I am a planner by nature. I love to make spreadsheets and calendars and organized plans. But God seems to have a way of making His own plans and He doesn’t always send a memo in advance. My mom says that God keeps us on a need-to-know basis. Obviously, we have a choice to follow His plan or stick with our own. It is often hard to let go and trust, but oh how sweet is the reward when we do.

Last week I had to let go and trust some our friends in Ecuador to pack up all of our belongings and move us OUT of our rental house while we were still in the U.S. I know it seems silly, but maybe at least the women can relate … it was really a struggle for me to know that someone else was going through my cabinets and I had no control or knowledge over how things were packed. How many times do we try to keep “control” of our lives instead of truly giving that up to God?

This move was an unexpected change in our “plan” (there’s that word again). We had expected to be returning to Ecuador right now, not spending 5 more months in California!!!  But when we truly let go and trust the Father, He will take us on some amazing journeys.

Our journey has led us to meet some amazing brothers and sisters in the Kingdom who are passionate about the work in Ecuador and are helping us to find sponsors for planting churches. Bobby has been challenged in his studies at Fuller and has been encouraged by his professors to take more courses now. He is a top candidate for receiving a study grant for working with the Quichua Indians in Ecuador. And just yesterday, Bobby was asked to work on the church planting initiative for ALL Latin American countries (not just Ecuador)! These are all really amazing stops along the journey that we never planned for.

Many people think that trusting God completely should be easy for us – after all we’ve done the whole “sell your belongings and become missionaries thing”. But submission is something that every Christian must work on daily with diligence. I challenge you (and myself) to try a radical step of Faith this year an do something that requires relying on the Father. You will be stretched and will grow in Him.

Psalm 73:24-26 (New International Version)

²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.

²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

Psalm 25:4-5 (New International Version)

⁴ Show me your ways, O LORD,
teach me your paths;

⁵ guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.