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Digging Deep Israel

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

His Comfort in Israel/Rome

Posted on October 27, 2022

We are leaving for Israel/Rome in three days and I have never felt so unprepared for any trip. I do not yet know what I am going to say in any of our Digging Deep sessions. I have not packed one thing. I’m having company in both my house and cabin as I leave and I am very glad they are all chill —about everything!…Because just about everything is in disarray. I brought home some hampers of laundry from Hannah’s house last night and I have decided “hamper” is a great word to represent what mountains of laundry does to your life. 

But it is well with my soul. I realize that only three weeks ago, I was pretty sure I would be doing this trip without my husband. I was pretty sure and I was, selfishly, pretty bummed. But God provides and, this time, through some very hard things, He provided my favorite travel partner for this trip. Together, we are going to trust the God of all Comfort and know that He is able to provide what we need in every way. I know it will be a most informative and life-changing time with God’s people as we are immersed with evidences that He is our God of all Comfort; that from Zion he still delivers His people from hopelessness. All of the little things that are good at making themselves loom large, really pale into trivia when God’s people take time to ponder the great redemption! I am determined to empty my soul of the trivial distractions and stand in awe as I grasp the arresting reality of what He did in visiting mankind two thousand years ago. It doesn’t matter where we praise Him, of course, but I am longing to praise him from what He called His “holy hill” again (Psalm 2:6).

I don’t know if I will be able to do this, but I am hoping to make, and post, some short video clips, on a child’s level, from various sites in Israel/Rome so that you can show them to your kids at Family Bible time. These are for my grandchildren, but your kids can be my grandkids, too! If you are interested in getting this, I will try and post over on the Digging Deep in God’s Word facebook page. My kids are excited, so I hope it works! Watch that page. 

For those who are going on the trip, please post your pictures and any comments on the Digging Deep in Israel facebook page. This is a public page, so invite your friends to join and watch your travels. This will be fun! (It’s okay if it gets very crowded on that page. We will be enjoying it for years to come!)

The Digging Deep in Israel and Rome facebook group is different. It’s just for the travelers

and contains pertinent information and questions and schedule changes, etc…for those going on the trip. That’s where we will be able to get/give  quick info that we need as we travel. We’re so grateful to the Moores and Bible Land Passages for being so extremely helpful and answering questions quickly and, in general, just being the godly people that they are! (There’s already some great information over there about things to bring to clean and hydrate and even about how much cash you will want to have on your person!) Be sure that you have the guidebook for the trip, either printed or downloaded for easy access. We found that to be extremely useful! 

Thanks to Jennifer Benavides, for helping us get the podcast transmitted and posted from the Sea of Galilee (and for keeping Oreo, Colleyanna’s kitty while we are gone). I hope some of you can watch the podcast live on Monday, the 7th of November at 8:15 am CST. I’m so happy that Julie Orr will be co-hosting! 

I know His comfort will be ours as we strive to glorify Him on this trip. All of the glory is His. That becomes very evident when you are standing in Gethsemane and hearing His words “If it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done,” or when you are sitting on the old temple mound singing “Be still my soul. The Lord is at thy side.” This trip, for which I’m woefully unprepared is just what my soul needs. 

I just hope I’m a little better prepared to cross the “Jordan” when it’s the final crossing from this life to the next! May God bless our passage now and then!

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

First “Comfort” Podcast in the Books/ You Can Still Go to Israel!

Posted on September 28, 2022

The first “Comfort’ podcast is in the books. I would have loved for it to be on a calm night for the Colleys, but we were in two cities and I was in a panic-time at the nursing home with sick parents up until podcast time and afterwards, as well. (My supper was at 10:45 last night!…but I could skip a few meals and be just fine!) But, on the other hand, I think God did (and always does) provide just what we need when we need it, as His children. I think the break from care-giving at 7 pm last night to study His comfort in trials was an immense blessing for me, personally. 

