I washed our off-white dishes with the wrinkled edges for what seemed like the tenth time that day. These dishes are well-worn with the highs and lows of my college years and now my year and a half of marriage.

They’ve seen my tears over my mom’s cancer journey, my hopeful optimism after a long journey back from visiting my husband when we were dating and the highs and lows of marriage. Most are chipped at the edges but I’m just as in love with them today as the day I stood in Walmart and picked them out. I think they have more in common with our everyday lives than one might think.

There has been a resounding statement I’ve heard over the last few months that makes me sad. “I feel like my calling is on hold.”

The pandemic and all its impending consequences have left us weary, isolated and longing for more. More what? That’s what we’re going to discover here. See, there’s something I’m so convinced of that I just can’t be quiet about it anymore. This season is not an “oops” mistake by God. He doesn’t make mistakes - that’s us. He is an all-perfect, all-knowing and all-sovereign holy God.

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant.” – Luke 1:46-48

Mary’s world turned upside down. She was engaged to be married, but the angel Gabriel paid her a visit to share the news that she would carry the Messiah. She would be the one to give birth to Jesus, the Promised One. I can only imagine that Mary was a mixed bag of emotions that day. I know I would be.