The "Wanting" to Change

"Coaching" is the big thing now in the world of human development. Who ever is in the business world knows what "coaching" means. Most of the time, it is a one to one tailor made form of training made for executives, that unlike traditional therapy, which often focuses on the past, on who you got to where you are now, coaching focus on the present and future, on where you want to go (in life or business) and the most effective way to get there.

I am reading these days a book by one of the top business coaches in our days "Marshall Goldsmith" with an interesting title and topic "What Got You Here Wont Get You There". He was talking about his role as a coach and his ability to make success with his clients who with, a big ego, tend to resist a needed change. He wrote a statement that caught my attention "I have now made peace with the fact that I can not 'make' people change. I can only help them get better at what they 'choose' to change". This "wanting to change" is the key. Boom! This is so simple..yet powerfully true!

Same in the spiritual world, our Loving god has created us with the free will to "choose and want". I guess that the most amazing changes happened to the ones wanting to go the extra mile..wanting to reject their reality and embrace a new world...the ones that made God's might meet their heart's desire. Their boldness and courage melt my heart. Every time I read the story of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar at the wall of Jericho, I see this boldness that I pray having one day. Those 6 lines in Mark 10:46-52 are worth reading..every letter of it. The scene is great to imagine and allow me to quote these three verses:

فلَمّا سمِعَ أنَّهُ يَسوعُ النّاصِريُّ، ابتَدأَ يَصرُخُ ويقولُ: «يا يَسوعُ ابنَ داوُدَ، ارحَمني!» فانتَهَرَهُ كثيرونَ ليَسكُتَ، فصَرَخَ أكثَرَ كثيرًا: «يا ابنَ داوُدَ، ارحَمني!». فوَقَفَ يَسوعُ وأمَرَ أنْ يُنادَى. فنادَوْا الأعمَى قائلينَ لهُ: «ثِقْ! قُمْ! هوذا يُناديكَ». (مَرقُسَ.  10:47-49)

He heard that Jesus from Nazareth was walking by. So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, please help me!” Many people criticized the blind man and told him to be quiet. But he shouted more and more, “Son of David, please help me!” Jesus stopped and said, “Tell him to come here.”” (Mark 10:47-49 ERV)

The blind Bartimaeus's deep manifested desire caught the attention of Jesus and literally stopped Him! This is a person that took 4 crucial decisions: He knew he was blind...He didnt accept his situation...wanted deep down to change..and finally he knew in Whose hands to put his faith! I am sure if Marshall Goldsmith had Bartimaeus as an executive under coaching..He would have written about his success story of change!

God, i pray to have this faith..I pray to have the listening soul for the "coaching" of your Holy Spirit. Amen

May the blind open the eyes of our heart, Lord!

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?

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!