Pray Big!

We have been busy this past week working on budgets for the coming years..and as human beings we tend to be conservative when it comes our expectations. We all hate feeling disappointed..we put it in a nice way saying "that we neeed to manage expectations" to avoid being hit by a different result (ba3d el shar)!
Even with my kids, when i ask them to swim, read, draw, run..i tend to simplify it and make it doable..i love the feeling that they make it and surely they do too..i cover up for them to make sure they wont fail..!
Thinking about it, i found that this is happening in our spiritual life too(at least mine). How many times we have Held ourselves from BOLD BIG PRAYERS...how many times, we put barriers for what we can bring to Him. I think the fear that our prayers wont be answered leads us to "manage expectations" with God. This means we ask for less, expect less, and satisfied with less because we are afraid to be disappointed and lose our faith in Him!

BuT JESUS said loud and clear in Luke 
"What father among you, if his son asks for a loaf of bread, will give him a stone; or if he asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent? If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts [gifts that are to their advantage] to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and continue to ask Him! (Luke 11:11, 13)

This leads to a question we can not escape: Does God really give His children what He promised? Does He keep His promises or not? Do my prayers and actions give evidence to my belief?

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray today for faith..i pray for the Holy Spirit to guide my words and prayers, align them to your will, make me live knowing that i can bring EVERYTHING TO YOU in prayer..and believe these words "Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. (فيلبي Philippians 4:6)". Amen

Be BOLD my friends!

A child's art...in an office!

I remember well one day going in the office of one of the directors of our company..he had a wall deocrated with a painting..not really artistic i would say, but it had the center piece of His wall...it was too loud in colors, uneven lines, zigzags, too much contrast..with lots of dark tones and cheerful colors..mel akher keda (7aga 3ak shwaya)! But knowing the dutch and their love of paintings, from Rembrandt to Van Gogh..i was sure it was something worth the value to be in this Big Director's office! Frankly, couldnt hold myself and asked him, what's that special painting? He looked with bright eyes and said it is the most expensive piece he has in his collection, he couldnt even tell me its price..i asked about the painter. He told me "it was made for me by my 5 years old son...just before passing away"!

With a shock silencing me, i just then realized that the value of the painting is not in not in its beauty, but rather in the one who made it...it is the painter that gave it the value it has...it is the love behind it that makes it priceless...no matter what critics say, no matter what people think...its value for this father is priceless.

Dear Heavenly Father, i thank you that my value is not in who I am or what I do..no matter what i do, how i fall, how i win, or lose...my value is in my creator...I thank you i am priceless in your eyes, i am priceless because YOU MADE ME and GIVE ME VALUE! Keep me walking in your love, in Jesus name! Amen!

The User Guide..that we ignore!

Manuals or "el catalogue"..how many of you hate reading them? I am sure you do the same, you get a camera or a new gadget, you open it, charge and here we go.."lessa hano3d ne2ra..maho shagahl aho..bos keda..aho..sahla awy..bala catalogue balla yahzanoun (by the way i never understood yahzanoun dih)" and then suddenly one day, wa7ed men elli ara el catalogue yesabetak be shwayet tricks we options..things you wanted to do men zaman but you just did 10 other things and never was able to get this option work! Latest live example i had was this HDR option fel iphone..lamma shams teb2a darba fi weshak..ekhtera3 ya m3alem!

Exactly in prayer life, I feel that we decided to do it yalla nafsy..kelma men hena..kelmetein men hena..we aho shagal..but when we read el catalogue...WOW..a whole new world of options is unfolding in front of our own eyes..! What..seriously can prayers heal , bring light, get me whole again, crash fear, increase hope, strengthen faith, raise dead people ( read it in acts 9:40) and CHANGE the world..at least my small world around me!

Dear God...I pray today for getting more and more of You in prayer..i want this Christianity i read in your Catalogue/Bible..I want this power...i want it ALL....FULL OPTIONS PRAYER POWER! Dont keep me living with the (on and off buttons)...Amen!

A Church-Goer Look!

Shaklo bta3 kenissa! Aywa homma byeb2o keda..3arfo, mezzayet..me2afel…rekhem..ka2ib…out of style..mawadi3 moumela..maloush fel action!..dah gheir phisically tab3an..adim awy!

