It Is Well in Jerusalem

Those who know me well can tell you that the hymn "It Is Well" by Horatio Spafford is probably my most favorite Christian song of all time.  In fact, after I had learned I was diagnosed with cancer, on one night I played "It Is Well" on repeat for about two or three hours.  The hymn not only teaches of reaching out to God in our most darkest moment, but praising Him in the midst of our trials.  Such a beautiful story, and the story behind the song makes the hymn even richer in meaning.  For those who don't know it, here it is (thanks to Wikipedia!):

This hymn was written after traumatic events in Spafford’s life. The first was the death of their only son from Scarlet Fever in 1870. Second was the 1871 Great Chicago Fire which ruined him financially (he had been a successful lawyer and had invested significantly in property in the area of Chicago which was decimated by the great fire). His business interests were further hit by the economic downturn of 1873 at which time he had planned to travel to Europe with his family on the SS Ville du Havre. In a late change of plan, he sent the family ahead while he was delayed on business concerning zoning problems following the Great Chicago Fire. While crossing the Atlantic, the ship sank rapidly after a collision with a sea vessel, the Loch Earn, and all four of Spafford's daughters died. His wife Anna survived and sent him the now famous telegram, "Saved alone …". Shortly afterwards, as Spafford traveled to meet his grieving wife, he was inspired to write these words as his ship passed near where his daughters had died.^[3]

The Spaffords later had three more children. In 1881, the Spaffords, including baby Bertha and newborn Grace, set sail for Israel. The Spaffords moved to Jerusalem and helped found a group called the American Colony (which is now the American Colony Hotel in Jerusalem); its mission was to serve the poor. The colony later became the subject of the Nobel prize winning Jerusalem, by Swedish novelist Selma Lagerlöf.^[3]

Horatio Spafford's descendants now run a mission in the Arab quarter of Jerusalem, Israel called "The Spafford Center" mainly mental and physical therapy for children.  You can read about it here: http://www.spaffordcenter.org/

Just last week, I went on a trip to Israel with some wonderful friends from Texas.  While we were there, we were able to go to Jerusalem and see many of the historical sites in the life of Jesus.  One very cold Friday morning (ironically), we were standing on this covered platform and to our right was a rocky looking hill about 30 feet high.  Below the hill was a parking lot and a car repair shop, and on top of the hill was an Islamic cemetery.  We had a tour guide who explained to us that that "hill" was indeed Golgotha (or in Aramaic, 'the place of the Skull') which is where Jesus hung on the cross out of love for us.  THAT was THE hill.  Across the parking lot/car repair place, was a house which looked to be about 3-4 stories high.  That was the home of Horatio Spafford, and from his home you could see in the side of the hill what looked like a skull....places on the side of the hill for two eye sockets and a nose.  It was indescribable.  Loads of evidence, historical and scriptural, pointed to this very hill.  And Horatio Spafford's home had a bird's eye view throughout the remainder of his life of the setting of the Savior's love for him.  Just wow.  God's love for us, His forgiveness - encouraging us to forgive as He forgives, His unwarranted grace, His justice - all colliding together in that one moment there on that hill, for us....for Him!  Amazing....

Golgotha hill in Jerusalem, Israel. 

Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). Here they crucified Him, and with him two others - one on each side and Jesus in the middle. - John 19:17-18, NIV

Now, I could write for literal days about each site we saw in Israel (and Palestine) and what I learned all along the way.  And I'll continue to update this blog with various stories and pictures of the trip!

For brevity sake, I'll give you an overall update since it has been some time since I've written - so sorry!

On February 4th, I had two biopsies.  One came back mild and the other came back moderate.  The doctor didn't like how the cells were multiplying so fast in the moderate one, and ordered a wide excision surgery to remove the remainder of the tissue.  This past Friday, I had the wide excision and am currently waiting for my pathology report which takes one to two weeks.  They cauterized the incision, and now I'm just healing.  On April 8th, I'll have my next CT scan and blood work to check-up.

Since my last post, I've also started graduate school at Harvard University in journalism.  Formally, my degree would be an ALM in Journalism and I'm thrilled to gain education in writing to help further my experience in communications!

All in all, God has been very kind.  Since leaving Jerusalem, it is amazing at how many of the scriptures I have read a thousand times now have a visible setting in my mind.  I've seen the Sea of Galilee, it still takes my breath away to think of how beautiful it is there!  I'm beyond blessed, far more than I deserve, and without a doubt, it IS well with my soul.  Despite what trials may come, despite what rejection we face, despite what unfair treatment is heaped upon us, despite what illness is at war within us, despite our own poverty albeit economical or spiritual, we can take heart - as Christ did.  He faced all of it far worse than we ever will, and in Jerusalem, it is well.  Though the spiritual war rages on in such a beautiful city, God is sovereign, and it is well.