Source: International Mission Board, July 18, 2024
Every morning when she opens her eyes, Erica Patrick thanks God for life and breath and another day to serve him.
Before her feet hit the floor, she asks him to take control of her day—to fill it with the good works he has ordained for her and to remove the plans that are not from him.
Erica’s daily expression of her dependence on God and a high view of his sovereignty has been cultivated amid seasons of deep grief and loss, mere months apart.
Erica was called to international missions before she met her husband, David, who also wanted to pursue ministry overseas. Together, they served in East Asia and raised their family overseas for almost 16 years before David died unexpectedly in 2020 at age 41.
Erica now serves in Taiwan with her three children. She has many roles—serving alongside the local church, teaching English as a Second Language classes, sharing the gospel, discipling women in leadership and being a mother.
“Yes, I’m a single parent on the field,” Erica said, “but I don’t feel like that’s a disability. It’s the lot the Lord gave us and what he has asked us to walk in for his glory.”
Read the full story to hear how she has learned to rely on the sovereignty of God in hard times.
Also from the IMB, read about Baptists partnering to send Ukrainian missionaries to Brazil.