Reflection

If I could use one word to express how I feel right now, it would be overwhelmed. Overwhelmed in a very good way. I am definitely a new person, I know I am. God revealed so much to me on this trip - more than I could have ever asked for.

The past 48 hours that I have been home, I have spent mostly trying to organize my thoughts...and my pictures. I don't even know where to start. I cannot imagine if I had not written this blog, allowing my family and friends to see the sites I had been to! If not, I would be in a lot of trouble.

There are so many thoughts that are swarming in my head - just thinking about what God has taught me on this trip. I am so overwhelmed by the idea that I was just walking in the Holy Land! It's almost like it finally hit me or something. It is mind-boggling to think I spent three weeks in the land where Jesus lived, where He served, where He died for my sins, where He rose again, and where He will come again someday. To also be baptized in the Jordan River where He was baptized, and publicly declare my faith in front of others was incredible in itself.

One of the greatest things I gained from this trip is a greater desire to read God's word. I can see the events happening much clearer, and the Psalms that David wrote are so much more meaningful as I better understand the context he was writing in. My goal this year is to read the Bible chronologically. I am really excited about that!

When I look back on this trip, I am also so grateful for the relationships I have built. The Taylor group I was with was truly remarkable, and consisted of some of the most selfless people I have ever met. Aubrey and Vernon were incredible and were so patient and excited to share their wealth of knowledge with us. I admire both of them in so many ways. The people that served at JUC were also some of the nicest people I have ever met. They served us with warm smiles and positive attitudes...every day. Dr. and Mrs. Wright were also two remarkable people, and it was so great to meet them!

I left this trip, also seeing how each person was changed. From the testimonies that my Taylor friends shared with me at our last meeting, there is no doubt that God was and is continuing to change us. I leave this trip having an even greater desire to know my Savior, and learn more things about Him. I want to continue to find my identity in Christ, as He knows me better than I know myself! I am just so grateful for this amazing opportunity that I was given, and the ways God used it to open my eyes!

Another wonderful thing that I take away from this trip is a better understanding of the conflict in Israel. I had the amazing opportunity to interact with the people there - especially the Palestinians. At the same time, I realize how fortunate I am to live in America. Today, I definitely have a love for the

culture and the people of Israel that I had never had before.

Every so often my eyes just tear up when I think about the trip and all that God has taught me. There is evidently such a strong presence of God in my life and how He is changing me, and nothing else could make me more excited. I am so grateful!

I created an "Israel CD" that I am listening to constantly, consisting of worship songs that I listened to when I journaled and blogged on the trip, along with some that we sang at the King of Kings church. My favorite is Chris Quilala - "Your Love Never Fails." Check it out!

Over these next few days, I'm hoping to get all my pictures and thoughts organized so that I can present the trip in an "orderly and educational" fashion! Ha - we'll see how that goes.

Overall, I know I am a different person today than from when I left for this trip. Truly a life-changing experience. I really hope and desire to live a life where others see Christ in me. I hope God uses this trip to witness to others, and I know He will! The Lord is so good, and I am immensely blessed to know Him as my Savior.

I believe this will be my last post regarding my trip to Israel. I hope you have all enjoyed reading my blog, and have maybe even learned a thing or two! Hopefully you are all encouraged to take a trip to the Holy Land! It is worth every penny...trust me! Thanks again for all your prayers and support! I look forward to sharing stories from this trip for the rest of my life : )

Romans 12:2 "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Day 20-21: Our Last Day in Israel

I couldn't believe that it was our last day in Israel! Thankfully, we were be able to enjoy the day without having to think about an exam!

This morning, we ran to Jaffa Gate for breakfast in the Old City. We found fresh fruit juice and pita. Delicious!