Funny enough we do not like sticking Labels to people based on their gender, skin colors, race, but when it comes to active believers/church Goers..La2 sibhomli dol..We start tagging all annoying negative thoughts to them! There is part of truth in it..the so called Church goers might have closed in on their selves so much that they lost touch with their entourage. I know that during teenage and twenties and even later, you try avoiding getting that label..Coz it is simply turning off (Yefsel elli oddmak) once you mention you are a Faithful Believer Church Goer Taranim Listener!! You know, you can change this image yourself, I have seen people killing this stereotype..Seeing Hillsong and their likes..The youth that lead the worship are so amazingly inspiring..and they are magnets for millions of others..in Egypt too, this notion is changing, look at Emmanuel Egypt, Better Life Junior, Edge Camp…If you wanna change this negative image, start yourself..you will pull others with you!

I leave you with this amazing Praise from Hillsong..a band that knows how to be linked with God and be Contemporary..ya3ni mesh da2a adima..

Have a Great Blessed weekend..ya mzayeteeen

New Operating System

Yes..finally..#iOS7..again, time line flooded with extra hyped happy people waiting to download the new operating system. Can't hide that i also do get excited whenever something new is launched..cause i expect it to be better..and specially when it comes from great developpers.

What about our OWN operating system #iME1.0..are we that excited to download it and show its interface to everyone around? It surely eliminates lots of bugs from your old system..gives you speed, agility, and definitely endless apps beyond what

I trust The Developper that during His Launch event Said out loud:

"A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. (حزقيال Ezekiel 36:26 AMP)" and "You must be made new in your hearts and in your thinking. Be that new person who was made to be like God, truly good and pleasing to him. (افسس Ephesians 4:23, 24 ERV)"

And i guess what, I trust this developper with my Life...at least He lives in a cooler place than California..imagine that! So go ahead YOUR new version is there..just a prayer away, no connection needed, nor wifi:)

Your Schedule Doesn't Lie

"I literally have no time..i barely make it through the day..tab a3mel el mawdou3 dah emta..aywa 3amalt (to do list)..bas bardo mesh hases enni masek youmi we msaytar 3ala w2ati..tab bos 3al schedule beta3i keda"

I just read such an amazing insight "your schedule doesnt lie"..in fact your daily/weekly life schedule is a barometer for what you truly value and believe to be important! Dont tell me you value fitness and you work out only once a week, or you value family and kids, and all they get is couple of hours in the weekend on your way back and forth to city stars before meeting the rest of the group. Even at work, just a look at your schedule will show what are your key priorities/targets serving your long term strategy! If not, dont expect to get close to acheiving your targets..if you dont invest time in them...we ensa el bonus ya helw!

Ah, and you value your relationship with God..and want it to grow deeper...show me your schedule "oops, it was there in my schedule, ah eftakart, asl kan 3andena mashaweer..we khalty gat, wel zahma, mesh ader a2olak 3al osbou3dah fel shoghl...wel devoirat..wel dorous..yes, i admit, it has only 1 hour weekly in my schedule"

I believe you can guess it by now..Your schedule doesn't lie! You ARE your schedule!

"For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also". (Luke 12:34 AMP) 

And let me say..where your heart is, there your schedule will also be!

Nutritional Facts

Nutritional facts..for some people it is as scary as "the Exorcist (most famous horror movie lelli mesh 3aref)"..reading those calories counts and fats makes you think is it worth the VALUE it brings to me! Is it nutrious for my kids? What vitamins are there? All this salt, no 3andi el daght 3aly! 500 calories, ya3ni nos sa3a running fel track..balash a7san! What VALUE is it bringing?Makes me think if we are examining our hearts, our actions, our words to check their "nutritional facts" for people around us? What value are you bringing to your kids, wife/husband, colleagues, church, and your country? Let me tell you that the more Christ we get, the more we move from "wanting to be valued" to wanting to "add value"! Service and thinking outside of self unlocks the Christ in you.

