People, Place & Promise: Day 1

Good morning, good afternoon, good whatever time it is wherever you may be! We’ve had an exciting day full of amazing biblical and geographical teaching, walking, and you won’t believe it - more walking! Let’s get started with a quick rundown of the day.

Where’d ya go? Yad Hashmonah, Beth Shemesh, Azekah, Maresha,  Lachish (These are the places we visited, not a group of Hebrew women we met...ha....ha. Please say someone laughed at my corny joke?) This morning, I am sure most of us did not know what/where/why those words meant. By the end of the day though....wow. Through Terry’s biblical perspective and Yehoda’s vast knowledge of the land, we learned that these places were more than just locations on a map. These places were where the living and breathing men and women of the Bible were used by God to reveal His purposes to the Israelites and ultimately, the world.

What’s the weather like out there? Well, did we really leave OKC? Because the weather felt very much like a typical February day in the city - rainy, cold, WINDY. But since we are in Israel, the weather was a perfect adventurous addition to an already adventurous experience. Plus - Terry and Laura prepared us perfectly for this semi-cold, semi-windy weather. (Another reason you should join Crossings on their next Israel trip. Terry and Laura did a wonderful job making sure we were prepared. I promise this is not a paid endorsement but an honest assessment of what I believe should be in your future life plans. We’re already on that level right????)

Food: Praise the Lord, they had an espresso machine in the hotel. We started the day off energized (most woke up wide awake at 3 AM thanks to the jet lag) and caffeinated. Later that afternoon, we had the privilege of trying Saklav, which was best described by Oklahoma native Donna as “sweet gravy.” Sweet, creamy and cinnamonny, Saklav is a popular Israeli drink served warm and with a spoon - that stands straight up when you stick it in the cup. Nothing but positive reception for this rich and tasty treat.

Feels: Excited, jet-lagged, taking-it-all-in (does that count as an emotion and should that be hyphenated? Where is the grammar police when your...you’re really in need of them?) I think many of us were overwhelmed - in a good way - by the teaching we learned today and the way the Bible was brought to life. Which is hard to describe but amazing to experience. As Terry put it, we are getting to see “powerful stories of faith happening in the midst of real history and archeology.”

So giving a quick description of the day is the easy part. How do I even begin to capture all we’ve viewed and experienced? How do I adequately describe the knowledgeable teaching of our tour guide Yehoda and the powerful preaching of the one and only Terry Feix? For anyone who attends Crossings - put Terry in the Venue with a map and his preaching always moves and calls you to action. Put him in front of the actual locations of Biblical history connecting these real events to our real lives - well - it is a whole new level. You want to go out, catch the next flight out of Tel Aviv, and change the world for the kingdom of God.

During our devotional this morning, Terry talked about Genesis 15 and God’s covenant with Abram. How God established a people, a place and a promise. And every story in the Bible is meant to point back to the idea that “time and time again, God is faithful to his promise.”

Terry also connected this truth to the modern church, our future promised land and the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ. God was continuously faithful to the Israelites and he is also continuously faithful to us. No matter what season of life we are in, God has prepared each of us to be used by him for his great purpose.

On a final note, I’m thinking animals may be a theme for the trip. Today - Pigeons R Us. We visited an underground tunnel where Israelites basically farmed pigeons. There were still some hanging out there today.

Tomorrow...[drum roll] CAMELS! You know you will have to stay tuned for that one!