Day 05 - West Central Turkey: Aphrodisias, Philadelphia

There are few days in my life as memorable as this one was… WOW. 

The common threads of our day were love + life in community, and we got to rejoice in the way our Forge class has experienced this firsthand. The celebration started right off the bat as we piled into hot air balloons for a sunrise ride! It was magical. We got a bird’s eye view of the Roman sites we walked yesterday, and seeing the city grids from that perspective made the lessons come to life even more. Pink clouds and all our friends floating hundreds of yards in the sky; this trip keeps getting crazier! 

From there, we headed out to Aphrodisias, a city dedicated to honor Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty. Kristen and Jared packed some HEAT in their lessons today. We sat in one of the most significant stadiums in the Roman Empire (the Olympics were often hosted here), and Kristen cast a vision of Rome’s obsession with sport. We so often slip into the same temptations: finding identity and idolatry in competition and doing whatever it takes to be esteemed or claim victory for ourselves. She contrasted this with the race that we are called to live as Christians: wholehearted, with eyes fixed on Jesus who ran the race perfectly. Sitting in the stadium and being reminded of the faithful people who have linked arms and pushed me forward/championed my faith was a visual I will never be able to shake. Let’s keep going!!

From there, we moved into the heart of the ancient city and learned about the messages the Roman Empire sent through their architecture. They plastered images everywhere, and in the same way, our lives get to operate as living, moving images of the body of Jesus Christ. Alone, we are a miserably small fraction of His majesty, but together, we get to paint an incredible picture of who He is and the good news He desires to share with a grieving world. Our truest identity is rooted in Ephesians 2:10, as His workmanship, and this is best exhibited in living alongside the whole body. After this lesson, we had a moment as a Forge class to rejoice and pray over the way we have seen this to be true. In joyfully sharing our lives, we have found freedom and seen broken, dark things brought to life. Praise God!

Lunch followed this, and we were greeted with a dancing parrot and live music. Meals have been an absolute blast and a sweet time to reflect on what we have experienced. We packed up from lunch and headed to the region where Philadelphia, the "City of Brotherly Love", was located. I was challenged by the way they held firm to their faith amidst devastation. They knew and experienced Jesus as their great love. This encouraged them to run their race with endurance, knowing how fleeting this life was. I am eating up the way these lessons weave together. I’ve been reminded of the simplicity of what the Gospel calls us to: holding firm through the grace of Christ. More days and more lessons to come! Pray that the Lord would continue to stretch our spiritual muscles in the days to come, that we may love Him and His people more. We are having the time of our lives; thanks for following along!