We know stuff happens to other people all the time, which means they might call on us all the time when they need help. And yet, we’re still surprised when our carefully constructed expectation for how the day or week is going to go evaporates in an instant because of an emergency someone else is having.

Other people’s surprises can have big impacts on our sermon prep. Rather than get paralyzed (and often resentful) in the face of the unexpected, here are three strategies to stay on track.