I recently had a great conversation with some friends about the difference between living with expectations and living with expectancy. And this trip thus far has been a clear and candid object lesson in exactly that.

Prior to coming, I had to purposefully choose to let go of any expectations I may have had in terms of preconceived ideas about Ethiopia and what I would experience here. And since I headed to the Nashville airport around noon on Monday, I've had to let go of any expectations that may have lingered in terms of that ever-taunting illusion of control. As if our well-mapped-out plan was more important than whatever journey God wanted to take us on.

We've gotta drop expectations and embrace expectancy.

The six of us travelling from Nashville became very adapt at rolling with the punches. We even managed to do so with good attitudes despite being deliriously tired. I really think it was because we were able to let go of that clenched-fist grip on what we thought would and should happen. We knew deep down that God was up to something, even when it made no sense to us, and we were able to cling with joyful hope and expectancy to Him. Not to a schedule. Or to an itinerary. Or to an airline agent. But to Him.

Mechanical failures, delayed flights, and airline errors derailed our simple travel plans and turned them into an epic few days of country-hopping. And tonight, the adventurous journey finally had us touching down in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

A day late, with unexpected stops in Ghana and South Africa, we finally made it. Exhausted. Dirty. Even a bit sick. But we are here. I am pretty excited about the shower I'm about to take and the bed I'm gonna sleep in after two nights on airplanes. And my heart just keeps swirling with that word expectancy.