As a Taylor group, we then went to church at Jerusalem Assembly. It was about a 30 minute walk, south towards Bethlehem. The church was up 5 flights of stairs. This church was a lot different from the first one I had gone to! The pastor was a Messianic Jew, and he spoke in Hebrew while another man translated for him. One of the things I enjoyed most about this church was the worship. Two of the songs we sang were "How Great Thou Art" and "In Christ Alone." The awesome thing about this was that people were singing in English, Hebrew, and Arabic. It was neat to hear the congregation of believers worshiping together in three different languages. The church service also ended up being 2 and 1/2 hours long! The Pastor's message was very applicable to what we had been learning during our time in Israel, which was really cool. Another neat part about this church was that the Pastor opened up the room for prayer requests, and people were openly sharing in front of the entire congregation.

Our next stop for the day after lunch was the Garden Tomb. We walked through the streets of the Old City...some that we had never been on before in the Muslim quarter. These were so crowded! I also saw some things that I wish I hadn't...like giant carcasses of meat. Hmm. We then walked out through Damascus Gate. This was the most crowded gate I had ever seen. As always, it was fun to be amongst the culture!

After leaving the Old City, we had a short walk to the Garden Tomb. The Garden Tomb is another plausible site for the crucifixion, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. This was a free-admission site that was run by British Evangelical Christians. We ended up getting our own personal tour from Richard, the director of the Garden Tomb Site! It was definitely a lot different than I had expected. There were lots of trees and flowers everywhere. When we went inside the tomb itself, there was a small room on the left - an area where people would have gone to mourn. On the right side of the tomb was the

place where Jesus' body would have been. This site was

definitely very aesthetically appealing and more of what you might expect to see, unlike the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Who really knows where the exact place is...it really doesn't matter that much because He is Risen!

After our group all had a chance to look into the tomb, Richard reserved a spot for us to take communion in the garden. Together as a group, we read from the Bible the story of the last supper, Jesus' crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection, and his ascension into Heaven. We also sang a few songs together as a group. I really valued this time together. It was also just neat to be among the Taylor group and see how close we had come together over the past three weeks.

After walking around the city some more and taking pictures, we went to dinner at "The Gate" which is the place I had been before. This time I tried the schnitzel. Delicious! Then we got some gelato in the New City. By then, it was about 9:00, and we went to a coffee shop in the New City. It was fun just to ha

ng out and talk, as if we were locals. Ha..not really. Before we knew it, we were packing our bags! Around midnight, I finished packing. I took one last picture of our view from the roof.

For the next three hours, a small

group of us decided to stay up and play games. Lots of fun! Then we made our last walk

with all our suitcases down past the Old City Wall at 3:00 AM. The sound of the wheels on the rock reminded me of that first night when we arrived, and I was so amazed by the Old City Wall. It seemed like yesterday. I can't believe it though that I was in Israel for 3 weeks!

It took us 24 hours total to make it back to the States. Lots and lots of security to go through, especially in London. We landed around 7:00 in Chicago (3:00 A.M in Israel!) Everything went well.

It's great to be home, but I definitely miss the people and the land of Israel! I am currently in front of 2,000 pictures on my computer - I don't even know how to begin organizing everything! It will be a project, that's for sure!

Thank you again for all your prayers!! Be on the look out for one more post - more or less a summary of all that God has shown me on this trip!

Day 19: Final Test Day

Today we had our final exam! This was at 2:00 P.M., so thankfully we had a lot of time to study in the morning. The weather today was pretty nice! Sunny and low 60s. For a study break, a few of us went down to Jaffa Gate and got some fresh pomegranate and orange juice. I think it's my new favorite!

After completing our exam around 3:15, we were finally done with the classroom material! I couldn't believe it. Soon after we had our departure meeting. It seems like yesterday when we were getting an overview of the course. Crazy. I am definitely sad about leaving...I love our whole group and have gotten to know Aubrey and Vernon really well! I'm glad, however, that I will still be going back to the same place with the Taylor group. I am excited about the new relationships I have made, and I know they will continue back at school!

