Shabbat in Israel is a special treat when spent with good Messianic friends. My friends, Kevin and Sheila, host a home group on Shabbat where they break bread together and study God’s Word. Brunch was served at 10:30am (Saturday) and our group of 11 was multi-national. I first met a bright and cheery couple from Taiwan, followed by American-born Jews (and their daughter) who made Aliyah (return to the homeland) over 15 years ago, then another Taiwanese young woman and an American couple in Israel for school. Many are graduate-level archeology students at Ariel University, and all are very bright!

Though very overcast and cooler than the previous days, Sheila took the young Taiwanese woman and me for hike around the city of Ariel. Situated in Judea (modern-day West Bank), it again became obvious that in most cases Jews and Arabs live peacefully in neighboring villages. Literally just over a hill and within 2 miles is the large Arab city of Salfit. Ariel is 100% Jewish.

The rocky hills offered blossoming blue and red buttercups and purple iris’. It is springtime in Israel and flowers bloom throughout the land!

Being an archeologist, Sheila has a keen eye for treasures in ruins of ancient dwellings and settlements. We saw excavations on our trail as well as brand new construction going on in a new section of Ariel. Ancient meets contemporary in almost every Israeli city and construction is happening everywhere. (That’s why the current tour guide joke is to ask people to guess the national bird of Israel. Answer: the crane. Let it sink in…you’ll get it!)

As you may know, Sheila is our tour coordinator, working hard to always provide us with quality hotels, buses, drivers, etc. A well-tenured and well-respected staff member at One for Israel/Israel College of the Bible, she arranged dinner with one of my favorite instructors at Israel College of the Bible, David Mishkin. David and his wife, along with OFI’s librarian, John and his wife, came to dinner at Kevin and Sheila’s and we finished off Shabbat with a wonderful meal together! (BTW – if you have never taken an Israel College of the Bible class with David or Sheila, I encourage you to try it!)

Sadly, my time in Israel has come to a close. As I write this, I’m only hours away from boarding a flight back to the US. It has been such a moving experience to be here at such a time as this, ministering to those in a heartbroken nation, and spending time in the homes of good Israeli friends. It doesn’t get any better…at least not on this earth!

If all goes as planned, I will be sleeping in my own bed when this post drops! Yes, the grind of everyday life awaits, but I still have more to share! I invite you to follow along as I ponder personal thoughts and Biblical insights from our trip. There is much to consider as we stand with Israel steadfastly and biblically.

Some are also asking, “When is the next trip?” I hope to provide some info about future plans in the days ahead, so stick with me for more info! I would love for you to join us on a trip of a lifetime!