Isn’t it amazing how the Holy Spirit helps us to have fortitude in many of our darkest moments? Whether it is through disasters, the death of a loved one, discouragement or even depression we can find our strength and hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that sometimes we need to remember those who left a legacy and blazed the trail for this mighty movement that we are a part of. It is during this month we can look back at those leaders of the past and the present and remember those that were witnesses of the Lord.

Revelation 14:13 states, “And I heard a voice from heaven saying, ‘Write this down: Blessed are those who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, they are blessed indeed, for they will rest from their hard work; for their good deeds will follow them!’” Think of those whose deeds did follow them, those previous leaders who shined their brightest during their darkest of days. Whether it be Susannah Beatty, who was known as the first Salvationist martyr, or La Marechale Booth-Clibborn, who was imprisoned for preaching in France, or Colonel Bo Brekke, who was murdered in 2007 at THQ in Pakistan. Who could forget the names of Major Philip Wise, Major Norma T. Roberts, or Ensign Mabel Broome, who suff ered for the faith and endured through the fortitude of the Holy Spirit?

Who could forget the thrilling life of Joe the Turk who was imprisoned and injured multiple times for preaching the Gospel or Samuel Logan Brengle who was hit in the head with a brick, survived, and went on to write multiple books about holiness.

These men and women who found their strength in the fortitude of the Spirit are the examples we need today. We should aim to live in the spirit of adventure and have our deeds follow us after we have departed.

Photo by The Salvation Army National Archives