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- Glory | Kingdom of Heaven | Love | Pain | Prayer | The Beatitudes
Blessed are the Persecuted
ByEmilyIt was the morning of Good Friday, almost 2000 years after Jesus was on trial. My father and other organization members had gone to the courthouse. I lived with my family in Central Asia, and for months our whole team had faced investigation from the government, court summons, attempts to sneak out of the country…
Blessed Are the Merciful: 3 Ways to Show Mercy
ByEmilyHave you noticed the cyclical patterns of relationships? It can go two directions: When one person demeans another, the recipient will often react negatively and hurtfully, giving more grounds for hard feelings, a pattern of conflict gradually escalating as the lists of wrongs grow longer. One the other hand, a display of kindness can spark…
When Things Go Wrong
ByEmilyThe steep road was the kind where those who get car sick (me) have to avoid looking out the window. We were not quite sure of our exact destination (attempts to contact a local pastor had not yet been successful) as we headed up a mountain in the center of the island of Puerto Rico,…
- Freedom | Kingdom of Heaven | Love | Prayer | The Beatitudes
Blessed are the Peacemakers: 3 Places to Encounter Shalom
ByEmilyWhen I look at the news headlines, I almost always see accounts of discord and power struggles, which catch our attention because of our aversion to pain and conflict. The global history of wars speaks of the human tendency to seek power, yet there remains a deep desire to live in a place of peace….

Humble Leadership (Part 1)
ByEmilyHumility is the antithesis of worldly politics, where it is all about proving one’s strength, demanding respect, and elevating oneself above rivals.

Spring Always Follows Winter
ByEmilyIn much of the northern hemisphere, spring has arrived. The seasonal change is certainly evident here in the Middle East. Last month, when we took a picnic up to a lone tree on a hill, its March branches were still barren. It was that week that we celebrated “Nawruz,” the “new year celebration” that coincided…


