Into the Unknown — Journey with the Starks

Our 5 year old has a delightful little habit of breaking into song when he has a meaningful encounter with the great outdoors. I couldn’t be more proud. As with any self-respecting 5 year old, his song choice 9 times out of 10 is the Frozen II anthem “Into the Unknown”.

Like it or not, this song has become somewhat of a theme in our lives.

2020 is turning into the year of the unknown for us. Our plans to uproot our family and move to Kenya to help start an OB/GYN residency in a rural mission hospital are rolling along. Between Moselle’s COVID-delayed resignation from work, selling our house in the middle of a stay-at-home order, and joining the global battle against a virus that is contagious before it even manifests symptoms, there are many unknowns out there in our world. Likely there are just as many in your world.

When thinking about unknowns, my mind goes to the well-worn metaphor of journeying along paths in the Bible.

Psalm 23 says

“He leads me in paths of righteousness
For his name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
For you are with me…”

If we are going to be people who obediently follow God, we will encounter unknowns, but we can be encouraged that “all the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness,” (Psalm 25:10), even the ways “through the valley of the shadow of death.”

It seems like the psalmist implies God is the one who leads us through that awful valley sometimes. I guess it is up to us to trust that God is a big enough and good enough shepherd for us to not need fear. Maybe we can see steadfast love and faithfulness there too. This is tough, and I don’t know how to do it. But we are praying to be able to trust in this way.

In other news, here are some photos of our children in places worthy of breaking into song.

Mulch mountain gorillas in their natural habitat