لَكِنَّهُ أَخْلَى نَفْسَهُ، آخِذًا صُورَةَ عَبْدٍ، صَائِرًا فِي شِبْهِ ٱلنَّاسِ. وَإِذْ وُجِدَ فِي ٱلْهَيْئَةِ كَإِنْسَانٍ، وَضَعَ نَفْسَهُ، وَأَطَاعَ حَتَّى ٱلْمَوْتَ، مَوْتَ ٱلصَّلِيبِ. لِذَلِكَ رَفَّعَهُ ٱللهُ أَيْضًا، وَأَعْطَاهُ ٱسْمًا فَوْقَ كُلِّ ٱسْمٍ، (فِيلِبِّي 2:7-9 )

Finally my friends, check your hearts, and Add value if you want to be valuable.

Your value is in what you bring, not what others bring you as value!

Back to School

Suddenly my timeline on facebook is flooded with proud fathers and mothers posting the pictures of their children's first day of school or even nursery..it is all over, the same picture probably, the kid standing there with a back pack half their size looking so cute with a big smile on the face, some times with mami or daddy huggin them so strong! If my mother had facebook, sure i would have seen my same pic posted the'like of fan page of "Dallas (7areem el sultan of that time)" and the latest hit from the super star Dalida!

I just fell in love in all that pride i have seen, i am sure that we all parents, wish the best for our kids at school, but i know that no matter their performance, we will still love them, no matter their failures, they are still running to our shoulders and cry.(i do remeber this day after one of the Chemistry exam in Thanaweya 3amma..my dad's shoulder was soaking wet), cause they know where is their comfort, they know that we are always Proud of them..we are always there to Raise them and lift them up! I really do wish that I am up to that pride and I can keep my Father always always proud of me..as I walk down the path of life seeking worthy to be called His son and He Himself my Father!

God bless your Rentree-first week of school or nursery! 

Once a Week

Sundays..the source of energy to go on...
Talking about efficiency and effectiveness, imagine this conversation:
Someone asking me: "So, what do you do to improve your aspects of life?"
me answering "Easy...i do it all..here it goes:
For studies, i study once, Monday afternoon
Muscles, i go to the gym once, Tuesday afternoon
Guitar, i play once, Wednesday afternoon
Diet, yes, sure i take care of my weight, i m on diet once Thursday afternoon
Kids and wife, i spend time with them, dedicate an afternoon on Friday
Parents, i give sometime once on Saturday
Prayer and my soul and God, no worries, i give Him An hour once on Sunday!!!"

What would i be getting outof that? I guess nothing at all...an hour a week doesnt take you far! It might give you a reason to tick the box and give yourself peace of mind! For impact to show in your life, you need to dedicate and commit to hard work. I have read a very interesting passage in a book written by Robin Sharma..he talk about hard work "i believe that good things happen to thoses willing to in the effort, exercise discipline and make the sacrifices that personal and professional greatness requires. Hard work opens the doors and shows the world that you are serious about being one of those rand and special human beings that uses the fullness of their talents for the highest and very best".

Are you content with your Sunday hour?! I guess we will be missing a lot if we only stop there.

A One Way Relationship?

Terrerren terrerren...(phone ringing...i know it is no longer the phone ring tone..i wonder in the world of this technology, how would one write the sound of phone ringing).

"Yaaah ya Aline..bossy meen bikalemni..men zaman awy...allo akhabarak..wenta kaman waheshny..feinak men zaman...i hope edert asa3dak akher marra? ...hayel, la shokr 3ala wageb mon beih..kwayes..aywa lessa bashtaghal henak...(then lots of talk from the other side)...7ader hashouf momeken asa3dak ezzay..Ya mousahel..khalas ma tshelsh hamm..mashy..tab 3awzeen net2abel..mashghoul awy!..tayeb mesh lazem net2abel..neb2a netkalem ba2a law 3andak wa2t..bye"

call ended!!!

Surely you have all been through such a call...and surely you wonder at the end of it..how can some people be so obviously CALLING YOU only in times of needs..only to ask for something, and never to see you in person..seek to know you closer..hear your news and wonder is they lift you up in a way or another..i hate to be judgmental, but these people we call in our society "masla7geya...مصلحجية.beta3 masla7to we bas" and what a bad title it is!

Imagine yourself getting this title one day..yes I deserve this title 3an gadara! How many times, i just knocked on His doors just to ask, do you remember the early rise up to pray a special prayer before the exam..or to go to the early oddas, or just to pass by church to light up a candle before the operation..how many times, i said "ok, i have done everything possible..all i have now is to pray (as if it s your last resort and not a daily relation)". How many time we promised to change at times of need..and just drop it when we get what we want!

