A Letter to All My Friends and Colleagues;
We all live lives of expectations. As we ponder the massive number of choices that are to be made every day, we usually make the final decision based on some kind of expectation.
When you hear someone has gotten pregnant, what comes to mind? The key word might be expectation. Some say a woman with child is “expecting”. Getting pregnant creates a certain set of expectations. What will it be? How is my life going to change? Will he/she be healthy? what should I name him/her? The list goes on.
Then as those months go by, expectations continue to build. Decisions get made about what will happen at birth, where the baby will sleep, what he/she will wear, and so on and so on.
Life Changing Events
For anyone going through a life changing event, there is a kind of pregnancy happening. You cannot help but start to wonder about the expectation of what is to come.
You need to grab a firm vision of the next chapter of your life. The best approach is to establish a good, solid view of the outcome you hope to achieve. Instead of letting events and circumstances swirl around you, take the time to do a little vision mapping.
Create a mental picture of the outcome you want. Then start creating some forward motion toward the expectation you desire.
The Story
At this time of year, people from many walks of life stop to celebrate what some consider the greatest of all expectations. Yes, I am talking about the original Christmas story, the birth of Jesus Christ. This story centers on a pregnancy that launches a swirl of life changing expectations for so many.
This is a story rooted in expectation. As the story goes, for centuries prophets had predicted the coming of a new King. Common people heard that news and began preparations as were customary in those days when a new king was coming.
Certain characters in the story got personal and private visits from angels proclaiming what their roles were going to be. Imagine yourself getting a visit from some other-worldly being telling you something about your immediate future. How would you handle that? What would your expectations become?
However, what makes this story so special is the chief list of expectations that told of what this new King would do for His people.
- There would be peace
- There would be protection
- There would be healing
- There would be provision
- There would be love
- And BEST of all there would be HOPE
Wow, talk about expectations. Being able to live in a world with those kinds of promises is truly the greatest of all expectations.
I have no way of knowing the circumstances you are facing right this moment. The year of 2015 may have been great for you or maybe it was not so great. Maybe the outlook for 2016 seems like just more of the same.
Peace and Hope
My prayer for you is that you may find peace and hope this season. Reflect upon the greatest of stories told. Take a look and see if you can relate to one of the characters in that story (there are many from which to choose). I believe you may find just the right person with whom you can relate. Then hold onto the promises that are told.
I truly believe you will find the New Year of 2016 to be a year of new expectations.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
[reminder]Share your expectations for 2016. [/reminder]
