Os Caminhos Antigos

In August 2020, Missionary JJ Lambeth contacted us about translating our book Walking Ancient Paths - Gleanings from the Holy Land into Portuguese. 

A couple of years previous, he began translating apostolic books from English into Portuguese so that believers in Brazil could have materials to help them in their walks with the Lord. He also uses these translated books to reach out to Brazilians who want to know more about God. 

Walking Ancient Paths - Gleanings from the Holy Land was of particular interest to Brother Lambeth because he has been to Israel three times. During one of his trips, he completed a four-day hike by himself from Nazareth to Capernaum.

This week, copies of Os Caminhos Antigos - Um Vislumbre da Terra Santa arrived on our doorstep. The book looks fantastic and we hope it is a blessing to many Brazilians!

Brother Lambeth in Brazil

Tips for Touring Israel

www.holylandexperience.weebly.com

To date, we have never rented a traditional hotel in Israel, nor have we participated in a group tour. We prefer to explore Israel on our own. We get a rental car and stay in tzimmers (guest houses/apartments) in moshavim (Jewish communities.)

A couple of years ago, a pastor asked us to take him and his wife on a personalized tour of Israel. He wanted preparation information. As it turned out, we were never able to take that trip with them, but at that time I put together a website with valuable tips for visiting Israel, particularly if traveling apart from a group tour.

The website is called:

Off the Beaten Path: 

Holy Land Tour With Bill and Sylvia Ferrin

If you wonder what you might need to do to prepare for a once-in-a-lifetime off-the-beaten-path adventure in Israel, clink the link below to check it out!

www.holylandexperience.weebly.com

A Light in Darkness: Stories of Grief and Loss

It is Christmastime. A time when we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is supposed to be a time of joy. But for some people who are grieving the loss of a loved one, it can be a painful time. 

Whether now at this special time of year or any time when we are presented with the loss of a loved one, we need the support of others. That is the beauty of the body of Christ. When we feel a loss, our brothers and sisters in Christ help sustain us. 

A Light in Darkness: Stories of Grief and Loss, published by Word Aflame Press, is a compilation of articles written by people who can relate to the pain of loss because they have experienced it firsthand. Here is a pre-published article from the Pentecostal Publishing House blog which shares with us the benefits of gaining strength and guidance from others during times of loss. 

A Light in Darkness | Stories of Grief and Loss 

If you have experienced a loss of a loved one or a dear friend, allow A Light in Darkness: Stories of Grief and Loss to offer comfort. 

Maybe you’ve lost a spouse, parent, child, or a dear friend, and you realize you lack strength to make it through the dark valley alone. It feels lonely and scary. What if someone who made the journey before you could help—someone who could share insights from their experiences, the lessons they’ve learned, and things that helped them cope? That’s what A Light in Darkness is all about. 

You will hear from writers who have lost parents, a spouse, a friend, siblings, a child, and more. The same questions you may be wrestling and grappling with right now, these writers also wrestled with. Know this: It’s okay to question, closure comes gradually, and God hasn’t turned His back on you. 

You will want to meet these writers and read their letters. They are addressed to you, dear friend. 

If you know someone walking in the valley of the shadow of death, consider giving A Light in Darkness as a gift this Christmas. These stories of grief and loss will offer comfort and hope. 

A version of this article was posted at blog.pentecostalpublishing.com.

Resources and Links: A Light in Darkness

Photos of Rosh Pina

Rosh Pina

One of our favorite places to visit when we are in northern Israel is Rosh Pina. The old neighborhood, founded in 1882, is on top of a hill. It is a quaint collection of sturdy stone buildings. These restored structures are now homes, restaurants, and art galleries. There is also a synagogue, which was the first public building erected in Rosh Pina. 

This quiet village is never busy or overcrowded when we visit and we always enjoy walking along its meandering cobblestone streets and through the nearby park. The clean, fresh air and natural setting is refreshing. Down the hill is the modern area of Rosh Pina, still very nice. There you find shopping centers and more restaurants. 

Rosh Pina has quite a few zimmers (guest houses) but we usually stay in Amirim when are in the Galilee region of Israel. So, we just go to Rosh Pina to visit for a few hours and to enjoy a good Israeli meal.   

Rosh Pina received its name from Psalm 118:22, which says, “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.” Rosh Pina means “head of the corner” or “cornerstone.”

Although Rosh Pina does not appear to have a link to a biblical city, its name indicates that its early Romanian-Jewish founders desired to build something lasting. They succeeded, for the stone structures they erected so long ago are now highly prized real estate, valued for their stability, ambiance, and historical significance. 

