Faith

April 4, 2026

We are at the Waldensian valley in northern Italy, right below the Alps in a small town named Torre Pellice. It’s absolutely beautiful and is surrounded by beautiful mountains where you can still see the tops covered in snow. This town is nothing like the big, touristy cities of Europe we visited this past week.

This area is where a group of Christians fled as they were being persecuted for their faith. They followed Peter Waldo, a French merchant and preacher, and his followers were called Waldensians. The other day, we visited the home of Josue Janavel, who led the group during the persecutions from 1655 to 1663. His home was deep in the mountains, and there was a tiny cave within it where he and his family could hide if soldiers came. It is said that his motto was, “Let nothing be stronger than your faith.”

That is a powerful statement. Paul tells us in Ephesians 2:8, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” Faith is the expression of your desire to accept the gift of salvation, and that is what the Waldensians held on to. Faith grows through your relationship with Jesus. It wasn’t the prize of avoiding death that they were focused on, but the joy of walking closely with Jesus, which helped them withstand the persecutions. 

Have a wonderful Sabbath, and see you next week!