Expectations

February arrives in quiet splendor. Winter’s wonderland still dazzles—fields and trees glittering with frost, days stretching longer, the sun peeking through the clouds more often now. Heart garlands are strung, treats are tucked away for sweet surprises, and cards are shared with those we love… or maybe not... expectations.

Have you ever anticipated something—a birthday, an anniversary—dropping hints, offering subtle reminders, only to realize your loved one completely forgot your special day? And there it is again… expectations.

What are your expectations for February? For spring? For 2026? For your marriage, your family, your walk with God? How do we respond when those expectations don’t work out the way we planned? Some decide to have none at all—then you won’t be disappointed, they say. But is that really true?

Expectations are necessary. They help us make plans, and plans are wonderful things. Without them, nothing meaningful would ever be accomplished. Life would lose much of its joy, because we would never dare to try something new. Expectations are good—as long as we hold them with grace, trusting the Lord to work all things out for good… even our disappointments.

When life unfolds differently than we imagined, God invites us into a deeper trust. He reminds us that He is still working, still faithful, still present. Grace—the beautiful gift we receive from God—becomes the gift we can offer others when things do not go as expected. Without grace, expectations can quietly wound relationships…with grace, they can strengthen them.

When our plans and expectations are wrapped in grace and surrendered to the Lord, something beautiful happens. A life shaped by faith emerges—one filled with strength-building opportunities, unexpected growth, refining challenges, and sometimes even delightful twists we never could have planned if we tried. This is what it means to trust the Lord with all your heart.

Lamentations 3:21–25 expresses our true hope so perfectly:

Yet this I call to mind

and therefore I have hope:

Because of the LORD’s great love 

we are not consumed,

for His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;

therefore I will wait for Him.”

The LORD is good to those whose hope is in Him,

to the one who seeks Him.

What are you expecting???

            “Flee Kaboo, run for your life!” a voice said to this young prince in a small village of Liberia, West Africa. 

            Kaboo, born in 1873, was the oldest son of the chief of his tribe. When he was still young at 14 years of age, a clan nearby conquered his people and he was captured. His father did his best in giving a gift each month to the tribe in attempts to gain back his son, but they were never satisfied and demanded more. Eventually, the chief had nothing left to offer.

            Kaboo was given cruel labor and was mercilessly beaten with whippings every day. During one of these harsh beatings, a sudden bright light shone and a voice from heaven told him to flee immediately. The ropes that bound him miraculously fell to the ground, and realizing that he wasn’t restrained, he gained strength and fled despite his sickly condition. 

            Kaboo wandered amid a vast jungle for many days. While he did so, he wondered who was the still small voice that spoke to him? Who could care so much about a little boy who was of no real importance? He traveled during the night, and while it was day, he hid in the hollow of the trees. He lived off of snails and mangoes until he saw a coffee plantation in the distance. Arriving there, he found work, food, and shelter.

            One day, a young boy at the plantation invited Kaboo to go to church. He accepted the offer and soon he was listening intently to a missionary from Taylor University, Miss Knolls, as she spoke of the conversion of the Apostle Paul. Kaboo was stunned of the similarities of Paul’s story and his. Just as Paul saw a bright light, heard a voice from heaven, and fell to the ground on the way to Damascus, Kaboo had experienced the same events. As a result, Kaboo accepted his Savior and was baptized. He was determined to start his life brand new so he changed his name to Samuel Morris. 

            Samuel (Kaboo) grew more and more in his relationship with God. He had a fervent desire to learn about Jesus so Miss Knolls taught him all she knew. 

“Miss Knolls, where did you learn all about Jesus?” asked Samuel.

“I learned from an evangelist named Stephen Merritt.” She replied.

“Where is this Stephen Merritt?”

“He lives far away in a place called New York.”

“Miss Knolls, I am going to New York!” 

“What? That is too far away! It’s on the other side of the world! How are you going to get there?” Miss Knolls exclaimed.

“Don’t forget, I have a heavenly Father that watches over me. He will bring me safely to New York so I can learn more about Him from Stephen Merritt. Then I will come back to my people to teach them about Jesus.”

“God be with you Samuel,” said Miss Knolls as she bade goodbye. 

            Having no money and transportation, Samuel began his travel on foot. He made his way to a harbor and waited many days for a ship to take him to New York. God had informed Samuel that the captain of the ship would take him there. Finally, he saw a ship heading towards the shore. Samuel was eager to start his journey and he couldn’t wait to start sailing. When he met the captain, he asked, 

“Can I accompany you in your ship to New York in America?”

“Absolutely not! We don’t want any scamp to trouble us,” the captain replied in disgust.

            Not long after this conversation, two of the crew members left their job on the ship. Being short-handed, the captain reluctantly decided to take Samuel along. They despised and taunted him, giving him beatings and assigning him to do the worst tasks. Through it all, Samuel faithfully witnessed to them. By the time they reached America, most of the crew, including the captain, had given their hearts to God.

