"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem"

Well... in about three and a half months I will be on my way to Israel! I am spending three weeks in the Jerusalem area (taking day trips around Israel, of course). The program is through Gordon and I will be traveling with Dr. and Dr. Phillips (Elaine Phillips was one of my professors Freshman year... I learned a vast amount from her. Her husband is just as amazing!), as well as Dr. Hunt (my NT prof... which most of you have heard me speak of). We will be attending the Jerusalem University. It should be academically rigorous, but it will definitely be worth it! At the end of the trip, a few of us are going to spend a few days in Jordan. This is just extra and actually not part of the program. I am SO excited about this as well!! Many of you have asked me what you can be praying about as I am preparing for this trip. It is a long way away; however, I know these next few months will fly by. I would greatly appreciate it if you could begin to pray our trip now. Here are some things you could be praying for:

1: "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: 'May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.' For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, 'Peace be within you.' For the sake of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity." (Psalms 122:6-9)

As you know, Israel is never completely stable. I ask that you pray for the peace of Israel simply because it is something that should be on our hearts. I also ask that you pray specifically that the situation in Israel will be safe while my group is there (May 18th-June 10th). It is encouraging to know (this part is for you mom) that Jerusalem University has been around for years and has never brought students close to harm. They know their city well and know where we can and cannot travel. (Of course, the safer it is, the more of the country I will be able to see!)

If you would like to check up on the situation while I am there you can read the Jerusalem Post. This should inform you what is going on in the country during my trip.

2: Safe travels and health. Our group will be traveling from Boston to London to Tel Aviv on May 18th and 19th. We will be doing some traveling within Jerusalem. Then, a smaller group of us will be traveling up to Jordan and back to Tel Aviv. Finally, on June 10th we will be traveling from Tel Aviv to London to Boston and then to our final destination (Phoenix for me!!). That is a lot of traveling!! Please just pray for our safety during these trips. In addition, please pray for the health of the students. We will be doing a lot of physical activity. We were told we needed to be in pretty good shape in order to go on the trip. Please pray that no one is injured or becomes ill during the trip. It is never fun to be sick; however, on this trip being sick could greatly affect one's experience.

3. Academics! We have many hours of preparation that we are responsible for doing on our "free time". Most of you know that being a college student (especially at Gordon) leaves no room for free time. Please pray that we can complete these assignments before we leave, as well as not feel ridiculously overwhelmed. I have also been told that the program at Jerusalem University is difficult as well. Pray that we learn a lot during our studies there and that we do our best in the class.

4. Hearts of the students. Please simply pray for the hearts of the students and professors that will be on the trip. I know that great things can happen. I will be praying that we will all be greatly affected by this trip. There are about 30 of us going to Israel.

I might post more information about the trip before I leave. If not I will be sure to post something (specifically pictures) when I return.

Thank you for all of you who have already offered to be in prayer about this trip. Also, thank you for those of you who have encouraged me to go! I am so excited and I can't wait to share with you all about my experience.

La Vida Pictures

This is where I spent my solo:
My group on the low ropes course:
My and Ruth after peaking a mountain (I think this was Giant--the one we did twice, by accident):
My group on one of the many mountains we climbed:
The guys:
The ladies:
The "Sherpas" (Lindsay and Eric):Rock climbing:
The girls pumping water... this was also our "shower":
Me and my reflection on solo... Dan took a picture of me (sketchy?) since he was across the pond:
A pretty waterfall... and Caleb:
More pretty pictures in the Adirondack Mountains:

This is LA VIDA

Last summer I received a letter from Gordon informing me of one of my options for a mandatory zero credit course. The first one seemed like fun. It was just a quad course on campus participating in outdoor stuff, as well as a weekend camping trip. However, the second one seemed like it was for me. Here's what it said:

These expeditions provide wilderness-based experiences that encourage exploration of one's personal relationship and commitment to Jesus Christ in the context of Christian community.... The program begins on Gordon's Wenham campus and travels to the Adirondack Mountains in upstate New York. This six-million-acre preserve--roughly the size of Massachusetts, with sparkling mountain streams, quiet lakes, challenging peaks and plenty of space for solitude and reflection--creates the perfect environment for growth, adventure, self-discovery and growing deeper with God.... The supportive, small-group environment will encourage you to achieve more than you ever dreamed possible, but will allow you to accept your challenges on a "challenge by choice" basis.

