Few people who visit Israel are not profoundly altered by their excursion, and even fewer are not profoundly changed when they concentrate on the Holy Land?s most historic religious sites. Vassula Ryden, founder of True Life in God Foundation and author of
Heaven is Real, But So Is Hell: An Eyewitness Account of What is to Come, knows that all of the nearly 700 people participating in upcoming, starts August 25, The 9th True Life in God Ecumenical Pilgrimage in the Holy Land that will visit a number of the most Holy Christian sites in existence. Amidst the tight schedule in Jerusalem, Nazareth, Bethlehem, Dead Seas, Sea of Galilee and more will be speeches and a variety of different Christian religious services.
?I know from personal experience that this Holy Land Pilgrimage will change the lives of those participating, and possibly those who hear about their experiences walking in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, seeing His birthplace, visiting where He preached, taught, performed miracles and fulfilled His Destiny for All Mankind,? says Vassula Ryden.
The
9th True Life in God Ecumenical Pilgrimage in the Holy Land will be a unique spiritual tour to the most significant and sacred biblical sites, including Bethlehem, Nazareth, the Via Dolorosa, Golgotha and probably the holiest place for all Christians, the Holy Sepulchre, site of the Resurrection.
After arrival in Tel Aviv on August 25, the Pilgrimage will commence with a visit to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, to see the Grotto where Jesus was born, followed by a visit to the beautiful Chapel of the Innocents, Chapel of the Angels, Ein Karem, which is the place of the Visitation of Our Lady to St. Elisabeth and the birthplace of St. John the Baptist. Along the way the Pilgrimage will visit Jericho and Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found, and the house and tomb of Lazarus at Bethany.
Five nights in the eternal city of Jerusalem will see the TLIG Pilgrims walk in the footsteps of Jesus to Gethsemane before proceeding to the Lithostratos and follow the Stations of the Cross on the Via Dolorosa to Calvary and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Following Jerusalem the group will go north to Nazareth for three nights. Among the sights taken are the Mount of the Beatitudes, Mount Tabor, the scene of the Transfiguration, the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum and Tabgha where the Miracle of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes took place.
This Pilgrimage will be a journey to the very source of Christianity, the place where ?the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us?. For many, it will be a once in a lifetime experience which we will share as one family in Christ. Inspired by the True Life in God Messages, we welcome the opportunity to live and worship in unity with all Christians, as well as other faiths irrespective of denomination, nationality or ?man-made? divisions.
For more information go to
http://www.tlig.org/en/news/2013-02-03/2208/ True Life in God
About True Life in God Foundation:
Here is a summary of what the Foundation for True Life in God is all about, the reason for its creation, the mission it has been entrusted with and formalities of importance:
Vassula says: ?I have created the Foundation for True Life in God, based in Geneva, Switzerland, in order that care be taken and help provided for the diffusion of the True Life in God messages I have received since 1986. The Foundation will outlive my person and is, therefore, bound by my written instructions. The Foundation, through its authority and statutory institutions is to observe and act accordingly, taking in particular to heart our Lord?s instructions: remember My Holy Presence; be My vessels of Light carrying My Word and diffuse My Messages? (TLIG, April 10, 1990).
A Swiss based foundation is a legal entity, closely supervised by the federal authorities who have a legal duty to ensure that all activities rigorously comply with the statutes of the Foundation. An annual report must be submitted to this effect. This stands as a guarantee that the Foundation for True Life in God will work as intended by its founder. Any changes to the now adopted statutes need the federal authorities? approval. The Foundation's official birthday is March 10, 2008.
The Foundation is run by the Foundation Council of up to 12 members. Vassula has nominated the initial 9 members of the council. Henceforth the council will renew itself by majority vote, strictly following guidelines for future new members.
The Council Members are drawn from many walks of life and countries. The initial council includes members from Switzerland, UK, Singapore, Philippines, USA, Ireland and Spain. The President is a Geneva-based lawyer (Me. Kooger), Jacques Gay is Vice President, assisted by Michel Bornet, Treasurer and Albert Muller, Executive Secretary. Neither Michel nor Albert are registered Council Members.
As you know, Vassula does not receive any remuneration for her TLIG activities. This same principle applies to all members of the Foundation Council and associated TLIG executives. Only professional outsourced help such as an accountant, an auditor etc. are paid from foundation funds. The legal capital, necessary for the creation of a foundation in Switzerland, has been provided by donations.
