Planting Seeds

by Laura Sprinkle, Women of Worth Coordinator and Middle School Instructor

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire and without succeding in the matter for which I sent it."  Isaiah 54:10 - 11

As I look back on the 11 years that I have worked at Building Hope, I am amazed at how God has provided for us.  I never would have thought that when we opened our doors to our first crop of students, in August of 2001, that we would look the way that we look today.  We started with approximately 15 elementary students  that first year, and are now serving 100+ elementary to high school students in more than one facility.  This would be absolutely impossible, apart from God’s provision of staff, volunteers, and financial partners.

This summer, I had the privilege of attending a three week ministry school in Durham.  I felt certain that God was calling me to this school for the purpose of equipping me to come back to Building Hope and continue in ministry.  On our first day, one of the things that I was reminded of, was that God’s Word does not return void.  Our teacher said, “Don’t ever dig up in unbelief what the Spirit has planted.”  That one sentence gave me so much encouragement for the ministry that God has called me to at Building Hope.

Over the past 11 years, we’ve had some very short seasons and long seasons with the students that we serve.  God has a purpose in it all.  Whether we taught a student for 3 months or for many years, the things that God placed on our hearts to teach have planted seeds that will come to fruition in His timing.

I’m so thankful for the fruit that I’ve seen in our kids’ lives and even for the fruit that I have yet to see.  As we move toward another year of sowing into the youth, one thing I know for sure…God is not a liar, so when He says that His Word will succeed in the matter for which He sent it, I know that it will. 

To all of you that have volunteered or given to Building Hope, thank you so much.  We thank God for each one of you, and for your investment in our students’ lives!  You have made an eternal impact in many lives!