After our meeting and before dinner, we went out into the Old City and did our last souvenir shopping. I finally finished! After dinner, we had a Taylor group meeting, reflecting on the past couple weeks, our favorite places, what we have learned, etc. It is truly amazing to hear what everyone has to say regarding these past 3 weeks. There is no doubt in my mind that not one person is going home the same. We have all grown and learned so much. Not too long ago, we were praying for God to really open our hearts and minds to what He has to teach us, and to be able to understand the material well. There is no doubt that God has answered our prayers and more! We have all been impacted in multiple ways, and are looking forward to how God is going to use our experiences back at home.

After our meeting, a group of girls went out into the New City...we were planning on going to this coffee shop, however it was closed due to Shabbot for the Muslims and Jews. Basically, no places were open, and nobody was walking around! It reminded me of Christmas day in the States...however this happens every Friday. This day is used for rest and reflection, and a time to spend with family. It seems backwards to us, since Friday night is usually when the fun begins on the weekend. That surely doesn't go for Jerusalem! However, we did manage to find a McDonalds open...figures.

Upon arriving back on campus, we joined a group of students and adults who were worshiping around the bonfire. It was the perfect way to end the day, singing praise to our Father.

So tomorrow is a free day, and we basically get to do whatever we want! Our Taylor group is starting off by going to a Messianic Jewish church, which will be taught in Hebrew and translated into English. This shall be interesting! We also plan on going to see the garden tomb, and possibly a few museums. We plan on waking up pretty early to get into the Old City and buy some fresh bread as well.

As for departure, we leave from Jerusalem at 3:30 AM on Sunday morning! I do not think we plan on going to bed tomorrow night...we'll see. You most likely will not hear from me tomorrow, but I plan on posting once more to share and reflect on what I learned and experienced during my three weeks in the Holy Land! A couple more pictures may be thrown in as well.

Thanks to all of you who have been reading my blog! I hope you have enjoyed hearing about all that we have done, and maybe you have even learned a thing or two! I would love to share more information and pictures anytime! (Trust me...there is a lot).

I thought I would end with this verse...it is just a great reminder of the rest and peace we find in Christ, regardless of our circumstances.

Psalm 62:5-8
"Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge."

Day 18: Our Last Field Study

Today was basically our day to do whatever we hadn't done yet! (Which is really a lot of things...but we tried to hit a few more hot spots). Aubrey basically planned a great day for us.

First, we headed out to Samaria! This was a really neat opportunity that groups usually do not get to do. We drove up Mt. Gerizim. On our way up the mountain, we passed through a small Samaritan village. About 1/2 of the entire Samaritan population lives here (which is only 300 people!) They also have a place where they perform sacrifices during the Passover. That was interesting to see... I didn't realize that people still do that.

When we reached our outlook, we had a great view of Tirzah. This was also the location of ancient Shechem, and where the well of the Samaritan woman was. Down in Tirzah, we could also see Palestinian refugee homes. It definitely looked like a very crowded area where lots of turmoil occurs. This was not a place for us to go down and see...too dangerous! Aubrey taught us about the ancient city of Shechem. We read from Genesis 33 about how Jacob bought land here. In general, we also talked about the region of Samaria, and how Ahab built a temple to Baal here. The thing I enjoyed most about this site was when we read the blessings out loud from Gerizim. These were from Deuteronomy 27, 28, and 30. We were at the spot from where the tribes read them! How cool is that.

After our time in Samaria, we made our way over to Shiloh in the remote hills of Ephraim. We read from Joshua 18-22, about how the Isralites brought the Ark of the Covenant here! Crazy! We had a while to explore the land. That is always lots of fun! The land was nicely terraced, and we could see multiple hills and valleys for miles on end. We also found a tunnel thing that I crawled through...definitely got a little dusty! There was a beautiful almond tree there that was in bloom as well. And lots of poppies everywhere!

