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:: Easter Weekend Now Archived ::

Yesterday and today marks the end of our time here in the middle east. It has been a life-changing experience for so many people in our group and the way the Lord has spoken to our hearts has been such a blessing! Yesterday was a free day for us and a group of us took to the streets and explored three quarters of the old city. We started with the Arab quarter and enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the Damascus Gate, the very gate Jesus walked through on his way to calvary. As the morning progressed, we stopped for a little lunch at the American Colony Hotel. What’s cool about this specific hotel is the man who wrote the hymn “It is Well”, Horatio Spafford, and his wife started the hotel as a missionary outreach to the people of Jerusalem. There’s a whole story behind it… when you have some time, you should check it out. From there, we strolled through the Jewish and Armenian quarters for the rest of the afternoon. Here’s some shots from the day…

Today, we wrapped up our trip with a quick stop in Bethlehem. We visited the famous Church of the Nativity and also spent some much needed time in worship and devotions in the Shepherds’ Fields…

Our last stop was a very fitting and enlightening experience… we ended our day with a trip to Golgatha, the place believed to be the very site Jesus hung on the cross. After reading about this place every Easter, we finally put a picture with the story… but the good news is, he’s not dead… he is risen and alive!

The Garden Tomb is right next to the site of Golgotha, and we had the chance to go inside the empty tomb… to see the place where Jesus’ body might have been laid… and we rejoiced in song and communion along with people from several nations because we know he is no longer dead, but alive and well! It was the perfect ending to our trip… following the footsteps of Moses and our Lord. We can’t wait to pick up where they left off and continue on the journey… Glory be to Him!

Yesterday we walked where Jesus walked. There’s something you can’t say everyday! We began the day with a panoramic view of the city, Mount Moriah and the Dome of the Rock from atop the Mount of Olives and then the Garden of Gethsemane. How many times have we wished to be whisked back in time to get a glimpse of our Lord or hear His voice if only for a moment? I know for me, it was such a cool way to draw closer to my Savior. Walking between ancient olive trees, reading the scriptures of Jesus’ prayer and personally reflecting on His love for me is awe-inspiring. We visited the House of Caiaphas where Jesus was beaten and detained. We walked down to the dungeon where He would have been held for the night and we took in the heaviness of what might have happened in that place.  On our way into the city, we visited the Wailing Wall and Rabbinical Tunnels dating back to the Second Temple era. Among the many things that stand out I am always struck by the passion and yearning of the jewish people at the Wailing Wall. They long so much and yet like sheep stuck in a corner need a Shepherd to bring them Home. My friend David Kidron (7th trip we’ve done together) helped bring history alive for us, and yet as a Jew my heart cries out for his salvation. Pray for him please and for all the Jewish people. May we love them like Jesus! Shalom.

To view more images from the day, click here.