Prepare the Way

STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO: Picture Praise, 01/28/13

I took this picture during a journey to South Gobi desert area last November. I went with Mongolian leaders to share the Gospel and plant the churches.  This highway was made just to transfer coals from Mongolia to China. But God has allowed use to use this highway in the dessert to spread the Good News. During outreach, God allowed us to plant three new churches. Praise The Lord!

We'd love to see your corner of the world and the people who live there...so please consider submitting your photo (jpeg, at least 600px x 400px) and verse (not on the photo) to: info@womenoftheharvest.com.

photographer: Esther Yim, Mongolia. Esther has been a missionary to Mongolia with the Christian and Missionary Alliance since 2003

Pray in Faith

STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO: Picture Praise, 01/21/13

Sherman Bible Church in Texas took three teams to one of the Sundarban Islands off the Ganges river in India:  Medical, Evangelism, and Children.  The Children's team told the kids about Jesus through a simple drama.  This picture was taken when we told the kids they could have the 'special gift' of Jesus from the one and only True God if they wanted to pray along with us.  

We'd love to see your corner of the world and the people who live there...so please consider submitting your photo (jpeg, at least 600px x 400px) and verse (not on the photo) to: info@womenoftheharvest.com.

photographer: Marsha Kemp, USA.  “As a retired teacher, I never dreamed God would call me to work for Him in India and fall in love with His kids there!”

Spirit of God

STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO: Picture Praise, 01/14/13

My precious, “apostle” husband and I celebrated our 27th wedding anniversary when I took this picture at a small hotel in the South of Mauritius. More than rejoicing in so many years together as a married couple, our hearts were filled with gratitude for being in God’s service for that same amount of years. We remembered how His Spirit moved in our hearts, drew us to each other and also poured out in our hearts a passion for the islands. Today we are privileged to witness Him at work in and through us on this beautiful, yet needy little rock in the Indian Ocean. How humbling too when we sense the truth of the words of that old song – “All over the world His Spirit is moving...” as a reality right here in our midst. It may be in small ways, and feel so slow at times, but our God is great!!! 

We'd love to see your corner of the world and the people who live there...so please consider submitting your photo (jpeg, at least 600px x 400px) and verse (not on the photo) to: info@womenoftheharvest.com.

photographer: Cecile Sander, Indian Ocean Islands. “I was raised on a sheep farm where Jesus was the center of family life. I gave my life to God at age 5; called to be a cross cultural missionary at age 19. Trained as a Biblical Counselor – see self as “Barnabee” (female of Barnabas). Find great joy in discipling women and seeing them grow into their full God-given potential. Served with my Pastor/Missionary/Church- planter husband in Lesotho; Madagascar; different parts of SA and now in the Indian Ocean again. We’re currently serving in a little English Evangelical congregation with nations from all over the world. I’m using my gift of hospitality to love and serve whomever the Lord sends to my door. As an empty nester and mom of two young adults living in another country, I still have a passion to pray for them regularly and inspire others to intercede especially for loved ones. I am growing in my gift of teaching and writing as I get opportunities. My life motto is to know God and to make Him known. What an awesome privilege to be co-worker with Christ!!!”

Beauty for Ashes

STORY BEHIND THE PHOTO: Picture Praise, 01/07/13

We were on a bus trip and had pulled into a rest stop.  The food was iffy, the washrooms were worse!  So, we stood out in the drizzle beside a large pile of coal.   Then I spotted this butterfly which stayed there the entire time we were there.  Later I had time to reflect …

Coal …. If you touch it, some of it will attach itself to you and your hands or clothes will become dirty.  Despite its dirty nature, coal has value as fuel for cooking or heat. Despite its dark, dirty colour, there is a beauty in the shapes, the cracks and the shine.  The butterfly was not deterred by the dirty nature of coal … it chose to alight there for reasons known only to itself.  And the butterfly stayed, despite the wind that was buffeting it.   Somehow its tiny feet were able to cling to the surface of the coal.

Sometimes we look at a situation and all we see are the ashes, the dirt of the coal, the mess … and we shrink back.   But in God’s economy, everything has a purpose, even the things we view with despair, thinking there is no value.  In the midst of the brokenness, the grit and grime, God has his redemptive work in process, if we will but allow him to show us things through his perspective.   Sometimes, it is a matter of waiting for things to blossom in the fullness of his time, for the beauty to emerge.  Sometimes it is seeing things through His eyes, seeing the beauty that already exists.

Why did the butterfly choose to rest at this particular place?   It didn’t just land and then flit away on the wind, but it stayed, clinging to this piece of coal even when the winds might have carried it away.  There are times in our lives when we are in messy, uncomfortable places, and we can’t wait to get out of there.   Yet, God has us remain there.  Do we look for the beauty in the midst of the ashes, or do we merely close our eyes and endure it with frustration and impatience?  

This is a promise, a promise of redemption, renewal, new life, transformation, hope.  Can I believe God to bring beauty out of the ashes in my life at this time?

We'd love to see your corner of the world and the people who live there...so please consider submitting your photo (jpeg, at least 600px x 400px) and verse (not on the photo) to: info@womenoftheharvest.com.

photographer: Grace, creative access country.  “Called to be a missionary, released to marry, a trailing spouse who’s lived in 4 Asian countries, now retired in Asia and serving in member care.  Who would have thought it!  God’s ways are amazing."