So basically, I was required to spend two weeks backpacking in the Adirondack Mountains with a group of my friends. We would have lots of quite time in the wilderness, focus on community, see the BEAUTIFUL creation, do high and low rope courses, do REAL rock climbing (not the indoor gym stuff that I'm used to), and HIKE! How much fun! And I like the outdoors, so how hard could it be?

Well we did all of those things and it was AMAZING. I cannot even express how incredible the trip was. The only part I was wrong about was that it wouldn't be that hard. It was one of the most physically intense times of my life. (The only thing that came close to it was hiking the Grand Canyon... which I hadn't even done yet!) I had a 50 pound pack that I had to lug up and down multiple mountains, every muscle in my body hurt, I was always exhausted! Despite all of that... I still would do it over again.

First of all, the community was great! There were 10 students (5 girls, 5 guys... all of us had just finished our Freshman year at Gordon) and 2 "Sherpas" (our leaders... Lindsey had just graduated from Gordon and Eric had graduated a few years before, but still flew back to Gordon every summer to lead trips--I hope to do this some summer before I graduate). We all became so close and learned to trust each other quickly. It was such a great experience! We all had to be completely genuine with each other, which is why I think we became so close.

Spiritually, the trip was amazing. I cannot go into detail about what I learned because I learned so much! God taught me so much about who I am and what He has in store for me. Every day we were given time for personal devotions. In addition, I got into some amazing conversations with some of my hiking buddies. It is just so cool to see God working in everyone's life. The most influential part about the trip was my solo. We had a 48 solo (60 hour fast) that we spent in the woods. We were given our designated areas and we had to set up our own camp. For two days I did not have interaction with any humans (except when my sherpas brought me water twice a day... but we did not talk). I sat on a rock by a little pond or under my tarp in the woods. All I had was my Bible and a journal (plus stuff for sleeping and warmth of course). I have never felt so much peace in my life. It was so hard to be alone. However, after awhile I did not feel alone at all. I completely felt the presence of my Savior who was there just hanging out with me. It was so incredible. I wish I could explain how I felt, but I really can't. So I just suggest that someday you make the time to do the same thing. Two days (or whatever works for you) without human interaction, just worshiping and fellowshipping with your Lord.

Anyways... it was neat to hear about others experiences after we returned from our solo and broke our silence as well as our fast. (We were all pretty quite while we were eating). After the solo, we hiked out and went to base camp were all of the La Vida groups met. We had some down time and fellowshipped as a large group. The next morning we did a 8 mile run. I wasn't totally recovered from my fast and I never run that much! It was hard! Although, it was not as hard as I thought. I guess I put on a LOT of muscle during the hike. :)

There is so much more I could say... but basically it was "the life". I did not want to come home. Before the trip I missed my family and friends. However, I got so used to no cell phone, internet, distractions, and an AMAZING community... so I simply wanted to stay in the wilderness forever. But I guess I wouldn't be very effective if I did that, would I? :) And I was ready to take a shower. After 12 days without a shower... oh man was that nice! :)

Here are some more pictures of La Vida.

A Matter of Trust (cont.)

