It has been so good to be home even though I haven’t quite got my sleep pattern back to normal. I have been asked a few times already what it was like to take this journey? Last night while attending my granddaughter’s volleyball game, I was asked again. This time I said what was most impacting was visiting the places where people had embraced their following of Jesus no matter what the cost to them. When we visited Israel a few years ago I was constantly reminded how much Jesus was mocked by those who should have been his first followers. Even His chosen ones (disciples) took 3 years to come to their full belief. In this trip we were visiting places where people who had only heard of Jesus, came to believe and stood their ground for Him even to the point of death.

We are so fortunate to live in a country where following Jesus is accepted. It isn’t encouraged like it use to be. It often isn’t even respected, but it is still a right we have. Times are changing and I want to stand solidly for Jesus no matter what develops the rest of my life. The buildings we visited are now ruins, but the Spirit of the Church continues to grow, not because of buildings, but because Jesus Christ is REAL and He is the Son of the Living GOD who came to redeem each and everyone of us!