The WHOLE Truth

She Told me the WHOLE Truth!

That moment in which I know Farida is hiding something, a moment of following anxiously her actions, of feeling she avoids direct contact with me. She knows perfectly what´s wrong yet she fears how unhappy I will be, so she decides to go along and act as if nothing happened. But still something shows behind that smile, behind this face trying to hide into this puzzle she is doing. I assure you parents out there know these awkward minutes and wait for that moment of truth. Finally Farida comes to me, opens up in tears and tells me the WHOLE STORY…tells me about how bad she feels not standing next to her sister at school when their friends decided to include only her in the game leaving Leila out. She knew her sister was sad but still chose to side with the friends. That moment of truth not only cleansed her heart but brought them together stronger than before realising that her happiness with friends is worthless if it is on the account of her sister. What a Moment to remember when she told me ALL THE TRUTH despite knowing it might annoy me and openly admitting her love to her sister…She believed in our forgiveness!

Reading in Mark 5 the famous incident of the woman with flow of blood-who sneaked in the crowd to touch the clothes, the hem of the garment of Jesus, knowing in her heart that this simple touch would heal her sickness and ailment that no doctor could take away for 12 painful years-I stood still noticing that same MOMENT of Truth I experienced with Farida:

But the woman, knowing what had been done for her, though alarmed and frightened and trembling, fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. (Mark 5:33 AMP)
وأمّا المَرأةُ فجاءَتْ وهي خائفَةٌ ومُرتَعِدَةٌ، عالِمَةً بما حَصَلَ لها، فخَرَّتْ وقالَتْ لهُ الحقَّ كُلَّهُ. (5 مَرقُسَ:33 )

She knew she did something wrong, touching THE Master while being impure and unclean with her bleeding, she might have been afraid and trembling…but she didn’t hide it…she did what His heart was looking for…she fell before Him and TOLD HIM ALL THE TRUTH…like a daughter into the arms of her father.

Dear friends, how often we keep things in our hearts in fear of shame and disgrace in the eyes of our Heavenly Father? I have been so many times hiding my feelings, my wrong doings and weaknesses believing life will go on…not wanting to tell Him THE WHOLE TRUTH in prayer. But then, his woman brought it clear to me…her healing was in her heart before her body…her faith in admitting her weakness and belief in His endless power to heal brought me to realize that the truth and ONLY the truth at His feet will set free.

Do not stand trembling in your prayer…open you heart...Bring Him THE TRUTH…the WHOLE truth…He wants to hear you and Heal you!

Keep shining my friends!

Something to Talk About...

Give them Something to Talk About...

As a parent, making my kids happy is priceless. We plan a lot of outings, activities, trips to hear their loud laughs and rejoice through their glittering joyful eyes. Their purity speaks out loud when something really touches them...I can see the proof when they pick up the phone and tell their grandma the fun they had in details and excitement. Suddenly, you ll realize, as a father and mother, that you gave your loved ones SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT... not just some hours or days, but a moment, a memory and a story to last as long as they live...a story that makes your heart dance with pride and love!

Reading Mark 5, a young man with a ruined life, living in tombs, deserted by his family and friends, feared by his town, had a transformational encounter with Jesus. This young man, once fully entrenched in evil, was finally delivered and freed. A Miracle, a moment and a great story to tell was created in this man's life, who wanted to stay along with Jesus, but our Lord had a different mission for him:

"And when He had stepped into the boat, the man who had been controlled by the unclean spirits kept begging Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus refused to permit him, but said to him, Go home to your own [family and relatives and friends] and bring back word to them of how much the Lord has done for you, and [how He has] had sympathy for you and mercy on you. And he departed and began to publicly proclaim in Decapolis [the region of the ten cities] how much Jesus had done for him, and all the people were astonished and marveled." (Mark 5:18-20 AMP)
ولَمّا دَخَلَ السَّفينَةَ طَلَبَ إليهِ الّذي كانَ مَجنونًا أنْ يكونَ معهُ، فلَمْ يَدَعهُ يَسوعُ، بل قالَ لهُ: «اذهَبْ إلَى بَيتِكَ وإلَى أهلِكَ، وأخبِرهُمْ كمْ صَنَعَ الرَّبُّ بكَ ورَحِمَكَ». فمَضَى وابتَدأَ يُنادي في العَشرِ المُدُنِ كمْ صَنَعَ بهِ يَسوعُ. فتعَجَّبَ الجميعُ. (5 مَرقُسَ:18-20 )

Yes, Our Father longs to see our joy in telling HIS stories in our lives. He is giving you and each one of us SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT.. He has filled your days with blessings, encounters and experiences worth telling to your family, friends, and relatives. Your stories will melt His heart same as the stories of Leila and Farida melt mine. Imagine if your kids never talked about the love you gave them and the joy you add to their days! I will surely be grieved with sadness.

He gave you SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT... Don't keep it for yourself...Tell us your story...He asks you for it!

