It is 11:30 at night and I am sitting in a hotel room on the beach in Tel Aviv, Israel. My dad is my roommate for this trip. He is snoring like a buzz saw. Obviously I am awake. I am glad. It gives me a chance to tell you what I will be doing for the next 10 days.
4 years ago a friend gave me a gift that changed my life forever. He took me to Israel to walk the ancient paths of Scripture. I walked in the footsteps of Jesus and the magnificent sovereignty of the LORD. I fell madly in love with the LORD in a whole new way. My passion for His Word changed as I studied the Bible in the archaeological sites where these Scriptures actually happened. My faith deepened that trip… but more than that happened. I learned a bit about following my Master, Jesus Christ. I have never really been the same.
In the year following I committed to the LORD to give back. Initially I thought that meant taking people to Israel whenever the LORD allowed and giving the gift of reading the Bible in crystal clarity. Little did I know He had another plan in mind. Four years later, four trips later, hours of study later, and lots of life later, I find myself on the eve of actually guiding an in depth study tour of Israel… beginning tomorrow. I feel so called and so inadequate all at once.
Tomorrow I will meet 30 people from Kingsland at the airport in Tel Aviv to being a journey of a lifetime for each one of them. The trip is demanding in every way: physically, spiritually, and emotionally. This will be the most wonderful and most difficult journey for all of them. Several of them are pastors from our own pastoral team: Brian Stone, Omar Garcia, Jon Davis, and Doyle Lowry. I am praying that those guys can take their pastor hats off and simply basque in the beauty of the Bible and the love of the Savior. I pray that every participant will grow in their love of Christ, their willingness to follow him, and their passion to know the Bible.
Since I will be leading hikes, teaching all day, and studying for the next day each night, I will have no time to post. I have asked Omar and Jon to blog when they have a chance and to post to this blog. I hope you will follow us by reading the stories along the path. Please pray for us while we are gone and…
Plan on coming with me next year.
Shema Yisrael
Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad.
Vehahavta et Adonai eloheka,
bkhol levavkah,
uvekhol naphsheka
uvekhol m’odeka.
Amen.
Brian Haynes 
I am truely blessed to read your blogs each day as I pray for you and your group. I look forward to the day I can visit this land . I was touch by your faith lesson of Jesus two touches. Wow May God guide and protect you and we thank God for you.
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I read Omar’s and Jon’s blogs this morning on Gezer and felt as if I were there with you guys. To be honest, I am a little jealous of you all. Alex mentioned you in his sermon yesterday and I just pined for Israel. Even Gary mentioned you in our Sunday School lesson.
I am praying for Angela and girls daily as well as all of you. I can’t imagine seeing Gezer in the dark and walking out of there back to the bus! Flashlights came in handy I suppose.
Hope you can get some sleep!
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Truely amazing Brian, I can only imagine the sites you are seeing and the emotions you must be experiencing as you walk the paths of the Heavenly Father with your earthly father. I hope that one day Jason and I can join in you in an incredible journey to the Holy Land. I will be praying for you and those who are traveling with you at this time.
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