In a remote corner of east Africa, my teammates and I are witnessing how dramatically the Gospel is spreading in Muslim villages. My language tutor is a woman named Salma. Over the years, my teammates and I have shared Bible stories with her, and she’s gradually drawing near to Christ. […]
The One I Want to Follow
Dozens of Muslim women surrounded me on a crowded mat under a thatched shelter. We had gathered to celebrate the birth of a neighbor’s baby. But my heart broke as I looked around at these women who cared for me when I was ill, taught me where to find the […]
Imprisoned for a Purpose
Shackled to his bed in the small jail cell, Hadi wrestled with God. “I haven’t done anything wrong!” he cried out in the silence. “Why am I here?” But as a Muslim-background believer in a conservative Islamic country, Hadi knew the answer. He remembered the words of the Apostle Peter: […]
Peace to Heal a Family Feud
Kanita lost almost everything after her cousin turned on her. What started out as a spat between relatives had spun out of control, pitting one side of the family against the other. In the fallout, a cousin laid claim to Kanita’s house—the home where both their mothers had been born. […]
The Light of Baptism
“There’s light!” cried out the drunk man at the beach who’d been harassing my friend Fatima. “There’s light in your face!” He looked into her eyes and suddenly turned and ran. Fatima was rattled by the encounter. But she immediately recognized what had happened. She had just been baptized with […]
Good News of Great Joy
When I read the Christmas story in Luke, I am struck by the angel’s words to the shepherds: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.” — Luke 2:10 The Good News is for all the people. For your neighbors with their Christmas […]
Sand and Snow: A Field Family’s Christmas
The thing we miss most about living overseas is celebrating Christmas with friends and family. We miss singing carols around the piano, making gingerbread cookies, watching pageants at church, hanging lights on the tree, parties with family and friends, playing in the snow, and shopping for gifts. There’s so much […]
When the Deaf Hear
Little Ziryan used to throw epic fits. He’s a 4-year-old Muslim boy living with his family in a refugee camp. Every week, my teammates and I meet with his family to discuss God’s Word. During our first few visits, Ziryan’s frequent tantrums involved kicking and screaming. He’d yell and shout, […]
Blessed Beyond Measure
During his 10 months as a student in the United States, Rasul was befriended by some kind believers. They invited him into their homes for the holidays and shared their faith with him. Hungry for the truth, Rasul joined a Bible study and attended church every week. When Rasul returned […]
Word by Word: Then the Goldfish Died
I have a love-hate relationship with language learning. I love learning. But I hate the not knowing. On many days, the amount of language I don’t know feels overwhelming and easily discouraging. But as I keep learning, there are encouraging moments and laughter with my language helper, Deena. I once […]