It goes without saying that Katie Davis is an exceptional young woman. At just 19 years old, she began serving needy children in Uganda—leaving behind the creature comforts of America. And now, at 22, her work—Amazima Ministries—pays the tuition for 450 Ugandan children to attend a Christian school and also feeds 1,600 hungry children in the community. She personally cares for 13 orphans who live with her— providing them with food, clothing, and a home-school education. What’s funny is that Katie doesn’t see her life as something special. She’s simply taking God at His Word—following His lead in caring for the less fortunate.

The risks and total surrender to God’s will that Katie has lived out reminds me of a woman named Jochebed (Exodus 6:20). This woman took an incredible risk in hiding her Jewish son because the Pharaoh of Egypt had declared that “every newborn Hebrew boy [be thrown] into the Nile River” (Exodus 1:22). She hid the boy for 3 months, then placed him in a small basket sealed “with tar and pitch” and placed it in the reeds along the bank of the Nile (Exodus 2:3).

This act was later lifted up by the writer of Hebrews as a display of great faith: “It was by faith that Moses’ parents hid him for three months when he was born. They saw that God had given them an unusual child, and they were not afraid to disobey the king’s command” (Hebrews 11:23). In other words, they risked it all because they were taking God at His Word.

Jochebed’s little baby became the great leader of the Israelites—Moses. He led God’s people out of Egypt—saving the lives of countless men, women, and children.

Taking God at His Word may include risk. But there’s great reward in following Him. Just ask Jochebed—and Katie.

NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Luke 11:1-13