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surrender

Like a Little Child

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 “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 
Luke 18:17 NIV

It is while wearing two of my hats, military wife and mom, that I speak to you today. As some of you have experienced, military life requires going where the Army says to go at any given time. Even if we are happy, content, and rooted where we live, we must go, and uprooting always causes my mind to spin with ‘why’ questions that have no answers. Therefore, when there are unknowns coming up, I like to line up plan A, B, C, D, and then D2, D3, and D4 because of my human need to be in control.  Reality though, will inevitably involve something I didn’t even think of (such as buying a house in Colorado just to find out that our orders were changed to Georgia). I think though, that this military lifestyle is a lesson in how to surrender to God. I must remember that God is bigger than the Army (and if He is sending me to Georgia then there must be important kingdom work for me to do there).

My kids on the other hand, don’t need to worry because they trust and depend on me. As I schedule movers, declutter, change dentists, and transfer school records, they have the freedom to play outside, run, pretend, and imagine without knowing all the answers because it is their job to be curious and enjoy life. My kids don’t need to plan and schedule because they know that I will take care of them.

I need to remember that for me, as a child of God, there are plans in motion that I can’t even see and a future that I can’t even imagine. God has me in his hands. I can trust and depend on Him and (this is the hardest part) surrender my ‘why’ questions, my worrying, and plans A, B, C, D, and even D2, D3, and D4 to Him because He is in control, not me. Hebrews 11:1 NIV says “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Similarly, 2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV says “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” This means that God doesn’t even want me to try to handle it myself, for if I have faith, and admit that I can only succeed with God, then his glory is shown. Luke 18:17 NIV says “I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” We are required to surrender our worries, and then enjoy the freedom of not knowing all the answers! (and then go play with our kids)

Your sister in Christ,

Erin Tabor

                                                                                  

A ‘Signing Your Life Away’ Kind of Trust

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“Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD and whose trust is the LORD.”
Jeremiah 17:7 NASB

It was not on my bucket list of things to do. I was terrified the week before the jump. “I don’t want to die!” I kept telling my husband. However, I found myself willing and somewhat excited to be celebrating a ‘wedding in the air’ to be performed by my chaplain husband. Instead of walking back down the aisle at the end of the ceremony, we’d all be making a tandem skydiving jump and landing on the ground two miles below. Yep, you heard me right. And yep, that’s me in the picture.

Signing your life away is pretty much what you do before making a jump. You peruse through a lengthy contract agreeing that you, and you alone, are responsible for what you are about to do. You can hold no one liable in case something goes wrong. I about chickened out just filling out the paperwork!

I did live through it all, obviously, and thoroughly enjoyed myself. On the other hand, the experience gave me much to think about from a spiritual perspective on the topic of trust.

After signing your life away, you meet a total stranger who coaches you on what is about to take place. You dress in appropriate skydiving paraphernalia, are given instructions on what to do and not do, and head to the plane. Once on board, you are strapped like glue to your instructor. You are so like one that if he moves, you move. Before you have time to think, you’re in the plane doorway, and -BOOM –  out you go. No. Turning. Back. Your life is literally in his hands during the jump, and if you have any sense, you will trust him and do what he says.

God IS our trust (see theme verse) and asks us to recklessly surrender our lives to Him (Matthew 10:37-39). He clothes us in His robes of righteousness (Is. 61:10). He instructs and guides us through every experience that comes our way through the power of the Holy Spirit (John 14:26). We become as one if we abide in Him and Him with us (John 17:21). God will never leave us or forsake – ever (Heb. 13:5). Our lives are literally in His hands – always – and because He knows what’s best, you should trust and obey all that He says.

Dear ones, you can rest assured that no matter what life throws at you, God has your back. You can fearlessly trust Him to maneuver you through any trial that comes along. Even when you are plummeting out of control, Father has you in His hands. Trust Him. Your life depends on it.

[Digging deeper – Ps. 56:3, 11; Ps. 62:8; Prov. 3:5, 29:25; Isaiah 26:3-4; Daniel 6:23]

Relying on Him,

 

Beverly <><

 

Is Your House in Order?

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“There is a time to keep, and a time to throw away.”

—Ecclesiastes 3:6,NIV

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

TV reality programs showcase hoarders for our entertainment. However, hoarding is neither entertaining nor laughable. An excess of clutter in our homes can be the symptom of a severe psychological disorder. Hoarders not only cling to things of value, but they also cling to mounds of things that have no value at all. Most of us say we can’t comprehend this type of thinking, and yet we often replicate it.

The start of a new year is the perfect time to take inventory of areas we’ve neglected and rid our homes of items we no longer use. When I clean, I tend to concentrate on the rooms people see and push aside the cluttered drawers and closets (and heaven forbid, the attic). Out of sight, out of mind, right? Wrong. Because I know the clutter is there, it creeps into the corners of my life and disturbs my peace until I’m pressed to do something about it.

But clutter doesn’t only accumulate in the physical realm: it builds up in the spiritual aspects of our lives as well. Anything that disturbs our peace or blocks our pathway of communion with the Father is clutter. Let’s face it: no one wants to open the door of their prayer closet and meet an avalanche of shelved grievances, stored anger, or suffocating pride.

The prophet Isaiah told King Hezekiah, “Thus says the Lord, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die; you shall not recover’” (2 Kings 20:6). We may think Isaiah was short on bedside manner, but the truth is, he delivered a hard message from the Lord straight to the proud heart of a king who had opened up his doors to the enemy. Isaiah’s message produced repentance, brought cleansing, and added years to the king’s life.

“It’s time to put your house in order” is not a declaration we want to hear. Those words from our doctor mean he believes our days on earth are few and that we need to attend to the important things before it’s too late—things that if left undone would burden and add further heartache to the lives of those we love. But what if hearing and heeding his words could add years to our lives, or at least enrich our remaining days? Wouldn’t you welcome them?

In church, we sing, “All to Jesus, I surrender; all to him I freely give.” This song is so familiar it’s easy to let the words roll off our tongues with little thought. However, surrendering to the Lord requires intentionally barring the door of our hearts to the enemy, giving God the keys to every chamber, and clearing a pathway to his throne room through repentance and prayer. Are you surrendering your all to Jesus or only giving him lip service?

Be intentional. Today is the day to set your house in order.

Blessings,

Starr