Some occasions live on inside you forever…perhaps a special Christmas day of your childhood, or your wedding day, or your newborn’s entry into the world. Now I can add to my list a family trip to the Holy Land, the home of my Lord.

After Christmas, several members of my family (my parents, my daughters, my brother Bert and 2 of his children) were blessed to be able to see Jesus’ world, the place of his birth, his life, his death, and his resurrection.

My head still spins with the recollections, visions and feelings about it. It has always been a deep desire of mine to be able to go and see for myself the places where Jesus, our savior and friend, lived and ate and cried and laughed. Now I have been, and will share with you as we go from my new storehouse of knowledge and experience.

One memory I feel ready to share occurred in Bethlehem, as we went to the site where Jesus was born. We got there early to beat the crowds, and admired this marvelous church that was built on top of this site. But just as we were ready to go down to the site, which is actually in a cave (more about this later), we were stopped and told that the cave was closed for the next 45 minutes. Our leaders decided to wait, so we all sat outside the cave entrance, and listened as the monks held mass. Their tones in Gregorian chant were beautiful, the incense drifted out to our chamber, and the swift pace of the tour was halted, if only for a few moments.

God worked in us as we prayed and worshipped outside that manger place. Time and space were transcended as we celebrated together the reality of the birth of our Lord. I’ll not forget those moments of Christmas peace.

Thank you for praying me through this trip. I know many of you lifted us up, especially as you heard about the renewed trouble in Gaza. Thank you for your support, and for sparing me these days. I felt God’s presence with me as we traveled, and tried to soak up all I could, knowing that God would work through it not just for me, but for our community in Powder Springs.

In this new year, and following a trip to the Holy Land where there is much unrest today, I am reminded of Psalm 122:6 “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; may those who love You be secure.”

Shalom,

Rev. Susan