Trusting God’s Plan

CLARKSVILLE, ARK – When an emergency or disaster strikes, the essentials are sometimes hard to come by. Food, water, shelter and the like become scarce or finances become strained. We knew our mission was to keep the Clarksville Seventh-day Adventist Church Pantry open. 

Johnson County, Ark., already has a 22.5 percent poverty level, so getting the food to those that need it most while staying safe dealing with cars from not only our county but also several surrounding counties became our priority. 

Food and prayer is the central element of our community outreach ministries. We chose to make meals to help truckers who have had hard times finding meals on the road. We also reached out to other groups in our area that help the elderly and the young.

Our small community churches really came through with great volunteers and help in the distribution. Not shying away from COVID-19, but trusting the Lord to guide our actions. The three stages of a disaster are Readiness, Response and Recovery. He looks for our Readiness to serve, provides the tools for the proper Response and guides us with compassion down the Recovery road. We all have to know that there is a plan and it is His plan. We continue to trust in His Divine Grace, look for every opportunity to minister and pray, and support our community, our volunteers and the Lord's work wherever we find it. 

We are so blessed to have the service opportunities He provides us. We pray everyone stays healthy, helps thy neighbor and turns their eyes fully on Jesus.

By Joel Newman