Campus Blogs

God wants people to pray. Jesus set the example. He prayed. He taught His followers to pray, and how not to pray. He brought His closest followers with Him to keep watch and to pray, as He began His hardest day in prayer. The apostles call on believers to be in "unceasing prayer" ( Romans 12:12, Colossians 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 5:17; Ephesians 6:18; Jude 20; 1 Peter 4:7; Philippians 4:6.) Paul was a pray-er, too ( 2 Corinthians 13:7; Ephesians 1:16-23; Philippians 1:9; 2 Thessalonians 1:11). The early church urged its members to pray intercessions for all. The early church even prayed for their government's rulers, who were often trying to stop them and (rarely) even kill them. Their concerns were not just for their own. The more your heart opens out to God in prayer, the more that your prayers will buoy your daily life. Spiritual disciplines and practices assist us in this opening-out. THINKING IS NOT PRAYING (in Spiritual formation) There's a big difference between just thinking something and praying it to God. Prayer has a direction. You're not churning it in your brain or sharing it with friends or talking it over with a psychologist or getting in touch with your inner self. Prayer is directed to God -- acknowledging not only God's existence, but also a relationship and even a certain degree of trust. Prayer's not a waste of time because God is hard at work in this confused, ambiguous world, to draw it toward God's good purposes. Prayer is your response to God's work. If there's no one there, if there's no way to relate or even communicate, or if a wrathful god would strike you down just for trying, why would anyone pray? There's an unspoken hope in each prayer, even if it hangs by a thread or is the size of a mustard seed, that somehow the mightiest being of all thinks you matter. God's response also has a direction : you will not be left adrift or be led nowhere (unless, like Israel in the Sinai, you have a lesson to learn from the drifting). ASKING AMISS (is not Spiritual formation) Prayer is no place for illusions. Yet, each of us clings to illusions, and we will end up somehow bringing them into our prayers. This leads to what James called "asking amiss". The Spirit is working to tell us the truth, and the growth of our prayer relationship with God depends on how well we take heed. PUPPETEERING (is not Spiritual formation) One of the growing problems of the church is that it can't seem to get it through its thick skull that God controls the outcome of prayer. Not the Church, not the minister, not the person who prays. It's not at all rare that a pastor does a political sermon where he is doing nothing more than playing ventriloquist with a dummy labeled 'God'. (Aside from being idolatrous, it's not funny.) So it is also with the "health and wealth" pseudo-gospel where the church 'prays' with the attitude of a puppeteer : pull the string, and God's hand stretches out to send forth a blessing. God is not a genie in a lamp; our wish is not God's command. God is not a PEZ dispenser, where you lift the head and out comes a treat. If we are asking anything in prayer, we are to be asking, not putting in a 1-800 call to a divine telemarketing service or clicking our prayer mouse to reach a multi-level marketeer in some level of heaven. (God doesn't outsource divine attention. God receives your prayer call direct.) God is bigger than you, so don't go bossing God around. USING GOD (in Spiritual formation) Jesus taught us to pray that God's will be done. That means seeking God's purposes instead of seeking a new car or a passing grade or a fast-track promotion or a miraculous sign. Jesus didn't promise earthly bliss in 30 days or less. Jesus' promises are for those who abide in Him, who put themselves at His service and draw their love from His. His brother James (4:3) said you don't receive, because you ask so you can spend it on pleasures for yourself. There is such a thing as the wrath of God, and one sure way to provoke it is to try to jerk God around for one's own advantage. God has something great in store; pray for it! LAUNDRY LIST PRAYER (is not praying for Spiritual formation) Prayer is not a laundry list. It is communication with someone you love and trust. Don't only pray when you want something, and don't stop praying once you run out of things you want. Prayer is as much listening ('meditation') as it is talking, as much a sharing as it is a plea for help. Yet, God has asked us (even dared us?) to ask. Nothing's too small, too big, too hard, or for that matter too twisted by our selfishness or lack of perception, for God to hear our prayer and take account of it. Ask, and ye shall receive -- but often ye shall receive something else that's more in keeping with what God needs from you. And it will come in God's time, not ours. God promises those who believe in Christ a loving response. LABELS and NAME-CALLING (is not prayer in Spiritual formation) In the Bible, Jesus shares the story about a fixture in the religious community who when praying thanked God he is not like that traitorous tax collecting low-life scum over there. It's not only an example of being prideful, it's an example of reducing a person to a category. Categories are useful for