{"id":5842,"date":"2018-10-08T10:15:26","date_gmt":"2018-10-08T10:15:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/?p=5842"},"modified":"2018-10-08T10:15:26","modified_gmt":"2018-10-08T10:15:26","slug":"count-your-blessings","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/2018\/10\/08\/count-your-blessings\/","title":{"rendered":"Count Your Blessings"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Here are some of the things God has done for us recently&#8230;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_5833\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5833\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5833 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/09\/20180916_115205-600x450.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/09\/20180916_115205-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/09\/20180916_115205-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/09\/20180916_115205-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/09\/20180916_115205-125x94.jpg 125w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/09\/20180916_115205-250x188.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/09\/20180916_115205-337x253.jpg 337w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/09\/20180916_115205.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5833\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sometimes on a journey it is good to look back and see what God has done<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Boys School &#8211;<\/strong>\u00a0The school situation has been working out so far for Ethan.\u00a0 The first week he has 1 to 2 hours of homework a night, but he did it without complaint and has really been doing well so far.\u00a0 Praise God!\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_5849\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5849\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5849 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/DSC_4603-600x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/DSC_4603-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/DSC_4603-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/DSC_4603-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/DSC_4603-125x83.jpg 125w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/DSC_4603-250x167.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/DSC_4603-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/DSC_4603-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/DSC_4603.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5849\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">These crazy boys starting the equivalent of 4th and 6th grade in French schools<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>\n<li><strong>Transport &#8211;\u00a0<\/strong>The boys now take public bus in the morning to school and it is working!\u00a0 It will get more challenging as schools here start this week so the buses will be more crowded, but we are praising God for a good start.\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_5850\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5850\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-5850\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/20180914_084034-600x450.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/20180914_084034.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/20180914_084034-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/20180914_084034-125x94.jpg 125w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/20180914_084034-250x188.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/20180914_084034-337x253.jpg 337w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5850\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">My host mom&#8217;s reaction to them taking the bus, &#8220;what the 2 little white boys on the bus!&#8221;<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>\n<li><strong>Two Days Together<\/strong> &#8211; My return from Liberia was delayed, but then Joel&#8217;s departure to Guinea ended up delayed, our first major delays and they happened on two back to back trips.\u00a0 This allowed us to have 2 days together as a family and it was a huge blessing.\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_5844\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5844\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-5844\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/20180226_111727-e1538992653358-600x450.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/20180226_111727-e1538992653358-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/20180226_111727-e1538992653358-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/20180226_111727-e1538992653358-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/20180226_111727-e1538992653358-125x94.jpg 125w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/20180226_111727-e1538992653358-250x188.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/20180226_111727-e1538992653358-337x253.jpg 337w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/20180226_111727-e1538992653358.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5844\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Since we travel a lot we cherish our moments together<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>\n<li><strong>Helicopter &#8211;<\/strong>\u00a0The family in Liberia that was trapped by the bridges is still waiting on those bridges to get fixed, but Samaritans purse came to their rescue and helicoptered them out as they were out of everything including money.\u00a0 They have had a few weeks in town to refresh and will head back this week with supplies and renewed strength.\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_5786\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5786\" style=\"width: 450px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5786\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/09\/20180905_1151211-600x800.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/09\/20180905_1151211-600x800.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/09\/20180905_1151211-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/09\/20180905_1151211-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/09\/20180905_1151211-83x110.jpg 83w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/09\/20180905_1151211-188x250.jpg 188w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/09\/20180905_1151211-190x253.jpg 190w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/09\/20180905_1151211-1920x2560.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5786\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">We praised God when we heard that they were able to get out!\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>\n<li><strong>Providing for us &#8211;\u00a0<\/strong> We have had a decrease in support and we shared this with someone who was asking us about it.\u00a0 She passed this one to one of our churches who then of their own accord reached out to their people to raise more support for us.\u00a0 God is amazing and the family of God is also amazing!\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_5630\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5630\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-5630\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/07\/36980752_10215136790966059_220561474186117120_n-600x333.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/07\/36980752_10215136790966059_220561474186117120_n-600x333.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/07\/36980752_10215136790966059_220561474186117120_n-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/07\/36980752_10215136790966059_220561474186117120_n-768x426.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/07\/36980752_10215136790966059_220561474186117120_n-125x69.jpg 125w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/07\/36980752_10215136790966059_220561474186117120_n-250x139.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/07\/36980752_10215136790966059_220561474186117120_n-450x250.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/07\/36980752_10215136790966059_220561474186117120_n.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5630\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">God continues to be so good to us<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>\n<li><strong>Sometimes it is the Small things &#8211;<\/strong>\u00a0One bag was lost on a recent flight and it had all the boys clothes in it.\u00a0 I was most sad about the boys swimsuits as those are trickier to find here.\u00a0 I wrote my mom and she was able to still find swimsuits on sale!<\/li>\n<li><strong>A few lighter weeks &#8211;<\/strong>\u00a0 We have had a few lighter weeks without travel and it has been so good to catch our breath and relax a little.<\/li>\n<li><strong>A trip together &#8211;\u00a0<\/strong>working on our plans for our next trip and it ended up working out to bring out boys a long to visit some of their friends in Burkina Faso.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Reading Matthew &#8211;\u00a0<\/strong> We started the school year challenging the boys to read a chapter of Matthew a day and so far we have all kept up on it and had some great discussion about it together as a family.\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_5848\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5848\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-5848\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/DSC_4568-600x400.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/DSC_4568-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/DSC_4568-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/DSC_4568-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/DSC_4568-125x83.jpg 125w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/DSC_4568-250x167.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/DSC_4568-450x300.jpg 450w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/DSC_4568-380x253.jpg 380w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/10\/DSC_4568.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5848\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Loving all the discoveries the boys are making in Scriptures<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>\n<li><strong>Cheese and Cereal<\/strong>\u00a0&#8211; Our new grocery store in town has things about to expire that they mark down we have actually found some great deals and got to enjoy a few extra treats including cereal and cheese!\n<p><figure id=\"attachment_5681\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5681\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5681 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/07\/20180715_151246-600x450.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/07\/20180715_151246-600x450.jpg 600w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/07\/20180715_151246-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/07\/20180715_151246-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/07\/20180715_151246-125x94.jpg 125w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/07\/20180715_151246-250x188.jpg 250w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/07\/20180715_151246-337x253.jpg 337w, https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/files\/2018\/07\/20180715_151246.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-5681\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Looking at the path ahead<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>There have been hard things as well as we process and consider the rising security concerns around us and the impact it has on families we know.\u00a0 But as we struggle with those it is good to look back and see the little and big ways that God cares for us in our daily life.\u00a0 Our next trip in a little over a week.\u00a0 Pray for us as we travel together as a family.\u00a0 Pray for us as the family we are visiting has been through a lot of turmoil with the rising security concerns.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Here are some of the things God has done for us recently&#8230; Boys School &#8211;\u00a0The school situation has been working out so far for Ethan.\u00a0 The first week he has 1 to 2 hours of homework a night, but he did it without complaint and has really been doing well so far.\u00a0 Praise God! Transport [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":830,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2545],"tags":[448],"class_list":{"0":"post-5842","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-updates-and-news","7":"tag-ethnos360","8":"entry"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/830"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5842"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5842\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5842"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.ethnos360.org\/joel-mcmartin\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}