When Your Work Becomes Your Heart

By Jihan Twemeh Nazzal, Director of Administration at Bethlehem Bible College

“When you love your work, you will do it with an artist’s sense.”   When you love your work, you will go to it with joy and your heart will accompany you every step of the way.  Actually, your work will become your heart.  When you love your work, your life will quickly rise to a new level of happiness. It is the little details of life that shape our stories; the everyday moments that make up a lifetime.  Pictures and events that make up a love-filled memory are like precious engravings in the depths of the heart.

It hasn’t been that long since I joined the family of Bethlehem Bible College, but it has quickly become one of the happiest and most peaceful periods of my life.  In fact, I would call it the most profound and enriching time of personal development in my life. When I attempt to count the blessings that God has bestowed on me, I cannot help but consider my time in the College as a thousand blessings.

The College is not a place where you work for a livelihood, but rather a place where you go to learn–and then live–a message. Yes, we are all students at Bethlehem Bible College, even the staff and faculty, as we all continue to learn the ways of Christ together. Even if current circumstances do not allow us to be together in the physical location itself, the College itself lives inside our hearts because of the spiritual qualities and sheltering protection that it provides. I have not found these particular qualities anywhere else in quite the same way.

For those who are unfamiliar, let me introduce the place that I love so much:  More than forty years ago, Bethlehem Bible College began its journey to build up the local community through education and service. From the beginning, it has sought to be more than just an academic institution, but also to build a life-giving culture for all its employees and to impact our area with social and human harmony through Christ. It has played a great role in helping to strengthen our beloved country and bring people together.  It is a place where the blessing of the Lord is evident in the smallest details.

For so many of us, it is much more than just a college. I see its history as a bright parade of strength, faith and generosity; an intellectual, cultural and social locomotive that has carried several generations forward and shone the light of Christ through our land.  I am proud of what it has accomplished so far and its good reputation in our community.  I am even more gratified to see it continue to seek to reflect the love and mercy of God in new and practical ways.  The college continues to have big dreams.  All of these things keep me motivated to continue with it.

For example, even in the midst of our Palestinian suffering, and in light our current difficult circumstances due to the coronavirus, the College continues to maintain the benevolence ministry of the Shepherd Society which provides humanitarian services for the needy, poor, and marginalized groups.  Through the lockdown, the women-to-women ministry is also continuing to serve and empower through ‘A Pot in His Hand’ ministry which supports women to live their best lives–by the grace of God–and to be a positive change within their families and communities.

Through the New Vision Media Center, which is an integral part of who we are, the College is affecting a positive change in society by spreading the message of love, peace and tolerance; and promoting the democratic values ​​of justice and equality.

Let us also not forget the Community Training Department which strives to meet growing community needs by providing excellent and cutting-edge training courses and programs.

And through the advanced use of information technology, our academic programs continue to effectively reach not only our students in Palestine during the Covid 19 lockdown, but also Arab students around the world through distance education.

Despite our many difficulties and challenges, we are still continuing to hold to our lofty mission and to dream of a better future here. Of course, this is only possible because of the blessing of the Lord and the support of all friends and supporters of our College.

Today marks my second anniversary with this wonderful ministry, and I find myself unable to fully express the gratitude of my heart. Like so many others who work here, I consider it to be my second home and I love everyone who is a part of it.  It is an incredible blessing to be able to count myself among the members of the College; this warm family that embraces everyone.

I am proud not only of our bright past but I am also filled with confidence in our current efforts. I am filled with hope that the College, which is so precious to my heart, will remain a permanent pillar of knowledge in Bethlehem while continuing to train new generations of servants of the Lord.  I know that these ministers will go out to the vast destinations within our country and the world to live as Christ taught us–with faith, hope, and love in our societies; to be like salt that gives life its taste; like a light that shines through darkness with truth; and like a yeast that transforms hearts and minds.