This is a little thought about my dad's post, A Matter of Trust. During Spring Break, I went skydiving with my dad, two of my best friends from high school (Alyssa and Danielle), and my Tía Ivette. It really was a great experience! Every time I thought about the fast approaching adventure, I felt no emotion. I knew that I should have been nervous, scared, or at least excited... but I did not feel anything. I think deep down (even though I wanted to go SO bad) I thought that something would happen and it would fall through. I figured I would get nervous when it was closer. Well the night before the big jump... I still was not nervous! It did cross my mind... what if something went wrong? I knew that was so ridiculous, I mean people die WAY more in car accidents than skydiving! Right? After a few minutes of making sure I was not crazy for doing this, I got a sense of peace and went back to bed. I did not get nervous when we got in plane. It kind of hit me the two seconds before and after I jumped out of the plane... other than that it was just a GREAT experience.

Spiritually, I got two things out of this experience.

It was my first time skydiving, I did not know what to expect. I did not even know where the rope for the parachute was! That takes a whole lot of trust! Later I realized I had jumped out of an airplane attached to a man that I knew nothing about. And I truly had a sense of peace? It did not bother me; I knew he knew what he was doing… why should I worry about it? (I also realized that I trust the cheerleaders on my squad super easily too… this makes me a better flyer, but shouldn’t I apply that trust to another area of my life as well?) Would I really attach myself to Christ and jump out of the airplane? Sometimes (well many times, honestly) I doubt whether God knows what He is doing with my life. “Are you sure about that God? Is that really the best decision for my life right now?” Well Luther (my dive instructor) had credentials… he owned the company, he jumped 8 times a day, he had lost count of his dives after he hit 4,000… so of course he knew what he was doing! Well, God is the Creator of the Universe… nothing can beat that! :) I just want to live my life in complete trust. Trust in my family, my friends, my teammates, and especially my God… because He is the only one that I can truly have complete trust in, the only one that is 100% reliable. Yes, I did have a LOT of trust in Luther that day... I hope I can have that much trust in God someday.

My dad talked about how he put his trust in his dive master. I think that the reason that I was given a sense of peace the night before was that I realized how much control God has over our lives. Yes, we could die in a freak skydiving accident, or we could die in a car accident... or anything. We should really live as if it is our last day. Think about the impact that would cause us to have on our community! It made me think of the popular country song, Live Like You Were Dying. The beginning talks about a guy in his forties, who finds out he has cancer and will die soon. His friend asked his how he delt with it. He said,

I went skydiving
I went rocky mountain climbing
I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chew
And I loved deeper
And I spoke sweeter
And I gave forgiveness I'd been denying
And he said some day I hope you get the chance
To live like you were dying

He said, I was finally the husband, that most the time I wasn't
And I became a friend, a friend would like to have
And all of a sudden going fishing, wasn't such an imposition
And I went three times that year I lost my dad
Well I finally read the Good Book, and I took a good long hard look
At what I'd do if I could do it all again…

Like tomorrow was a gift
And you got eternity to think about what to do with it
What could you do with it
What did I do with it
What would I do with it…

It just seems like people have more to live for when they know they could die tomorrow. Well, couldn’t any of us? As Christians, we should be living like there is no tomorrow… not because Jesus might come back, or we might die, or our parachute might not open... but because we should live our lives to the fullest! We should love as deep as we can, and speak as sweet as we can, and just imitate Christ in the way He called us to.

Sorry about the rambling, :) I just wanted to say that I want to trust God with every area of my life and I want to live a life that will impact my community TODAY, not tomorrow, not when I graduate college, and not in 40 years! But today, and everyday as long as God continues to bless me with this life!

Thanks for the experience Daddy :)

I LOVE Christmas!

There are two songs that are my favorite this year!

