In God alone, my hope comes from Him...

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my HOPE comes from him.     Psalm 62:5

Yesterday morning, my daughter stepped into the water and followed through with believer’s baptism.  In her words, “It was the best bath she ever took…in Jesus’ water!” And then she informed me she would not need a bath that evening.

Yesterday evening, she stood on a stage with 50 plus kids and praised our God by singing with their sweet voices. 

Last night when we got home from church she asked to watch her baptism over and over and over and over again with a new joy in her eyes.

Often times I set expectations for events in my life such as vacations or family get-togethers or just anything in general, and then I am left feeling less than satisfied because the event didn’t live up to the expectations I had set.   I remember when I was dating my husband I had all these expectations for him to be this hopeless romantic.  I hoped that we would take long walks in the park, share picnics under big oak trees, and he would hold my hand and we would gaze into each others’ eyes until the stars came out.  Yeah right, that doesn’t really happen.  We were more likely to fall in love beating each other at a game of tennis, or putt-putt.  In reality we bond over competition, bike riding through Oak Mountain or dumping each other out of a canoe.  Once I realized my husband is not the hopeless romantic and released him from all the expectations I had set for him freedom came in many forms.  He is romantic, he just can’t plan it.  You see, I can plan any sort of romantic outing and he will go along with it, and do whatever I want him to do.  He is just that sweet, but he does not have the ability to come up with a romantic plan and carry it out on his own what so ever.  This is where God started teaching me a very valuable lesson…life’s expectations will most often leave you with a feeling of un-satisfaction.  HOWEVER, hope and expectations placed in the Lord, will never leave you feeling unsatisfied or unfulfilled. 

A couple months ago I had hopes and expectations of what it would feel like to lead our baby girl to the Lord.  Yesterday I had hopes and expectations of what it would feel like as a mother to watch my baby girl follow through with her decision and follow through with believer’s baptism.  When you put your hope in the Lord, He exceeds all your thoughts, hopes and dreams.  His timing is perfect.  His will is perfect.  Everything I thought I would experience I did, and so much more.  God sprinkled little bits of goodness throughout our weekend.  He reminded me time and time again, He is in control, His timing is precise, His will is perfect and good.  He loves Anna Lee even more than I do, and as I woke up this morning He reminded me that her name is now in the most important Book there is…His book, the Lamb’s Book of Life, and nothing and no one can take her name out of that Book.  He has far exceeded my expectations for my little girl, He has fulfilled my heart and my emotions to the point of spilling over this morning, AND she is only 6.  

He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.  Psalm 62:6