Archives for April 2020

Greece: County That Holds My Heart

April 27, 2020 by Joel Thornton

Greece is one of my favorite countries in the world. The people are friendly, generous, and love life. They are welcoming and proud to share their heritage with the world. And what a heritage it is. They gave us functioning democracy. They gave us Plato and Aristotle. Through Aristotle they gave us Alexander the Great and many others.

Greece is also a beautiful country filled with natural marvels. It’s arid climate preserves many of the ancient artifacts from Ancient Greece that are still to be seen today in places like the Parthenon, the Parthenon Museum, the archaeological sites all over the country.

I have spent a good bit of time in Greece. I was first there in 2001. I was there for the Olympics in 2004 and back four or five more times. I lead Steps of Paul tours of Greece now—taking groups to the places where the Apostle Paul travel on his missionary journeys through the country.

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The Garden Tomb, a Brief Moment Forever Etched in History

April 18, 2020 by Joel Thornton

Imagine walking into the tomb that is possibly the tomb Jesus walked out of when he was raised from the dead! You cannot imagine the emotion, the vibrant life you feel standing there, contemplating the moment of the resurrection and everything that has followed it. This is one of the pivotal points of all human history. This simple site is one of the most touching sites in all of Israel. We typically end our tours here because it gives you plenty to take home.

While in the Garden Tomb you will see a site that could well be the hill where Jesus was crucified. You will have communion with your travel companions as this is a place of contemplation. Take a few minutes and sit overlooking the tomb. Relive the history that is found here. Imagine what has led us to this point, a gruesome crucifixion that is forever marked in history. The fear and anxiety of his followers in the days leading up to the crucifixion. The agony of seeing Jesus dead. The horror of burying your friend.

What I Carry With Me When I Travel Internationally

April 18, 2020 by Joel Thornton

Often the hardest part of any trip is deciding what to carry. There are a multitude of decisions that have to be made. There are also a multitude of questions that we have to know the answer to before we can make the decisions necessary for the trip to be successful. First, remember that you are not traveling to a third world country—unless of course, you are traveling to a third world country. Even then, there are many things you can buy locally rather than packing.

The most important thing to remember is to pack light. Rick Steves, the budget travel guru, says that he has never heard an experienced traveler say, “I wish I had carried more stuff with me.” Or something like that. I find that the more I travel the less I think I need to take. I have also found it valuable—on the keep things light side—to keep my wife out of the room while I am packing. She wants to add clothes that I know I will not be wearing. I usually humor her and unpack after she moves on to her next task.

I travel heavier than most people. I am an insulin dependent person who has recently had open heart surgery. I do not let those obstacles keep me from traveling, but I do carry more supplies than the average person because of the medicines, needles, etc. that I use on a daily basis.

Sometimes Smaller is Better

April 15, 2020 by Joel Thornton

Group travel is not for everyone. I get that. In fact, until I started working as a travel group leader, I never thought I would enjoy group travel. I am one of those individuals who likes to set my own itinerary, blaze my own path, take a left when a right was the plan.

So, I understand that you might be thinking I do not want to travel with 40 people who I know at various levels. If that is you, and you want to travel, but are nervous about going on an international trip with a small group of people, I can help you.

Megiddo, Israel, Guardian of the Valley of Armageddon

April 14, 2020 by Joel Thornton

Tel Megiddo stands over the Valley of Armageddon in northern Israel. This Tel, meaning hill, is not a naturally occurring hill, but rather was made through the building of cities across 28 civilizations with the last city dating back to before the time of Jesus. What that means is that looking through Tel Megiddo we get a snapshot of what life was like in 28 different cultures from Antiquity. What an amazing opportunity to better understand how folks lived thousands of years ago!

Tel Megiddo is amazing because it was one of the fortified cities that was built by King Solomon to protect the unified kingdom of Israel that he had inherited from his father, King David. When walking along the top of the Tel you can also see the floor of part of the Palace of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. You can also walk over the area where King Ahab’s horses were kept. They were on the Tel for military purposes, the King was never far from his calvary.