If you give masla7a a bad name..Don't be one..REFUSE being one...and start to be a friend..as He wants to be your friend..in fact he called you His friend..imagine a friend as powerful as Jesus.."You are my friends if you do what I tell you to do. I no longer call you servants, because servants don’t know what their master is doing. But now I call you friends, because I have told you everything that my Father told me". (John 15:14, 15 ERV)

Do you want this friendship..or just content with being مصلحجي beta3 masla7a? You choose!

From Crawling to Sprinting!

Just watching some old clips of my kids made me feel "nostalgic" to their first couple of years..when they had their two two front teeth phase, with exploding cheeks.."ya khwaty 3awzeen yetaklo" as said by all the "tante(s)" we met when they squeezed these cheeks in their hands. This other phase of talking so funny words...some of them linger to this day.."Ya banat esmo super market..mesh super martek"...not mentioning the ongoing fight to convince them that when they talk to me they should say "enta" mesh "enti". those with kids understand these phases, love them, cherich each of them, and know that this process of growing is a journey with its beauty on every step of the way..

However, when it comes to our faith, and commitement..we do sometimes forget these phases...we suddenly want to jump from crawling to sprint..from not knowing to mastering..we want to get there..being the "perfect christian" we want to be..without accepting the phases we should go through! Imagine if Leila realized that she didnt speak well at the age of 2 and decided to let go because speaking is not her thing..she is not made for that..imagine if farida decided that walking is made for someone else not her, just because she fell every time she started her walking experience..imagine what they would have missed..or imagine my pain as a father seeing them letting go..ans I know and i Told them they CAN walk..and they CAN talk..I thank God they believed my words..and went patiently through their growth phase!

Friends, do not let go of the gifts, promises our Father prepared and made for us..just accept your phases of faith..just accept your crwaling moments..above all accept the moment of falling, but get up and try again..dont stay down there..you will soon be walking..you will soon be running..and guess what...people around you will hold your cheeks, wil lift you up..will hold your hand..until they see you sprinting in the path of faith..they will love seeing you grow..and seeing you INSPIRING! Francis chan wrote it well "I don't want to keep crawling, when I have the ability to fly".

Come on, lets start this journey together!

Define the Relationship

All you need is a Decision! I wanna take you further in this thought..i am just imagining on the 8th of July 2004, standing in el batrakhana, i decided in front of everyone to marry Aline..it was our wedding day, we both took the decidion and here we start a relationship...imagine if after our wedding ceremony and the party and el kosha wel buffet, wel ma3azim..i go back home with my parents and she does the same and continue our lives normally the following days..did we decide? YES..but do we live iur marriage..do we live the commitement? NO..simply NO. Decision needs COMMITMENT to be a reality!

I am reading an amazing book now, i will share some thoughts with you, it talks about the DTR (defining the relationship..zat moment lamma el bent to2olak..ehna mawkefna eih fel mougtam3). It is the official talk that takes place at some point of time in a romantic relationship to define the level of commitement!

It is the same with Him..are we just fans (mo3gabeen) of Christ or real committed followers? I quote here from the book "The biggest threat to the church today is fans who call themselves Christians but arent actually interested in following Christ. They want to be close enough to Jesus to get all the benefits, but not so close that it requires anything from them."

Are you a fan or a follower?

Through Their Eyes...

Sabah el kheir ya gama3a..salute to the ones who could watch the tennis final last night and made it to the morning moment fresh start..to his or her morning minutes of silence and prayer! by the way, Isn't amazing that God created the day and the night, so we can start fresh Everyday..start a new beginning, a new hope, a new You..giving us this chance everyday!

Sometimes i do an exercise to get a new perspective of parenthood, i put myself in the shoes of my kids, looking from their eyes, thinking through their smaller view! one day doin this exercise, i got hit with this simple incident..on that day, seeing through their eyes i looked at us as parents and realized that the kids must be saying now out loud in their mind "you are cruel parents...you do not love us..why do you do this to us..dont you see the pain we are going through!? Dad, it is painful, cant you stop it please?" You know what, i even saw these expressions in their eyes filled with tears, in their screams filled with pain..we were so much in pain, our hearts aching as well seeing them going through this..but they HAVE to live this experience..they will pass through..they have to take their vaccines (el tat3eem)!!!

