Day 73 - Shevet Achim

This morning was so fun! I was a little apprehensive about going to Shevet Achim again just because I wasn't all the way awake, but we had the most blessed time. Lu Wing and his amazing wife Pam came along with us. During the morning devo at Shevet, they were super enjoyable additions to the discussion! I was so blessed by just that alone. Then, I got assigned to help cook lunch in the kitchen. The three other ladies that were in there were all moms of kids who are here to get their heart surgeries. (If you don't remember what Shevet Achim is all about, you can read my previous post Shevet Achim.) But anyways, Tanner and I helped make the salad, and then after we were waiting for the food to cook, I just stood with the ladies in the kitchen. One of them (a super sweet lady!) stood next to me by the stove and she started teaching me the words for the different foods that we were cooking. They spoke Kurtish. It's a pretty obscure language that is spoken in Gaza and Iran and places like that. :) It was so much fun to learn a new language! But anyways, I had a very enjoyable morning doing that. (Oh yeah! And the lunch that we made was quite yummy!) Sffa! (that means thank you in Kurtish)

Love,

V

Day 72 - The Hands of Time

Refiner's fire

My heart's one desire

Is to be holy, set appart for You my Master

Ready to do Your will...

Israel truly is a refining fire. But it is not just the fact that I am in another country, but it is the result of many different factors that God has so wisely orchestrated. First, He has brought me out of my comfort zone by taking me to a different country with a different culture surrounded by 20 people that I have never met before. Second, He has given me so many opportunities to just sit at His feet and to learn from Him. I love so much being able to be still before the Lord. I think that that is a little bit crazy considering how incredibly busy here! It is such a unique concept. It's not considered meditating like other religions define as meditation for the Sitting at Jesus' feet is actually filling my mind with the Word of God. It is so wonderful and powerful that dwelling on just one simple verse can reveal so many things to me about God and His creation and my own life in general. I'm so thankful for this opportunity to be here! Please pray that during these last weeks that God will open up our minds of understanding so that we can be filled to overflowing with the knowledge and love of God!

On a side note, today is National Paint Your Nails a Crazy Color day!!! :D What colors are you going to use today? :)

Love,
V

Day - who knows what day this was... probably 60

Day 55 - Bethsaida and Capernaum

So this week was our travel week. We went to lots of different places in the area of Galilee. All very exciting, of course. :) On Wednesday, we left for Galilee. Our first stop was the ruins of Bethsaida. This is one of the three cities that Jesus cursed because they did not believe in Him even though He did lots of miracles and signs in all of them. The other cities that were cursed were Chorazin and Capernaum. They are all ruins now. After we went to Bethsaida, we stopped by the Jordan river.

The ruins of Bethsaida

The lovely Jordan River

Ancient destroyed city of Capernaum

Isn't the Sea of Galilee so lovely?

Ok, this next picture is pretty crazy. This is a catholic church that is built on top of the ruins of Peter's house. Do you remember the story of Jesus healing Peter's mother-in-law? Well, Jesus went to Peter's house after He taught at the synagogue (which was across the street from this house) for Shebat dinner. When He got there, He found Peter's mother-in-law incapable of serving them Shebat dinner because she was sick. Jesus healed her, and then notice the first thing that she did... she SERVED them. Cool isn't it? So this is the place! 

The church on top of Peter's House

The Sea of Galilee

Yup. This is the Apostle Peter...

So this is day one. Hopefully, I'll get the rest of the days posted. I have almost 600 pictures from these past 3 days, so I'm going to have a tough time figuring out what to post!! 

Love,

V