Majesty Spread Thin With Grass.

I am sitting in a youth hostel in Wilderswil, Switzerland looking out a window into the majestic Swiss Alps. This is probably one of the most beautiful places in the world. Words do not express the emotions I feel toward this place. The feelings it brings up in me do not even let me get words out to describe it. If I tried to describe this majesty to those of you at home, I couldn't even do it justice. It is truly magnificent. Majesty spread thin with grass- this is what i feel about the alps here in Switzerland. 


While here I am memorizing Isaiah 42:6--
“I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; 
    I will take hold of your hand. 
I will keep you and will make you
    to be a covenant for the people
    and a light for the Gentiles,"

As I prayed to have a verse for Switzerland, the Lord put on my heart, righteousness and just learning what it means for people and how Christ's righteousness. Through Him we gain righteousness. We inherit it. 

While in Interlaken/Wilderswil we got three day train passes to go up into the mountains and hike. Yesterday we went up to Jungfrau and went to the observatory there it was so insanely amazing! All i could do was gasp and say "oh my gosh" It was literally, glorious, filled with His vast majesty and proclaims all of the honor He deserves. I stood in awe of His majesty and it made me realize how small I really am and He is Lord over it all. We then hiked up to a hut on a mountain called the Mönch. Who knew that such thin air and snow could really make a up hill hike harder. Mercy. We finally got there, slipped off our shoes and put on the crocs provided and headed upstairs to eat some food. We left the hut and descended back down the path. 

After that we split up and some of us took a hike on foot of the north face of the Eiger mountain. It was epic. Snow covered the majority of the path we were to be on. So we dug in and walked at an angle on the side of this mountain that was slanting down toward civilization. We did this multiple times through snow in a single file line to make sure we stayed on the mountain and not sliding down. Very seldom times we would find gravel or hard ground to walk on. We decided to make it quicker, we would go off the path and sprint/penguin slide/or slide on our butts down the face of the mountain. It was so fun and so nuts. There will be a video of some boys doing it down below :)   After a while we found hard ground to walk on for the rest of the way down.  We got to a waterfall and took some pictures and then found a path that was a steep downhill to our destination of the train station. After probably about 4 hours we were at the train station and tired and wet.-- It was a scary experience for me at the start to think i could just slide down the side of this mountain.

-The pictures are so out of order and it stresses me out, but its fine, we will work with it. 

On the bus

Our Christianity and Western Culture class studying for our final

Before our EPIC hike 

Jin, Ches, Kory and I on the train up to Jungfrau...that view is real

Sleeping on trains

The group on the observatory of Jungfrau

Best picture

Train days

Dr. Litfin, Chesney and I at the Jungfrau observatory

All of us at the Mönch hut

So so incredible

Chesney and I and Johnny..

Ashley and I on the path to the hut...she is so amazing. So glad she is on this trip, she has truly truly blessed me. 

Its fine, we were in the Swiss Alps hiking

Before our epic hike..Ashley Me Chesney Jin

Love her so much

Ches, Dustin, Me, Kory

Waterfall! Kory Ches Johnny Me Dr L Ashley

We MADE it! 

Roommate pictures

Getting Swiss chocolate in Grindalwal

*THANKS CHESNEY MARIE CROUCH AND DR. LITFIN FOR THE PICTURES*  

I'm a gypsy... are you coming with me?

While in Europe, we have been traveling so much. Yesterday I told Chesney, "its okay, we are gypsies. traveling always and living out of a suitcase" It is really true. It has been hard, i have blisters on my hands from dragging my bags around, but it is so worth it. We made it to Wilderswil, Switzerland yesterday. I cannot believe I have never been here before...this place is teeming with God's glory. We are nestled into the the Swiss Alps and we get to wake up and see them each morning. I cannot believe it. Italy and Switzerland are both fantastic, just man made beauty or natural beauty. 




Gypsy. Yesterday Chesney did a devotion for us on the bus and she was talking about being on pilgrimage with God. We are on this pilgrimage this summer, but we are also on a journey in our relationship with God. Though I have only been here a few weeks, i can see the hand of God working on my heart and in my life. Being out of my comfort zone with a bunch of people i never knew before and they are the only people i have to be with and talk to, is hard. But that makes me have to rely on God. It makes me begin to see more of what i need to work on in my life and it give God the chance to speak into my life without my pride and selfish ways being the for front. Being on this pilgrimage has been hard and has been interesting and i am still on it. I am still learning, still listening, and still figuring out what God has in store for me. This trip is not only about what i am here to learn, it is a chance for me to step back from the comfort of home and the comfort of Moody to realize that i have neglected to listen to some things God has wanted from me. I have neglected the things that he has specifically told me to work on in my life. All I can do is pray that this summer will change me in drastic ways that will make me pursue holiness to a even bigger extent and to pursue my God in the valleys and in the peaks of life. 












Videos from Italy: Rome and Tuscany. WATCH THEM! 




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zw59YYY5JBU&feature=plcp


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NO4Kwi1sjRs&feature=plcp










From Italy to Switzerland::

Some of our group. Didn't know who they were about 3 weeks ago, and now, i am so glad they are in my life and the impact they have had and will have on me.

sorry its blurry..Alesandro and us. Our tour guide for Pompeii

Freeze game. I finally froze Chris.

Ches and I in Naples 

MEGAN! 

In Tuscany. Our home for 5 days

Cutting Nathan's hair

Chesbot

So long Italy

Pompeii.. Sorry went backwards!

Kory and Dustin in Pompeii

 

Jin and Becky

Adorable old Italian man yelling at someone 

Search For Paolo

I call this post the "Search For Paolo" because all in Rome it was a joke with me that I was searching for Paolo. Who is Paolo? Well if you have seen The Lizzie McGuire movie you would understand. I didn't technically find him since he should have been at the Trevi Fountain. But, I did find one. At our hotel in Naples there was a young man named Paolo. Didn't meet him but just heard people looking for him. Also, I did find "a version" of my Paolo. I went to a coffee shop by the Pantheon and there was an adorable barista and he looked like a Paolo. Anyway, we have left Rome and our days there were insane, so so good. I loved every minute of our touring. Here are more pictures from our days there and I will explain as we go along. 

St. Paul's Basilica. BEAUTIFUL

A tiny tunnel for sewage of an old abandoned town called Ostia. Friends went in, not me..claustrophobia 

Reading the Apostles Creed in St. Paul's Basilica

Trevi Fountain! Yes, I did throw a coin in it. 

Taking in the awe of the Pantheon. The tomb of the first king of Italy. 

Jin and I. Love her. 

Again. 

Chesmerelda. Chestiban. Chestrogen. 

Chesney and I in 20 years. Love. 

Museum days. 

Giant escalator in the train station 

Girls outside the Vatican. Worn out

St. Peter's Square. Just behind us is St. Peter's Basilica

So...us. 

Jin and I in Rome 

Thanks Chesy.

Again. 

Chris, Me, Christina(our tour guide) and Ches outside the Pantheon with Christina's favorite drink from her favorite coffee shop...we are so Italian. 

Rome is pure excellence. Go there, go nuts, see everything no matter how tired you are. #itsworthit