All posts by: phoebe@beingincommunity.com

Love Gives, Love Grows

by Phoebe Farag Mikhail Today might be St. Valentine’s Day (or another saint, depending on your liturgical calendar–in the Coptic Orthodox Church it is St. Febrianus Day), but if you know anything about love, you know that it is not... Read More

From the Battlefield to the Monastery – A memoir not to be missed

By Phoebe Farag Mikhail During my annual reflection and planning session in early January, I realized that if 2017 was the year I discovered podcasts, 2018 was the year I discovered audiobooks. I know I am late to the game... Read More

Girls and their Tough Questions

Today, my friend Madona Lawindy shares a thoughtful blog post about the tough questions our daughters ask us, from a very young age. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic as well! by Madona Lawindy When I found... Read More

An African Church for the African People

By Phoebe Farag Mikhail When I was a teenager, I participated in the yearly Coptic Orthodox Youth conventions along with hundreds of other youth. The main speakers were Bishop Moussa, the Bishop of Youth, Bishop Thomas, Bishop of the Diocese... Read More

An Ancient Martyr, A Modern Martyr, and the Wedding of Two Millennia

By Phoebe Farag Mikhail In a happy coincidence, yesterday the United States remembered its modern martyr, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This year the observance fell on the same day as a fourth century Egyptian Christian martyr, St. Dimiana (also... Read More

A Joyful Epiphany

By Phoebe Farag Mikhail I had an epiphany recently at a mom’s fellowship meeting at my church. We were reading Luke 1 together, a joyful chapter in a joyful Gospel, exciting reading for someone who has just written a book... Read More

I Have No Gift to Bring

Today I have the pleasure of sharing a guest post by Deacon Daniel Malyon, a deacon in the Coptic Orthodox Church in the UK. Today he offers a beautiful meditation on the famous Christmas Carol, The Little Drummer Boy. Written... Read More

What We Did Together in 2018

By Phoebe Farag Mikhail When I started this blog two years ago, I imagined that I would use it to share my thoughts about family, work, community, faith and relationships. I would have fruitful conversations with readers and pray that... Read More

Announcing The Icon Hunter, the Being in Community 2018 Book of the Year!

By Phoebe Farag Mikhail Art. Intrigue. War. An underground trade on the black market. Spies. Police. Politics. Religion. Family. Love. All of these can be found in Tasoula Hadjitofi’s memoir, The Icon Hunter: A Refugee’s Quest to Reclaim Her Nation’s... Read More

Animals and Advent – My 2018 Holiday Book List (with FIVE book giveaways!)

by Phoebe Farag Mikhail Animals play a huge part in the Christmas holiday season. Christ was born in a stable, surrounded by animals, and all of creation rejoiced at His coming. So this year’s holiday book list is all about... Read More