By: Jenni Walker

“Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes, all my own desires and hopes, and accept Thy will for my life.  I give myself, my life, my all utterly to Thee…”  ~Betty Scott Stam 

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”  ~Hebrews 10:23 

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In 1934, a twenty-eight year old woman was serving the Lord alongside her husband, John Stam, as a missionary in the Anhui province of China.  In December of that year, only a few months after their infant daughter was born, Betty Scott Stam was killed alongside her husband by a group of hostile Communist soldiers.

The wholehearted surrender, holy courage, and eternal perspective demonstrated by Betty and her husband are inspiring to read about.  But I must confess that this story also frustrates me.  As I consider the details, I always want a “but the group of soldiers and even the entire village came to Christ because of it” kind of ending.  But the immediate results of their mission work and martyrdom are not clear.  We really don’t know the entirety of the direct “impact” that was made.

Ladies, we often have times where we, too, do not see the immediate results or even long-term fruit for God’s kingdom from our own labors.  But never lose heart in following your Lord and Savior. Being a wholehearted woman is not merely an inspiring phrase – living it matters in eternity! 

1 Corinthians 15:58 is a promise to inspire our hearts, spur us to action, and provide us with the eternal assurance that God is always at work in and through us: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.”  It is time to rise up, sisters in Christ.  Being a wholehearted woman MATTERS!

In the coming weeks, we will look at three key “ingredients” to being a wholehearted woman by God’s design.  We will dive deeply into Scripture about the calling to live a surrendered life.  We will learn from the powerful examples of several women of God who had astoundingly courageous hearts (although they may not have even felt it at the time!)  And we will consider the invitation from our Lord to be a part of the legacy of impact we are all called to in Him as we choose day-in, day-out, moment-by-moment to delight to do His will.

The following prayer was written privately from Betty Scott Stam’s heart.  Yet, it has become a wholehearted cry of committed love to the Lord by countless women worldwide.  In closing, focus the eyes of your heart on the Lord and pray this prayer too, as a woman who, like Betty and so many others who have gone before us, is steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of her Lord, responding to His intimate and mighty love, and whose service to her Savior always matters!

“Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes, all my own desires and hopes, and accept Thy will for my life.  I give myself, my life, my all utterly to Thee to be Thine forever.  Fill me and seal me with Thy Holy Spirit.  Use me as Thou wilt, send me where Thou wilt, work out Thy whole will in my life at any cost, now and forever.”