            Finally reaching New York, Samuel went to look for Stephen Merritt. He was relieved when he found him at a mission in the city. But right when he arrived, Mr. Merritt had a prayer meeting to attend elsewhere so he asked Samuel to wait at the mission till he got back. When the prayer meeting was over, Mr. Merritt made his way back to the mission and was astounded at what he saw. For there, Samuel was having his own prayer meeting and had led twenty men to Christ. Impressed with his spirituality, he decided to send Samuel to Taylor University to learn more. Since Samuel had no money to go to school, the president of the university, Mr. Reade, established the “Faith Fund.”  This investment provided means for him to go to college.  

            Samuel always sought to do God’s will. He would spend many hours in prayer talking to his Father. Often his classmates would come into his dorm room to pray with him. People around the world began to come to hear him speak his stirring words. Newspapers gave an account of this young boy from Africa that had a zeal for God and was changing the hearts of Fort Wayne.  

            He desired to bring everyone around him into a closer relationship with God. But most of all, he was determined to go back to his people in Liberia to tell them of the love of Christ - but God had a different plan. In late 1892, Samuel caught pneumonia and became very ill. He had been sick before and recovered with God’s healing… but this time he would not recover. God soon revealed to Samuel that his work on earth was accomplished and that he was to rest in peace. When he told his classmates, they were perplexed. 

“Why Samuel? Why do you have to leave us? What about your dream to go back to your people and teach them about Jesus?” 

Weakly, Samuel replied, ‘“It is not my work… It is His. I have finished my job. He will send others better than I to do the work in Africa.”’ [1]  

            Samuel Morris (Kaboo) died on May 12, 1893 at only 20 years of age. Hundreds of people, far and near, came to be present at his burial ceremony. Many students, after the funeral, felt impressed to go to Africa to be missionaries to carry out Samuel’s dream. So, God did provide and send others! His gravesite today is one of the most frequently visited in the whole cemetery. 

            Samuel, throughout his life, made a significant difference in many people’s hearts and minds. Even though he had a short lifetime, He faithfully did the work that God wanted him to do. Do we strive to do God’s will for our lives? Do we earnestly plead in prayer, as Samuel did, to obtain the Holy Spirit to direct our path in the way it should go? I assure you that if you will have your life in harmony with God, you would be content and at peace in His arms of love. 

by Jessica Landis

      With last month's book being on Corrie Ten Boom's caretaker in the later parts of her life, now is a great time to get the autobiography of Corrie Ten Boom as well! While this is a much more known book, if you haven't picked it up in a while now is the time to be strengthened and encouraged by this woman's stand for Christ in the hardest of times. 

     To find used books like this and many more, contact John Segar. His collection of thousands of used Adventist books for discounted prices is one you don't want to miss experiencing! 

John Segar - (269) 781-6379 | 12505 Park Hill Ln Marshall, MI 49068

Every single couples session I perform as a counselor, I say the same sentence:

“Unspoken expectations are premeditated resentments.”

Even if it’s our tenth session and they’ve heard it nine times before, I still say it. Because when couples truly understand this, many of the trials in the home suddenly become clearer and cleaner.

We all have expectations. We expect to be noticed, remembered, protected, understood. We expect certain tones, timing, effort, affection. Expectations themselves are not the enemy, they are a natural part of relationships... the problem arises when expectations go unspoken. 

Scripture tells us:

Ephesians 4:15–16 (ESV)

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”

Reflect and pray on these questions separately, then come together and share what the Lord placed on your heart. 

• What expectations have I been carrying that has shaped my reactions or emotional distance lately?

• How has keeping this unspoken expectation affected my heart toward my spouse over time?

• Is there anything I need to ask forgiveness for in holding resentments because of unmet expectations?

• If I were to speak this expectation in love, how could I present it to my spouse? 

by Jennifer Landis

Unspoken expectations don’t only affect marriages, they shape how we experience church and community as well. Many people quietly carry expectations of their church family: Someone should notice. Someone should help. Someone should reach out.

When those expectations remain unspoken resentment can slowly take root, not always because the church is uncaring, but because needs were never brought into the light. At the same time, many within our church carry real needs they hesitate to voice, fearing they will be a burden or inconvenience to others. Thus comes this two part challenge: 

Part One: Releasing Unspoken Expectations

Take a few quiet moments to reflect personally:

• Are there expectations I’ve been holding toward my church or community that I’ve never voiced?

• In what ways might resentment be growing from unspoken expectations?

• What would it look like to release these expectations to God?

Part Two: Becoming Attentive to Unspoken Needs

• Who around me may be carrying a burden they may feel unable to ask help for?

• How might I meet a need without waiting to be asked?

It could be simple like a widow in your church or neighborhood who needs help with yard work but hesitates to speak up, a spouse caring full-time for their partner who could use a few hours of relief, a new mother recovering from childbirth, overwhelmed by meals and daily tasks, unsure who to ask for help.
 

Click on the poster of upcoming events for more information!

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