Reflections

  In November 2025, Elizabeth and I had the incredible opportunity to take my mother to the Holy Land. Together, we walked where Jesus walked, visited places we had read about our entire lives, and experienced firsthand the history and faith that have shaped generations of believers. After tracing the footsteps of Jesus throughout Israel, we loaded into a van and began a journey south toward Egypt. Our route took us along the western shore of the Dead Sea, passing the imposing fortress of Masada, where Jewish rebels made their final stand against the Roman Empire nearly 2,000 years ago. As the sun bore down on the hot desert floor, we arrived at the border crossing of Taba. Crossing into Egypt was no simple matter. We passed through five separate checkpoints before finally entering the Sinai Peninsula. From there, we traveled along the Nuweiba-Taba Road, following the coastline of the Red Sea as darkness settled over the desert landscape. Our destination was Saint Catherine, a smal...