Day 25: Read Missionary Stories
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Welcome to Day 25 of the 31 Days to Hallway Praise challenge!
Many of us have gone through, are going through, or will go through some pretty trying circumstances. And the last thing we want is to lose our joy in the midst of hardship. Reading through missionary stories - their struggles and their triumphs - always helps me to remember that we're not alone in our struggles and that the Lord is right there with us.
Today's assignment is easy: read a missionary story!
Do you have any missionary stories floating around your bookshelves? If so, grab one and dive in. Even if you've read it before, it never hurts to re-read it! Or see if a friend has one you've not yet read. Sometimes even public libraries keep a collection of missionary stories on their shelves. It's worth looking into, especially since libraries are free (provided you return your books on time, something that I've not been great at in the past).Three of my favorite stories are Evidence Not Seen by Darlene Diebler Rose, The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom, and Peace Child by Don Richardson (note that all three of these books have some heavy information in them, so if you want to read them to your kids or have your teens read them, too, you might want to be aware of the subject material first). Each of these books impacted my spiritual life in a profound way. My struggles pale in comparison to what these people went through, and while I don't want to make light of my own struggles, reading about others' hallways has helped me to remember that my afflictions are, indeed, momentary (see 2 Corinthians 4:17).
Today's action steps: Find a missionary story to read. It can be one you have on hand, even if you've previously read it. You can borrow a new one, either from a friend or from your library, if your library offers them. Or, if finances permit, treat yourself to a new book you've not yet read. Once you've picked your book, start reading it. Look for ways the Lord intervened in the life of the missionary; how He orchestrated events for His purposes; and how He prepared the hearts of the people to receive His Word. Praise the Lord for the ways in which He worked, remembering that He's at work in your own life as well!
