Guest Author Linaya Leaf

Father, Son and Holy Spirit

We are here in Your Holy Lands experiencing a world You have been building since the beginning of time. Nothing could mean more to us than to walk where Jesus walked, connecting with Your creation, Your holy stones, Your meaning.

Thank you for all those who wrote words and songs and poems for Your Bible story to be told.

Help us to sing a new song every day, rejoicing in the world You created for us, the freedom You gave us to choose, Your Son given to us, the hope of the world, the love of the world, flowing from You through Him to us.

Let us rejoice, write poems, sing songs and share Your love with others, forever singing songs of praise to You!!!

A scraggly tree on Masada Mount

raises its arms

only three to count

Masada the place where warriors fought

and laid down their lives

when freedom was naught

Men killed their families

children and wives

wanting God's freedom

they gave up their lives

Hoping that those who came

after their demise

would fight for a future

with hope in their eyes

And as we listen to [our guide] Abraham

I can lift up my arms

and say "I am"

I am here to claim 

what you held in your hands

the hope of a future

free feet on these sands

Sands of tomorrow

from the blood of the past

grasping onto new freedoms

that forever will last

The roots of that tree with scraggly arms

hold deep to the values

that keep me warm!!!

I am in the Holy Lands

where You have sent me, Lord,

to climb over stones

with my weakened body,

to hear words from Masada

of those who gave their lives

to send word of their faith

to new generations.

This is the place where I was

rebaptized in the Jordan River

where Christ was baptized,

by Pastor Ben, during my

first journey here. Each visit

has brought new meaning

and today I will walk by the Dead Sea

with Linda and Tim by my side.

Thank you for those who help me

walk on uneven stones

and give me healing hands

to help me with my cold cough

just as the women by Your cross

brought spices to anoint

Your pain, Your words

Your forever heart.

As those who loved Jesus

came to anoint Him,

those who love Jesus are here

anointing me with their faith,

their joy in this shared moment,

their healing hands laid

on my wounds sending

forever love into my heart!

I found some lotion

in the Israeli Inn room

but no soap or shampoo.

How does the grey striped

Tabby from Tel Aviv

clean himself with

only a tongue

licking salt on his fur?

We saw a shepherd with

sheep and goats

herding on a mountain slope

looking for grass

and water,

looking for food on

hills where Jesus placed

his loving footsteps.

Will each Holy Land friend

connect more deeply

with our Savior as

we walk where Mary felt

God's annunciation

from Gabriel,

following her heart,

not her fears?

Please God, give me

Mary's brave spirit as

I listen for your call in

Billings, on Lopez Island,

in Oregon. Only You know

the answers as my

periwinkle shoes step

into Your Gethsemane and 

Renew My Life!

Golgotha is the place 

They brought God's only Son

To suffer on the cross

For his life to be done.

They spit upon Jesus

And took his clothes

Daring Him to save himself

From all the jeering foes.

"Who shall I save?"

Pilate asked of the priests,

"Save Barabbas, a murderer,

Not Jesus' belief."

"For Jesus claims to be

The son of God;

So spit on him and strike him

With your rod."

And even in agony

With no life to live

Jesus asked that his Father

Would them forgive.

The pain of his suffering

Made him question, "Why

Hast thou forsaken me, Father,

And left me to die?"

Yet even though darkness

Was claiming his might,

Jesus reached out to bring his

Mother and disciple light.

He saw them standing near

As his life on earth was done,

Saying "Disciple behold thy mother;

Mother behold thy son."

Jesus saved his loved ones

At the cross;

Then he drank the vinegar

As his life was lost.

Christ died on the cross

To cover our sins

So that our darkened world

Would have light again.

Oh, Jesus, precious Savior,

We are your loving lambs

And follow in your footsteps

Seeking your forever balm.

On this earth, there is no love

That measures what you've given

But if we follow you, we'll be

By your side in heaven!

Stones, stones,

everywhere

help me to know that

someone cared

Someone cared to

carve and carry

a load of weight

no matter how scary

From long ago

people's arms lifted

to help future arms

feel they were gifted

So we can walk

those stones toward God

becoming a part of 

His Holy Pod!