Perpetua....

Lately, me and my family have been going through the book of 2nd Timothy. It is for the Bible Bee (Shelby Kennedy Foundation Bible Bee) program that we have been doing. So far it has been a really good book study, and yesterday they shared a story about a girl who was strong in the faith and not ashamed of God. So here is what I got from the Bible Bee workbook, but I will give you the actual link at the end. Here you go:

How Does it feel to be condemned to die?
History holds an amazing record of this exact experience. The diary of Perpetua, a young North African believer, tells the story of the days between her imprisonment and death as a martyr in 202 A.D.
The Problem: Second-century language doesn't communicate well to modern ears. Please enjoy this present-day adaption in which Perpetua's diary becomes a series of blog posts:

Day 1: No Other Name

Arrested. I never thought it would happen, but it did. When Daddy, who doesn't believe, realized what was happening, he tried to shake my determination to stand up under such pressure.
 "Dad," I said, "See this vase?"
 "Sure."
 "Could we call it a broom, a truck, or anything else?"
 "No. It is what it is."
 "And so am I. No other name besides 'Christian' fits."
Fire blazed in his eyes as he made a quick, angry motion then stopped. In another moment, he left. He and his arguments disappeared. I don't know what the future holds, but I know the One I trust.

Day 6: Rest

Long days. Desperate times. But today, two kind, believing friends bribed the soldiers to move my friends and me into a better part of the prison for a few hours. The quieter, cleaner atmosphere brought us rest and peace. Soon afterward, my family brought my son so I could nurse him. My mother and brother seem so torn up. Watching them hurt is worse than my own pain. But guess what God did? He made a way for me to keep my baby with me! This precious gift of time took away my worry and turned my prison into a palace. Suddenly, I'd choose to stay here rather than anywhere else. Thanks for that gift, Father. And thanks for your faithfulness. Always.

Day 17: Vision

God speaks through dreams and visions. I accept that as truth. But what if the vision reveals something you'd rather not see?
Not long ago, I asked God to use a vision to show me the future. So why was I surprised when He did?
I saw a narrow ladder that reached up to the heavens. Its sides carried sharp, spiked metal weapons, designed to keep people away. I almost stayed away myself. A gruesome dragon lay at the ladder's base, but I followed my friend upward with only a small hesitation. At the top, we found a beautiful garden, thousands of people in white, and a white-robed shepherd. The cool sweetness of the sheep's milk he gave us woke me up to share my dream with my brother.
We agree on its meaning: Our hope lies not in this world. Suffering will come before heaven's sweetness. And we are not ashamed. We know whom we have believed, and He- only He- is able.

Day 24: Interruption

A few days have passed. People whispered about a hearing. Soon, Daddy came again to persuade me away from my faith.
 "If you won't think about yourself, think about your family," he pleaded. "Your death will destroy us all, from young to old. If you persist, none of us will ever speak freely again."
He spoke out of his deep love. How could I not feel his hurt? But as a follower of Christ, how could I follow his instructions?
 "Daddy," I responded. "All will go according to that of the Father's will. Our fate rest in His hands-- not those of man."
He left, his face stony. I wept. I had no other choice.

Day 35: Steadfast

More days have passed. Today, the guards rushed us off for our hearing. One by one, my comrades admitted their guilt. My turn, and Daddy again appeared with my baby.
 "Perform the sacrifice!" he said. "Save yourself and your child!"
The governor added his voice: "Don't you care about either your father or your child? Offer the sacrifice to our rulers!"
I had no choice "I bow to no emperor, no governor, no earthly king. I will offer no worship except to my God."

A short time later, Perpetua and her four comrades were killed in a brutal stadium celebration. She remained steadfast in her resolve never to worship anyone but the one true God. Perpetua knew whom she believed-- and He was able.



I just thought that was an amazing story and wanted to share it with you all. If you would like the link that the Bible Bee book provided here it is:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/maps/primary/perpetua.html

Have a great day,

~JD