VOICE OF TRUTH FOR TODAY
Compassion That Reflects God’s Heart
Sometimes God expands our understanding by allowing us to see people through His eyes.
Bri Stensrud grew up loving God and studying His Word. She served faithfully in ministry and passionately advocated for pro-life causes. Yet after spending time in Mexico learning firsthand about migration and hearing the stories of immigrants and refugees, her perspective changed dramatically.
She began noticing something in Scripture she had overlooked before: migration is woven throughout the biblical narrative. Many of the people God used most powerfully were themselves strangers, refugees, travelers, or displaced individuals.
As Bri revisited Scripture, she discovered God’s consistent heart for the vulnerable, the foreigner, and the sojourner.
This revelation eventually led her to help lead Women of Welcome, a ministry dedicated to helping women understand God’s heart for immigrants and refugees through education, compassion, and biblical truth.
What inspires me most about Bri is her commitment to compassion, even when it is misunderstood. She often says, “My compassion is not political; it’s prophetic.”
Compassion is not weakness. It is part of God’s character.
Proverbs 31:8 encourages us to “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves.”
As followers of Christ, we are called to love people well, seek understanding, and reflect God’s heart in a divided world. That does not mean abandoning wisdom or discernment. It means remembering that every person is created in the image of God and worthy of dignity and care.
Bri’s example challenges us to move beyond assumptions and toward compassion. It reminds us that sometimes God stretches our hearts by inviting us to see people through His perspective rather than our own.
May we be women who lead with both truth and grace.
Excerpt from Voice of Truth Magazine
“Power Points: God at Work Through Women Leaders Yesterday and Today” by Leecy Barnett