Stories & Reflection

What do we do when we face what looks like an impossible task? Today’s Out of the Dust devotional shares the story of some volunteer missionaries who, along with their leader, Avis Goodhart, cooperated with God in accomplishing His work.

What do we do when we face what looks like an impossible task? Today’s Out of the Dust devotional shares the story of some volunteer missionaries who, along with their leader, Avis Goodhart, cooperated with God in accomplishing His work.

#13 Purpose-Driven Prayer

 Scripture Reading: Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose (Phil. 2:12-13).

 Thought: God works in us to make sure His purposes are accomplished.

Excerpt, Out of the Dust: As my passion for international work grew, I began leading multiple mission trips a year. When I took a team into Honduras, we had lots of items to take with us: personal luggage, medical supplies, and shoeboxes filled with toys and other children’s items.

This was back before the days of severe baggage restrictions, so we planned for everyone to bring along two large tubs filled with items we wanted to deliver. I called ahead, and the airline okayed the containers as long as they stayed within the weight limit. The team agreed to confine their personal luggage to one carry-on apiece. We ended up with twenty-five bins of shoeboxes and medical supplies and one shared bin filled with the team’s tennis shoes.

When we got to the airport, the trouble began. An airline counter employee refused to check us in.

“But the children at the feeding station need these supplies,” we told him. “What can we do?”

We turned our prayers into action. One at a time, the team members opened their carry-ons and began putting on every piece of clothing over the clothes they already wore. They then transferred the items from the tubs into their now-empty carry-ons.

“That’s enough!” the man at the counter finally said. He checked in the remaining tubs and watched our overdressed team members march onto the plane like robots, their limbs stiff with extra clothes. They didn’t care how they looked. They just wanted the shoeboxes to reach the kids. (Chapter 15)

Prayer: Father, forgive me for sometimes giving up when the situation looks impossible. Help me to recognize you as Lord of all and to trust you to accomplish your purposes.

Do you have a question, comment, or prayer request? Feel free to share it below or email me through the link at the top of the page. I’ll respond as soon as I can.

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Read about Avis Goodhart and Go Ye Ministries.