John, “I think of your trip literally every day. We have had a truly marvelous time with you. Beyond our expectations. We admire your passion for the Bible, for Israel, and for the people who come on your tour that they learn and be inspired to learn more. You have exposed us to different ways to think about the Bible and its message. You have brought the Bible to life for us. We have great admiration and respect for your ministry. Thank you to Diane, too. You are a great team together. I play often the CD’s from the Sea of Galilee boat ride. We have told many people about the cliff hill we saw where the pigs likely ran down into the lake and drowned. This is just one of so many vivid memories we have of the tour.” Jim and Laurie S. - Barrie, Ontario, Canada - 2019 tour - medical doctors John, “Since we have returned from our tour to Israel with you we have made a Shutterfly Book with many pictures and spoke at our church. Our group probably will not be able to go to Israel again, but we all agreed that if we went back and went with another tour other than yours we would likely be disappointed. Thank you for all you did to put this together.” Jerry and Patti N. - Hartville, Ohio - 2019 tour John, “Thank you for the incredible amount of work you put into this tour and for the Accomplished Itinerary you sent to us after the tour. What an undertaking. It is greatly appreciated and will be very useful as I prepare to put together presentations this fall.” Jim and Donna G. - Smith Center, Kansas - 2019 tour John, “I have missed being on the tour, the excitement of all we saw and experienced, as well as getting more physically fit. It would be wonderful to do it every year. Thank you and Diane for everything.” Debbie A. - Wilmington, North Carolina - 2019 tour John, “Once again thank you and Diane for your mammoth efforts. It is much appreciated.” Kristine W. - Tingalpa, Queensland, Australia - 2019 tour John, “Thank you for all your work. The trip was a joy that will last a lifetime.” Tammy W. - Smith Center, Kansas - 2019 tour John, "This was my fourth trip to Israel but your tour was on a level of its own. None of the other tours came close.
I am still awed by your tour which I call the trip of a lifetime. Your presentations and interpretations of the Scriptures were incredible. You and your wife made a great team. I'm still trying to come to grips with the fact that Father God allowed me to come on your tour and to be blessed the way Karen and I have been. I do not have the words to fully express what I feel. God gave us a trip that was exceedingly above and beyond all expectations. You have changed my life forever. I just want to thank you personally for allowing yourself to be used by God. Thanks again my Brother." Shawn M. - Greentown, Pennsylvania - 2018 tour John, “We just wanted to thank you both for making this trip the experience of a lifetime!!! We saw so many things and learned so much. This trip has brought the Bible to life. I really feel everyone should go and experience the Holy Land for themselves. There is nothing like it. I can’t wait to go back. You put so much effort into making this trip a reality for all the group. It is so much work and responsibility keeping everyone together and on time. Your efforts did not go unnoticed. You both are awesome. Again, thank you for everything.” Michele B. - Frankfort, Kentucky - 2018 tour John, “We had a great time seeing so many amazing sights in Israel. It is never easy organizing all the details and you did an excellent job. I really appreciate all the effort you put into the trip and the insights which we would have missed if we had just gone exploring on our own. It was a good group of people to go exploring with so we were really blessed in that regard too. We have enjoyed sharing some of our highlights with our connect group, family, and friends.” Anne E. - Brisbane, Australia - 2018 tour John, “I appreciate so much the adventures you planned for Israel. I have compiled a slide show with Judy’s photos and mine. I especially enjoyed the Scriptures being read. I also enjoyed very much the furnishings for the next temple. As a Gideon International member, I was thrilled to be where Gideon had been. Thanks for demonstrating how the warriors drank water from the stream in two different ways.” Fern J. - Greenville, Michigan - 2018 tour John, “Thank you for all the work you put in to our trip to Israel. I have so many friends and family members who followed my Online journal during the trip. Several have asked about future trips.” Cheryl J. - Georgetown, Kentucky - 2018 tour John, “Again, I would like to thank you for an awesome tour!!! It was amazing to see all of Israel, my home one day.” Pamala B. - Mesa, Arizona - 2018 tour - Messianic Jewess John, “It was a blessing getting to know you and Diane and to explore the Land of Israel in such detail, an experience Shawn and I will never forget. It was truly