understanding data, but they're dreadful for understanding a person. Categories don't tell the truth about people; people just don't fit. You may not be as out front about it as the proud man of the parable. But do you ever pray about people as if they would have some pre-slotted attitude or worth? It's not hard to find people who pray to God about a "godless liberal" or "heathen" or "hypocrite" or "snob", and so on. But treating people according to a label can be almost as harmful when we mean good by it, because we're not treating that specific person as the person they actually are. It's bad enough that the world around us depersonalizes people; it's sin for followers of Christ to do so, since we know better. Christ died not just for all of us, but for each of us. Them, too. Pray like it! QUIET TIME A practice that's most commonly associated with recent spiritual awakenings is that of seeking times of silence in our lives. It's hard to hear the Spirit with all the noise around us. So, many Christians have learned to take some small part of each day and set it aside for silence. This means shutting off the beeper, turning off the TV and radio, taking the phone off the hook, and closing the door. Or, it means walking off to the beach or garden or mountain, as Jesus Himself did, and not doing anything but leaving yourself open to the Lord. This time set aside for silence during the day is often called 'quiet time'. It's usually done first thing in the morning, but some people have been able to use their train or bus ride to work for it, or perhaps they slip off to a neglected cubbyhole of their workplace during coffee break or lunch. Quiet time, as with other devotional activities, can help give some divine rhythm to the daily routine. That takes care of outside noise. But what about the inner noise? Our own mind is constantly thinking about what to do, what's going to happen, what others are thinking, and what we aspire to or lust after. That sort of stuff is also noise, at least to our spirit. To turn that off, the ancients did something very simple: they breathed. That is, they breathed through their nose, slowly, deeply, using their diaphragm, focusing their mind on the act of breathing. The body reacts to this sort of breathing by relaxing; muscle tension fades away, and blood pressure drops. The mind reacts, too. As your body relaxes, your thoughts focus down on the one bodily action you can't shut off. This leaves more of your mind free to hear God whispering to you. Many Christians who use quiet time lead into it with a certain kind of noise: praise or intercessory prayer (prayer that asks for our needs and for the needs of others). Most of us find it easier to be quiet once we take off the weight of our burdens for those we love and lay them before God. But others, especially those of a 'contemplative' approach, find that to be too 'noisy'. The first thing they do is listen to God in silence, and then lead out of it with intercessions. Whatever order you find useful, trust that God will receive your prayers and will speak to you in the silence. Quiet time is more than just a daily appointment with God. It's more like a visit with your closest friend. It's especially important for those of us who've made our lives in such a way that we'd make God get an appointment to speak to us. Good relationships need the time; they can't live as just another item on the agenda, yet they are lost if time isn't specifically set aside for them. THE RETREAT If quiet time is a daily spiritual need, then there may be times when a longer stretch of solitude may be needed. For that, there is the 'retreat'. This is done by going to a specific place away from where you live and work, away from hobbies and duties, families and habits, media and pressures. It can be done totally alone, or with just a spiritual director or sponsor, or with a small group of people who have a common purpose or bond. It works because it thoroughly separates you from life as you know it for more than just a few minutes a day. This gives you a chance to step outside of your entire way of life for a little while and see it from a different angle. The retreat time can help you get back in touch with parts of yourself that had been bypassed in daily life for the sake of efficiency or to avoid the pain. It can be a time of extended discussion with God, of throwing forth thoughts and feelings, working things out, being still and waiting on the Lord. A retreat may well refresh you with quiet rest, but if that's all the 'retreat' is, then it's just another vacation. The spiritual retreat is time spent with God. THE SABBATH "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy", goes one of the Ten Commandments. The sabbath is one day every week, a time set aside for not working, but resting, and for attending to one's faith in God. In our daily living in this world, we can get tricked into measuring our own value and those around us by what we accomplish, either in quality or quantity. But neither quality nor quantity are the measure of a person. We are measured by a different stick, the one a loving God uses for God's children. Sabbath is not a time for running away, but for regaining perspective, and taking the time for worship of the One on whom our value depends, and being with others who are doing the same thing. But how does one keep a Sabbath? Some hints : 1.Turn off your beeper. And your fax. 2. Take the mobile phone out of your purse or off your belt. 3. Use your car as little as you can get away with, getting rid of those piddly car trips for little things, especially when you can do the task by walking or biking. 