June 5

Greeting from Israel. Shaloam! I’ve had quite the day today all around the Sea of Galilee where most of Jesus earthly ministry took place. (My hotel sits right n the shore). We started the day at the Copernium temple excavation and thinking of Jesus at that temple...


Next, we went to the Mountain of the Beatitudes, where tradition tells us Jesus gave His sermon on the mount. At that place, with a beautiful view of the Sea of Galilee, there is an awesome chapel, a guest house and truly magnificent gardens. 


We then headed down to the shore and were able to view a 1st century wooden boat that had been buried beneath the mud of the sea. Amazing. After getting a drink, we loaded on a boat and went out on the sea. What a calm, peaceful time where Brother Rob brought a message. 


For lunch, we stopped at a local roadside stand and had our choice of local cuisine. Then on to Magnala. 


At Magdala (the home of Mary Magdalene), there is a First Century Synagogue where it is certain that Jesus taught. The excavation just began in 2009. Inside the synagogue they also found The Magdala Stone, a discovery many archaeologists call the most significant archaeological find in the past 50 years. By the most amazing thing to me was the tile floor. Tiles Jesus very likely stood upon. And benches where He would have sat and read from the Scriptures. 


Afterwards, we stopped at Kursi. The very likely spot where Jesus cast the demons into the herd of swine. The tombs were very visible on the side of the hill where legion had been living. 


And the last stop of the day was the Jordon river where several of us were baptized. It was a blessed time. 


The thing that continued to resonate with me beginning this morning was “It really happened. All of it. It happened. And this is the place where it happened.” It’s not that I had doubts before, but it’s just ever so obvious now. It was an amazing day—(105 degrees, so it was amazing and hot!)  


Love you, Pam


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