amazing.” Karen and Shawn M. - Greentown, Pennsylvania - 2018 tour John, “We sure appreciate the trip you put together and we could possibly spend a lifetimes processing it. What a great, enriching experience.” Jonathan and Beth T. - Rochester Hills, Michigan - 2018 tour John, “Thank you so much for providing this opportunity to visit Israel. It has truly been a dream come true.” Betty M. - Frankfort, Kentucky - 2018 tour John, “We loved what you did with the tour. We hope to see you again sometime in the future.” Ed and Cecilia T. - Mississauga, Ontario, Canada - 2018 tour John, “What a fabulous adventure. I am still amazed at all that we did. Surely the best tour. Thank you for such a fabulous itinerary and commentary. Your trip was the best by far of the three Israel trips that I have taken. I would say we saw twice as much but I never felt hurried. On those other tours I was on, we saw less and yet we were always so rushed. At the individual sites with them we saw so much less than we did with you. We usually were just given so many minutes to roam about a site on our own, but you would lead us around telling us all of the important information we needed to know. Also, what a team you made with the local guides. Your accomplished itinerary and notes you sent us after the tour have certainly been amazing and so helpful and educational. Many of the photos I took I would not know what they were of without your notes with the times of all our visits. If I can ever make it back, I would only go if I could go with you. Just amazing, purely amazing.” Iva Jean T. - Windsor, New York -2017 tour John, “Thanks again for making our tour such a unique and spiritually enriching experience. I realized early on that you were much more than a ‘group leader’ but that this was a real ‘mission’ for you. I really appreciate your dedication and hard work, a real labor of love. I want to also thank Diane for all her help and input behind the scenes. She had a gentle and caring presence as the ‘heart’ of the tour.” Ken W. - East Aurora, New York - 2017 tour John, “I want to thank you for all you have sown into my life during this Israel In Depth Tour. I look forward to studying God’s Word at a deeper level. I believe by God’s divine appointment He placed me on your tour and it was such a pleasure meeting the both of you.” Candy W. - Kennewick, Washington - 2017 tour John, “Kathy and I want to take this opportunity to thank you again for an excellent tour experience.” Jim & Kathy T. -Yakima, Washington -2017 tour John, “My wife and I loved our trip and I know you had a big part in that. I enjoyed the spiritual emphasis you added. Combining the history, culture and spiritual made a tremendous impression on me. I know that it is two weeks I will never forget. Now when I read the Bible I get a visual picture and it is so much more meaningful. I can’t wait to start teaching my class again in the fall so I can share what I have learned. The trip was great and we enjoyed your leadership and teaching.” Fred L. - Fort Wayne, Indiana - 2006 tour - Messianic Jew John, “My husband and I were so blessed we went to Israel. Thank you for all you did for us. You sure do a great trip. Keep up the good work God has called you to do.” Esther M. - Chicago, Illinois - 2006 tour - Messianic Jewess John, “I am still going through the memories, notes and pictures from our trip. The Lord’s purposes for our trip and the timing of our trip were amazing. I realized how special and timely it was for me to go with you to Israel. I have told many people about you and the work that you have done over the past ten years in Israel. God has given you a special connection with Israel.” Scott M. - Los Angeles, California - 2006 tour - Messianic Jew – former pastor and city mayor John, “Words cannot express our appreciation for you and all you did to make our trip through Israel one that has changed us forever. My wife and I so appreciate everything you did to make this a fantastic trip, as it was truly a once in a lifetime event for us. You did an excellent job of planning, organizing, leading and teaching, which made the places where our Lord walked come alive, and wed the history of the Holy Land with God’s Word and our own lives. Scripture has become much more three-dimensional for us. It was also a time of spiritual revival for my wife and me. The Spirit of God certainly used it in our lives. As a pastor, this trip made my teaching and ministry much more powerful. Thanks so much for the wonderful two weeks. We praise God for you and your life-changing ministry with us.” Pastor Tim H. - Columbia, South Carolina - 2005 tour John, “The tour was fantastic. You did a great job of organizing and guiding. If I were given the opportunity to choose again which tour I would take to go to Israel, I would choose your tour. You took us to places and showed us things that I have studied for years. Now I have a picture in my head and many good pictures to go with the trip. Thank you for all your hard work. Clearly this is a ministry for you to those of us who were privileged to travel with you.” Pastor Fred & Sandy S. - Canton, New York - 2016 tour John, “Thanks for the tour and making the Bible and God’s work through His chosen people come to life. Thanks so much for your sacrifice in time and effort to complete the notes of our trip to the Holy Land. These notes will help us with a presentation we will be giving to our church about our trip to Israel. Thank you is not adequate for our trip and what you
