Find Surprising Joy When Life Doesn’t Go as Expected

Published by helloredds@gmail.com on 12/02/2025 12/02/2025

Finding Joy When Life Doesn’t Go as Expected

When I first began writing Empty Nest Blessed: 60 Days to Finding Joy in the Empty Nest, I had no idea just how personal the message of joy in every season would become to me.

I thought I was writing to encourage other women stepping into the empty nest season.

However, somewhere along the way, God gently reminded me that He was writing to me, too.

Like so many of us, I entered the empty nest with a few “great expectations.” I pictured adult kids who called often, a perfectly tidy house, and peaceful evenings spent with my husband.

But as real life unfolded, I quickly discovered that unmet expectations can rob our joy faster than almost anything else.

Maybe You’ve Been There, Too.

Maybe you’ve been there, too?

You thought you’d have more time with your grown kids — but they’re busy with work, families, and new adventures. Or maybe you imagined that this season would be easier. Then you find yourself missing the noise, the mess, and even the chaos that once filled your days.

When things don’t go as planned, disappointment can creep in quietly and settle into our hearts.

That’s why one of the first lessons God taught me as I wrote this book was the importance of surrendering my expectations to Him. Psalm 37:4 says, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”

Over time, I realized that delighting in the Lord doesn’t mean He’ll give us everything we think we want!  It means He changes our hearts so that what we want most is Him.

The Secret – Release Your Grip!

When we release our tight grip on how we think things “should” go, we open our hands to receive what God actually has for us. What the Lord has planned is always better.

Romans 15:13 reminds us, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him.”

That’s the secret to finding joy in this season: trusting that He’s not done writing our stories yet.

As I navigated my own journey through expectations, disappointments, and the surprising beauty of this new stage of life, I found that joy isn’t about circumstances at all. It’s about surrender. It’s about remembering that God is still at work. Truly, God is at work in our families, in our children’s lives, and in our own hearts.

I call it “palms up” living.

When I feel expectations, disappointments, anxieties, and stress press in, I literally put my hands out in front of me and turn my palms upward in surrender to Him. It’s become my new posture in prayer and in the middle of the night when I wake up with worries on my mind.

If you’re walking through the empty nest and struggling with unmet expectations, take heart, my friend. God has a plan for this season — one that’s rich with purpose, growth, and joy.

You’re not finished; you’re just getting started.

For More Encouragement…

And if you’d like a little extra encouragement along the way, that’s exactly why I wrote Empty Nest Blessed: 60 Days to Finding Joy in the Empty Nest.

It’s a heartfelt journey filled with stories, laughter, Scripture, and practical steps to help you rediscover joy and purpose in this beautiful new chapter.

About the Author: Suzy Mighell

Suzy Mighell is the founder of Empty Nest Blessed. This is a lifestyle brand that encourages women to thrive in the empty nest season with joy, purpose, and style.

At EmptyNestBlessed.com, she covers far more than just life in the empty nest and parenting adult children — sharing inspiration and practical tips on everything interesting in the lives of empty-nest women, from faith, marriage, and family to fashion, beauty, health, travel, and more.

She’s also the author of Empty Nest Blessed: 60 Days to Finding Joy in the Empty Nest — a devotional-style guide filled with practical wisdom, faith, and fun for this new chapter of life.

Connect with Suzy Mighell:

On Instagram @emptynestblessed

On Her Website, EmptyNestBlessed.com.

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