Visiting The Voice of The Martyrs Headquarters

Recently, on the way to Tulsa, my family and I stopped at the Voice of the Martyrs headquarters in Bartlesville, Oklahoma.

The Voice of the Martyrs (VOM) is a nonprofit, interdenominational missions organization that serves persecuted Christians around the world. It was founded in 1967 by Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand. 

Pastor Richard Wurmbrand was an evangelical minister who endured 14 years of Communist imprisonment and torture in his homeland of Romania. 

In 1945, when the Communists seized Romania and attempted to take control of the churches, Pastor Wurmbrand began an effective, vigorous "underground" ministry to oppressed believers as well as to the Russian soldiers occupying his country. He was arrested in 1948, along with his wife, Sabina, who was imprisoned for three years. Pastor Wurmbrand spent three years in solitary confinement and was, then, transferred to a group cell, where the torture continued for another five years.

After more than eight years in prison, Pastor Wurmbrand was released, immediately resuming his work with the underground church. A couple of years later, in 1959, he was re-arrested and sentenced to 25 years in prison.

Pastor Wurmbrand was released through a general amnesty in 1964, again resuming his underground ministry. A group of Christians in Norway, realizing the probability and danger of a third imprisonment, negotiated his family's emigration from Romania.

In May 1966, Richard Wurmbrand testified before the U.S. Senate Internal Security Subcommittee, where he stripped to the waist to show 18 scars from torture wounds covering his torso.

His story was carried in newspapers throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia. Pastor Wurmbrand was warned in September 1966 that Romania's Communist regime planned to assassinate him, but he refused to be silenced.

As co-founders of The Voice of the Martyrs, Pastor Wurmbrand and Sabina traveled throughout the world establishing a network of more than 30 offices that provide relief to families of imprisoned Christians in Islamic nations, Communist nations, and other countries where Christians are persecuted because of their faith. Their message has been, "Hate the evil systems, but love your persecutors. Love their souls, and try to win them for Christ."

Voice of the Martyrs is dedicated to inspiring believers to deepen their commitment to Christ and to fulfill His Great Commission - no matter the cost.

Being at the VOM headquarters was, not only sobering, but humbling and emotional. 

Outside of the main building, is the Martyrs Memorial.

The  polished black marble shined like glass and reflected our faces as we read through the names of Christians that had been martyred throughout the centuries.

Some of the names we recognized...

Dietrich Bonhoeffer...

...William Tyndale and others.

Some of the martyrs were killed long, long ago...

Others...not so long ago at all...

Once inside, the story of the Wurmbrands and the history of VOM unfolded. There were a number of artifacts and a replica of the cell that held Pastor Wurmbrand in solitary confinement. 

Additionally, stories were shared, as were Bibles (or remnant pages of Bibles) and other personal items from members of the persecuted church around the world.

There were also very old copies of the works of Josephus and Foxe's Book of Martyrs.

The grounds at the VOM headquarters were beautiful and we were grateful to have had the opportunity to visit. We hope to go back someday and volunteer in their distribution center. 

To find out more about Voice of the Martyrs and to subscribe to their free magazine click HERE.

I also highly recommend reading Tortured For Christ by Richard Wormbrand and watching the movie of the same title on Amazon. You can also find the documentary Richard and Sabina Wurmbrand there, as well.

The movie Sabina:Tortured For Christ The Nazi Years was recently release and was showing for free on VOM. I don't know that they're still running it for free at this point, but it can be purchased through the site. It is so good!

Above all else, I'd like for you to just take a moment to reflect on, and pray for, the persecuted church. 

As Christians, here in America, we've not known the kind of persecution that the Wurmbrands and countless others around the world have experienced. Our day may very well be coming, but, for now, let us realize how truly blessed (and protected) we have been. Let us seek the heart of God as to how to how He would direct us in assisting those that are under the gun right now for their faith in Christ, for there are many. 

"When others are bent on revenge, on ways of doing more evil than their neighbor, God gives the ability to return good for evil." 

                                                                ~Sabina Wurmbrand

Until next time...

~Rebecca

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Movie Review - Mom's Day Out

Mom's Night Out

For Mother's Day our daughter and son-in-law surprised us by taking us out to see the endearing, faith-based, family comedy Mom's Night Out. And I tell you what...I have not laughed that hard since I don't know when. Funny? Yes! But...more than that...ohmygoodness! It is so true to life!

The story focuses on Ally (Sarah Drew) and her stressed out friends...best friend, Izzy (Andrea Logan White), and pastor's wife, Sondra (Patricia Heaton), each of whom is battling their own unique set of circumstances within the home. 

The girls get together in hopes of connecting as adults, and treating themselves to a special evening out, but, instead, the evening is interrupted by a chain of events that totally unravels the girls' nerves. Although the events that transpire are totally unlikely to happen in real life (at least not altogether in a single series in the space of one evening), they are comical (make that hysterical) and perfectly in line with great comedy throughout the ages. 

