf.

On this Veterans’ Day we honor all those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, and thank and appreciate those who have served and are serving to protect freedom around the world.

After traveling up to the Mount of Olives to admire the breathtaking view of Jerusalem lying before us, we slowly strolled downhill to spend a reflective time at the Garden of Gethsemane. It was as if we could almost touch time as we rubbed our fingers down the trunks of the trees that are over 2000 years old and would have been growing in the Garden when the Lord Jesus agonized in prayer before His crucifixion.

If those trees could talk what would they tell us? Would we have grown weary as the disciples did? How often have we grown weary and fallen asleep during spiritual warfare?

Our journey then took us up a row of steps, some of the only authentic stones in Jerusalem that are the actual steps He walked as He was ushered to the palace of the high priest Caiaphas after His arrest and betrayal by Judas.

We saw the place where Peter denied Him and heard the cock crow. My heart was convicted as I pondered how many times I have denied Him by my thoughts or my attitudes?

It was an emotional and deep spiritual moment as we climbed down the narrow staircase down to the pit where He was imprisoned the night before He carried His cross to Calvary. The walls were spattered with blood. We don’t know but could this be some of the blood He shed for us?

After we walked the Via Dolorosa following His road to Golgotha, we finished our day in prayer at the Wailing Wall with a deeper, sensitive  appreciation of the awesome cost of our salvation.

1 Peter 1: 18-19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold. But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

Shine! Shine! That I may be glorified on earth as I am in heaven. 
May your love for Me be your motivation to obey Me 
And thus you honor Me in your life 
You honor Me when you reverence My word,
You reverence My word when you are obedient,
When you obey My word your light will shine,
When your light shines I am glorified.
Thus saith Papa