You may have recently seen stories in the news about an American singer / celebrity who traveled to Israel and was baptized there.

You may have heard there was a backlash.

You may have heard she was shamed, yelled at, and scolded on social media.

She was told she should never have gone to Israel. Told that it’s not politically correct to travel there or support that country. Told that showing even vague support for the Israeli government was wrong, and that she had offended her fans.

You may have heard how she caved to this pressure.

She publicly apologized. (Literally, apologized.) She deleted photos. Said she should never have gone to Israel. She recanted everything she had shared, just days before, about her baptism experience.

Well, this seems like a good day to share…

I traveled to Israel.

I support the nation of Israel & their government. I love the people of Israel.

I will never regret going to Israel, or apologize for it.

I didn’t publicly post the photos of my baptism in the Jordan River before now, because I saw no need. But perhaps there is a need. Perhaps there is a need to make it clear that standing with Israel is not something to apologize for, and that traveling there is not an act worthy of retraction.

So, here they are.

Photos taken at the same river where that celebrity was baptized.

The river where Jesus was baptized.

You’ll notice I’m with my husband, who was baptized just moments before I was.

We will never regret.  We will never change our minds.  We will never apologize. 

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“If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill.”  Psalm 137