Get uncomfortable

To think that we live in a world where sharing the gospel is a "crime" worth getting stabbed to death is sickening. 

Hear me out. 

My siblings and I have began reading "The Voice of the Martyrs" book. If you're not familiar with it, it's a book full of true stories about Christians who have been killed, beaten, or held captive for sharing Christ in numerous countries. 

Yesterday we read about a 17 year old girl named Anila and an 18 year old girl named Perveen. This took place in Pakistan, 1997. 

To summarize the passage quickly; Perveen was a Muslim. Her family had already arranged her to marry a Muslim man. Needless to say the idea of Perveen converting to Christianity wasn't a mere thought in their minds. Anila went to school with Perveen and began witnessing to her more and more. They sang songs, (I'm assuming hymns) together. Eventually Perveen went to church with Anila and she was changed by the power of Jesus. When Perveen's parents found out about this they were absolutely outraged. Perveen ended up running away. When her parents could not find her they accused Anila and her pastor of kidnapping her. 

Anila was viciously beat in front of her own parents for 9 hours straight. She and her pastor were then taken to prison where they were tortured and treated like less than a human being. 

When Perveen's parents found her, normal Muslim punishments are beatings and not feeding that person. Instead, Perveen's very own brother stabbed her to death. 

When Anila and her pastor were released from prison they immediately went into hiding. 

Who knows where they're at right now. 

Less that 20 years ago this took place.

Does this sicken anyone? Place a burden on your heart? Make you want to cry? Or are you sitting there not hurting by this because it doesn't affect you in your safe, American home. 

My heart aches for the Christians that are in captivity or hiding for sharing truth. Our world is so corrupt and sinful and sometimes I fail to remember that when I'm living comfortably in America. I admire the boldness and fearlessness of those people who are suffering and dying for Jesus' sake. 

Dying for Him is nothing to be ashamed of. I look forward to spending eternity with souls like that. 

My prayer is that lost religions will see the truth, and that Christ would illuminate through these missionaries. 

I pray that one day I will be able to go out into the world, wherever He leads me, and proclaim the name of Christ. 

Jesus never said following Him was easy. In fact, He promised us that people would persecute and treat us unfairly. But the fact that my Savior laid it all on the line for a helpless sinner like me, makes me want to go scream His holy name across the nations. 

All glory and honor unto the King. 

Matthew 5:44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you

~Hayley