There’s an old story about a man named R. U. Darby who went west looking for gold.
He and his uncle actually found it, invested in equipment, and began drilling.

Then the vein of gold disappeared. They kept digging. Nothing. Eventually, they became discouraged,
sold their equipment, and went home. The man who bought the equipment consulted a mining engineer,
who discovered something remarkable:

The gold was only three feet from where they had stopped digging.

That story stayed with me because life can feel that way sometimes. We pray, but nothing seems to change.
We work toward something, but we can’t see progress. We keep showing up, but the results are small.
And eventually we begin to wonder:

“Maybe it’s time to stop.”
I understand that feeling. Especially as we grow older, time feels precious.
We don’t want to spend years chasing something God never asked us to pursue.
But neither do we want to walk away from something simply because we are tired,
discouraged, or because it has become difficult.

There is an important difference between God closing a door and
discouragement convincing us to close it ourselves.
That brings me to this week’s Scripture:

“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

— Galatians 6:9 KJV

I especially love those words: “In due season.”
Not necessarily according to our timetable. Not when we think something should have happened.
Not when everyone else expects it. God’s due season.

The Bible doesn’t pretend we will never become weary. God knows we do.

Sometimes we are faithful and still don’t see fruit.
Sometimes we are praying and still don’t see an answer.
Sometimes we are planting and the ground still looks empty.
But empty ground does not always mean nothing is happening.

So if there is something you have been considering giving up, perhaps this is a good week
to ask God one more time:
“Lord, are You asking me to stop… or am I simply discouraged?”
If He is closing the door, may we have the grace to accept it.
But if He isn’t… perhaps we need to dig another three feet.

This Week’s Gift for You

💎 Thank you for requesting this week’s Unfading Beauty Letter of Encouragement.
I’ve included two beautiful, full-color Scripture cards for you to download and keep.

I create new Scripture cards throughout the year as part of these weekly letters.

While they are being shared with my weekly letters, they are my gift to you.
At the end of the year, I plan to gather the complete collection into a beautifully organized
Scripture Card Library that will be available for purchase.

I hope you’ll save these, print them, place them somewhere you’ll see them often—or share one
with someone who needs encouragement.

[COMPLIMENTARY DOWNLOAD ~ SCRIPTURE CARD]

[COMPLIMENTARY DOWNLOAD ~ SCRIPTURE CARD]

A Short Prayer

Father, Give us wisdom to know the difference between a season You have ended and a season
in which we have simply grown weary. If You are asking us to release something, give us the
grace to release it. But if You are asking us to continue, give us the strength to keep going
when we cannot yet see the outcome. Help us not to allow discouragement to speak louder than You.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Until next week,
Angela
Unfading Beauty ~ Beauty Formed By God | 1 Peter 3:3–4

P.S. If you’re still trusting God about something today,
you can simply say: “I’m still digging.” ❤️

Dear Friend: Want to keep this encouragement? Download a printable copy to save and read again anytime. Weekly Encouragement Letter September 9, 2026