11142026 Jesus Wept

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our caring and compassionate Savior.

We all know the favorite verse for Scripture memory contests! The conveniently brief John 11:35 simply states “Jesus wept.” Verse 36 goes on to state, “Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!”

The story about the death of Lazarus provides a comforting realization about our Savior. Jesus was sensitive to the pain of others. The two sisters, Mary and Martha, had hoped Jesus would arrive in time to heal their brother. Instead, Lazarus had been buried four days before Jesus’ arrival. The sisters were apparently dependent on Lazarus for their livelihood, but they also had great emotional pain at the death of their beloved brother. In their pain they expressed their dismay that Jesus had not come in time to heal their brother.

Jesus was completely in control of the situation, and He was in control of Himself as the situation progressed. Jesus knew what would happen. He was not upset when He had informed His disciples about Lazarus’ death. In fact, He had spoken positively of the greater purposes to be accomplished through the situation.

Jesus’ emotional display came only after He observed the pain of His friends. The passage states twice that He was deeply moved in His spirit and also reveals that He was troubled (vs. 33 & 38). The reason for these responses is clearly stated as being a response to Mary’s tears (v. 33). It was then that Jesus wept. His heart responded to the grief and pain of His friends.

Christ’s compassionate and sympathetic response was the result of love. The narration informs us of His love for the three friends (v. 5), the sisters were aware of it (v. 3), and the Jews present were also impressed with His great love (v. 36). Jesus’ love caused Him to cry as He observed the sorrow of His friends.

Yes, we have a Savior who cares when we hurt. He is moved when we cry in sorrow. Even though He is in control of every situation and knows how He will use it for His good purposes, He still responds tenderly to our pain. We are never alone in our sorrow. We are never unnoticed in our pain. Not a tear falls that Jesus does not see. When we are hurting, the heart of Jesus shares our pain, and He responds in compassion and love.

If you have any pain or sorrow, may you be comforted and encouraged in the knowledge that God sees and deeply cares. He is touched by your grief, and He will respond to it, all the while using it for His good purposes.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

11082026 He Holds You

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the One who holds you.

“My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me” (Psalm 63:8).

There are a lot of uncomfortable things about life and ministry. The most uncomfortable of them do not have to do with outward circumstances or practical challenges. Instead, the greatest discomfort lies within the inner man – the heart, the emotions, and the mind. It is uncomfortable to have questions without answers. It is uncomfortable to have expectations without fulfillment. It is uncomfortable to feel isolated and without communication or fellowship. All of these and many more can create an inner discomfort that you long to assuage.

You need something solid, something firm, something certain, something supportive to help you through these struggles. All of those answers can be found in God. You need Him desperately, and the good news is that He will never let you down. When your soul is sinking and on the edge of drowning, it must cling to God. The phrase “followeth hard” means to cling or adhere. When everything else is swirling and uncertain, and when nothing else gives you a firm place to put your feet, you can cling to God. In the midst of the raging storm, He is the only thing that stands stable and firm.

Cling to Him as tightly as you possibly can. Don’t let go or weaken your grasp for a second. In such a precarious position, and knowing your human weakness, it is important to realize who is holding on tighter. God is also holding on to you. His hand is holding you up. If you no longer have any strength to cling, God’s sure and mighty hand can hold on to you. He can hold you so that you do not sink or drown.

May you have an unquenchable thirst and a desperate dependence on God. And when you feel too weak to cling, may you feel His unfailing hand holding you up.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

10312026 Wide Steps

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the One who prepares our path.

“Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip” (Psalm 18:36).        

Perhaps you have seen a mountain climber on a rock wall. You have seen his hands clasp knobs of rock. You have seen his toes cling to tiny bumps or support themselves on the narrowest of ledges. Sometimes it seemed there was nothing at all to support his hands or feet; he appeared to be magically glued to a sheer wall. You may have marveled at his skill, but thought to yourself, “If I were climbing, I would need the footholds to be as wide as possible.”

That certainly would make the climb easier and safer. When groups of mountain climbers scale a sheer rock wall or traverse a smooth icy expanse, they have to make the path as safe as they can. With their axes they carve out steps for themselves and for those who follow. A careful climber will make those carved-out steps as wide and as smooth as possible.

This is the picture that God gives in this verse. He makes the steps wide so that you can walk without falling. He enlarges your steps so they are safe and sure. The path you have to travel is not always completely smooth, but God intervenes to make it as sure and as safe as possible. He sees the steps that are too narrow and that would present a danger for you, and He enlarges them. He makes them wider and safer, so that you can tread the dangerous terrain without slipping.

God is very good at this preparation and does it well enough to give success. The psalmist claims that God’s efforts were effective. The psalmist was able to walk without slipping. God can prepare your steps just as effectively.

May God give you wide steps and steady feet as you follow Him this week.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

10242026 Gentle Shepherd

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our gentle Shepherd.

“He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young” (Isaiah 40:11).

God illustrates His care for those who are most needy by speaking of Himself as a shepherd. Sheep are noted for their helplessness. In order to survive, they need a shepherd to look after them. Within the scenario of a shepherd with his sheep, God chooses the most vulnerable of the flock to illustrate His point. He speaks of the young lambs and of the recent mothers who are caring for their newborns.

God tells of His care for the delicate lambs and for the over-worked mothers with fragile bundles to care for. Far from leaving these vulnerable ones out, God makes a point to express His care for them. The picture created is a very tender one. God doesn’t simply fulfill His obligation to these needy lambs and ewes. He takes the time and effort to do so appropriately. He takes special care to treat them tenderly. He tends all of His flock, leading it to pasture so it can find the food it needs, but with the fragile ones, He is especially attentive.

God sees the tiny lambs who are tottering on their skinny legs and who don’t have the energy to walk for long distances. He gathers those lambs into His arms and carries them close to His heart. He doesn’t expect from them what they cannot do. Neither does He handle them roughly, slinging them over His shoulder. Instead He cherishes them and carries them in the most tender and safest way possible. He does not hurry the nursing ewes along or push them beyond their limits. He leads them gently because He knows their limitations. He loves them, and His kindness is expressed every time He leads them. Our Father, the Great Shepherd, knows how to deal gently with those He loves.

May God hold you tenderly and lead you patiently as you rest in His care.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA 

10172026 A Loving God

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our wonderful, loving God.

Some of you are more aware than I am about the various versions of “god” that exist and of what those false gods demand of their followers. Rather than try to accurately catalogue the requirements of specific religions, let me give a list of actions that are supposed to be helpful in obtaining, keeping, or solidifying one’s salvation within various religions.

Baptism. Praying. Fasting. Taking communion. Doing confession before you die. Giving money. Giving up personal belongings. Offering sacrifices. Entering seclusion. Self-flagellation. Doing good works. Doing a two-year service journey. Doing humanitarian work. Going on a pilgrimage. Killing an infidel. Martyrdom.

And these works might have to be done in the right way, at the right time, in the right place, or with the right frequency. Missing them even once at the wrong time can mean disaster. Furthermore, doing the wrong thing can undo what has already been achieved. And certain sins – well, if you do them, there is no hope for you whatsoever.

But then there is the one true God. What does He say?

“Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law” (Romans 3:28).

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8).

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began” (II Timothy 1:9).

“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” (Titus 3:5).

Those other religions require man to do all kinds of things – some of them pretty major. They leave him constantly striving to do more, fearing that he hasn’t done enough. He has to follow a fearful god who always requires him to do more than he can do and to be what he cannot be.

