No matter how hard I try, I’ll never be able to express the type of relationship I have with Christ. It started when I was very young and the journey has been one of many ups and downs but my visit to the Holy Land made me fall deeper in love. And it’s funny, my connection with Christ was never one pushed by religion even though I was raised Catholic. It was never influenced by family or the forced on me by the Church. It has always been a friendship and bond that just flowed into my heart naturally with ease and I think that’s what makes it so special.
My journey to The Holy Land, and specifically The Sea Of Galilee, was one of the most special adventures I’ve had to date. So, when my dear friend Lindsey (who was also raised Chaldean in Michigan) shared with me the special moment she also had while in the Holy Land overlooking the Sea Of Galilee, a lightbulb went off in my mind’s eye. What a special connect the two of us had!
It’s funny… we can travel all around the world to some of the most touristic and visited places in the world, and feel like our individual experiences are so unique and special to us. Making the connection between my own experience at The Sea Of Galilee and Lindsey’s has solidified my absolute love for this beautiful part of the world. Here are our stories.
My Experience At The Sea Of Galilee
At first sight of the Sea Of Galilee, I had a very special moment… one that will stay with me forever. I was in Jerusalem with my mother, recovering from shock after discovering some bad news at an already confusing time in my life. Life seemed to be swirling at a rate I was unable to comprehend, and yet, here I was.
Something drew me to a gate overlooking the sea, and here is where I stumbled upon the most peaceful scene I’ve ever laid my eyes on. A cloud of mist hovered over the Sea of Galilee, and the calm water and reflections immediately whisked my heart away.
I sat on a rock for a long while, enjoying the peace and solitude of being alone… feeling grateful to just be still with God. Finding the time to be present while in the chaos of travel filled me heart with gratitude.
Lindsey’s Experience At The Sea Of Galilee
Our lives are made up of hundreds of thousands of moments. Some of these moments define us. Some of these moments shape who we become. For me, this was one of those moments. I remember taking this picture, putting my camera down, and standing in sheer awe.
Traveling has taught me about myself through the eyes of those I encounter in each place life has taken me. To travel is so much more than seeing beautiful places but discovering the person you are in those places in the little moments. Just be sure you’re looking forward in these moments. Traveling to Israel was more than walking in the footsteps of Christ, it was more so about searching and finding myself in those footsteps. I began traveling to find the piece of myself I had lost in the process of trying to be what the world wanted me to be. I came to this place far from who I was meant to be, and in this moment, I felt completely calm, absolutely still. I breathed in the sea and I breathed out all of my doubts, my anxieties, and my uncertainties that I had ever had. That was the day that I started to become who I was meant to be. That was the day, I learned how to just be.
This moment is so much more than a moment of solace, it was a moment of starting over. This is when I realized that it wasn’t about finding what was lost but making new pieces even if they weren’t perfect. This moment in time, I will never forget the way the sea filled me and the way the rocks grounded me. In this moment, I felt as infinite as the sky. This was the day my happiness took on a new form.
Remember…
Both Lindsey and I’s experiences we’ve shared, although had separately, connect us in incredible ways. There are places in this world that take your breath away, and I’m so glad the two of us were able to share the exact same moment of reflection, gratitude and peace in such an important place in this world’s history.
