Originally written March 2026
Wow, has it really been six years already?
Time has passed so quickly.
I’m truly grateful that I had the opportunity to travel to Israel and visit some of the biblical landmarks. Standing in those places gave me a deeper understanding of the stories in the Bible and made them feel more real and meaningful.
It was more than just a trip.
It was a humbling and unforgettable experience.
And then, of course, there was the Dead Sea.
Because apparently no deeply reflective pilgrimage is complete without covering yourself in black mud and floating around like a cork. 
I remember thinking that the Dead Sea would simply be another place to visit.
Instead, it became one of those experiences you have to feel for yourself.
You don’t really swim.
You float.
Whether you want to or not.
And after seeing everybody enthusiastically coating themselves in mud, naturally I joined in.
When in the Dead Sea…
Looking back now, the trip gave me so many different kinds of memories.
Some were deeply spiritual.
Some helped me understand the Bible differently.
Some were historically fascinating.
And some involved me standing by the water looking like I’d lost a fight with a mud pit.
All of them mattered.
That’s probably why, six years later, the memories still feel so vivid.
Stories Along the Way 