4. Keep your computer off as much as you can. This will give you the time and freedom to be a carbon-based life form among other carbon-based life forms. This all by itself will cause the day to seem like something special. If you're a business person or are in charge of some ongoing activity, start keeping Sabbath by way of the art of delegation. Entrust others who do not observe sabbath (or do so on a different day) with the work that needs to be done on the Sabbath. And, while you can't account for everything, plan ahead so that as little as possible is left to do that can't be done the next day. 5. DO NOT USE THE SABBATH TO PLAN AHEAD FOR THE UPCOMING WEEK. (This is one of the top temptations for people of today's world.) The world will still be there tomorrow, God will still be in charge of it, and you still won't be. 6. Spend some time worshipping God with others. (I know some of you cringe at this, but for the most part this means go to church.) 7. Sing. Study. Pray. Laugh. And spend at least some of your time doing the things that help to keep the faithful flock faithful and strong. 8. Let go of the angers you've piled up over the week. Including the ones that crop up on the Sabbath, as they inevitably do. 8. Practice praying about anything you're worried about. Trust God to deal with it all. 9. If you have a family, spend the rest of your time with them, with ample one-on-ones and full-family group activities. They are God's greatest gift to you aside from life itself, so be God's great gift for them. Discover what they're thinking and feeling. Maybe you can be with your parents or grandparents, honoring them as God commanded. Or perhaps you're single. Make visits to friends, and plan to do things with them. Invite people over for a dinner or barbecue or a sports get-together. 10. If you have that someone special, do something special with him/her. Building love is the holiest of tasks. Say Hi! to someone you don't know, and have a chat with them. 11. Do something good for someone else. Preferably someone you don't want to do good for. 12. Relax. Sit by the pool, or on the porch. Take a nap. 13. Read a good book or watch a video, especially one which will help enrich or build your faith. Maybe take a stroll, to nowhere in particular. Sabbath is a day of rest, so why do you do so little actual resting? The Sabbath was not meant for running away. Human needs still happen around us on the Sabbath. God may have rested in creating the world, but the world does not rest. (Perhaps that might explain the law of entropy (in physics), in which all things tend toward inertia or inactivity: the world's merely getting tired from having no rest.) Some Pharisees were watching Jesus closely to see whether Jesus would heal a leper on the Sabbath. He did, of course. When confronted with the man's need, He had to act somehow. It would have been unGodly not to heal the man. Those Pharisees who were there at the scene thought otherwise, even though some teachers in their own part of the Jewish tradition held that there was no day that was wrong for doing good if the opportunity presented itself. They showed a loss of perspective and a hardness of heart. Let us be as Jesus in practicing the Sabbath, not as those Pharisees found in Mark 3. JOURNALING (writing it down and keeping track) Devotional journals have been everything from a child writing down her daily thoughts about God in a notebook, to complex systematic projects with structured Bible passages and discipline exercises and such. Dan Phillips calls it simply "a written record of personal reactions to spiritual matters". The key thing about writing a journal is that it's a place to spiritually share yourself with God and with yourself. You're pouring your thoughts out to God, but you're also part of the audience, because you go back to it to see how you've spiritually grown -- or perhaps shrank. (It's not just journal-writing, it's also journal-keeping.) What kind of things go into it? 1. things you sense around you (observations) 2. places you've been and what you draw from them (pilgrimage and travel) 3. insights you've had along the way 4. prayers you've prayed (formally-written, poetic, or said/screamed/sobbed toward God). 5. special things that others have written or said. 6. ways you've surprised yourself. 7. things you've discovered while looking back in the journal. 