We had our last field lunch : (. I am definitely going to miss the pita and hummice!

After Shiloh, we were on our way back to Jerusalem. We made a stop at the Holocaust museum. I had previously been to the one in Washington D.C., and was looking forward to how this one would be different. We were given 2 hours to walk through the museum; although this first seemed like a lot of time, I am sure we could have used more! I definitely went into this museum with a different perspective as I better understood the situation with the Jews in Israel, and how the Holocaust is directly related to this. There were lots of videos to watch, including interviews of Holocaust survivors. The museum was great to see, but definitely a sober way to end our day.
Here is a picture of the Taylor group, along with Aubrey and Vernon.

Tonight for dinner, a few of us Taylor students decided to go out into the Old City! We went to this restaurant called "The Gate" and tried shawmalah which is this turkey thing with veggies and spices and stuffed in a pita. It was pretty delicious!

This evening, we had a meeting with Dr. and Mrs. Wright, the head directors of this program. They provided us with some delicious treats, and talked to us more about JUC and its history. Dr. Wright came to Israel for the first time on the same trip that I am currently on..."during the Iron Age II" he says. They have been living in Israel for the past 13 years or so, and their son currently goes to Taylor!

For the remainder of the evening, a group of us began studying for our final exam tomorrow. We have to be able to read a variety of passages from the Bible and match them up with certain routes/geographical features, etc. It is going to be difficult!

At this point, it is time for bed! Thanks for following my blog!

Day 17: Galilee Field Study (Day 4)

This morning we woke up around 6:15 and packed our bags to get ready to leave from Galilee. We had to leave a little earlier this morning for a "surprise." We were going on a boat ride! It was like a ferry boat with an overhang. The weather was pretty chilly and definitely overcast. As we began motoring out into the Sea, a huge flock of seagulls began following us! They were everywhere! It was hysterical...and slightly scary. I felt like I was in a movie or something.

Once we were out at sea a ways, Aubrey taught us about the different types of nets and fishing techniques. During this time, it began to rain...really hard. We were reminded of the story when Jesus calmed the storm. It was really fun to be outside in the sea, and the rain made it all the more an adventure.

Our next stop of the day was a church called Tagbha, which was built upon the area where Jesus supposedly fed the 5,000. There was a neat table and mosaic there, along with bedrock that honored this specific location. On our way to the next stop, we passed a shore that was more enclosed, which is the possible site of where Jesus preached from the boat.

Next, we headed to Sepphoris, also known as Zippori. This was a thriving town in Galilee, and was most likely a city where Jesus and Joseph did a lot of their work since it was close to Nazareth. We first stopped by in this synagogue that had a beautiful mosaic on the floor. We then made our way up a hill in the rain to a very wealthy Roman mansion. We were able to see the triclinium, or the dining room. There was a U-shaped white tile part where the table would have gone, and then the rest of the floor was a beautiful mosaic. We talked about the "gorging and purging" eating style of the people. Basically, they would eat a lot of food, throw it up, and then go back for a second round...the cycle would continue.

In this room, Vernon talked about the Last Supper and how the set-up would have been. Who was sitting next to who, how this was significant, how they ate the food, etc. Very interesting!

Lunch

Our next stop of the day was Caesarea, on the coast of the Mediterranean! The bus drive here took a little while. Caesarea was an absolutely beautiful site. This was Herod's greatest sea port city. He built a harbor, palace, aqueduct system, and more. Here, we talked about the Great Comission and how Peter was called to go to the ends of the earth. It was super windy here! We were climbing around these rocks near the shore, and it was so windy that the water was spraying in our faces and I could taste the salt water on my lips. Fun noneoftheless. Thankfully at this time though, the sun was peaking through! Definitely an answer to prayer. We passed by a huge Roman theater. Sometimes I wish I could go back in time and enjoy the entertainment of that day. We started walking towards another part of the site, and it began poring rain for a couple minutes. Not long after, the sun's rays began to shine out on the ocean through the clouds. It was absolutely gorgeous, and reminded me of God's magnificence and His beautiful creation. We then watched a couple videos about the history and archaeology of this site. Aubrey had one more surprise for us at this site. We stopped at the aqueduct system! It was really neat, plus there was a wedding couple having pictures taken there. How fun :).

