Anticipation

In the words of Anne Shirley, the orphan from the beloved book Anne of Green Gables, "I love to soar on the wings of anticipation!" I am not talking about the "Someday Syndrome," where one believes that real joy and happiness are always just around the corner. I am talking about being in a place of complete contentment while feeling hopeful about what lies ahead. Just like what Proverbs 31:25 says about the woman of noble character:

She can laugh at the days to come

There have been times in my life when all I could do was worry about future events. I was held captive by fears and what ifs, and anticipation was infused with dread rather than hope. But over the past few years, the Lord has given me the ability to laugh at the days to come. I have a confidence that is rooted in the belief that God is for me, and that no matter what lies ahead, He will take me through it, give me joy in it, and make something beautiful out of it.

As we look forward to the week ahead, here are some things that I am trusting to the very capable hands of a loving God. We anticipate that He will do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine in each of these situations:

• We are going to put our beloved home up for sale, hoping that another family will be as blessed by this little spot on the planet as we have been for the past 7 years.


• Our boys and three of their friends will perform in the school talent show on Friday. Their band has shown tremendous growth over the past few weeks, and David and I plan to be in the front row with imaginary lighters held high.


• On Saturday, we will travel to San Francisco--which is the location of the nearest French Embassy, where we all four have appointments to apply for long-term visas.


• We will meet with individuals and churches to invite them to be a part of our financial support team--if just 6 more families pledge $100/month in support we will be able to purchase our one-way tickets to Paris! We trust that God is already prompting those He is calling to give to His kingdom work in France.


• We will compose a letter to prayer and financial supporters with a projected departure date. Yikes!

Anticipation. I feel it just before I take the first bite of a ripe peach. I feel it when I am sitting in the water behind a boat, about to yell, "Hit it!" I feel it when I hop off the ski lift, when the plane taxies down the runway, and when I plant my garden. "I love to soar on the wings of anticipation!" How about you?

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