We were off to another busy day here in Israel. Our itinerary took us up north to the Golan Heights, along the Lebanese and Syrian borders.

• Our first stop of the day was to Tel Dan, a city in the very northern part of Israel. This old city has been excavated and left in almost perfect condition. We took a long walk/hike though the nature reserve and saw the headwaters of the Jordan River. We had a great walk through the old city, including the city gate and the site of the temple made by Rehoboam to keep the people in his kingdom from going down to Jerusalem in Judah to worship, and this is also where the golden calves were set up and worshipped. We also saw the Lebanese border another gate (called Abraham’s gate) that dates back to the Canaanite period around 4000 years ago.
• Next, we made a quick stop at Caesarea Philippi, and the Bainass, a rock formation that was used as a place of pagan worship to the god Pan. Jesus used this place to ask His disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" (Matthew 16:13-20). We then had lunch in a Druze village high up in the Golan Heights.
• On our way to our next place on the itinerary, we stopped by the Syrian border with Israel. There is a UN outpost in the "no man's land" between the two countries. Damascus was just about 15 miles from where we stood (just out of sight). We took time to pray for Syria, and those affected by the conflict in that country.
• We then went to the reconstructed village of Katzrin, where we got some great teaching on the olive press and crushing grapes to learn about Jesus and his sacrifice for us. We also got to see what a fully built house from the first century looked like.
• Our last stop of the day was to the Golan Heights Winery for a tour and tasting (plus some shopping!).

Overall we had a great day with amazing weather (again) and we’re looking forward to tomorrow!

Prayer requests: David is pretty sick with a bad cold. Others are battling illnesses and soreness too. Please pray for healing and good rest for them all. We've added Jericho to our itinerary for tomorrow, so please also pray for the smoothness of that trip as we cross into Palestinian Authority Territory.

• Friday, February 10 – Fourth Day of Touring: Travel Day from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea with a few stops along the way – Pray specifically for safety today, as we spend most of our day driving through land that belongs to the Palestinian Authority. Pray also for no “snags” at any border crossings. And finally, pray for a fun time floating in the Dead Sea that evening. Pray also for Kari Edwards, celebrating her birthday today. (Overnight in the Dead Sea)

Day 2 was a great day around the Sea of Galilee. Here's an overview of what we did today. Pictures are up on our Facebook page (click the link to view, even if you don't have a Facebook).

• First up was a boat tour on the Sea of Galilee. We had to move our boat tour up to the morning, and we had to depart from the east side of the lake due to high winds. It was probably the most calm boat ride we've ever had, and everyone had a great time. We even enjoyed a bit of on board dancing! (Video coming to )

Well today was PACKED, but I'll do my best to summarize the day. It was a beautiful weather day, full of 60- and 70- degree weather, bright sunshine, and high winds. We made five stops total today as we made our way from the Mediterranean coast to the shores of the Sea of Galilee in the city of Tiberias. Our stops for the day were:

• Caesarea Maritima - Caesarea Maritima is a coast town that dates back to the ages of King Herod the Great, but went through many changes of power, as is the case for most areas in Israel. The key features of this location are the amphitheater, the stadium used for chariot and horse races, and King Herod's palace. It is believed that Paul was held captive here for two years, but that he preached the Good News of Jesus Christ here before Festus and Agrippa, and many others, as detailed in Acts 26. David read from that passage, and we were able to take in the great architectural and engineering feats that were required to build such an amazing place.

• Megiddo - At Megiddo, we were able to look around at the top of the hill at the Jezreel Valley, and then we walked through the underground water system tunnels. It was quite the adventure! We get the word "Armageddon" from Megiddo, because some people believe that this where the battles in the end times will happen.
• Mount Carmel - Mount Carmel is one of the highest peaks in the area where we were today, and the view from the rooftop of the monastery were unrivaled. It was so amazing to have these great vantage points as we were exploring Israel for the first day, and getting our bearings. Mount Carmel is also the place where Elijah battled with the Baal prophets to see whose God was more powerful. That story is in 1 Kings 18. After Mount Carmel, we broke for lunch, which was either falafel or chicken schnitzel with tons of veggies and sides!
• Our next stop was Sepphoris or Zippori. This is a town just two miles from Nazareth where it's believed that Jesus and his father Joseph were actually stone masons in the quarry there (not a carpenter, because there aren't good lumber trees in Israel!). We explored much of this first-century city, which included some amazing mosaics and a fully intact road through the center of town.
• Finally, we made it to Nazareth, Jesus's childhood home, and his mother Mary's hometown as well. We went to the Church of the Annunciation, which marks the time when the angel appeared to Mary to tell her that she would bear a son and his name would be Jesus or Emmanuel (God with us). It's a beautiful church building, and there was a Catholic Mass going on, so it really was quite a treat.

After all of our stops for the day, we made our way to our hotel for the next 3 nights in Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee. It was after dark when we arrived, but there is definitely a view of the sea from our rooms. We're looking forward to tomorrow's activities around Galilee!

Due to slow internet connections, and repeated failed attempts, pictures have been uploaded to Facebook. They are visible even if you don't have a Facebook account by clicking HERE.

Prayer requests - 

• Wednesday, February 8 – Second Day of Touring: Around the Sea of Galilee with stops at Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum, Tabgha (loaves & fishes), boat ride on Sea of Galilee – That Jesus would meet each of us as we spend time in the places of most of His ministry. Continued prayer for good adjustment and sleep, as some people are still feeling the affects of jetlag. (Overnight in Sea of Galilee)