Let me tell you about two of them. Both of the women were missionaries. I was preaching in Belem, a major coastal city that sits on the tributary that runs into the Amazon River. One day I had some free time and went outside the city to visit with a missionary couple. The wife was dying of cancer and was expected to live only a couple of days. She was frail, weak and extremely thin, but there was a radiance that shone in her face. In the midst of her suffering and pain, she talked about the great things God had done. Not long afterwards, she died. She remained faithful unto the end of her life. That faithfulness impacted my life.

The second person to impact me was Sherri Akins, wife of one of my dearest friends, Wade Akins. Wade and Sherri went to Brazil with hearts on fire for God. Wade is a great evangelist and Sherri was a tremendous disciple maker. They were a great team together. One day Sherri was diagnosed with a terminal disease, Sclaraderma.

Wade insisted that Sherri return to the United States but Sherri wouldn't hear of it. She said, "Wade, God has called us to Brazil, and we must remain faithful and obedient to that call that He's placed upon us." They stayed in Brazil until one day Wade came home from preaching out in the country. When he walked in the house his son said, "Dad, something's happened to mom."

They ran into the bathroom and found her lying on the floor. She was dead. Wade came back to the United States for the funeral, and I had the privilege of being there. Jesus was honored, and there was one thing that stuck in my mind about Sherri Akins. It was the same thing I had seen with the lady in Belem. They were both faithful. They both suffered, but there was joy in their lives in the midst of the suffering. Both women continued to witness and to serve the Lord Jesus Christ until the very end of their lives.

As I thought about those godly ladies, I said, "Oh God make me your servant and keep me obedient all the way until death." Jesus Christ has called you to follow Him no matter how difficult and how hard. Determine that you will be obedient to him - until death.