Israel - Part 3!

First off, just wanted to say I want God to get all the glory!

It was He who made it possible!

Okay, blogger acting up, so part 1 is below this & part 2 is below this.

Let's get started! 

In Masada, our group was supposed to enter a museum. But me, Ash, & our friend were a little busy buying Popsicles. (Very expensive Popsicles might I add ;)

Brain freeze! Two times that happened where I was forced to eat an ice cream item & stuff it in my face so we could move on.

Anywho, the museum was the bomb! It was very dark inside & you pretty much went at your own pace b/c you wore a headphone & it talked to you & told you what you were looking at.

Did you know they had displays of cosmetics the women used to use? I didn't know they wore so much make-up! There were belt buckles from the Roman Soldiers & combs & shoes. It was amazing. There were also statues of random people & what they would've looked like/been doing.

I loved the background music to my headphones. It really set the mood.

En Gedi

You know this place, right?

It's where David hid from Saul in 1 Samuel.

This was only one of the few places where I could actually picture Bible people.

I could totally see David walking through here.

As we walked to the top, we passed this spring & no one wanted to get in except me & another girl!

So in we went!

Next stop...

Jerusalem

This place was nothing like Galilee, but that's ok. I still loved being here.

First, we saw the Temple Mount. We actually got to walk there one of those days but couldn't go in.

Beautiful Jerusalem.

 Behind this cemetery is believed to be the place where Jesus was crucified.

Here was a random tomb on the side of the road ;)

The Garden of Gethsemane

I know some of you were anxious about this one :)

It was very crowded here, but you could totally picture Jesus here without all the people & noise & city behind it.

These olive trees are like, 2,000 years old!

The Market Place

 I guess this is what they have instead of Walmart ;)
I wished I couldv'e bought stuff here so bad! Just look at all these goodies!

The Wailing Wall

We are on top of David's Temple. This area is where he saw Bathsheba!

I loooved David's Temple. Underneath was Hezekiah's tunnel & that was sooo fun! It was a 45 minute "walk" through a narrow tunnel of water that went up to your knees. And boy was it freeezing.

 The Via Dolorosa

Here is where Judas hung himself.

Do you remember that story in the Bible of that man wanting to be healed but no one would push him in that pool that was supposed to heal you? And then Jesus was all, "Get up, you are healed!" Well, here is the pool, or one like it!

This is believed to be the Last Supper Room!

Inside this room, you look up & see this hole. This is where they kept Jesus prisoner. Wow, I think it just hit me--I actually saw these places?!

This is the skull. Calvary. Doesn't it look like there are eyes inside it?

This was the only good picture I could take of the outside of Jesus' tomb. Can you see it?

This inside! The room was so small & there were two of these 'beds' on each side.

Jesus laied here?!?!

"He is not here, for He has risen."

That's what was written on wood as you exited the tomb.

There was this one time we were walking down a hill, & my back was aching so bad. I couldn't even go on.
But I tried to picture Jesus holding me up. As I thought that, a smile found my face & then it's like He said this:
"Not only am I right beside you walking WITH you, but I am in back of you, urging you on. I am in front of you, leading the way. I am below you, guiding your steps. I am above you, making my face to shine upon you!"  

And at that moment, as I lifted my face to the sky, there that Son was! Shining right on me!

The last day was the hardest because we were leaving to the airport & I was sad that I had to leave all these great friendships & bonds I made with these people!

I miss it more everyday. I am longing to be back there. Oh, Israel!


Well, folks, that's Israel. I didn't include every picture & story, but I pray you'll get to make those on your own!

"...the One who created you, Jacob, and the One who formed you, Israel--Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name and your are Mine.

I will be with you when you pass through the waters, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you."

-Isaiah 43:1-2

So tell me. From the pictures, is it like you pictured it?