Grand Rebuild
Read: Ezra 3:8-13 Many . . . old men who had seen the first house, wept. (v. 12) If a hurricane destroys buildings, rebuilding efforts begin. When the exiles returned to Jerusalem, the city was in ruins, and a jumbled pile of stones marked where the temple once stood. Their first priority was to rebuild […]
Who Am I?
Read: Romans 8:12-18 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. (vv. 16-17) After a major storm has blown […]
Transformed Landscape
Read: Joshua 1:1-9 Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. (v. 9) On October 10, 2018, Michael slammed into the Florida gulf-coastline as a Category 4 hurricane with 155 mph winds. The tiny town of Mexico Beach was […]
August 2024 Prayer Guide
INDONESIA — Give thanks that new community coordinators have been trained by the team in the Singalungun region. The new coordinators are happy to have been equipped for leadership. They have now been taught how to access Words of Hope Indonesia materials on YouTube, such as Bible studies and devotionals in their own language. Pray […]
Face the Storm
Read: Matthew 14:22-33 Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. (v. 29) The bathroom faucet broke. My osteopenia worsened to osteoporosis. A long-time friend died. Our house insurance went up 40 percent. Storms in life are often a tumult of many troubles. It seems as soon as […]
Courage to Evangelize
Pravin is a Words of Hope’s community development workers. He lives and works in Bhutan, a small South Asian country to the north of India. “I personally believe that the Lord has gifted me in evangelizing people,” writes Pravin. “Wherever I go and wherever I work, I make sure to share the gospel with the […]
Fear . . . Not
Read: Luke 2:8-14 Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy. (v. 10) It’s one thing to see a satellite picture on TV of a hurricane swirling around the Gulf of Mexico. It’s a very different thing to watch the sky as dark bands circle overhead casting torrents of rain, feel […]
Fleeing into a Tempest
Read: Jonah 1:1-16 For I know it is because of me that this great tempest has come upon you. (v. 12) It is obviously not wise to run toward a hurricane to avoid a thunderstorm, but that’s just what Jonah did in today’s Bible reading. God told the prophet Jonah to go tell the Ninevites […]
Evacuation Order
Read: Matthew 19:27-30 Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life. (v. 29) My phone blared and flashed with the evacuation order. Hurricane Irma was projected to whirl straight up Tampa Bay, causing […]