#006 - From Expectations to Expectancy

Hey, friends, Shelly Hitz here. And this year I got a new book for Advent. I normally don't do this. I know a lot of you celebrate Advent in many different ways. And to be honest, I just haven't really done this in the past. But I was just craving something this year to draw me closer to Christ during this season. And so I got Ruth Chow Simmons new book, Emmanuel An Invitation to Prepare Him Room at Christmas and always. And I'll put the link to her book in the show notes if you want to check it out, but it's beautiful. She's an artist, a watercolor and lettering artist, which is dear to my heart, because that is what I am as well. I'm a watercolor and lettering artist. But then her devotionals are very impactful, so I wanted to read a paragraph from day one. These are her words. It's from her book. So I definitely recommend going and checking out her book. But it's all about going from expectations to expectancy. And she says expectations leave us weary and discontent, believing we deserve more or better. They always leave us unfulfilled and doubtful about whether God is for our good. But expectancy is anticipation mingled with joy. It's believing God is who he says he is while waiting patiently for his good to be revealed. However he chooses to reveal it. Expectancy remembers what is already more than one deserves. Expectation demands more. When we come to the Christmas season with an expectant posture, we're led in hope. Like the wise men led by the star. Expectancy sets our sights on God's promises rather than the empty pursuit of all that cannot truly satisfy. In this season, when we turn from expectations to being expectant, we will never be disappointed, because God never disappoints what he promises he will do. The whole thing was so good. And this is something I personally have struggled with a lot over the course of my life, my business, my writing. And I think we can really apply this, as Kingdom writers, to what we're doing with our writing, with our books and our marketing and all the things. It is so easy to get into a posture of expectations. So many book sales, so many collaborations, you know, to have an expectation of how our book will be published or when it will be published or all the things right? And, you know, she says they leave us feeling unfulfilled and doubtful about whether God is for our good. Have you ever felt that way? Like, oh, man, it didn't turn out like expected. Is God really in this? Is he really calling me to do this? Is he really for My good is he really wanting to help me in this endeavor of using my gift of writing. And on and on it can go. Expectations believes that we deserve more, better. And then she says it demands more God, more book sales, more of this, more and more and more. And it's like expectancy remembers that we already have more than we deserve. And CJ and I were talking about this this morning and he said that really is something that helps reset his mindset. Just remembering like God has already given us more than we deserve and we are already just debtors to him for all of the love and the grace and everything he has poured out on us for salvation. And so this is something that I'm working through. And I know that it is a big issue for many of us expectations, but what if we come to God with expectancy instead? So something I have been doing lately is, you know, I have some affirmations and they're, they're, they're kind of like prayers that I'll read on a regular basis. And one of mine says that God will provide above and beyond what we need financially. And I just kind of left it at that, like period. And then I just sensed God recently just prompting me to add onto the end of that. And I look forward to seeing how he does it. So that's where the expectancy comes in. I look forward to seeing how he does it. You know, we have a business full time. Both CJ and I are in this full time. We don't have any other source of income. And it can be scary at times. 2022 gave me many gray hairs. We lost a huge contract and that contract was like, I mean, over $70,000 of revenue a year. So it was almost like losing one of like, if we were both working full time jobs, it was almost like losing one of our jobs. And yet, you know, instead of really coming to God in that expectancy, it was like I had these expectations of how it was going to look and happen. And I was holding on with so much control and feeling like we deserve more. It was just like demanding more. And yet the Lord in His grace, he's provided for us and yes, more than enough. And I want to change my posture. I don't want to have this feeling of like God, you know, you, you owe us or this needs to happen or we're not going to be able to pay the bills if, if you don't come through. I want to have an open hand and I want to really just have a different posture going into 2023 of like God, thank you so much for all you have already given us in Christ. We have an inheritance waiting for us in heaven. And God, thank you for every person, every dollar, everything that you do that provides for us. And we will just give you the praise. And God, I just cannot wait to see how you're going to do it, how you're going to provide, how you're going to show up, and some of that I may not see fully until heaven. Right? And so as you're walking through this path of writing your book, publishing your book, and marketing your book, just really encourage you to really just, you know, check in with your heart at different times and say, okay, am I in a place of expectations of what needs to happen, or am I in a place of expectancy? And Ruth also says when we turn from expectations to being expectant, we will never be disappointed because God never disappoints. So whatever book promotion you're running, whatever book launch you're doing, whatever book you're releasing, when you're asking for reviews or beta readers or all the things.

