This Week:

This week has been missions week here at school. It's made me feel homesick. Usually I just get family sick, but lately I've missed the smells, the dirt, the sunshine, the walk to church, the sound of Swahili, the people I grew up with. 

This week my heart aches for the people I knew who have passed away. I think so often we try to just forget about hell, but sadly, it's a reality and a horrible one at that. 

This week my eyes have cried more than probably they have in the past couple of months as I hear one touching story after the next. I hear horrible stories of things that have happened to believers and I hear wonderful stories of things God has done, and sometimes those are the same stories.

This week I had the chance to write a letter to a woman who has been in jail for several years with a death sentence because she believes in Jesus Christ.

This week I heard the testimony of a man who was talking about his son who is a missionary in a persecuted area. This man said, "If my son is martyred I will be the first to rejoice." This man has his eyes fixed on Jesus, because if they were on anything else he would not rejoice in those circumstances. 

This week I am trying to fix my eyes so firmly on Jesus that I would not only be willing to lay down my life for His name, but would rejoice for the opportunity. In Philippians, Paul said, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain". 

But this week I also am trying to fix my eyes so firmly on Jesus that I would also be willing to lay down all I hold dear for His name. My things, my friends, and even my family. 

This week my heart is broken. This week I am praying hard that it will stay that way. I never want to be callused and uncaring, but it sneaks in so easily. Is your heart broken when you think about how many people go to hell everyday? I hope so. 

What about you...would you lay down your life for Jesus' name? Would you rejoice if I was counted worthy to lay down my life for the sake of the gospel? I would hope so.