Keep Shining my friends!

Follow Me...

Technology changed the way we prepare our outings! Remember the good old days when we used to split roles agreeing who calls who and how to reach everyone . I remember we used to have list of friends and this was specially needed for big outings or birthdays. More specifically, I recall the concept of Group representative. To reach a certain circle of friends, I always looked for the pivotal one person among them to make sure he reaches them all and inform them on my behalf. “Hello Karim, please inform the rest of your group that we’ll meet in front of cinema Normandy at 8:00…mmm…yup…correct…all the names you mentioned are expected!”

"As he walked along, he saw Levi (Matthew) son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him. While Jesus was having DINNER at Levi’s HOUSE, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him." (Mark 2:14-15 NIV)
وفيما هو مُجتازٌ رأى لاويَ بنَ حَلفَى جالِسًا عِندَ مَكانِ الجِبايَةِ، فقالَ لهُ: «اتبَعني». فقامَ وتَبِعَهُ. وفيما هو مُتَّكِئٌ في بَيتِهِ كانَ كثيرونَ مِنَ العَشّارينَ والخُطاةِ يتَّكِئونَ مع يَسوعَ وتلاميذِهِ، لأنَّهُمْ كانوا كثيرينَ وتَبِعوهُ. (2 مَرقُسَ:14-15)

In Mark 2:14 I was amazed reading how Matthew (Levi) was found and called by Christ to follow Him, starting a whole new life of inspiring and shining His Lord’s Love to his friends and community. It didn’t take long for him to influence and reach (being the pivotal “Karim” I mentioned above), in fact right after his call, Matthew invited Jesus at his place for a DINNER along with his community and Circle of friends tax collectors and sinners whom Jesus came to reach out for and call to His Love (Mark 2:17). Matthew right away introduced them to the Messiah he will follow, he wanted to share with the them the love, peace, hope, righteousness, and forgiveness he found in His Lord.

Today, I pray that each one of us answer the call…look beyond himself seeking to reach out and spread Your Love and peace to the world truly bleeding and in need… I pray that we realise the role we have in our small family, group of friends, community, country and the world. Like Matthew inviting his friends for a meal with you.. a life changing meal for many, I pray that we have the pride, grace and power through your Spirit to realize that WE are CALLED and CHOSEN where we are for a reason…we are called to FOLLOW..and CHANGE the world!

Are you a follower? Then You are called to make a Difference.
Keep shining my friends!

Safety First?!

Leila doesn’t like winters, not because of cold but for separating her from a dear friend. Couple of years ago, on a cold snowy day in Amsterdam, putting Leila in her car seat was an obvious challenge given the size of her winter clothing specially that big stuffed jacket that took big space of her tight car seat. Set and off we go. On the way, she told me:
Pa, I don't like winter.
Me: I know, it is cold and grey but it has its beauty with all this snow and this…
Leila (interrupting me): No it is not about the weather, it is because that all these clothes and that jacket are not allowing me to have Loulou (her teddy bear) squeezed next to me in my car seat!
Me (few seconds of thinking): Leila, your warmth and security come first...You have to choose...Loulou doesn't have a place now.

She used to ride the car and squeeze in her friend Loulou next to her in that tight car seat but now, she can´t. This big jacket stands in the way, she couldn’t have both with her. Caring less about the cold, willingly wanting to let go of her warming jacket and seat belt, she only focused on her friend losing its place next her.

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. (Matthew 7:13-14 NIV)
«اُدخُلوا مِنَ البابِ الضَّيِّقِ، لأنَّهُ واسِعٌ البابُ ورَحبٌ الطَّريقُ الّذي يؤَدّي إلَى الهَلاكِ، وكثيرونَ هُمُ الّذينَ يَدخُلونَ مِنهُ! ما أضيَقَ البابَ وأكرَبَ الطريقَ الّذي يؤَدّي إلَى الحياةِ، وقَليلونَ هُمُ الّذينَ يَجِدونَهُ! (7 مَتَّى:13-14)

I admit, in many times we only like to read the comforting messages, but Jesus’s wake up call here is set clearly to our face. The context of these verses in Matthew 5,6 and 7 sets its very clear in which Jesus shared His Heavenly teachings (sermon on the mount) about our walk in life: Love your enemies, Do to others what you want them to do to you, forgive, watch your thoughts, bless your haters, and shine your light. Our baggages of selfishness, condemnation, revenge, envy and lots more will probably stand on our way getting through this tight door..it won’t fit…exactly as the teddy bear didn’t fit into that car seat!

Lord, I pray for your Holy Spirit to come and lift off these BAGGAGES from me..the road is harsh yet I know that I can lean on you…Not by my strength but through the Power of Your Spirit living in us. Here I come, knock the door and ask for you to Fill my soul. Amen!

I wonder how many times in life (and till when) we choose the teddy bear over that car seat? Safety first. Right?

Keep shining my friends!