Reality TV

Real Life Contest shows made their way on TV few years ago and made it BIG…from “The Voice” to “Arabs Got Talent” going up to Cooking contest like “Masterchef”. The success of these shows gave them the courage to push further the audience and go for “Kids” version of these shows. We´ve been the past weeks every Friday evening sitting in front of the TV with Leila and Farida waiting and watching “Master Chef Junior” where a bunch of 8 to 12 years old are amazingly creating artful and mouth watering dishes and recipes from scratch…making Aline and I feel ashamed of our kitchen skills. This show left its mark on the kids during the weekend as suddenly they became interested in the Cuisine and just want to make sure they can help making our meals ready. Leila told literally “Can you leave us today prepare the whole breakfast for you and Ma…we saw Mario (an 11 year old contestant in the cooking show) doing it and we can do it as well.” I Fell in love with the Show…it created Role Models that made them BELIEVE they can make it too, showed them possible for a young kid to invent and create amazing Michelin Star level Plates…not mentioning the many times they asked us to apply for the contest! They found their models who expanded their borders of capabilities!

I thank God that our lives were not left without Spiritual Role Models to follow. We believe that faith, teachings and righteousness are just good ideology too hard to put in practice but we were given the model of obedience in Abraham, the model of perseverance in Job, of facing temptation in Joseph, of repentance in David, of service in Mary, of overcoming a fall in Peter and many more heroes of faith in the bible that make us BELIEVE that we can make it too. But on top of all, we have seen THE Role Model to follow showing us THE way of Life, love and sacrifice for the others. Jesus was clear in setting for us a Model to imitate and asked us to follow, He did set before us an example to walk in His footprints…a model bringing more LIGHT to this darkening earth and give taste in this SALT-less world.

“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an EXAMPLE that you should do as I have done for you. (John 13:13-15 NIV)
أنتُمْ تدعونَني مُعَلِّمًا وسَيِّدًا، وحَسَنًا تقولونَ، لأنّي أنا كذلكَ. فإنْ كُنتُ وأنا السَّيِّدُ والمُعَلِّمُ قد غَسَلتُ أرجُلكُمْ، فأنتُمْ يَجِبُ علَيكُمْ أنْ يَغسِلَ بَعضُكُمْ أرجُلَ بَعضٍ، لأنّي أعطَيتُكُمْ مِثالًا، حتَّى كما صَنَعتُ أنا بكُمْ تصنَعونَ أنتُمْ أيضًا. (13 يوحَنا:13-15 )

Dear God, I thank you for giving us a Role model of Love, forgiveness, and sacrifice lived here on Earth, you showed us through your Holy Spirit how many women and men of God walked this earth in reverence and full trust in your guiding loving Hands. Problems, disasters, waves, losses and much more were overcome by faith. Open our heart to receive Your power and Expand our borders of capabilities to bring the Light and Salt to the world! In Jesus Name, Amen!

Reality TV showed a way…Jesus paved THE way! 

Keep Shining my friends!

A Shameless CV

Writing your CV forces you to go through the trail of your professional life putting the details for the employer to read. Of course, you try to make it as attractive as possible, yet you know that there are some experiences/jobs you wouldn’t like being asked about. They are your weak points lacking the success you wanted them to have. You try to avoid expanding much on it, so couple of lines are enough for you. I believe our life´s CV as well has its weak moments to hide, its not-ready-to-talk-about incidents, its failures and SHAMES not worthy telling others about. We do our best keeping our self image in the eyes of others intact as perfect as our CV.

Now let´s meet this disabled man at the pool of bethesda (John 5:1-15), crippled for the past 38 years, lying in his bed waiting to be helped by someone. He obviously lost all hope and got so used to his weakness to the point that when Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed and walk again, he did not say the obvious “YES” but started telling Jesus why it has been impossible for him to get healed, giving him the EXCUSES that kept him this way (John 5:7). 

