Picture Worth A Thousand Words

What do you see in this photo? It really doesn't look like much but look again.

I snapped this photo with my phone on September 26, 2020. As odd as this sounds, this photo has inspired me more than anyone would ever have guessed, and I want to share it with you.

On a whim, early one morning, we loaded our two kids in the car and made our way to Washington D.C. for Franklin Graham's prayer gathering. I was hesitant to go because the world was just beginning to open again after Covid. I didn't know what to expect, but looking back, this day is one of the highlights of my life as a follower of Jesus.

Back to the picture. The man in this picture who is wiping his eyes is Pastor Andrew Brunson. Pastor Brunson spent two years in a Turkish prison because of his Christian faith. I recognized him because his story captivated me when it was in the news cycle, and I had just finished his memoir, God's Hostage.

Right there, walking by me, with tears streaming down his face, I was in the presence of a hero. I don’t know what he was thinking or feeling in this moment.  Perhaps someday I’ll meet him and pull up the photo and ask him.  However, I suspect it had something to do with the immense gratitude he felt by what he was witnessing that day. He is a man who suffered greatly for his faith, and I'm sure the juxtaposition was not lost on him.

Although this was 4 years ago, this photo inspires me to this day. It causes me to think deeply about what it means to be a follower of Christ. Would I have the courage to pay such a price as Pastor Brunson? Would my faith hold? It's impossible to answer those kinds of questions sitting in my suburban home in North Carolina, but these giants of the faith give me courage because they are a reflection of Jesus. They remind me of the price He so willingly paid for me - and you. Thank you Pastor Brunson, and I hope it wasn't too creepy that I took your picture.