 

How much better it is to follow a God who loves me and who wants to make it as easy as possible for me to be right with Him. That doesn’t mean I choose Christianity because it is easy. It does mean that the true God is vastly different from every false god, because His very means of saving me is an immeasurable display of the depths of His love. He expresses love, invitation, and acceptance, rather than fear, obstacles, and rejection.

May you rejoice in the God of your salvation, and may He bless your labor as you help others to see this same loving God.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

10102026 Divine Guidance

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our great Guide. He has always faithfully led His people and will continue to do so.

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye” (Psalm 32:8).

God guided Abraham. From his home in Haran to his sojourn in Canaan. Through Abraham’s side trip to Egypt. Through dividing the land with Lot. Through military rescues. Through false steps. Through years of waiting. To the unspeakable Mount Moriah. God was always there.

God guided Joseph. To find his brothers in Dothan. On the savage trip to Egypt. In Potiphar’s house. In the prison. As a high-ranking official. Through reconciliation with his family. Even in transporting his bones back to Canaan. God was always there.

God guided David. From the shepherd’s hill to the battle with Goliath. Through faithful service to an unstable king. Through night escapes to cave escapes to foreign power escapes to angry men escapes to military escapes to civil war escapes. God was always there.

God guided Daniel. From Israel to Babylon. Through the foreign university and the unreasonable demands of the king. Through successive rulers. Through oppressive government mandates and through the lion’s den. In desperate searches to understand God’s plans. God was always there.

God guided Paul. From observing the death of Stephen to seeing the light on the road to Damascus. Through training in the wilderness and confrontations in the early church. Through threat of death from Jews and Gentiles and Romans. Through three missionary journeys – city by city and region by region. Through shipwrecks and imprisonments and house arrest in a foreign place. God was always there.

We may not be able to personally relate to every one of those circumstances, but certainly we find repeated parallels in our own lives to the situations of the men listed above. Where do you find your own story? In moving to a foreign land or from place to place? In opposition and danger? In needing wisdom? In being rescued from your own mistakes? In carrying out your mission from God? In routine responsibilities or in immense tasks beyond your comprehension?

Has not God always been there? Time after time, He has guided, instructed, and taught. His eye has been on you. Your path has been made plain and your feeble efforts have been blessed.

And so our faithful God will continue to do. Each new day. Each new year. Each new ministry. Each new outreach. Praise God for His faithful and careful guidance.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

10042026 Spiritual Solutions to Spiritual Problems

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the Supreme God. He rules over not just a town or state or country, but over the entire universe. (And, who knows? There could be expanses that we don’t even know about.) His rule is not just over the physical world, but also over the unseen spiritual world.

We humans are in an unusual in-between position. On the one hand, we are human. We are flesh and bone. We walk on dirt and grass and concrete, and we move between trees and buildings. We face the challenges of this physical world: rain, mosquitoes, stairs, deserts. We interact with other humans.

On the other hand, not every challenge that we face is of this physical world. There are unseen powers and forces. We can’t see them, but we still are influenced by them and must interact with them. We walk on this physical earth, with all its components, but we are in a battle against things that are beyond this physical earth. “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh” (2 Corinthians 10:3). Ephesians 6 refers to “the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

How can we successfully battle against powers that are on a different level than where we live? That are beyond the human boundaries within which we exist? Thankfully, through the provision of our Supreme God. Our own weapons and efforts and understanding are not sufficient for the spiritual battle, but God gives us resources. “(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)” (2 Corinthians 10:4). Through the spiritual weapons provided to us by God, we can have victory in ways that we cannot imagine.

The battles on the spiritual level are diverse. Some are on a global scale beyond what we can comprehend. In a practical way, those battles can involve our ministries, the people we have contacts with or outreach toward, and even our own selves. On whichever level we face the battle, our goal is for the truth to prevail – to guide, to conquer, to illuminate, to control. We reject and reveal the error, and instead we exalt Christ and the Bible, allowing God to put things back into their proper order. “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

May God give you wisdom, grace, strength, and provision to meet the physical demands of this physical world. May He also give you the wisdom, power, and truth to face the assaults of the spiritual world.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

09262026 Don't Quit on a Bad Day

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our sustaining God. His grace and strength are enough for us for as long as we need them.

I was recently reading some thoughts for hikers on the Appalachian Trail. One person gave this counsel: “Don’t quit on a bad day.” This advice recognizes several factors. In such an ambitious undertaking, there will be bad days. Rain, wind, storms, cold, heat, mud, mountains, rocks, sore muscles, filth, loneliness, hunger, mice, mosquitos, etc. When those challenges get too harsh, there will be the desire to quit. But those bad days are not every day; things will turn around, and there will be good days again. Sometimes you have to push through the bad days to get back to better days. I think the application behind this advice is that a hiker would not want to look back in regret, realizing that he had allowed the difficulties of the Trail at a particular moment to defeat him. Throwing away the experience because one bad day was just too bad. There are enough bad days that if someone threatened to quit on every one of them, there wouldn’t be much commitment or endurance. In fact, the person giving the advice wasn’t saying never to quit. Someone three weeks into the hike might decide it isn’t for him, but he should quit because of well-thought reasons and facts, not in the heat of negative emotions. Some people would say, “If you’re going to go out, go out on top.” End on a good note and on your terms, not because you’re defeated.

Doing a major hike like the Appalachian Trail is not a perfect parallel for Christian service, so the applications are not identical. I share the above because it prompted my thoughts, not because it is great Christian doctrine. But the above piece of advice reminded me of another quotation I had seen recently, one that is more spiritual in nature. I didn’t see the name of an author, but the quote stated, “You have too much evidence of God’s faithfulness to let one difficult season make you doubt His promises.”

We humans tend to have short memories. It’s amazing how quickly and how completely we can forget the times of victory, and suddenly we find ourselves in the doldrums. (Right, Elijah?) This is why God kept encouraging the Israelites to set up memorial stones, visible reminders of God’s power, provision, and deliverance. The author of the above quote is correct; we have lots of evidence of God’s goodness. We just have to remember it and continue to trust in the God who has shown it so often.

Speaking of showing it often, we have this verse. “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).

Many times I have heard preachers say these are the saints in heaven watching us, but once I heard a preacher explain it differently, and it made a lot of sense. He suggested that the witnesses are not witnesses OF us, but witnesses TO us. A witness tells what he has seen and experienced, providing evidence. That’s what Hebrews 11 provides – a list of witness after witness of how faith in God was rewarded. Through Abel, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, and the others, we are presented with an abundance of evidence by a great cloud of witnesses. By their testimony, they encourage us to press on with endurance.

We press on because God does accomplish His work. “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not” (Galatians 6:9). “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).

We press on because we have the best example ever to inspire us. “For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Hebrews 12:3). “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” (1 Peter 2:21).

We press on because there are better and brighter days ahead. “I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD” (Psalm 27:13-14). “But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you” (1 Peter 5:10).

I always feel a little uneasy writing a message on dark subjects like quitting, because I do not want to be misunderstood or cause offense. I don’t want someone to think that I think you’re all out there on the verge of quitting. I don’t think that! I think you are faithful and dedicated servants determined to serve God.

But I also know there are bad days and difficult seasons. I know that when the nights get cold, the mud gets thick, and the mountains get steep, it is easy to get discouraged. We have battles in our minds. We may be very determined not to quit, but that doesn’t mean the thoughts don’t sometimes come. Often the discouragement is temporary, but when it comes, we need truth to speak to ourselves, truth that will encourage us to continue hiking and to press forward. It is my desire to share that truth so that God can use it in the situations where it is needed and to the extent that it is needed. So I pray that you will keep moving faithfully forward with a good heart, knowing that what you do today matters for eternity.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

09192026 God Cares

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God who cares for you. Yes, our mighty God oversees the vast diorama of the entire creation, but He also cares for you individually.

