Beth Moore - Voices of the Faithful: Inspiring Stories of Courage from Christians Serving Around the World

Voices
of the
Faithful

2005 International Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention and Elizabeth Moore

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Scripture quotations are taken from the following sources:

The New American Standard Bible (NASB). 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. The New King James Version (NKJV). 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Century Version (NCV). 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV). 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. The King James Version (KJV). Public domain. The Living Bible (TLB or LB). 1971 by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV). 1989, 1995 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The Message (MSG) by Eugene H. Peterson. 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved. The Good News Bible (GNB). 1976 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. The Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT). 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved. The Amplified Bible (AMP), New Testament. 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The Amplified Bible (AMP), Old Testament. 1965, 1987 by the Zondervan Corporation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB). 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. The Holy Bible: Revised Standard Version (RSV). 1946, 1952, 1973 by National Council of Churches of Christ. All rights reserved. The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV). 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-0-8499-4624-0 (trade paper)

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA

Moore, Beth, 1957

Voices of the faithful / by Beth Moore.

p. cm.

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-59145-364-2 (hardcover)

1. Devotional calendarsBaptists. I. Title.

BV4810.M619 2005

242.2dc22

2005008310

Printed in the United States of America

10 11 12 13 RRD 6 4 3 2 1

To every servant of Jesus Christ
on the international field

I am so honored to be your servant.

To Mary Kingfor lighting the fire.

You didnt know we were listening,
did you?

Contents

by Jerry Rankin

by Beth Moore

JANUARY 31: Under His wings

FEBRUARY 29: Overflowing joy

MARCH 31: Thy will

APRIL 30: Whats your temperature?

MAY 31: Waiting and waiting

JUNE 30: Will I forgive my persecutors?

JULY 31: Fruit from a seed

AUGUST 31: Go on!

SEPTEMBER 30: Molded by the Potter

OCTOBER 31: Fighting, not retreating

NOVEMBER 30: Gifts from God

DECEMBER 31: The grand adventure

If ever youve held a book that was a group effort, this is it. A large group effort, at that. Not only am I grateful for the nearly 300 missionaries who wrote the daily devotionals, I am deeply thankful for the more than 5,000 missionaries who serve Christ through the International Mission Board (IMB) of the Southern Baptist Convention, based in Richmond, Virginia. You continually inspire me, as you live more life in one year than I could write about in 100 years. Hang in there, and dont get discouraged. Nothing matters more than what youre doing. I just as highly esteem the equally devoted missionaries on the international field from countless other agencies and Christ-centered denominations. My prayer is that this book will draw just as much attention to your efforts, igniting the hearts of many to partner with you through prayer, giving and going.

The fact that I have the privilege of knowing so many IMB missionaries provokes my deepest gratitude to IMB president Jerry Rankin and his incredible wife, Bobbye, who advised the entire project and wrote many of the prayers. The two of you have allowed meand even invited meto feel like a constant part of everything the IMB is doing. Will you ever know what this partnership has meant to me? I am so honored to call the two of you friends.

This book would absolutely not exist without the tireless efforts of a pint-sized fireball and missionary named Kim Davis. Keith and I will never forget the peculiar shopping spree in South Africa with Kim and another missionary that led to this book. Between Keiths terrible backseat driving (forgive him, Angie; you really werent that bad!), the mind-boggling stories and some hard belly laughs, God once again showed that His will still triumphs over our complete silliness. God birthed this vision out of a several-minute conversation. Kim requested, compiled and edited every single devotional and spearheaded all the work a book like this demands. At best, Im big on ideas and small on how to accomplish them. Kim, you are the reason this book exists. And if you take that line out of these acknowledgments, Ill have to beat you up. Im pretty sure I could take you.

Much gratitude also goes to Elaine Meador for helping in the selection process, Sue Sprenkle for editing assistance, 11 faithful prayer warriors who took the project continually before Gods throne and Dan Allen for overseeing all the business details. Larry Cox, Van Payne, Bill Bangham, Vickie Bleick, IMB technical support and others at the IMB, we thank you as well for your gracious willingness to help.

Id also like to thank the missionaries in various world regions who have allowed Keith and me to serve them. You stole our hearts and vastly increased our passion to support your efforts. We are nuts about you. As long as we live, well never forget you. If we never get to worship with you in some of your regions again, well see you around the throne surrounded by all your people groups. What a day of rejoicing that will be!

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mary King, who still serves faithfully at First Baptist Church in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, where I was raised. The flame you lit in my heart for missions every Wednesday night in GAs and Acteens has never gone out. I also have had the joy of serving in a church in Houston for 20 years with the largest Texas-sized heart for missions Ive ever witnessed. Harvey and William, you have been used of God to make missions one of the most dominant efforts we have at HFBC. Im honored to call you brothers.

To Sealy Yates and Integrity Publishers, thank you, thank you, thank you for your investment in the nations, that all people may know Him.