Just around the corner...

I found the Thanksgiving break restful, but at the same time I didn't feel like I got a single thing done!  That wasn't true but I had my hopes set on massive amounts of work being done so I could cruise through the last two weeks of school.  Sadly this was not the case, but I digress.  I was able to finish all of the maps that I need to have marked for Israel which was one of my goals I was happy to accomplish!  

Today my final pre-trip project was due which was reading the book:  The Sage from Galilee: Rediscovering Jesus' Genius and writing a response to it.  I was told that I might be upset by some of the conclusions reached in this book.  Some of the conclusions that were reached did surprise me, but on the whole, I am enjoying the book and its attempt to put the reader in the Jewish context of the first century AD.  The point that the author really wanted to get across was that Jesus wasn't trying to put the focus on himself so much as he was trying to put the focus on God constantly.  So while what Jesus did was important, from the Jewish perspective what he said of the relationship we have to God is so much more crucial.

Anyway, thats my spiel for now...Israel is right around the corner!  If I can be so bold as to ask for prayer, please pray for this trip.  That not only will be kept safe in an often volatile part of the world, but more so that we will have our eyes, ears, and hearts open to what God would want to show us and teach us about that land and how it applies to the Bible and our lives.  Also, pray for the unity of the team.  In an area like the middle east we will need to stay together and be protecting and compassionate of one another.

Ya'll stay classy now,

-AM