Recruiting Talents

Recruiting services, interviews, head hunting, Linked-in, panels, tests, CVs..Those who have been applying for a job know quite well what I am talking about. But this time, I speak to the ones (the managers out there) who want to fill a vacancy (تعيين) in their teams and just can NOT find the good caliber, the good quality potential employees that you would be proud joining your team.
Every time I think about it, The whole concept of Head Hunting or recruitring services still amazes me..we pay professional companies (which i do respect a lot) to find out for us someone good enough to take the job. In markets like Egypt or even here in Spain (with an unemployment of 26%), you would expect loads of high potential workers are there knocking on the door to fill that vacant job, but no it is not the case, seems you can not find easily the serious high quality dedicated ones to help you drive the company further..you need to depend on such HR companies to find for you the right ones....because basically the market is FULL of workers but VERY FEW are equipped, dedicated and willing to walk the extra mile with you!

Don't worry,nothing new..Here is the comforting news..Even Jesus 2000 years ago said exactly the same (after a long day of "work" among the most needing)..

حينَئذٍ قالَ لتلاميذِهِ: «الحَصادُ كثيرٌ ولكن الفَعَلَةَ قَليلونَ. (مَتَّى 9:37 AVDDV)

Jesus said to his followers, “There is such a big harvest of people to bring in. But there are only a few workers to help harvest them. (Matthew 9:37 ERV)

It just made me wonder with the billions out there, How can this statement be still relevant..and yes, the above recruitment story confirmed it to me. Then got that moment of shock, realizing that I might be on that "poor quality" worker among the mass, or am I up to the Challenge taking a role and making a difference on the the field? I know that God created EACH one of us with great potential, yet we need to apply for the job and show our seriousness! Did you lately check your worth in the market..let me tell you..you are priceless, just head to the fields and Start!

Dear God, I thank you for opening our eyes that there is a big harvest..i thank you for choosing each of us with a call and purpose in life..amazing after such a day full of your works, you said this statement showing us we have to continue what you have started. I pray that our hearts and eyes are open to the work we have a head of us..and i wait for the day we celebrate achieving your work..all together! In Jesus name, Amen.

Note: just read the full chapter Matthew 9, i was Amazed by the amount of work needed out there!

Stand your Ground!

"Stand your ground-اثبت مكانك" ...a statement (and a song) that keeps going in mind everytime I negotiate and discuss with...my 6 years old twins!
Leila (or Farida): Can i play with the ball here..please!
Me: No, no ball inside the house!
She: Pleazzzzeeee!
Me: No is No..خلاص
She: Mwah (بوسة و حضون عميق)
Me: Ok..just 2 minutes
She: Heeeeiihh..merci Pa.."another mwah (بوسة تانية في السريع)"
..(5 minutes later)...
TRAKHHH..اتكسرت الفازة..and even صمغ امير cant fix the vase anymore!
Me: see..That s why I said you should not do this in this the house! Next time just obey!
She (with tears in the eyes): ..But at the end you said OK just for 2 minutes!
Me:.....(silence)

If you are parenting (or managing), you know this moment when you give a direction/order and they start pushing against it and win..you just lose your ground, and as a parent, your words lose their strength and impact..so dont expect them to listen to your directions easily.

This reminds of the times i lost my ground to fighting wrong doings..i say no..but then open the door of negotiation with sin! I lost almost every battle when i decided to keep the door slighly open..because part of me was accepting who I am negotiating with and wanting what i m refusing. Feels so bitter, makes you feel like a loser..and that is exactly the intention of falling, is to get you broken and useless. I read lately the stories of two great names in the bible (Daniel and Joseph) who stood their ground and said no..i encourage you to read them..i selected two verses, that I keep in front of me in times of trial:

