R.I.P Kayla Mueller

Yesterday I heard on the radio that the young 26 year old ISIS hostage, Kayla Mueller, had been killed. I was disturbed and angry.  I thought it was such a waste of a beautiful young life.  I later looked her up on the Internet, and as I read some of the letter she wrote to her family while in captivity on a news sight, I was amazed at the courage and strength found in her words. She proclaimed that she would never stop fighting for freedom, and for as long as it takes, she would not break down. I started to cry. The truth is, I now don't think it was a waste at all. Kayla worked in Turkey and Syria before she was captured. She didn't have to put herself at risk, yet she did, because she cared about the people there.  In the Gospels, Jesus tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves. I don't know for sure if Kayla was a Christian, but I know that she lived out what she believed to be true and right. She saw the dignity of the human person in the midst of a country filled with persecution and death.  By her I was reminded that I must be strong in my beliefs. I need to know who I am, the God I serve, and where I am going.  I pray that I would be able to stand strong in the face of tyranny and persecution just as Kayla did. She lived out the teachings of Jesus by her actions, and I have no doubt Jesus revealed Himself to Kayla, especially in her final moments, just as He did to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus.  Kayla, may you rest in peace!