Blessed are those who are persecuted.

I have been so thankful that we as a Church stopped to camp out in Matthew 5 this summer. Those beattitudes used to be a place in the Scripture where I would just pass through, but now that we have dedicated a separate week to each one, I've got so much more to consider and pray about. Jesus' words were powerful as He spoke them on a hillside 2000 years ago and they continue to impact lives today.

This past Sunday was particularly challenging as Maureen reminded us of the thousands around the world who suffer because of their faith. Check out Voice of the Martyrs at www.persecution.com to keep up with the world-wide needs.