A Burden on My Heart

History is a funny thing. Naturally, it is in the past, but I don't think it stays there. What has happened in history, especially in the history of America, still has great and dire consequences. One of these instances is the Native American tribes. Our history in regards to these communities is devastating. The loss of life, the displacement of nations, the atrocities against them. Reading what was done to these Native people is heartbreaking, but usually we stop there. We feel bad but we realize we can't do anything to change it so we move on. But this is not true. Native American communities all over the US are still facing extreme hardship because of the past. Drug and alcohol addiction is rampant, as is physical and sexual abuse. Some of these communities, like the Navajo, are facing extreme poverty. Others have physical possessions but have a depth of spiritual need that we cannot imagine. There is hopelessness on these reservations. Just as ages ago, when these people were moved onto reservations so we could pretend they were not there, we now live happy American lives and have completely forgotten about them. They have needs beyond what you and I can imagine. They are facing adversity that most of us have never even come close to.

The Native American community is quickly becoming a passion of mine. I believe that God loves these people and wants to be known among them. I believe that God does not want us to forget about these communities that live in our own country. I am praying about an opportunity to work with Apache youth in  Arizona this summer. I hope that it will work out, for it breaks my heart to know that there are a forgotten people in the United States.

Today, I ask you to stop and pray for the different Native American tribes and reservations. Pray that God would bring supernatural healing to these people. Pray that He would bring hope to the hopeless. Pray that He would bring love and support to the abused, and that He would be made known in the lives of these amazing people.



9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. 10 And they cried out in a loud voice:
                   “Salvation belongs to our God,
                    who sits on the throne,
                    and to the Lamb.”
                                                   Revelation 7:9-10

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