So that was a perfect way to end our 4 day trip in Galilee - the sun shining on the Mediterranean. We then began our two hour drive home to JUC. Home sweet home Jerusalem! After dinner, we spent some time in the Old City. We love walking around there.

Tomorrow is our last day out on the field! I cannot believe it. We will basically be going to a few places that we have yet had the opportunity to go to around Jerusalem. Friday is our final exam day, Saturday is a free day, and then I will be leaving for home on Sunday! This trip has flown by like no other. But when I look back on all the things I have done, I cannot believe it!

Hope you enjoyed all the posts from Galilee! Thanks for your continued prayers and support!

Day 16: Galilee Field Study (Day 3 - Baptism)

Today I got baptized!!!!! I'll get to that in a bit...

The first thing we did today was go to an overlook site of the Sea of Galilee. On the way, we passed along this fence that was the border of Jordan, Syria, and Israel. We drove up this steep and windy road. The view was beautiful! We made it to the top where the land was flat and used for agriculture. We then made it to the look out. This ended up being pretty hysterical, because it was so muddy! Our shoes were caked with mud and became so heavy. It felt like we gained two inches in height because the mud piled up so much under our shoes. Anyway...the view here was absolutely beautiful. The Sea did not look that big in front of us. It was pretty cloudy so we could not see out super far, but we were still able to see Tiberius. It was just crazy to think that we were looking over Galilee, where Jesus walked on water and calmed the storm. Can you see the rain in the picture I posted?

After the lookout, our next stop was Gergesa. This was Gentile land in the Decapolis, and was important for agriculture and sardine fishing. At this site, we read the story in Luke of the demon-possessed man. Although we are not for certain, we were most likely at the site where Jesus commanded the demons to leave the man, and where the pigs ran off the cliff and into the water. The feeding of the 4,000 also occured at this site. Amazing!

Our next stop of the day was Qasrin. I really enjoyed this spot! This was a village that appeared like it would during the time of Jesus. We were able to walk into a house and see the layout and functions as it would be during Jesus' day. We learned about Jesus and his roles growing up as a child - how he was a carpenter and what that entailed, and how he provided for his family. In this house, we talked about the parable of the lost coin, and also the parable of the paralyzed man. It was neat to see what these parables really looked like in their setting.

Lunch...yum.

Next came Bethsaida. Bethsaida was a pretty well-off city as it had the largest monarchal gate and was located on the international road. This place was also the hometown of Andrew, Philip, and Peter. We could see a fisherman's house here, as this was a primary location for fishing. At this site, Jesus fed the 5,000 (different from the site at Gergesa).

Then came Capernaum! The town of Jesus! We read passages from Matthew explaining how Jesus chose this as his home town. We were also able to see the synagogue that was built during the 3rd century AD. However, it was also built upon the synagoge that Jesus attended. We could see the difference in the brick. That was pretty cool. There was a modern day Catholic Church that was built over Peter's mother-in-law's house, where Jesus healed her. We were also able to walk right down to the Sea of Galilee. The waves were huge!

Finally, the time came for Verity, Serena, Nathanial, and I to get ready for our baptism! I was definitely getting nervous, anxious, and excited! I was ready : ). Vernon warned us that since it had been raining, the Jordan river (where John the Baptist baptized Jesus) was swelled up and going really fast. There was a chance that it would have been too dangerous to be baptized there. Thankfully, that wasn't the case!

