The E word

Expectations is a hard word for me, it’s very powerful and how do I say this, unreliable. I don’t like using this word. I am not sure at what point in my life it occurred, probably in high school, but my expectations all of the sudden kept leaving me in disappointment.

I’m not your average person, I will openly admit that I am an overachiever who always tries to find the positive in every situation and in every person. I am very passionate about the responsibilities I have and take my work very seriously. I used to have high expectations for everyone I met, that is probably why I kept being left disappointed. So I began forming this new approach to things, the way I looked at it, if I didn’t expect something and it turned out great, then it would be pretty amazing and I could confidently say I never expected that to happen! And if it did not turn out the way I wanted or to my minimal acceptability level, well then, it was an experience I had and a lesson learned. The main thing I guess I was always worried about was being hurt and being disappointed in someone which would at least to some small degree change my views about them.

Now I am sure you are all shaking your heads saying, why would you think like that? How can you not go into a situation and not have an expectation? I didn’t know how I did it either but, a lot of things have changed since high school. Today is a new story. My answer now is simple. My “expectation” doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter because I can have any expectation in the world and guess what, nine times out of ten, I bet you it will never happen the way you expected. I truly believe the only expectation we should have is God’s expectation, what God has planned. What is the point of me having an expectation when I can turn to God and believe in Him and trust Him that with hard work and patience His plan will be fulfilled? I don’t think I can have any greater expectation then that!

So here I am, months away, days away from another adventure of a lifetime- studying abroad in Australia. And so of course, there is that word “expectation”. I had no clue what to expect and if we are being honest, I didn’t want to expect anything! I just wanted God to guide me on this new journey, to teach me and provide me with the lessons that He intended on me having.

And He has not failed me. I am so utterly and completely happy with life. God has done it again and exceeded whatever expectations I had. The people I have met here, the friends I have made, the once in a life time experiences I have had and the places I’ve seen have truly been life changing. I don’t want to bore you all with my inner thoughts because I am sure you are more interested to know what exactly I have been doing, so I will say this: what I have been most impressed with and never expected to see or ever visit was the state of Victoria. I never imagined sharing that visit with eight of my closest friends either. The rural communities along the Great Ocean Road will forever have a piece of my heart. There is no agricultural community in the United Sates that I could compare that coast side to and no picture that I have will truly do it justice. I know that with my faith in God, my boots will take me back there someday, I just know it.

I want to leave you with this: don’t pressure yourself into having this ideal expectation and plan everything in your life to a “T” because I can assure you, it probably won’t end up the way you planned. God has a funny way of working things out. I hope that you can trust in Him to guide you on the right path. You don’t have to go on this journey alone, expect God’s will, take His hand and go.