YOU GET HIM (and He is enough!)

Expectations are a tricky thing. Deep down with every decision we make I think we all expect some certain result. I think the result is sometimes the motivation that pushes the decision forward. Yet many times we make decisions prayerfully as we seek God and listen for His voice. What next? If we act based on our time with God in His Word and through the answer of our prayers we should experience the will of God in our lives. The only way I can truly write honestly about this is to personalize it. This is the intersection where I find myself right now.

I have travelled abroad based on a need in this ministry. Through prayer and petition I asked God to speak to me and to lead me or to keep me where I was. I have certain scriptures that I could still share with you that led me to take each step. There were obstacles that were moved for me to get here and God has reassured me that I am where I belong time and time again since my arrival. But this is the question I am asking today, this is the crossroad I tread upon:

Why is it so different than I expected? Why were my expectations so far off?

I think these two questions should be asked by most of us regarding a decision we've made. God has you were you are for many reasons...

Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,' says the Lord. 'For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts."

I write to share with you that certain expectations I had about this place have been exceeded and a few things I felt certain about have sort of shattered in my mind. Its sort of the way Jesus turns everything upside down. My high expectations have been brought low, and my low expectations have been wonderfully uplifted.

low to high:
I came here for the students, not for the location. I travelled to Europe when I was 15 and I didn't like it very much. I thought the food was bad and there was no sunshine and I got homesick after a few weeks. And to be honest Germany was my least favorite place I had visited. So I was naturally hesitant and filled with low expectations about living here. But now that I am settling in and being planted here, as my shallow roots begin to take I am loving this place. I love the food here so much and I will truly miss that when I leave, I love the architecture, the history andI love being immersed in a foreign culture.

high to low:
I travelled this way thinking that I would spend a lot of time with students and just rest in God's will. I thought that if I could follow Christ in obedience to come, saturate myself in the Word and serve with an open heart that everything would just fall into place (like a Christian fairy tale.) But thats not life and thats not the reality of following God. The reality of following, knowing and being with Christ is that YOU GET HIM (and He is enough!) The truth behind this mission is that:

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Galations 2:20

So as far expectations go, living for God is unexpected. You know not when, where or how He will lead you, but we know why... because of His love. So do not fear the unexpected uncertainties that come with being a follower... Because YOU GET HIM (and He is enough!)