Expectations Kill Relationships

Author Ann Voskamp, in her book, One Thousand Gifts, says "Expectations kill relationships-especially with God." Today, my second-born son, Stephen would have been 22 years old. He was born on April 30th and he died the same day. I, like any mother-to-be, had expectations. God shattered them all that day in the finality of death. But these were my expectations, not based on any promise of God. I had a choice then; to either sever this relationship with God (based on what I perceived to be His inability to fulfill my expectations) or relinquish those same expectations in acceptance and find not only peace, but joy in that relationship. Each time, in any and every relationship, the choice is the same: demand my will be done and kill the relationship or die to my will (and expectations) and be surprised by joy.