1) "I'll be home for Christmas, you can count on me..." (that one is obvious, and brings me joy every time I hear it) :D

2) Sleigh Ride. Now there are a few reasons for this one. First of all, it really is "lovely weather for a sleigh ride together with you!" Second of all, I was standing in a park in Boston with 20 of my closest friends on Thursday night (is it really possible to have 20 close friends? with my group it is because they're all so amazing!). We managed to make a circle in front of the big Christmas tree and all 21 of us started singing Christmas carols. You can imagine how many weird looks we got! :) As we sang the song I heard myself saying the words, "There's a happy feeling nothing in the world can buy... These wonderful things are the things we remember all through our lives!" We all got huge smiles on our faces. YES, right now singing Christmas carols in the middle of Boston... we will remember THIS all through our lives! Ha, it's silly, but I really feel that I am having the best time of my life!

It's funny what mixed emotions I have. The first song shows my emotions for wanting to be home. I miss all of you SO much! The second songs makes me think of my friends here... I didn't think it was possible to have this much fun with people who love God just as much as I do!

I've been taking pictures through this Christmas season. First we threw a Christmas party for our friends. Kristin and I made them stalkings with their names on them (and candy in them of course), we watched The Grinch, made a cake, ate smores, and had a dancing/singing party in the lounge. Then my girl friends and I went to watch the Nutcracker at the Opera House in Boston (amazing!). For my friend Heather's birthday on Wednesday we made gingerbread houses (and ate them without our hands). We extended her birthday to Thursday and ate dessert at Finale, hung out in Boston, and of course went Christmas caroling. This group of people have been amazing. I wish you could all meet them! Check out our pictures from this week. :)

There is one more song that I want to bring up... Sweet Caroline. :) So all 21 of us were waiting for the T to come. We managed to sing the song at the top of our lungs in the middle of the station. There were two guys singing it and playing the guitar... we couldn't help but join. Actually, the few of them who are Yankee's fans couldn't help it either. :) I just love the community here. It is so much fun, yet so deep and meaningful (the stuff I've mentioned isn't necessarily deep, but the people and the conversations we've had)!

I love you guys and can't wait to share with you how I've grown, as well as hear from you about what God is doing in your lives!

Child-like Faith

The other day, I was walking along this beautiful path. I could not focus on anything besides how beautiful the trees were! It is my first fall in New England, and I am amazed! When I first got here, people laughed at me because I could not get over how green everything was. Now they laugh because I cannot get over how beautiful the colors are! They don't think that it is ridiculous that I think it is pretty, they just think it's funny how affected I am by it. Of course, these people were raised in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island... so of course they are used to it. It wasn't until recently that I found the desert pretty, but it really is! :) I feel like a little kid, not knowing what to expect, because everyday the trees look more beautiful... but I know that they will die soon, so I never know what the next day is going to look like.

Anyways... here is my point. I began to think about new believers. They are so full of excitement to reach everyone they know that does not know the Lord. I love watching the excitement of a new Christian. It is so encouraging. They seem like little kids with no obstacles. What makes that excitement for our Lord fade away? Isn't our God amazing enough to stay excited about? It makes me feel like the tree. God sees the beauty of our lives and our excitement... but does he wait for the day that it will die? I am not saying that all Christians loose their passion for Christ. Many of them still have that passion, and are probably much more mature, but what about that child-like excitement? Is it really the same? I think so many Christians loose this because they become discouraged by failure, the politics of the church, and simply familiarity.

My encouragement to you is not to become familiar. First of all, appreciate this amazing beauty that God has given us, whether it is the sun, desert, snow, or tress--whether it is new to you or very old. Second and most importantly, do not become familiar in your walk with Christ. If you start to feel comfortable, it is time to take the next step. God did not put us here to live an easy life! Live a life of excitement! Attract nonbelievers by your maturity and your excitement. Find out new things about our Lord; remember the old things that made you fall in love with Him. And third, I love New England! Why is everyone leaving?? :( I know, I know, I haven't had my first winter yet... but it is so beautiful! :)

ABODAH

Hey guys! I just wanted to share with you one of the great things that have happened since I got here.

So I am in an Old Testament class. I am learning SO much! My professor, Dr. Wilson, is so intelligent. He spent eight years of his life translating the NIV and he wrote our incredible textbook. He is so wise! He also seems to have such a deep relationship with God. I come out of class everyday knowing more about Christ, as well as wanting more of a relationship with Him.

