What happened? I'm sitting here taking a break from my growing work load when I came across an article about this christian women in Sudan who's been sentenced to Death because she refused to recant her faith.  To add to the heartbreak of this terrible situation, she's also 8 1/2 months pregnant.  Just as I thought the article couldn't get any more disheartening I read that her 18 month old son is with her in prison.  WHAT IN THE WORLD!!!!  I have never felt such sorrow for someone i've never met.  I kept reading and eventually got down to the countless comments below the article from Americans asking "why can't we do something" and "she should be allowed to worship whoever she wants".  As I read the comments my mind shifted to thoughts of our own society and how we've gone as far as to take prayer out of schools and even some athletic events.  So um... let me get this straight, we as Americans can openly criticize other countries for condemning a women to death for not denouncing her faith yet we condemn our own youth to death (or prison) by denying them the right to pray openly at school.  It may not be a physical death but dying spiritually is just as bad. 

Please hear me when I say this, I have absolutely nothing against any other religious organization and/or groups however this is America...  "one nation under God, indivisible..".  It amazes me how those of us who have been fortunate enough to travel to other nations and experience different cultures received some sort of information about the local customs and rituals of the country we visit.  Take for example the fact that some strict Islamic countries find women wearing white socks sexually provocative and offensive. Or men who shave their face can be considered offensive.   Or the Chinese.  Did you know that using large hand movements can be offensive in some Chinese cultures because they do not speak with their hands, just as eating or drinking before your Chinese host starts.  These are things you are briefed on before you enter a country but yet when you enter the United States of America "one nation under God, indivisable.." if enough people get together and make enough noise, we are quick to change. 

To break this down in simple terms, if i'm invited to my neighbors house and his custom, or rule, is to remove  your shoes when you enter the house then out of respect for his house i'm going to remove my shoes.  When my neighbors come to my house I expect them to respect my rules as well.  Simple as that.  But we have become a nation of cowards who will sell our very beings just to fit in or to make the "noise" go away.  We've forgotten to celebrate the very thing that use to make us special, which is our ability to embrace cultural, religious and social differences of ALL people.  If  you don't pray to God or believe in Jesus Christ I still love and accept you, but if you come to my house to eat you already know that there will be a blessing before the meal is eaten.  When people come to America they should already know that we are a nation founded on Christian faith, Christian beliefs and Christian values. This doesn't mean that we don't allow nor support other religions but it simply means we know who's we are. 

So before we go on ranting about this women in Sudan who chose not to recant her faith and embrace death, let us not forget that all it takes is for enough people to make enough noise...and that could be us.  "one nation under God, indivisible.." 

" if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand"  - Mark 3:25

I will continue to pray for the women in Sudan, that her faith fails her not.