Ephesus

Ahhh, today was the day for Ephesus! A place of magic for the pagans; a place of miracles for the Christians. With each step we seemed to walk back in time as we strolled down Curetes Street, marveling at everything before us. Might it have been just a little intimidating for the early Christians living in this city of 300,000 people, most of them paying homage to their patron deity Artemis? The midway of shops, the seven excavated homes with their exquisite mosaics, the temples, and of course, the magnificent library. What a sight! For us, though, knowing we were walking in the footsteps of the disciples is what got us going. We assembled in the huge amphitheater for a discussion of biblical times with Dr. Mark. Christians, led by Priscilla and Aquila, and later Timothy, would be reading the Word of God in their house churches. And what would they be talking about? Spiritual warfare! Putting on the full armor of God to fight the battle. Followed by prayer and song, it stirred our hearts and souls. Put Ephesus on your bucket list.

After another great lunch we went to the Ephesus Museum and then on the Temple of Artemis, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Imagine, it was four times larger than the Parthenon in Athens! Just behind the temple we could also see a castle, the church of John, and a mosque. Can’t we all just get along?? Then it was back to the Hotel Fantasia for another great dinner and conversation. I can hardly wait to see what adventures await us tomorrow. Annette Hubbell