My Heart and My Prayer

Each and every week (well, mostly) Chris, Caleb, and I go to Church on Saturdays. We've come to LOVE going to church on Saturday evenings because it completely frees up our Sundays and that allows for a more relaxing Sabbath and Family Day. Once we get to church Caleb goes into the nursery, Chris goes to teach his 2-5th grade boys in his small group and I go to the church bookstore to serve. After the first service is spent in service, we gather again for the worship service. Then we go home for bedtime, dinner, and usually a movie.

Our evenings of service and worship are so easy and even routine. Sure, we are fed and we don't move around like robots. But, it is so EASY to realize how EASY we really have it. We give no second thought to getting up and going to church with our two Bibles which are only two of many more left on the bookshelves at home. We have Kiddie Bibles, NIV, NASB, NKJV, German Bibles, Teen Bibles, Precious Moments, and the list goes on. We have our BIG Study Bibles and the smaller Bibles we carry around with us. There is a Bible in my car that stays there for church. We have a Bible on CD for the cars and we have access to any number of Bibles on the Internet.

WOW! How Lucky we are!!!

A couple of years ago, I subscribed to the Voice of the Martyr's newsletter. I read it every month and I am moved and convicted. I am reminded that it is so EASY to be a Christian here in the U.S. of A. It is so easy that people take it for granted most of the time. I hear the word "persecution" tossed around by peers when they complain of someone picking on them at work or from family members. Do they even know what real PERSECUTION is? Since becoming involved with Voice of the Martyrs I know what it is and I KNOW it doesn't happen here

My heart grows more and more for our Brothers and Sisters in places where Persecution is very real. Where they are literally chained up in jail, forbidden to worship together, forbidden to hold even one page of scripture, and even executed because they committed the "crime" of loving their Savior, Jesus.

My prayers for them grow in number and I always wonder what can I do more. I have participated in the Bibles Unbound program and I've donated funds to various VOM ministries. I know my gestures make an eternal difference and yet I desire to keep going and to never stop.

A few months ago, I signed up to blog for the Persecuted Church with VOM blog. I confess that I have been delinquent in not keeping up my end of the bargain. My blog has suffered lately from my lack of writing and unfortunately, my commitment to the VOM blog has gotten the shortest end of that stick. I have confessed to the Lord and I seek forgiveness from the people at VOM blog.

From this day forward, I will make a difference in my corner of the Internet by raising awareness about my Family who can't gather up their families and so easily go to Saturday evening services because that is the most convenient for them (out a choice of 6 total services). I pray that my heart will not grow soft because of how easy I have it and I pray that I can raise my son to remember his little friends in Christ in other parts of the world.

To my Brothers and Sisters in Chains, we hear your cries and we pray daily for you. Keep the Faith and Keep Strong in your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.