Israel has experienced times of close relationship with God and times when they rebelled and strayed, leading to exile. God was steadfast in his love for them and merciful. For long ago in the days of David and Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songs of praise…
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Three Good Books
In the Land of Blue Burqas by Kate McCord The author of this book has a pseudonym to protect herself and the experiences that she relates. She worked at an NGO in Afghanistan, providing service to poor Afghan women. She was there for five years. As I read this book,…
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The Greatest Love
It is Good Friday. I am remembering scenes recorded in the Bible that show Jesus’ great love. He prepared for his crucifixion with prayer. Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here, while I go over there and pray. And…
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When we Visited Jerusalem
Ten years ago, my husband and I went on a tour of Israel with friends from our church. We went by bus from north to south and ended our travel in Jerusalem. In a previous blog I wrote about visiting the Church of St. Peter. Bright pink flowers on a…
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How Do We Overcome Fear?
Fear can distract us from a life of faith. In my morning Bible study I have been reading about Nehemiah’s leadership in rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem, the city with a temple for God’s presence. The Jews had enemies that did not want them to rebuild the walls. At first…
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The View of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives: Visiting Gethsemane
In 2012 my husband and I made a trip to Israel with a group of friends from our church. It was amazing to see the places that we had read about in the Bible. The two weeks in Israel were an encouragement to our faith. When we went to Jerusalem…