Palestine/Israel

We have been in Bethlehem for about a week now. It has been a whirlwind of excitement, experiences, adjustments, and learning. We are loving it but also experiencing how our lives are different as a married couple.

Our second night here we went to Shabbot. This was a beautiful yet sobering experience. Shabbot is the Hebrew word for Sabbath and we went to the Western wall (outside the temple) for it’s opening. The women were on one side and the men on the other, but all were celebrating the joy of a day set aside to spend time with God and do nothing else. The joy that we saw would lead you to believe this is a once-a-year celebration but it happens once a week. People were dancing, singing, Torah reading, smiling, crying, laughing and all occurred as a community. It was humbling to remember that we serve the same God but there is one key difference: their lack of belief in Jesus as our Messiah. The passion and excitement they displayed and shared with us was both powerful and convicting. When do we love God like that?

In the next couple days we talked about the context of this culture, explored Bethlehem, and finally began our biblical tour hikes. Our favorite of the first day was at Tel Gezer where Solomon once ruled. It was here that we had a faith lesson about Standing Stones. When a god did something ancient communities would erect a stone. Then when visitors arrived at the city and saw the stones, they would ask what their god did. This was something Tyler and I talked about a lot after my trip last year and we loved talking about the importance of remembering what our God does. John (our Tour leader) encouraged us to keep a journal of prayer requests and go back to see all the ways, no matter His timing, that prayers were answered. This gives us confidence to continue in faith in the future. What has God done in your life? What are your standing stones?

Adullum was another place we visited earlier this week. This is a cave where many think that David wrote Psalm 142. Look it up :-) This is a psalm written while David is running from Saul and has nowhere to turn. Our English translations tell us that David "cries out" to the LORD. The Hebrew word for this is "ZEDEKAH!!!" This is a cry from your innermost parts and can't be fully translated in English. However, in the bible when people cry out saying "zedekah" God answers their prayers. God loves community. Therefore, not only are we to cry out to God in our time of need but we also need to look for those who are crying out and be proactive to let the Holy Spirit comfort them through us. In what area of your life do you need to give up to God? Who are those around you that need help and have nowhere to turn?

There is no way to fully share all that we are learning here but we hope you are blessed by our little nuggets. Keep praying for God's work through us! We love you all!

Tyler & Kristin (Tytin)

Blessings....

Last night, Tyler and I went to Wicked, which gives a new perspective on the Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz. It was the first time that Tyler saw it and the second time that I have seen it. Seeing it for the second time, I was suddenly making many spiritual connections.

The last connection came during the song "For Good" that is at the end of this Broadway production. These are the words of Glinda, the "good" witch.
"I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you..."

This is something that Tyler and I have come back to soo much the last couple days. God has brought people into our lives for a reason and touched us with His love through each one. His Holy Spirit, through people, helps us to grow by being both encouraged and challenged.

The last week has been a whirlwind for us: preparation for the wedding, rehearsal night, pictures and the actual wedding (!!!!!!), back to our apartment for packing and time together, to Wicked in Omaha, and now flying out to Israel/Palestine. Today, I'm posting to thank you for all of your love, help, and support. We have been riding on a cloud of thankfulness to God and those we love. As we leave, know we are praising Him for all of you.

We will keep you updated on the happenings of our biblical tours. Love you all!

Clothes...

Colossians 3:12-17 "Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

How many of us can truly say we put on these clothes? Clothes of compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience? I for one do not. If you know me, you know I do like to wear cute/beautiful clothes. :-) One thing is certain, God this week has been dressing me like a little baby in humility. He's reminding me of my failure, or not so much failure, but lack of perfection and holiness. He's saying, "Kristin your clothes look like knock-off rags to me." (I've never been big on brands, but it works well for this application)

www.bible.lifeway.com has a link for the KJV with Strong's. There you can find many definitions and root means of words in Scripture. The Greek word for on ("Put on...") is "the sense of sinking into a garment." I think often I waste time running around in circles, wondering and worrying. "God why can't I just learn to be patient with others?" "God why am I so judgmental?" "God why am I so selfish and ungrateful sometimes? You have blessed me sooo much!" I fall over and God comes to my side to comfort me and clothes me better than any of my "knock-off rags" ever could.

Picture this:
"Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

“Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
Let us rejoice and be glad
and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
and his bride has made herself ready.
Fine linen, bright and clean,
was given her to wear.""

Praise Him! Even if your not a bride or soon to be bride, you can sense the beauty of God readying His bride-the church-in the clothes He has prepared. I want to encourage you all right now to look at the expectations you hold for yourself (and second what you hold for others). What are your motives? Why does it have to be done perfectly? Does it really have to get done today or this week? God gently reminded me multiple times this week that my expectations are far too high. God alone is perfect and I am not. My weaknesses allow for His glory and hand to be visible. Just like Adam and Eve in the garden, my sin makes me feel shame. Quickly, God runs to my side and clothes in my need even when I don't deserve it.

Matthew 6:28-30; 33

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?... But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."