January 12

We traveled along the Mediterranean Sea for much of the day. From our hotel in Bat Yam along the coast to Joppa to Tel Aviv to Caesarea Maritima to Haifa, the sea was our constant companion. The day was beautiful - the sun was out which was wonderful because of the cool sea breeze in some places. It's hard to describe the day because we saw so much. I was impressed with the Egyptian hieroglyphics that had been excavated in Joppa. Seeing them was just a reminder that we were on the route from Egypt to Mesopotamia that people have traveled for millennia.
We spent a good portion of the day in Caesarea Maritima where we saw where Herod's palace was; we envisioned horse races in the Hippodrome, and imagined actors at the theater. I had just read the article in last month's National Geographic about the excavations and the grandeur of Herod's buildings but couldn't really envision it. Now that I've seen it, I need to read the article again!
The thing that surprised me about the day was how meaningful it was to read Scripture passages that related to the places we were visiting. When we visited Meggido and read the passage in Revelation about Armagedon, we were there - and we all prayed for peace.
We continue to pray for peace in this region and in the world.

• Diana Moore