Can you imagine how hard for the kids to understand what they went through if they didnt come and ask us why? If they didnt have the full blinded trust in their Father, in their Mother..the trust that all they are going through is for their good? That in the middle of this fear and pain, we were there watching with love..telling them to trust us giving them a healthy future life...

Do we trust our Father that much, do we trust the one that said:

"Don’t be afraid. I saved you. I named you. You are mine. When you have troubles, I am with you. When you cross rivers, you will not be hurt. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not hurt you. That’s because I, the Lord, am your God. (Ashe3ya Isaiah 43:1-3 ERV)" and said “Can a woman forget her baby? Can she forget the child who came from her body? Even if she can forget her children, I cannot forget you. I drew a picture of you on my hand. You are always before my eyes. (Ashe3ya Isaiah 49:15, 16 ERV)". 

Just come and speak with Him like a father and He ll surely let you know His love.

Mondays

Monday, first day of the week, at least here..i know first day after the weekend has a heavy weight on our hearts..we just feel like "is it Monday already?! Le7e2na? Da lessa bn2oul ya Hady!" With Mondays, comes back the heavy weight of problems at work, week days mashaweer, school and studying, tests, difficulties...lots of things we dont wanna go through...
This brings me to think about God and his way of dealing with us..it makes us wonder where is He in the midst of the roaring sea we go through? Meanwhile, we pray in our daily prayers, for Him to look into us, clean, reshape and mold us in the creation He made us for! Bythw way...do we Really Really mean what we pray.."Beware what you wish for" (mesh faker men ay film el gomla dih..Aladin?)
This reminds of a very nice eye opener event I went through, but you knwo what..I will keep it for later for another morning...and this time, i wont talk much, though i feel i did already  I will leave you with this video..a bit longer than usual..but watch it till the last minute and pray it, act it, live it!

Just remember these verses "A new heart will I give you and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you shall heed My ordinances and do them. (حزقيال Ezekiel 36:26, 27 AMP)"

Enjoy your blessings today, all the day!

A Summer Vacation Plan

Those summer days...yes, i still have the memories of the summer vacation so VIVID and so energizing, it is a stock of happiness, freedom, joy that i go back to when the times get tough back in the real world (work, responsibilities, bills, etc). Thx fadi abinader myriam hany and all sunrise group for making a nice summer 2013!
This brings me to a realization that summer holiday didnt start end of july when i had my first day off...it started looonger than that..it started in me, in my mind, my talks and my thoughts as early as February or March..i started living the beach while i was still wearing my pullover and putting the heat on in the car during these cold mornings, we got the suntan lotions, the beach toys, the afternoon flavored tea we ll drink sa3et el 3assaary. We kept talking about our destination, deciding where to go, which hotel, reading reviews, checking booking.com, expdia, lonely planet, 3am 3abdo el bawab...we seek info and feedback everywhere and with everyone...why? Because we lived the vacation in our hearts already and wanted to know more about our destination..we wanted a guarantee of perfection..we even booked some restaurants few months ahead!!! I guess we are not the only ones doing so! Reviews website didnt flourish out of nothing...

This made me wonder: am I thinking about my final destination as much as my summer 2013? Do i really go checking this big book with the reviews about what to come and what to prepare for this trip? Do i Live this destination on earth? If i care that much about 2 summer weeks, will i care the same about eternity? If i am willing to do the utmost to make my summer the best, why do i take for granted my destination? Above all, can i live Heaven NOW? If it doesnt tell me much reading and preparing my trip, then i need to check whether i do really wanna go there or not. Above all, Jesus said it plain and clear..heaven starts now in our hearts "Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He replied to them by saying: 

The kingdom of God does not come with signs to be observed or with visible display, Nor will people say, Look! Here [it is]! or, See, [it is] there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]. (Luke 17:20, 21 AMP)"

Living Kingdom of God now, brought me to this amazing praise song made by my dear blessed friends (chantal, otta, steve) thanks for the inspiration to live this realtionship! Have a great Sunday!

ربي بقربك - عمانؤيل

Where is My Hug?