God cares about every practical need. “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). “And he said unto them, When ye pray, say … Give us day by day our daily bread” (Luke 11:2). God showed this care practically in the life of Elijah when He fed him by the book Cherith, in the widow’s household, and in the wilderness.

God cares about every weakness of your body. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). When Elijah was exhausted and discouraged, God gave him special provision so that “he went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights” (1 Kings 19:8).

God cares about every insecurity. “Only be thou strong and very courageous” (Joshua 1:7), one of three such reassurances in the space of four verses. “For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee” (Isaiah 41:13). When Moses was insecure about leading Israel, God reassured him with miraculous signs, and God humored Gideon’s fearful request for reassurance not once, but twice, and even three times.

God cares about every burden of your heart. “Casting all your care upon him; for he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation … the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (2 Corinthians 1:4). When Hannah’s heart was broken over her barrenness and the resulting insults, God comforted her with a priestly message and with children.

God cares about every aspect of your ministry. “But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak” (Matthew 10:19). “But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). God repeatedly directed and guided Paul, opening doors and closing doors, as well as giving him audiences with both common men and great rulers.

Whatever it is, God knows and He cares. It is a comfort to know that His care is never empty. He is fully able to meet every kind of need out of His abundant resources and out of the richness of His loving heart. Whatever your need, tell Him, and then rest in His care. God bless.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

09122026 All Grace

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God of all grace. By His grace God supports us and enables us.

Last week I talked about how God often works by asking us to do small things – tiny steps of obedience that He transforms into great works. While that is true, it is also true that God sometimes asks us to do things that are bigger and more difficult.

Those big things can seem daunting to us. In fact, even enough little things can seem daunting, especially when we have to keep doing them over and over again or when we have too many of them. There are times when our bodies become weary. There are times when our emotions become stretched. There are times when our minds no longer want to think. There are times when we simply run out of time. We feel like we cannot do one more thing, or cannot do that task one more time. Ministry can be very draining.

Certainly there are times when it is appropriate to rest. God invented rest. My childhood pastor used to say that sometimes we need to “come apart” before we come apart! Jesus Himself knew the need for retreats.

At other times we need to push on even though we are weary. For such times, here is a verse that I can barely wrap my mind around. There are so many superlatives packed into it that comprehending it seems almost like trying to understand eternity or the Trinity.

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

ALL grace … and it ABOUNDS. We can ALWAYS have ALL sufficiency for ALL things, and we can ABOUND to EVERY good work. So what do you think? Is there anything that God wants us to do that we can’t do?

It sure seems that way sometimes. We are weak and frail and limited. Without God we can do nothing. But with Him we can do all things. The key is His grace. Oh, how much we need His abundant grace!

How do we get the grace we need for the tasks that we cannot do without it? “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble” (James 4:6). God gives grace to the humble. God gives grace when we come to Him, admitting that we can’t do it or be it, and asking for His help.

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Oh, Father, I can’t do one more thing. One more day. One more person. One more time. I am too weary and too weak. Will You please give me Your grace so that I can do the next good work that You have put before me?

Oh, Father, will You bless my sisters who are serving You? Will You give them Your abundant grace to strengthen and enable them on the inside as well as on the outside, so that they can move forward in the work You have given them?

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

09052026 Little Things

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God who always has a plan. We don’t always know the details of that plan, but God does. God simply asks us to obey as He directs us; then He works out the plan.

Often what God gives us to do seems small and insignificant. We may not have any idea of the ramifications of our obedience. Here are a few Bible examples.

God said to Philip, “Walk over to that car.” A little thing for Philip. “Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot” (Acts 8:29). Philip had to run a bit to get to the chariot, and God did the rest. Through overhearing what the Ethiopian eunuch was reading, Philip knew exactly what he needed to do. He answered the man’s questions, and God finished His work in the man’s heart, and through him, God spread the gospel to a new continent.

God said to Peter, “Wake up and go downstairs.” A small task for Peter. “Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them” (Acts 10:20). Peter had to take a walk, but when he got to Cornelius’s house and heard his questions, he knew just what to do. He shared the gospel, and God did the rest. Many people were saved, and God spread the gospel to the Gentiles.

How many other times did God similarly do great things through something simple He asked His people to do?

God told Moses, “Throw your rod on the ground.” (Exodus 4:3). God then worked a sign that gave Moses the courage to lead and the evidence of divine appointment so the people would follow. The end result was the magnificent exodus.

God told Joshua, “Take a walk around the city.” (Joshua 6:3). Then God miraculously tumbled the walls of Jericho and encouraged Israel for the conquest of the land.

Jesus told the blind man, “Wash your face.” (John 9:7). Through the man’s obedience, Jesus healed his blindness and thereby ignited a great confrontation for the truth before the Pharisees.

God told Saul, “Get up and go into the city.” (Acts 9:6). After Saul’s obedience, God converted this great sinner and turned him into a great missionary.

God often asks us to do something small, something simple. When we obey, He gives us further guidance, and He works out His great purposes. God accomplishes amazing things that we never could have foreseen.

“And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward” (Matthew 10:42). “Verily, I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40).

May God encourage you this week to keep doing the little, seemingly insignificant things that He asks you to do, and through your obedience, may He accomplish His great plans.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

08302026 Faithful Helper

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our faithful Helper.

After a providential deliverance in a frightening battle, Samuel called the attention of the people of Israel toward God. In the aftermath of the victory, Samuel established a visible reminder of God’s help. “Then Samuel took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying, Hitherto hath the LORD helped us” (1 Samuel 7:12).

The meaning of Samuel’s object lesson was implied: A faithful God would walk with them into the challenges of their future. God had helped Israel in this one battle; historically, He had helped them over and over again. If the people could remember the past help of God, they would be inclined to trust Him in the future. Given His past actions, there was no reason to think He would stop.

This truth is recognized many times throughout Scripture. David learned this lesson early in his life. When he came before Saul with the offer to fight Goliath, David verbalized this truth. “David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37).

We could step anywhere into the life of Joseph, and we would find the same truth. When he was sold by his brothers, God preserved his life. When he entered slavery, he rose to a position of trust. When he was wrongly imprisoned, God continued to bless and advance him. When he was forgotten by men, he was not forgotten by God. “The keeper of the prison looked not to any thing that was under his hand; because the LORD was with him, and that which he did, the LORD made it to prosper” (Genesis 39:23). At numerous points, Joseph could have given in to despair, but I believe he was conscious of this ongoing divine help.

Daniel provides another example. How many dangers did the man live through? He was taken into captivity, forced into education and training for the foreign power, and then threatened with imminent death over the failures of other people. This was Daniel’s life for decades, and when he was old, he was again threatened with death for his faith in God. In this case, even the heathen king could see God’s record of deliverance. “Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee” (Daniel 6:16).

One final example is Paul. The man’s entire life and ministry as a Christian was filled with threats, beatings, imprisonments, riots, deprivation, shipwrecks, and more. What did Paul see about God’s actions toward him? Paul could remember being let down over a wall in a basket. He could remember an earthquake that delivered him from prison. He could remember standing up and walking away when he was stoned and left for dead. He could remember a nephew with a timely warning, sympathetic rulers, and armies that rushed to his rescue. So when he was in the teeth of an impossible storm at sea, in a broken and helpless ship, accompanied by despairing men, Paul expected God’s help once again. “Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me” (Acts 27:25).

