Day 26: When we returned from the year in Ethiopia with 2 year old Sam, without a doubt almost everyone said, “What did God teach you while you were there?”. It’s a great question to ask, and one that made us really think. We came to this conclusion: He taught us that it is Him who protects, provides, keeps us safe, and sustains us no matter where we are. Let me explain…

Before that time in Ethiopia, I would’ve SAID that I trust God, that I believe He takes care of me, etc. But I don’t think I really believed that. In America, I trusted in the security of Tim’s job, the safety provided by police and locks on doors, the protections of all sorts of insurances and back up plans. AAA would come help me if my car broke down, the fire department would come if my house was on fire, pediatricians and medicines and children’s hospitals are there if Sam gets sick.

I’m not saying those are bad things, but I am saying that if I’m honest, I trusted in those things WAY more than I trusted in God. We faced all kinds of risks when we were in Ethiopia that year, and things always turned out fine* (make sure to read to the end!). Being there without all the protections and insurances and cushions of American life allowed me to finally see that it was God caring for us. And it allowed me to realize that it had been God caring for me all along—perhaps through the means of AAA, emergency services, etc. But whether those things are there or not, God can accomplish His plan and care for His people.

*Do I think that things will always turn out fine for us? No, I don’t. We live in a broken world, and the Bible tells us not to be surprised when we suffer (1 Peter 4:12). But God is big enough to take suffering, struggles, and pain and masterfully use them for our good and the good of His kingdom. So whether I’m here in America or in Ethiopia, whether things turn out good or bad—I can be confident that my Father who loves me is in control—not my circumstances or my latitude and longitude. #31daysofcalling #lovesinethiopia