I heard this message from Jo Shelter, a single missionary to Balangao people, at Urbana 84. It is still fresh in my memory and continues to impact my heart concerning the need to teach the gospel to the lost, and the blessings of trusting and surrendering to God to obey His will. It has inspired, challenged, and impacted my walk with Christ and I hope that you will too. Place your pop bead of a life in the hand of God and let Him transform it into a real pearl-like life that glorifies Him.

“The idea of giving people God’s Word, of course, if they never had it… What a good thing to do.” (Jo Shelter)

“The fact that if you give people God’s Word in their own language God Himself could speak to them through His Word just like He spoke to me.” (Jo Shelter)

“She loved those beads, but she loved her daddy. Finally, sobbing, she took off her beads and she put em in her daddy’s hand. And then he reached in his pocket and he pulled out a string of real pearls and put em around her neck.” (Jo Shelter)

“For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, and the base things of the world and the despised, God has chosen, the things that are not, that He might nullify the things that are, that no man should boast before God.” (1 Cor.1:26-29)

“Jesus said, ‘Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he shall receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. But many who are first, will be last; and the last, first.’” (Mk.10:29-31)

“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” (1 Cor.2:9)