There’s a mountain I see every day — sometimes from a distance — sometimes up close. It’s bold, and unmissable. Camelback Mountain rises right in the heart of Phoenix, shaped (as the name suggests) like the hump of a kneeling camel. It’s iconic, rugged, and always calling. On my...

When I stood at the Jordan River last week—on the Jordan side this time—I couldn’t help but compare it to when I visited in 2022 from the Israel side. Back then, I saw the Jordanian flag waving gently across the water. This time, I was standing beneath it, looking...

We stood on Mount Nebo last week, looking out over the Jordan Valley, and I couldn’t stop thinking about Moses. This was the spot. The place where he saw the Promised Land—but didn’t enter it. It’s hard to describe what that view does to you. The land stretches out...

Last week I walked through the city of Jarash and this thought resonated through the entire tour—“What will last?” I didn’t expect to be so moved by ancient stones. Jerash (ancient Gerasa) is tucked into the hills of northern Jordan, and it’s one of the most well-preserved Roman cities...

How One Woman’s Testimony Reflects the Power of Mercy and Truth Tucked between the cities of Amman and Zarqa lies one of Jordan’s lesser-known but deeply significant places—Zarqa Camp, also called Hitteen Camp. Established in 1968, this community became a refuge for thousands of Palestinians who fled their homes during...

Today I witnessed something that I’ll carry with me for a long time—hope sketched in crayon, colored with courage, and framed by the resilient smiles of children who have lost more than most of us can imagine. Jordan is home to more than a million registered refugees, though estimates...

A Windy Ride Through the Desert Today marked my first real ride in quite a while—and Arizona made sure I remembered what it’s like. Nearly 100 degrees and a steady wind out of the southeast made it feel more like a resistance training session than a ride. I could...

When we first moved into our home, it was the middle of July and blazing hot. In the corner of our tiny backyard stood a single fruit tree, its branches heavy with small, green fruit. We didn’t think twice. “It’s a lime tree,” we assumed. The fruit looked like...

I’ve settled into a good morning routine lately—lacing up my shoes, stepping outside, and taking a three-mile loop through the neighborhood. There’s something about walking the same route each day that feels grounding. Predictable, but not boring. Familiar, but still full of little surprises. Most mornings, Angie’s with me....

Since the day we moved in, I’ve had one lingering backyard dream: a sprinkler system. Not the hose-and-timer workaround I’ve patched together for four summers, but a real, buried, zoned, push-a-button-and-it-works sprinkler system. The kind that says, “This yard is going places.” But there was one problem: the only water...