The Jones Family in Israel
In late April, Randy and Rozanne hosted a group of Westsiders on the trip of a lifetime—a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The group walked in the steps of Jesus and witnessed famous Biblical sites. This is the story of two of those travelers, Keith and Lisa Jones.
“Keith, Randy and Rozanne are taking a group to Israel next year! I’d really like for us to consider that trip…what do you think?” Lisa had been waiting all afternoon to share the idea with her husband. She felt drawn to the idea of going to Israel but wasn’t sure how Keith would respond.
Keith looked up from his dinner plate. “Israel? We just committed to going to Utah for out of network medical procedures.” Truth be told, Israel was the furthest place from his mind for a trip. Keith and Lisa had been battling chronic health issues for years and a doctor in Utah seemed to finally be the solution they had been searching for almost a decade to find.
“I know, but I really think we could do both. Will you at least think about it?”
“Lisa, I don’t know…we are still in this pandemic and I just don’t know how that could work. It seems a little…risky.”
It wasn’t long ago that the Joneses, drowning in $300,000 of debt, couldn’t even consider a short vacation to a neighboring state, let alone halfway around the world. To now be in a position to consider both an expensive out of network medical trip that would require at least a week in Utah AND a trip to the Holy Land seemed impossible.
“Please just think and pray about it...72 hours.” Lisa showed Keith the website, and he smiled.
“OK, 72 hours.”
Keith and Lisa had a standing 72-hour rule in their marriage—all financial decisions should only be made after they’d both had 72 hours to consider and pray about them.
The clock began ticking.
As the days went on, Keith wrestled and prayed. It would be a stretch to get both trips done. Both were expensive and needed to be paid in full within the next 6 months.
Was it possible that this was a financial sacrifice worth making? As he prayed, he remembered a thought he had long ago—he never wanted to be the one standing in the way of blessing for his family.
Dinner, three days later.
Settling into their chairs, Keith breathed in the inviting aroma of Lisa’s chicken dinner. Grabbing Lisa’s hand, Keith led with grace before they began their intimate dinner for two.
“Lisa, I’ve given this Israel trip a lot of thought. After praying about it, I still feel strongly that we need to go to Utah next June, but if you can figure out how to find the money, I’ll support a trip to Israel.”
Delighted, Lisa worked hard to hold her composure while trying not to jump out of her chair. She was up to the challenge and after 10 years of working through Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace program and emerging the other side of it debt-free, she knew exactly where they could nip and tuck, and trusted that God would provide the rest. And He did.
7 months later, Miami International Airport.
Keith looked around the airplane and spotted the other four passengers in their Israel group. Due to last minute airline changes, the group had been split into two groups with most flying through JFK, and six (including Keith and Lisa) flying through Miami.
Leaning over to Lisa, “I wonder how much longer we’re going to have to sit here on the tarmac. I just heard the guy behind me say he just finished watching a movie.” Lisa shook her head and yawned.
“Maybe if we just fall asleep, we’ll wake up somewhere over the ocean.” Lisa said in hopeful jest.
The ground crew had noticed a puddle of water under the plane. While the mechanics worked to identify the source, the delay turned into hours.
Then, over the PA system, “We are terribly sorry for the delay. We are not sure how much longer this will take, so we are asking everyone to deplane at this time. Please take all of your belongings with you.”
Passengers began to grumble, but Keith knew in that moment he had a decision to make in how he chose to respond to this travel woe.
When they arrived in the gate lobby, the news got worse. The flight crew’s time had expired, and they would have to wait until the following afternoon for another flight. The delay meant the “Miami 6” would miss their entire first day of travel in Israel. Additionally, they would have to find a Covid testing site before they left Miami because their test results would expire within 15 minutes of the new flight departure time.
As Lisa and Keith talked about the challenges they faced and looked for a place to sleep inside the airport, Keith commented “I think we have a real opportunity here in how we handle this to showcase the Lord.”
“I agree,” Lisa replied. “We can’t let the bitterness of rejection and disappointment get the better of us. We are, after all, on our way to Israel! Jehovah Nissi (God is our Banner) is going before us. We must focus on that. He has us here for a reason.”
Over the course of the next twelve hours, Keith and Lisa met another couple on their flight who had led more than a hundred trips to Israel. These new friends offered perspective that calmed many of their internal concerns. They also made many other new friends who they bumped into throughout their pilgrimage in the Holy Land.
Israel, April 24, 2022.
As the wheels touched down in Israel, Lisa craned her head to take it all in through the small airplane window. Exhausted but full of excitement, they were ready.
Stepping off the plane into the warm, humid evening air, Lisa took a deep breath as she tried to take in every little bit of the experience. Despite all the hard work of saving and budgeting over the past year, she still couldn’t believe they were here.
They arrived at the hotel just in time to meet the rest of their group for dinner and then went to bed. In the morning, they would spend time exploring the coast of the Sea of Galilee.
The following days would be filled with knowledge, wonder, and insights from their guide and Pastor Randy. As they experienced God’s story firsthand, they would find it hard to put into words all they were presented with. As Keith would later say, “It’s more than drinking water from a firehose…it’s like being in the bottom of a sink hole and water gushing in at you.”
They would visit places where scripture came to life, like Potter’s Field, Caiaphas’ house, the cell where Jesus was held after his trial before crucifixion, the Upper Room (which was much bigger than they imagined), and the location where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. They would pray at the famed “Wailing Wall,” take a boat cruise on the Sea of Galilee and imagine the disciples fishing and Jesus walking on water, experience baptism in the Jordan River, enjoy a fish dinner at a restaurant located at Peter’s fishing location, and walk the very road Jesus walked as he was beaten after his trial.
