LEBANON: Reframing faith in the context of conflict
We have just returned from a visit to war-torn Lebanon, meeting with local as well as Syrian leaders. Our hearts were deeply touched by the commitment and resiliency of those who follow Christ in extreme circumstances. It will be impossible to share all our experiences in a way that will give justice to the situation, the people and the experiences we had – but we would like to focus on EIGHT lessons we felt the Lord teaching us during this time of exposure.
NAVIGATING OUR WAY THROUGH DARKNESS: a Christian response to the Syrian massacres
Some Christian commentators are exploiting the suffering of people in Syria by placing graphic videos of beheadings on Social Media with inflated figures of Christian casualties. Amid a barrage of opinions, one spiritual principle emerged: The significance of Christianity is not the need to expose darkness but how to navigate our way through darkness. Darkness cannot overcome darkness. So, instead of cursing the darkness, light a candle. Here is a response from Syrian Christians to the events unfolding in Syria.
SYRIA: A voice in the storm
Syria, after more than a decade of war, finds itself undergoing profound political, cultural, and social transformations. These changes will have significant implications for the lives of ordinary Syrians, especially religious minorities such as Christians. This shift is affecting not only daily life but also the broader societal dynamics in the country.
GAZA, LEBANON and SYRIA: the darkness of the tomb or the darkness of the womb?
What if the darkness in Syria is the darkness of the womb and not the darkness of the tomb? What if the darkness in Gaza is the birth pains of something so beautiful that only God can comprehend it. What if God, in His sovereign goodness and His desire to seek and save the lost, can use this darkness to birth a nation, to raise a people, and to establish His presence through the beauty of His church. What if this is the darkness of the womb and not the darkness of a tomb?
NO, SYRIA HAS NOT BEEN LIBERATED: a time for courage
No, Syria has not been liberated. Terrorists do not liberate, they enslave. The Syrians need courage, more than ever before. Courage to endure, to persevere and to survive. But the passive bystanders from the outside world also needs courage, but a different kind of courage.
IT IS NOT FOR EAGLES TO CATCH FLIES.
Isaiah 40:31 But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. One of the many lessons I brought back from Syria is that our impact on society is directly, and proportionately, related…
The 2-minute war in Syria – Looking at suffering in the light of eternity
Through the eyes of an eternal God who sees a thousand years as 3 hours, the 12-year conflict in Syria equals 2 minutes and 20 seconds. How glorious to know therefore that time submits to God and that He exists outside the boundaries of the time capsule we live in that contains our hardships and suffering altogether.
COURAGE: for those beyond the Syrian debris
The Syrians need courage, more than ever before. Courage to endure, to persevere and to survive. But the passive bystanders, removed from the debris of Aleppo, also needs courage, but a different kind of courage.
TURKEY EARTHQUAKE – a discriminating disaster
When tragedy strikes, there will always be a clear divide between the ‘fortunate unfortunate’ and ‘unfortunate unfortunate’. There are five reasons why the Turkey earthquake places Syria on the edge of an epic tragedy, even more so than Turkey itself.
VIDEO – A Prayer for SYRIA
Ansam (10) born blind sings with a choir of displaced Syrian children, filmed in war-ravaged Damasus.