Held Hostage: The Martin & Gracia Burnham Story

pic from mannaexpress.com

I'm patriotic. It kind of comes with the whole Army Wife/Life deal. For God and Country, yes, but I have to admit, push come to shove, it's God who I'm siding with. 

Nations come and go, but God's kingdom lasts forever. I'd fight along side my husband any day to defend our land and the morals of this Great Nation , but I know that it's God's Kingdom/Nation that counts eternally. I want to live my life in a way that will positively influence people living now, and even those that will be living centuries from now. Outlandish? Nope.

How do I do this? By loving those around me. How do I love those around me? By Investing myself, my time, resources, and energy to my family, friends and strangers. Those things have eternal value. Those things have generational and eternal impact. Living this way is God's plan for my life, and for those that follow Christ.

Martin and Gracia Burnham, missionaries in the Philipines, knew this to be true as well. They risked it all to invest themselves in the people around them, and were kidnapped and held hostage by a Muslim terrorist group, while celebrating their 18th wedding anniversary. Wow. 

Their story is heart wrenching and inspiring. I would love for you take the next five minutes or so and listen to Gracia share her experience. It puts a spin on Freedom that I can't quite put words to.

SHOUT OUT (Whoop Whoop, lol): Thank God for the military who risked their lives to save those held captive, and for the missionaries who risk their lives everyday to show others how much Jesus loves the people around them.