On Tuesday, the group traveled into the desert and the teaching guide took them up to the top of a dusty and barren mountain. It was hot, and Keith couldn’t imagine what would be at the top besides more desert. On the other hand, he knew it must be something significant because there were so many people and children milling about.
“Keith!” Lisa gasped, as she grabbed Keith’s arm. The pair took in the view of rolling mountains before them and listened carefully to their guide.
“As you look over this area,” the guide began to explain. “I want you to think about Psalm 23. This area is what we believe David had in mind when he wrote it.” With that the guide began to recite, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want…”
Awestruck, Keith and Lisa tried to take in the view. But like the Grand Canyon, it was so vast and impressive they found it hard to fully grasp its beauty and significance as they imagined David shepherding his father’s sheep. They snapped photos and videos to remember, but knew the images would not come close to representing the impressive valley below.
As each day built on the last, Keith began feeling a stirring in his heart. The story God was walking him through, physically and spiritually, was unlike anything he had ever experienced. He couldn’t believe he almost said no. He couldn’t believe their obedience and sacrifice to become debt free allowed this to happen.
Memories flashed through his mind like a film reel…the months he spent living in a friend’s basement because he couldn’t afford an apartment…the day he wrote down every debt and foreclosed loan and totaled them up…the day he and Lisa drew a line in the sand and attended their first Financial Peace University class…and the years of sacrifice that followed until they finally made the last payment, and scheduled their live “Debt Free Scream” on the Dave Ramsey Radio Show.
All that pain and obedient sacrifice had brought them to this place. God had not wasted a second of it. In fact, for years, He had been directing and leading Keith and Lisa to use their story in ministry to help other couples in their finances and relationships.
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” The words resonated in a new way as Keith considered his own dark valleys of brokenness, remembering God never left his side and in fact, daily leads him skillfully to green pastures and rest.
Then, he thought of the many who are still hurting or who have, or would, miss out on God’s best for them because of complacency in their circumstances or an unwillingness to be uncomfortable in obedience to God’s call. Keith knew he had more work to do to help others.
The following day, the group visited the Mount of Olives, rode camels, and visited Jerusalem’s oldest cemetery. For Keith, however, the highlight of the day came when the guide took them down a narrow road.
“This street,” the guide explained, “is the very street on which Jesus rode the donkey on Palm Sunday.”
As they walked the street, they imagined the scores of people with palm branches pushed into the street, trying to get a glimpse of Jesus.
The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” "Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
Matthew 21:9
Along the pathway, the guide pointed out the “Jesus thorn tree”, a tree with long, sharp thorns that scholars and historians believe to be the plant variety from which the crown of thorns was made. The path brought the group to the Garden of Gethsemane. Listening to teaching from Randy and their local guide, Keith and Lisa imagined the night scene of Jesus pleading with God, the disciples falling asleep, and the kiss of betrayal. While they were there, the guide pointed out an ancient olive tree that experts believe was growing in the garden the very night of the arrest.
Keith felt like his heart and head were about to explode. God’s story was so magnificent, real, and full of grace. While he was looking forward to being home, part of him also didn’t want the trip to end.
They had two days left.
It was Friday, and the bus once again carried the travelers out to the desert. Communities of Bedouin Shepherds dotted the hillside. The bus stopped for a travel break. Keith had gotten off the bus to stretch his legs.
“Are you ready to get back on?” Lisa asked.
“I’ll be on in a minute,” Keith replied.
“OK.” Lisa turned to grab the handle and climb back into the cool air conditioning of the bus.
Taking a moment, Keith surveyed the mountain landscape as he again reflected on all he had learned, musing about the history that happened on the very ground he was standing. The battles, the journeys, the conversations, the redemption. It was in that moment that God whispered something profound in his heart.
“Keith, I’m showing you my history and back story here…but my relationship with you is in the present. For I know the plans I have for you.”
The thought simultaneously arrested and inspired Keith. After lingering a few moments longer, Keith boarded the bus and made his way back to Lisa.
“Are you ok?” Lisa whispered, sensing a change in him.
“Yeah…” Keith replied. “I’ll tell you about it later, but we have some work to do when we get home. I think God wants us to turn up the volume on our ministry there.”
Lisa smiled.
“Our next stop is a place I think you’ll all enjoy this afternoon. We will take a refreshing soak in the Dead Sea.” the guide said over the PA system.
The following day, the travelers prepared their belongings for departure and boarded the bus for a packed schedule before departing for the airport. After visiting the crucifixion site, the group experienced communion at the empty garden tomb and walked the Via Dolorosa (the street Jesus walked and carried his cross).
When the group arrived at the airport, they made their way back through customs and security and found their gate.
Keith and Lisa boarded the plane to Miami. Settling into their seats, they breathed a sigh of relief tinged with longing to stay. It had been the trip of a lifetime, and they could not feel more blessed that they were able to go, debt-free, and have more stories to pour into others upon their return.
About an hour into the flight, Keith put down his travel book. “Lisa, that was really powerful. I’m glad you suggested we take that trip.” He squeezed Lisa’s hand. “Now it’s time to get back to work in Kansas City.”
“I agree. I think God has a lot more work for us there.”
“Indeed.”
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Psalm 23:6
A fun moment greeted the travelers as they prepared to leave Israel when Lisa and another woman spotted Shahar Isaac, the actor who portrays Simon Peter in the hit series The Chosen.
