My Word for 2019

Last year, instead of making a New Year’s resolution I decided to choose a word-Hope. I lived a year in hope.

Hoping everything would go right with building our home-it didn’t, but does it ever? Seriously, measure 4 times then, cut. We needed more than the measure twice rule, haha. Hope that the fertility treatments would work-they didn’t. Hope that loved ones would be healed from sickness-they weren’t. But, I clung to hope. I clung to my faith.

Hope is defined as a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. But, also as a feeling of trust. I held fast to this verse. I read it every single day. It was taped to my bathroom door. I couldn’t miss seeing it.

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope” -Psalm 130:5

But, hope is hope-it’s waiting, praying, trusting. So, as we move into 2019 I heard a new word whispered into my soul-expectation. I’ve found myself wrestling with this word, with God. I’ve always felt that expectation is linked to a sense of entitlement, being spoiled, selfish. And, every time I find myself praying for my new word it is this word-expectation that keeps coming back to me. Why, why would I choose a word for the new year that dredges up negative meanings to me?

But, in His own precious way the Lord slowly revealed the true meaning of expectation. Expectation is founded in hoping, praying, and trusting in the Lord. What is hope or prayer if we are not trusting and expecting a divine answer?

Expectation is not just the idea that I am entitled to receive something, but it is “a strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future.” Did you see the part about strong belief? Not only should my prayers be founded in hope, but in expectation.

“Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” -Ephesians 3:20-21

This verse has come to me so many times over the past few weeks. You see, He is able to do more than we hoped or prayed. More abundantly than we could even ask. When my prayers are tears He hears. Instead of only coming to Him in hope-I should come to Him in expectation that He will provide more abundantly than I could imagine. My wait is not His no.

So, this year I will be moving forward in my season of hope to a season of expectation. My hope is grounded in the belief that He will provide in the future.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?[g] And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” -Matthew 6:25-34

So, dear friend, will you be moving forward into 2019 in a season of expectation? May God bless you in the new year and may your hope blossom into expectation.

Blessings,

P.S. If you’re a fellow infertility sister, I’d love to hear your story and add you to my prayer list. Infertility is lonely in a world full of babies so, it’s nice knowing you’re not alone.

P.P.S. The Bible calls us to “pray without ceasing” and I am a firm believer in the power of prayer and surrounding our loved ones in prayer. If you’re entering 2019, in a season of hope and expectation, I’d love to pray for you and put your name on my prayer list. You can never have too much prayer or too many people praying!