Lent: Journey Through the Holy Land – Part 1

Well friends, today marks the first day of Lent. And it is also day 121 since my trip to Israel in October and I’ve tried to write this series of blog posts several times.

I’d start to put words into a note on my phone or onto paper, but it just wasn’t happening. I journaled while in Israel and took notes, but that felt too personal to share that I kept finding myself trying to simplify it and put it into words that others might be able to understand without getting into the emotions of it all.

So I gave up. A couple of times.

Well, if I’m being honest: a lot of times. Too many to count. Even to the point where I would just think about starting this post, and wouldn’t even give it a second thought.

Many of you have asked about my experience and I can absolutely guarantee that my first response to you was “it was great!”, “I had a blast!” or “it was an incredible experience!” But honestly, not a single of one those statements – or any iteration of those statements – that I told you could even scratch the surface of what has been going on in my soul since returning to the US.

And if you kept prying and asking me questions, I may have said “it’s such a hard experience to put into words” or “it was really emotional and life changing” or “my faith looks so different now.” But honestly none of those do it justice.

Going to Israel was such a raw, emotional, life changing experience and I still can’t seem to find the best way to describe or share it. But this Lenten season, I’m committing to sharing this experience with you.

Why? Because I can’t keep this to myself.

I see the world differently, I understand the Scriptures differently, I feel God calling me to make a change. And I cannot ignore it.

I have to do something. God led me through this journey for me to share this experience with others – as frightening as it may be. I’m committed to being honest, raw, emotional and authentic with you throughout this journey. Because that is how our faith should be.

I’ll share photos and videos from the trip alongside handwritten excerpts from my travel journal and reflections since the journey.

I don’t know where you are in your faith today.

Maybe you’re at the best place you’ve ever been in your relationship with God. Maybe you’re at your worst. Maybe you’ve never considered a relationship with Him. Maybe you’re somewhere in the middle. Or maybe, you have no idea where you are.

And that’s ok. Because our faith is a journey. And we can journey together. Community is so important in our faith, and I hope that throughout this Lenten journey we can share our faith together.

I’m praying that over these next 40 days God will be at work in your life. That you will feel His love and presence. That He will guide you, comfort you, heal you and simply wrap you in His grace. May He open your heart to conversations with those around you about your faith, inviting you to grow closer to Him. We don’t know what we will encounter in these 40 days, but I pray that we may better understand His love for us and better share His love with others.

I hope you’ll join me on this journey.

Abbey Jo