It happened so fast. One moment Hannah was lying sedately in my lap, pointing to Eric Carle’s very busy spider, and the next launching herself into flight. My stomach dropped as I snatched her ankle creases moments before her head hit the floor.

Adrenaline racing and bracing myself for the wails, my baby, dangling upside down, looked at me and burst into giggles.

In Matthew Jesus tells his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 18:2)

Childlike faith. I have always thought this describes the quality of a child’s belief in God. A simple, unquestioning acceptance of the truth, uncomplicated by the worries of the world. But watching Hannah these last few months as she begins to crawl and stand (and faceplant) has given me a different understanding of childlike faith.

In her 11 months of life, Hannah has known only love, protection, and peace. So, understandably, when she pulls to stand on a rolling chair, tugs on a shelved box full of text books, or launches herself from our laps, she has no fear. She doesn’t stop to consider, “Hmm, how close is dad? Maybe I should wait for him before I test out my new teeth on this extension cord…” She knows, without having to pause for thought, that she will be protected.

As we prepare to move to Kenya this September, I am praying for this faith. God has shown Himself faithful to us in innumerable ways and He’s a much more trustworthy parent than Clark or me! As things fall into place, as we received Hannah’s passport and our Kenyan medical licenses and people continue to partner with us, I still worry. I’m coming up to the ledge and peering down to evaluate my landing site, testing my safety ropes, tightening my harness.

We are not to be foolhardy. When Jesus sent out His disciples he told them to “be as wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). But, as former Tenwek missionary Dr. Stevens likes to say, “God can’t drive a parked car.”

I encourage you to ask God to reveal ways that you are not trusting Him fully. For me, my lack of trust is revealed in the things I worry about despite knowing “sufficient for the day is its own trouble” (Matthew 6:34). Ask the Lord to replace that worry with trust.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” II Corinthians 5:17

Just one more instance of God’s faithfulness as Clark baptized our dear friend Brook last month!