have written up for us all.” Pastor Dave & Claudia W. - Wichita, Kansas - 2012 tour John, “We really appreciated all that you and Diane did to make our tour so special and truly exceptional.” Pastor Ted & Kim K. - St. Petersburg, Florida - 2016 tour John, “Let me thank you for that tremendous Israel experience you guided us on. We were greatly blessed. Your wife is such a gracious and pleasant lady.” Pastor Fidias & Georgina E. - Stuart, Florida - 2016 tour John, “We want to thank you for all your hard work and all the thoughtfulness to every detail to make this tour a very pleasant and enjoyable one.” Pastor Jose & Judy R. - Cinnaminson, NJ - 2016 tour John, “Thank you for all your hard work and faith in Jesus. It was indeed the tour of a life time.” Pastor Daniel W. - Concord, New Hampshire - 2012 tour John, “What a gift you have given us. I really appreciated the tour and completed itinerary you sent us afterward. Thanks so much.” Pastor Ed G. - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - 2007 tour John, “Just wanted to drop a line and say thank you for a great trip.” Pastor Chris D. - Raleigh, North Carolina - 2007 John, “Our words ‘thank you’ just don’t suffice for what you’ve both given to us… truly, the trip of a lifetime. But, not just the ‘trip’ but the fellowship, spiritual growth, Biblical knowledge (some of which we have already had the blessing to share with friends), emotions, memories… perfect. We will continually PRAISE the Lord for you both and how He used you to bless us and open our eyes to new insights. We thank you for broadening our horizons and giving us a priceless memory. Hallelujah!!” Carl & Heidi W. - Indianapolis, Indiana - 2011 tour - missionaries John, “The Bible came alive to me on this trip. It was spectacular and so inspirational. Now I can more clearly understand the comparisons and prophecies of the Old and New Testaments. My eyes and ears were open to many new Biblical discoveries. I have spoken of our trip to Israel and Jordan so very often to many, many people. Thank you again.” John, “As you know, I served in Israel for two years with the UN Peacekeeping Force and then visited again in 2000. Thank you for taking me to many places I had never visited before. The tour with you in 2006 was truly exciting and spiritually uplifting. With all of the places we visited, you made the Bible come to life. The Old and New Testaments mean so much more to me now due to your spiritual and personal leadership. My granddaughter and I cannot thank you enough!” Tom F. - Columbia, South Carolina - 2006 tour - retired U.S. Army officer, former UN Peacekeeper in Israel John, “What a fantastic experience. I have made two slide shows from my digital photos, and am showing them at my church.” Ron F. - Fort Worth, Texas - 2005 tour - retired U.S. Air Force officer and military contractor in Israel John, “Thanks again for your hard work and dedication to put this trip together and making it a success.” Darlene P. - Leavenworth, Kansas - 2005 tour - U.S. Army John, “My thanks for your outstanding leadership of the tour. It definitely exceeded our expectations. I am appreciating the planning even more as I reflect on all that we did. It was obvious that hundreds of hours of preparation had to go into a tour like we had. Every day’s schedule was planned to maximize the time and was well designed. The Bible background was very complete. Every site was tied to the relevant Bible passages. We did see every one of the intended sights and many places that other tours never get to. We are reading through the detailed accomplished itinerary you sent out after the tour was over and are reliving the trip. I do not know how you did it as I never saw you writing things down.” Dr. Paul & Jani L. - Longview, Texas - 2009 tour - college professor John, “We thank God for you both and for your able leadership that we experienced during our wonderful trip to Israel.” Dr. JL & Dr. VL, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada - 2014 tour - medical doctors John, “A big thank you again for a truly memorable trip and for all the labor of love you put into the planning and preparation. We are getting together today for a reunion already.” Dr. Chris W. - Singapore - 2013 tour - medical doctor John, “This truly was a blessed tour. It was exactly what we had wanted, and so much