August 17-23, 2025
Recently, I spent a week in the Dominican Republic serving in an impoverished community near Cercadillo. Amid trash piles and stray dogs, live a people group that God is redeeming—one generation at a time!
The missionary we support has been in the area for over 20 years and you can really start to see the community being transformed. The current leaders are the sons and daughters of the two women who were invested in the most.
One of those women was recently married and preached the Gospel to over 250 people in her village who attended. One of the youth raised in this village was taught and tutored by the missionary. He was just accepted into a technical school for a marketing program.
When our team of 10 from the U.S. gathered for the week, we hosted a Bible camp (similar to a Vacation Bible School in the U.S.) with the villagers leading. We supported them as hosts but they led the kids and shared the Gospel for their people group. We were happy to play a behind-the-scenes roll in this village.
One of the stories we shared was from Joshua 3-4.
We taught the kids that we remember the great works of God so that we can trust Him for the next thing in our life. We anchor that great work with a symbolic reminder like stones to help us recall what He did in the past to rescue us and protect us. We see those visual reminders and it helps us trust Him again. These truths weren’t just for the Israelites, they are for us too.
Read along this month and create some visual reminders of God’s work in your life so that you can trust Him when you are facing challenges in the next season.
This week's Bible reading: Joshua 3:16; 4:1-6
Theme: Trust
Day 1: What do you believe about God’s promises? Do you lean toward doubt or faith? Journal a bit about that today.
Day 2: Take a moment today to “stand in the middle of the dry ground.” What does it feel like to believe God today and trust Him for tomorrow? Make a sentence today as a commitment to God. Tell Him what you are believing and trusting Him to bring about for your future.
Day 3: What would it have been like to be chosen as God’s future tribe? Put yourself in the middle of the story. What did it look like? Smell like? Sound like? Put yourself in the middle of the surroundings. What picture do you create?
Day 4: Picture yourself as Joshua. God gives you instructions to build the tribes of Israel. Where do you find the confidence to do what He says?
Day 5: Take a walk, find a place with a stone wall or other structure, and sit by those rocks. Count the rocks and name the ways God has carried you through. Remember the truths you read from this story. God can move deep waters! Let the moment serve as a sign to your future and the plans He has for you.
Challenge: Find a young person and tell them a story about God’s faithfulness in your life. We need to remember and tell others about what great things He has done!
Prayer Prompts and Bible Readings are provided by Michele Bowden and Lisa Brass, Coaches with Visual Faith™ Ministry. Find them on our Creative Devotion page, on Instagram @victoryinart and @aworthylif, and on the web at victoryinart.com.