John Newton learned this truth and penned it in his hymn “Amazing Grace.” He wrote, “Through many dangers, toils, and snares, I have already come. ‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.”

Indeed, we have every reason to believe that God will continue doing His work in us and helping us along the way. “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6). “For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

May you rest with confidence in His power and care.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA 

08222026 To Be Revealed

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our omniscient God. He knows all things, but that doesn’t mean He reveals everything to us. There are many things that we don’t know, at least not yet.

“For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known” (1 Corinthians 13:12). Our vision is dim and incomplete.

One thing that we do not fully understand is our own heart. “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). We can try to evaluate, and we can ask God for help, but we are limited in understanding the depths of our beings.

We also do not fully know what we will be some day. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). We can anticipate that day, knowing that God will change us, but for now our comprehension of what that will be like is limited.

We do not know how God uses the events of our lives within His plan. “But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive” (Genesis 50:20). In the middle of those difficult years, Joseph and his family did not know what God was doing, but God knew, and He was doing it.

We don’t know what heaven will be like. We know a little bit, but as far as having any real comprehension of that day, we can’t fathom it. It will make the trials of this life insignificant. “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18). “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Revelation 21:4). We can read these words, but we can’t really wrap our minds around them, because this is nothing like our current context. We can’t relate. But it is coming.

We don’t know how God will use our labors for Him. “In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good” (Ecclesiastes 11:6). The sower does not always know the condition of the soil – who will respond and who will not. The sower does not always know the results of his labor. He sows and waters and sometimes moves on without seeing the reaping, but that does not mean that the reaping does not happen.

Imagine this scene in heaven. “After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands” (Revelation 7:9). So many people from so many nations will be there. We don’t know all the steps along the way that led them to salvation. We never knew that some of those people would ever respond. But there they will be.

We do not know the depths of our heart, but God will still make us into who He wants us to be. We do not know God’s workings through the difficulties of life, but God will still work out His good purposes. We don’t know all the glories of heaven nor how they will erase all the trials of this life, but God has a wonderful world waiting for us. We don’t know how God will use our feeble efforts, but God is in the business of redeeming souls and gathering a harvest.

Thank God for His complete knowledge and for the things that we will someday see, even though our current vision is dim.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

08162026 You Are Rich

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God of all resources. Whatever the need, God is able to supply it. No matter the realm of life, God can provide blessings.

Missionaries are not generally perceived as being rich. In fact, through the years, the opposite picture has often been painted. You know, their car is on its last legs, they live on rice and beans, and everything they own is second-hand. It is true that some of God’s most devoted servants have lived with great deprivation, at least for portions of their lives. It is also true that God takes care of His children, and I am confident you have experienced that in some wonderful ways.

Here is the bottom line. “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

God is well able to do this, because God owns all the resources. “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills. I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine. If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof” (Psalm 50:10-12).

On the other hand, if we are hungry, or if we have some other need, we can go to God and ask Him to provide. “When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them” (Isaiah 41:17).

Certainly, we are thankful for the practical provisions of God which He has shown us many times. Most, if not all of us, probably have experienced amazing instances of that – stories that raise goose bumps or that cause our eyes to well up with tears.

As we grow in maturity, we become more and more aware that God’s greatest gifts are not practical, but spiritual. When we consider the spiritual side of things, we realize that God has blessed us beyond measure. In fact, we are quite rich.

“For ye know that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). When we look beyond the external trappings of life, we are aware that our previous condition was one of squalor and deep poverty. Jesus temporarily gave up His riches in heaven to humble Himself on this earth; through His great sacrifice, we have been saved and have been lifted far above our previous condition.

My mind goes to a few Biblical examples. Who could have been in a worse position than Rahab? We don’t know her full history, but many prostitutes are driven to that profession out of desperation, selling their bodies in an attempt to provide for their needs. Certainly, from a moral perspective, she was quite poor. The Bible does not reveal precisely when she was transformed, but she came to believe in the God of Israel. In the end, she alone was redeemed out of all Jericho. She found the stability and provision of marriage and became part of the line of Christ. She went from deep poverty to great riches.

Saul/Paul is another example. His outward position was much different. He would have appeared wealthy and powerful. But internally, he was poor and depraved. When God transformed him, everything was reversed. He ended up living his life of ministry with few material resources, but with profoundly rich spiritual blessings. Reading Paul’s writings reveals his awareness of how richly God had blessed him.

One such passage – which I always think someday I will come back and spend some time in – is Ephesians 1. Paul starts out by recognizing that God “hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (v. 3). What riches do we have in Him? Here is a quick list.

Divinely chosen before the foundation of the world (v. 4). Being made holy and blameless before God (v. 4). Being made the children of God (v. 5). Experiencing the pleasure of God (v. 5). Divine acceptance (v. 6). Redemption and forgiveness (v. 7). Abundant wisdom (v. 8). Revelation of God’s great will and plan (v. 9). The anticipation of a future gathering to Him (v. 10). An inheritance (v. 11).

I’m sure a deeper study would refine that list and make it more meaningful and perhaps more thorough, but even some of the words and phrases reveal the richness of our position in Christ. “Blessed.” “Spiritual blessings in heavenly places.” “Chosen.” “Children.” “Accepted.” “Beloved.” “The riches of his grace.” “Abounded toward us.” “Good pleasure.” “An inheritance.” “Sealed.” “Redemption of the purchased possession.” In verse 18, Paul prays that his readers would understand and know “the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.”

Congratulations! You are rich! May God comfort you with your position in Him. And may He truly enable you as you seek to share with others the riches that God desires to give them. Not a health-and-wealth gospel. Not a magical prayer of Jabez. But true riches that meet the needs of the soul, that can transform a wretched life into one of blessing.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

08092026 Too Hard

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God of impossibilities. He is able to do everything that He determines to do.

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; If it be marvellous in the eyes of the remnant of this people in these days, should it also be marvellous in mine eyes? Saith the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 8:6).

The word “marvellous” refers to something that is great, difficult, or wonderful. For someone looking forward at the scenario, it is too hard. If the scenario is somehow resolved, someone looking back would call it miraculous.

The word was used regarding Sarah’s having a son in her old age, translated “too hard.” It is used of the plagues brought upon Egypt that effected the exodus of the Jews, translated “wonders.” God uses the word to declare that nothing is too hard for Him. “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?”

Consider the spread of the gospel. Surely it was “too hard” for tradition-steeped Jews to accept something new. Yet on Pentecost, “about three thousand souls” were saved, “and the Lord added to the church daily.” Well, okay, the common people maybe, but it was “too hard” for the stubborn and powerful religious leaders to convert. Hmm. “A great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.” But never Gentiles! That would definitely be “too hard.” Enter Cornelius. “The Gentiles had also received the word of God.” But what about totally pagan and pantheistic peoples that lived far away from Israel and had no previous exposure to the God of the Jews? That would be “too hard.” The journeys of Paul and the other disciples demonstrate otherwise. From Rome, Paul writes, “All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household.”

Since that time, God’s message of salvation has continued to spread into all the world, reaching people and places that man declared “too hard.” How could the gospel ever be effective in oppressive places like China, Russia, and North Korea? How could the gospel reach superstitious and religion-controlled places like Burma and India? Surely Dark Africa would be too hard. Or the islands with cannibals and headhunters. How many people failed to establish any foothold in the New Hebrides Islands? And the Muslim world? Impossible. What about the “uncivilized” and uneducated native tribes of the Americas? The drug culture in New York City?

