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!)

A week at the "Granja"

Last week Leila, my 6 years old daughter, had her first camping experience for a whole week away from home! If you are worrying about her being away at this age...then you are worrying about the wrong person...she had great fun (as expected)! In fact, the ones to be worried about their coping are Aline and Farida who was never in her life been separated that long from her twin sister! What made it worse was the fact that parents were not allowed to call and check on their kids, no contacts nor news except the website of the school on which the camp director would post everyday few words and may be a couple of photos to keep the parents updated!

You guessed it right, this website was our life for a week...checking it every few hours, opening it before stepping out of bed..and when some words or photos were posted, it just lifted up the whole mood...but NOTHING compares to the moment of the real encounter when Leila came back..The Running Hug, the warming tears, the long chats, and the smiling joy back again.

All this in incident reminds me of our personal encounter with God. A lot of times, we are content and satisfied living on the stories about God told to us through a multitude of media. In this era of communication, the Word reaches us all day, we watch sermons, we get verses, hymns, stories about Him. We attend services and meetings, but might not have the time to sit one to one..seeking this personal heart melting encounter.

This opened my eyes to a new part of the famous Samaritan woman encounter in John 4. I just got jealous seeing the way the Samaritans in her village did not feel content solely by the stories she told them about The Messiah..but decided to go and experience Him directly..to find a whole new living faith!

"Now numerous Samaritans from that town believed in and trusted in Him because of what the woman said when she declared and testified...So when the Samaritans arrived, they asked Him to remain with them, and He did stay there two days. Then many more believed in and adhered to and relied on Him because of His personal message [what He Himself said]. And they told the woman, Now we no longer believe (trust, have faith) just because of what you said; for we have heard Him ourselves [personally], and we know that He truly is the Savior of the world, the Christ. (John 4:39-42 AMP)

فآمَنَ بهِ مِنْ تِلكَ المدينةِ كثيرونَ مِنَ السّامِريّينَ بسَبَبِ كلامِ المَرأةِ الّتي كانتْ تشهَدُ أنَّهُ: «قالَ لي كُلَّ ما فعَلتُ». فلَمّا جاءَ إليهِ السّامِريّونَ سألوهُ أنْ يَمكُثَ عِندَهُمْ، فمَكَثَ هناكَ يومَينِ. فآمَنَ بهِ أكثَرُ جِدًّا بسَبَبِ كلامِهِ. وقالوا للمَرأةِ: «إنَّنا لَسنا بَعدُ بسَبَبِ كلامِكِ نؤمِنُ، لأنَّنا نَحنُ قد سمِعنا ونَعلَمُ أنَّ هذا هو بالحَقيقَةِ المَسيحُ مُخَلِّصُ العالَمِ». (يوحَنا 4:39-42 AVDDV)

Dear Father, i long for this encounter..that would take me to a whole new level of Knowing You..Experiencing Your Love. I don't want to get to only hear about you..but I want to know You directly as The Savior and Christ. Amen!

Be Hungry for more my friends!

Upper Egypt

I have always been wondering during school days why is it called "Upper" Egypt...even though it is Down there, south...not Up! I thought is it خطأ شائع (common mistake)...so decided to check our own arabic language..and surprised to find it called الصعيد (Al sa3eid) which, after searching, realized it is derived from the verb صعد which means to escalate..to Go up! I am sure some of you-curious ones-had the same question. With all this realization, I then found out that this is what it takes for our dear "Nile" river to flow "down" to Cairo and towards the mediterranean..Flowing from a higher land to a lower platform. When I put all the pieces of the puzzle together..only then, I understood the "Upper" part of this name.

Ok..some of you wonder where I am heading to. The following verse was the reason:

...On that day Jesus stood up and said loudly, “Whoever is thirsty may come to me and drink. If anyone believes in me, rivers of living water will flow out from their heart. That is what the Scriptures say.” Jesus was talking about the Spirit.(John 7:37-39 ERV)
...وقَفَ يَسوعُ ونادَى قائلًا: «إنْ عَطِشَ أحَدٌ فليُقبِلْ إلَيَّ ويَشرَبْ. مَنْ آمَنَ بي، كما قالَ الكِتابُ، تجري مِنْ بَطنِهِ أنهارُ ماءٍ حَيٍّ». قالَ هذا عن الرّوحِ الّذي كانَ المؤمِنونَ بهِ مُزمِعينَ أنْ يَقبَلوهُ (يوحَنا 7:37-39 AVDDV)

What a strong expression our Lord Is using here..Rivers of Living Water flowing from YOUR hearts. The image of the serenity, yet the unstoppable power of the Nile flashed in my mind..the realization that it flows from a higher "Upper" ground helped me understand what prayer does to our hearts! In Prayer, our soul is lifted up to the skies..our hearts elevate to meet God on the mountains..we are brought to Higher grounds looking down to all earthly matters, problems and worries..flooding all our surrounding with the fruits that the flowing river of the Spirit brings: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22, 23 ERV).

Go "Down" on your knees..to be Lifted to "Upper" grounds my friends!

