Key Bible Verse: And I say to the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good (2 Thessalonians 3:13). Bonus Reading: Luke 9:57-62

My day began over an early breakfast at the Good News Café with Chris and Rebecca Gray. They dove right into a matter heavy on their minds. "Why is doing good so hard?" Rebecca teared up as she uttered the words. "We do our best, we're as responsible as we know how to be, we try to stay sensitive to God's leading … yet something always derails our plans. Our best efforts don't accomplish half what they should for the kingdom!"

The Grays aren't complainers. Far from it! They're high-capacity military officers who left active duty four years ago to assume a leadership role in our ministry. But serious fatigue registered on Rebecca's face. Weight loss from stress-aggravated digestive disorder added to her anxiety. Chris, unflappable and rock steady, wore a concerned expression.

No couple I've met has grasped the essence of urban ministry as well and quickly as the Grays. The moment they hit the ground in Atlanta, they began to distinguish themselves as capable and sensitive leaders. Called, visionary, unthreatened, and unthreatening, they combine all the gifts required to lead Family Consultation Service into the future. Yet Rebecca implored, "Have we made a huge mistake?" [continued 12/6]

—Robert Lupton in Renewing the City

My Response: How should the Grays view job offers for more money with less stress?

Thought to Apply: God gives burdens, also shoulders.—YIDDISH PROVERB

Adapted from Renewing the City (InterVarsity, 2005) by permission.

Prayer for the Week

Lord, You've placed me in a challenging spot. Give me the faith, courage, and strength to stand tall there.

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