“Fun” is not the right word, but it would be fun (rewarding, inspiring, breath-taking) to trace out some of those stories. Because God did take His message of salvation to all of those impossible peoples and places. In some cases, only a small minority accepted His truth, and in others, great awakenings came that changed the whole culture of that place. Because God has reached impossible people. God has reached impossible tribes and impossible countries.

Paul said, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). True, not every person will choose to believe. Not every country will turn in dramatic fashion. But some will believe. There is nothing too hard for God.

May God give you grace, patience, and power as you work with those who seem more resistant and less inviting. I pray that He will enable you to see the results of His salvation even where it seems “too hard.”

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

08022026 Rod and Staff

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our Great Shepherd. God cares for His sheep gently, but sometimes He also cares for them fiercely.

One night this week I was thinking again about Psalm 23, and as I came to verse 4, I had some new thoughts. “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

My personal belief is that the psalm is a compilation of different things that the Shepherd does at different times. While it does end with a future-looking focus, I don’t see the psalm as a sequential timeline for life, but more cyclical. Life changes, and at some points we find ourselves in verse 2a and other times in 2b or 4a or 5c.

So I don’t think that the rod and staff comforting is necessarily connected to the walking through the valley, but in some cases it will be. I was thinking specifically about how those two concepts might be connected.

Usually I think of the rod and staff as God’s guidance and correction of me – of how He works to keep me on the right path. And that is comforting.

But here’s a thought. Might not the Shepherd also use those tools to attack the enemy? If a wolf or bear or lion comes after me, I have a Shepherd who defends me. So He raises that rod and brings in down in repeated blows upon the attacker, driving the enemy away, or even killing it. That is comforting.

Here’s another thought. Sometimes we get a certain picture of someone in our minds, and perhaps there is a particular image that sticks with us. For example, we might picture a judge with a gavel, a policeman with a revolver, a doctor with a stethoscope, a carpenter with a hammer, or a plumber with a wrench. We picture these men with a tool that represents their actions. There is comfort in that. We are comforted to think that each of those people knows how to effectively use his tool; it is their expertise with the tool that allows us to trust them.

In the same way, there is comfort in thinking of the Shepherd with His tools. They are symbols of His care and guidance and protection. They are tools that He uses effectively. I can trust His ability to use them on my behalf. I can trust that He is never without them, that He never loses them, that He never fumbles with them awkwardly, that He never needs to learn how to use them more effectively. Yes, there is comfort in knowing that my Shepherd has the right tools for the job and that He uses them consistently and effectively as He interacts with me. It’s a good way to picture Him.

May our good Shepherd lead you, guide you, protect you, and comfort you this week.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

07262026 Once Again

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our faithful God. Aren’t you glad God doesn’t get tired of doing the same things over and over again?

God spins the earth day after day. He continually leads the stars across the sky. He puts the sun to bed and wakes it up again every morning. Time after time He sends the rain.

God repeats His actions year after year. He changes the seasons according to His schedule. He keeps sending seedtime and harvest. He continues renewing the earth.

God consistently works in our lives. He gives grace upon grace. His love is everlasting. His compassions fail not. He provides our daily bread. He keeps forgiving our sins.

God even delivers us time after time. Notice how this psalmist describes God’s faithful help. “Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth” (Psalm 71:20).

This is not the first time this psalmist has been in trouble. Neither is it the first time God has delivered him. The past troubles have taught the psalmist that God is taking care of him. The past deliverances have given him confidence that God will watch out for him again.

“Again” appears twice in the expectations. He believes that God will quicken (revive) him again. He believes that God will bring him up again from his deep and oppressive trial. When it comes to these expectations, history and experience are on God’s side. He has a track record of faithfulness.

As humans, we remember where our path has gone. When a new trouble comes, the depths of our souls might cry out in anguish, “Once again!” The trials of life can seem never-ending. But when “once again” there is a trial, it is the opportunity to “once again” see God’s help and deliverance.

What are you facing currently? Once again you can expect God’s grace. Once again you can anticipate His help. Once again you can receive His wisdom. Once again you can look for His deliverance. May God revive you and lift you up once again.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

07182026 When

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God who prepares and has a plan. Many things surprise us, but nothing surprises God. He always knows just what to do, as well as knowing just what we should do.

As we mature, we gain wisdom, and we learn through experience. Hopefully, that prepares us to better face the unexpected things in life. As parents, we try to prepare our children by advising them what to do when certain things happen. For example, many parents will train their children what to do when someone tries to kidnap them, when someone offers them drugs or alcohol, when their friends try to involve them in a foolish activity, and so on.

God does the same with His children. A major difference between us and God is that we don’t know what will happen. Even things that we think might happen or are likely to happen are still somewhat uncertain. They are more of an “if” than a “when.” God knows, however, what are the common situations that will come to all His children, as well as the specific situations that will come to each. He will guide us in the moment, but He has also given us instruction to prepare us. For example …

When we are invited to a special event. “When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding” (Luke 14:8-10). How should we act? “Sit not down in the highest room … go and sit down in the lowest room.” We give honor to the recipient by attending, while not trying to grab honor for ourselves.

When we are in conflict with an adversary. “When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way” (Luke 12:58). Our action? “Give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.” We are to use wisdom in earnestly trying to resolve the situation peacefully, without it escalating into something more serious.

When we pass through harsh trials. “When thou passest through the waters … and through the rivers … when thou walkest through the fire” (Isaiah 43:2-5). Our response? “I will be with thee … they shall not overflow thee … thou shalt not be burned.” We are not to fear but to trust in the care of our ever-present God, who has already demonstrated His love for us in the most incredible act of our ransom.

When we fall into temptations. “My brethren … when ye fall into divers temptations” (James 1:2-3). What then? “Count it all joy … knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” We rejoice in the maturing work that we know God is doing.

When our heart is overwhelmed. “When my heart is overwhelmed” (Psalm 61:2). “When my spirit was overwhelmed within me” (Psalm 142:3). Oh, what to do? “From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee … lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” “Then thou knewest my path.” We are to run to God, to cry out to Him, to rest in His strength and in His awareness of our dilemma.

When we cry. “In the day when I cried” (Psalm 138:3). Our expectation? “Thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.” Oh, the blessed hope of knowing we have a God who hears and answers, a God who gives us the strength we need.

When the world around us is full of trouble. “And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars” (Mark 13:7). How to respond? “Be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet.” We are to remain at peace, recognizing the inevitability of such things, and looking toward eventual deliverance.

When our foot slips. “When I said, My foot slippeth” (Psalm 94:18). Now what? “Thy mercy, O LORD, held me up.” We are to throw our full weight on the One who will support us.

When we fall. “When I fall .. when I sit in darkness” (Micah 7:8). What to do? “I shall arise … the LORD shall be a light unto me.” We are to have confidence in the One who will lift us back up and illumine our path.

When we are forsaken by others. “When my father and my mother forsake me” (Psalm 27:10). How do we handle it? “Then the LORD will take me up.” We are to rely on the One who will never leave us or forsake us, remembering that we are never alone.

When we suffer for doing right. “But if, when ye do well, and suffer for it” (I Peter 2:23). Now what? “Ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.” We are to follow Christ’s example of suffering without sinning and without attacking, entrusting ourselves to God’s oversight.

When people attack and malign us. “Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake” (Matthew 5:11). Our response? “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven” (v. 12). We are to focus on the eternal nature of our mission and on the pleasure we bring to the One who has sent us.

When we are persecuted and our message is rejected. “But when they persecute you in this city” (Matthew 10:23). What to do? “Flee ye into another.” Move on and attempt to give God’s truth in a new place.

