A Christian persecution in Afghanistan during Lent changed my life.

Jesus' disciples were fishermen. Many of his stories of courage and faith take place on water as they were fishing together. He calms storms and their fears, walks on water instilling profound faith in Peter, proving that He is the Lord and as an example to the others as Peter also tries to walk on water through faith, and during the time after His Resurrection, He causes the apostles to haul in an incredible catch of fish when there had been none.

Storms are frightening to me and I have been through enough of them after growing up in the Midwest in tornado alley that when the wind kicks up, I am affected. I hate lightening and thunder. Storms of the soul are impossible to weather without the Savior.

Right now a Christian man in Afghanistan is facing death because of his faith. As our troops defend these people from other members of their faith, to bring tolerance to their nation, these clerics and people threaten to execute this man for the very freedoms I thought we were there for, losing our troops lifeblood. The clerics also are saying he is mentally ill because of his faith. No matter what happens, he will be persecuted or killed. If this is happening to him then it must be horrible for other Christians in Afghanistan.

For me, this man is a sign that we need to rethink our priorities. We have failed in so many ways. When Pat Tillman was shot by his own men in Afghanistan, I attended his memorial services. It was very moving. It changed my life about the wars in both Afghanistan and Iraq. I knew then that things had changed. War really doesn't solve much. But it helped me to think that Usama Bin Laden and the Taliban wasn't in power in Afghanistan anymore and that Saddam Hussein's reign was over. War is confusion, when it is over and the smoke clears many will be dead and it will have cost a lot and we will be a broke country. Maybe some of the terrorists will be dead. But none of it will stop until our Lord and Savior returns. That is Biblical prophecy.

When it is the worse, that is when I find the wisdom and strength of my Savior.

I can do everything through him who gives me strength.

Pililippians 4:13