The Kieso Accounting Bible

I will never forget my first few months at work..so many learnings and eye openers! Here I am a fresh graduate..so looking forward to jump into the professional pool..kicking behind me all the studies, books and boring classrooms! In fact, I did pack all my reference study books into a bag in the attic "في السندرة" with a big smile on my face and a good bye kiss!

Until one day I was struck by this incident and it goes like this:

• Me: ya Hani, I am facing a mental block..don't know how to treat this accounting entry..debit walla credit walla eih belzabt?
• Hani "replying with a laugh": bas keda basita awy..hatli yabni Kieso men 3andak..you ll find it there on that desk..
• Me: kieso da yeb2a meen 7adretak..kees meen elli btetkalem 3aleih?
• Hani "with a louder laugh": Kieso ya ragel..it is THE MOST famous accounting reference book..it is the bible of accountants! If you wanna do the right accounting...flip these pages...you will find the way!

Funny enough, I took "Kieso" in my hands and started reading with full passion and hunger..I was seeking knowledge on how to do my job right..i did care being the best employee i can be..and prove to my new company that I can add value. So ironic, I had my own copy of "Kieso" trapped in a bag in the attic not knowing that it had what I needed to do my work right..it was THE same kieso that drove me to sleep every time i read few lines in it during those study days..I didn't have a real purpose reading it that time..it was so abstract..but then came to life when my life needed it! Since that moment, all my university reference books left the attic and became  tools to achieve my professional goals!

Doesn't it sound familiar?! Sure it does to me...amazingly similar case with my own Bible..THE Bible. It was so boring, so covered with dust and only used as decoration "blessing or بركة" in my room..next to my bed (at least it didn't make it to the attic). I felt that Its words are abstract and not reaching my reality until my reality was seeking a change. Yes, it is only when I had to face life deciding to be the best Son I can be to my Father...to take my faith seriously..and not for granted..just then, I needed a guide showing what can be done to bring value to this world, to myself, my family, friends, work, and more. I then decided to open this Book with a different eye..an eye of a person that seeks answers..that wants to live how it is meant to be...to bring this Love I hear about into my daily practice..there must be a way, an answer..and the answer is there..in His Words..in the Reference I never had a purpose or drive to read!

كُلُّ الكِتابِ هو موحًى بهِ مِنَ اللهِ، ونافِعٌ للتَّعليمِ والتَّوْبيخِ، للتَّقويمِ والتّأديبِ الّذي في البِرِّ، لكَيْ يكونَ إنسانُ اللهِ كامِلًا، مُتأهِّبًا لكُلِّ عَمَلٍ صالِحٍ. (تيموثاوُسَ الثّانيةُ 3:16, 17

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17 NLT)

Do you REALLY wanna live your faith? Dust off your Book..and Shine His Love!

Hola, hablo español

"Vamos a la playa...يلا نروح البلاج" was probably the most complex sentence I could say in spanish:-) and suddenly i had to move my life to Madrid where only with one sentence, I wont go anywhere (!ثم مدريد ما فيهاش بحر اساساً). I started studying Spanish..since we are not in Amsterdam anymore where 105% of the population speaks English..in Spain..it is Spanish..even in every single moment at work! Friends, i can confirm that statement..Language is Practicing! Learning the verbs, studying the vocab, listening to the radio/tv wont get you any where if you dont practice it and put it to action!

I want to share with you an observation, Leila and Farida after 3 years in Amsterdam school, they went out with almost zero dutch words..their entourage didnt require it..almost all kids were french! BUT here in a school where 90% of the kids are Spanish..they had to face the tough moments in their playground الفسحة when all their surrounding was only interacting and playing in Spanish..was very tough change...but they had a choice..either practice their languange, face their world and blend in..or decide to keep their spanish only for the classroom and get broken, hopeless facing their outside real world (being their playground). Thank God they decided to put their learning to action!

Same is our faith, we can not just decide to read about it, or know about it, have someone read it to us, keep it for church time only...if we want to live a strong faith and have flexy spiritual muscles..we have to train and train hard..accept the tests you go through as training field, go out and practice what you believe is your faith..and most of all, speak about it, live it, talk it, sing it...Bring it to life..Make it a Life!

St. Paul wrote it perfectly in his letter to Philippeans (فيلبي)..Even him with all the spiritual strength he owned..he knew what training meant for his faith..

ليس أنّي أقولُ مِنْ جِهَةِ احتياجٍ، فإنّي قد تعَلَّمتُ أنْ أكونَ مُكتَفيًا بما أنا فيهِ. أعرِفُ أنْ أتَّضِعَ وأعرِفُ أيضًا أنْ أستَفضِلَ. في كُلِّ شَيءٍ وفي جميعِ الأشياءِ قد تدَرَّبتُ أنْ أشبَعَ وأنْ أجوعَ، وأنْ أستَفضِلَ وأنْ أنقُصَ. (فيلِبّي 4:11, 12)

And guess what..these verses come just before the famous verse of "i can do all things through Christ who strengthen me"..so throughout our training..we do have a great Coach!