The Foundation?s Mission:
The Foundation has been established by Vassula:
a) to promote knowledge and understanding of the works entitled ?True Life in God?. The Foundation has the responsibility of ensuring the timelessness of these writings, their universal distribution in any form the Foundation may decide to employ, as well as the physical preservation of the originals.
b) to promote unity among the Christian Churches as contemplated by the True Life in God messages, always seeking the glory of God, and the furtherance of His Kingdom for the spiritual benefit of all peoples without exception.
c) to promote the charitable work of the Beth Myriams, as well as providing financial support, where necessary, for that work, in accordance with Vassula?s charter on Beth Myriams.
d) to ensure that Beth Myriams are run in accordance with the spirit of the True Life in God messages and adopted policies.
e) to promote the work of, and ? where necessary ? provide financial support to other appropriate charitable activities that are influenced by the message of True Life in God.
f) to ensure the long-term continuation of the work of True Life in God and evangelisation in the spirit of the True Life in God messages.
g) to defend the reputation of the True Life in God messages and of Vassula herself.
h) to work in close contact with national True Life in God associations, whom it will serve in their evangelisation efforts and support in adversity.
i) to ensure the publication of the messages world wide and in all feasible languages.
j) to take care of supranational projects, of Vassula?s copyrights over the messages and to ensure respect for the following protected trade marks:
About True Life in God:
Vassula Ryden, author of Heaven is Real, But So is Hell: An Eyewitness Account of What is to Come, established the Foundation for True Life in God in 2008 to support her worldwide ministry. The direction for the name came from God in 1987. He told Vassula, ?I have chosen you as a blank canvas to fill it up only with My Work, which I will name: ?True Life in God.??
Centered on the divine messages provided from God to Ryden, True Life in God seeks to share an urgent call to make peace with God and amend our lives through repentance, reconciliation, love and unity.
The Foundation, based in Geneva, Switzerland, assists with administrative tasks that would otherwise pull Ryden away from her speeches and travels. Supported by benefactors around the world, the Foundation is run by a team of volunteers who work for no salary.
Likewise, Ryden receives no payment for her speeches, books or other materials. In fact, the only people associated with the Foundation who are paid perform outsourced jobs, such as accounting.
?Acts of Love? form an important part of the the True Life in God messages. In 1998, Ryden was asked by the Virgin Mary to found the first Beth Miriam (or Mary?s House) to help the poor in the Holy Land. Now, there are about 25 Beth Miriams in big cities throughout Africa, Asia, Europe and North and South America, where the poor can find food, shelter and the love of Christ.
In other ?Acts of Love? projects, volunteer followers of True Life in God messages work with two schools and an orphanage in Bangladesh, where the ministry of True Life in God started.
Hundreds of people have attended the pilgrimages, including 800 individuals from 60 countries and 15 denominations who joined Ryden for a trip to Rome in 2011. For more information visit,
http://www.tlig.org Vassula Ryden, author of ?Heaven is Real But So is Hell: An Eyewitness Account of What is to Come,? is a Greek Orthodox Christian speaker and author who is known worldwide.
Born of Greek parents, Ryden grew up in Egypt, until her family moved to Switzerland when she was a teenager. Then in 1985, while she was living in Bangladesh, she had a spiritual encounter that changed her life, as well as many others.
Ryden was working on a grocery list when she felt the presence of an angel. ?My hand was taken as if by an invisible hand, and I let it go because I felt he wanted me to write something,? she says.
At the time of the encounter, she had no relationship with God and hadn?t received any religious training. Soon after that encounter, God allowed Ryden to experience a painful purification process. After experiencing this dark and lonely time when she did not hear from God, she made the decision to fully surrender to Him and put God first in her life.
Since then, she has had thousands of similar experiences, transcribing ?messages? from God in a different style than her normal handwriting. The messages have been compiled in books, videos and other materials, which are promoted and distributed under the title, 'True Life in God' after Vassula was told by God in 1987, I have chosen you as a blank canvas to fill it up only with My Work which I will name: "True Life in God.?
Ryden also has what she calls ?interior visions? of heaven and the future and has foreseen three important events, which came to fruition:
? the destruction of the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001;
? the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004; and
? the fall of Communism in the former Soviet Union.
But such ?doomsday? prophecies are not the focus of her ministry. God?s messages to Ryden emphasize His love and desire that all people have an intimate relationship with Him. They also stress the need for unity among Christian denominations.
Although she is Greek Orthodox, Ryden has a large Catholic following. She has cordial relations with many Vatican officials and presented a copy of ?True Life in God? to Pope Benedict XVI in 2008.
Ryden lives in Greece with her husband, but she is a frequent traveler, having spoken in 79 countries.
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brad@uniglobal.com