أمّا دانيآلُ فجَعَلَ في قَلبِهِ أنَّهُ لا يتنَجَّسُ بأطايِبِ المَلِكِ (دانيآل 1:8 AVDDV)
فأمسَكَتهُ بثَوْبِهِ قائلَةً: «اضطَجِعْ مَعي!». فترَكَ ثَوْبَهُ في يَدِها وهَرَبَ وخرجَ إلَى خارِجٍ. (التَّكوينُ 39:12 AVDDV)

Daniel Just deciding in his heart (not his mind..that tends to negotiate), refusing the great food of the king (and its political implications).. Joseph fleeing a beautiful queen (imagine nefertiti like) wanting him...(or any type of temptation that you know is not correct)...is SO powerful..and yes they got into problems later..but these problems were the turning point to a great life of faith..they got blessed beyond imagination!..just thinking what if they accepted..and negotiated?!

Dear God...i come to you today with all the shameful falls i went through, asking you to pick me up..get into your loving Hug and knowing that I am not alone..I thank you that Your grace is sufficient for me, for Your power is made perfect in my weakness.(2 Corinthians 12:9) ..I thank you for the Holy spirit lifting me up through trials..my strength is in You..I need your Peace! Amen

Do not negotiate..Stand your grounds my friends!

 !!إثبت مكانك
كلمات أغنية تظل تتردد في عقلي كل مرة أدخل في مفاوضات هامة مع .. بناتي التوأم ( عمرهما ٩ سنوات)
ليلة ( أو فريده ) : بابا ، ممكن ألعب بالكرة هنا .. Pleaaase !
!أنا : لأ .. مفيش كرة في البيت
ليلة : pleaaazzzzze !
أنا : لأ يعني لأ .. خلاص
ليلة : موووواه " بوسة و حضن عميق "
أنا : خلاص دقيقتين و بس
ليلة : هييييييه ، Merci Pa ، مواه ( بوسة تانية في السريع)
!بعد خمس دقايق ، دششششش ، الڤازة إتكسرت
حتى صمغ أمير مش هينفع يصلح الڤازة تاني
أنا : شوفتي ! علشان كده أنا قلت مينفعش كرة في البيت ! المرة الجاية إبقي إسمعي الكلام
!!ليلة و عينيها مدمعة : لكن في الآخر إنت وافقت و قلت لي إلعبي دقيقتين
أنا : ..... ( صمت )

لو إنت أب ( أم ) أو مدير تنظم سير العمل ، تعرف جيداً تلك اللحظات حين توجه أو تعطي أمر ثم يبدأ نقاش وجدال و مفاوضات بغرض تعديل رأيك ، يدفعونك لتغير موقفك ، و يكسبون
أنت عندها تفقد " أرضك " ، و كأب .. كلامك سيفقد قوته و سيضعف تأثيره .. فلا تتوقع أن ينفذوا كلامك فيما بعد بسهولة
!وهذا يذكرني بالأوقات التي فقدتُ فيها " أرضاً " في معارك ضد الخطية ، أبدأُ بكلمة " لا " .. ثم أفتح باباً للنقاش
أخسر كل المعارك عندما أترك الأبواب " مواربة " ، لأن جزء مني يرحب بما أتفاوض حوله ، و جزء مني يرغب بشدة ما أحاول أن أرفضه
إحساس مرير ، شعورك بالفشل ! و هذا هو الغرض من السقوط ، أن تنكسر فتصبح عديم القيمة

قرأت مؤخراً عن رجلين عظيمين في الكتاب المقدس
عن دانيال و عن يوسف . اللذين ثبتا مكانهما و قالا " لا " أشجعك أن تقرأ عنهما ، إخترت آيتين لأجعلهما أمامي في كل مرة أمر بتجربة من هذا النوع ..