more. Thank you SO much for the hard work you put into making this an amazing trip and a reality for people like us. The trip was well-designed and covered so much of the Biblical sites and territory with many great vistas! Every day was amazing. We will be relishing it and making good use of it for a long time. Thanks again for the trip of a lifetime that keeps on giving and giving.” Dale & Tammy S. - Springfield, Missouri - 2011 tour - college professor John, “Thank you both again for such an amazing, exciting adventure in Israel. Our biblical understanding increased tremendously & we fell in love with the country! We appreciated the devotional time on the Sea of Galilee and in the Garden Tomb areas which were very meaningful, and we learned so much about Jewish culture & lifestyle. Thanks again for a life changing experience! ” Michael & Alison G. - Melbourne, Australia - 2011 tour - college professor John, “We continue to marvel at the whole Israel experience and adventure. We will never be able to open our Bibles with out making visual connections that your tour made possible. Thank you for all your work especially during our journey and then what you do after it ends.” Jim & Melissa D. - Little Rock, Arkansas - 2014 tour - college professor John, “Cynthia and I had a wonderful time and enjoyed the In-Depth Tour immensely. I wanted to thank you again for leading a superb tour, and for sending everybody the Accomplished Itinerary. Cynthia and I felt that the trip exceeded all expectations. We also wish to express our appreciation for your kindness.” Steve & Cynthia E. - Irvine, California - 2013 tour - seminary student John, “I enjoyed seeing the sites of the Bible so much more than looking at dots on a map for college exams and trying to identify the Biblical cities. I also enjoyed learning the history of the land since the Bible was completed 1,900 years ago. This trip helped me put in perspective the ancient and ongoing events of the people in Israel and its surrounding countries.” Eric H. - Chicago, Illinois - 2005 tour - seminary student John, “I think about my trip to Israel much. No words can really describe it. Pictures can’t even capture it. I hope that we will be able to do your tour again. I could never thank you enough for all your efforts.” Marcos P. - London, England - 2005 tour - seminary student John, “Thank you so very much for all the time and effort you put into organizing this trip to Israel. We saw a lot of places and it all went very smoothly. It was the trip of a lifetime and I pray for others to have such an amazing opportunity to actually see the Holy Land. It is an amazing thing you do and I pray that your future trips meet with the same success.” Adam N. - Chicago, Illinois - 2008 tour - college student John, “Thanks for a great trip. It was one of the highlights of our life.” Dr. Ron & Sherry A. - Chicago, Illinois - 2010 - professional Biblical counselors John, “All of your extra efforts made our trip a great success and unlike anything we have experienced before. Thank you for your detailed response and your particularly detailed accomplished itinerary you took so much time to prepare. Your follow up after our tour was both unexpected and very much appreciated. I can't tell you how often I think of our trip to Israel and how much it has affected my life and outlook on living. You have a wonderful ministry.” John R. - Phoenix, Arizona - 2006 tour - Attorney John, “We thank you wholeheartedly, for the absolutely wonderful Israel trip! We also feel such a kinship with all the others on the tour. This was definitely the most meaningful and profound trip we have ever taken. We saw your devotion and love of Israel and it was exciting to have your expertise to guide us through so much of historical and spiritual significance. It has been very interesting trying to explain to people about our trip experience. We can see why you go back repeatedly. We don't know if or when we can return, but we are assured that we had the best trip possible. A very special moment for me, amidst so many incredible things, was being baptized by you! I have cherished sharing this with my family and friends. I thank you, too, for all you did to make everything on the trip so wonderful. I can definitely see your time, devotion to Israel and your expertise that makes it so. Please know your efforts are truly appreciated and are lifelong.” Diane & Jim H. - Bakersfield, California - 2013 tour John, “Thank you so very much for all your work in planning and coordinating this experience. I’m feeling overwhelmed by all the places we visited and all the things we learned. Thank you for sending out the detailed accomplished itinerary after the tour was over, as I am not very good at keeping my own notes and you have brought back so many thoughts and memories that could have been lost. I can’t begin to tell you how valuable your many hours of obvious hard work have been to