When we let go of those expectations and we say, God, I'm willing to be expectant, and I am just excited to see what you're going to do. And I will do the work as led by you, right? We still need to do the work, but as led by his spirit, grace over grinds. And my friend Shay Vines has written that book. If you haven't read that, I highly recommend it. But when we come to him with that expectant heart, we will never be disappointed. And so when disappointment comes, that is a great opportunity to say, okay, Lord, my heart has been in a different place. I have had these expectations. I have had these things, you know, whatever it is that's going on. And it's a chance to come back, to repent, to confess, you know, our sin, to repent and say, God, I want to do different. And I don't know about you, but that's where I'm at right now. And we had just an amazing service this week at church, and God just really touched my heart of, like, this is going to be a new season. I want to walk in to this next year and really just ask the Lord to do something different in my heart. And even if we face financial difficulties in 2023 like we did in 2022, I want to. To handle it different. I want to respond different. I want to be at peace, and I want to have that expectant heart that the Lord has already provided so much above and beyond. And whatever Happens. And however it happens and whatever the timing is, it, he, it's, you know, he never disappoints, right? And so she says at the end, he ne God never disappoints what he promises he will do. And it may look differently than we expect. It may be in a different timing than we expect. There's that word expect again, right? So just keeping that open hand of expectancy. I'm excited, Lord, to see how what you're going to do with my writing, no matter what it looks like, no matter if I never get on a bestseller list, no matter what, I am just excited for what you're going to do. And sometimes the greatest work he does is in our own hearts. Amen. So I was just so inspired by this devotional today and I love how she described this and I wanted to share it with you because I think it relates so well to so much of what we do in this whole arena of writing, publishing and marketing our books. So let me just pray for you, Lord. I just pray for every kingdom writer listening right now. I pray God, that you would just reach down into the depths of their heart and if there are any places that are dark where, where there are expectations of what, you know, what is to happen with their writing or their marketing and, and Lord, that you would just come in and bring your light, bring your presence. We command any expectations just to leave in Jesus name any fear, to leave in Jesus name any worry in Jesus name, you must go. And we ask God that your presence would just feel fill us that that light would come into any dark place, any place where there's been disappointment. And Lord, that we would trust you moving forward no matter what the circumstances want to scream at us. The circumstances sometimes scream so loudly that we just. It's hard to hear your voice. But Lord, no matter what the circumstances are saying right now to us, we want to choose to trust you. So we just say, lord, we are excited to see what you are going to do and we will just take one obedient, faithful, courageous step at a time and we pray this in Jesus powerful name. Amen. As I was praying, God just brought that to my mind of how our circumstances will scream at us. Like, look at me, look at me, look at me. And yet God is saying, daughter, son, look at me. And this really touched me as well because like I said, 2022 was a year where the circumstances were screaming and at me. And I paid way too much attention to the circumstances. Not only our finances, but we had issues with a turnover of our main assistant twice. There was just a lot of stuff going on that was very, very hard for me. And I just want to say, yes, those circumstances are here. Yes, we are going to walk through hard times. But you know, John 16:33 says, in this world, you will have trouble. But what does it say? Take heart. I, Jesus, have overcome the world. So let us focus on Jesus instead of putting our time and energy and attention on those circumstances that are screaming at us. Jesus is whispering. He's whispering, come, my daughter, come, my son. I have something so much better for you. So I pray that this bless you. If it did, let us know. You can email us@supportrainingauthors.com or post in our group@trainingauthors.com group and I will talk to you in the next Hitsplist episode.