Brian left on February 6th for Israel and he was gone until February 15th. I'll tell you for sure, this felt like FOREVER. When he first mentioned going to Israel, I was very sad about it, because I always thought this was something we would do together. But when it came down to it, he just couldn't pass up this opportunity. He basically got to go for $800, which is amazing, and I just didn't have the heart to tell him that I didn't want him to go without me. What made it even more special is that he went with Jamie, our youth pastor and dear friend. So yes--I was very jealous & maybe even just a little bitter--but I dealt with it okay I think! I really am so happy for Brian to be able to have this experience and make these special memories that I know he will cherish his whole life. How amazing to walk where Jesus walked and see all of these Biblical sites with your own eyes! Maybe someday he will be able to take me back there! My one request was that he find me a really good nativity set in Bethelehem...they were very expensive, but he found a really beautiful one for me for $100. It is a special treasure that I am so happy to add to my collection!
Things were crazy busy while he was gone...I especially missed having his help with chocolate covered strawberries and cookie deliveries for Valentines Day. Somehow, I managed to get it all done though, thanks to help from our amazing family!
I am going to try to include descriptions that Brian posted on these pics on FB the best that I can!
Here is Brian's FB post about his trip:
Hey Everyone! I received a huge gift from the Lord to be able to go to ISRAEL!!! Just got home. Here's a Quick highlight video and pictures from the 1st HALF of the trip in the Sea of Galilee area and the pictures and description of what's going on in the locations (see 2nd HALF on next post). Grateful to Candace Baldwin and my kids to allow me to be gone for 10 days on this once in a lifetime experience! Thankful to go on it with the man who discipled me, Jamie Phares, and our good friend Brent Hazelrigg . Also thankful for Christians United for Israel #CUFI contribution to putting the trip together and making it affordable!
Hand hearts and big hugs for Daddy the night before he left!
I love it!
This is how our conversations went throughout the week...about the time Brian was waking up, I was going to sleep! It is 8 hours ahead in Israel.
Brian's QUIK video of his trip!
EL AL (Israeli Airline)
Felt nice knowing our airline was equipped with missile defense systems to protect us from surface-to-air missiles. Not kidding. Google it.
Crazy big waves in Caesarea on the Mediterranean Sea coast was built by Herod in dedication to the Roman Caesar and served as capital of the Roman province in Israel.
Caesarea theater is still used today. Philip settled in Caesarea at the close of his ministry (Acts 8:40).
Here's a big statue of a foot
Caesarea aqueduct. Roman water! Cornelius the centurion, to whom Peter came and preached (Acts 10) lived in Caesarea.
Woke up on the bus and this is the first time I saw the Sea of Galilee. Thought it was cool to see a rainbow over it
Here in Magdala (Home of Mary Magdalene) lies a synagogue that Jesus taught in. It's foundations clearly remain despite a Roman revolt.
Thankful to go on this journey with my best friend Jamie Phares!
Here's our hotel right on the Sea of Galilee
View from my room
Had our own rooms the whole time! Thankful I didn't have to listen to Jamie snore. The jet lag was rough the first night. 
View from the hotel porch. Some good FaceTime calls made here.
Lunch at Mount Carmel area. Didn't see any 
fall from heaven, but the food was good.
fall from heaven, but the food was good.
The boat ride in the Sea of Galilee was my favorite.
Jesus walked on the water here and summoned Peter to do the same. Calmed a couple storms too. 18 of 33 recorded miracles of Jesus performed were in this area.
Loved sharing this special moment with these guys!
Couple of Hippos
This spot overlooking the NW shore of the Sea of Galilee is believed to be the site where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7)
Matthew even goes so far as to call Capernaum Jesus' "own city."
Capernaum is mentioned in the New Testament, once as the home of Peter, Andrew, James and John, as well as the dwelling place of Matthew the tax collector. At Peters house is where Jesus healed the paralysed man is lowered on a mat, heals Peters mother in law and more. That spaceship looking thing above the house is an ultra-modern Catholic Church which protects the site.
Jesus worshipped and taught in the synagogue of Capernaum and it is Capernaum where He declared the promise of the Holy Communion (John 6:22-59).
The foundation of the 1st century synagogue is the dark stone. The white stones were added on top in the 4th century.
