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Hijab on my Heart
Yet if they “turned to the Lord” the veil would disappear. For the Lord to whom they could turn is the spirit of the new agreement, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, men’s souls are set free. But all of us who are Christians have no veils on our faces, but reflect like mirrors the glory of the Lord. We are transfigured by the Spirit of the Lord in ever-increasing splendour into his own image. 2 Corinthians 3:17-18, Phillips The wrinkled fruit seller yelled at me, his raised hands punctuating every caustic word. Shame on you! Where is your scarf? Cover your hair and your husband’s honor! I had just learned enough Arabic to understand a fraction of his words, but his tone… Read More
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He Sees You, Little Sparrow
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. -Civilla Martin, 1904 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. Matthew 10:29-31 God will go to amazing lengths to reveal His love to us. I have always wanted to visit Amish country. Once, when we were staying in Pennsylvania, I planned a day out in Lancaster. The fields are stitched together like a quilt with long fence lines, patterned with tall silos and massive barns. Roads have an extra-wide shoulder beveled with tracks from… Read More
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unKnown
Is being unknown such a bad thing? The thought of being known can be terrifying if we don't like what we know about ourselves. The possibility of rejection looms large and threatening, and sometimes, like during a global pandemic when we are forced to distance ourselves anyway, we wonder if being unknown might be a good thing. It's nice not wearing makeup, working from home in pajamas, just coming as we are to life, nobody watching and judging what they perceive to know about us. But it's not actually being truly known that poses the problem. It's the pain of rejection that may follow being known. So we work hard to protect and groom what is known about us. My Muslim friends are very good at this. So… Read More
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What Loving Muslims Taught Me About the Gospel
@audreycfrank The billowing saffron colored melhfa blew around her small frame like a mystery. And that suited her, for that’s what she was the first day I laid eyes on her. An enigma, a puzzle, a silent beacon of courage pressing against the crowds outside our hospital gates. I did not understand her yet. But I would, and knowing her would teach me more than I could have imagined. Two hours later it was finally her turn with our team of examiners. The nurse was first, then me. As a speech-language pathologist on a cleft-palate team, my first job was to examine the patient and determine his or her candidacy for surgical repair within the context of feeding and speech. Patients’ names would then be… Read More