we believe

Saturday we will meet before the sun shows its face... and journey to New Orleans. Eric and I are bringing four youth from our church to the the LCMS National Youth Gathering. Nine years ago we took four other teens, and my life was changed forever. Since then, I have had this bit of a dream tucked into the corner of my heart... that I would someday accompany my own children to this amazing event. It was just a flicker of a thought and I didn't quite dare to believe that it might come to pass. But God reminds me again and again that no dream is too big, too outrageous for Him to give life to. And here we are, packing for this trip with our daughter.
As we have prepared for this trip, I have held back my heart just a bit. What if I set my expectations too high? What if this trip doesn't begin to compare to what was? I don't want to be disappointed. And then... I remember who leads me, who loves me, who longs to make my every dream come true, who wants to banish my fears.
I don't expect this experience to be the same, and I'm not even sure it can be better... but I am looking forward to whatever God has in store for me. Not for a moment do I doubt that He has something amazing waiting just for me, just as He has for each person who will gather in the city for the event. I remind myself that in order to get the most out of something, you have to put all you possess into it... so I break the hold that doubt has placed in my heart, and lift my hopes way up high.
I might as well meet Him half-way.