أمّا دانيآلُ فجَعَلَ في قَلبِهِ أنَّهُ لا يتنَجَّسُ بأطايِبِ المَلِكِ (دانيآل 1:8 )
فأمسَكَتهُ بثَوْبِهِ قائلَةً: «اضطَجِعْ مَعي!». فترَكَ ثَوْبَهُ في يَدِها وهَرَبَ وخرجَ إلَى خارِجٍ. (التَّكوينُ 39:12 )

دانيال .. قرر في قلبه ( وليس عقله الذي ربما يفتح باباً للنقاش ) أن يرفض " أطايب الملك " طعامه الشهي
و يوسف يهرب من ملكة جميلة ( تخيل نفرتيتي مثلاً ) ترغب فيه أو لك أن تتخيل أي تجربة أو إغراء تعرف في داخلك أنه خاطئ
إحساس عنيف ، نزاع صعب ، و نعم بالطبع واجه كلاهما ( دانيال و يوسف ) مشاكل كثيرة نتيجة قراراتهما الصارمة ، و لكن هذه المشاكل لم تكن سوى نقطة تحول عظيمة في حياة و إيمان كل منهما ..ملأت البركة حياتهما بما يفوق التخيل و التصورات
و تخيل معي .. ماذا لو قبل أي منهما النقاش و ترك باب المفاوضات موارباً 

..إلهي الحبيب
!آتي نحوك الآن ، بكل سقطاتي المخجلة ، أتضرع إليك أن تقيمني ، تنتشلني ، أرتمي في أحضان حبك ، و أعلم أني لست وحدي
!أشكرك لأن نعمتك تكفيني ، و أن قوتك تكمل في ضعفي
!أشكرك لأجل الروح القدس الذي يقيمني وقت التجربة و الإختبارات ، قوتي فيك ، لأني بشدة أحتاج سلامك
.آمين

!صديقي .. لا تتفاوض .. إثبت مكانك 

!خلينا منورين ️

Zzzz...Snooze...Zzzz

"Ttrrreenn...Snooze...zzzz..ttrreenn..snooze..zzzz..trrrnn...snooze..OH MY GOD I M VERY LATE!" I personally know this cycle of event quite well..been through it several times. Alarm clock (or the mobile nowadays)..most of us use this great invention coming niw with a great option called "Snooze"..where u can tell ur alaram litereally

"سيبني انام كمان خمس دقايق ابوس ايدك..و كمان خمسة...طب اخر خمسة"

I read lately an article about the first 5 emotional mistakes you do before 9am..and guess what "snoozing" was one of them. You just get the sign that it is time to wake up..but you just prefer a bit of laziness..silencing it..ignoring..deciding that you still have time..and you probably wake up late with some half guilt feeling, failing your fist task of the day, which is get out of bed at whatever time you set the alarm for. Snooze is nice..but dangerous if you get used to it!

Funny enough, our minds and hearts function the same when we get the Alarms of life, we just snooze knowing that there is another "5 minutes"..another tomorrow..and I experience so many alarms lately..yes, one of these is the moment of truth when you meet a school friend after long time..and you see how older he got..he is not that same energetic person..some wrinkles, grey hair..fatter..slower..and yes, only realizing that time goes so Fast..and , it is a reflection of YOU..you are growing as well!

How many things you want to do and you keep "snoozing" your mind and heart alarms, you want to start that sport, learn that cake, get a new language, do good to your community, get closer to Him and start knowing Him truly..but you always snooze ignoring so many signs..My fear is that some time, i snooze till i miss the meeting I should go to, I snooze until it is too late..the shocking thing is that in life, i dont know when "late" exactly is..no one knows the "meeting time" but Him.

Dont get lazy, delay your plans to start something new..something great..whatever it is, put it in His hands and..stop snoozing your life!

نَفسُ الكَسلانِ تشتَهي ولا شَيءَ لها، ونَفسُ المُجتَهِدينَ تسمَنُ. (أمثالٌ 13:4 AVDDV)

Dear Lord, I pray for the strength of your Holy spirit filling me to do what I can do TODAY, to know that the present is what you gave me to live and make the day the fullest. I pray for strength to start now! Amen.

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.