Prayer Letter

As you probably already know I am going to be spending the fall semester in Jerusalem Israel. I will be out of the country from August 28th through December 7th. While I am over there I will be taking classes at Jerusalem University College located in the old city of Jerusalem. If you would like to check out their web site it is http://www.juc.edu/.





I will be taking four graduate levels courses:

• Old Testament Archeology -- A survey of the results of archaeological investigations in the land of the Bible with an emphasis placed upon relating archaeological findings to historical records of the Bible.


• Physical Settings of the Bible -- A study of the physical features of the land of the Bible. Regions studied and visited include Galilee, Golan Heights, Judah, Samaria, Negev, Shephelah, Jordan and Jezreel Valleys, Benjamin, Sharon Plain, Philistia, and in Transjordan, Gilead, Ammon, the Medaba Plateau, Moab, and Edom.


• Biblical Hebrew I – An introduction to the language


• The Gospel of Matthew in its Jewish Setting -- A focus on the historical context and Jewish background of the Gospel of Matthew. The approach will facilitate a reading of the first Gospel that will shed light upon its context, theology, polemic and community ethos.

While I am very excited about these classes I am also very nervous. I am asking if you would please consider praying for me two or three times a week during my time there.

Some specific requests:

• Safety traveling


• Academics would not be to difficult/Good relations with professors especially regarding my dyslexia


• Good Health


• Good relations with professors


• Build lasting friendships, as well as, get along well with my roommate


• Grow in the LORD


• My focus would stay of the LORD and that He would be preparing me for the future


• My computer would last the entire trip. It is not working well.


• God would provide for all my financial needs.

If you would like to contact me while I am away:

E-mail address: ELermo@gmail.com

Mailing address:

Elizabeth Lerman
c/o Jerusalem University College
3 Aravnah HaYevusi Hebron Road
PO Box 1276
Mount Zion 91012 Jerusalem Israel

I will be posting regular blog updates at : http://liz-thoughtsandadventures.blogspot.com/

With much love and gratitude.

AUGGGHHH!!!

I have come to the final bits and pieces of getting ready to go to Israel. This week has been nothing but one struggle after another. There have been problems with the airports and my flight was changed. Then I seemed to pack way to much stuff and had to go through and weed things out. It is the night before and I am still trying to make sure that my bags are under 50 pounds. I was good and then remembered that I had books that I needed to bring. Books weigh so much. Finally I was feeling settled and thought...hmm...I probably need my passport...I began to panic because I couldn't find it. I knew exactly where it was when I had my office, but once I packed everything up I didn't remember where I put it. I finally found it and was doing great! Then I remembered that I had a letter that I was suppose to bring with me to help me with my tourist visa...and it is missing...still missing...I sent an email to the school hoping that they will have some wise advice for me. I am feeling so overwhelmed but excited. I've been looking at this as the emeny trying to pull me away from going and what it has actually done is given me a greater amount of faith that this is where God wants me. He is going to work amazingly while I am away. People have been so supportive and helpful. Thank you to everyone who has given me encouraging words, prayers, and support. You are all a part of this adventure. Thank you!

Live Free

This last weekend I was with 50ish teens from my home church in Rumney NH at our annual summer teen camp. This year at camp was more special to me than the years past. Usually I would stay with the Jr. High girls who I love dearly, but this year I had the opportunity to stay with the Sr. High girls. This was very special to me because this particular group of students I have followed along side their spiritual journeys from the time they were in first grade and now most of them are going to be seniors in High School. It has been so encouraging to me to see how they have grown in their faith, and knowledge of Jesus Christ. I have watched them take the faith of their parents and make it their own. Watching them live a life dedicated to Jesus Christ. Not only has it been incredible to see, but it has also been a challenge to me to continue living with that passion for HIM.
The theme of camp this year was “Living Free”. Going into camp I was expecting to hear the same type of messages that are typical teen messages, but the theme of being free resonated with me in a whole new light. I was continually asking myself what is holding me in bondage? What is preventing me from being totally free in Christ? I searched my heart and the verse that continually came to my mind was “the truth will set you free.” Most times when I have read that I took it in a sense of more relational, but I realized over this trip that I needed to tell the truth to myself and to God and only in that will I find true freedom in Christ.
There was another message which was preached on living a life of apathy. This spoke to the hearts of many students, and to me. Think about the times where you have become apathetic in your faith. I have had many periods in my life when I could walk the walk and talk the talk of living for Christ, but inside I was fooling myself. I was living a life of bondage to myself. We live in a society where everyone wants stuff and wants more and more and tries to fill there lives with things and situations, like a significant other or popularity, the list could go on. But it is all these things that pushes the Christian to a life of apathy. Pushes them, even me, to a life where God takes second place.
As I embark on this new journey of life I pray that I will stay passionate for God and keep my eyes on HIM and LIVE FREE! Keeping Him number one!