هذا رآهُ يَسوعُ مُضطَجِعًا، وعَلِمَ أنَّ لهُ زَمانًا كثيرًا، فقالَ لهُ: «أتُريدُ أنْ تبرأ؟». أجابَهُ المَريضُ: «يا سيِّدُ، ليس لي إنسانٌ يُلقيني في البِركَةِ مَتَى تحَرَّكَ الماءُ. بل بَينَما أنا آتٍ، يَنزِلُ قُدّامي آخَرُ». (‭5‬ ‮يوحَنا‬:‭6-7‬ )

I surely see myself in him, losing hope in overcoming a weakness, or a failure. Jesus didn’t discuss his excuses, He healed him and gave a him a strange specific order:

Jesus said to him, Get up! Pick up your bed (sleeping pad) and walk! (‭John‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬ AMP)

قالَ لهُ يَسوعُ: «قُمِ. احمِلْ سريرَكَ وامشِ». (‭5‬ ‮يوحَنا‬:‭8‬ )

Instead of leaving his sign of weakness behind and walk around (after 38 years lying in a bed), he was asked to go with his bed in hand. Jesus did´t not throw his bed away…it was a meant to be Order. What used to be a failure, a cripple and a sign of shame was turned into a sign of victory, healing and powerful demonstration of God´s miraculous power in transforming lives and enabling powers...WOW! His moment of weakness on his CV became the most important part to talk about…only because he PERSONALLY met the one who turned it from shame to glory.

Lord, here I am putting in Your hands all my weaknesses and failures, I pray that through Your loving heart and healing Spirit they turn into tools for your glory, and events to Shine Your Name further. I believe that I am not created to stay crippled, but my crippling will turn to victory when I come and accept you changing the life I am used to for years, even if 38 years or more. Open my heart to BELIEVE in Change, stop my excuses, rewrite my soul´s CV shameless. In Jesus Name, AMEN!

Your soul CV´s weaknesses are your moments of VICTORY…only when you stop excuses and PUT them in His HANDS!

Keep shining my friends!

لسي-ڤي

نضطر عند كتابه السيرة الذاتيه CV الي استرجاع تاريخنا المهني ، وتدوين كل تفاصيله
 ونبذل جهداً كبيراً لتظهر بالمظهر اللائق الذي نتمناه، وبقدر ما توجد وظائف نفخر بها و نود ان نظهرها .. فإن هناك ما نخجل من ان نُسأل عنه و نود لو نتجنبه ..و بقدر الامكان ان نخفيه
تلك الفترات التي تخلو من النجاح .. و نقاط الضعف التي لا نبغي ذكرها  
وفي حياتنا نفس اللحظات .. لحظات السقوط و الخجل .. و العار
و اذ نسعي ان تظهر صورتنا كاملة بلا اخطاء في عيون الاخرين .. تظل سقطاتنا عائقاً دون ذلك 

و عندها تذكرت تلك الكلمات التي قالها يسوع المسيح للرجل المطروح بمرض لمده ثمان و ثلاثون عاماً 
 هذا رآهُ يَسوعُ مُضطَجِعًا، وعَلِمَ أنَّ لهُ زَمانًا كثيرًا، فقالَ لهُ: «أتُريدُ أنْ تبرأ؟». أجابَهُ المَريضُ: «يا سيِّدُ، ليس لي إنسانٌ يُلقيني في البِركَةِ مَتَى تحَرَّكَ الماءُ. بل بَينَما أنا آتٍ، يَنزِلُ قُدّامي آخَرُ
 "قالَ لهُ يَسوعُ: «قُمِ. احمِلْ سريرَكَ وامشِ"

انني اري نفسي مكانه .. بعد يأس من التغلب علي الضعف و السقطات ، .. و تقديم الاعذار و الاسباب .. و التي لم يسمعها يسوع او يهتم بها
و انما قدم شفاء كاملاً بلا مقابل .. " قم " انما " احمل سريرك و امشي
و بدلاً من ان تترك علامة مرضك و ضعفك .. احملها معك و امشي بها
لان تلك اللحظات في حياتك .. التي تسميها ضعفاً وهزيمة... هي في الحقيقة لحظات انتصارك العظمي
فقط عندما تتوقف عن تقديم الاعذار
و تضعها بين يدي الله

 وها انا يا سيدي .. لم اخلق لأعيش مشلولاً مقيداً في ضعفي .. و انما اضع بين يديك ضعفاتي وسقطاتي .. متشفعاً بقلبك المحب و روحك الشافيه ان تحولها .. من سقطات الي ادوات .. لمجدك

 سيدي .. اعِد صياغه .. سيرتي .. وحياتي 

!خلينا منورين

Celebrate Milestones

Last Friday, Leila and Farida came back home after their tennis training with a celebration mood saying their trainer congratulated them for reaching a “Milestone”: 10 consecutive Backhands shots all in the court…not one ball went out! Now they aim to the next one: 15 shots! Originally defined, a Milestone (used in project management as well) is one of a series of numbered markers placed along a road at intervals of one mile, constructed to provide Reference points along the road. This can be used to reassure travellers that they follow the proper path and indicate either distance travelled or remaining to a destination. In fact, I consider them moments of both self reflection on where we have reached and a needed pause, moments of celebration and encouragement, looking back with pride and looking forward with energy and greater confidence to the next milestone ahead of you. We do need these moments as they add sweet taste to the journey specially if obstacles and battles arise along the way. Yes, Keep celebrating your Milestones!

