Rome

This past weekend we traveled to Rome. Walking those streets was so surreal. Seeing things like the Colosseum (Below) and the Sistine Chapel (Also Below) took me back to sophomore year in High School for European History class. We toured the Vatican and Roman Forum, Saw Julius Caesar's grave, and even an Egyptian Mummy! But none of these were my favorite part. We were able to go into the Roman prison where Paul was held while he wrote Philippians and 2 Timothy, the last place before he died. No words could describe the feelings I felt in the small dark room. This place was so bad, and if you read Philippians or 2 Timothy, it's hard to believe his attitude was still like it was. We read from different sections of those two letters while we were down there, it was moving to say the least.

2 Timothy 4:6-8 says "For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing."

Here Paul is, knowing his death is near, staring it in the face and saying "bring it on, I am done on this Earth, it's my time to rejoice with my Father in Heaven." I have never been in jail, nor have I ever been anywhere close to death. I can only hope that when my time comes, weather it is tomorrow, or 100 years from now, I will be able to say the same words Paul wrote in the prison I was in two days ago.

We have two weeks left in Bologna. Pray that I will hold nothing back and that God will use me for his will. Pray that these students we now know, will be able to open their hearts to something they have never had in their lives. God Bless. Ciao!

Below are the Colosseum, Sistine Chapel, and Me in Paul's Prison