Karen and me. I have already benefited in my own daily Bible reading for having been personally in Israel and can now relate first hand to descriptions of places, landscapes, and weather conditions. It is with great thankfulness that I am writing to you for all you did, mostly a hidden labor of love to make our journey so important and memorable.” Harold & Karen C. - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada - 2009 tour John, “We enjoyed the trip immensely. It certainly changed our views on Israel and more importantly our devotional lives. The trip was definitely high octane and we enjoyed it that way. Your insights and Diane’s back up were invaluable to us and appreciated. As you probably noticed, I am a little bit of a roamer (I seem to learn better that way) and you took it in stride. The highlights for us were the Garden Tomb site, Sea of Galilee cruise along with the worship and dance, and of course everything we saw in Jerusalem. Thanks for all the wonderful work you do for the tour. Judy and I have great memories of you, Diane, the others, and the great country of Israel. A final thank you for the Accomplished Itinerary you sent to us after the tour was finished. Wow, that was a lot of work but well worth it for us to have a written record of the entire tour and all that was taught during the tour.” Walter & Judy M. - Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada - 2016 tour John, “I would like to thank you for an outstanding 21 day experience. I am still thinking about all the things we did. Now I notice things more in the news, etc. when I hear Israel, Jordan or Egypt mentioned. It was a dream of mine to be able to take a trip like this. I will always remember it. You are so right about how it helps to understand the bible even better. I enjoy so much reading my bible and looking at the references I made in it while we were over there. It was a blessing from God that I will never forget. Thank you so much for all the hard work you put into doing such an extensive and comprehensive accomplished itinerary of our trip. I am so grateful to have all this information. I have several friends that want me to meet with groups and tell them about our experiences. This will be huge in helping me to remember all the wonderful things we did and saw.” Phyllis S. - Houston, Texas - 2011 tour John, “This was truly a trip of a lifetime for me. Your hard work and attention to detail were a huge part of making it so incredible. Without a doubt I am reading my Bible with new eyes. I can not thank you enough. I opened the accomplished itinerary you sent after we returned from Israel. WOW!! I am speechless!! I feel so very blessed to have had you as our tour leader. This detailed itinerary is above and beyond what anyone would expect. I will do as you suggested and put it in a binder. How wonderful to relive every day through your words. 'Thank you' to you and Diane does not even scratch the surface of the gratitude I feel for the long hours and hard work that you put into this document. Believe me, I will treasure it always. God Bless you both.” Audrey R. - Milwaukee, Wisconsin - 2014 tour John, “Just a quick "toda raba" for an awesome tour! It confirmed what I knew from 1.5 years ago, that "Israel In Depth" would be the very best tour to choose for my friends. They all participated fully and are raving about the experience and what they learned. Your sound teaching and coordination are top-notch. As I told my folks, each person would come away with unique individual and couples' insights, and with entire-group memories.” LaVonne S. - Houston, Texas - 2011 tour John, “Thank you so much for all the work you put into the tour. Just one more way you served all of us way beyond the call of duty. What a memory. There is hardly a day goes by when I do not think about the trip, especially when I read my Bible and can picture so much more clearly where things occurred and what the places must have looked like. I learned so much. I am so, so thankful the Lord allowed me to go. Maybe some day I will be able to go back.” Donna K. - Chicago, Illinois - 2007 tour John, “Both of us wanted to express our sincere appreciation for the excellent job you did in directing our tour. We really enjoyed all the sites you selected since each one was so prominent in our Biblical history. Thanks for the extra effort of providing a detailed itinerary at the end. We are showing our trip to our Sunday School class and they seem to really enjoy seeing the outstanding sites that we were privileged to see. We will not hesitate to recommend your tour to our friends.” Art & Ruth D. - Fort Worth, Texas - 2008 tour John, “Thank you for the heart and passion you put into the tour and all the work that went into sending us the recap of our time in Israel. It truly has helped to deepen my understanding of God’s Word and His beloved Land, Israel. Thank you for your love of God’s Word, His Land, and