Life flourishes in unlikely places, and hope springs from unexpected ground!
MAGNOLIA, TX, July 24, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ — Heather Surls is an American creative writer and Arabic-speaking journalist who has lived in the Middle East for more than a decade. Her reporting has appeared in places like Religion News Service, Christianity Today, Hidden Compass, and Plough Quarterly and her creative nonfiction in magazines like River Teeth, Catamaran, and Brevity. She serves as assistant editor of Anthrow Circus, a mixed-media site exploring culture through the lens of place. She lives in Amman, Jordan, with her husband, a professor, and their two sons.
“Beyond the Jordan” is a memoir-in-essays reflecting on a decade of life in Jordan and the Holy Land. Through a blend of nonfiction styles, Heather takes readers on spiritually rich journeys across the region, immersing herself in its heritage, customs, and landscapes. Along the way, she forms deep connections with Jordanian, Palestinian, Syrian, and Iraqi women, offering an intimate look at their lives and stories.
While much of “Beyond the Jordan” observes the world with curiosity and wonder, it also grapples with the harsh realities of poverty, displacement, and suffering. Through it all, Heather explores how the Middle East has shaped her faith and spiritual life.
In a world where conversations about the Middle East often focus on conflict, “Beyond the Jordan” offers a different perspective-one that highlights the resilience, generosity, and humanity of its people. With vulnerable and evocative storytelling, Heather invites readers to seek glimpses of God in unexpected places and to embrace his majesty and mystery in their personal deserts.
As a valuable asset that has already received glowing reviews from readers across the US and beyond, Heather’s book will educate, support and inspire. “Beyond the Jordan” offers valuable lessons for those longing to practice the discipline of hope.
You can learn more about Heather and her adventures at www.heathermsurls.com
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