Lois is Living Out Her Faith in a Technological World
September 23, 2020 • English
Lois is 90 years old, but when she looks at changing technology, she concentrates on the way it has helped her connect to the world right from her rural home in the midwestern United States.
“I remember when we limited everyone to five minutes on the phone,” said Lois, who asked that her name be changed to protect her privacy. “Technology has surpassed what I understand, but I’m grateful I can talk long distance all the time.”
Lois estimates that the Today devotional messages have encouraged her in her faith for the past 50 years. Yet as her vision began to fail her, the way she accessed Today changed.
“My husband and I always used to read Today together. He passed away 15 years ago,” Lois said. “Then, when I no longer could read the regular print, I used the large print.”
Recently, Lois’s daughter-in-law helped her set up a smart speaker in her home. The speaker helps her with nearly every part of her daily routine, including her devotional time.
“Living alone (as a person who is legally blind) wouldn’t be possible 25 years ago,” Lois said, adding that her smart speaker “tells me what time it is, calls my son for me, and turns on my lights.”
About 8,000 people have joined Lois in adding Today’s feature to their Amazon or Google speakers. You can find step-by-step instruction to help you do so as well by visiting this page (Amazon devices) or this page (Google devices).
“I think I concentrate on the message more now that it’s read to me,” Lois said.
The hope that technology offers Lois goes far beyond her own home. During COVID-19-related church closures, she enjoyed listening to her pastor online. She knows that others around the world are finding hope online, too, because she’s been a long-time supporter of BTGMI’s ministries to unreached people groups.
“God says in the Bible that the world won’t end until the whole world knows,” said Lois, referencing Matthew 24. “I never thought that would happen, but now, through media, God’s Word is spreading so quickly in places I’ve never even heard of!