When we got to the Jordan River, I was a little surprised by how brown the water was. And it was definitely moving quickly! We went down under a bridge. All the Taylor group was their to witness, along with some others from our group. Vernon shared with us a short sermon on baptism. He then read to use the Nicene creed, declaring what we believe. Then we affirmed our faith. I said YES! The group then said, "We are witnesses." Vernon then took us down to the water one-by-one. Corrie was along side to help us in. When I stepped into the water, it was not nearly as cold as I thought it would be. Maybe I just wasn't thinking about it. I knelt down in the water...Vernon said, "I now baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit" and the rest is history! People were clapping and cheering, and there were lots of hugs all around. I definitely had tears in my eyes. After we were all baptized, Vernon spoke to us in Hebrew. It was really neat! Thankfully, Mallory got everything on video : ). Together as a group, we then sang a hymn. I think it is called "Magnify the Lord." Everything was so perfect, and I wouldn't have asked for anything else. It was so amazing to publicly declare my faith and be baptized where Jesus was baptized. It was truly unforgettable, and an experience that I will always treasure for the rest of my life.

































We had a while before dinner when we got back to Ein Gev, so a big group of us played Spoons. That was fun. The rest of the evening I spent journaling.

Today was absolutely incredible. I enjoyed learning a lot about Jesus and the locations he lived and taught and performed miracles...and the fact that I got baptized in His name! I couldn't have asked for anything better.

Day 15: Galilee Field Study (Day 2)

Here goes Day 2 in Galilee! So it was definitely foggy and rainy when we woke up, but Aubrey made a great point. Rain definitely happened during Biblical times, especially during the rainy season. So this just gave us an even better outlook and experience! I am also happy for the land, because it seriously needs the rain.

The first stop of the day was Hazor. This city was very wealthy and had everything it needed during its time - it was the largest Canaanite city in the Levant. We talked about the many battles fought here, and also a lot about archaeology and how they date different sites. It was pretty interesting! Again, lots of ruins to look at.

Our next stop was Dan. This was definitely an experience. It was very rainy...and muddy. We walked along the Spring of Dan, which feeds into the Jordan River. It was so majestic and loud! It sounded like thunder. I absolutely loved it. Aubrey told us how the spring lets out 22 1/2 gallons per second! Crazy. I loved walking along the spring, and just thinking of God's majesty. Next we walked by a mud-brick gate, that was most likely from the time of Abraham! We also passed the city where the King's throne was located, and people would be judged for their actions here. There was also a very random find here...a Winnie the Pooh tree! Accompanied with a sign and everything. That was strange. For the majority of the time, we were walking on wet rocks along the spring under beautiful greenery.

Pita and hummice.

Our next stop was Caesarea Philippi. Here, spring water came out from Mt. Hermon that led to the Jordan River. This was a wild and forested region, and a great spot for pagan worship due to its location and the resources it provided. There was a cool stone pathway that we were able to walk across. This led up to a giant cave, where people would sacrifice goats into the water...weird. At this site were a bunch of different places where people would perform pagan worship. It was also at Caesarea Philippi where Peter confessed that Christ is the living Son of God in Matthew 16. I always enjoy reading Biblical passages on site.

On the way to our next site, we made a pit stop at Gemela's, a lady that made excellent fruit juice! I tried half pomegranate juice and half orange juice mixed together. It was absolutely delicious and much better than I had expected! Hopefully all that vitamin C will help prevent me from getting sick...a lot of people are getting colds on the trip. I am very grateful for my good health!

Our last stop of the day was Ben Tal, which translates to "Son of the Dew." We drove up the hill, but ended up not getting out of the bus because it was too rainy, foggy, and windy. Ben Tal is a dormant volcano that made the basalt in Galilee from the eruptions. At this site, we talked about how Paul passed by this way and was the first apostle to the Gentiles who crossed the border of Israel.

We made our wake back to Ein Gev, and played a little euchre before dinner. Delicious again...especially the chocolate cake :). Fun conversation with friends to conclude the evening. A rainy day...but fun as always!