You men (and women) travelling for business will know what I am talking about! You know this moment at the end of your trip when you are at the airport's free shop searching for a gift for your little ones that are waiting for you back home..the little ones that you miss so much. At that moment, at the airport, i only dream about this simple loving act..THE RUN in my arms and THE HUG welcoming me back home..And me giving the girls their little gift! You all surely love this moment...we akid the hug and kiss of the wife too :)

However, one of these times, things did not go as i always loved it to be...i came back after 3 days away, opened the door, shouted HELLO and went on my knees waiting for that run and amazing hug...but i waited for longer than usual, i felt something was wrong..ran to their room, to find them playing normally (Thank God)..but they gave a normal 'hi'..one i sometimes get during the week back from work ..but not after travelling for 3 days! And then the LESSON HIT ME I knew what happened, i told aline to manage their expectations as i ran late and couldn't get them anything..i just felt that the RUN and the HUG were for the love of what I got, not for the love of who I am! What a painful moment for a loving Father!

I might be dramatizing it a bit...i know my kids love me so much..i love the moments when they just come to caress and kiss me and sit on my lap and they know that i adore them, i would do all the good for them ALWAYS, i would die for them. BUT this story above doesnt ring a bell...doesnt it remind you of a relationship you know...i had the same relation with my heavenly Father..till that moment when showed me the (No Hug) lesson.

Friends, praying has always been linked in my mind with demands, needs, and wants...till i realized that praying is much bigger..it s creating a relationship..a bond..knowing Him more..he is a living God with a living Holy spirit inside me! And i knew if i want to know Him, i d better sit with Him and read what He has to say.. only then prayer moments got a much much richer taste! Try it..let me know if i can help with some start ups!

"Don’t worry, because your Father in heaven knows that you need all these things. What you should want most is God’s kingdom and doing what he wants you to do. Then he will give you all these other things you need." (Matthew Matta 6:32, 33 ERV) "Your Father knows what you need before you ask him." (Matthew Matta 6:8 ERV)

Just Do It!

Is it really really important to sit everyday and have my time of prayer..sit with Him everyday? Tab youm wa7ed kefaya?..youmein tayeb? La2? Tab nos sa3a fel marra? Tab abl el akl ba3d el akl?! Everyone asked himself these questions one day..and I say, it depends what do you want out of this relationship. Before any of you decide to embark and commit to something, you know exactly what you are aiming for and the size of your desire defines the size of your prize and impact..just ask the ones who lost 10s of kilos in diet and what it did to their life, ask the ones who wake up everyday to go to the gym and see their shape and health trun for the better, the ones that quit smoking, ask the ones who commit to their studies ans make it through to the university..and yes, the ones that always get promted and grow in their carrers. Just ask yourself, in what were you committed and what did you get out of it. 

Your commitment is fuelled by what you will get at the end...let me ask you one thing: do you really want to see all God's promises turned to reality in your lives..do you the amazing fullfilment He promised..His promises are beyond any imagination..but for those who seek Him and really Love Him...those who come to HimI love those who love me, and those who look for me will find me. Those who find me find life, and the Lord will reward them. (Proverbs 8:17, 35 ERV)..and he is waiting with Open arms..in fact, He will Run to you just seeing there in the horizon coming to Him..yes he wil run to you as He did to "el ebn el dal" 

So he got up and came to his [own] father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was moved with pity and tenderness [for him]; and he ran and embraced him and kissed him [fervently]. (Luke 15:20 AMP). 

Just decide today..and Commit..and be amazed! Are you ready? Or will you just accept the minimal outcome that "yadobak" keeps you going. Decide and commit! You have done it somtime in your life before...Just Do it!

Where Everybody Knows Your Name...