But it’s surely not about me. You are patient and encouraging, though, and your comments were the best part of the podcast, by far. We’re thankful for Celine, taking time from the busy-ness of her week to be part of the podcast last night. She is a real student of the Word. I’m also grateful for your comments, pictures, and strength from afar. Below are a couple of notes from Virginia and Florida, respectively. Both represent new groups. It’s just a huge 21st century blessing that we can be living lives for Him—in HIm—from different geographical and logistical perspectives and still study together. I think Paul would have had a celebration of epic proportions if He could have studied with people this way. Let’s praise Him for this. Here are the notes:

While Cindy said there wasn’t a lot of comfort, I was thankful that we were able to see that the brethren responded in the way that helped the brother in 1 Corinthians 5.It also was comforting to see the comfort and encouragement that Titus, Paul and the brethren at Corinth experienced because of the repentance of EVERYONE involved.What’s interesting is Paul said in 2 Cor. 7:12 that it was “that our care for you in the sight of God might appear unto you”.Are we eager to rescue those that need rescuing? God is glorified when we do what HE wants us to. It makes sense because He is the ONLY One that provides forgiveness and salvation.Therefore we will be comforted and rejoice as 2 Cor. 7:13 says! Let’s look out for each other! I am thankful your encouragement helped me get this far this month!

______________________

 

I just finished listening to the Digging Deep podcast (we have a few hurricane days off school this week, so I’m doing some hurricane cleaning. 🙂 We have about a dozen of who are working through Digging Deep – For most of us, it’s our first time (including me!).I really didn’t know what to expect, but I’m grateful for the real life application and the connections we’re making to the actual city and people of Corinth. I’ve not done a study like this before. I’m grateful.

Lastly, it’s not too late to sign up for Israel. We have a few spots left!  Departure is October 31st. Just contact me if you need details. iI you are going to Israel and you are a digger and you want a  cute t-shirt  that says “Digging Deep-Israel” or some similar tag, let me know in a message in the next week. I’m thinking of having a few printed up. If you do want one, I’ll have to price them later, when I know how many, etc…Also, if you are going, please join the facebook group “Digging Deep in Israel.” That’s where we will primarily communicate, post pictures and share necessary info while getting ready to leave and while on the trip. Podcast will be live from Israel on November 7th at 8:00 am CST.  (It will be afternoon there.)  I think it will be full of comfort and I know it will have a beautiful backdrop! 

If you’re going to Israel and you have a DD shirt or hoodie (any year), please bring it and wear it on the 7th. We want a group picture, of course.

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Time for a New DD Study!

Posted on August 9, 2022

I’m getting excited. The Digging Deep reveal for 2022-23 happens in less than two weeks. You can see it on the Facebook page  “Digging Deep in God’s Word” on Saturday, August 2oth at 3 p.m. CST.  That’s the moment when the books and shirts become available on the website.  I think it’s a study in which every single woman in the kingdom will find assurance and hope. As is the study each year, the grand scheme is redemption. Every year we just go at that theme from a different angle. I think you will like this angle. I love it already—because it is the Word. 

Some are asking about prices because your groups are sending a buyer to Polishing the Pulpit. Here are the prices. I think they are the same as last year: 

Books. $17.50

6+ books special  $16.50 ea.

T shirt.   $18.50

Hoodie $29.00

Book and shirt:  $34.00

Tea Towel. $9.00

Bracelet with shovel pendant: $9.00

New campfire style mug: $11.00

I don’t have pictures of the bracelets yet because I have not finished assembling them and the mugs have not yet been delivered to me. But I love them both! The tea towels are in the store already.

I’m so glad we are getting to be together this year. It was lonely getting out materials last year without the big crowd. (And shipping was a nightmare!…but you came through to study and to encourage us….We’ve needed that this year!) I believe we may have a stage full of finishers this year at PTP. I know we are closer to the cross because of our journey through The Hour has Come. 

