Wednesday, July 25, 2012

T minus 1 Month!

That's right! There is exactly one month until I jump on an air plane and leave for Israel! So I only thought it'd be fitting to celebrate by doing some of my pre-Israel homework, pictured above. I've actually really enjoyed this assignment! The assignment started with the story of Abraham (the father of the Israelites) and goes through a lot of Israel's history. I get to study Scripture alongside a detailed study guide and map provided by my soon-to-be professors! It's super exciting! Today, I'm working on Section 3-3 about the Transjordan Campaigns (Deuteronomy 2:19- 3:17). It's so fun because not only do I get to review Israel's history and study it in depth, but I also get to learn about the geography of the land that I'll soon be living in! I've been going through each assignment very slowly, because I really really want to actually understand it. 

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the IBEX program, allow me to explain a little bit. "IBEX" stands for Israel Bible Extension Program, and it is basically an extension campus and program of The Master's College in Southern California, where I have been attending for the last two years. For the Fall semester of 2012, I will be studying at IBEX, where I will be taking 4 classes: The Land and Bible, History of Ancient Israel, Jewish Thought and Culture, and Regional Studies.   Although this will be my lightest load ever in terms of credits (only 13 credits!), I know it's going to be an intensely difficult semester, but will certainly be accompanied by tremendous blessings and benefits. I've only heard amazing stories and experiences from friends of mine who have studied in Israel in past semesters, so I'm really looking forward to experiencing it for myself.

What I'm most excited about:
  • The Bible: I've heard from so many people that when you go to IBEX, it transforms how you read, understand and enjoy Scripture. People have said that you go from reading Scripture in black and white, to reading it in color. 
  • The Land: I'm really excited to see the land, and understand the geography and its significance a little bit more. Israel has obviously been an immensely important country and nation, and to actually be there and see the sights that are of such great historical and spiritual importance is so exciting. I'm eager to learn about the sites where God's promises were both made and fulfilled, and where He led His people and sent His Son. 
  • The Peers: There are roughly 35 or 40 students from Master's going to IBEX with me, and I am SO excited to get to know them! One of the main reasons I wanted to go this semester was because there are some amazing, fun, God-focused people who are going. I've already built great friendships with them, and I'm just so excited to pursue the Lord with them for the next semester in close quarters. Most of us have the exact same classes, so we will literally spend every day together! While we will obviously sin against one another, my prayer is that we can also just grow closer so as the make the most of this opportunity. 
What I'm nervous about:
  • The length of time being away: Being away from home and the comforts of my life and relationships in California is definitely a bit nerve racking. Even when I'm away at Master's, I'm still only 45 minutes away from home, and the longest time I've been out of the country was 6 weeks. So this is huge. My family and my closest friends will still be here, so communication won't be nearly as easy, which definitely scares me a little bit. My prayer is to continually rely on Christ to be my strength, so that I don't rely on those relationships to be my strength every day. There is nothing on earth I desire besides my Savior! (Psalm 73:25)
  • Rigorous hikes! That "Regional Studies" class I'm taking is going to be an intense hiking class! Basically, we'll be hiking several times a week to locations that you literally can't acces except by hiking. We'll see some amazing things, but since I'm not in the greatest shape, I'm a bit nervous! I have been exercising this summer, so let's just hope it's enough. ;) 
The title of this blog : My truest desire
As you can see, the title of my whole blog about my time in Israel is "In His Footsteps," which perfectly characterizes what my biggest desire for this semester is. While I'm walking where Jesus walked, I hope that I can learn to also walk as He walked. Jesus is my Savior, who humbled Himself and walked upon this earth in order to reconcile wretched sinners to His Father. He lived a sinless life, yet was crucified, bearing the wrath of God and paying the penalty that my sin deserves. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says that God the Father "made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Because Jesus, who is God and therefore cannot sin, paid the debt that sin deserves by dying on the cross, sinners who believe in Him can be attributed with the righteousness of Christ before God. And because Christ then rose from the dead, conquering sin and death, we can also rise to new life with Him, and can spend eternity with Him in heaven! My faith is fully in Jesus Christ as my Savior and the Lord and Master of my life! Therefore, not only do I praise Him for saving me and allowing me to spend eternity with Him, but I seek to honor Him with my life. So as I'm walking in the land that He walked in 2000 years ago, my prayer and biggest desire is that I will follow His will and His word, so that I can be more like Him!

Thank you for reading, and please stay tuned for this extremely exciting time in my life!

Philippians 2:5-11
Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.