Walking where the great “I AM” walked

The day got off to an auspicious start this morning...you see last night was the fall time change here in Jerusalem. An unfortunate error by the morning staff caused every one of us to receive a wakeup call at 5:15am instead of the planned 6:15am. I personally was unaffected as I have been sleeping from 10pm-4am each day without fail...le sigh...but that friends is a story for another day.

Onward to the amazing day in Jerusalem! After a brief bus ride (the good but uneventful breakfast period has been left out) we arrived at the temple mount area! After gazing upon a line of at least 500 people, we thought we were about to settle in to a long wait to access the site. But alas that was the wait for the Dome of the Rock...we quickly breezed up to the security for the Wailing (Western) Wall and we were in!

Let me tell you that I have been blessed by Lord to travel to some amazing places in my life. This one bested them all! After a brief introduction to the area by our tour guide Ronen, we began with a tour of the Western Wall Tunnels (including an incredible breakdown of the history of Jerusalem by Ronen). Small and damp these tunnels were a paradise for a 6’ 6” man...I know, you're right, no complaining on a holy land trip. The reality was the tunnels were amazing and at one point we stood on a glass floor directly above the original street Christ walked on...no words. Afterwards we got to access the wall itself.
There is an amazing power about that area and I felt emotionally effected by the whole experience, blessed to pray there in an understatement. I spent some time sitting next to Pastor Doug and taking the whole thing in.

Moving on from there we went to the southern wall area and had some time to sit and speak to each other about how the trip has affected us so far. I explained for myself that seeing the bible come to life in the way being in Israel does, it makes me what to fight for my faith even more. Because understand friends that with Pastors in Texas being asked to turn over sermons, our faith is under attack more and more each day.

We left the Temple Mount area and headed for Bethlehem...birthplace of Christ! After eating lunch at a restaurant called Marvel, we headed for the Church of the Nativity. It was remarkable to descend down to within just a few feet of the spot where God came down to earth as man. I was humbled and again moved deeply.

We then got to do some shopping at a...wait for it...Christian owned shop in Bethlehem. Understand that the Christian community in Bethlehem is quickly diminishing there, and I was overjoyed at the opportunity to support Christian business owners. It would be a crime for Bethlehem to ever be without a Christian within its walls, a real possibility without support from fellow believers around the world…as we all need to support one another, now more than ever. God Bless.

Guided by His grace in the Holy Land,

Nathan S.