Editor’s note: FamilyLife appointed Paul to translate several books into Arabic. He recently shared with us how translating the materials made a big difference in his own life and marriage.
When FamilyLife gave me the option to choose one HomeBuilders book to translate into Arabic, I immediately chose Resolving Conflict in your Marriage for one simple reason: I had conflicts in my own marriage and I needed immediate help. Living in a “shame culture” didn’t help because it is very shameful for others to know that you have conflicts. It wasn’t easy for me to admit that I needed help, especially as a person who serves God among Muslims in the Arab world. People look up to me, so it was very hard to admit that my own marriage was falling apart.
I silently started working on my own family and getting things right while reading and translating this awesome book. It opened my eyes to new dimensions and made me understand God’s blueprints for marriage. Because my marriage was not built on a solid biblical rock, it almost crumbled. I thank the Lord because it was the right time in my life for this translation project to come along.
Resolving Conflict in your Marriage was not the only book I translated. My marriage needed more than that. I chose to translate Keeping your Covenant next because divorce was not an option for us. Then I translated other books like Keys to a Successful Marriage, Managing Money in your Marriage, Helping your Children know God, and Improving your Parenting.
After God saved me and my family, the Christian organization that I work with, without knowing any of this about me, asked me to go to one of our offices in the Middle East and help resolve conflicts among colleagues. I never thought that the same principles that God used in my own life to save me could save this team whose conflicts were threatening the ministry’s impact. I am grateful to God because he was preparing me for this role a long time ago, and now, through me and through the principles I learned from FamilyLife, I can assure you that millions of Arabs will keep hearing the message of grace, truth, love, forgiveness, and reconciliation.
Another way the FamilyLife principles helped me was in my relationships among Arab Bible School students in the Middle East. I can’t explain this very well, but these students see something in me that allows them to confide in me and share their conflicts and troubles. The FamilyLife books helped me resolve conflicts among these students and advise them on matters related to sex, marriage, resolving conflict, managing money, etc.
I thank God for His spirit that led me to translate these books that are now available online at www.arabfamilylife.org for millions to use in the Arab world.
