Most people thought the Russian invasion of Ukraine could be averted. Most people thought that after the war started, it would be over quickly. Neither proved to be true. As the war drags into its second year with no clear end in sight, the staggering toll being taken on the people of Ukraine continues to mount. Millions have been driven from their homes. Tens of thousands have been killed or injured in the fighting. A nation’s infrastructure is being systematically destroyed. Of course, we pray for peace to come, but we are also putting feet to our prayers. That’s why we continue to deliver truck after truck filled with food and emergency supplies to the suffering people of Ukraine…and that’s why we continue to need your help.

Do you realize that the Good Father takes every circumstance into account as He plans your future? As a Believer, your destiny has already been decided: “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also” (John 14:2–3).

Too often we fret about finding the Good Father’s perfect will for our lives. To no one in Scripture did God lay out a step-by-step plan for their life. Hebrews 11:8 says of Abraham that “He went without knowing where he was going.” No five-year, ten-year, or even a lifetime plan for him! When the magi went in search of the Christ child, they did not have Google Maps or Waze to lead them. They simply followed the star not knowing where it would lead, nevertheless certain of what they would find at the end of their journey: “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2).

Even when David was anointed by Samuel, the shepherd boy had no indication of the path his life would take. He knew nothing of a meeting with the giant of Gath, or of his headlong and even years-long rush to escape Saul’s angry determination to kill him. Following the Good Father is not akin to living a novel. There is no introduction, no intervening chapters, no ending neatly tied with a bow. It is necessary to constantly seek His wisdom, conversing with Him through prayer, giving God the time and opportunity to respond to our petitions and praise. It is developing a relationship with Him through the study of His Word.

Walking with Jehovah is not a “twelve step” program, marching mindlessly forward with no direction. It is living in the light of His Word, loving Him completely, and listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit. There are those who would have you believe that a life of devotion to the Good Father involves no sacrifice, no pain. One need only read Hebrews chapter 11 to discover the fallacy in that: “Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented—of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth” (Hebrews 11:35b–38).

It sometimes behooves us to remember that “Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens” (James 1:17). Psalm 16:11 reminds us, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm 23 reveals that the Good Father is also a Good Shepherd. He leads us beside the still waters and into green pastures, and bids us partake of His bounty. We are not led to a specific spot on the bank to sip of the clear, cool waters, or to a lush spot beneath a tree to fill our hungry bellies. No, we simply follow Him and trust that He has our best interests at heart and will not lead us to brackish water or poisonous weeds.

Most modern wars between nations have tended to be short, lasting only a few weeks or even a few days. Yet the war in Ukraine has now lasted 13 months. When the war started, most people expected it to end quickly. There was little planning for the devastating impact of a lingering conflict. As a result, millions of refugees have fled the country while millions of others have lost their homes and nearly everything they own. When the store shelves are empty, when the electricity doesn’t work, when the sound of warning sirens is a constant, the toll is great. We are reaching out in Christian love to the precious people of Ukraine to meet their urgent humanitarian needs and show them they are not alone, and this is only possible because friends like you have joined us in this great cause.

As the war in Ukraine continues to drag on into its second year, the damage and devastation continue to spread. It’s not headline news day after day like it was when the war started. But the people whose homes were destroyed still need somewhere to live. The people who have no place to buy food still need something to eat. The people who are shivering in the cold still need something to keep them warm. And we are continuing to respond to these urgent needs thanks to the love and generous compassion of our friends and partners.

This week Russia launched a massive missile assault on Ukraine, using more advanced weaponry including the hypersonic Khinzal cruise missile. Attacks on Kyiv, Odesa, and Kharkiv brought widespread power outages far from the front lines of the battle. The larger and faster missiles were used to strike infrastructure targets, including a major energy plant near Kyiv. As the war drags on, and people become accustomed to hearing the dreadful reports, it’s easy to become numb to the suffering and destruction, but we must not. Day after day the need grows, and thanks to generous friends and partners, day after day, we are there to help meet it.