Isaiah 55:10, 11 are verses that have brought me peace time and time again in my mission experience. “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” I praise the Lord for this precious promise every time He brings it to my mind.

Several Sabbaths ago, I was enjoying my morning time with the Lord when He brought those verses to my mind again. Later that Sabbath I realized why He had. He knew I would need special encouragement that day as our church time didn’t go as well as I would have liked. The children didn’t seem to comprehend much of my Bible story. When I asked them questions at the end, they just stared at me blankly. Hadassah and Clayton didn’t behave as well as they could have. At the end of the service I felt pretty discouraged. Then I remembered the promise the Lord had brought to my mind just that morning, and I felt much better. No, things hadn’t gone well during our church service, but I trusted that God would use our feeble efforts as He had promised.

We are so thankful for the encouragement God’s Holy Word provides, and we are thankful for the encouragement all of you provide, too. Thanks so much for your prayers for the people of Mali.

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