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!

Each Day Counts

"It is already end of Feb, and we didn't get to know our targets yet! The year is flying by...!" We all feel the "need of time" when it comes to target achievements! In the corporate world, I know quite well the frustration generated when "targets setting" is taking time and getting quite late. You do feel that everyday passing in the year is a lesser chance/opportunity for you to deliver on the agreed targets expected from you and the team. "If I only had just couple of weeks more..." A statement you don't wanna see yourself saying in December..late action on your goals leaves you with fewer months to perform and excel..and you don't want to end short of achievement because you only didn't have time or just wasted what you had! It is true, I also feel the time pressure when we do get close to a due date...i guess you can even link it to your days of studies..when the exam was knocking on the door, the most valuable thing becomes TIME that you might have wasted in the early few months of the year.

No wonder the writer of Ecclesiastes (سفر الجامعة)-an amazing book in the bible- draws our attention to not waste the days of youth..the early days of your life..the first few months of the year...the time when DO have time and life in front of you. We have seen lately lives "cut short"..young women and men departing before we thought they would...this puts even more time pressure! The verse goes like this:

Remember your Creator while you are young, before the bad times come—before the years come when you say, “I have wasted my life.” (Ecclesiastes 12:1 ERV)
فاذكُرْ خالِقَكَ في أيّامِ شَبابِكَ، قَبلَ أنْ تأتيَ أيّامُ الشَّرِّ أو تجيءَ السِّنونَ إذ تقولُ: «ليس لي فيها سُرورٌ». (الجامِعَةِ 12:1 AVDDV)

One thing for sure I don't like hearing myself saying.."if I only knew earlier..if i only acted when i had time..wish I could turn back time!"

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for the days you have blessed me with and I pray that the remaining ones are lived for you, for the goals you have set in front of our eyes..for the days, hours and minutes that pass by..passing by acting for the Glory and a Better life You have promised. I know it is NEVER too late with You..Give me the strength to start NOW. In Jesus Name, Amen!

Make each day worth it, my friends!

Ibrahim Badran

Ibrahim Badran, a name that I have been encountering a lot these past days. For those who don't know, he is a young man who has gone through a terrible accident and now lying in coma. I do not know him personally, but I can tell you that this he is surrounded by true loving friends. I have seen and am part of a prayer group around the clock putting Ibrahim in the Hands of our Healing God...i have seen prayer groups on Whatsapp..young men and women sharing in true belief their deep prayers and i could even read their tears wetting these lines..i could feel the hard times they are going through..the shock and reminder such incident creates in his surrounding. We have all been through these times. What touches me the most is the simple fact that some of them are labeling themselves "far from God nonreligious not practicing person" yet their prayers did melt my heart..they came and kneel down in Faith knowing that we have a Loving Father to go back to.

This brought my attention to an amazing story of healing we all know: the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years! Despite seeing Jesus on the road in the midst of suffocating crowds, And knowing she was "unpure نجسة" for her bleeding yet she believed whole heartedly in Jesus Power over sickness 
"For she kept saying to herself, If I only touch His garment, I shall be restored to health. (Matthew 9:21). 

And Jesus felt her special touch of faith despite all the people surrounding and pushing Him. This stunning story is NOT what amazed me, but the context of this incident in all of the three books of the bible (Matthew 9, Mark 5, Luke 8) mentioning it happening in the middle of another story حدث داخل حدث..the healing of the daughter of Jairus, a leader in the synagogue whose daughter was on the verge of death asking Jesus healing touch upon her. Jesus was on his way to Jairus home when this encounter with the bleeding lady happened. The sickness of Jairus' daughter was the reason for the bleeding woman Healing encounter! Wow! A miracle within a miracle..a story within a story..this IS our life..and this IS what I see happening through Ibrahim Badran!

Dear Heavenly Father, i come to you today putting Ibrahim in your own loving hands. I know that you listen to our prayers not because the good in us or in Ibrahim but because of Who You Are..because of your promises to Your sons and daughters. I put at your feet all the hearts seeking your touch for Ibrahim..to touch their own Hearts first and know that you are Good..all the way. I unite my prayers to the the Leper who worshiped You saying, Lord, if You are WILLING You are able to cleanse me by curing me. May Your Will be done..and may Hearts be healed along the way! In Jesus name, Amen.

Pray for Ibrahim..and for your Hearts my friends!

Music To My Ears!

Exercise + Music = The perfect boost one needs to run the extra mile..to lift the extra weight or to push forward till the end of this fitness class. Yes, I have always been amazed by the power music has on the mood of people and the energy and enthusiasm they show. Out of experience, when I go out for a run without my "Dance pumping" music in my ears..i feel half the energy i usually have...I specially love it when after reaching your deepest drained and tired moments, comes in your "Energy Booster song" to pump you up. Nike have noticed it and created this option of "energy song" in the Running application. Whether into sports or not, but I am sure you have your own music booster. I had once a talk with a pro player about this, and he told me that the impact of cheering is a magic no one can describe...it just keeps him pumped-up going no matter how hard the situation seemed!

I just realized that my walk through life needs that lifting up-beats..needs that cheering so I can face the tough times I go through...and I found it in His Words. Yes, listening and reading His Words every morning and keep them lingering in my heart and my thoughts is the Pumping energy I need. Last week, I woke up with a verse surrounding my thoughts...and didn't know that this day i would be going through a tough moment at work..when it jumped in again, just at that moment, to chase away the worries and fears this moment could have installed in me! It was a revelation..I just felt Him speaking these words in my ears at the right moment! What a pumping up feeling!

«إنَّ هذِهِ الوَصيَّةَ الّتي أوصيكَ بها اليومَ لَيسَتْ عَسِرَةً علَيكَ ولا بَعيدَةً مِنكَ. بل الكلِمَةُ قريبَةٌ مِنكَ جِدًّا، في فمِكَ وفي قَلبِكَ لتَعمَلَ بها. (التَّثنيَة 30:11, 14 AVDDV)

For this commandment which I command you this day is not too difficult for you, nor is it far off. But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your mind and in your heart, so that you can do it. (Deuteronomy 30:11, 14 AMP)

Dear Friend, out of experience, I have felt the fueling power of His Words in my days, I hear His voice when I am weak..I feel His cheers when I am fighting trials. Keep His words in your mouth, minds and hearts, close to you. As People "automatically feel the beat" of the music they listen to and instinctively adjust their walking pace and heart rate to the tempo of the music, Choose to feel His beat and adjust your steps to His Love! 

Keep the music in your heart my friend!