Let me remind you, too, that every study so far is a great class book for any ladies class during any year. Thus, we are offering Glory, The Ten, and The Hour Has Come for the reduced price of $10.00 each at PTP this year. The podcasts for each of these studies have been archived and are available. Let me know if you have questions about that. 

Women everywhere are signing up and many are contacting me to let me know they are finishers! This is the best. We need to be excited about the Word. It is the power of God to salvation. I am so thankful for women who share the bond of serious Bible study with me. Thank you for being women of the Word!

Lastly, there are still just a very few spots left for the DD Israel trip that begins on October 31st. Details about that are here: https://thecolleyhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2022-Digging-Deep-Bible-Land-Passages-Tour-Brochure-Israel-and-Rome.pdf We’d still love to have you. Podcast for October will be a few days late, but will feature Julie Orr, of Midland, Texas  and myself live from the shores of the Sea of Galilee! I cannot wait! We will have a great group of diggers on that shoreline.

 

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

We Could Accommodate a Few More–Digging Deep Israel/Rome 2022!

Posted on July 13, 2022

Glenn and I made our flight reservations last night to Newark, NJ from which we will depart on October 31 for Tel-Aviv. From there we will travel though Israel and then spend a couple of days in Rome, Italy. We will not be learning Catholic tradition about what they call the “Holy Lands”.  We will be learning spiritual truths for our lives as we explore the places where the original teachings, miracles and suffering were experienced by our God—Jesus—when He was here in the flesh.  But there’s so much more!—The Dead Sea, Beersheba, Jericho, Chorazin, Magdala, Nazareth, the Jordan, and The Sea of Galilee. Glenn will be presenting devotionals along the way and MY favorite part: Interspersed Digging Deep lessons and a live podcast from the Sea of Galilee!

We could still accommodate a few more people. I think the price of under $5400.00 per person is likely as reasonable as we are going to find in the foreseeable future. I know that this trip is THE BEST one you could ever hope to experience. It’s all New Testament Christians and the teaching is pure and Biblical and practical. The fellowship is the vestibule of heaven and the singing—I cannot even describe. The price is pretty much all-inclusive except for your domestic travel to Newark and any gifts or souvenirs you would like to buy. 

If you’re worried about whether you are fit enough for this travel, let me just tell you that, as long as you can walk, there will be places at which you can safely sit and wait if the group is climbing a hill or traveling any rough terrain. Last time, we had several elderly people along who would not trade these 10 days walking where Jesus walked for anything in the world! The political climate is safe, the COVID restrictions have all been lifted, and the temperatures should be even nicer (cooler) than our previous trip. 

I always told my husband, if I could go anywhere in the world prior to my death, I’d want to go to the Bible Lands. I said I thought it would build my faith in THE ZION to which we all travel. But I had no idea just how much this pilgrimage would increase my longing for heaven. To think that I am going to get to go a second time is beyond my wildest dream. I hope there are a few more sisters who can make this happen this fall. If it is possible for you, it will be the absolute best trip of your lifetime. 

One more thing. If you’re someone (or a group of someones) who could make this trip happen for your pulpit preacher, I KNOW your local pulpit would be enriched by his travel with us. I have watched that happen with our own preacher. =)

Info is here: https://thecolleyhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2022-Digging-Deep-Bible-Land-Passages-Tour-Brochure-Israel-and-Rome.pdf

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Digging Deep Israel–Next Stop: Beit-She’an

Posted on July 11, 2022

The city of Beit She’an is mentioned in scripture several times. It was a Canaanite site that the people of Israel failed to conquer during Joshua’s invasion (Judges 1:27). In 1 Samuel 31, Saul’s dead body was displayed on the wall of this city following his defeat by the Philistines. The city was burned by King David, but restored to become an administrative city under his son, Solomon (1 Kings 4). We also read where Shishak of Egypt invaded Israel in 924 BC (1 Kings 14:25) and Egyptian hieroglyphic inscriptions tell us that Beit She’an was one of the cities that Shishak captured. The pictures that accompany the hieroglyphics show the governor of Beit She’an being led captive to Egypt. My favorite thing about world history is when the Bible is a proof text for what an ancient manuscript or picture or inscription depicts or vice-versa. And it happens all. the. time.

