He takes us to the other side

There has been so many impactful things experienced this week in Israel it will take a long time to absorb it all. There was everything from visiting Qumran and Masada to going to various sites around the Galilee where Jesus spent the majority of his ministry and even hearing recent stories of divine intervention for the Israelis as they struggle to build and protect their precious God given homeland.

But one very special experience was on Saturday morning. It was a boat ride on the Galilee, probably a special turning point in the Israel tour where all of us knitted together as family.

The view was amazing. We were asking each other to take our pictures. And there was an amazing picture of all of us taken by one of the boat pilots. They played the Star Spangled Banner for us and we sang with our right hand over our heart as the boat pilot raised the American flag over the boat. Then as we walked about the boat enjoying the special time as they played praise and worship music for us. Then we stopped and shut off the engine in the midst of the Galilee. Then Brother Bob Ely brought a powerful word about Jesus taking us through our storms of life. He knows what we are going through and says Peace! Be Still! Which is basically saying to our circumstances and the enemy That's enough! Stop it now! And then he takes us to the other side through our circumstance and into victory.

This was an almost indescribable experience to be where so many fisherman have been before back into ancient times, where Jesus had been with the disciple and preformed so many miracles. Despite the struggles to get the money to come and enduring the long plane flight and the strenuous walks and climbs it was worth everything for the moments like our Galilee boat ride and the climb to the top of mount Arbel over looking the Galilee and the cities that Jesus spent so much time in. I am so thankful for this experience and grateful to Pastor Steve Ely and Passion Church for giving me the opportunity to go. I will cherish and speak of it for the rest of my life

Kevin Wilkerson