Bible Reading: Hebrews 11:8-12

Jack helped Dad load the last of the boxes into the truck. Then he jumped down to the street and looked up at his house. It wasn't the largest or fanciest house on the block, but it was the only place he'd ever called home. Now his parents had accepted teaching positions at a school in Guatemala. They were moving away to an entirely new country.

The moving truck door rumbled shut behind him. "That's the last of it," Dad said, wiping his dusty hands on his jeans. He turned to Jack. "Ready to get to the storage unit?"

"Yeah, okay," Jack said.

He shuffled toward the front of the truck and climbed in. Dad started the engine, and they drove slowly down the street. They passed Jack's favorite park, where kids he knew climbed on the jungle gym and played tag in the field. "Does our new neighborhood have a park too, Dad?" he asked.

"I don't think so," Dad said. "But there's a playground at the school."

Jack swallowed a groan. A new school with kids who would probably all speak Spanish.

The red-and-white-striped umbrellas outside Mimi's Ice Cream Shoppe came into view. "Are there ice cream shops in Guatemala?" Jack asked, unable to keep the longing out of his voice.

Dad glanced over at him. "Things will be different in Guatemala, Jack, but that doesn't mean they'll be bad."

"But how do you know?" Jack asked.

"Well…" Dad stopped the truck at a red light. "It isn't always easy to see the next turn in life. But that's what faith is all about--having confidence that God will see us through each new thing. He has always taken care of us--He sent Jesus to save us from sin and has provided for us and helped us through hard times. We can trust Him to be with us and help us now." The light turned green, and Dad guided the truck onto the next road.

Jack thought about how he trusted Dad to drive the truck. He couldn't see the storage unit from where he sat, but he knew Dad would get them there. If he could trust Dad, he could surely trust Jesus, who died and rose again, to keep His promises.

"Dad? Can we stop at Mimi's one last time on the way home?"

Dad smiled. "Sure. One last time."

– Christa Hogan