Expect the Great (Trust - Part I)

Hello, blogland!  So I had written a really great post, full of Darvisms and my computer blinked and I lost it.  I have been working on it for over an hour; it didn't even save part of the draft... so I'm a bit bummed; I'm not sure I can recreate it. *sigh* 
But here goes:

I hope that 2016 has been kind to everyone thus far. It is off to a great start in my world (save this bogus computer issue a few minutes ago); nothing tangible has changed, but I'm feeling magnificent and excited about the new and great things in front of me for 2016! (Again, save for this bogus computer issue... windows 10, we are not friends right now! And while I'm at it, Blogger either; you are autosaving this post, but saved NOTHING from the one I lost... just saying).

The kiddos are back in school and I've started another contract project.  Today is the Tween's birthday; she's 12 now!  Which reminds me that I have to do some awesome mommy stuff for her later today...  Life is good!  I got a new planner system (motivated by one of my gifts from my 2015 Secret Sistah) and I spent Saturday setting it up in the pretty new binder that I purchased for it (I love office and organizing products).  Wanna see?  Here you go (it is a project life, Becky Higgins planner):

Isn't it cute????  I'm a sucker for a new planner, even if I already have one, go figure!  And notebooks.  I love notebooks...  But I digress.

I'm sure everyone is still basking in the glow of a new year and all of the new expectations, hopes and dreams that come with it.  This is the time of year when most people, myself included, sit down and try to plot a course for the year of goals that they would want to see accomplished, both big and small.  I like to set out my goals in written form, in what I used to call my "Plan 180," but I think that name will change this year.  My "plan" encompasses each and every aspect of my life and I commit to accomplish certain things each year.  This year I will take the additional step of selecting one goal from each category to share with my Journey Sister, who will be my cheerleader and drill sergeant as I strive to accomplish them this year.  Whatever you call them, resolutions, intentions, plans, goals, dreams, I highly encourage you to write them down for a visual reminder throughout the year and also so that you can check them off as you reach them.

Are you a dreamer?  I am.  I have too many dreams to count; they scare me sometimes, because I feel that I don't have enough time to even attempt to flesh them all out, let alone try and accomplish them.  Some have been in my head for many years, others are new. The thing is though, that they don't go away.  Even if I put them out of my mind for awhile, eventually, they come back.  

At watch night service, on the dawn of the new year, Pastor Singleton spoke about Joseph, the great dreamer.  The scripture text was Genesis 50:22-26, Exodus 13:19.  For those of you unfamiliar with Joseph's story, here it is in a nutshell (you can also read it in beginning with Genesis 37):  Joseph was the youngest son of Jacob and his favorite.  Because Joseph was his favorite, Jacob made him a coat of many colors.  His brothers hated him (haters!).  At the age of 17, Joseph had several dreams that he shared with his haters, in which he dreamed that he would reign over them and they would bow down to him.  The haters didn't like that at all.  One day his haters plotted to kill him. His brother Reuben was the only one who had compassion and urged the others not to kill him but to throw him alive into a pit instead (and he planned to go back and rescue him later).  The haters/his brothers, ended up selling Joseph to some merchants who were traveling to Egypt. When he got to Egypt, Joseph was sold to Potiphar and because the Lord was with him, he prospered and was promoted.  A misunderstanding with Potiphar's wife landed him in jail (she wanted him and he refused so she lied on him); Joseph again prospered and was promoted while in jail. Joseph had the gift of dream interpretation and he interpreted dreams while in prison.  News of his gift got to Pharaoh, who summoned Joseph to interpret a dream, and eventually promoted Joseph over everything in the land.  As time passed, a famine struck the land and the only food was in Egypt.  Joseph's haters, I mean brothers, were placed in the position of having to come to Egypt to try and buy food.  At the end of the day, just as was predicted in the dream Joseph had many years ago, Joseph reigned over his brothers and they had to bow down to him (they didn't recognize him, although he recognized them and he never took money from them but gave them more than they asked for and returned their money to them).  Joseph eventually reconciled with his family and all was well (see Genesis 50:19-21).  

What can we learn from Joseph's story?  I'm glad you asked (straight from Pastor Singleton's message):

1) Whenever you have a dream, there will always be someone to throw dirt on it and try to extinguish it (ie, haters);

2) Dreamers go through hard times, hurt and humiliation (see Genesis 37: 5-8);

3) Joseph was elevated so that he could bless others; his story shows that faith cannot be destroyed by circumstances; 

4) Joseph never let his success make him lose sight of his greater expectations;

5) At the end of his life, he made his family promise not to leave his bones in Egypt (the land of his death), but instead to take them to the promised land (the land of his promise);

6) We must not only keep the faith, but we also have the responsibility to pass on the faith to others; and

7) What God has promised must come to pass; keep the faith and keep passing it on!

What does all of this mean???  Time for the Darvisms now:   For you (and myself, I am definitely talking to myself today), don't be afraid to dream big.  If God has given you a big dream or several big dreams and nothing around you looks as if any of it is possible, think again.  Keep your faith intact, no matter what it looks like.  Scripture says, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 3:14.  Keep moving!  Don't dim or lower your expectations because of what it may look like around you.  God took a truly negative circumstance for Joseph by his haters and turned it around for the future good of not only Joseph, but for his entire family.  And through it all, Joseph had compassion for his brothers, even after what they did to him and he used his success and position to bless them.  I challenge you to expect the great from your 2016 plans, intentions, goals and dreams, as God has given them to you, and keep pressing forward!  Here's a song to motivate you, Expect the Great by Jonathan Nelson, you can listen to it here.  (One day I will figure out how to embed the video in the post...)

So as I rush to finish my 2016 plan, I will be praying over all that I have written and asking God to bless the dreams He has put inside of me.  I fully expect the great and plan to have a praise party as I celebrate each and every blessing this year!  What about you - do you expect the great in 2016???  You know the drill - Holla @ Darvi and let's talk about it!  If you share something, I will add it to my prayer log to touch and agree with you on your great this year!  As always, be blessed!

xoxoxoxo