You can add traveling to Israel to your bucket list. Have you ever dreamed of visiting one place more than anywhere else in the world? For me, that place was the Holy Land! I did not have a single specific destination in mind, just the country; I simply longed to walk where Jesus once walked and to experience the people and places I had read about in the Bible. Over the years, I have read through the Holy Bible (the New International Version and Today’s New International Version) seven times, sometimes chronologically, sometimes from New Testament to Old. No matter how I read it, Israel always came alive in my imagination and I always learned something else.
So, when I finally had the opportunity to travel to Israel, it was more than just another vacation; it was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. It took several months of preparation and planning. Our itinerary was set, we would start in Nazareth and see sites in the northern part of Israel the first half then travel down to Jerusalem and stay there for the last half of our trip. As I stood among historical and Biblical sites with our phenomenal tour guides leading the way, I had this powerful thought running through my mind: “I’m here. I made it.” The experience was breathtaking, humbling, and without question, the most life-changing, mind-blowing journey I have ever taken.
The Trip
From May 4–13, 2023, our long-awaited adventure in Israel unfolded. For the entire journey, we had the same bus driver, who also happened to be the owner of the bus company, and he became a familiar and comforting presence. Always having that cold water in the front of the bus when we left or came back about to pass out from heat stroke. Every day, he worked closely with our tour guides, and together they crafted an experience that went far beyond a standard travel itinerary.
As we set out on our first day in Israel, traveling north from Nazareth, our group intended to follow the planned itinerary, but our tour guide had something different in mind. With a smile, he turned to us and asked, “I know we have a schedule, but what do you all really want to see?” For a moment, not one of the twenty-one people in our group said a word, so I did. Without hesitation, I said, “History!
I explained my response, we all read and study our Bible, but we want to see the places that don’t come alive through books or the Travel Channel on TV.” Everyone on the bus agreed, and that simple request set the tone for the rest of our journey.XXXXXXXX
Almost immediately, our guide leaned toward the driver and pointed out the window, then turned to us and said, “For instance, if you look to your left, this vast field is Tel Megiddo and the Jezreel Valley. This is the very place where they say Armageddon is prophesied to take place.” My heart skipped a beat. To think that I was driving in front of a site with such profound Biblical significance was overwhelming. Yet, what struck me most was not doom or destruction, it was beauty.
The valley stretched out in every direction, blanketed with brilliant green fields that seemed to roll on forever. The view was beautiful, a reminder that Biblical history and present-day Israel intertwine in ways that words can hardly describe.
Our lead guide was a professor from a well-known college in Nazareth, associated with the Association of Baptist Churches (ABC). His knowledge of Biblical history, archaeology, and culture was inspiring, but what impressed me most was his heart for connecting Scripture with the land beneath our feet. I often noticed him making his way to the back of the bus to quietly confer with our pastor and his wife. When he returned, he would announce with a smile that we were taking a “detour” or making an unexpected stop before our next scheduled destination.
Here is where I share with you one of the greatest experiences of my life: traveling to the Holy Land. Our group followed a well-laid-out itinerary, staying first in Nazareth while exploring northern Israel, and later relocating to Jerusalem for the second leg of our trip. We walked where prophets, kings, and Jesus Himself once walked, and each day unfolded like stepping into the pages of the Bible. What made the journey unforgettable, though, were not only the planned sites but also the unexpected extras, the hidden paths, the small villages, and the quiet moments of reflection in sacred places.
Although our trip took place before the recent conflict between Israel and Gaza, I learned that Israel lives with the constant reality of threats. Yet, because of the nation’s remarkable defense system known as the Iron Dome, life carries on with strength and resilience. Until leaders close the airport in Tel Aviv, daily life continues, and visitors rarely feel unsafe.
During our travels, we never once felt in danger or even uneasy. Instead, we were immersed in history, culture, and faith, reassured by the peace that comes from walking in God’s presence. This balance of ancient tradition and modern security gave us the freedom to truly embrace the wonder of Israel without fear, making every step of the journey both safe and spiritually profound.
You Can Add Traveling To Israel To Your Bucket List
These surprises were some of the most memorable moments of the trip. Each scheduled and unscheduled stop reminded us that God is always in the details, guiding, teaching, and revealing Himself in ways we often overlook when we are too focused on a plan.
Traveling through Israel was not just about checking sites off a list; it was about being open to the divine appointments along the way. All the information that I gathered could not possibly fit on one page, so I have divided it into multiple pages. Please come back for the most interesting history as well as mind-blowing Bible trivia I have ever seen. For example, when Jesus called his disciples, the third and fourth men were not just fishermen, THEY WERE JESUS’ COUSINS!