Dear God, I thank you that you asked us to go out to the world and live our faith, thank you for being our strength and for the Holy Spirit that guides us daily..to put a faith in action. Amen.

Friends, may i ask you to pray for my aunt who is, in this moment, going through a critical operation..she as well as us are thrown in the training field. Your Cheers "prayers" will help us through it.

There is No Bad Weather .. Only Bad Clothing!

"It is freezing outside!!" Moving to Amsterdam few years ago gave us loads of NEW surprises, and guess what, the weather is on the top of the list! We are now in the middle of season change, like these days, winter knocking on the doors, and a very anxious "Egyptian Family" whose cold winters were 20 degrees, is getting ready to face the -15 freezing cold.

One day at a parents school meeting, we started talking with a professor about how bad the weather is and how worried we are for the kids's first winter here...and he commented back unexpectedly-in a "cold" way:
"There is nothing called bad weather...there is only Bad Clothing!"
Boom..this was enough to silence and put us in thinking mode..it is quite true isn't?!

Same for life, this sentence fits perfectly. God did not promise an all-Spring life time on earth..i didn't read about الدنيا ربيع in the bible..in fact i read much more about thunder storms, tornadoes, hurricane...knowing that wearing our heavy warming Coat of FAITH is what will help us go through these tough times, the times of loss, of pain, of anger and rage..the time we seek revenge for someone taking away the life of our kids like happened yesterday in وراق church..i build my faith on the One who said:

قد كلَّمتُكُمْ بهذا ليكونَ لكُمْ فيَّ سلامٌ. في العالَمِ سيكونُ لكُمْ ضيقٌ، ولكن ثِقوا: أنا قد غَلَبتُ العالَمَ». (يوحَنا 16:33)

“I have told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have troubles. But be brave! I have defeated the world!” (John 16:33 ERV)

Dear God, I pray today with heart full of faith, asking you to fill us up and the ones who lost yesterday dear ones, with your Holy Spirit, the comforter, who will guide us in times of trials..yes, i am afraid, but i know that wearing faith in You..You are bigger than any fear and with you, we shall conquer the valley of death and return back love to the ones who offense us! In Jesus name, Amen.

اما  فيش حاجة اسمها الجو وحش

عندما إنتقلنا للحياة في أمستردام لأول مرة منذ سنوات ، صادفتنا كثير من المفاجات الجديدة ، وتخيل .. الطقس كان من أول المفاجات في القائمة
نحن الان في منتصف موسم التغيير ، وفي مثل هذه الايام ، كان الشتاء يدق على أبوابنا، "عائلة مصرية" تعودنا إن أقل إنخفاض في درجة الحرارة يصل الى ٢٠ درجة مئوية ، و نحن الان نفس العائلة المصرية ، نستعد لمواجهة -١٥ درجة
!نستعد لمواجهة الثلج 
وفي إجتماع أولياء الأمور بالمدرسة ، كنت أتحدث مع أحد المدرسين عن برودة الجو و عن قلقي على بناتي الصغيرات من أول شتاء لهم في هذا الطقس السئ
 :فأجابني على غير توقع ، و بطريقة تماثل الجو " ببرودة "
" لا يوجد ما يسمى بالطقس السئ .. توجد فقط ملابس سيئة "

كان رده صادم ، كاف لنسكت تماماً و نفكر
!!أنه على حق ، أليس كذلك ؟

وبالمثل حياتنا ، نجد أن هذا القول مناسب تماماً
فالله لم يعدنا بربيع طوال أيامنا على الارض .. فلم أقرأ عن "الدنيا ربيع " في أي صفحة من صفحات الكتاب المقدس
بل عن عواصف رعدية و أعاصير
و نعلم إن إرتداءنا لمعاطف ثقيلة دافئة من " الايمان " هو ما يعبر بنا خلال الأوقات الباردة العصيبة
تمر بنا عواصف من الخسارة و الألم ، براكين من الغضب و الثورة .. أعاصير تسعى بنا للإنتقام
.. تمر بنا إضطهادات و ضيقات و تجارب
 : عندها أحتمي و أبني إيماني على من قال

"قد كلَّمتُكُمْ بهذا ليكونَ لكُمْ فيَّ سلامٌ. في العالَمِ سيكونُ لكُمْ ضيقٌ، ولكن ثِقوا: أنا قد غَلَبتُ العالَمَ». (يوحَنا 16:33 )

إلهي الحبيب
أصلي اليوم بقلب ملئ بالإيمان ، أن تسكب فينا ، نحن و كل إنسان فقد عزيزاً ، أو يسعى لإنتقام ، أو يملأه الغضب و الحزن ، أن تسكب الروح القدس في قلوبنا ، الروح المعزي ، الذي يقودنا في وقت التجارب
نعم ، أحياناً أخاف ، و لكن أستعد جيداً و أرتدي الايمان بك ، أنت أكبر من كل خوف ، بك نهزم وادي الموت و نعيد الحب الى قلوب من يكرهنا
في إسم يسوع آمين 

!خلينا منورين

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!

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!