When we are arrested for the gospel. “But when they deliver you up” (Matthew 10:19). Our reaction? “Take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.” We are to trust God for what to say in those tense moments.

So many of these divine preparations are for times of difficulty and challenge. We can take heart in knowing that God knows such times will come, and He has already prepared the answers. In whatever you are facing, I pray that God will calm and comfort you, that He will strengthen you to respond correctly, and that He will give you all the grace and help that you need.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

07122026 Light in Darkness

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of God our Light. Oh, how we need light!

Micah described a time of deprivation and darkness. There was nothing to sustain his soul. Good men had disappeared from the earth. Malice, treachery, and bribery were practiced by men everywhere. Even the best of men were injurious. Friends, spouses, and family members could not be trusted. (Micah 7:1-6)

In such dark days of evil and betrayal, where did Micah fix his vision? “Therefore I will look unto the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation: my God will hear me” (Micah 7:7). That must be the answer when things are at their worst. God is the anchor to whom we must cling. He and He alone is the source of salvation. He is the One who will hear us in our trouble.

Micah continues with a beautiful picture of hope and statement of faith in his troubling times. “Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will rise; though I dwell in darkness, the LORD is a light for me” (Micah 7:8). Yes, things could be bad. Life could look hopeless. With his eyes fixed on the God of his salvation, however, Micah knew there was hope. Even if he fell in those treacherous days, Micah was confident he would get back up. Any rejoicing of the enemy would be short-lived. What I love most is his statement that though he lived in darkness, God was his light.

Light in my darkness. There is no darkness so thick that God cannot give light. That light might be like a candle flame that prevents the total darkness from squeezing in, or it might be like a flashing explosion that obliterates the darkness. Micah presents the possibility of living in darkness, so in his case, life was dark, but just not 100%. God was with him to give him enough light to continue. He was not trapped deep inside a cave without a torch to comfort and guide him. He could still function. He could still live for God. In fact, he was not oppressed by the same darkness that consumed everyone else.

Light in my darkness. This light comes to us first in salvation. Perhaps with no one else was that as dramatic as it was with Saul in Acts 9:3, when a blinding light accompanied God’s coming to him. Jesus came as “a light to lighten the Gentiles” (Luke 2:32). What a wonderful statement that “the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2). Jesus came so that those who believe in Him “should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46). Those who believe have been called by God “out of darkness into his marvellous light” (I Peter 2:9).

Light in my darkness. God gives us the light of knowledge. I think of Daniel, who was troubled by a vision, “mourning three full weeks” (Daniel 10:2). He “set [his] heart to understand” (Daniel 10:12), but the answer was delayed. Finally, an angel came to give him understanding and light. When we know God, we know how to walk. “In [his] light shall we see light” (Psalm 36:9). His Word is “a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105) and “the entrance of [his] words giveth light” (Psalm 119:130).

Light in my darkness. God gives us the light of hope in times of discouragement. Job described the oppression of his trial. “A land of darkness, as darkness itself; and of the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness” (Job 10:22). Job’s darkness was pretty thick. He recalls dark days of the past and remembers that “by his light I walked through darkness” (Job 29:3). In the end, Job saw that God “giveth songs in the night” (Job 35:10); Job found those songs and that light in his statements of faith. He learned, as Paul did, that it is possible to be “troubled on every side, yet not distressed; … perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed” (II Corinthians 4:8-9). God’s light makes the difference so that we are not swallowed up.

Light in my darkness. God gives the light of deliverance. Sometimes His light really is like the light at the end of the tunnel, when we finally emerge into brightness, a reprieve from the time of oppression. I think this is how Joseph must have felt after the long years of slavery, false imprisonment, careless neglect, and separation from family; he kept a light of hope through all those years, but finally, it broke out into bright sunshine. Elihu describes such deliverance: “to bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living” Job 33:30). David gives a picturesque testimony: “For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness” (Psalm 18:28). God shows His goodness by delivering and blessing His children. “Unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness” (Psalm 112:4).

At times this life can be dark, but there is no darkness that is greater than God. “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehendeth it not” (John 1:5). [seize, possess, absorb, overpower]. When we walk with God, we cannot be swallowed up by darkness. “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12).

May God shine His light on you this week in all the ways you need it most, and may He also shine on those who dwell in darkness around you.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

07042026 Free Indeed

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the greatest Deliverer, the God of freedom. Happy Independence Day to the majority of you who are citizens of the blessed land of the USA. This date celebrates the beginning of our nation’s quest for freedom and independence.

There is, however, a much greater bondage and oppression than what we faced under the British; therefore, there is a much greater freedom and liberty than what we have come to enjoy.

All mankind is born in darkness. Any serious-minded person recognizes that darkness. The common response is to fear it and its consequences. That is the natural state of man – slaves to sin, terrified of its end result. But God provided a path of freedom for these trapped people. “And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:15).

In place of death, God gives life. In place of bondage, God gives freedom. With His life in us, we are no longer slaves to sin and no longer condemned to death. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death” (Romans 8:2).

The freedom comes through the truth of God’s Word. His plan of salvation is clearly revealed. When we finally understand who we are and who God is and what God has done for us, we can have a freedom that has never existed before. “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).

Oh, what glorious freedom! There is nothing to match it or compare to it. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Free indeed! Praise God for what He has done for us and for the provision He has made for those around us. Some have not yet been set free – but some of them will be! By the grace of God and His divine blessing of our feeble attempts, God will continue to set others free. May you see some of that in this week.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

06272026 Waiting

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God with impeccable timing. God is never too fast or too slow, never too early or too late, never rushed or frantic, never lethargically laid-back. He does everything at just the right time.

I recently read a verse that I know has impacted me before, but I hadn’t thought about it in quite a while, so when I read it again, it captured my attention.

The passage is talking about God’s protection and leading of the nation of Israel in the wilderness. As a manifestation of His presence with them, there was a pillar of fire (or perhaps a glowing cloud that looked similar to fire) that remained over the tabernacle at night. During the day a cloud remained over the tabernacle. (Numbers 9:15-16)

This cloud was more than just a reminder of God’s presence. It was a primary method that He guided them. When the cloud moved, the nation packed up and followed it. When the cloud stopped, they stopped. When it remained for a length of time, they rested. (Numbers 9:17-19,23)

The people never knew what the timing was going to be. Sometimes the cloud rested for a few days, so they rested for a few days. Sometimes the cloud lifted in the morning. Sometimes it lifted in the middle of the day, and sometimes in the middle of the night. They always had to be ready to move quickly whenever God indicated that. (Numbers 9:20-21)

The people also always had to be willing to rest – to wait – as long as God designed. “Or whether it were two days, or a month, or a year, that the cloud tarried upon the tabernacle, remaining thereon, the children of Israel abode in their tents, and journeyed not: but when it was taken up, they journeyed” (Numbers 9:22)

Wow. That is so powerful as it applies to our practical life as believers! There are times that God asks us to wait for two days. There are times when He asks us to wait for a month. There are times that He asks us to wait for an entire year! (or even longer). We are poised and ready to move at a moment’s notice, maybe even anxiously straining at the bit. But He asks us to wait.

That waiting might be something personal, like health or finances or a relationship. It might have to do with family – children, grandchildren, parents. It might have to do with ministry – closed doors, lack of fruit, delayed opportunities. Whatever the situation, and whatever the amount of time, we can be confident that God will “move the cloud” at the precise time that He intends.

Until then, we can rest. Interesting word choice – “rest.” That is precisely the word God used in verse 18. As I understand it, “they rested in their tents” (v. 18,23) is the same Hebrew word as “pitched their tents” (v. 17) and “abode in their tents” (v. 20,22). It isn’t quite the idea of vacation or leisure that we might be hoping for; it is more the idea of a deliberate commitment. They took specific actions that helped them to settle in, but that settling in was always into temporary homes.

