One of my favorite images of God is the “creator/artist.” Ephesians 2:10 expresses that we are His workmanship, which expresses a level of craftsmanship. Exodus carries details of threadwork, ironwork and stonework. Isaiah 64:8 presents God as the potter and we as the clay. Chiseling, weaving or molding, God is constantly crafting the ministry of our lives and shaping us for the next things.

While it is comforting to realize that God is constantly at work in our lives, it can be unsettling, too. Have you ever turned a hand-woven garment inside out only to discover that the masterpiece exterior is made up of a disjointed collection of messy threads and knots on the inside? Corrie Ten Boom commented on the threads of life in a poem titled “The Master Weavers Plan”, (authorship unknown)

My life is but a weaving 

Between the Lord and me; 

I may not choose the colours, 

He knows what they should be; 

For he can view the pattern 

Upon the upper side 

While I can see it only 

On this, the under side. 

Sometimes He weaveth sorrow, 

Which seemeth strange to me; 

But I will trust His judgment, 

And work on faithfully; …

We are often awash in ministry messiness, seeing the “underside” but not clearly seeing the masterpiece God is doing. Years ago, when we started praying that God would connect IBG to significant ministry where the Gospel was scarce, we could not yet see the masterpieces that God was already weaving in these places we prayed about. But God, the craftsman, picked up our thread and has started to weave us into His work here. We cannot see the upper side, but we can certainly see the messy underside.

IBG is a messy place to be right now as we prepare for our April 24 Celebration. While we are excited to celebrate one million Bibles given over the first 35 years and unpack the vision to provide 1 million Bibles in the next 7 years, we remain totally dependent upon God to accomplish this outlandish vision. We don’t have the people, or the funding, or even the organization in place yet to accomplish this vision. And yet God is already weaving.

Did you know that resources flowing into IBG in the first quarter were almost 50% greater than in 2024? And double the years of 2021, 2022 and 2023? We don’t launch the new vision until April 24, and yet the weaver is already weaving us into His work of redemption and restoration of so many lives. Since we have not started yet, it really all on God. His favor. His intention. His masterpiece.

I’d really love to see the “upper”, but like you, I’m in the messy backside of the garment. Talking to Pastors who need Bibles and need food for congregants who are affording just one meal per day. Praying with the persecuted church and with congregations of new believers who have no actual building or place they can meet in. The underside of this garment is messy, and yet God is a weaver who painstakingly creates masterpieces. Someday we will see the whole picture. For now, come and join us April 24 as we celebrate giving a million Bibles over the first 35 years and then share what God has put on our hearts to distribute the next million Bibles in the next 7 years.

Give Hope! Give Life! Give Bibles!

Chuck Hayes