A Life Changing Trip to Israel
posted by Stephanie Johnson on the 10th of February 2010
Touching down
in the Land of Israel, during wee morning hours, I desperately tried to gather
all my thoughts and realize exactly where I was. Soon as I checked my luggage, I
pulled out the camcorder and immediately began recording every second of my
experience there! We visited and ate breakfast at the Kibbutz of Yad
Mordechai. I learned that this Kibbutz held back overwhelming Egyptian
forces for 6 days in their attempt to capture Tel-Aviv farther up along the
coastal road. Yad Mordechai is such a cool place, while we walked through they
were showing the film Defiance, and the room we were in was recreated as the
events took place. It was really amazing. After the visit and breakfast at the
Kibbutz, we went to the small Israeli border town of Sderot, which suffered for
7 straight years from constant rocket fire from Gaza.
My experience
of the Holy City for the first time from a panoramic observation point
overlooking the entire city from the South was breathtaking. It looked like
every postcard and photo I had ever seen. I felt like I was immediately
transported 2,000+ years ago. It's so special that God preserved that land
despite all it's been through. What more proof do you need to support the state
of Israel and it's inhabitants? It's still an overwhelming experience for me to
try to write on paper and this blog. It's hard to explain, but seeing the Temple
Mount with all the homes and places around it, complete peace and solidarity
encompassed my soul. It was as if my soul made a covenant with the land, and my
will. It's so difficult to explain. I felt at "home". And even being back here
in Michigan now writing this, things feel soooo different. I feel lonely,
lacking, almost depressed. I'm going about my regular routine; work, food,
friends, church, shopping; but I don't feel settled.
I'm 90%
(pretty sure) that I'm going to move to Israel within the next year or two. Mind
you that nothing extra spectacular happened to me in Israel that would cause me
an emotional reaction to want to live there. I didn't meet a hot guy that I fell
in love with. I didn't cry hysterically at any of the sites. I didn't buy every
Jewish memorabilia I saw for myself or others like most tourists do. I expected
some sort of reaction from all I was seeing, but an emotional one never
happened. I discovered it was all occurring in my soul. My life was being
changed before my eyes. I was viewing all that I saw, and it was downloading
right in sync with my soul! I'm glad to be chosen by God to fulfill His
desires. I am Forever dedicated to the work of Israel. NEVER being a bystander
in the midst of conflict in defense of Israel and her
people.
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On the 14th of February 2010, Mid Stutsman said:
Thank you so much, Stephanie I live in Indiana...so we are neighbors!! ;) I could feel how you feel and I'm sure that would be how I would describe it...can't wait to go!! Hope you will keep in touch if and when you do move and let us know how it goes! Baruch atem b'Shem, Yeshua!
On the 17th of February 2010, Stephanie Johnson said:
Thanks so much for your support and prayers! Email me so we can get together...neighbor! :)
On the 28th of March 2010, Missy Hollandsworth said:
I know this feeling of "home". It's been almost five years since coming back from Israel, and although I got on the plane, my heart stayed there. Loved the article, made me think on so many sweet memories of my homeland!