What have I done for You, Lord? Has my life been of any value to You? Is my work having any eternal impact on others? Oh Lord, I need to know if my life and what You have done through me has had any Kingdom significance.

These were questions I was asking recently in my private prayers. As Diane and I travel around and see so many things pointing to the soon return of Jesus, my heart has been burdened with the question of how I am helping to fulfill the Great Commission—if I am inside of God’s will or if I should be doing something else. While I was praying, God was working, unbeknown to me.

The day after I prayed this prayer, Diane and I had one of the missionary families over for a visit in our home, and they brought two student missionaries (SMs) that were visiting from other projects.

While we fellowshipped together, one of the SMs said, “You are Arnold Hooker! You recruited me at an Adventist Medical Evangelism Network (AMEN) Conference years ago!” Diane and I had attended two of those events in San Diego while I was working as AFM’s West Coast Development Representative. I vaguely remembered the story she told of how her sister brought her over to our booth, and she began asking about mission placement. She is in her third year serving in Asia.

It didn’t stop there. The other SM said, “You had a role in bringing me here, too, because my friend here talked me into serving as an SM this year!”

God is so good! We all rejoiced together over their choices to serve short-term now, and possibly longer after they complete their schooling.

Then the icing on the cake was when the wife of the missionary team remembered that John Kent and I had come to her class at Amazing Facts College of Evangelism (AFCOE) years ago. Because of our presentation, the desire to be a missionary was born in her heart!

It was a great night of seeing how God works in and through others to affect lives. I was reminded of my prayer just the day before, and I rejoiced to see the tender love of my Father bending low to encourage His child!

Thank you also for your prayers, your love of the unreached and your sacrificial giving! You are making a difference in lives around the world, too.

• Twitter