8. dreams, if your dreams have some sort of spiritual angle to them. 9. that which comes to you while meditating on something. As with most spiritual practices, there are important guidelines that help to make the journal effective. The most important is that you must be honest with yourself and God when writing. You probably won't get that right from the start. Few of us have any idea of what it really means to be honest to God, and so we have to learn as we go along. Another good guideline is that the date and time should be marked with each entry. You can refer to that when you're looking back, or trying to remember. And, it is most helpful if the entries are tied into a rhythm of regular Bible reading (such as in a lectionary cycle) and private prayer. This is a spiritual journal, not a diary. Its focus is on the relationship between you and God, not you and your spouse or you and your pastor or you and your psychiatrist. Those others can be part of what you write about -- anything can -- but for the journal, they are to be seen through the lens of your relationship with God, and your living a life that is honestly spiritual. Get yourself a good, sturdy book for it, perhaps a leather-bound journal with lots of pages. You'll be taking it with you when you move, travel, go on a retreat, or make pilgrimage. It's too important a task to be left to a flimsy notebook. Leave the book you're currently using in plain view, so that it can beckon you to come and write. Think without analyzing. Leave yourself open so the Spirit can get you to share honestly as you're writing. And don't tell yourself, "nah, that's too strange a thought". Don't censor it, just write it.

What evidence of spiritual growth does God expect in a believer's life? The measure of Spiritual formation is how much a believer is like Jesus. Let's look at the things that reflect a transformed heart - for it is by mirroring the heart of God that believers glorify God. God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory (Col. 1:27). The transformed believer ... 1. Models Love, Trust, and Obedience. Transformation of a believer's character will be evidenced by responding to the demands and events of life in the same character and manner as Jesus. "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him" (John 14:21). At the core of spiritual transformation rests this truth: Love and trust result in obedience. Obedience in a believer's relationship with Jesus produces even greater love and stronger faith. That doesn't imply that obedience is always easy. Obedience certainly wasn't easy for Jesus as the dark shadow of the cross inched ever closer to Him. Without Jesus' obedience, the world would have been lost. Without the obedience of believers, the church is just a social center. (See 1 John 5:2-5.) 2. Lives in Harmony with God's Word. For believers, transformation is walking His Words, day in and day out, not just talking them. It's living God's Word out loud. Transformed believers live the Word of God and thus love God and others the wayJesus loves them. Fruit then is produced - not because of who is watching but because of Who is guiding the actions. "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples" (John 15:8). In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus says, "Come to me ... learn from me ... and you will find rest for your souls." The believer in the process of being transformed comes to God's Word for the wisdom and sustenance found there. The question, "How will this affect my relationship with Jesus?" becomes the lens through which believers look at every aspect of life. 3. Sees the World Through the Lens of Scripture. God calls believers to see the world as Jesus did - to love the lost as He does. God calls us to share His love with others. Transformed believers seize God-given opportunities to make a difference in the world. With the lens of Scripture focusing our lives, things take on a clear perspective. Fear about spreading the gospel is replaced by a fervency to do so. Casual Christianity is replaced by commitment. Making a mere appearance in the world does not suffice; making a difference in the world, just as Jesus did, becomes the primary goal. 4. Has a Relationship with Other Believers. The Holy Spirit draws people of all different personalities, perspectives, and gifts together into a distinct and dedicated relationship with God, united as one spiritual family (the church) for His possession, use, and glory. Believers are given different gifts by God so that the work of ministry may be accomplished efficiently. All believers have one calling: glorify Him. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God (Rom. 15:5-7). The visibly transformed heart hears this ultimate calling to glorify God and reaches out to join hands with other believers. Such a heart cultivates unity in the body of Christ by praying for other Christians, by avoiding gossip, by building others up, by working together in humility, by exalting Christ, and by refusing to get sidetracked arguing over details. It is a peaceful heart, not a warring one. It is a heart like the heart of Jesus. (See Phil. 2:1-6.) 5. Makes God's Love Known to Others. A transformed believer's love for God is reflected in loving people so much that the believer is compelled to make God's love known. "Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matt. 28:19-20). God gives the transformed believer a new heart that propels him to reach out to the lost. Just as Jesus dedicated His life to making disciples, the transformed believer is dedicated to making disciples who, in turn, make more disciples. God's good, pleasing, and perfect will is that the believer become like Jesus and make the love of God known to others (see Rom. 12:1-2).

