Great Anticipation

Anticipation is defined as - "an expectation; anticipating with confidence of fulfillment".  Anticipation is a word that I don't use that often - however, I'm really a big fan of the word and the way it makes me feel.  I just know that something great is about to happen.  When I think of anticipation, one of the 1st things I think of is our call to Madagascar.  Actually, I feel like there should be a more adequate word than anticipation to describe how we feel about moving to Toilera.  God has been God to put it as simply as possible.  He has provided for our needs, been faithful to take care of every small detail - and all the while still teaching us new things about who He is and how to serve Him wherever we are in the mean time.

When I think of a time that I experienced anticipation and I saw it come to fulfillment is the night when Steve and I got engaged.  He completely surprised me when he flew in from Maryland that night and although it didn't go according to his exact plans - it was still a time of great joy and anticipation for me.  We were engaged for almost 2 years but the anticipation never ceased.  I would talk about our wedding plans with anyone who would listen, and my poor friends who were with me all the time could have probably gone through the wedding in their sleep!  Now, 3 years after the "Big Day", I can joyfully express that anticipation was not wasted.  The fulfillment of everything I had ever prayed for in a husband and in a marriage have/are coming true everyday.  I can't express the blessing of waking up every morning and living life together with my best friend.




SO - all of this brings me to the way I'm feeling this morning - full of anticipation.  I'm chaperoing a youth trip to M-Fuge this upcoming week.  It's been a few years since I've been to youth camp and it's bringing back all the memories of the ones I took while I was in school.  The anticipation of being somewhere new, of expecting God to do great things, of basically - everything that comes with going to camp.  I've been praying this week for these youth that will be going and selfishly for myself.  I want to come away with something new - with a fresh word from the Lord.  The anticipatioin is growing constantly as we're getting closer to leaving...and as I'm dwelling on that, I keep having this tug on my heart.  A tug that is saying - "Nickolee, I do great things everyday.  I can speak to you in a "fresh" way wherever you are."  I'd tell anyone in a heartbeat that I "knew" this already because I do.  However, I'm being challenged this morning in wondering if I live my life that way.  Do I wake up every single morning with great anticipation? If not - why not?  Sure, it may be easier to hear from the Lord in a camp setting - away from distractions of our day to day life - but the reality is 98% of the year we have distractions.  We have life - we live in this world.  we can't forget that He has called us to be in the world but not of it.  I believe we are called to live a life of Great Anticipation - and don't forget that means we have the confidence that our expectation will be fulfilled!!