Exceeded Expectations

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 1 John 5:14

Have you ever gotten something that far exceeded your expectation?  When I was a little girl I remember asking for a baby doll for Christmas.  All I wanted was a doll with brown hair and brown eyes.  That Christmas stands out like no other because not only did I get the baby doll I wanted, I also got 3 outfits that my mom made by hand, I got a baby bottle to feed the baby doll and my dad made a baby bed out of an old wooden orange crate from my grandpas store.  The doll bed came complete with a hand made mattress, pillow and little baby quilt.  I remember squealing with so much excitement because it was SO much more than I had expected!

One of the best parts of traveling around giving talks and retreats is the people I meet and the stories they share about the things God is doing in their lives.  I often pack up my little bag and hop on a plane determined to go give something but without fail…instead of doing the giving; I’m always the one who ends up receiving and experiencing so much more than I expected!  I’m amazed at all the things the Lord can do when we open our heart; always more than we expected!  Recently I’ve had some lovely women share an instance where God has worked in amazing and unexpected ways and with their permission I’d like to share them with you in this post.

*It’s all in the name.  A nurse who was very apprehensive and anxious about a new computer system taking over the surgical center where she worked asked God to help her find a way to cope with the unwelcomed changes.  She was an experienced nurse but technology wasn’t part of her training or her generation…compounding the stress and anxiety!  In the shower the morning of the big “technology take over” she told God she was surrendering the whole crazy deal to him and asked him to calm her stress and be with her as she tried to learn.  When she got to work that day, each nurse was assigned an assistant from the technology company.  The gentleman assigned to help her was polite, gentle, understanding and extremely helpful and calming.  As the nerves and stress began to subside, she thanked him for his helpfulness and asked his name.  He told her his name was Emmanuel.  Knowing that Emmanuel means “God is with us” she was overwhelmed at the goodness and love of the God she’d invited to be in charge of her day.  The name was just a huge loving touch that proved his presence and love beyond her expectation.

*Just ask me.  A grandma sat in the audience at a day of prayer and was troubled that her daughter was not making Sunday Mass a priority for her young family.  She sent a text inviting her daughter and family to mass with her at the conclusion of the day of prayer but the daughter texted back and declined.  The situation sat on the woman’s heart like a brick.  When the scripture from 1 John was discussed she closed her eyes and made a conscious decision to ask God to take the situation and handle it “according to his will”.  When the session took a break, she checked her phone and read a text from her daughter informing her of their Sunday Mass plans.  When she checked the time the text was sent, it was exactly 1 minute after she had turned the situation over to the Fathers will. She was shaking with joy when she came to me to show me the text and tell me the story.  The text also indicated that her grandson had just been accepted into the Catholic pre-school they were hoping he could attend.  One request, one text, one big blessing that exceeded her expectation as only God can.

I think sometimes we set the bar so low it’s a wonder we don’t trip over it!  God is waiting every minute to exceed our expectations.  If we ask…if we believe…if we trust…and if it’s according to his will, he will surprise us every time!  Go ahead and give it a try; ask with faith and then share the story!

A Seed To Plant: Make a two column list during your prayer time today. In the first column make a list of all the recent prayers God has answered in your life and in the second column make a list of all the things you’d like to lift to the Glory of his plan. ​

Blessings on your day!