Joel and Andi McMartin
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Learning to Trust

June 30, 2016 by Joel and Andi

A few weeks ago after putting Ethan and Tyler to bed, I got called back into the room by Ethan.  He had been up the night before unable to sleep and now he was afraid that tonight would be the same.  I told him the best thing he could do was not worry about it and just relax and go to sleep.  Then the question came, “How do I stop worrying?”.  We then spent some time talking about trusting God.  We talked about prayer, giving our burdens over to God and trusting in God to take care of us.

Then weeks later I am lying awake at night with a brain that won’t shut off.  There was so much going on and it was hard to see how all the pieces were going to fit together.  Plans that had been made and now were changing.  Two back to back trips.  People needing to move.  Needing to get stuff ordered from the states for our kids program at the last minute.  Trying to get our Senegalese license.  People needing visits and no idea of when those visits might be possible.  Trying to get all caught up on work and ministry before my parents come.  There was so much and my heart was so heavy.  Then I remembered back to what I had told Ethan just a few weeks back about not worrying and handing things over to God.  I needed those same truths.  I was worrying so much about how it all would fit together, when God already had it all in his hands.

God once again came through as he always does.  It didn’t all work out like we had planned, but God saw us through every step of the way.  All the stuff and personnel we needed for the kids program got worked out.  The trips ended up working out great.  Our first attempt at our license was a failure, but we learned a lot through the processes.  We found a house for the family who needed to move and will hopefully have it mostly done before my parents arrive.  I am sure this will not be the last time I worry and have a hard time trusting, but it is good to remember and proclaim that God does have it all in his hands.

One one of our last trips Joel was taught by the boys how to play marbles
One one of our last trips Joel was taught by the boys how to play marbles
Much like in life, we can aim and shoot
Much like in life, we can aim and shoot
But we can't always control where the marble will land
But we can’t always control where the marble will land
However it is futile to spend time worrying
However it is futile to spend time worrying, because God knows all
Yet God knows all and can direct the marbles once they leave our hands
He can direct the marbles once they leave our hands
I just need to remember each day to trust God just as I am teaching Ethan to do just that.
Slowly but surely Ethan and I are learning this important lesson in life.

Filed Under: Updates and News Tagged With: Ethnos360, New Tribes Mission

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Comments

  1. Jeannette Bessler says

    July 1, 2016 at 1:06 am

    It is so great to know that the Lord has everything in control. Knowing your parents like I do, they would be glad to give help where needed. May the Lord bless you and the work you are doing–and the missionary family who will occupy that home.

  2. Molly says

    June 30, 2016 at 11:56 pm

    Ah, timing. God certainly likes to put things in our laps at the moment we need them (like your blog, for me, today). Sometimes I am so busy running around trying to “solve” the problem that I drop His answer off my lap onto the floor and run in circles before realizing that if I look for His answer it will not feel so frantic! He knows all the things racing through our heads. He knows the things that actually make it to our lips as we pray or explain the situation to others. He knows the actions that we put into motion. Trusting that He can make something work without my running in circles first is what I still need to learn!

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