I S R A E L

Well, here we all are in the Holy Land! It's so amazing to be here... I don't think it's even fully hit me yet. It's already been so great and it's been less than a week! Classes start tomorrow and I'm stoked - Minor Prophets with Joey Roper. 

This is a semi-long blog post (so, apologies). We've seen quite a few things around Jerusalem and I haven't uploaded anything yet so..here it goes:

We walked the Ramparts Walk all around the wall of the city of Jerusalem.

Cemetery where Oscar Schindler is buried

Below you can sort of see a windy road. That's the Palm Sunday road where Jesus rode on a donkey while the people laid down palm branches and clothing in the path. 

Mount of Olives

Me, Trudy, Sarah, and Jamie on the roof of our home, The New Imperial Hotel

Short worship sesh on the roof as the sun set over the city :)

The Western Wall/Wailing Wall with the Temple Mount behind it

Mount Zion

KITTY...

{for those of you who really know me...you can only imagine how happy I was}

{The Garden Tomb}

Oh man...how amazing. This is where I believe that Christ was buried. It's right next to Skull Hill, where I believe Christ was crucified (pictures farther down). 

To make a long story short, all I can say is: Praise God that Christ is not in the grave anymore! So refreshing to be in a place that exalts Christ in His true light. Jerusalem is filled with so many "shadows" of Christ that people venerate beyond belief. People who strain to do all their prayers, keep all the crazy laws, and do a lot of works that all ultimately miss the true purpose of it all - Jesus Christ. I breaks my heart to see and reminds me of how incredibly blessed I am to know Christ as the Messiah and live under His grace. 

worship and communion :)

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you."
{Psalm 122:6}

Skull Hill // named so due to the face in the right side of the rock.

Christ was most likely crucified right in that parking lot. Yes, that area covered in asphalt. It's amazing how ornate and grand they make the landmarks tradition has told them that are significant, when I believe that so many facts point to this area, which is covered by a bus station.

My feet standing in the area where my Lord was crucified, taking on my sin and humiliating shame so I wouldn't have to. Where He saved the world. Where He conquered sin and Satan. Where He gave us the greatest gift of grace unto salvation.

Sorry if that was picture overload, obviously quite a few things have happened already!

If you want to follow some of  my photos on Instagram, follow me @micaelahilderbrand. I also put more photos on Facebook!

To all you at home, hope you're all doing well. Please message me if you need any prayer or just to say hi :) love you all!