When Jesus began His ministry he moved from Nazareth to Capernaum. It was a fishing and trading village located along the northern side of the Sea of Galilee.
This Ancient Galilee Boat, also known as the Jesus Boat, is an ancient fishing boat from the 1st century AD, discovered in 1986 on the north-west shore of the Sea of Galilee
“As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.”
- Matthew 4:18-22
- Matthew 4:18-22
It happen here folks....He's stilling calling to us... This was a special place.
Their hummus is better
Lunch at Peters Fish House. To fishy for me 
We did an awesome Jeep tour of the Golon Heights are bordered on the west by a rock escarpment that drops 1,700 feet to the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River. Tons of Old Testament history happened here. This site included a military briefing on the conflicts and importance of recent wars here, and the realities of Israel's modern-day security challenges.
This is an Iranian controlled Syrian city. There were land minds all around.
The Subby couldn't do it. This was actually an off limits military only zone and they shouldn't of even been in here. The guys were generous to pull them out.
Our tour guides father in law came to the hotel and shared about how he hid in the forest in Poland for over two years from the Nazi's as a 10 year old boy to survive the holocaust. Crazy!!!
Not to many people left from this great generation. Glad we got to listen to his stories.
My phone Home Screen always shows my gps location. Was cool to see it in the middle East for the first time. Africa, Asia, and Europe so close!
We spent a morning at the Alma Center. It was a simulation experience to help us understand the security challenges on Israel’s northern borders (Lebanon, Syria). It's crazy to think about how they have to make so many important and scary security decisions every day.
Jamie baptized me in the Jordan River. I wish I could say that was a Dove landing, but it was just a seagull
Jamie was the one who went above and beyond to disciple me. Wasn't going to let the cold water keep me from having this special moment.
That water was crazy cold 
. Couldn't even talk right 
. Mumbled my way through baptizing Jamie. Haha!
. Couldn't even talk right . Mumbled my way through baptizing Jamie. Haha!Brent is a dear friend. He's been doing youth ministry the longest among our Oklahoma Youth Ministers. Thankful to get to share moments like this with him.
Saw this flock of sheep on our drive to the Dead Sea. -Ps 23
Pontus Pilot palace was built on the sea. Now it's in the sea. Paul was taken to this city to embark to Tarsus (Acts 9:30), and later visited here several times (Acts 16,
18:22, 21:8). He was also sent here by the Roman commander at Jerusalem to be heard by Felix (Acts 23:23, 33).
18:22, 21:8). He was also sent here by the Roman commander at Jerusalem to be heard by Felix (Acts 23:23, 33).
The "Dead Sea" has so much salt in it that nothing can live in it. It's the lowest place on earth at 1290 ft below sea level. People spend a ton of money buying its salt for medical and cosmetic purposes. People be rubbing it's salty mud all over them there.
Since there's so much salt your crazy buoyant floating in the water. Feels like a different planet. We're way out in the water in this picture not touching any land. Totally a strange feeling.
Our hotel in Jerusalem. The Lady Stern.
View of Jerusalem from my room.
The Israel Museum holds the Dead Sea Scrolls which are considered to be the most significant archaeological find of the 20th century. They are about 2000 years old and prove our Bibles haven't changed. The one in the middle is the Isaiah scroll. The museum also has Caiaphas' ossuary. He was the high priest who played a huge role in Jesus' crucifixion.
The place where David fought Goliath is called the Valley of Elah. I had to wake up Jamie to show him bc he was asleep. Wish we could of stopped. I'd definitely be sneaking some stones from that stream in my suitcase!
The Gaza-Israel border is one of the most volatile places in the Middle East. The soldiers from Gaza were most definitely looking at us from their border watch tower.
If they took a shot at us they would immediately be obliterated by this Israel machine gun turret manned electronically by the Israeli Defense Force.
The terrorist organization Hamas controls Gaza and uses its location there to regularly launch rockets into Israel.
This is the tip of an iron dome missile, the system is designed by Israel to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells fired.
There are bomb bunkers all over the cities that border the Gaza Strip.
We sung in this bomb bunker. Nice acoustics!
This tethered balloon takes provides video surveillance for 10 miles.
Bought this Kippah to wear at the Western Wall of the Temple complex. Jewish men wear them as a sign of respect to God. Apparently the wearer of the kippah acknowledges that God is above him.