There is a simple yet powerful lesson we can learn from the name of this village. In the world of architecture, the cornerstone is the first stone that is laid. All other stones are laid in reference to the cornerstone. A cornerstone determines the direction in which a structure will be built.

Jesus referenced Psalm 118:22, revealing Himself as the stone which the builders rejected (Matthew 21:42; Mark 12:10; Luke 20:17). Many people foolishly reject Jesus. As a result, their lives are unstable and lack God-ordained purpose.

To Christians, Jesus Christ should be our cornerstone (Ephesians 2:20; I Peter 2:6-7). He is the one who we should build our lives on. He will determine the direction we should go. He is solid and stable and trustworthy.

We must always be cognizant of the value of Jesus Christ being the cornerstone of our lives. We should not reject Him but rather invite Him to set the course for our lives. As we contemplate what we should talk about, think about, and what we should do, we should always look to Jesus and never the world as our reference point as we erect the structure of our lives. This will guarantee that we are building something worthwhile that will stand the test of time.

Rosh Pina – Cornerstone – is a lovely place to visit. But even more lovely is a life well built upon Jesus Christ, the Chief Cornerstone. 

Oregano Potato Chips

When I remember our visits to places overseas, it is difficult to not think about foods we liked that we can't get in the States. In Cyprus, I ate oregano potato chips for the first time. Oregano potato chips are just what they sound like: Potato chips with oregano sprinkled on them. Seasoning potato chips with oregano might sound odd, but I thought they were delicious! 

In fact, oregano became one of my new favorite spices while we were in Cyprus. I started putting it in everything I could, from eggs to salad. In Greek culture, oregano is used a lot in cooking. Along with rosemary and thyme, which we purchased from the vegetable market in Kiti, we dried oregano and brought it back to the States with us. 

It would be so nice to be able to snack on some of these oregano potato chips right now!

 

New Website

We recently created a new website. You are welcome to check out www.magnifytheword.com. Hope you enjoy it!

Mazkeret Batya

Last year, my husband and I had a long layover in Israel as we were on our way to Cyprus. For two nights, we stayed in a Jewish community called Mazkeret Batya. We arrived during the day, so once we settled into the small, simple room in a little hotel called Hapina Shel Michal on Rothschild Boulevard, we jumped back into our rental car. We drove to Jerusalem, where we met some friends for dinner at Focaccia. 

The next day, we explored quiet residential Mazkeret Batya, which is located about a 20-minute drive south of Ben Gurion Airport. This "village" is home to about 10,000 people, but its beginnings were not only humble but historic. 

The First Aliyah is a term that refers to the first influx of Jews into Israel in modern times. The First Aliyah occurred between 1881-1903. Mazkeret Batya was born during this First Aliyah. 

Baron Edmond (Binyamin) de Rothschild funded this settlement, along with 27 others. His father's name was Jacob and his mother's name was Batya. The village was originally named Ekron but the Baron renamed it Mazkeret Batya in honor of his mother. 

Mazkeret Batya began as a farming community of Religious Zionists. One important historical note linked to Mazkeret Batya was that during the Jewish War of Independence, convoys departed from this village to besieged Jerusalem. An old truck is displayed in the village as tribute to this community's contribution to the War of Independence. 

In general, we did not find the inhabitants in Mazkeret Batya particularly friendly. The guy at the bread store had little interest in telling us about his products and prices. Young people staying at the hotel were not interested in making conversation with us. 

But the proprietress at the hotel was helpful. Also, we ate for the first time at a Burgerim in the village and the young men working there were very friendly and conversational. (By the way, I had a salad at Burgerim and it was delicious but my husband did not at all like the burgers!)

Plus, at one point, during one of the times when we got lost driving amid Mazkeret Batya's winding lanes, we asked a Jewish family for directions. They led the way back to the hotel, with us following behind. We were quite grateful for their assistance! 

So, despite the fact that some of the people were standoffish, there were enough who were friendly to compensate for the others. :) 

One evening, we were browsing a grocery store. Nothing interesting about that. But after we purchased some crackers, I headed to the exit door. I heard people yelling, but at first I did not know they were yelling at me. (My Hebrew is fairly limited.) Turns out I was about to exit through a door that would have set off an alarm. Just in time, I realized what was happening before I created a small crisis!

Hapina Shel Michal in Mazkeret Batya was a convenient place to stay during a long layover because it was close to the airport and was much less expensive than other hotels. But unless I had another long layover, I would probably not stay there again. There is not enough to do in Mazkeret Batya to warrant an extended visit. 

With that said, however, I really enjoyed the glimpse into history that our brief visit gave us. And it was a good, quiet place to rest after a very long flight from the United States!