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A Small Piece of Bethlehem, a Big Lesson in Giving

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  While walking the ancient streets of Bethlehem , I picked up something most people would pass right by—a small, simple piece of olive-wood. No polish. No promise. Just a humble remnant from the Holy Land.   From the moment I held it, Elizabeth said, “I know exactly who this is  for.”   Back home, we gifted that small piece of Bethlehem olive wood to James Johnson, the son of Zach and Casey Johnson. James is a young craftsman—one of those rare souls who can look at raw wood and already see the finished form inside it. Bowls, turnings, carvings—his crafts tell a story of patience, skill, and respect for the material.   We intended the gift simply as a souvenir. A tangible connection to the Holy Land. Something meaningful he could keep.   What I didn’t expect was what happened next.   To my surprise, Zach later handed me a beautifully crafted writing pen—made by James himself, turned from olive wood. Smooth. Balanced. Thoughtfully finished. T...
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The fog lifted this morning.

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First off, I appreciate the way so many of you have reached out to Lewis thru Elizabeth & me. This morning at 7 AM, the nurses came to pick Lewis up to take him down 8 flights to the operating room. He was so thirsty, all the whole time brave. They cut his water intake off at 10 the previous night. The OR prep team explained the procedure and Lewis said, “lets get this done”. Both his grandmothers, Liz and I waited as we watched the monitor identifying “prepping, in “surgery” and “recovering”. As all people waiting for a love ones to get out of surgery, we anxiously waited for the OR waiting room phone to ring. I hurried over to answer and they ask for someone in the Swicegood family; I said “speaking” . The nurse said "the surgery went well, and his first words were I want my mom”. Only one person could go back. Twenty four years old or 10, a boy wants his mom when he's in a pickle. The doctor said that he accomplished his goal by cleaning the infection surrounding ...
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Leaving Jerusalem and the Holy Land — A Trip I’ll Never Forget

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This week has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. I had the privilege of taking my 82-year-old mother to the Holy Land—her very first time walking where the Scriptures unfolded. She amazed everyone on the trip, averaging 3.8 miles a day on foot. It was taxing at times, but absolutely heart-filling . Watching her take it all in brought the Bible to life in a way I will cherish forever. Where Jesus Walked — A Journey Through the Galilee Our adventure we “set sail” on the Sea of Galilee , where we enjoyed a peaceful boat ride with worship and reflection. To glide across those waters—the same waters Jesus calmed—was unforgettable (Mark 4:39). We visited the Mount of Beatitudes , standing where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5–7). Then at Capernaum , we walked among the ruins of Peter’s mother-in-law’s house (Luke 4:38–39) and saw the synagogue where Jesus taught. One of the most powerful moments came at the Jordan River , where several of us experience...
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