Today, we were able to go up to Massada, which is located in the region of Judea and it is also, near the Dead Sea. Going up the hills is becoming easier, because we have been hiking a lot. We also planned to get up extra bright up and early in order to catch the sunset at Massada, but we caught it when we barely got there instead of on top of the hill like we wanted to. Nevertheless, when we got there, we were able to explore around on our own and visit the remains of this city. I was able to see the Western Palace, which had a lot of beautiful mosaics plastered on the ground. Then, we were also able to see the water cistern of that place, and we were able to go down and visualize how enormous it was/is. After this, we then headed back to the bus and went to Ein Gedi and there we were able to see the waterfalls there as well. The sight was amazing because we had hiked the way up in order to have a good view. The water seemed very refreshing and cool as well. After this, we were then able to go to Qumran. I had been anticipating going to this place for quite some time. Although I am not very knowledgable in the Dead Sea Scrolls, I still have a fascination towards them. I only know a little bit about it, but it is still very interesting to me. Being able to be at the place where they were actually discovered was surreal to me. Learning more about it was even better, and mainly because it was a discovery that opened a lot of doors for scholars to come up with theories, or strengthen theories, as they attempt to reconstruct the past for the present people in our day to understand. Also, another interesting thing that reinforced my belief in the bible, is what our professor told us about the different versions of the text in regards to the Hebraic and Greek texts. He said that we can find assurance in knowing that God is working through man as they write the texts, and although there may be some variations, this does not mean that it does away with the credibility of the bible, but rather, it reinforces it because we know that the generations have believed this text (the Bible) to be majorly important that they believed it authoritative enough to preserve it. (Here are some of the caves at Qumran) Lastly, we were able to go to the Dead Sea and swim in it as well. I was able to float on it because it was so salty. However, I did get the full experience because some of it got on my eye, and it stung a whole lot too. Nevertheless, today was one of my favorite days so far. -Jessica Cruz

May 20, 2016 Today we were able to see the remains of the wall of Jerusalem during the First Temple period which is most likely around 586-1000 B.C. On the streets of Jerusalem, one is also able to see where the wall used to be by looking at the road on the ground, which is highlighted by a light red. We were then able to see the Southern Wall, in Temple Mount. There we were able to see King Herod’s signature architecture, which after seeing various Herodion sites, it was evident he had a style of design. We were also able to see in display the destruction that the Roman soldiers did when they destroyed part of the Temple Mount. It was as if they were playing a massive game of bowling, but instead of the bowling platform being flat, it was a hill. We then went to the southern side of the Temple and walked on the steps where Jesus Christ walked! I still could not believe it, mainly because it has still taken some time for it to settle in that I am actually here. Anyway, here we were able to read scripture, specifically in Acts 2, where it talks about  the day of Pentecost, and where 3,000 people became baptized. Thus, surrounded by ritual baths that are close to the temple, it is most likely evident that they all got baptized outside of the Temple Mount rather than the “upper room.” While we were still there, there was another group there that was singing hymns, and I just thought it was highly encouraging! After this, we then saw remnants of homes of what is believed to be of rich Jews. We were then able to see the fine pottery that they had as well. Also, we were able to see a small diagram of what it would have looked like back then as well. -Jessica Cruz

