5 Key Lessons I’ve Learned from the Latest Mission Trip

It’s been a few days since we’ve come back from Lebanon after an extremely fruitful week of ministering with the Syrian refugees. I would like to give you an update via 5 key lessons I’ve learned from this last mission trip:

1. God is still at work in miraculous ways in peoples’ lives. We shared the gospel with 78 children over three days of summer camp and saw more than 10 Muslim kids receive Christ into their hearts. We also visited 13 families in Zahlé and heard testimonies of adult Syrian refugees who have encountered the saving grace of Jesus since the eruption of the war and rejoiced in how God is working in the global church.

2. Prayer doesn’t prevent opposition but protects us from it. Don’t assume that just because you’ve prayed you won’t encounter problems. Satan hates it when Jesus is lifted up. What prayer does is ready us for the battle and fills us with the spirit of God to love victoriously. The trials are sometimes nuisances like missed flights, other times painful like arguments among team members. I’ve learned that no matter what we’re facing, prayer heals us and gets us back on God’s page!

3. God’s resources are limitless to accomplish his purposes. We needed $10,000 to support the camp aside from the travel costs of flight and housing. It seemed daunting and almost kept me from saying yes to the opportunity to run this kids camp. Yet God proves himself faithful again!!! He provided above and beyond what we imagined. If you’re facing financial strain today, pray. Ask God to provide for your need and watch Him do what only he can do!

4. The word of the Lord is what accomplishes the work of the Lord in the world. I love God’s word. What a joy to teach three bible stories to children who had never heard much of Jesus before and see God’s word literally melt hearts of stone and replace them with hearts of flesh. If you haven’t been in God’s word in some time, and feel dry, open it up and ask the Lord to refresh you with His word of truth! It works!

5.  There is tremendous joy and satisfaction in living out the gospel in your life. I am thrilled to get to do what I’m doing in this season of life. As a single woman I never imagined I would find the joy and satisfaction in my life without a husband and family to enjoy. Yet there is a closeness that comes from living out our lives for the gospel. Are you leading a life of purpose? What needs to change in your life for that to happen? Are you ready to step out in faith and do it?

I want to end by thanking the amazing team who came to Lebanon with me last week. They were awesome!! I can’t wait to invite more of you to join us!

And to all of you who supported us in prayer and in resources, a huge THANK YOU!! You are a part of this story and only heaven will reveal the fruit of your labor.

Much love,

Lina (1 Cor 15:58)

P.S. Watch this 1 minute video summary of our trip & share it with your friends.


A Short Recap Of Refugee Medical Clinic

I just got back from a mission trip to Lebanon where we provided medical and dental care to hundreds of Syrian refugees.

Remember them? Millions – literally millions - of Syrians have escaped the terror in their land and have ended up in foreign lands, destitute and broken.

We the followers of Jesus are called to care about refugees. Remember the good Samaritan? Even the most beginner Christian is familiar with the language of loving your neighbor as yourself. If you need convincing then you might need a dose of God’s grace yourself.

The truth is that I never thought I’d help any Syrians ever.

I grew up in Lebanon and left my home country in the 80s in the middle of a bad civil war. Our enemies were Israel in the South and Syria in the north. Shortly after we left Lebanon, Syria occupied my country for a while. That the Lebanese aren’t natural fans of the Syrians is an understatement. To think that God would ask me to go back and help Syrians, well it never crossed my mind.

But God has plans all His own.

So I went back home and sat in the upper room of a Lebanese Church trying to figure out what in the world God was up to. I listened to hearts beating and touched battered worn out skin, I looked into terrified eyes and smiled when I could. It didn’t feel like much. Yet slowly one by one each pair of eyes found mine: grateful. Some old some young, some with obvious wounds, some with hidden ones, some even a little bit confused but every last one of them grateful.

Grace has a way of surprising you. You don’t think you need it until it’s yours for the taking.

As I handed out meds I heard the untold stories. Women who had given their lives to Jesus and lost their families – still smiling. Men who had prayed and seen God heal their families from cancer now rejoicing. Young adults who had escaped ISIS now praising God for His goodness. I had gone to Lebanon to help Syrian refugees but found out I was simply getting to know my extended family.

Grace has a way of reminding us of who we are: no matter what our passport says, we were sinners when Christ loved us. We were strangers and He claimed us as His own. We were broken and He healed us. We were hurting and He comforted us. We were homeless and He adopted into His family. Yeah, grace still has a way of bowling me over every single time.

Do you ever wonder how you could put a dent in the refugee crisis?

Perhaps it’s as easy as saying yes to grace, when you have no idea what God is up to.

Looking for more resources to help you get out of your comfort zone and show grace? You'll enjoy this teaching from my Book Stripped.

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