Women of Promise

The Via Dolorosa, or "The Way of Suffering," in Jerusalem is the traditional route that Jesus was taken as He carried His cross to Calvary.  If you go there today, you can walk this same path and visit fourteen stations along the way, where traditions say different events are said to have taken place such as, where Jesus was beaten by the Roman soldiers or where He stumbled and Simon of Cyrene was called upon to carry His cross.  The road is narrow and cobblestone, much as it would have been over 2000 years ago.  The very last station is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is traditionally the site of the crucifixion.  Perhaps one day, I will get to walk that road in person -- what an experience that would be! As Easter draws closer and I begin to revisit the events of Christ's crucifixion and glorious resurrection, one song that my father sung around this time of year always comes to my mind.  It is a Sandi Patty song (Love me some Sandi Patty -...

 "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."  This quote always brings me to the brink of tears.  It was made by a man who gave all, literally, for the cause of the gospel.  If you are not familiar with Jim Elliot's story, here is a very brief synopsis.   Jim was a missionary to Ecuador in the 1950's.  He and his co-workers spent years learning the language and ministering to the people. One day they flew to an area that had not been reached by the gospel.  In fact, these Auca Indians had not even seen white men prior to these missionaries' arrival in Ecuador.  Jim and the others had spent months dropping gifts by plane into this area in an effort to gain the trust of these violent tribes.  There had been signs that these people would be willing to meet them in person.   However, something went wrong and the five missionary men were killed that day in January of 1956.  They gave all....