Every year my husband, Daniel, participates in a cycling event for a local charity. His first year he rode 62 miles but found it difficult not only because of the distance but because he didn’t have a partner to ride with.

So last year I decided to join him. We trained twice a week until the event. I started off pretty good, I felt like I could conquer this with no issue. About mile 20 my faith in finishing began to waver. My body and mind started to “hit the wall”. The point to where I didn’t think I could go any further. Daniel must have seen me struggling and started to encourage me to press on. Other riders came and were riding alongside us their encouragement made finishing much easier. Hitting the wall refers to depleting your stored glycogen and the feelings of fatigue and negativity that typically accompany it. The point that your body and mind has said, “ENOUGH”.

We can all hit a spiritual wall as well. A point where life gets to be too much and you become fatigued and struggle to keep going. Galatians 6:9, Paul encourages those who walk in the spirit to not give up on doing good. Reaping what you sow takes time.

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Galatians 6:9

Think of all the things in life that can cause you to grow weary. Now imagine being in a foreign land. Our missionaries experience fatigue. Unrest in the country they are serving because of terrorists or government over throws, flooding that destroys buildings and crops. Family illnesses that may require them to return back to the states. The race is long, but there are things we can do to encourage our missionaries.

• READ – If you receive a missionary’s monthly prayer update, read it, don’t just skim over it. Read every word intently. Our missionaries will tell you exactly what is going on with their ministry as well as the country they are in. You will get to know their family and their ministry partners on the field.

• PRAY – They will share prayer request that are important to pray for, pray for those requests. The bible says “if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven” (Matt. 18:19-20). We have the privilege to come along side our missionaries in prayer.

• SEND – Let’s put our prayers into action. Send them an email or a card telling them you lifted them up in prayer. You can also send an encouraging note that includes your favorite bible verse. Knowing there is a multitude of people praying for them and encouraging them on those hard days can be the thing that pushes them forward.

• SUPPORT – Our FBM donors do an amazing job supporting our missionaries. When our missionaries send a request for ministries, whether it be for gospel radios or building projects you respond so graciously. When FBM sends a thank you note saying it is a great encouragement to our missionaries we mean it. Knowing that people back in the states are holding the ropes and supporting their ministries helps uplift our missionaries.

All of us working together in these 4 things will encourage our missionaries to continue on, no matter the circumstances. When God’s people band together and “hold the ropes” lives are going to be changed for all of eternity. To the praise of our God!