Tiberius

I had planned to be able to blog everyday, but the internet connection here in Tiberius isn't great, and uploading pictures to my blog hasn't been very successful. Instagram & Facebook posts will have to do for now...

Maybe I can try again when we get to Jerusalem at a different hotel.

Day 1: Tel Aviv

We finally made it to Tel Aviv about 3:00 pm this afternoon, 8:00 am North Carolina time. I don't have much to write about today, as we came straight to our hotel, rested, had dinner, and are about to go to bed. We'll be up bright and early tomorrow for a full day. 

I did promise a post though, so below is a picture of Tel Aviv (the capital of Israel) from our plane, and the Mediterranean Sea (taken from our hotel room). The weather here is rainy and about 55°. It's so crazy to think that I am on the same ground that our Savior once walked, much to take in and see over the next few days. 

Tomorrow we'll visit Caesarea & Megiddo, stay tuned! 

Israel 2015

It's been a while since I've written anything on my blog, but I wanted to be able to post updates and share our experience with friends and family while we're in Israel. I don't know how frequently I'll be able to post, but blogging is relaxing for me and I promised my students I would be blogging for them, so I hope to share a lot while we're there.



A little back story...I never in a million years could have dreamed that we would have been given this opportunity to travel to Israel. When I was a little girl my grandparents shared pictures and stories of the many times they had traveled to the Holy Land, and I always dreamed about how awesome it would be to get to walk the lands that Jesus once lived. Back in September Matt took a trip to Israel to film a sermon series on the life of Jesus (you can check that out here...). When he returned we were presented with the opportunity to go together. We prayed about it, and knew that if we were going, the pieces would have to fall together quickly...place for our kids to stay, the okay from my principal, the funds to go, etc. Within about 3 days, everything came together and we knew that this was the right time for us to go! As I write, we are getting ready to leave. I still cannot believe that we are going to Israel! I know that this will be a life changing trip, and that it will be more than just a trip to another country. I know that I am about to experience just a glimpse of the things we read about in the Bible, and that the Holy Spirit is going to do things in me that I cannot even fathom while we are there. I cannot wait, and I cannot wait to share this experience with you!

Below is our itinerary for the trip...

Thursday, Feb. 19th- Travel Day!  (It's a 11 hour flight from Philadelphia, PA!)

Friday, Feb. 20th- Arrive in Tel Aviv Israel

Saturday, Feb. 21st- Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Ceasarea, Mt. Carmel, Megiddo
(Visit a monastery, Roman Theater, Aqueducts)

Sunday, Feb. 22nd- Cana, Nazareth(Visit a synagogue, several sites important to Christianity)

Monday, Feb 23rd- Tiberius, Capernaum, Banias 
(Tour of Tiberius, Boat ride on Sea of Galilee, Synagogue, Church, Golan Heights, Caesarea Philippi)

Tuesday, Feb 24th- Jericho - Bethany
(Monastery, Abraham's Tent & Camel Ride

Wednesday, Feb 25th- Dead Sea - Masada
(Dead Sea, Qurman Caves, Visit Jewish war sites, King Herod's Palace, Synagogue)

Thursday, Feb 26th- Jerusalem – Old City 
(Mt. of Olives, Eastern Gate, Garden of Gethsemane, City of David, Western Wall, Dome of the Rock/Temple Mount, Via Dolorosa, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Greek Orthodox of Patriarchate, Church of St. Peter)
 
Friday, Feb 27- Bethlehem - Jerusalem – New City 
(Rachel's Tomb, Church of the Nativity, Israel Museum, Garden Tomb)

Saturday, Feb 28  Return home!  (13 hours to the US)