By Reilly Reis Today's journey began with our drive to Old Shiloh. At the site of Old Shiloh we talked about the history of the Tabernacle and Eli's sinful sons. While we were there we were also able to learn more about the twelve tribes of Israel and their unique relationships with one another. Next we traveled to Mount Gerazim, where we were able to see the remains of a Byzantine church and a fortified enclosure. The site of Mount Gerazim is located within a Samaritan village. I learned that at the time of Passover that this community still performs animal sacrifices. Passover is an eight-day festival that is celebrated in early spring and honors God's delivery of the Israelites from Egypt and the plagues. From Mount Gerazim we drove to Alone Moreh, where we were we had an incredible view of the mountain ranges, valleys, and hills of Northern Israel. From Alone Moreh we drove to the Church of Jacob's Well, which was incredibly ornate! One of the highlights of my day was dropping water from the top of the well, which was below the main level of the church, and counting the seconds until it reached the bottom! This well was remarkably deep. From the church we drove to Sebastia, which has heavy Hellenistic (Greek) influences within its structure and design. The remains of Sebastia date back to Third Century B.C.. At the site of Sebastia we were able to see the remains of a basilica (large oblong hall or building with double colonnades- rows of columns), a theater, the temple that Herod the Great built in honor of Caesar Augustus, the palace of the Kings of Isreal, and the tombs of the relatives of the one Christian family while helps run and upkeep the site. We were able to take in some truly amazing views today! Some other highlights from my day would be seeing a man cutting down wheat with a sickle in hand , as well as our experience of seeing two herds of sheep with their shepherds. As Professor Shultz has pointed out, we are still able to see the strong culture and customs of this beautiful land that have remained from Biblical times to the twenty-first century! Tomorrow is our day off and I am excited to explore Jerusalem! I hope to visit a museum or two while I am here. Preferably, the Israel Museum and the Holocaust Museum. Few things will beat the magnificent views that I was able to see today! I am truly blessed to have been given the opportunity of experiencing this once-in-a-lifetime adventure!

By Reilly Reis Today we had the amazing opportunity of hiking through the Wadi-kelt, which is located near the Wilderness of Israel. On our way to our our hike we took a historical route for part of the way. As we journeyed up the Ascent of Adumim (the historical route) it was neat ti imagine the Israelites of Biblical times traveling these same routs. The hike went through a very steep, yet beautiful canyon. On our hike we were able to see the Greek Orthodox Monastery of St. George, which happens to be one of the few monasteries that allows women to enter into it. We did not go in, but we were able to admire it from afar. It was also fascinating to see the lara cells (the caves) sporadically throughout the canyon. We learned that monks would and still do live in these cells for thirty to forty days with only the necessities. We also learned that the wilderness was used by God to bring his people closer to him. There is truly something beautiful about removing one's self from the busyness and distractions of our fast-paced lives and solely depending on God to meet out every need. From the Wadi-kelt we took our bus to Jericho, where we looked around the ruins of Biblical Jericho and ate lunch. From Jericho we traveled to Mitzpe Danny, known as the Lookout during Biblical times. Mitzpe Danny has a stunning view of the various cities and geographical features of the land of Israel. It was exciting to look out and fund various cities both on and off our maps! We simply stood there, took it all in, and listened to stories from the Bible that took place in the cities that we had located. Physically seeing the layout and design of Israel is significantly changing the way that I read and comprehend Scripture. From Mitzpe Danny we drove to the Tel of Gezer (a Tel is a city that has been built upon layers of previously built cities). At the Tel of Gezer we were able to see remains of Canaanite and Solomonic gates. Our last stop of the day was at Nebi Samuel, which commemorates the death and burial of Samuel. The building is shared between two different religious groups. Our professor seemed to think that the Muslim mosque was located at the front of the structure and that the Jewish synagogue was toward the back of the structure. Unfortunately, we were not able to enter due to timing conflicts, but we were able to walk around and get a gorgeous view of the land! I have been continually amazed by the hospitality of many within the Israeli population. We ended our day with a lovely time of sharing, eating, and singing at the President of JUC's apartment. The President and his wife welcome each new group with a sweet time of fellowship, which is accompanied by a plethora of delicious desserts! Their hospitality and love for Christ is inspiring! Tomorrow is Sunday and I am excited to see what these next two and a half weeks have in store for me. I have enjoyed being surrounded by Biblical scholars (professors and students); I am trying to soak up every ounce of knowledge that I can!

