Please See Me - A Video Experience

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As many of you already know, being married to a Lebanese husband, I have a heart for the Middle Eastern world. In fact, the countdown is now under a month until the release of my newest novel, Dance from Deep Within, which will feature a Muslim heroine. And over the years, I have also written a number of songs about the Islamic world.

One of these songs, "Please See Me," has a very special sort of inspiration. In 2007, I was at a conference in Paris and heard a former Muslim woman speaking. In reference to the veiled women of the Middle East she said, "These women are crying out, 'Please see me!'" With my heart aching from the woman's passionate cry, I hurried up to my hotel room and began scribbling down words, and thus the song was born.

More recently I have been very touched by the story of a young girl from Pakistan named Malala. Malala has stood up and demanded to be seen. She has become a voice for the women oppressed by radical Muslims throughout her nation and the Middle East. After surviving a murder attempt by the Taliban, sixteen-year-old Malala has gone on to meet heads of state, and she has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. 

So I think it is very timely that a Middle Eastern production team has just completed this amazing live action video of "Please See Me." The producer actually depicts many images of this culture that I would have had a hard time imagining, like the difficulty of finding a suitable snack while shopping in town in the full niqab style veil. And the actress in the video has done a wonderful job at capturing the emotion of the song. I would like to share it with you today.

I hope this song will awaken your heart to the women of the Muslim world. You can order this song or any of the songs and prayers from the "A Cry for Peace" cd by clicking here. 
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Despite her conservative Muslim heritage, Layla Al-Rai longs for a chance to earn her degree in engineering and perhaps even...dare she dream...to choose her own husband. But young women from her background rarely enjoy such freedoms. When she finally talks her parents into letting her attend college, she is drawn to fellow twenty-something students, Allie and Rain, over a class project. Allie, the blonde ballerina, faces her own struggles as she deals with an ex-fiancé and a church she had hoped to leave behind. Rain, the bi-racial hippie chick, longs for something to believe in, but her questioning could cost her the love of her life. When Layla s childhood sweetheart reenters her world, it seems her dreams might become real. Until everything falls apart. When she meets truth face to face, will she find the courage to accept it even if it requires the ultimate sacrifice?

I Stand with Malala

If you haven't heard the name Malala Yousafzai, then you need to take a few minutes to learn about this outstanding young woman. After surviving a Taliban attempt on her life, this inspirational sixteen-year-old is standing up for the rights and educations of women throughout the Middle East. She has been meeting heads of states and has even been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. Meet Malala:

The Next Target

Last week my family spent over 40 hours in our mini-van driving my daughter to college in Oklahoma. Needless to say, we needed some good entertainment to keep us occupied, and we found great entertainment as well as thought-provoking subject matter in Nikki Arana's The Next Target, which (with a little technical know how from my husband) the kindle read to us over the van's speakers.

Here is the official blurb: 

It only took one bullet. Austia's friend and student fell dead. And with a glimpse of a newspaper headline, the young and recently widowed Austia knows more about what happened than the police. From that fatal night, Austia’s secret outreach to the U.S. Muslim community—in the guise of English language classes—becomes a target. Local Muslim extremists set their sights on ending her ministry and even her life. And the women she ministers to will be next.

A thick web of deceit closes in around Austia, and her circle of friends becomes smaller by the day, even as she finally opens herself to the idea of falling in love again. But who can she trust? Facing a spiritual battle that proves more treacherous than it at first seemed, Austia’s convictions are tested to their limits and her heart becomes primed for breaking. She must ask herself: how much she will risk to stay true to her herself, her faith, and to the lives of the women she serves?

What I loved about the book:

It kicked off with a bang--quite literally--and immediately drew us into this world of intrigue. And it gave a very exhaustive and educational view of the complex Muslim world. Austia had an amazing heart for these people. She is a true example of Christ on earth. Only at one brief point did the teaching aspect of the book become a touch heavy handed, but still it remained interesting, and was soon on to more twists and turns.

This book was great for the whole family. It had action, suspense, and romance, all the while dealing with an important issue. Mind you, my youngest family member is eleven, and it would be too violent for younger children. But he often paused from playing his video games to ask us significant questions about the culture and characters that proved the book had his mind working overtime.

Throughout all of this, Nikki provides a thrilling, well-paced story. The ending is full of excitement and will keep you guessing right up until the satisfying conclusion.

Do you know much about Islam? Do you desire to learn more? In addition to Nikki's wonderful novel, don't forget that my women's fiction take on the Muslim culture, Dance from Deep Within, will be coming out with WhiteFire in October, and my music CD about the Muslim people is available now at http://acryforpeace.com. 

Love Your (Muslim) Neighbor

You have heard that it was said, "Love your neighbor and hate your enemy." But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.   
~ Matthew 5:43-45 

My church has been on a 40 day prayer vigil leading up to Pentecost Sunday. Each day, my pastor has assigned us something to pray for. Saturday is pray for your enemies day. My first thought was, I really don't have many enemies. But the truth is, the recent bombings in Boston served to remind us that our country is facing a rabid enemy called Islamic terrorism. At the same time, many of us have friends, co-workers, and neighbors who are Muslims. How do we even tell difference between these two groups? It can be quite confusing, but in light of the scripture above, it seems like love and prayer are a safe way to approach either one.

No doubt many people are wondering about their Muslim neighbors these days. Being married to a Lebanese man, and having many Muslim and former Muslim friends, I have a lot to say on this issue. And yet it can be hard to express my feelings without engaging in an argument, which is the last thing I want to do. 

I have much love and respect for the Muslim people, especially the women. But I also have serious concerns about the fundamental teachings of the religion. There are many beautiful parts of Muslim culture, and there are many troubling aspects as well. Not to mention that, of course, there are as many different types of Muslims as there are different types of Christians, and there is no easy way to compartmentalize them and put them in a box.

So for me, art is the best way to explore this subject. This October, my novel Dance from Deep Within will release with WhiteFire Publishing. The book takes a three dimensional look at the Islamic belief system and culture, while also exploring Christianity and typical non-Christian American beliefs. This is not a rah, rah, Christians are great and everyone else is bad book. Rather, the three young women from varying backgrounds learn from each other's strengths. My Muslim, Layla, is a fictional character, but she is also a conglomerate of the many former Muslim women I have met who have turned to Christ, and her decision reflects their searching and reasoning. 

I think this book will be a great starting place for many Christians to learn how to better love and pray for their Muslim neighbors, and I can't wait for it to release!

In the meantime, I was also the primary writer on a CD project with songs and prayers about the Islamic people. These songs provide another great way to learn about Muslim culture, and if you don't know how to pray, you can just pray along. This one is available right now. Click here to order.  You can also learn more about the album, including lyrics and videos, here.

Over the next few months I'll be back to share more about this subject.

Do you have any Muslims in your life? What have you found is the best way to show love to them? Who are your enemies, and how do you feel God wants you to respond to them?