When Life Doesn’t Go the Way You Dreamed

Rev. Stephen Steele recently wrote in a local paper: “

This week has seen the first matches of an unusual, mid-season, World Cup – very controversially hosted in Qatar. We’ve heard a lot about Qatar’s ban on homosexuality, a little bit about the 6,500 migrant workers who have died in Qatar since they were awarded hosting rights in 2011, and nothing about Qatar’s Christian population who are facing increasing violence and forced shutdowns of their churches. According to the organisation Open Doors, Qatar is the 18th most dangerous country in the world to be a Christian – having jumped 11 places in the last year. For a Qatari man or woman to convert to Christianity, in a country where conversion from Islam is not recognised, takes real conviction – far removed from the virtue signalling of wearing armbands until threatened with a yellow card.

But amidst all the controversy, one story worth highlighting is that of Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino. The 31-year-old won’t be in Qatar, having unexpectedly failed to make the Brazil squad. Earlier this month he shared his disappointment on Instagram: ‘Yesterday things didn’t go the way I imagined or dreamed for my life but I can look back and have a grateful heart to God that he has already allowed me to live that dream’.” Read the rest of the article by clicking here.