An American pastor who has been held in prison for two years by the Turkish government is now back home in the U.S.

In August, we asked you to pray for American pastor Andrew Brunson in an AFA Action Alert that included a petition thanking President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for threatening sanctions against Turkey if it did not release Brunson.

In a message to Turkey, President Trump made his intentions clear. "If Turkey does not take immediate action to free this innocent man of faith and send him home to America, the United States will impose significant sanctions on Turkey until Pastor Andrew Brunson is free."

Secretary Pompeo worked first-hand with the Turkish government to help secure Brunson's release last Friday.

After spending nearly two years in jail and then some time under house arrest, Brunson was freed by a Turkish court despite the fact that the court found the pastor guilty on terrorism charges. Within hours he was spirited away, taken by military aircraft to Germany where he was examined at a U.S. military hospital then flown to the U.S.

Brunson thanked the president for helping secure his release. "We pray for you often as a family, my wife and I pray for you. You really fought for us, unusually so," the 50-year-old pastor told Trump. "From the time you took office, we know that you've been engaged."

AFA, too, is grateful to President Trump for his bold stand on religious freedom.

I especially want to thank you for your prayers for President Trump, our nation and Pastor Brunson.