I wonder why don’t we act the same when it comes to our spiritual life! We tend to see it black to white, end to end swift change between two extremes…jumping from weakness to sainthood, from falling to running, from fear to total confidence all in one day. I have fallen in that trap many times and got discouraged along the way, doubted if I can make it through to the purpose I am created for, just because I ignored the simple pauses God puts along the way, the Milestones of growth in my relationship with Him, allowing me to look back and reflect and Thank HIM for the road crossed so far and knowing, by faith, that He will remain with me as He promised all along the way till the end of milestones. Be it fasting, changing of heart, or a new commitment to start fresh and stop falling, they all need “milestones" to catch your breath, smile and Thank HIM. On my milestone pauses, I remember this comforting and energising verse: 

And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. (‭Philippians‬ ‭1‬:‭6‬ AMP)

واثِقًا بهذا عَينِهِ أنَّ الّذي ابتَدأَ فيكُم عَمَلًا صالِحًا يُكَمِّلُ إلَى يومِ يَسوعَ المَسيحِ. (‭1‬ ‮فيلِبّي‬:‭6‬ )

Dear Lord, I thank you for the milestones along the way, for over seeing each step along the way and allowing us to say with full confidence that the good work YOU began in my heart and the heart of every reader, throughout the “projects" of life, will go on to its next phase shining your Light. I pray for your Holy Spirit to strengthen us every morning, sitting with You, and guide us through a new day spreading your Love, winning our spiritual battles and accomplishing the purpose we were created for, milestone by milstone. AMEN!

Keep Shining my friends!

(I thank God for this Milestone…for reaching the 100th Post!)

The WHOLE Truth

She Told me the WHOLE Truth!

That moment in which I know Farida is hiding something, a moment of following anxiously her actions, of feeling she avoids direct contact with me. She knows perfectly what´s wrong yet she fears how unhappy I will be, so she decides to go along and act as if nothing happened. But still something shows behind that smile, behind this face trying to hide into this puzzle she is doing. I assure you parents out there know these awkward minutes and wait for that moment of truth. Finally Farida comes to me, opens up in tears and tells me the WHOLE STORY…tells me about how bad she feels not standing next to her sister at school when their friends decided to include only her in the game leaving Leila out. She knew her sister was sad but still chose to side with the friends. That moment of truth not only cleansed her heart but brought them together stronger than before realising that her happiness with friends is worthless if it is on the account of her sister. What a Moment to remember when she told me ALL THE TRUTH despite knowing it might annoy me and openly admitting her love to her sister…She believed in our forgiveness!

Reading in Mark 5 the famous incident of the woman with flow of blood-who sneaked in the crowd to touch the clothes, the hem of the garment of Jesus, knowing in her heart that this simple touch would heal her sickness and ailment that no doctor could take away for 12 painful years-I stood still noticing that same MOMENT of Truth I experienced with Farida:

But the woman, knowing what had been done for her, though alarmed and frightened and trembling, fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. (Mark 5:33 AMP)
وأمّا المَرأةُ فجاءَتْ وهي خائفَةٌ ومُرتَعِدَةٌ، عالِمَةً بما حَصَلَ لها، فخَرَّتْ وقالَتْ لهُ الحقَّ كُلَّهُ. (5 مَرقُسَ:33 )

She knew she did something wrong, touching THE Master while being impure and unclean with her bleeding, she might have been afraid and trembling…but she didn’t hide it…she did what His heart was looking for…she fell before Him and TOLD HIM ALL THE TRUTH…like a daughter into the arms of her father.

Dear friends, how often we keep things in our hearts in fear of shame and disgrace in the eyes of our Heavenly Father? I have been so many times hiding my feelings, my wrong doings and weaknesses believing life will go on…not wanting to tell Him THE WHOLE TRUTH in prayer. But then, his woman brought it clear to me…her healing was in her heart before her body…her faith in admitting her weakness and belief in His endless power to heal brought me to realize that the truth and ONLY the truth at His feet will set free.

Do not stand trembling in your prayer…open you heart...Bring Him THE TRUTH…the WHOLE truth…He wants to hear you and Heal you!

Keep shining my friends!