Derek Kliewer The rich history of Jerusalem is apparent on every single side of the city, the outskirts, and within the city itself.  Our group spent a large portion of the day traveling around different outlying areas of Jerusalem, taking in breathtaking views, sacred sites, and archaeological remains.  The history of every site was detailed exquisitely by Dr. Schultz, whose knowledge of the ancient world and how it has led to today astonished me at every turn.  We began the day in Bethlehem at the Church of the Nativity, the site that is believed to be the exact location that Jesus was born (the picture of me by the small door is the entrance to the church).  To get to this site, we had to cross from Israel to the West Bank, through the wall and layers of security.  In a way, it is sad to see the beauty and history of this land mired by politics and torn by division. From here, we traveled to the Shepherd's Field, a site currently under excavation that commemorates the shepherds who were called by the angels to find the newborn child.  Then, we traveled back to the outskirts of Jerusalem to the Herodian, a fortress built by King Herod the Great to protect himself and to demonstrate his magnificence (picture of ruins).  Based on the appearance and height of the man-made mount, Herod's magnificence would have been apparent to all of his subjects.  The ruins of Herod's fortress were amazing to see and touch, and demonstrated his opulence, influence, and paranoia.  We also were able to visit the remains of his tomb, just outside his fortress.  Finally, in what had to be the most meaningful place of the day in my own personal faith, we visited the Mount of Olives, where Jesus spent his final hours.  Here, we were able to see a great view of the Old City (landscape of Jerusalem), and personally reflect at the Garden of Gethsemane, where several beautiful churches by different denominations have been constructed.  Hearing Dr. Schultz retell the story of Jesus' betrayal, his conviction and crucifixion while actually being in the very place that it happened was transforming.  I feel that in this trip, I am not just learning about the backgrounds and geography of the land (of which my pages of furious note-taking proves that I am), I am also enriching my own faith, bringing it to life in the Land Between.  

By Reilly Reis It is only our second day in Israel, but I am quickly falling in love with the rich culture and history of God's Holy Land. It seems that everywhere you turn there is something of religious or historical significance. Today we walked into Old City Jerusalem, which was truly a remarkable experience. The city of Jerusalem is divided into four quarters. The Christian Quarter is the Northwest Quarter, the Muslim Quarter is located in the Northeast corner, the Armenian Quarter is the Southwest portion of the Old City Jerusalem, and the Jewish Quarter is located in the Southeast corner. We had the privilege of walking through all four quarters and it was truly fascinating to see the distinct cultures and religions that characterize each unique quarter! Buildings, road signs, and religious places of worship vary from quarter to quarter. It was quite neat to see these very distinct cultural and religious groups living so close to one another. Throughout our walk we learned about the design of the city and the large amount of development and construction that has happened within the city since Biblical times. Some highlights from our day would be visiting the Pools of Bethesda, listening to groups sing in the majestic Church of St. Anne (The mother of Mary), walking a part of the Via Dolorosa, and experiencing the lively bazaars of Old City Jerusalem. Walking the Via Dolorosa, which is the path that Jesus was said to have taken when he carried the cross to Cavalry, was kind of surreal. The experience became much more real when we saw a group of people carrying a cross and chanting prayers together. I could not help but watch and listen as they passed by. Another phenomenal experience was viewing and exploring the remains of the Pools of Bethesda. Being able to climb down and surround yourself with ruins that are thousands of years old is such an eye-opening experience. The Pools of Bethesda are mentioned in the book of John, chapter 5, when Jesus heals a paralytic. Physically viewing and experiencing the empty pools, along with the keen insight of Professor Shultz, allowed me to gain a better understanding of the passage and its historical context. Old City Jerusalem may be full of history, but it is also overflowing with life. The busy streets, the endless shops, and the constant movement that fills the city is like nothing that I have ever experienced before! I can not wait to see what God has in store for me during these next three weeks!