Spirited Away in Lebanon.

I believe faith comes to us in the form of signs, divine guidance and universal direction. My reflection below is a highlight of those listed above. My hope is to spark a small seed of faith from within; enhancing the notion that regardless of hardships, we are never lonely navigating life’s toughest challenges:

Last October, I had the privilege of visiting the beautiful country of Lebanon. I was lucky enough to run a two-week project teaching Syrian refugee’s the benefits of yoga and mindfulness. I reflect on this trip as one of pure ease. Everything about this journey was crafted perfectly; from the moment of landing until the ending departure, everything just fell into place. This journey was not crafted by my hard work alone, but with the help of someone special from above. I believe the help rested in the hands of a well known Maronite Saint; Saint Charbel of Lebanon.

To backtrack - I was introduced to Saint Charbel by a friend from college. Originally from Lebanon, she frequently recounted stories of the Saint and the miracles performed for others. She was a devout Muslim but had a uniquely unshakable faith in Saint Charbel. Sparking my own curiously, I decided to do some research about this Lebanese miracle worker. Immediately after reading his life story, I felt a spiritual connection to his essence. I am not a Christian, but something about Saint Charbel took up space in my heart.

August of 2016 was a test of strength. I hit rock bottom; falling from grace and entering into a long drawn out sadness. After numerous unfortunate circumstances, I laid awake in the comfort of my own tears. Falling into the pit of self victimization, a sudden thought crossed my mind.

“Maybe, you should pray to Saint Charbel. It could help you.”

If he could perform miracles for others, why couldn’t I experience the same?  

I began to pray with the guidance of my intuition. I pleaded for help, for the pain to dismiss itself and for him to create a miracle in my life. If a miracle came about, I made a sacred promise to visit his monastery in Lebanon.

I checked my emails (per usual) the next morning. I noticed a new one from an unrecognizable address. I opened it to discover the NGO I had applied to months’ prior, pitching my yoga/meditation project, had replied back for an interview.

Mind you - I had not heard from this NGO in over seven months. Up until this moment, I had given up the dream of running my yoga project in the North of Lebanon.

I starred at the email. I was in complete disbelief. I re-read the message several times. Was this reality? Was this actually going to happen? Out of curiosity, I checked the time the email was sent to my inbox.

The email was sent minutes after praying to Saint Charbel.  

He showed my desired miracle, and it was time to pay him my promised "visit." 

Fast forward to the end of my first week in Lebanon. I decided to take a trip to Saint Charbel’s monastery with a few other volunteers. Driving up the mountains to reach the monastery was a dream; I had never been a witness to such breathtaking views. I was soaking in every moment and glimpse for a long lasting memory.

Words cannot properly describe the monasteries’ overall aura. The sacredness of the monastery was pure solace. Pilgrims of all faiths surrounded the grounds. Silent prayers, tears and smiles were visible in every corner. If you ever crave visiting somewhere omitting peace, then I would recommend going here without hesitation. It felt like a small piece of (Lebanese) heaven. 

I traveled inside to Saint Charbels' tomb; a place where many stood in silent prayer. I made my way to the front and prayed. I will keep what I said private, but I felt his presence. I opened my eyes to look at his tomb. To the eyes surprise, it omitted a warming glow in the absence of the sun. He was listening, and he was there. I was overcome with emotion and thanked him for making my journey possible. I had experience my miracle and felt very blessed. I left the monastery with an overwhelming peace of mind. 

Almost a year later, I still rely on Saint Charbel during my difficulties. I am forever grateful for his presence in my life. Faith is blind; but miracles are always visible to the eye. 

How have miracles presented themselves in your life?

©  Marissa Ranahan 2017 - all rights reserved.