Broken Toe

Well i just realized by titling this "Broken Toe" some may think that I broke my toe. No this is not the case. I titled it this because to say "Good Morning" in Hebrew, it sounds like broken toe. Our guide in our bus was joking with us saying we could just say broken toe to Israelis and they would never know the difference.

Anyways, I said there would be more so here it is. I have done so much more since the Sea of Galilee it's incredible. The last blog I wrote I was going to be baptized in the Jordan River and I have now done so, and let me tell you it is good that I'm used to Santa Cruz water. The Jordan River is freezing. It was so cold but definitely worth it, to experience the same thing Jesus did was awesome. When in doubt of a good adjective I always go with awesome. So I was baptized again, and I saw all the cities around the Sea of Galilee that are talked about in the Bible. I decided to go back and read again one of the gospels to read about the places we were at and it really did change the way I read. The parts of the stories that speak about where things are happening which I think get skipped over a lot by us and we focus on the event of the story, was suddenly very evident because I could picture in my head (because I had just been there) the exact place it says in the Bible that these events happened.

Well after leaving Jesus Land, or the Sea of Galilee, we went back to Jerusalem to stay in the Olive Tree Hotel again. Here we have been to so many more places and it's late and I don't have my notes out so I'll just mention a few. But we went to the Garden of Gesthamane, Mt. of Olives, the Wailing Wall (again), Caiphas' House, and Bethlehem. And really a lot more but I'm tired and can't think of them. We go to about 3-4 different places everyday so my brain is jam packed with information and pictures of sites. There are so many more things I could say but I want to have something to talk to everyone about when I get back. haha so that will be it for this blog and there may be another one before I leave but I'm not sure what time I'll have.

Thanks for reading them and I'm sorry I don't have pictures with this one I haven't uploaded them from my camera yet. But after I get home they will all be online in a short time hopefully. Thanks again

love.
Brooke

Shalom

Hey Everyone!

I am here in Israel and it has been amazing. I don't know how much of it has really hit home yet but it has still been really incredible. I am super excited about the next week we are going to a ton more places and it is just gonna be insane. I am sitting right now in my hotel looking out over the Sea of Galilee. Yes where Jesus spent a great deal of time. I am going to put up just a few of the pictures I have been taking (4 out of 1,000) of some of the key places that I think you'll know about. On just the first couple days I have been to the

DEAD SEA














WESTERN WALL



SAMUEL'S TOMB



SEA OF GALILEE



And there will definitely be more to come. Tomorrow we are going out onto the water of the Sea of Galilee and no I can't walk on water but I will be being baptized in the Jordan River. Woohoo! Well that's all for now.

love.
Brooke

definition of the word awesome

love people

this is the overall topic of my blog but i've never really written about it. but this week i am going to be speaking at church in the middle school group about this very topic. loving people. it's what life is all about. as followers of christ it is what we are called to do, love people, and that is really about all we have to do. but it is harder than it sounds. to truly love others is a difficult task. it means putting them before ourselves. and it also means that we first have to accept God's love of us. we have to be able to live our life really knowing and acting like we are loved by God. then we can start to love others as God loves them. just thinking about God loving others changes our view of them.

maybe we can start with that. when you look at people from now on think first...God loves them. it will change your actions and your life.

love people.

Awesome

This is a fantastic commercial. She is my hero just for the way she says "awesome", plus I love cheese.

God's Voice

This last week I went to Hume lake Christian camps with the middle school group from venture. And it had to be one of the most tiring weeks I have ever had. I can't really blame it on jetlag although I had only been back in the country for a week before we left. But I can say that I was not prepared for the week at all, physically or spiritually. So I prayed, a lot, and then some more. Hume is always tiring just because of the tight scheduling they have, but I was also challenged with some students. I love the girls I had but it wasn't easy. By Thursday night in chapel I was completely empty. During the worship that night I felt like I had nothing left to give and so I told God it was up to Him. I knew He was going to do something amazing that week. And I knew by me being done it would be easier for Him to use me.

Well He didn't disappoint. Friday during free time the main girl I was praying for was asking me what to do after you put your trust in God, Which kind of caught me off guard. She was like "oh ya did I tell you that. I'm trusting Him with my life now." I was so suprised but also really excited because this came from the girl who said she would never be able to belive in God. Then later that night she stood up in front of everyone making the commitment to follow God. And when I was talking to her after that she shared this story with me...

That night in chapel she was praying, something she had never done before, for her favorite song to be played during the worship set. It came on last and she was sitting down with her head down. Then she heard a voice in her head saying, " Here I am. Here I am." Over and over again. When I asked her about it she said it sounded like her own voice but it was words she would never say and it was an overwhelming voice that she could not make go away.

I was so amazed that God had talked to her verbally and I when I shared with her that those exact words are in he Bible and that God calls himself I Am she just about freaked out. It was an amazing experience for her and for me just to be able to hear from her and tell her it was God speaking to her.

So none the less it was a difficult week but completely worth it.

God is good.

Ging La? [really?]

ging ging. (ya)

I'm sitting in the airport in Bangkok and I'm sad because in a few hours I will have officially left Thailand.

I knew going into this trip that the first week would go by kind of slow and then when the end came it would feel like everything went by super quick. What I didn't know was how much I would miss everyone the minute I was by myself. Don't get me wrong I can't wait to see everyone at home, I miss them a ton too. But earlier I was sitting in the airport in Chiang Mai, playing cards with three of my friends and I did not want to leave.

It was a really weird feeling to become attached to people so strongly and in a very short amount of time. I know that I have started some lifelong friendships this past month but it's weird to think that these new friends I will probably never see again in person.

God has showed me a lot this month and some of that was just through goofy around with my friends. God can bring people together from all over the world, despite language and time, and make them feel like a family. I talked about this in my english camp post and I've still been thinking about it. Last night was our friday night party at the Centre. So of course we had a fourth of july party. But since it was my last friday night I was luckily chosen to give my testimony.

Giving my testimony was awesome but what was really cool was after that, they had me stay up front and people came and said things to me to encourage me. I had western staff, thai staff, and some students say things to me. And let me tell you if you ever think you don't make a difference that is wrong. People who I barely got to talk to even came up. It was a really awesome time. And as much as I am sarcastic about being so cool I really don't think so until people tell me to my face. It always makes me really humble because I think, "I don't know why people think I'm cool or want to hang out with me, I'm just an ordinary girl." But it's encouraging and I appreciate it more than I can say.

Thanks for reading my blogs while I have been in Thailand. Thank you for supporting me in prayer and financially. This trip really has impacted my life, and I hope I will be able to share with some of you in person.

love.