His People, both Jew and Gentile. Thank you Diane for all you do behind the scenes. Your gentle spirit radiates the love and humility of Jesus.” Frances M. - Nova Scotia - Canada - 2013 tour John, “This has been the most amazing trip. Thank you for all you have put into it so that we may see so much, learn so much, and experience it all. There is not any one thing I would have missed. I feel so blessed to have done the whole trip adventure. With tears I say thank you. Our time with you was just awesome and now the Bible and sermons mean so much more. Amazing. God bless you richly.” Judy T. - Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada - 2012 tour John, “Just a short comment to say that the accomplished itinerary notes you sent after the tour had the wow factor. My goodness you put so much time and effort into the information that the final result is amazing. We relive our time in Israel through pictures, sharing stories, and then by this wonderful report. Thank you does not seem enough, but what you did for us was ‘colour our bible’ and for that we are forever grateful.” Gwen & Steve B. - Sydney, Australia - 2012 tour John, “Becky and I had a great time with you, Diane and all the others in our group. We learned a lot and we hope to return for another tour, maybe even next year. Thank you for all your work. We appreciate it greatly. It was an honor to be with you for so many ‘first time that has ever happened moments.’ It made the tour even more special for me. May God continue to bless you and we hope to see you and Diane again.” Kelly & Becky B. - Smith Center, Kansas - 2015 tour John, “Wow, what a trip. This was a fantastic experience that we will always remember. We thank you for a wonderful pilgrimage where Jesus walked and the Exodus of God’s children. The trip was all, plus more than we expected. We look at your accomplished itinerary and ask each other, ‘Did we really do all this?’ We will never forget this trip. Thank you for all your work before, during, and after.“ Ken & Jo Ann M. - Sioux Falls, South Dakota - 2008 tour John, “We are unable to express in words all the feelings received from the three weeks pilgrimage to Israel, Jordan, and Egypt. It has truly changed our lives. What an inspirational experience. It was so rewarding because of your hard work and well laid out plans, along with much prayer that made it so. From the bottom of our hearts we say thanks to you and your wife, Diane.” Roy & Betty D. - Tampa, Florida - 2008 tour John, “Thank you so much for making my trip to Israel so blessedly meaningful. I don’t doubt for a minute this trip was one of the most organized and divinely inspired trips I have ever been on. The work you put into this trip was incredible and could never be measured in dollars. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.” Jason P. - Peoria, Illinois - 2005 tour John, “We want to express our heartfelt thanks and deep appreciation for providing us with the trip of a lifetime. The Bible does take on a new perspective as we read or hear about a place and we can say we remember that because we were there. The trip summaries you have provided are amazing and so helpful as we sort our photos and recall our great adventure. Thank you so much for your hard work and dedication.” Gerry & Joanne M. - Phoenix, Arizona - 2008 tour John, “Thanks for taking the time to put this tour together. The trip was so spiritual and inspirational for me. I returned reenergized in my faith, more committed to performing community service and the Bible passages have more meaning. Seeing Jesus’ paths and the Old Testament sites bring the Bible so much more alive. You were an awesome tour guide.” Marilyn H. - Houston, Texas - 2008 tour John, “Keith and I have been working on organizing all our pictures. We are amazed at all we experienced. When people ask about the trip, we find ourselves groping for words. Not a day passes that we do not think about and talk about our Israel trip and Jordan extension.” Keith & JoAnn H. - Moscow, Idaho - 2015 tour John, “No doubt our Easter celebration has become so real to us because of our trip where you provided such wonderful insights to what Christ went through on our behalf. We will never forget the wonderful meaningful trip.” John, “It seems unreal that we were in Israel. We talk about it so often and it becomes more and more special as we do. I cannot thank you enough for encouraging us to go. I know we would never have gone if it were not for you.” Ruth H. - Chicago, Illinois - 2007 tour John, “I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for giving us a trip of a lifetime. We brought back many memories and for us a life changing experience. We really appreciate the time you took at key locations to reference the Word of God and make the Bible come alive for us.” Michael & Heather B. - Bakersfield, California - 2014 tour
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