August 2013
Dear friend,
Living through my first hurricane was a very frightening experience I will never forget. The cleanup of our town afterward resulted in 8,000 truckloads of debris. Many had their homes caved in under the weight of huge falling trees, while others had their homes destroyed.
But worse than a natural disaster is the awful sense of having all your securities smashed by cruel and fierce destruction. This is what millions of war victims face today. Women lose husbands, fathers, sons, and homes, but worse yet, with rape being used as a weapon of war, they lose their dignity, value, and respect. It is the enmity of Satan that God speaks about in Genesis 3:15. But because Jesus Christ won the war on the cross against the enemy of our souls, we must engage in this battle with the most powerful weapon God has given his Church: PRAYER.
I am sure you know that in midst of the political wars, there is heightened persecution of Christians today. Let’s pray our sisters (and brothers) will know the truth and live above their circumstances, not fearing “those who can kill the body, but are unable to kill the soul,” as Jesus said in Matthew 10:28.
Jesus goes on in this passage also to warn all who live in peace but without the fear of God in their hearts – in other words, those who are spiritually dead: “But fear Him [God] who is able to destroy both soul and body … ” You see? We cannot ignore the plight of those war victims, but neither must we despair. Jesus said, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage, I have overcome the world.” When we belong to the Prince of Peace, He will keep us in perfect peace because we trust in Him.
The war victims I meet in my travels inspire and challenge me. Out of ashes of their destroyed lives, they emerge refined and whole. God used the most crushing circumstances to forge them into real heroines of the faith. They experienced how Jesus in them, was stronger than the one in the world (1 John 4:4). They lived the truth of Col.3:1-4: “[Y]our life is hidden with Christ in God.” That is our hope as we intercede for women affected by war. May they know peace in their souls in the midst of war.
Thank you for praying with us.
Marli Spieker
Global Ministry Director/Founder
Project Hannah
TWR