Some more from Israel...

We started off our day visiting the Soreq Cave (Stalactite Cave)...it was an absolutely beautiful experience. The cave, was very humid, and slippery, but what made it all worth it was seeing the stalactites hanging from the ceiling, which are basically pointy spike coming down off the ceiling. While on the other hand there were also the same thing coming up through the floors, but those are called stalagmites. These are caused by CO2 mixing with water, creating a carbonic acid, and then the carbonic acid seeping into the limestone, which then dissolves the rock.
After seeing the cave we went to the valley of Ella where David killed Goliath. Seeing this really meant the world to me. Of course there really isn't much of anything here today, besides the valleys ans fields...with a highway on the side...but it really helped my paint a picture in my head of what it looked like. After taking a Old Testament class back at school, I've had a pretty good idea as to what the valley looked like..but there was never cars going by in on the highway in this picture! What I found even more interesting was that the stream that runs though is dried up this time of year, and once winter comes it'll start flowing again, and even get to the point where it causes floods.
After spending some time in the valley of Ella, we went to the site where the Ark of the Covenant was once held when Eli's two sons decided to take the Ark of the Covenant into battle hoping that it would bring down the Philistines when it actually had the opposite effect.
Overall I really enjoyed today even though it was extremely hot! But I still did get a lot out of it Biblically and Spiritually.

Jerusalem: Day 6

This morning we started the day off by visiting a church which represented the part in the Bible when Mary went to go and visit Elizabeth, while both women were pregnant. In Luke 1:39-56, it tells the story about how when Mary first learned that her cousin was pregnant in her old age, she went to visit her. There she had some type of revelation and somewhat of a confirmation as well, that everything was going to be OK. It was at that moment that Elizabeth spoke aloud about Mary caring the Savior of the world in her womb. Walking into the church dedicated to this story in Luke was a beautiful experience. The church was covered in large, colorful murals depicting the stories about John the Baptist (before his birth) and when Mary went to visit Elizabeth.
After that we went to the Israel Museum. We started our discussion on a huge model of the city of Jerusalem. I found his beneficial because now I have a better understanding of the changes the city has gone through the past two thousand years. It had a clear view of the walls that Herod had built, and the temple itself, and what it would have looked like in about 66 C.E. On e aspect that I found very interesting was the size of Jerusalem during David's reign...I never realized how small the city actually was, and what it has become today!
After a lesson at the model, we went into this huge, white dome to see the Dead Sea Scrolls. I've always wanted to see them, and had a clear picture of what hey looked like in real life, but I still can't fathom that I actually had the chance to see documents that were written thousands of years ago...God's words on paper, lasting through all the ages! His power is great, and the miracle of those four scrolls surviving keeps me in awe. An interesting fact that I learned was that most of the scrolls found were from the book of Isaiah, the only one's not to even be recovered are Esther and Nehemiah.
Today was a great day, and I'm happy I've had another chance to see things that I've oly read about in books.

Sorry it's been so long :)

Sorry I haven't been on here, but even though it's the "weekend" here, we've still been pretty busy. On Saturday we had the chance to sleep in! Which I'm sure we all needed. After we got up and went to lunch we were allowed to explore Jerusalem on our own. I really liked that, only because going around in such a small group let's us have a better feel for the city itself. That night we were all able to walk down to the Western Wall together, which is the Jew's Shabbot (their day of worship) We had to dress properly, be respectful as we watched the Jewish people pray at the only part of the wall from Herod the Great that is still visible. While there, there was a bat mitzvah going on, and we got to see the men sing, dance and rejoice with the young boy, during this important time in his life. As we moved closer to the center, and had a better view of the Wall in the far left hand corner. The men and women were separated on either side, as they took turns singing praises. It was such a beautiful moment to see, such a committed people, putting their faith out in the open, worshipping with all their heart. It brought me to tears seeing how devoted these people are, yet back home we put our faith aside because we're too afraid. While these people mix their faith with their culture...it was an experience that was awesome.
Today we had the chance to go to a Messianic church service. And this really made my heart flutter! To see God's chosen people worshipping the Messiah, is amazing! The service was in Hebrew, with some English....yet we were able to have it translated. And it was a very moving experience! This is the chosen people...running after God with all their hearts. Now this was a group a people who should have a fear of showing their faith..yet that's not how it is for them...there was this one particular man who asked us all to pray for him, because his family was Muslim, and they didn't know that he was a believer, and since it's the month of Ramadan it's been very difficult for him. That was a opening for me...Good showed me how fear must be surpassed in order for us to look upon Him fully. While being in the minority of religions, with people coming against them from all angles...these people are really after God's own heart!

