12 Days to Go...

Thought I'd give our itinerary so you all could look up where we're going and know how to pray as we're on our journey. There are 28 people on my journey. I don't know how many have never been before. My roommate is Mary Woods and I know she has never been. She is a mutual friend of Carey and Amy's from Lakeland that I know from their time there. I don't know her very well. But we have a few other mutual friends and all say we should get along great. So I'm looking forward to getting to know her as we get to know Jesus and His land. The other three people I know are obviously Carey and Amy. Then there's a friend from Nashville that I've known forever. We served on staff together at Two Rivers. Shahe is a fun and great friend. She has been a couple times and brings an incredibly different perspective to this journey as she was born in Afghanistan and is a Christian who converted from islam after seeing Truth.

• Friday, Nov 2 Depart from Nashville/Ft Walton where we all meet in Atlanta to journey on.
• Saturday, Nov 3 Arrive in Tel Aviv. Once through customs, we will journey through Joppa and then check-in at our hotel for the evening. It's Shabbot (Sabbath) so I understand there is not much we can do as the Jewish culture takes this day very reverently.
• Sunday, Nov 4 We end up in Galilee by the end of the day. But not before we journey through Caesarea Maritima, Mt Carmel, Meggido, and Nazareth.
• Monday, Nov 5 We begin the day with sunrise on the Sea of Galilee. Then take a boat ride across to Capernaum. Next, it's Mt of Beatitudes, Bethsaida. We'll end our day with baptisms in the Jordan River. I was first baptized in the South River (in Maryland) but I'm sure this will be very different. I'm looking forward to see the memory God gives me as my mentor, friend, and one of the people I served in ministry with for 6 1/2 years baptizes me where our Savior was baptized.
• Tuesday, Nov 6 Still in Galilee, we will journey through Korazine, Tel Dan, Caesarea Philippi, Mt Hermon, and the Golan Heights.
• Wednesday, Nov 7 Our journey takes us to the Dead Sea today and tomorrow. I've heard and seen pictures of the jeep rides (glorifed golf carts from what I hear). Can't wait to make memories here!
• Thursday, Nov 8 The day starts in Masada then on to Tel Beersheva, Valley of Elah, Bet Shemesh. Then onto Jerusalem. I am going to Jerusalem. My mind can not even wrap around this. I am going to Jerusalem. Wow.
• Friday, Nov 9 More of Jerusalem. Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, Mt Zion, the Jewish Quarter, Nehemiah's Wall. The start of our second Shabbat begins with sundown.
• Saturday, Nov 10 Our second Shabbat. Today, we will visit the Western Wall, Bethlehem and a real shepherd's field near Bethlehem.
• Sunday, Nov 11 Today we will begin at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial. Then on to the City of David, Hezekiah's Tunnel and the Pool of Siloam.
• Monday, Nov 12 Our last day in God's Holy Land. I'm sad just thinking about it and we haven't even left yet. We'll journey to the Temple Mount, the Pool of Bethesda, walk the Via Dolorosa and end our day at the Garden Tomb. Then on to the airport to leave for America. On all the overseas trips I've taken, as much as I've loved it, there was always something about getting on the plane to come home. I'm a red, white, and blue American as most and there's always just this feeling of going home. But I have a feeling that I will finally become aware of the true meaning of homesickness as I leave this land that my Savior lived... and be trying to figure out how and when I'll be back.
• Tuesday, Nov 13 Arrive in Nashville