It's sounds boring doesn't it?
To expect something that is likely going to happen could be a great definition of boredom. Where is the surprise? Where is the suspense?
That's why many different ad agencies have used some variation on the theme of expecting the unexpected. It sounds mysterious. It can end in surprising way. The suspense may actually kill us waiting to find out what exactly the unexpected actually is. How fun! How exciting! How mysterious!
How uncertain...
You see, this is one of the things never really talked about with expecting the unexpected. It sounds fun and catchy, but it can lead us to a hard place in our lives...uncertainty. And is that the place we really want to be? Is that the place where we want to make our dwelling? Speaking from my personal experience? NO...and let me explain.
While we have arrived in Guntur safe and sound, getting here was one uncertain experience after another. It started at about 8:30 in the morning after Terry and checked in our bags while waiting for the rest of the team to arrive. We got an update that our flight to Chicago was delayed and would obliterate the carefully laid out flight schedule that had been prepared for us. So after spending almost 2 hours on the phone with our airline carrier, we were able to completely rework the rest of our stops. Unfortunately, it meant trying to get our luggage back and at this point all of the team had checked in. So everyone had to wait to get their luggage back, recheck in with our new tickets, recheck the bags, and then finally make our way through airport security. In this case, the unexpected really stunk! And I can tell you, the uncertainty that came from that experience was even worse and not where I want to be forever.
Now to be honest, there was one good thing that came from the unexpected. It was simply to expect the expected...that God would work even in the midst of issues we were having. And man, let me tell you, He went to work.
You see, even though our flight schedules had changed, we were still able to get to Guntur at the expected tim without missing a single minute. Usually, with this kind of shift in flighs there is sometimes days lost in trying to put it back together. Not for us and not one single minute was lost...all because of God...all because of His faithful work to get us here.
And it's with that reminder that we received that I challenged the team this week to put aside our expectations of the mission trip and what we think needs to be done and should be done. Instead, let's just hold on to one simple expectation for the remainder of our trip: That God will do His work through us this week and through the churches we start to meet tomorrow.
Would you pray that for us please? That as a mission team, we are constantly shown and reminded of a God who will do His work...that we continue to expect the expected from Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever hope and imagine.
Oh...and by the way...know that the mission team is praying that for you as well as you continue your walk with Him!
Pictures will start tomorrow as well as stories from the mission team so come back and check it out!
Pastor Joe Behnke
To expect something that is likely going to happen could be a great definition of boredom. Where is the surprise? Where is the suspense?
That's why many different ad agencies have used some variation on the theme of expecting the unexpected. It sounds mysterious. It can end in surprising way. The suspense may actually kill us waiting to find out what exactly the unexpected actually is. How fun! How exciting! How mysterious!
How uncertain...
You see, this is one of the things never really talked about with expecting the unexpected. It sounds fun and catchy, but it can lead us to a hard place in our lives...uncertainty. And is that the place we really want to be? Is that the place where we want to make our dwelling? Speaking from my personal experience? NO...and let me explain.
While we have arrived in Guntur safe and sound, getting here was one uncertain experience after another. It started at about 8:30 in the morning after Terry and checked in our bags while waiting for the rest of the team to arrive. We got an update that our flight to Chicago was delayed and would obliterate the carefully laid out flight schedule that had been prepared for us. So after spending almost 2 hours on the phone with our airline carrier, we were able to completely rework the rest of our stops. Unfortunately, it meant trying to get our luggage back and at this point all of the team had checked in. So everyone had to wait to get their luggage back, recheck in with our new tickets, recheck the bags, and then finally make our way through airport security. In this case, the unexpected really stunk! And I can tell you, the uncertainty that came from that experience was even worse and not where I want to be forever.
Now to be honest, there was one good thing that came from the unexpected. It was simply to expect the expected...that God would work even in the midst of issues we were having. And man, let me tell you, He went to work.
You see, even though our flight schedules had changed, we were still able to get to Guntur at the expected tim without missing a single minute. Usually, with this kind of shift in flighs there is sometimes days lost in trying to put it back together. Not for us and not one single minute was lost...all because of God...all because of His faithful work to get us here.
And it's with that reminder that we received that I challenged the team this week to put aside our expectations of the mission trip and what we think needs to be done and should be done. Instead, let's just hold on to one simple expectation for the remainder of our trip: That God will do His work through us this week and through the churches we start to meet tomorrow.
Would you pray that for us please? That as a mission team, we are constantly shown and reminded of a God who will do His work...that we continue to expect the expected from Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we could ever hope and imagine.
Oh...and by the way...know that the mission team is praying that for you as well as you continue your walk with Him!
Pictures will start tomorrow as well as stories from the mission team so come back and check it out!
Pastor Joe Behnke
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