Worth the Effort

One of the hard things about the Christian life, and one that the world doesn’t get, is praying in faith. Two things are important to remember in this: The prayers are lifted up to the God of all creation through Christ and by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are not praying in blind … More Worth the Effort

New Year, New Life

The year was 1993. We were living in Damascus, Syria. I look up from my computer and out my window, thinking how long ago that seems. Yet the memory is clear. Her name was Kaokub. In English, it meant planet. I always thought that was a funny name to name a child, but some thirty years … More New Year, New Life

Ramadan Kareem

Would you practice your faith even if no one around you did? Though you may not realize it, we are in the middle of a very special month for those of the Islamic faith — Ramadan. Having lived in the Middle East for over twenty years, I know how this month of fasting affects life. … More Ramadan Kareem

Whose baby is that?

A young 11-year-old girl sits in a Christian ministry center in Iraq. Her name is Mariam. For three years she has been separated from her mother, who was kidnapped by ISIS fighters in 2015. Today, she would see her again. She waited, unsure of what was to come. Mariam’s eyes brighten when she sees her … More Whose baby is that?

Lay My Burden Down

I’ve been working on finding pictures for the book I’ve written about my husband, and I came across this one drawn by an Afghani man who accepted the Lord with Raouf back in the early 90s. He was an artist, and Raouf asked him to draw a picture of his life before and after Christ. … More Lay My Burden Down

An Afternoon Off?

Sometimes I take advantage of Friday afternoons, if I’ve stayed late at work and have the hours. Today was one of those days, that I could take off a few hours early. I thought throughout the morning about what I might want to do…two options came up: Go to a nearby bookstore to find a … More An Afternoon Off?