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We were asked to write a blog about how we felt before leaving on this mission trip. Here is what I’m expecting……
As a kid I learned that if I tried to predict my expectations for a future situation it never panned out the way I expected. Sometimes I would be disappointed and other times my expectations were far exceeded. I was a fairly neurotic kid and began to intentionally set my expectations as low as possible that way I was never disappointed in the results. This became so ingrained in the way I functioned that it still affects me today. I now understand that I can‘t manipulate my future by artificially setting my expectations low. I understand that I am in God’s will and that he guides me. For scripture says “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”  That being said, I look to the Lord, plan and strategize and then take it day by day. I try not to set to many expectations for a given situation but always expect God may move at any moment. Something tells me that during this trip the frequency in which I recognize God moving will increase and that repeated exposure will strengthen our relationship.

I am sure that most of what I experience in the first few months will feel foreign, like going without a shower for more than a few days or drinking water that has a high likelihood of making me sick. I expect it will be difficult but like building muscle memory it will improve over time. I look at this journey as a chance to serve my God and for Him to teach and protect His child. My hope is that in the midst of serving I will grow in faith and dilute my dependency on the comforts of the world. I expect the collective challenges over the 11 months will influence and change my personal lens in ways I have not foreseen. I pray that God will use the people around me to expose and break any footholds that the evil one exploits. I pray that the unity within the body that is talked about in Ephesians is demonstrated in our group. I pray that my faith is built up to a point that my flesh is rendered docile. I expect the rhythms of my life that are contradictory to God’s will to be tested and eliminated. I pray this experience provides repeated opportunities to connect with those outside of my culture and express to them the authentic love of Christ.   

Its funny but until just this moment, I have failed to realize that for the first time in my life Christ will have my undivided attention for more than a few days. It probably comes as no surprise that I find this both exciting and intimidating at the same time. While I try not to set expectations for which I try to control the situation, I do wait in expectation of our Lord. For those who intend to follow me around the world I will keep you posted on the progress of my expectations as they come to fruition.