The Western Wall was built by King Herod in 20 B.C. Took 11 years to build. The wall became the Jews' primary destination to lament the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. It's now the holiest of Jewish sites. It was packed this night with 1000's of Jews praying and putting there written prayers in the cracks of the wall.
Jesus was led across the Kidron Valley and up these stairs to Caiphas house the night he was betrayed by Judas. Original stones still remain of the stairs up the valley. Special place for sure.
Many scholars think that Jesus was left in this room in between his trial/questioning of the high priest Caiphas the night Jesus was betrayed.
The tour guide asked me to read Psalm 88. Sounds a lot like what Jesus would of been thinking and saying during that dark moment in Jesus life. I read it in KJV. Needless to say I wasn't exactly use to reading the thee's, thou's, and ye's
The Upper Room of the Last Supper is a second-story room in Jerusalem that commemorates the "Upper Room" in which Jesus shared the Last Supper with the disciples.
The site of the Last Supper is not known and the Gospel accounts provide few clues. It cannot be the present room, which was built in the 12th century, but possibly near the original site of the Last Supper and/or Pentecost.
First Baptist Church Bethlehem!!!
This isn't a tourist stop... It's a Gospel advancing, disciple making factory!
Bethlehem had a Christian majority population for centuries, but since it fell under Palestinian control it is only 8% Christian and its members are persecuted. The Pastor with us has been beaten many times and stabbed for being a Christian. He said to his persecutors.. "My willingness to die for my faith is greater than their willingness to persecute him." He certainly motivated us all to live bolder for Christ! I'm hopping to bring him to Oklahoma sometime to inspire our people like he inspired us that day!
Here we are on the Hosanna Road where Jesus made his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem on the colt of a donkey. Matthew 21:1-3. This was prophesied in Zechariah 9:9 "Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."
Here's the Garden of Gethsemane (at the foot of the Mount of Olives) The olive trees here are the oldest in Israel. It was here that Jesus loved to come and pray. It was here that He endured the anguish and intense anxiety of foreseeing the cross and yet yielded to His Father's will in perfect submission (Luke 22:39). Judas performed his act of betrayal in this garden and Peter cut off the ear of the Roman soldier to defend Jesus. Adjacent to the Garden is the Church of All Nations, housing the very rock by which Jesus prayed.
The Pool of Bethesda is the location of the spring-fed pool where invalids would wait their turn to step into the mysteriously troubled waters. It was believed an angel stirred the waters, and at the time of the stirring, healing was released to those who could rush in the pool. John 5:1-9 tells of Jesus' miraculous healing of the man who had been an invalid for 38 years.
And this is how you get kicked out of Israel...
This stone at the bottom of the Western Wall of the temple is 45ft long and 11ft tall and weights 600 tons. Math... 600 X 2000lbs = 1.2 Million pounds! That's a big rock yo.
This new Jewish synagogue is deep inside the temple tunnels and is adjacent to the area above which the ancient Jewish temples on the Temple Mount stood, and the inner sanctum of the Holy of Holies.
Lots of Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem. Jamie would make a good one
Visitors from all over the world come to see the strongest physical connection between the stories of the Bible and reality, the place where the Holy City started. King David captured the city over 3,000 years ago and brought the Ark of the Covenant here as a declaration of a united Israel and Jerusalem as its capital.
Among the archeological ruins are large elaborate houses that bear witness to the high social status of the city's residents. It is thought that King Solomon was anointed and crowned king of Israel at this site.
Among the ruins found in the city were personal seals for signing letters and documents bearing the names of their owners.
The City of David is one of Jerusalem's most active archaeological sites. It tells the history of Jerusalem, its wars and hardships, its prophets and kings, and the history of the Jews during Biblical times.
As we descended into underground walkway that connected Pool of Siloam to Jerusalem’s Temple it was clear that the ancient foundations of so many sites in Jerusalem are buried deep under the city. This site isn't open to the public. It's was a privilege to get to see this site.
All kinds of stuff like this pulled from the site and places in buckets and pulled out by this middle pulley system up and out of the tunnels. This piece felts really squishy.
