  Stunning! We have been privileged to come upon numerous packs of Wild Dogs on safari. Seeing them anywhere in Africa is a rare event. Getting close to them is a real treat! They look and act so friendly! The first pack we saw in 2009 walked up beside our vehicle and laid down in the sandy dirt road. We turned off our motor and sat as they took a short rest.Their docile nature and unique appearance melted our hearts. Their dark eyes and large rounded ears were very distinctive. You feel like you can reach out and pet them. Your mind could envision taking one home as a pet. They seemed so tame and inviting! The truth is very different. They are vicious killers that often eat their prey, such as impala, while they are still alive.  Their distinctive blotchy coat is very beautiful! This endangered carnivore is called the “painted wolf” in Latin. They have three colors of black, white and tan and a fluffy tail with a white tip. When you look through the pack you discover that no one dog has the same pattern. Each is unique!
It is truly amazing to see a pack cooperating in the hunt for food. They all cooperate and share in the meal together. The picture shows them aggressively begging one another for a portion of the meal. God’s handiwork is a great reminder of how we, as humans, are uniquely created in “His” big family. Each dog has a distinctive pattern in its coat that is like a fingerprint. Each one of us is carefully and wonderfully created to reflect the image of God. Look around and see God’s creation today! See His image. Cathy and Danny Sartin www.deeperstillmissions. com Copyright © Danny Sartin. All Rights Reserved. Spiritual Safaris are written for those who support Deeper Still Missions and its goal of missionary retention. Re-Prints: Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this post in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions.
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 Anxiety!
Kingdom Leaders can be constrained by many issues in life. One of the most powerful forces that can influence someone is fear. It has the power to paralyze a well-meaning heart and mind. It can confuse and warp what you see and hear. The anxiety of fear can literally blind the eyes of your heart! What is your greatest fear as a leader? Who makes you feel uncomfortable? Is there someone who you dread being around or working with? Do you avoid certain people or locations? The insecurity created by fear can cause you to not speak out when you should. Joseph of Arimathea was clearly inhibited by the power of fear. He was a prominent member of the Council that would have heard the case of Jesus. John 19:38b says . . . Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. [1] Have you found yourself paralyzed by the power of fear? Take courage from our Lord! It can be overcome. We pray that the enemy cannot get a foothold in your heart and cause you to shrink back. Cathy and Danny www.deeperstillmissions.com [1] The New International Version. (2011). (Jn 19:38). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Copyright © Danny Sartin. All Rights Reserved. Photos taken by Cathy and Danny Sartin in Africa. Kingdom Leadership is written for missionaries and ministers serving our Lord in various parts of the world.Re-Prints: Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this post in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions.  The Smile of Love
Cathy and I met this young man in 2012. His parents had died from Aids in the remote area near Khaphunga, Swaziland. He had buried his father and mother himself. Then he turned his attention to his younger brother and sister. How do I take care of them? He had no money, no way of getting funds and little knowledge about how to take care of them. He was found by one of the grandmothers serving orphans in the remote area of the country. He was feeding his brother and sister dirt because he could make it warm and it seemed to fill the belly. The three children had been taken in by an extremely poor family to help them survive the trauma they had experienced. The mother of the family was connected with Numsa Lukhele and her ministry to assist children who had been struck by the Aids epidemic. Numsa had gotten permission from several chiefs to plant fields of corn for orphans around these remote mountains. She recruited thirty grandmothers who lived in those areas to find and serve these destitute children. She raised funds for seed corn and vegetables to assist the children. They would cultivate, plant, nurture and harvest their own fields to provide food year around. They do it collectively. I was deeply touched by the hearts of these children and their workers. The difficult circumstances they labor under is amazing. It took me a long time to get this young man to smile. There was a hollow look in his eyes that finally washed away when he felt comfortable with the big white man and woman. We can be the hands of Christ helping others who cannot help themselves. Christ said, if you do unto the least of these you have done it unto me. Cathy and Danny Sartin Deeper Still Missions Copyright © Danny Sartin and Deeper Still Missions. All Rights Reserved. Life Nuggets are written for those who support Deeper Still Missions and its goal of missionary retention. Re-Prints: Deeper Still Missions devotionals are protected by international copyright laws. To request reprint permission contact the offices of DSM. Permission is granted and encouraged to forward this post in its entirety to others without making any changes or deletions. |
Danny SartinFour decade veteran of youth ministry in churches, Youth For Christ and now is the Founder and Executive Director of Deeper Still Missions. Danny and his wife Cathy spend most of their time mentoring missionaries in Africa, Europe, Central America and North America. Future opportunities include South America and the Asia Pacific area. Archives
November 2023
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