The following is adapted from Christine Caine’s new book, Unexpected: Leave Fear Behind, Move Forward in Faith, Embrace the Adventure.
For my 50th birthday, my husband Nick gave me the greatest gift ever. He invited 150 friends to a huge celebration he’d planned for a year. It was a dinner cruise with wonderful food, dancing, a beautiful cake, and lots of laughs. It was one of the most amazing nights of my life.
But while I was on the boat dancing Zorba the Greek with all my friends, I missed multiple phone calls from my brother Andrew. I discovered them on the drive home, along with an unexpected text: “Mum is gone.”
In a matter of minutes, I went from soaking in the memories of the happiest night imaginable to feeling utterly heartbroken.
I had just spoken with Mum earlier in the day, when my other brother, George, had helped her FaceTime with me. Although she had been ill for some time, I thought we had at least a few more months. I had even told her I would call after the party, as I expected to give her a full report on all the fun.
I’ll always cherish the last memory I have of her—looking at her face, seeing her sweet smile, and hearing her say, “I love you.”
Such an unexpected gift right before an unexpected loss.
It’s strange how life can be that way—so full of surprises, both good and bad, and sometimes all in the same day. We can go from cleaning up after a birthday party to planning a funeral. From hearing a shocking diagnosis to welcoming our first grandchild. From a layoff notice at lunch to a marriage proposal at dinner. From an unexpected car repair one day to a raise and promotion the next.
It seems the unexpected is one of the mysteries of life—something we have no control over but are guaranteed to experience every single day.
Of course, we don’t usually mind the unexpected when it’s happy or inconsequential. But when the unexpected strikes fear in our hearts or is deeply painful, it can throw us into such a state that we withdraw or shut down, unable to move forward in our marriage, health, career, friendships or faith.
Whiplashed and immobilized by something we never expected, we end up stuck in a place we never wanted to be—where our world shrinks and we hide inside of it, living a story far smaller than God intends. Forfeiting the future that could have been. The destiny we were born to live.
We’ve all been there, tempted to pull back and hide when we were wounded, disappointed, or disillusioned. When we faced failure or endured another heartache. When we suffered a loss that was more than we felt we could bear. When we made promises to ourselves that we’d never let such pain happen to us again. But we can’t keep those kinds of promises. Not if we want to step into all of God’s promises. Not if we want to live with all the passion He placed inside of us. Not if we want to fulfill the purpose and destiny He has for us.
No. We cannot shrink back in fear and go forward in faith at the same time. We cannot settle for our less and pursue His more at the same time. It’s just not possible.
What is possible is accepting His gracious invitation to trust Him more in the face of our pain. To move into a deeper intimacy with Him and let Him heal our hearts. To develop relentless faith so that the next time life throws us a curve ball—which life most certainly will—we are able to bat it out of the park and still live the adventure He’s planned for us. And maybe even live a version of the adventure that’s beyond what we could ever have hoped or imagined—all because of the unexpected that interrupted our lives in the first place.
I believe with all my heart that it’s possible for every Christian to learn how to live with a faith so confident in God, it can’t be shaken—even when the ground underneath is giving way. That’s what Abraham did. God extended to him the same invitation He extends to us—to trust with all his heart—and Abraham said yes, even though he had no idea where his yes would lead. He willingly stepped into the unexpected without knowing where he was going, who he would meet, or what it might cost. He didn’t know any of the pain that might lie ahead, but he knew God would be with him: “By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed and set out for a place that he was going to receive as an inheritance. He went out, even though he did not know where he was going” (Hebrews 11:8, CSB).
I know what it feels like to go forth not knowing where I’m going. To risk it all and trust God with an unknown future. Since I surrendered my life fully to Jesus when I was 21, I’ve gone from volunteering in a local youth ministry to leading a youth movement. I’ve gone from founding a ministry with my husband to launching global initiatives like A21 and Propel. And with each new adventure, God has been teaching me unshakeable faith. Relentless faith. Unwavering faith. Teaching me to trust Him more. Teaching me to embrace the unexpected.
Christine Caine is the founder of A21, an international anti-human trafficking organization, and Propel, a women’s organization dedicated to helping women realize their purpose, passion and potential. She is the author of seven books, and resides in sunny Southern California with her husband, Nick, and daughters, Catherine and Sophia, and their dog, Ezra Blake.
You can receive daily inspiration from Christine Caine by subscribing to First Things First at ChristineCaine.com/connect, and by following her on Instagram @christinecaine.
More Information about Unexpected:
In her most recent, Unexpected, Christine helps us walk into the life God has for us—unknowns and all. Using dramatic examples from her own journey, Christine offers real-life strategies and biblical inspiration to help us move from fear and worry about ourselves to hope and trust in God. She teaches us new ways to manage disappointment, strengthen our hearts, and build our faith, so we can enjoy a new adventure with God that is more fulfilling than any day we spend trying to anticipate what will happen next. She encourages us that stepping into our God-given destiny means stepping into the unknown, but we can embrace that calling because God knows it already. Nothing in our lives takes God by surprise. So even in the midst of personal upheaval, relational challenges, financial stresses, family transitions, career disappointments, and chaotic world affairs, we can expect God to be good, do good, and work all things together for our good.