The LOVE He has for US

"I don't understand...the graciousness of the Lord; that He would give us living water when, given the choice, we so quickly dive into the Dead Sea..." (Becca Beless)

A pair of calves, huge patches of fresh weeds and hundreds of loose river rocks made up my view for most of our hike through Ein Gedi. One thing I have learned about these hikes, from past Forgies and, now, from experience: try to keep up with the owner of those calves - Matt Lantz. The knowledge that leaks from the front of that line as Matt and Jared converse is sweet and simple but if you aren't placing yourself in the "splash zone" (as I like to call it), you could miss it.

As I looked past the calves to the colossal stone turn up ahead, I caught a suspicious smirk from Hannah Grace (her fiancé did this trip last year and she's got all the intel) that told me something was coming. The 50-some hikers caught up to us as we gathered around a fresh pool of water, the natural result of a crashing waterfall that interrupted the serenity of the space with its living water.

Now, I'll pause the story here and tell you- this is not all we did today. Just to keep you informed. We started with a devotional by the Dead Sea, leaving death where it belongs- behind. After Ein Gedi, we would hike the Qumran mountains of the Judah Wilderness (where JESUS wandered for 40 days; by far the most rigorous hike of the trip), in full view of the Jordan River (shoutout to Matthew 3) as we entered the caves that once held the oldest copies of God's Word humankind has ever come across (the Dead Sea Scrolls).

Here would lie another decision- to what am I devoted? What is God's Word worth to me? What am I dedicating my life to proclaim and preserve? A long drive to our next sleep spot would give us time to bring that conversation to the Lord.

Today was definitely a decision-making kinda day.

Back to this Ein Gedi waterfall. Jared spoke on, honestly, the silliness of it all- if I can say that. The pure lack of sense in denying the offer of living water into our every day, decision, pore, sip, thought, relationship, moment. Jesus tells the women at the well - "IT'S ME. I AM WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR." Open your eyes. Danielle, look up. Take your eyes off the feet in front of you, off the next step you have to take, off the rocks that you're afraid might cause you to slip...

Ezekiel 47. It's what I always read aloud before sharing my testimony. It's where I turned 4 years ago for the first time and couldn't make sense of it at all. It's how the Lord communicates with me what it means when I say my story is His story. Where He taught me how to focus on the flourish. And here it's what Jared read aloud and demonstrated for us, diving in. Inviting us to join him in the living water.

"I saw my leader, Jared Schuler, in the water. He asked me if I would come join him and I jumped in his arms and looked him in the eyes and told him I loved him." (Trent McClure)

When I was collecting responses from my family that joined me in the water, it was pretty clear to me that this picture was something specific for each of us. That's pretty cool, isn't it?

"It was such a tangible picture of security. I didn't have to worry about going under, what it could do to me...the Dead Sea, even a drop caused pain. But this water was security." (Carson Wilder)

I took Hannah Grace's hand, kicked off my hiking boots, and jumped. I couldn't get my thirsty body under that freezing water fast enough. I couldn't swim to that pounding, deafening water quick enough. I was inside my life passage, under the weight of the promise God seemed to have made to me that day I heard of this "water from the Temple" for the first time. I locked eyes with April, with Penninah, Abby, Becca...

and I WOKE UP.

I looked around and felt this water wake me up. Every moment has been a "WOW" moment between my God and my soul and...I forgot everything else. But here, I woke up and remembered the family members around me. My sister and brothers were ecstatic, on fire. Not because of the love they have for their God, but because, for most of us, this is the first time it's hit us in such a way the LOVE He has for US. Our love is nothing. His love is everything.

"I think that's the most joyful I have maybe ever been. Crying and laughing with unspeakable and unexplainable joy, I danced in the water...never again do I want to drink from the Dead Sea. Forever let me drink from the LIVING WATER! I didn't realize how parched I was...I know this will change the trajectory of my life as a follower of Christ." (April Burke)

"As I watched the S'hma being recited by the group, I was out of the water, and noticed a group of Israeli boys waiting to get in the water. I thought, 'How strange would it be, and how cool, for these boys to see a group of Americans speaking their language about their God.'" (Matt Edwards)

-Danielle Smith

Ps. Thanks for tuning in, friends and family. Please know that we miss you already, and are so pleased you would be gracious and supportive in our travels here. As you can see, we are learning plenty. Will you pray for health among our group? Being sick is never fun, especially not across the sea. Most of all, our hope is that this blog might somehow stir your affection for the One True God, just as our time in the land is doing. We miss you and love you! Bl