What a challenge – to be peacefully and deliberately “at home” as much as is possible, while knowing that the “home” is designed to be picked up and moved at God’s command – and in His timing. May God give you the grace and patience to do just that.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

06202026 Enemies

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our unconquerable Defender. No one can defeat God. We humans are less competent. There are enemies in this world, and we do face them, and they can be daunting.

In the past months, I have been looking at verses corresponding to the current date. This week as I looked at 6:16 verses, I realized how many of them have to do with enemies. Will you humor me in this totally unconventional Bible study?

One truth is that we can be our own enemies when we resist God and His plan. The Israelites did this more than once, and Moses reminds them of one example. “Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God, as ye tempted him in Massah” (Deuteronomy). Paul repeatedly warned his readers of the danger or embracing the enemy – of choosing and clinging to the very things that they should be avoiding and opposing. “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” (Romans). “What? Know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? For two, saith he, shall be one flesh” (I Corinthians). “And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (II Corinthians). This type of association is a deliberate choice of what God has warned us against, sometimes an obstinate rebellion against what is best for us. “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein" (Jeremiah).

A sad reality about enemies is that they can rise up from the people that we least expect. This happened to David with one of his wives. “And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul’s daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart” (II Samuel). It also happened to our Savior. “And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor” (Luke).

The Bible records many stories of God’s deliverance from enemies. God gave victory to Israel at Jericho. “And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city” (Joshua). God gave victory to Gideon. “And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man” (Judges). In the rebuilding of the temple, God gave victory over those who opposed. “And the children of Israel, the priests, and the Levites, and the rest of the children of the captivity, kept the dedication of this house of God with joy” (Ezra). He did the same in the rebuilding of the wall. “And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God” (Nehemiah). God gave victory to the disciples when they faced a life-threatening storm at sea. “And when even was now come, his disciples went down unto the sea” (John). These stories remind us that the victory comes from God.

God is not to be trifled with, and many enemies of God have been bowed before Him and have even stood in absolute dread of Him. “And when the five lords of the Philistines had seen it, they returned to Ekron the same day” (I Samuel). “But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead” (Mark). “And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of God” (Revelation).

Some people’s eyes have been opened to see in a special way the remarkable ability of God to defeat His enemies. One of the outstanding examples is when Elisha and his servant were surrounded by a Syrian army. The enemy was fierce, but Elisha knew they were no match for God and His army. “And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them” (2 Kings). Even the pagan king Darius realized that God could not be defeated. “Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee” (Daniel).

God gives us all that we need to face our enemies. Among His provision is our faith in the Word of God. Faith in the truth can send the enemies fleeing and can slash them to pieces. “Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians). Whether your current battle is against Satan and spiritual forces, against people who oppose God’s work, or even against yourself, may God give you the victory through His power and through His Word. There are no enemies too strong for God.

Thanks to those who prayed and expressed concern regarding my recent surgery. I am gradually improving. In the past few days in particular, I am starting to feel more back to normal and am optimistic about the week ahead.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

06132026 Great Physician

Dear Missionary Lady, 

Greetings in the name of the Great Physician.

“Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases” (Psalm 103:3). God does not choose to heal all illnesses in this lifetime, as sometimes disease is what fits His purposes for us, but He does heal us over and over again. Ultimately, He will heal all disease for us when we reach our beloved Home where there will be no more pain, no more sickness, and no more death.

I can’t help but wonder if the above verse is focused more on the subject (God) than on the result (healing). The psalm is sharing all the things our great God does that no one else can do. He is the One who gives great benefits, which include healing, as well as forgiving, redeeming, blessing, renewing, showing grace and mercy, and so much more. These actions are God-things, and when we are healed, it is God who does it.

This healing is often physical, but more important is God’s spiritual healing. “And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:32). Thank God for healing each of us from our sin-sick souls and also for healing those whom God has brought through your various ministries. As with physical healing, when it comes to spiritual healing, it is God who does it.

I am home healing today after surgery yesterday. I’m thankful for God’s guidance and peace through the process and for the anticipation of improved health going forward. I’m still taking it pretty easy, and I get a two-week “vacation” from work, but I am very thankful for how much better I am feeling today over yesterday. God is good, and He takes care of us.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

06072026 Divine Stability

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God who stabilizes us. He is our Rock and our Strength.

“Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work” (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17).

I think this verse speaks of God’s stabilization on two levels. The first is in our inner man. God has loved us. He has provided eternal comfort. He can continue to comfort our hearts. Internally, we can be stabilized as we remember what God has already done and as we rest in that continuing love and comfort.

The second is in the practical. That same God who loves us and stabilizes us internally also establishes us in the works that we are doing for Him. He strengthens and upholds us in our words and deeds. If we are trying to do and say what God wants us to do and say, we can be comforted in knowing that He is the one who helps us to do and say it.

Thank God that He upholds us in these ways so that we can have any hope of being who He wants us to be and doing what He has asked us to do. May you walk forward this week with His help.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

05302026 New and Clean

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of God who makes us new and clean.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

We have seen it happen, both in our own lives and in the lives of others. We long to see true conversions, where there is irrefutable evidence that God has completely changed someone, and we rejoice when we see it happen.

At times we also wonder. Why do we sometimes struggle so much to act like and think like the new person that we are? Why do some of those we work with seem to walk a fine line, at times acting like new creatures, and at times seeming no different than they were before? Why do some continually seem to be on the brink of disaster and ruin?

Only God knows who are the true believers, but for those who are, He is definitely working in their lives. That is His mission with them. “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Ephesians 5:26-27).

He wants us to be clean and holy. With the old nature that battles within us, we sometimes struggle. We want to see total victory and complete transformation NOW, but God has a longer-range plan. His work is gradual, and He progressively does His cleansing and renewing work. I like to think of the completion date as the coming of Christ, as the below verses indicate. Until we are with Him, He still has time to do His work.

“And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:23). “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7).

Until that day comes, God is determined and committed. He will keep working. “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6).

Thank God that He does not give up on us. Thank God that He does not give up on others. You may have people that you have worked with for years – that you have heavily invested in – and those people may have broken your heart with their continued struggles and inconsistency and failures. Today may your heart be encouraged and lifted up with the truth that God does not give up on His children. As long as they keep living and God keeps delaying His return, there is hope.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

05232026 God Is in the Details

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the God with big shoulders. Unlike frail humans, God can handle everything that is placed upon Him.

I don’t know how normal this is, but I often find myself able to trust God more in the big picture than in the small details. For example, I might have great peace regarding the outcome of a health situation, but I can be filled with chaos as I consider making arrangements at work, getting to appointments on time, what questions to ask the doctor, or what daily adjustments I have to remember. Or I can trust God with the big picture of my parents’ declining health, but I can be conflicted as I think about getting through a phone call with them, how my plans and schedule might be affected, or how well their daily needs are being met.

So, I ask – Does God deal only with the big picture? Or is He also involved in the details? Case study – the birth of Jesus. Was God in the big picture? This seems like one of the most obvious truths of the Bible. From the very beginning, God had a plan to send His Son into the world as the Redeemer, and the whole Old Testament is a record of how He moved toward that plan. God’s interactions with the patriarchs and the events of Israel’s history were all precursors to God’s big plan. “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4-5).

