THE COMMENTARY

Showing posts with label Galilee. Show all posts

the one about jerusalem

Friday, September 13, 2013

It's 2 am and I am wide awake. Every now and then I have those nights where my mind just won't slow down. I toss and turn for hours before finally giving in and turning the light back on. Thankfully I don't have class tomorrow so the impact won't be that bad. On this nights I often read until my mind is exhausted and my eyes won't stay open.

Tonight I decided to read the journal I kept while I lived in Israel two summers ago. It's been a few months since I have read it, but I am always amazed at the experiences I had while I was there. I learned and grew so much there! I think we often forget how much we have grown and changed; we easily fall into this mind trap that we're stagnant, making little to no progress. I remember feeling this way while I was in Israel, but as I revisited my journal tonight I again realized how untrue this is. Whether we recognize it or not, the Lord is constantly molding and shaping us into the person He wants us to become. This change often comes in the form of trials, a refiner's fire. We're tried because we're worth it to Him. Heavenly Father longs to see us progress and become more like Him and for this reason He tests us; slowly teaching us how to be like Him.

My experience in Israel was four months of this growth--sixteen weeks of intensive learning of how to be more like my Savior. I hungered and thirsted after this instruction and Heavenly Father opened my eyes and allowed me to see His hand in my life. It was as if He was teaching me how He teaches me. At the beginning of my experience I mistook this teaching for something negative; I didn't understand what was happening. Only after I began writing things down and taking the time to understand my experiences was I able to appreciate the way the Lord was guiding my life.

I treasure my time in Israel for many things, but high on the list is the way it enhanced my relationship with my Heavenly Father. I know that He lives and loves each of us. He is quietly guiding our lives and protecting us from harm. If you're ever in doubt, keep a journal and read it often. His guidance will become clear.

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the one about future plans

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

So I have a lot of obsessions; ok, not really. Buuuut I am obsessed with traveling. When I was little Mama and Papa Lo would take us on vacation every summer and culture us little minions. We saw the exotics lands of Canada, Washington, D.C., NYC, and the Bahamas. We traipsed all over Texas and drove Wyoming more times than I can count.

This is where the travel bug started and it hasn't fizzled out one bit. After my freshman year I knew that I wanted to do a study abroad, so I thought, "I'll go to Israel; that sounds like it would be a hoot and a half." So I did. I spent four glorious months traveling all over the Middle East and eating pita.

Surely this trip would have cured me and satisfied my craving for foreign lands....wrong. If anything it fueled my obsession. I have this overwhelming desire to travel anywhere and everywhere. I even applied to an internship in Beijing today! Who does that?! I don't know anything about China or Asian cultures. I play Mahjong once with parents when they got back from China, but I'm pretty sure that does not qualify me to live there for a summer. It would be an adventure though so we'll see how that one plays out :)

Regardless, I hope that I spend my life traveling. One day I want to make a sweet montage like this guy:

How cool is he?! I would even settle on being his camera man. I could live out of a suitcase and eat street vendor food; I could get behind that. So if you don't hear from me I'm probably traveling the world and working on an awesome YouTube video. Just kidding, I'll be in class for the time being, but one day I'll post a video like this...wait for it :)

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I Left My Heart in Galilee

Friday, July 22, 2011

I feel like I start every blog post about how my last experience was the best one yet, but this time I think that it might be true. Galilee was the most blissful ten days ever! I know why Jesus loved to be there so much. The whole area is simply beautiful! The sea is this stunning blue with lacy white waves pushing towards the shore. The sea is completely still in the morning, but as the day goes on the winds pick up and by the end of the day the waves are massive. I love the sound of the waves washing up on the sand. I could have sat on the beach forever :) Our hotel was right on the beach so I was able to sit on the beach late into the night. I loved sitting there at sunset and think about Christ. I was able to imagine him being in that beautiful place or walking on the water.
Our first field trip was to take a boat across the sea in the early morning. I sat in the bow of the ship and looked out over the water. It was so peaceful and perhaps one of my favorite moments of our trip to Galilee. When we got to the middle of the sea (which is actually a lot smaller than I thought it was), our captain put down the anchor and Brother Judd gave a devotional about Peter and Christ walking on the water. It was amazing to read that account while I was sitting on a boat on the Sea of Galilee. I can't even describe how I felt in the moment. Best moment ever!!!
We visited several archaeological sites during our ten day trip. We saw Capernaum, Dan, and Nazareth. We also so Megiddo (Armageddon, anyone?), Gamlah (a city on a hill), and Tabgah (the feeding of the 5000). One of my favorite stops was the Mount of Beatitudes. I loved reading the Sermon on the Mount in the place were it actually happened. I have never been to such a serene place. This little hill overlooks the Sea of Galilee and the gardens are immaculate. We met the sweetest nun in the entire world! Sister Mary Rose just added the experience all the more sweet.
The whole experience seemed surreal. I felt like everyday I had to pinch myself to see if I was in a dream or not. Most of the places that we saw were no longer inhabited, but that almost made it easier to imagine Christ being there. When we went to Dan I felt like I was hiking through the jungle. It was a beautiful change to the intense desert I'm used to in Israel :) The heat was almost unbearable! I thought North Carolina was hot, but Galilee is probably what the earth's core feels like. I felt sticky for 10 straight days. I don't know how the people survive!!
Our last day was so great. We went to a cemetery that is the resting place for several missionaries from the early 20th century. It was amazing to stand there and sing 'I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go.' It was a definitely a tender mercy from the Lord and I felt honored to be able to pay my respects. From there we went to Caesarea on the coast. Before we went into the city we stopped and played on the beach and we all know how much I love water :) I don't know why it brings me such intense joy, but it just tickles me pink! The Mediterranean Sea is one of the best. We got to play in the water and then it was back in the heat to see the ancient city where Paul appealed to Caesar. Finally we went back to the JC. It was so great to go back to Jerusalem. I don't know what I'm going to do when it's time to return to the States. Both Jerusalem and Galilee have stolen my heart and I don't they're going to give it back anytime soon. I love Israel more than all the pita in the Old City!!!!!!!!!!!!!