Day 0 - On Our Way to Israel
Sunday / Monday, October 12-13, 2025
Houston - Frankfurt - Tel Aviv - Netanya
On our way!
Was somewhat challenging for me to get ready for this trip with so many other things going on in life and with our family, but now that we are underway my heart, mind and spirit are settling in to how amazing this journey is going to be! Oh God, bless me, Josiah who is with me, and all our fellow travelers as we head to your Promised Land!
Amazingly, on this very day, President Trump arrived in Israel to finalize the peace agreement between Israel and Hamas after two years of vicious fighting. Thank you, God! We’ve been concerned about our trip for the past many months, at several points certain it would be cancelled. But the church and travel agency continued to be confident that we would be safe … and now it certainly looks like we will be! Thank you, Lord!
The long overnight flight from Houston to Frankfurt was uneventful with little sleep in our “lush” economy class 747 seats. A long trek across the Frankfurt airport (as usual) led us to our connecting flight and an on time departure to Tel Aviv. I enjoyed speaking with the Jewish man next to me on the plane who currently lives in Germany as head of Jewish charities there. He expressed such gratefulness for what President Trump has done, and in general for the friendship and protection from America to Israel. His words were striking: “If not for America, Israel would no longer exist.” I responded that while that may be true, I believe that is all part of God’s plan … the one true God.
Thirty minutes out we were instructed to remain seated with our seatbelts fastened … Israeli airspace rules, apparently. As we landed we saw Air Force One still on the ground, a convoy of cars heading across the tarmac, and learned the airport was still officially closed until they were to depart. In the end that caused about an hour delay for our bus (along with Jeff W.) to be able to get into the airport to pick us up … but we’ll take the inconvenience for the tremendous positives for the country it represents! A 45 minute bus ride brought us to our hotel for the night in Netanya, a town on the Mediterranean coast. Dinner, showers and finally able to lie down in comfortable beds for the night. We’re here, Lord! Bless our days ahead!
On the bus to the hotel, Jeff wasted no time in challenging all of us to understand this is not a travel tour, but a journey together and with God himself for each one of us. Two questions to ponder and seek before the Lord during our time here:
1. What do you want to say or do in my life this week?
2. What is one breakthrough you want for me this week, or that I can ask you for?
Yes, Lord! Speak to me this week in this Holy Land!
We put our hope in the LORD, He is our help and our shield.
Our heart rejoices in God because we trust his holy name.
LORD, let your faithful love surround us because we wait for you.
Psalm 33:20-21
Overnight at Leonardo Plaza Hotel, Netanya, Israel – On the Mediterranean coast