Hi, friends. Fearless leader, here.
To give a quick recap of our week, we've spent a great deal of time with our friends who have been taking care of Abed. He finally had a day without detox related headaches. Yesterday a of us took him onto the campus of the American University in Beirut for the first time. He used to stand near the water and look up at campus and tell himself, "If only I could go up there one day." And today we took him to the cedars in north Lebanon for the first time (we had a group of 11 people, also giving a break to the couple taking care of him). He mentioned today that this time last week his life was threatened, he was hooked on drugs, and thought he'd never escape his life. This week he's been experiencing freedom, went to AUB, saw the cedars: three things he never thought he'd do. Small things, I know, but in the perspective of the last year, each one marks a path to healing and restoration.
We spent a couple days on campus distributing fliers for our event on Monday and meeting students. I've been thinking quite a lot about how to present the Guilty Campaign discussion on Monday afternoon (a way of pointing to law/guilt which leads to Jesus/gospel). We've actually had quite a good response to our fliers and invitations. I will even get to speak in a university class on Monday afternoon (the instructor is a friend and colleague of mine). In January after presenting these ideas to a student at AUB he asked me about the possibility of giving some sort of seminar (never thought we would, though). And after getting an earful of present Lebanese politics tonight while walking downtown with friends, I was overcome with the potential for Monday and the need for Lebanon to know Christ. Please pray as we prepare for Monday afternoon and especially during the day when we'll be on campus again distributing invitations and meeting students.
Overall, though, we're doing quite well. A bit tired (days here really feel like 3 or 4 normal days in the US) but feeling quite blessed to be here.
Thank you for coming with us.
2 comments:
Hey Josh.
I'm really appreciating the detailed updates from you and the rest of the team. Praise God that Abed is submitting himself to healing, I hope he continues to do so and would, as a result, come closer to God than ever before.
Wish I were there with you!
Love,
S
Oh how I've loved each of your posts. It's so helpful to know how to pray. You all have given us a vision of the many challenges that the local believers face, the wonderful compassion and commitment that all of you have to reach out to these precious people. As Paul said, "I continually remember before our God your work produced by your faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord." I continue to many, many times lift up Abed to our Father asking Him to cause the gospel to take root in his life..bring about total transformation and healing. Bless all of you many times over for your commitment to him. It's awesome to hear of the things he has gotten to do that he never, never dreamed would take place!!Please tell him there are people praying for him in the U.S.
Love in Christ, Dixie Knowles <><
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