June 2010
7 posts
Why Egypt?
Why did God decide to use Egypt as the “birthing room” for his new nation, the nation of Israel? Why not send Joseph and the rest of Jacob’s family to the fertile crescent (the area later known as Babylon) instead? Why not Asia (present-day Turkey) or some other location around the Aegean Sea? Or, come to think of it, why not leave Jacob’s family in Canaan and skip the...
Jerusalem
Today was the last day with our traveling buddies on the tour. We spent our final day together in Jerusalem, seeing the sites related to the last few days of Christ’s earthly ministry: The Mount of Olives, the Via Dolorosa, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre— built over the location of Jesus’ crucifixion and Jesus’ burial. Most of the people who’ve been with us...
Sorry about not posting for so long!
We are well into our time in the Middle East and I’ve posted only one blog during our entire time of traveling. I’m sorry about that! It’s been hard getting time online. Reliable internet connections aren’t as common in the Middle East as they are stateside. In addition, our days on the bus are long: We get on at 7 AM every morning and we’re not been getting into...
May 2010
3 posts
We're in Egypt!
After a full day of traveling and plenty of months’ waiting we are finally in Egypt! Today we spent the day in Cairo, viewing the three great pyramids on the Giza Plateau. We have also come to see very clearly how the Nile River made abundant life possible in Egypt. Only a culture with abundant resources could build such monuments as the pyramids! If there was no Nile there would be no...
Our Prayer List
We go in two days! For all of you who would bless us by lifting us up to God in prayer, here are some specific things that we would love for you to ask God for:
1. Justice, peace, and understanding for the land of Israel and the entire Middle East.
2. Health and strength for all of the participants on the trip.
3. Safe travel to, from, and within Egypt, Jordan, and Israel.
4. Fellowship...
Coming soon...
Our departure date (May 26) is coming soon! Since we’re leaving for Egypt in a few days I decided to check the weather in Cairo. Tomorrow it’s supposed to be 93 degrees. That’s going to take some getting used to! I also checked again to see how much of a time difference there is. Egypt is seven hours ahead of all of us who live in the eastern United States. That means that...
March 2010
2 posts
More than all we ask or imagine, part 2
At the end of the teaching section (theology) of his letter to the Ephesians Paul proclaims this praise (doxology) to God:
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. ...
WatchEGYPT-JORDAN-ISRAEL with REV. GEORGE DE JONG
Take a look! This video will show you where my wife and I will be traveling in May and June of 2010. We’ll be traveling with Rev. George De Jong, who leads a ministry with the great name “Under the Fig Tree” (www.underthefigtree.org). Our trip to the Middle East is a gift from the Lilly Foundation and we thank God for making it...