Waiting Expectantly

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 Happy New Year <<First name>>!


Have you ever had dejavu? I did this week. 2 years ago, I came home for Christmas, had a casual CT Scan as followup to something I thought was nothing, and turned out having to have surgery 2 days later.

It happened again!

I had a "routine" CT Scan mid Dec that was booked 1.5 years ago as followup to the surgery 2 years ago. To my shock, the surgeon said they had to operate again, to repair the hernia in my diaphragm and, just like last time, he happened to have a quick opening, during the holidays. So last Wed, Dec 27, I went back to Credit Valley Hospital, and instead of getting on the plane this week, as planned to go home to Tanzania, I'm here in Canada recovering. The good news is I'm already beginning to feel better and the surgeon said the surgery went well. I see him in a couple of weeks and hope to head back before the end of the month. Thanks for your prayers for a quick recovery! So this update will be short - need to get back to resting.

As I was resting this week, I began to reflect on what my theme for the year would be. I started my New Year in Gen 1 (always a good place to start!) and my reading plan took me to Ps 5. Verse 3 jumped out at me:
 
In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
    in the morning I lay my requests before you
    and wait expectantly.

I thought about how we get excited waiting for Christmas morning in anticipation of how our family and friends may like something we got for them. I thought about how Abraham's story will be coming up soon in my reading of how he waited with expectancy for the promises God had given him, and I thought of the new year, how I'm waiting expectantly of what God will do in my life and the work of VOH Africa. Last year was full of so many surprises; I never could have predicted them all on Jan 1, 2023. So now, I'm learning. I'm going into 2024 expecting Him to surprise me. I don't know how, when or why, but I know He will. And I know it will be good. 

I encourage us all to go into 2024 with laying our requests before our all-caring, all-loving, all-powerful God, and then wait expectantly to see what He will do!

Talk soon - hopefully next month when I'm back in the sunshine of Mwanza!

Jeanette



Comments

  1. AnonymousJanuary 18, 2024 at 1:17 PM

    Hi Jeanette, I am just seeing this now on January 18th. I pray that you are recovering nicely and are making plans to return to Mwanza. It was so nice to be with you in Tanzania last January/February. You are doing a great work there with the leadership and the children of VOH. Michael begins teaching two online courses for PACU in Kenya that will take him into the late Spring. We too present our requests to the Father and wait in expectation as to what 2024 has in store for us. We, along with you, know it will be good. Many blessings, Sheila Middlebrook

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