Even though his class is great, it is incredibly hard! All of the upper classmen warned me about his tests, and I was so nervous for his first one. The first test was yesterday. I know this seems like a silly thing to write about, but I want to share with you my experience of studying for this test. :) Who would think that spending 7 hours of your day studying for one test would be something to look forward to?

So all week I was stressing out about it. Thursday came along and I knew that I was not prepared for it. I only had one class that day, so after class I started studying. I spent a few hours studying and got sick of my room. I called a girl that was in my class to see if she wanted to go study with me in the library. She told me to meet her up in the “stacks” because she was already there studying for OT. (The weird thing about that is that you usually don’t get signal in the stacks, so I think that it was God that she answered, because I would not have found her otherwise). I found her in the stacks, along with three other people in the class.

One of the things we were learning about was our important Jewish heritage. The Jewish language is really neat. They use the word abodah to describe both work (or study) and worship. This truly demonstrates how they made their everyday lives a worship unto God. The beginning of the work sheet that the T.A. made up for us said, “may this work be worship as well”. We decided to do this. One of the girls had spent three hours that day making note cards from all of the information that she thought would be on the test. We spent the next five hours quizzing each other over some amazing things in God’s Word. I cannot tell you how incredible this experience was.

Coming from a Christian school background, I have experience studying God’s Word in a way that He did not intend it. I have memorized material without knowing the significance of it. It was tedious, boring, and I am sure that I do not know the material today. Studying for this test, as well as taking the test the next day, I really felt that I was worshiping God through it all. Usually people do not look forward to spending 7 hours of their day studying for one test. However, when I think about how many people have the time to take 7 hours out of their day to spend it in God’s Word, I feel so blessed to do so!

I was so stressed out at the beginning of this week. I was looking forward the weekend because the test would be over. However, I am in such a good mood this weekend because of the test. My study group not only helped me study for the test, but we learned the true meaning of abodah as well as fellowshipping together as a community--another Jewish aspect of life. :) I also made some great friends in the mean time. We decided to meet every week (and every day before the test) to go over what he has been teaching. Not only are we going to be extremely prepared for the test, but we will be fellowshipping together and worshiping God in the process (We named our study group "Team Abodah").

Anyways… whatever you are doing this weekend or this week, do it as an act of worship unto the Lord, abodah. I am a witness that you will truly be blessed by it. :)

Marvelous Light

Here is one of my new favorite worship songs. :)

Marvelous Light
by Charlie Hall

I once was fatherless, a stranger with no hope
Your kindness wakened me, wakened me from my sleep
Your love it beckons deeply, a call to come and die
By grace now I will come and take this life, take Your life

Sin has lost it's power, death has lost its sting
From the grave You've risen victoriously

Into marvelous light I'm running
Out of darkness, out of shame, by the cross
You are the truth, You are the life, You are the way

My dead heart is now beating, my deepest stains now clean
Your breath fills up my lungs, now I'm free, now I'm free

Lift my hands and spin around, see the light that I have found
O the marvelous light, marvelous light


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Agapέ

So most of you know that I am not a writer... I guess I am trying to get out of my comfort zone, because two posts in one day is really not like me. :) A couple years ago, Dennae, Allie, and I kind of started a bible study. Dennae challenge us to become love. We looked at I Corinthians 13 and prayed for each other to make those characteristics part of who we are. Now for some reason I think we only got through patience and kindness, and although we never got to the last 13–those first two still had a pretty big impact on me. I decided recently to try to go through them all. I started getting things from different resources about the characteristics as well as the chapter. My challenge to you is to become love, to put it on every day. Many people do not think about what love really is. If you really love someone, you will be patient around them, kind to them, gentle towards them, etc. I am starting to type up all of the stuff I have been using. I will post it as I do, just so it will be there in case anyone wants to use it. Most of it is not from me, but mostly just commentaries and God’s Word. An example of how I have been using it is to take one week (or longer if I felt I needed it) and I asked God to give me more patience. Then I started my day by reading over what I had wrote out about patience. I also picked a few of those verses to memorize during the week. Then when I felt I was ready, I moved on to the next characteristic, and so forth. I cannot tell you how challenging it has been. Be prepared, if you ask God to test you so that you can grow... He will! This is how the chapter starts:

"...And yet I show you a more excellent way. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become a sounding brass, and a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing." (1 Corinthians 12:31-13:3)

The message says that without love "I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate." I also like how it words the ending of that passage. It says, "... So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love."

God is so clear about the importance of love. In Greek, there were three different words for love. When you say you"love" ice cream, you do mean something different then when you say you "love" your parents. Here are the definitions for the words for love:

Greek words for "LOVE":
1. Eros: erotic, sensual (does not appear in the New Testament)
2. Phileό: tender affection, love that is reciprocal, brotherly love. (Appears about 415 times in the New Testament–about half of those times it is used negatively. See John 21:15-17)
3. Storge: natural affection, like that felt by parents for offspring. (Rarely used in ancient works, and then almost exclusively as a descriptor of relationships within the family).
4. Agapέ: does not arise from our feelings. It is a command. It does not always coincide with our natural inclinations, nor is it concerned only with those for whom we have some natural affinity. It is costly (John 3:16). It demands the care and welfare of the loved one regardless of whether that welfare involves hurting or healing–it always involves helping. It is the love of the Father for the Son (John 17:26), of His love for the human race (John 3:16), and of His love for His own (John 14:21). It is Godlike, Devine, and a fruit of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer (Galations 5:22 and Ephesians 5:9). It is NOT based on emotion, but on will. (Appears about 320 times in the New Testament and is rarely used as a negative.)

You probably figured out that in this passage Paul used the word agapέ. Really think about what that word means. He was not just saying to love. He was saying to be a servant to those around you, no matter how they treat you, what kind of response you receive, or how much it hurts. Loving can be VERY uncomfortable. Here is my summary of John Phillip’s commentary on these first few verses of the love chapter:

The acid test of genuine Christianity is not language, prophecy (Matthew 7:22-23), miracle-working faith (Matthew 10:1-8), or charity based on duty; but LOVE. Without love the most glorious gifts are no account to us, of no esteem in the sight of God. Doing good to others, will do none to us, if it is not done from love to God, and goodwill to men.

Thanks for letting me share with you guys! :)

Scared or Excited?

So God has been doing some pretty incredible things in my life recently. First of all, I graduated from high school and have been patiently waiting for the next phase of my life. :) I am saying that with complete sarcasm, because if anything I have not been patient. This summer has gone by so fast, yet I cannot believe how long ago graduation night feels to me. Around the time that school got out, I began to feel overwhelmed with life in general. I have been looking forward to being done with high school for so long, but I never really focused on what it would be like after. I did not really feel prepared to "grow up". :) The gap in between high school and college really gave me too much time to think. At the beginning of the summer I started to get really nervous. Over the last three months, I have really tried to focus on giving all of my anxious thoughts over to Christ. Two weeks from today all of my bags will be packed and I will be making my move across the country. I have no idea what to expect, I will only know one student when I get there, and I have not even come close to deciding what I am even going to school for. The great thing about it is that of all of the things that I don’t know, I DO know that I am obeying God and that I am going where He wants me to go. So I am honestly not sure where I was going with this entry... but I just wanted to encourage those of you who feel nervous or unsure of anything. My dad used to always tell me that the feeling you get in your stomach when nervous or scared is the exact same feeling that you get when you are excited. If you really think about it– it is true! When you start to get that feeling, don’t let yourself think that you are scared or nervous, become excited instead! :)

Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made know to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."