Mom's Night Out is a fun movie that sprinkles glimmers of spiritual truth throughout and, in the end, leaves you, as a mom, knowing that you are not alone in your struggles and that, no matter how you perceive them, people are just people. For that reason alone, that makes Mom's Night Out one of the best movies ever in this mom's opinion!

And, as funny as it was, the humor really isn't what makes the movie. It's the fact that the story captures the true heart of parenting. Whether small children or teens, at different stages, and in different seasons, we all face our individual battles in parenting. This movie brings the very things that each and every one of us face on a daily basis, in real life, and puts them into perspective.

Oh, I know! I've heard that critics everywhere are bashing Mom's Night Out, but, you know what? They can bash away! I, personally, have lived Ally's stay-at-home, Christian, homeschooling-mommy life, and know countless others who have done (or are doing) the very same thing right now. THIS is the stuff that REAL life is made of, Ladies, and I cannot praise the makers of this film enough for knowing our hearts, taking all this on, and bringing this movie to fruition for our enjoyment. WHAT a breath of fresh air!!!

If you haven't seen Mom's Night Out yet, grab a friend, and/or take the children, and go see it! You will NOT regret it! 

Until next time...

All My Love,
~Rebecca

#MomsNightOut, #Christianmovies

One Thousand Gifts - #50 loyalty, #51 the ability to overcome, and #52 togetherness

Amazing Grace

Photo Credit

Amazing Grace has been one of my favorite hymns since I was a little girl, but, in life, grace has always been one of those elusive things that I've sought after, but could never seem to find in full. I didn't receive a lot of grace growing up, so, as an adult, I really didn't even know what grace was. I didn't know how to receive it, and I, certainly, didn't know how to give it. And I'm still not very good at either, but I'm learning.

This is what I've learned about grace so far...

Grace is free. It can't be earned, bought, or sold. It must be given, and given freely with no strings attached. Our salvation comes as a gift of God's grace and is appropriated by the response of faith.
Faith in Jesus Christ is God's requirement for receiving His free gift of salvation.

I think for most of my fifty-two years, I've not understood the definition of words like faith, grace, justice, and mercy. Even now I find myself struggling, having to go back, look them up, and study them out as I slip back into old habits and patterns that I detest. It's very frustrating, but, little by little, day-by-day, here's what is slowly sinking down below surface level...

Faith is what we believe about Jesus and our heart's response to Him. Faith means believing and trusting in Jesus, yielding our wills to Him, and totally committing ourselves to Him. It requires repentance, and obedience, to Jesus and His Word as a way of life. It involves a heartfelt personal devotion and an attachment to Jesus. It is being loyal to Him.

Justice is getting what we deserve.

Mercy is being spared what we deserve

Grace is being given what we do not deserve.

Grace is God giving His only begotten Son on behalf of undeserving sinners...imperfect, very flawed people...like me. Grace is multiplied to believers by the Holy Spirit, imparting forgiveness, acceptance, and the power to do God's will.

While given freely to those who will accept it, God's grace must be diligently desired and sought after. It is received when we humble ourselves before the Lord, hear, study, and obey His Word, and pray. On the other hand, God's grace can be resisted, set aside, or even abandoned, by a believer.

No one can be saved by works or good deeds. Nor can anyone be saved through strenuous self-effort to keep God's commandments. One can only be saved by the grace of God. And oh! What an amazing grace it truly is!

May all who call upon Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior learn to accept God's grace for themselves, and may they (we...I) learn to pass it along, and give it freely, to others.  

"For as by one man's [Adam's] disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one [Jesus] shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 5:19-21). 

AMAZING GRACE

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall profess, within the vail,
A life of joy and peace.

The following stanza was written by an an anonymous author, often replacing the sixth stanza, or inserted as the fourth.

When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.

Chorus:

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

(If you'd like to know more about the amazing history behind the song Amazing Grace, then I recommend that you acquire a copy of Amazing Grace the movie and watch it. It is very good!) 

Until Next Time...

All My Love,
~Rebecca

Calling All Families, Moms, and Homeschoolers!

Sally Clarkson of I Take Joy has asked for help in supporting her son, Nathan, and his dream of influencing Hollywood. Nathan's goal is to send a message that quality, wholesome films with a good, moral message are important to us, and I'm passing Sally's call to arms along to you!

Here’s how you can help:

1. Nathan has had an opportunity to work as a consultant on the movie Dolphin Tale, which releases in theaters (US and Canada) on September 23rd. The goal is to get 150,000 people minimum in attendance to the movie on release day. You can be one of those 150,000 plus!



2. Blog about it and/or e-mail your fellow homeschoolers and Christian friends about this fantastic opportunity. Encourage them to get involved, spread the word, and attend the movie.

In case you’re wondering, Dolphin Tale is a fantastic family movie which will “inspire, instruct, and bring you to tears because of the great story line.” And...can you believe it? Two home educated children play the main roles!

Bonus: Sally and her husband, Clay, are giving away Dolphin Tale prize packs as a thank you for helping to spread the word. To find out more and enter visit Sally's site, I Take Joy today!