A burning desire dwells perpetually in my heart, and the flames rise up on days like today. The desire is for every person who claims the name of Jesus to journey to the land of Israel where our Savior came to live a perfect life, die a sacrificial death, and rise victorious over sin. Today, I begin my journey to Israel where I have the unimaginable privilege of leading back-to-back tours that fan the never-ending desire of my heart.
Something truly supernatural happens when blood-bought, Spirit-filled followers of Jesus experience the ancient stones and living stones of Israel. Ancient stones are everywhere! They are the stones of the City of David where we see clear evidence of King David’s daily life and rule. They are the stones of Capernaum, Magdala, Tabgha and other places around the Sea of Galilee where Jesus ministered. They are the stones of the Mount of Olives, Temple Mount, and Golgotha, where Jesus taught His disciples, confronted Pharisees, and laid down His life for our sin. The roots of our Christian faith are entwined in the Biblical accounts represented by those ancient stones.
But an Israel experience is incomplete if we fail to engage the living stones…believers in the land of Israel who are living testimonies of the grace of God! True heartfelt connections are made when we visit Messianic Jewish, Arab, and Palestinian pastors; hear personal stories from Holocaust survivors; and receive personal briefings from the ONE FOR ISRAEL staff to find out just how active the Lord is working there. Some of us will even roll up our sleeves and become the hands and feet of Jesus, working alongside pastors and their congregations as they minister to Jews and Arabs alike.
In past years, I led tours independently, but coordinated through ONE FOR ISRAEL. However, in November 2025 I led an OFI Tour for the first time, just prior to officially going on staff in December. In my wildest dreams I never pictured God dropping the absolute perfect job in my lap! As OFI’s US-based Tour Coordinator, I immediately began to focus on two questions guests ask at the end of every tour:
- I want to return to Israel to see different sites. Is there a second timers tour?
- I want to serve. Is there an opportunity to come to Israel and participate in projects that serve the needs of Israelis?
I’m elated to tell you that this trip “scratches those itches!” October 17-27 is our first ever Return to Israel Tour, designed for second timers and customized to include sites not commonly visited on regular tours. Then, November 1-10, we welcome in a new group, primarily first timers, for our regular Ancient Stones and Living Stones Tour. In between (October 28-30), we address question #2 by offering a 3-day service extension in which guests on both tours had the option to stay later or come earlier to participate!
Make no mistake…I bleed red, white, and blue and am American through and through. I love my country. But I left part of my heart in Israel during my first visit there in 2008, and I must return periodically to reunite with it! My heartbeat is strong there, and I love the land and the people because that’s who God loves! What a blessing it is to go, and what an honor God gives us to reflect the love of the Jewish Messiah back to the Jewish people!
Indeed, every blood-bought, Spirit-filled follower of Jesus should reap the blessings of visiting God’s uniquely called people in His uniquely provided land! I hope you will join us on the journey virtually as I post daily updates of our tours. Then, consider coming in person to experience what can never be experienced short of being there! Check out our ONE FOR ISRAEL Tours page for future opportunities. I would love to host YOU on a tour to Israel in 2027!
