Journal Entry 2/6 From Kristi

One year ago today the Lord worked a miracle in my family. A miracle I could hardly believe the Lord could make happen. An answer to the prayer of my heart. “Not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit” the Lord reminded me. (Zech. 4:6). It was His doing alone.

One year ago today our entire family of 6 stepped foot into the Promised Land of Israel as the Lord answered a prayer I had been praying about for over 27 years. He allowed not only my feet to step upon those precious shores that had been the longing of my heart, but also the feet of Rich, Charis, Spencer, Zachary, and Everest. We placed our feet in the Footsteps of Jesus. It was not our might, nor power that allowed us to take that first step, but Gods Spirit that breathed life into what for me seemed the impossible - to step into the same land where Jesus walked.

And as we toured that land as a family for 32 days, roaming from the Mount of Olives to the Sea of Galilee, seeing incredible sights, that gripped my heart and overwhelmed my spirit, I could hardly reconcile what I was seeing with all of the stories I had read in God’s Word. But standing there in that Land, the truth of the Word came washing over me - but only when I closed my eyes. And there I saw Jesus and the comfort of my faith... seeing every story in God’s Word come alive, not by what I could see, but what I believed because of the Word of God. Israel became real when I shut my eyes. Because that’s where my faith was found.

And here we are a year later. One pair of those feet that stepped into Israel are not are not moving right now. Not stepping. Not walking. And it breaks my heart. But I find myself, once again, closing my eyes, shutting out what I see with my sight, and finding the comfort of faith is still there... not based on what is seen but on what is unseen. Not based on my might nor power, but on God’s Spirit.

Truly, faith comes, not by what we see, but by what we hear, and what we hear is Truth, and that Truth is the Word of God.

The Women’s Bible Study that I was teaching - “In the Footsteps of Jesus” - suddenly came to a halt with Zac’s accident. But I’m ready to go into the next chapter now - John 9 - where Jesus healed a man “so that the power of God could be seen in him.” Only I’m not the teacher this time; God is, and will reveal His power through Zac by the truth of His Word.

Thank you for the comfort of our faith, Lord, that gives us a sure place to reside, contrary to what we see with our eyes. Your Word is Truth. And even as this Scripture is about You, may it also be true for my Zachary: “And in that day His feet will STAND (once again) on the Mount of Olives” (Zech 14:4)