A Moment in Israel

You may be curious about the title I chose for this blog. I spent a lot of time prior to my departure trying to think of an appropriate and perhaps, witty blog title. Well, as many of you know this proved to be quite a difficult feat. I appreciate all of the funny suggestions from friends, but I still wasn’t settled on any of them.

Not too long ago, I was walking on campus and had a moment of realization. I am here. I am in Israel. This is my dream. This is what I have been praying for and wrestling with for more than a year. This is now my life for five months! I looked back on the past few weeks and realized how marvelous my experience has already been! Everything is new and unexpected in the most delightful sense! Each day is full to the brim and flies by so quickly that I can barely grasp its sweetness. And yet, when I reflect upon my experience here, time seems to organize itself into a series of rich moments.

Each moment seems so real and precious. I try to soak them in, but I feel incapable of fully appreciating them. These simple, fleeting moments seem so trivial from the outside but have significantly enriched my experience here. I could tell you countless little stories of people and places that have made this trip so worthwhile. It’s sharing an umbrella at Buckingham Palace, the sweet victory of buying a fan the first day, the incredible view from campus, traveling with new friends, a moment of confidence, a lovely shade of blue, a sunset over the Mediterranean Sea, my first “real” train ride, a stunning view of Mt. Hermon, stumbling upon ancient ruins, Pear Cactus Apple Juice, catching the bus, a patient friend, a view of Old City, recognizing a familiar street, and the trial and error process of grocery shopping. Each is a unique blessing. They are tiny specks of realization that capture my thoughts and whisper God's glory. These moments are brief and never repeated. They are my moments. My experience.

In many ways, this blog is an attempt to share these moments with you. I will do my best, but it is impossible to tell them all – and some are better to save for long conversations. :)