______________________ DAY 27 – EXPECTATIONS______________________
Lord Jesus, may these women’s work be produced because of faith, their labor be prompted by love and their endurance be inspired by hope in their Lord Jesus Christ.
I Thessalonians 1:3
Being “called”, raising funds, moving to a foreign country, and language school can take a couple of years; expectations, hopes, and passions run high. Oftentimes, once past the “honeymoon” stage, reality can look/feel distinctly different than one dreamed it would. It takes a humble, moldable, flexible spirit to allow God to redefine ministry. Lord I/we pray You soothe surprised/shocked hearts and broken dreams/expectations, and help these women embrace what may seem like mundane reality. Help them come honestly to You with their anger, resentment, puzzlement, and confusion. In the midst of it all, remind them of their specialness, uniqueness, and purpose and that knowing You is more important than what they can or can’t DO for You.
Heavenly Father, like many of its European neighbors, cynicism toward religious leaders (especially of Roman Catholic persuasion) runs deep amongst the Italians. In northern Italy the occult is growing in popularity, spiritists easily outnumbering priests. For decades global worker efforts have been plagued by an attitude of non-cooperation. I/we praise the Lord that this attitude is changing and every year brings new cooperative ministries. I/we pray that this movement continues and that the Italian evangelical community would have an impact that surpasses its size.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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