But as for me, how good it is to be near God!
I have made the Sovereign Lord my shelter,
and I will tell everyone about the wonderful things you do. – Psalm 73:28

It’s been a week and a half now. Wow. Only a week and a half?? Sometimes a blessing just plops you right on your grateful behind and you can’t move an inch cause you’re just basking. That’s me. That’s us.

This year, my one word is Surrender. I can’t tell you the chills when I got that word. Oh boy, Lord, what now? Have I not surrendered enough? More, Lord?

But I have made that word into a mantra. Each new worry, fear, dark thought, crippling news… I would say to myself, and often to Brian, “This is just another opportunity to surrender.”

The days we spent in the ALS clinic, this was a minute by minute mantra to keep myself from just collapsing into a puddle of fear. When the devil shouted loudly, putting worries into my mind… questions, mocking, feeding my troubled mind…

Repeat after me:
“This is just another opportunity to surrender.”

And I did. Right then and there, no matter what else was going on, I whispered a prayer, I gave it all to Him, reminded Him that I am counting on Him.

And do you know what happened? Well, yeah, you do. I surrendered and suddenly it was all gone. Slate wiped clean. From chronically ill to fresh start. From dying to a second chance at life. Is it any wonder I’ll be basking in the wonder of that as long as I’m here on earth?

There are lots of things whirling around in my head and heart since that mind-blowing day. Why me? What now? All sorts of things.

And so I find myself surrounded by opportunities to surrender. Wherever this leads, I know who I’m following.

So while so much has changed, so much remains the same and always will.

“This is just another opportunity to surrender.”

 

Heavenly Father, every breath from this day forward is a continuous praise to Your great name. Oh how I love You. I adored You when I was sick, I adore You now, I will adore You no matter what comes. Thank You for teaching me this year about surrender. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…

---

If you have been helped by this post and think it could be helpful to someone you know, please share this post on the social network of your choice for me.

All you have to do is click one of the buttons below.

May God Bless You,

Shelly