Okay, that’s the big picture. At the precise time in human history, God sent His Son. But what about the details? Poor Mary asking, “Joseph, is there any way we can delay this trip? Or can I stay here? I think my time is getting close.” God was in that detail, arranging that the Bread of Life would be born in the House of Bread (Bethlehem) as the Scriptures predicted. After they arrived, “Joseph, can’t you find a hotel? Where is the nearest midwife?” God provided a stable, oversaw the birth, and brought shepherds to see the Good Shepherd. “Joseph, what is all the chaos? Are they really threatening to kill our baby?” An angel provided guidance so the family could escape safely to Egypt.

At the same time that God ministered to Mary’s detailed needs, He also ministered to Simeon, who had been praying, “I’m waiting for Your consolation. You have said I will see the Messiah before I die. I’m not getting any younger. When, Lord?” Simeon held Jesus and was ready to die in peace. Meanwhile, God was fulfilling prophecy. “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying” (Matthew 1:22). Yes, big picture – fulfill prophecy. But those fulfilled prophecies played out in details – the virgin birth, descended from Abraham, of the tribe of Judah, descended from David, born in Bethlehem, worshipped and given gifts, the slaughter of innocents, the flight to and return from Egypt. God was in the details of a misunderstood pregnancy, a timely taxation, travel requirements, a special star, curious scholars, the stops those scholars took along the way, and a jealous king.

A similar story could be told about the death of Jesus. Big picture – did it happen at the right time? Yes, Daniel’s weeks were precisely fulfilled, and Jesus’ death came at the right time in human history. It happened appropriately (and prophetically) at Passover, just when the Jewish leaders were most concerned that it NOT happen.

The big picture was right, but what about the details? Consider all the details that occurred just in the 24 hours before Jesus’ death. He was betrayed by a friend. That betrayal was for a very specific amount of money. The betrayer suffered remorse, killed himself, and the blood money was used to purchase a public burial field. Jesus’ disciples fled in the garden. Peter betrayed Jesus – three times – and then a rooster crowed. False witnesses provided the “evidence” that truth never could have furnished. Jesus suffered silently. Jesus was beaten, spit on, had His beard plucked, was pierced in His hands, feet, and side, but none of His bones were broken. The physical abuse made Him appear less than human. Jesus was mocked publicly, His garments were distributed, and lots were cast for His coat. He was given vinegar to drink. He was forsaken by God. He died with criminals but was buried with the wealthy. He was taken down and entombed before nightfall. Even if some prophecies are combined, there are still over thirty prophecies, and these are very specific details that God oversaw, controlled, and brought about during that one dark day.

Okay, but apart from Jesus, does God do this for ordinary believers (besides those included in the considerations above)? Case study – Elijah. Elijah trusts God for the big picture, as he delivers the profound prediction that there would be no rain for three years. Now what? Both the proclamation and the ramifications of that prediction created a lot of questions in the world of details. “How will I evade the king’s wrath? How will I survive the drought?” God sent Elijah to hide by the brook Cherith. The brook provided water, and ravens brought food. But then the brook dried up. “Um, God, I’m hungry and thirsty. Now what?” God sent Elijah to Zarephath. Watch these details! He was sent to a specific woman, who was a widow. He met that woman as soon as he got to the gate of the city. He met the woman on exactly the right day; this was the last day she was gathering sticks for her last fire to cook her last meal. We could continue looking at Elijah’s story and the great battle on Mount Carmel, but it is clear that God did not use Elijah in His big picture without also giving very careful attention to the concerning details that resulted in Elijah’s life.

We have a saying, “The devil’s in the details,” meaning that it is often the little things that trip us up, even though the big plan appears to be fine. From a human perspective, I agree that I have a tendency to trip up more over the details. However, I must learn to confidently declare: “God is in the details,” because HE IS! “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (I Peter 5:7). God cares about the concerning details just as He cares about the big picture, and I must trust Him for the details as well as for the big picture. His shoulders are big enough, and His mind is wise enough.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

05162026 It Works Every Time

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our great Helper. How many times has He helped?!

I’m sure no one else can relate to this (just kidding!), but I’ve been thinking lately about how often I need help. About how often I have an angry bear inside me as I try to deal with life – and then the times when there are two angry bears, and they are fighting with each other! I get overwhelmed. Life seems impossible. Or at least my current day seems impossible. Very quickly and easily I can fall into the trap of my own dark or frustrated thoughts, and they want to spiral downward.

When this happens, I try to remind myself to talk to God about it. To tell Him just like it is. “This isn’t what I want, but it is how I am right now, so please help me.” I don’t always remember to do this right away, but the sooner I do it, the better things go, and the faster things resolve.

I have found this verse (among many others) to be true. “In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul” (Psalm 138:3). So frequently after the “help-my-angry-bear” prayers, I find myself realizing that God has done exactly what I have asked. It may be 30 minutes later or a few hours later, but I come to realize that the angry bears have gone to sleep. I am functioning. My spirit is calm. I am at peace.

How does that happen? It certainly is not because I have great self-control or power over my spirit. It is no mind game. It is no humanly-devised strategy. No, no. It is the help of my loving and caring and compassionate God who listens to my prayers for help and who does in my spirit what I cannot do for myself. God wants to help. He wants me to have victory. All I need to do is humbly ask.

My circumstances might not change. The craziness of my day might not change. But my spirit can change with God’s help. Oh, that I would remember to ask Him more quickly and more often!

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA

05092026 Compassionate Knowledge

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of our compassionate God. This week I found comfort in considering three stages of God’s compassion. I think you will find this to be a blessing.

First, God has compassion because He knows how weak we are. “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust” (Psalm 103:13-14). God knows our weak frame, made of dust. That is a very personal knowledge. God knows our weak frame when it comes to our heart, our brain, our gut, our knees, our back, our chronic conditions, our recurring illnesses, our hormones, and every other part of us. The combination of weak spots is unique to each of us (and changes through the years); God knows the peculiar weakness of our distinct mixture of frailties.

God has known our unique weaknesses from the very beginning. “Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them” (Psalm 139:16). God knows how our weaknesses are stretched or aggravated along the journey. “When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then thou knewest my path” (Psalm 142:3). “But he knoweth the way that I take” (Job 23:10). God knows all of this because it is all according to His design, plan, oversight, and orchestration.

Second, God’s compassion makes Him receptive to our prayers and desirous to help us. Jesus learned something of weakness and of the temptations that accompany human frailty. “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:15-16).

God cares for us in our weakness. “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7). “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).  God wants to give us the grace to endure and the strength to continue forward.

Third, God’s compassion makes Him a wonderful refuge for us. Because we are weak, we find ourselves in impossible situations. We are incapable of evaluating and making decisions – incapable of achieving resolutions – often we are incapable even of understanding the basics of what is going on. We find ourselves embroiled “in great matters, … in things too high” for us to figure out (Psalm 131:1). When our brains are too weak, we can lay aside the futile and draining mental exercise, and we can quiet ourselves in God’s care. “Surely I have behaved and quieted myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a weaned child” (Psalm 131:2).

I find this picture so helpful in my weakness. I can just sit on God’s lap, so to speak, lean back against Him, and let His arms wrap around me. Meanwhile, He understands everything and can take care of the impossible situation. He takes us into His care and gently shelters us. “From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings” (Psalm 61:2,4).

I am weak. God knows that. Because He knows, He cares. Because He cares, He helps. I can place my weak body, my weak mind, my weak emotions, my weak sprit in His care. I can lean back in His embrace, hide in His safe height, dwell safely in His house, and rest snugly secure under His wings. “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

May God’s knowledgeable compassion and caring support carry you through your moments of weakness.

Love in Christ,

Peggy Holt

member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA