This was a hard one to write. I have this natural tendency to avoid expectations in case they lead to disappointment, and this, coupled with all the talks we had at training camp about how destructive expectations can be to ministry, caused me to not even want to think about this blog. However, God started showing me where to draw the line between hope and expectations. Hope is so incredibly important in the life of a Christian and to not hope about this trip would be to deny some of the joy God has prepared for me. So, accordingly, I have two lists- things that I expect and things that I’m hoping for.
Expectations
-I expect to be very, very uncomfortable occasionally.
-I expect to miss home A LOT.
-I expect to get to know my team really well.
-I expect to see many sad things in Swaziland and Mexico.
-I expect to meet extremely discouraged people.
-I expect to live simply.
-I expect to learn a ton.
-I expect to be utterly transformed.
Hopes
-I hope that in my uncomfortableness I’m able to see God in ways I couldn’t before.
-I hope that missing my friends and family will only grow my love for them.
-I hope that my team becomes my family.
-I hope to be able to see God’s hand in every situation I encounter, no matter how hopeless it seems on the surface.
-I hope to be able to encourage and teach other people through my love for God.
-I hope that I learn to appreciate the incredible and lavish blessings God has bestowed on me at home even more.
-I hope that the lessons I learn will never be forgotten.
-I hope that God shapes me into the person that He intended me to be and that my identity is rooted unshakably in Him.