I had one more “favorite” thing about Beit She’an and that was the way the history of the city just suddenly came to a halt on that day in 749 A.D. The city lies on a fault line and on that particular day during the Arab rule of the city, a massive earthquake buried the entire city. It lay in ruins until modern times.

As I walked around this amazing city, I saw Roman baths and pieces of beautifully tiled floor murals. You could actually see portions of columns that lined the main thoroughfare of the Roman town. Walls of the shops were still partially standing. The opulence and wealth of those Roman days is obvious around each ruined wall. 

I sat down in a high place on the edge of the ancient ruins that were about 20 strata deep and just imagined a day that began like any other for the people of the city. They were ruled by Arabs, but most claimed Christianity by this date in the 8th century B.C. The architecture and “feel” of the city was still Roman. People were on the cardo (the main city street) doing their business and selling their wares. Children were playing and money was changing hands. Shopkeepers were sweeping the tiled floors and none of them knew it was his last day. The day was ordinary, but tragic. People were making last exchanges and uttering normal greetings, unaware that they were their final greetings. And then the earthquake silenced the city for centuries.

one of the baths

 

This has to be a lot like the final day for all of humanity—the second coming of Christ. It  will be ordinary, but tragic. Plans will be made and thwarted. Someone will be making a last purchase and someone will be delivering the mail. Someone will be riding along main street and someone will be getting a check-up. None of these people will have thought, for a moment, that this will be the last plan, purchase, delivery or appointment. 

But the day of  the Lord will come as a thief in the night.  

                                                                                                                                                                                 

Bless Your Heart by Cindy Colley

Israel/Rome Digging Deep 2022…Register Now!

Posted on June 17, 2022
Now is the time to sign up for the DIgging Deep Israel trip! It’s now open to all members of the body and it’s just about as close to heaven as you will get on this earth. My husband, the one who is always very practical–sometimes even cynical–had a hard time biting the bullet in 2019 to spend the time and money to do something so expensive and demanding as to go to Israel for ten days. (“Spend our vacation time working our heads off?!”…I can still hear him.) But he did it mostly for me and DIgging Deep. But now, he is the one who can’t stop talking about how life-changing and faith-building the trip, for Him, turned out to be. He cannot wait to go back. Me, either! But this time we are also going to ROME!. We will see what the original apostles saw in the region of Judea during those three years with Jesus (along with sites of important Old Testament events) and then we’ll see the ruins of first century Rome, where the late-coming apostle Paul spent his final incarcerated months. If it’s possible for you to go, you should. You will see some things you will never “unsee” (in a good way!) And seeing them through the lens of simple New Testament Christianity, instead of modern Catholicism or commercialism is the chance of a lifetime. One sister who is going with us this time has traveled to many places all around the globe. but she said this: “The reason my husband and I have never been to Israel is because we wanted to do this trip with members of the body of Christ. We know it will be so much more meaningful this way.” She is right.

We have 22 signed up. We max out at around fifty, but a dozen more than we have

Diggers at the pool of Siloam

now would be perfect! Diggers are especially encouraged to come. We will be doing a podcast from the same area from which our Lord broadcasted in A.D. 30! Just think of that! Our podcast will quickly be forgotten, but its subject will be much the same as that sermon that will never pass away, preached on that hillside near the sea of Galilee. We will worship in close proximity to the spots in which our Lord and the apostles sang and prayed. We sing and pray together daily as we travel.

Let me know if I can help in any way. We will be departing from Newark, NJ on October 31, 2022. All vaccination and testing requirements, as of now, have been lifted both going into the Middle East and returning home. It is a great time to celebrate that! Come do that with us!