The story behind the book

God is truly a God who loves the whole world and desires for all people groups to know Him. There is no doubt that Voices of the Faithful and the Lift Up Your Voice prayer initiative have been a part of God’s plan to raise up awareness of a lost world that needs the Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Good outcomes certainly can come from shopping excursions. In September 2002, Beth came to South Africa to lead the Southern Africa missionary women of the International Mission Board in a retreat. It was during that week that we went shopping one afternoon. Many personal missionary experiences were shared and when Beth found out that I was a writer, she said that she always had wanted to write down missionary stories. She then asked if I would be willing to collaborate with her on such a project. An idea was born.

For nearly a year, a friend and I prayed about her request, but also felt led to pray that if this project was God’s will, Beth would offer to give all royalties to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering®. As God began to make His will clear, Beth did talk with me in October 2003. God had been speaking to her as well about a possible book, and she offered all potential royalties to world missions. God had answered specific prayer.

With the IMB’s blessing, devotions were solicited from my missionary colleagues around the world. Within four months, about 650 devotions were submitted and the process of selection, compilation, rewriting and editing began. Beth began writing her introductions, taking time out from her busy schedule to make a kingdom impact in partnership with the IMB.

God then introduced us to Integrity Publishers, and the rest is history. Everyone involved in the process began to see that God was the only One who could have orchestrated this project. May Voices of the Faithful and Lift Up Your Voice be tools to help you and your church become totally committed to praying for world missions.

Kim P. Davis
Compiling Editor, Voices of the Faithful

Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® is a registered trademark of Woman’s Missionary Union