If you watch television or glance at the celebrity magazines, even the very rich and famous apparently have everything, also seem to have a large scoop of their own troubles. For those of us who seem to have been allotted far meager blessings, the recorded Bible stories of the faithful but persecuted can be inspirational and uplifting. This is true for Americans and our oppressed and tormented brothers and sisters around the world. The Bible is rich with accounts of people who suffered for their faith in different ways yet persevered en route to their heavenly destinations.