favorite month, December, could not be set in a greater location than Israel.
Christmas, my birthday, and the beginning of winter will all take place in Jerusalem this year. If
you had asked me last year where I planned to be for the month of December, Israel would
have been my last answer.
Oh, how God is constantly blessing me! While in Israel, I am seeing the Bible come
to life. A few days ago we walked through Hezekiah’s Tunnel (which has been my
favorite so far), walked through the City of David, swam in the Dead Sea of Olives from
where we were. The Mount of Olives really hit
me hard inside. For a moment, I could not stop looking even as my group slowly
walked away to the next location. The sky was clear with descending rays of
sunshine covering its every exposed grain of dirt. Seeing just these few places
has really put a passion in my heart to read and seek Him more through the Old
Testament.
So many times I open my Bible
straight to Mathew, Ephesians, or Thessalonians when I have a troubled mind,
but truth is the history of our beliefs has just as much depth as the poetic
pick-me-ups found in the New Testament. One verse that can always bring me back
to life from a “Debby Downer” day is Jeremiah 1:5. “Before I formed you in the
womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart…” This was a moment God
was speaking to Jeremiah telling him his age was irrelevant to the many works
in store for his life. God said, “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you
and will rescue you…” (Jeremiah 1:8). This passage helps me remember the Lord I
worship, simply put, knows me. He knows my struggles, my thoughts, my hopes and
desires, my future, and even the number of hairs on my head.
Ministry
Recap–
We taught English classes on Wednesday to children ages roughly 4-15, passed
out condensed Bibles at a market, and will be doing the same next week until we
switch with a team in Jerusalem. The
plan there is to run a soup kitchen.
All is well with the team. We are being
intentional to know one another on a deeper level and growing in Christ
together everyday. I would like to extend a prayer request-Dez’s family took a
hard hit recently with a family member passing away. It was her grandfather and
if you could please lift them up in yours prayers I know they would be
appreciative.
“He is
good; his love endures forever.”