World Wind

The last few weeks have been absolutely crazy. This last week I went to my dear friend Stephanie’s wedding. I was so touched that she asked me to be in her wedding. When I say we have been through thick and thin in our relationship I am not kidding. We met our freshman year of college and I had a hard time finding a solid group of friends first semester. We talked some, but second semester we really hit it off. We realized that a lot of our values were the same as well as our struggles and our enjoyments. There were many memories that came from that trip. (Steph – remember our hair, the mall, the guys visit, the lights, and most of all the BUCKET!) This was just the beginning of a beautiful friendship, but as time went on we had friends get between us, boys get between us, even convictions get between us, but through it all we united our hearts and have supported each other through many of the adventures of life. I have so many memories, and because of those memories and our friendship I was so touched and so excited that she asked me to be in her wedding.
It was a very difficult time for me because of some personal things going on in my life, but God gave me the strength to push on and I was so excited, but the minute I stepped off the airplane I had a fever and extremely sore throat. I spent the first day and a half in bed. I missed the bachelorette party and much of the festivities. But praise the LORD that the Lord healed me enough to be in the wedding. I made it through the rehearsal and was feeling wonderful then I woke up the day of the wedding with pink eye. But I didn’t allow any of this to change the excitement I had for Steph and her day.
Her wedding was almost exactly how we had always dreamed of it being. I remember the summer before our Junior year we were both in a place of being very content and we decided to sketch out our weddings. This wedding was her dream wedding. The joy on her face was the joy of knowing that she was in the center of God’s will. I am so excited that I have new people in my life and I am excited to watch how Steph and Nick will form their own family in the future. Praise God for their pure union.
Love you Steph!! Thank you for giving me the opportunity to support you in this new stage of your life.
When I got home I have been hitting the ground running. I’ve been keeping up with my studies (Hebrew and getting my maps and reading done for JUC), cleaning, organizing all my stuff, and more importantly packing up my life. Going to Jerusalem was something that I knew I was going to do, but it is now such a reality. I leave in 12 days and I’m praying that I have everything. Please pray that all of my finances fall into place. Right now I have enough to pay for school, but having money to live on is another story. Please pray that God will provide me money for the needs that I have while I am away.
Last week a bunch of my GCTS friends got together and we had a cook-out in the park…it was so nice to spend time with everyone before we all go our separate ways without the stress of school. We all sang and celebrated Sarah’s birthday and then out of the blue they pull out a gift for me. I am so blessed to have the friends and community that I have. God has blessed me way beyond what I ever expected. Thank you GOD!

Birthday

I can honestly say that my 26th birthday was the best birthday I have had yet. There was nothing out of the ordinary or extravagant, but rather people simply showed me the love of Christ. The ladies at school had lunch for me, a cake, and a beautiful card. The rest of the day was spent with dear friends just being together, followed by an incredible bible study. The whole day was centered on Christ and community. I left so loved my my community and by my Lord and Savior.
Thank you to everyone who made my day just a little bit more special. All of the wall posts on facebook with encouraging blessings and wishes, the cards, and especially the prayers. Thank you! You are all a blessing to me!
This birthday was also specail because it was Sunday July 27th 1997 that I was baptized with my father exactly between both of our birthdays. That was a gift that I will never forget and every year I am reminded of what a blessing it is to be in God's family and even more special that I have the chance to share that with my family.