How many of us feel just so proud, so special, so happy, and so comfortable....when you walk in a restaurant, cafe or even "el ba2al" and the owner there calls you by your name, knows you and shakes your hand! Yes, zat simple move wins the heart and loyalty of people at least me..and thats the basic foundation of retail marketing, knowing your customers cause they love being known..reminds me of the intro song of the famous sitcom "Cheers" with its known refrain (Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name). All this made think of The One that Knows me BEST (better than Aline or me even)...the one written about in Isaiah 43 (Ashe3ya) 

"Jacob, the Lord created you. Israel, he made you, and now he says, “Don’t be afraid. I saved you. "I named you". You are mine. When you have troubles, I am with you. When you cross rivers, you will not be hurt. When you walk through fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not hurt you. (Isaiah 43:1, 2)".. The same God in Psalm 139: "Lord, you have tested me, so you know all about me. You know when I sit down and when I get up. You know my thoughts from far away. You know where I go and where I lie down. You know everything I do. Lord, you know what I want to say, even before the words leave my mouth. You are all around me—in front of me and behind me. I feel your hand on my shoulder. (Psalms 139:1-5 ERV)" 

WOW...isnt it He the best marketer...just all i pray for is to get close to Him every day..every morning to know Him more and more..cause i am sure He will make feel more proud, happy and special than the Ba2al at the corner  enjoy this song!

 

Wake me Up!

Good morning friends...yes i know these tough minutes fighting in bed, your mind saying no, keep sleeping, your body pulling you down, and a secret magnet (yet scientist are trying to discover) is sticking you to bed! Talking about mornings, how many times, you ve heard the phrase 'you should start your day with Him, with prayers'...a lot i guess...well, i did..and i wNt to do wake up everyday and have my few minutes but surely need you to encourage me.

I searched the bible for some inspiration to see what 'the role model does'..and got HIT BY SURPRISE...do you know how Jesus starts his day or when even?! Read Mark 1...which I call 'a day in the life of Jesus'..he walked by galilee to 'recruit some disciples' then went to kafrna7oum where he teached the crowd and yes..get some demons out of a poor man..then went to Simon to find that his mother in law sick..he dealt with it and healed her..hope it didn't angry simon  then Now when it was evening, after the sun had set, they brought to Him all who were sick and those under the power of demons, Until the whole town was gathered together about the door. (Mark 1:32, 33 AMP)..yes the whole town..so guess ehen this day ended..FINALLY COMING TO MY POINT, what did Jesus do after this loong, hectic day? And in the morning, long before daylight, He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed. (Mark 1:35 AMP) WOW...did He need that..after such a day and night? 

Well..i guess i Do need it much more...this surprise made me take the decision, that i will wake up every morning and seek my time with Him..but who of you will encourage me..Who is with me? Let's wake up, share our thoughts and remember each other in prayer..i am sure we ll create a virtual group of vitamin souls to each others..not easy? 

But are you willing to join this challenge?

A Father's love

Couple of years ago, i went through an experience that turned my perception of what God is or i would say what we are to God. We took Farida to the doctor and for our surprise, he asked us to have her heart scanned! Yes, an almost 4 years old getting her heart scanned, cant tell you how this caught of off guard..and that moment, we looked up to Him with a question mark..But we took her to the hospital, and there she slept on that bed with lots of wires connected to her chest, but guess what her smile was not leaving her face as were next to her, she knew we were doing something good...but this sight of her on the bed WITH WIRES NEVER departed my mind as I felt so painful, so worried, so anxious, so LOVING! That was the moment that God put us through...it was for us to see..as i then realized, if me earthly father feel that pain..what about Him, our heavenly Father, how much love can He have for us? All this worry at that moment, turned to praise to thank him for being our Father..at that moment, i decided to keep believing that He is always righteous..yes it is a decision! And reading this in Isaiah 49:15-16 made it clear

 "[And the Lord answered] Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yes, they may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have indelibly imprinted (tattooed a picture of) you on the palm of each of My hands; [O Zion] your walls are continually before Me. (Isaiah 49:15, 16 AMP)" 

Watch this song..what a love! God bless your day!


http://youtu.be/sdA3Equ1I3s

He Speaks in Small voice

I just read this part this morning from 1Kings 19:11-12 "And He said, Go out and stand on the mount before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire [a sound of gentle stillness and] a still, small voice. (1 Kings 19:11, 12 AMP)" 

Yes, God comes not only in roaring thunders like we imagine, but in still small voice. I pray i can get to listen to this voice daily in the silence of the morning before jumping into my day..it will set my GPS properly and bring a much needed calmness!

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1Kgs%2019:11-1Kgs%2019:12

Guide You along the way

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.#Psalm 32:8 

Amazing words..and Amazing love that He sent us the Comforter to do exactly that..Do you believe that the HOLY SPIRIT is IN you? He is just a prayer away. Saba7ko fol.