new graphic

What do you think of my new top graphic? Courtesy of Guillaume, pixelmeter, and an image junkie from church. The image was a choice for Planet Earth - our mission emphasis month - it wasn't your typical mission's month (although sometimes I think atypical has become the new typical)! One Sunday two of our pastors - teaching and worship - were actually in Hungary and we Skyped in, additionally we called some other missionaries, and as a body we were able to hear brief testimonies of their ministries. Another week we viewed a documentary entitled, "A Cry From Iran" - the director, who was also the son of the Iranian martyred of whom the film depicted. Haik Hovsepian was martyred in the mid 90's in Iran, killed - brutally stabbed 27 times - for proclaiming his faith, for being steadfast in his commitment to the truth of who Jesus Christ was, is, and will forevermore be. Joseph, the son and director, shared following the documentary. He spoke Jesus' words: From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded. It is both an empowering statement and to a degree a fear inducing statement.

Here in America we live with so much and yet what are we doing with it. God calls for sacrifice. That's it in a nutshell - sacrifice. Haik said he was ready. Following his death, the members of the Iranian church wrote their wills, and generally expressed an equal readiness. Are we, am I - ready to die for what I believe? Is my life something of which would lead to death were Christianity a death sentence?



With Easter fast approaching, it becomes a time to reflect more deeply on the sacrifice that was made for you and me. A life sacrifice -- Jesus sacrificed his life in heaven and embodied humanity in the most humbling way, and then he gave up life once again as he was nailed to the cross. But before that ultimate sacrifice he sacrificed each step of the journey. He sacrificed his time, his talent, his relationships -- we may not be called in our lives to sacrifice our lives in the form of physical death, but are we ready to sacrifice our lives?