My friend John Phelps shared a powerful sermonette in Israel that brought many to tears. Standing in the Garden of Gethsemane he said, “This is my first time standing in this place, and yet I’ve been here many times.” He shared wisdom on how to face our own suffering, and now he’s battling brain cancer and practicing what he preached. … More Facing Your Own Gethsemane
Standing there by the shore, the ancient breeze tickling the back of my neck, I pointed to the other side. Seven words got them into the boat and seven miles got them across the sea to the heart of Jesus’ mission to save a life hanging in the balance. … More When Pigs Fly: 7 Words & 7 Miles
The scandal of the Christian message is that Heaven put on a hard-hat and headlamp and came down in search of you and me—and often meets us halfway in the middle of the deepest, darkest place. No matter how twisty and snakelike our path, the Light of Salvation will always meet us where we need Him. … More The Tunneling Tenacity of Heaven’s Light
If I’m honest, I think the image of heads praying against a stonewall hits too close to home for pathetic pray-ers like me. Haven’t we all tried to draw nearer to God’s presence in prayer, but felt like our prayers were deflecting off of a glass ceiling or crashing into a thick stone wall? … More Stonewall Faith & Prayers
If you stare long enough at all the paper-prayers smooshed into the cracks of that enormous wall, one wonders if the cracks grow a bit wider each day in proportion to the cumulative suffering and loss experienced by our human race as the LORD tarries in His return. … More Tears in the Cracks
Suddenly you are funneled into that little doorway as you descend to your golden moment, whereupon you have about 10 seconds to observe and pay homage at the spot where Heaven invaded Earth and Eternity kissed mortality before a staff person shoos you onward to keep the line moving. … More Touching Where Heaven Touched Earth
In an era where many Christians worship by passively staring at a jumbo screen, we need to get back to seeking and engaging God-Reality with all our senses—seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching. … More Holy Land: A Scratch ‘n Sniff Faith
“So I think my biggest takeaway is that the Holy Land might have begun in Israel, but it was never meant to end there.” … More Pondering My Pilgrimage
For the past twenty years I have been getting the Holy Land inside of me through my studies and ministry experience, and now its time for me to go inside the Holy Land! … More My 20 Year Holy Land Pilgrimage
Jeremy L. Berg 