"He Will Enable Me to Bear It"

This story is a little longer than the rest, so I am going to keep my comments (mostly!) to myself. I have so much admiration for this young woman. I hope her story will embolden you in your public Christian walk and will move you to pray for the people who have to make these same decisions every day.

This story was taken from Jesus Freaks by D.C. Talk and Voice of the Martyrs. It took place in England, 1557.

"Rose Allen jumped from her bed and peeked out the window. There in front of her door stood a sheriff, two police officers, and a crowd of people carrying torches. They were talking with her father on the doorstep. She looked at the clock on the mantle. It was two in the morning.
Rose's mother, Alice Munt, had also been awakened by the loud pounding on the door. 'What is it, Rose?' she whispered.
'They've come to get us, Mother,' Rose whispered back. Rose could hear her father, William, letting the men in below. Then she heard footsteps coming up the stairs.
Friends had warned them of the danger of not attending the official church, but their sense of duty to the truth was stronger than their fears. They continued to worship in secret places with a few men and women like faith. Now the authorities had come to take them away.
Alice, who was not in good health, was so shaken up by the sudden alarm that she felt faint. She asked the sheriff if her daughter could get her some water before they all left for prison.
The sheriff allowed Rose to go to the well. She took a candle and a pitcher to the well and returned with the water. As she came back toward the house, the sheriff met her at the door and said, 'Persuade your father and mother to act more like good Christians and less like heretics. Then they'll soon be set free.'
'Sir,' Rose replied,'They have a better instructor than I, for the Holy Spirit teaches them - one who, I hope, will not allow them to err.'
'Well! It's time to lock up such heretics as you!' the sheriff replied. 'I reckon you will burn with the rest, for company's sake.'
'No sir,' Rose replied, 'not for company's sake, but for my Christ's sake, if I have to. And I trust in His mercies, that if He calls me to do it, He will enable me to bear it.'
One of the sheriff's men shouted, 'Prove her now, and you shall see what she will do by and by.'
With that, the sheriff took the candle from the girl and holding her wrist in a firm grip, put the lighted candle under her hand, burning it across the back for so long that the skin peeled off, the tendons cracked, and the bones showed.
'Cry, wench! Let me hear you cry!' he yelled.
Rose refused to utter a sound.
When he finally pushed her away, Rose said, 'Sir, have you done what you will do?'
'Yes, and if you don't like it, then mend it.'
'Mend it!' said Rose, 'No, the Lord will mend you, and give you repentance, if it be His will. And now, if you think it good, begin at the feet, and burn to the head also. For he that sent you to this work shall pay you your wages one day, I promise you.'
Having said this, Rose carried the water into the house to her mother.
The same morning, the sheriff and his men also arrested six others. After they had been in prison a few days, they were all brought to trial. Each one answered with firmness and refused to change their belief in any way. They were sentenced to be burned at the stake.
When they were brought out, the martyr's knelt, said their prayers, and were tied to the stakes. When the fire rose all around them, they clapped their hands for joy in the fire.
The people who looked on - thousands of them - cried out, 'Lord strengthen you! The Lord comfort you! The Lord pour out His mercies upon you!' and other words of comfort.
The martyrs gave themselves to the flames with such courage that all who saw them were amazed.

"Better is one day in Your courts

Better is one day in Your house
Better is one day in Your courts
Than thousands elsewhere
Better is one day in Your courts
Better is one day in Your house
Better is one day in Your courts
Than thousands elsewhere

(My heart and flesh cry out)
My heart and flesh cry out
For You, the Living God
Your Spirit's water for my soul
I've tasted, and I've seen
Come once again to me
I will draw near to You
I will draw near to You
To You"