Jerusalem: Day 3

Today we started our day at Gallon Heights having lots of fun taking in the scenery and interacting with the Israeli Army. From the top we could see bordering countries such as Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. But the most meaningful sight was the valley where the road to Damascus would have been. After taking some beautiful shots of the landscape we went down into a military bunker, now used for tourists, to get a feel what the tranches, and rooms underground were actually like. While here, there were many Israeli soldiers around, some even eager to talk with us. One group of guys actually came up to us, asking if we would say their squadron's name in Hebrew and English and film it. This group was known as the "Best of the Lions." After that we went out to get our lunch, today I was able to try a Druze Pizza, which was basically a pita with cheese and olive oil. Personally I wasn't a fan...but I'm always willing to try new things!
Speaking of the Druze, I was very lucky to learn about this people group today. As we were driving out to Gallon Heights, all across the way you see these huts/tents in individual com unities. My first thought was that these people were just homeless, but the fact is that they choose to live that way. As part of their secret religion they are patrons to the country of Israel. One of things that they believe that I thought was pretty interesting was that they believe that once a Druze dies, their soul is put back into another Druze. Because of this they make excellent soldiers since they are not afraid of death. You must be born into this group in order to even be a member of it, having both parents being Druzes themselves.
After lunch we went to Caeserea Philippi where the Gates of Hell were. This spot was so vital because it is where Peter actually proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah. All along the area there were this holes of where idols would have been placed at the Temple of Pan.
To be honest out of everything I saw and experienced today my favorite was in the National Park, where there was still a gate dating back tot he time of Abraham, and it being something that he actually used. To have something to intact, and old still baffles me.
It was an interesting filled with tons of new things, and I can't wait to learn even more tomorrow...

Day 2 In Jerusalem

Today was our second day in Israel, and was it a great one! I learned so many new things, and saw things that I've been reading in the Bible for years, only now being finally being able to put a real perspective on everything. We started off the day by going up the Mount of Olives and visiting the Teardrop Church, where it stands to represent when Jesus wept. The view was amazing, but kind of sad in a way. Only because nothing really stands there except the church and many Jewish graves waiting for the Messiah to come. Back home, I never really put a thought to the Jewish of Muslim faith, but after seeing sights such as this, and being with the people in the streets I see how devote they are to their faith, and my heart can't help but go out to them. Afterwards, we walked down the steep hill to the Garden of Gethsemane. Before coming here I had created such a beautiful image of what it would like, and after seeing it today I don't really know what to think. A grassy area was fenced in on the side of a huge Catholic church, with flowers, and an olive tree from the actual time of Jesus. To be honest, it looked more like a regular courtyard than anything else. But just knowing what had happened there with our Savior I couldn't help but feel my heart tremble. Taking a few moments to pray, in the middle of the chaotic scene, full of people from all over the world, to see the same thing I was, helped me to remember, that even though the garden itself has changed tremendously, my God has never, and will never change. And I praise him for that. I would have to say that my most favorite site was the House of Caiaphas, mainly because I have been picturing in the worst way possible all my life. What I mean to say is that it was not what I expected a all. Knowing that this was the place where Jesus was brought to be tried, and then brought in the dongeon to be wipped, already made it a special place to me. But it was not until the whole class crammed into a small "room" that was excavated and in the basement of this building that I felt overwhelmed in God's power, and promise. It was dark, hot, and the noises from the floor above us could still be heard. hat's when our professor had a student read a scripture out loud, reminding us what Jesus felt like when he was down in the dongeon. He knew what he was going to be facing, yet he still endured it all. He could hear the peopl out side, reminding him of his friends and family, who were now denying him, and no one was comoing to save him. All he could do was sit, wait and hold onto fiath. It was at that moment that the entore class started singing the worship song "I Love You, Lord" and I couldn't help but start to cry. For in my heart I know what he had gone through, yet as a human I feel no better than those who denied his nme that very night. BUt the glorious thing about my God is that he doesn't seem me in the way. He loves me, and I him; at that very moment I could finally sense, and come to a better understanding what Jesus had to go through to die on the cross. Movies, won't do it justice, pictures could never help us see it clearly, and words will never be able to interpret that kind f struggle he had to have gone through. But tonight, as I write this I have a joy in my heart that I can't explain, for my Savor has died for me and one day will return!