Testimony
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- Sister Rachelle Abi Khalil
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My vocation story is actually very simple, I felt called to give myself to Christ in a religious life.
I always felt that God was nudging me to become a nun. I can't really describe it…but it's a mystery…it's a mystery from God!
From my own experience, Peace is one of the major signs of God’s presence. One way you know you are being called by God is if it produces, at some deep level, an unexplainable peace. When I used to think that I'll be a nun, I used to feel a joy radiating from my face.I never thought where I'll become a nun. Once I was visiting the Monastery of Saint Joseph Jrabta, where Saint Rafqa lived and died, and I felt a real joy, so I asked Saint Rafqa to Guide me and to help me take the right decision, and I discovered that I landed in the right place, where I became a nun later on.
In that monastery I fell in love with community life and was amazed by that life which is more than living together under the same roof. Our core values are centered on Jesus and rooted in charity. Jesus invites us to discipleship…He leads us to live of love and equality where nuns respect and support each other despite all the differences between the members.I always thank God for enlightening me, I thank Him for the feeling of peace and joy, and I am assured that this feeling will never end, because Jesus is the source.
What I live today is only an acceptance to the Lords call to grow in faith and love in a delicate and sublime mission, where I bear the light of Christ, but more so, I can feel little by little that I am filled with His light; my heart will learn to love and my whole being will be anointed by the goodness of God. -
- Sister Joumana Sassine
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"No! Never!"…These two words were my short reply to all those who asked me if I ever think of religious life.
In my previous life I used to pray a lot, and I always asked God to guide my steps in life.
But I had a persistent feeling of emptiness that never ended. Deep down I felt restless, that emptiness that surrounded me was never fulfilled despite all the projects I had in my mind.
One day, a priest asked me:"Joumana, do you want to be a nun?"
It was the first time that I did not say no, I told him: "if I have a vocation, why not?"
He continued:" and do you know what a vocation is?"
I replied no and I asked him to explain it to me.
He explained:" A religious vocation is a special grace that God gives to certain persons, calling them to sacrifice their life for Him, those persons even accept the vocation or refuse it…"I thought a lot about the words of the priest:"the thought, the seed, and allow the opportunity for this seed to grow and blossom, rather than shutting the door before it ever had a chance to open…"After a while of thinking and thinking… I discovered the key to my true destiny…I realized that God gives each one of us a particular mission in life. As we grow and life progresses, he makes it known to us, usually in indirect ways, more as an invitation than an imposition.Then I accepted that invitation that I always feared from.I entered to the monastery to discern my vocation although I faced a lot of problems, and now as I became a nun, I say from a heart full of love and faith:"Thanks God for guiding my steps…I found myself…You filled my emptiness!"
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- Sister Zeina Chemaly
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As I turned 22 years old, like all my peers, I was looking for my white knight. I wanted him to be beautiful, rich, generous, strong, wise, brave, careful, and understanding…I wanted him to accept me as I am, to respect me, to comprehend me, to lift me up when I am down…I wanted him to be really mad of me!
I prayed and prayed in order find "that someone" I was looking for…
One day, as I was reading the Bible, I bumped into a verse that says: “…And in that day, declares the Lord, you will call me My Husband…And I will betroth you to me forever… I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy. I will betroth you to me in faithfulness…" hosea 2
Oh Lord!!! These words really puzzled me!!!
I wondered…Is it possible!
"No…no…it's just by hazard that I've read these words…let's forget about the subject"…I said to myself.
But…why not…everybody says that the bible is a personal letter to everyone…
I persuaded myself again that these verses where not for me…and I continued my life normally…
But that voice remained in my mind every time and everywhere…
I was digging deep and searching within myself to comprehend these verses.
After a long time of thinking, I realized that "He is the one, the only one!"
He is the only one who loves me more than I deserve…
Jesus was the perfect white Knight who accepted me when I denied myself…He is the only one who loves me for free, He is the only one who forgives me, who sacrificed His life for me, who died for me…
He is the only one who never get upset from me, He is the only one who can lift me with all my worries…
Therefore…I said yes to His call… and my amazing journey with him begun!
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- Sister Amale Akl
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Since my childhood my parents taught me how to pray. As I was growing up, I used to pray a lot. In my teenage years, I always dreamed of the virgin and of Saint Rafqa.
I had a strong feeling to enrol in the religious life, and I always prayed on this intention. Every time I asked the Lord to help me, I used to read a passage in the bible and I used to feel like it´s personally addressed to me.
After a long time of planning and praying, and while God did not came personally to invite me to the monastic life, as I have asked Him many times, I felt myself lost in that big world, and I felt a great desire to be a nun.
Today I am a nun in the monastery of Saint Joseph Jrabta, I found the peace I was looking for. I love to help nuns in all their tasks, and I love to play music in my spare time.
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- Sister Marie Therese Al Khatib
- A journey from Sunni to Christian.Read more »
When I was young, I was a Sunni Muslim girl, I met a lot of Christian girls at work, and I get inspired by their life. They taught a lot of good behaviour by their great example. I used to see the joy radiating from their faces. I always asked them where do they bring that joy from, and they taught me how to sit before the Lord and allow Him to love us.
Their peace was contagious which encouraged me to seek it more day after day.
When I was 16 years old I was christened. After this period I met a lot of saint monks and nuns who taught me a lot of things.
I was inspired more and more by Christianity, therefore I entered the monastery to become a nun.
Saint Rafqa is my inspiration! She is not only a Saint for Lebanese people, She is a Saint to the whole world.