God keeps hollering at me. Well…it’s more like enticement. Two backdrops:
Eugene Peterson is always after me. In one of his books, he sketches the very beginnings of his Bible paraphrase, The Message. In the early 1980s, his congregation freaked out over the current economic crisis. He sat them down, made them translate Galatians into simple American, helping them see, in everyday language, that fear is a bad reaction to life crises. Instead, we are to trust the sovereign God who loves and knows our path.
Another book—totally different—Valerie Elliot Shepard’s child perspective on her parents. Jim Elliot died at the hands of Auca 
Indians. Elizabeth Elliot took 3-year-old Valerie to their jungle village to win the killers to the Lord. Earthquake? Don’t be afraid; God’s in control. Snake by the path? Trust God and walk right on by.
Ellie’s turn to Trust: A well-planned missionary event at our church. John and Brooke Bryant were to speak and enjoy a potluck lunch. Everything was fine—until John emailed that their daughter Mikella had gone into labor. Would she deliver before Sunday?? If not, our plan was cooked. Under all this uncertainty, I could only trust that God would work things out.
Click to view Karenni joy
He did. The baby came forth around 9 PM Saturday, and though Brooke was exhausted from birthing duties, we had a lovely time with John, learning about the joyous reception the Red Karen gave them when the New Testament—in their own language—had been put in their hands. (Harks back to Peterson’s Message in American language, doesn’t it?)
Bottom line: Worry doesn’t work. Trusting God does.