When life is out of control, you can pray to the one in control.

Someone once said, “The reason many people in our society are miserable, sick, and highly stressed is because of an unhealthy attachment to things they have no control over.” 

This past week was one where I felt life was out of my control. I felt stressed, sick and miserable because of all that was happening. It started Monday night when our 11 month old daughter got sick. Any parent can attest, when your kids are sick you feel helpless. On Tuesday we watched as violence broke out in Kiev, Ukraine. For the previous six months me and eight others had been planning to go to Ukraine to teach English to university students. It was heart wrenching watching everything go down, not knowing if we would still be able to go to Ukraine, and knowing we have friends over there who were close to the violence. On Thursday night we received the call that English Club would be cancelled and that we shouldn't come to Ukraine anymore. 

My mind started thinking what can I do, what should I do. "Would we be able to get our money back for the plane tickets we bought? Would we be able to return gifts and supplies for the trip? How are my friends in Ukraine? Can we help them by taking a special offering - because we all know money is what they need….

That night, my four year old and 2 year old daughters both got sick. Everything was spiraling out of control. That is when God brought a verse to my mind that I memorized as a teenager. Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV) 

We may feel out of control, but God is in control. His plans are perfect and even though we may not understand them or like them we can trust them because God is good. God loves Ukraine and the people there more than I do - He died for them. He can reach them with the Gospel with or without me. And that is when it hit me: The best thing I can do is pray. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 says, "Pray without ceasing" - I can do that. I can pray. I can pray for the people of Ukraine to come to Christ and for the country to be united and peaceful again. I can pray that God will give guidance to the 7 missionaries that work with college students. I can pray that God would reach the 230 students that signed up for the English Club. I can pray for Ukraine. I can pray for my girls to feel better. As I prayed my girls started getting better and the stress started going away. Don't forget to pray!