Next to the road was this speakers platform, perhaps for preaching or giving instructions to the pilgrims as they approached the Temple Mount. Tens of thousands of people would have walked by this platform. Perhaps Jesus or his disciples may have preached from it?
2000 year old coin still stuck in the stairs for us to see on the Pilgrim steps. Hundreds like these have been discovered.
The Southern Stairs were one of the main entrances from the south to the Temple Mount during the time of Christ. There is no doubt Jesus would have walked on these stairs and taught His disciples here.
There is no doubt Jesus would have walked through this gate. Wow!
These three gates were the main entrance to the Temple. Jesus would have walked through here many times.
Never to old for the ole everyone jump at the same time picture
There were also many purification mikvehs at the base of the Southern Stairs as well (around 48 total). Peter probably preached from these southern steps at Pentecost where 3000 people were saved and baptized in these mikvehs.
100,000 Israelis gathered in Jerusalem to protest while we were there. Freedom like this would never be granted to its neighboring countries.
A wall designed to prevent attackers from crossing into Israel from the West Bank.
We visited with the wall designer (pictured here) He pointed out the holes in the sections of the wall were there to quickly be able to remove them as the wall was never intended to be a permanent border.
Tel Aviv is Israel's modern Capital that feels like New York and acts like Silicon Valley, all while sitting alongside the pristine waters of the Mediterranean.
Joppa is the city to which Jonah fled after the Lord told him to go to Nineveh (Jonah 1:1–3). He went to Joppa, a harbor city, where he knew he could find a ship sailing in the opposite direction. In Joppa, Jonah boarded a ship to Tarshish, but the Lord had other plans for him.
Gelato in Joppa!
Fitting Whale art from the port Jonah left from.
We got to visit The Peres Center in Joppa. This VR experience there was amazing! The Center focused on the technology that lead Israel to proposer and blessed the world. Israel boasts more companies listed on the Nasdaq than any other country, besides the US and China. It leads the world in venture capitalism as a percentage of GDP, produces more scientific papers than any nation on earth, and is the second most highly educated country in the world. Israel is fulfilling its God-given mandate as a light unto the nations. Israeli technological breakthroughs have changed the way we live our lives in this digital age, and Israeli medical breakthroughs affect everything from routine medical care to how one treats battlefield wounds. Additionally, Israel's scientific advancements have made deserts bloom, changed how we grow crops, and brought water to parts of the world where its scarcity costs lives
First time to touch the waters of the Mediterranean
.
The New Testament records that Herod interrogate Jesus before handing him over to Roman judgment. Herod's quarters were designed for public assemblies. Perhaps this is the very hall where Jesus was interrogated in Luke 23.
Jamie bought a bunch of 1st Century coins. One of them was a 1st century Denarius, which was commonly used in the New Testament. Cool!
CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE
Identified by Emperor Constantine's mother Helena as the site of Jesus' crucifixion and tomb in 326 AD. The Church's location just outside the wall, in keeping with the Gospel accounts' description of Jesus being crucified and buried "near" the city (John 19:20).
Identified by Emperor Constantine's mother Helena as the site of Jesus' crucifixion and tomb in 326 AD. The Church's location just outside the wall, in keeping with the Gospel accounts' description of Jesus being crucified and buried "near" the city (John 19:20).
This was an amazing spot to take the time to think of what might have happened in this historic place - the resurrection of the Son of God. Jesus revealed himself to Mary. Peter and John raced to the tomb, only to find the burial clothes on the slab along with His talit folded neatly (John 20:1-
18). This was visible proof of God's authority over death, hell and the grave, the verification that Jesus Christ was and is our Savior. We left this place excited that Jesus is alive!
18). This was visible proof of God's authority over death, hell and the grave, the verification that Jesus Christ was and is our Savior. We left this place excited that Jesus is alive!
The Holocaust Memorial Center in West Jerusalem honors the 6 million Jews who perished under Hitler between 1933 and 1945. It was hard to see and be reminded of one of the worst things ever done to and by humans on the earth. Also a reminder of the human capacity for love and hope even in the most brutal circumstances. We couldn't take pictures inside.
Jamie and Brent sang "God bless the USA" at an embarrassingly loud level as they walked into the crowded customs line at the JFK airport. Had lots of fun times with these two!
And FINALLY...Jack, Daddy's coming home today!! We were all very happy to have Daddy home!
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