GOD IS RADICALLY CHANGING HEARTS ACROSS THE GLOBE

Hello Friend - Over the last week, I’ve been encouraged by a number of stories from persecuted believers—stories that remind me of God’s promise to redeem and restore and the truth of Romans 8:28—that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. At Open Doors, we have seven core values that guide our work and approach to how we think about and share the stories of persecuted believers. The seventh value—we are motivated solely for the glory of God—has really stayed with me this week as I’ve read about our brothers and sisters whose lives reveal how God is using persecution for His glory. He is showing up in some incredible ways as He radically changes hearts and lives. Below are four specific stories to remind you that the God we worship and serve is working His plan. Just like He did thousands of years ago in the life of Joseph, He is using what the Enemy intended for evil to accomplish His purpose.

“My wife turned me into the police for leaving Islam, then she found Jesus.” Nejat, a Christian man in Central Asia, recently told his story and shared with us that “this is how God changes people’s hearts in our country.”

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Pastor braces for death in Mexico, but God does the miraculous When a hitman hired by a drug cartel entered the home of a pastor in Juarez, God intervened.

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Viktor used to traffic heroin in Central Asia, now he smuggles Bibles Drug trafficking was Viktor's life in Central Asia, even in jail–until a plain package in the mail changed his heart.

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Egyptian teen: “My father’s death for Christ made me search for Jesus.” For Marqos, God wasn't really important--until his father was killed for his faith. Now God is working in the midst of tragedy to draw this 17-year-old closer to His heart.

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I hope you’ll take some time to read these hopeful stories and also share them. I pray they’ll be a source of encouragement and inspiration for whatever you may be walking through in your own life ... and that you’ll be assured the God who is working in hearts across the globe is also present in your life, moving in surprising ways. Have a blessed weekend!

Best, Lindy Lowry, Open Doors Weekly editor

P.S. We’d love for you to follow us on Facebook and Twitter where each day, we share stories and prayer alerts from the persecuted Church. If you’re wanting to deepen your understanding and connection to our brothers and sisters in Christ, these web pages are excellent touchpoints. *representative names and photos used for security