Category: Trusting God

Who is Guarding Your Heart?

Let’s release our hearts to God, the only one who can heal us.

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

~ Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

Last year, my heart felt tender. After experiencing betrayal and rejection from a once-close family member, it was as if my heart was on a chopping block and every person in my life was given a knife to use at their own discretion.

Some chose to lay down their knives and offer bandages instead. But others dug deeper into my open wounds with their sharp blades.

Over time, my heart grew tough in an effort to protect itself. If I’m made of metal, a knife can’t slice through and damage me any further.

It worked, in a sense. Insensitive words and painful situations didn’t have the same impact on me. I felt emboldened to go out into the world and decide who was worthy of my trust.

But guarding my heart on my own strength came at a great loss–to myself and to those around me.

After training my heart not to feel, I struggled to empathize with my friends when they shared their heartbreaks with me. I began to scrutinize every relationship, trying to judge whether or not these people mirrored any traits from my past offenders. I alone had to determine whether or not I was safe.

Living in a world surrounded by concrete walls isn’t really living at all.

It felt as if I had lost the best parts of myself, in addition to doubting my community. God calls us to love others, but how could I love–an extremely vulnerable action–when I couldn’t trust?

So then…was I failing God?


And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:7

Thankfully, God didn’t leave me in this empty, searching place. He drew me closer to Him through His Word and teaching, as well as the faithfulness of friends who didn’t give up on me.

Most importantly, He reminded me that I’m not in charge of guarding my own heart.

Yes, we must exercise discernment in our lives. But we must surrender our hearts to God so that He can protect us. He’s the only one who can provide us security and safety while allowing our hearts to remain moldable and open to love.

Surrender requires sacrificing our own safety net and battle plan. But we’re releasing ourselves to the only One in control, who has the greatest plan.

When we try to guard our own hearts, we end up hardening them instead. A hardened heart isn’t open to love or transformation, but God will still accept your hardened heart and turn it back to flesh.

God doesn’t promise a life free from suffering and pain, even when we surrender our hearts to Him. But He does promise peace through Jesus, who has already overcome the world.

When we rely on His grace and peace for our security, rooting ourselves in being children of God rather than allowing others to determine our worth, we will find our hearts’ desire.

And that, my friend, is the unconditional and unchanging love of Jesus.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

If you are weary and broken, go to Him.

If you are empty and depleted, go to Him.

If you are rejoicing and hope-filled, go to Him.

If you don’t know who you are or what comes next, go to Him.

Jesus is waiting with open arms to receive you. He is worthy of our trust. ❤

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Ezekiel 36:26

My Season of Surrender

How might God be calling you to surrender today?

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Romans 12:1 (NIV)

Surrender. An uncomfortable word in a society that prides itself on independence, personal victory, and chasing dreams.

I won’t pretend that surrendering is easy. I struggle with it every day. It involves sacrificing everything–our desires, thoughts, relationships, lives–to God.

While He is worthy of our lives (after all, He created us), it can be difficult to trust Him when we can’t see Him in physical form. We aren’t often enlightened with a glimpse of our future. We must simply present each decision to the Lord and trust that His way is better than our own.

Spoiler alert: my “season” of surrender wasn’t a period of months or years. It was just the beginning of a lifetime of choosing God over myself.

My journey to surrender began with a choice rooted in faith. I quit my job–at a church. This not only meant a loss of income/stability, but I walked away from my church community without a clear path of where God wanted me next. I just knew He was calling me away, and I had to say yes to the first step before I could take the next step.

The first thing I did after my exit interview was load up the dishwasher while listening to Hillsong’s worship song, I Surrender. As I sung along, my broken melody wasn’t mere words. It was a promise to God that from this day forward, I would try to surrender.

God’s grace is sufficient, even when we fail to surrender and choose our own path. I am so thankful, since I have fallen short of surrender time and again.

Surrendering to God has led me to godly community, but not in the way I would’ve chosen.

At the start of my church search, if you had asked me to describe what I was looking for in a new church, I would’ve answered “young adult community.” But God led me to a church with very few young adults. He’s affirmed over and over that this is where He wants me to be–which has led to healing, growth, and a shift in perspective.

In my professional life, I planned to secure a full-time job and publish my books after college. However, I experienced a series of rejections, which led me to join another writing program while continuing in my part-time job instead. God showed me that He is going to provide in unorthodox ways, and I need to deepen my skills before I can publish the stories He’s placed on my heart.

God’s choice for us is often the humble choice. The choice with less earthly glory or praise. The path that follows this choice will involve detours and pitstops. And it always requires trust and reliance on God.

My journey began two years ago, and each day I’m given the same choice. Will I release my desire for control in order to embrace God’s plan for me?

How might God be calling you to surrender today?

His plan for you is far more beautiful than anything you could plan for yourself. Even if the road ahead seems bleary, trust that the end result will lead to a closer relationship with your heavenly Father, who loves you eternally.

To humans belong the plans of the heart,
    but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue.

2 All a person’s ways seem pure to them,
    but motives are weighed by the Lord.

3 Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
    and he will establish your plans.

4 The Lord works out everything to its proper end—
    even the wicked for a day of disaster.

5 The Lord detests all the proud of heart.
    Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.

6 Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for;
    through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.

7 When the Lord takes pleasure in anyone’s way,
    he causes their enemies to make peace with them.

8 Better a little with righteousness
    than much gain with injustice.

9 In their hearts humans plan their course,
    but the Lord establishes their steps.

Proverbs 16:1-9 (NIV)

God Cares for You

Last weekend when my plans fell through, God reminded me of His perfect plan. I hope my story encourages you today!

After a week riddled with disappointments and frustrations, I wanted nothing more than to enjoy our family road trip in peace.

The day started off as planned. We arrived at the ferry terminal just as the golden rays of sunrise flickered over the rippling ocean waves. During our first several hours on the island, we ate delicious pastries, caught stunning views of the mountains, and even coerced our little dog into going on a hike.

There were little hiccups along the way that threatened my joy, but I held fast to my resolve, even jotting down in my journal that “God’s plan is so much greater than mine.”

The enemy saw that as a challenge.

In the mid-afternoon, we decided we wanted to catch an earlier ferry since the one we had reserved would bring us home after midnight. We could even watch the sunset at a beach on the way home.

My favorite part of every trip is the sunset. It reminds me of God’s beauty and creativity, filling me with His presence and hope.

And boy, did I need some hope after the week I had.

We sat in line for the ferry for almost an hour before cars started their engines. Inch by inch, car by car, I prayed that we’d make it.

But then the cars started circling back. Our line never even got to move.

And the next ferry wasn’t due to arrive for another three hours.

The worst part was, we couldn’t leave the line now that we were already in it. So much for exploring the island, much less seeing the sunset.

I was devastated–much more so than what was probably warranted for the situation. My joy was hinged on this one moment with God, and now even that seemed taken away from me.

After shedding a few tears in the sweltering car, I trekked down to the docks by the terminal. There were many groups of fellow passengers stuck in the same boat. Or rather, wishing we were all on a boat.

Though this should’ve brought some consolation, I was filled with bitterness. Here I was, alone and miserable, while they were laughing and enjoying life together.

As the clock ticked and the ferry was nowhere in sight, my last smidgen of hope that I’d even see a glimpse of the sunset vanished. There were trees blocking my view on either side of the docks.

In truth, I was upset with God. I prayed for weeks that this trip would be meaningful, especially since I haven’t been able to travel in so long. This was supposed to be the highlight of summer, but instead it felt like the climax of a disappointing week.

But God kept nudging my heart. Be patient. Keep waiting. I’m still here.

The sun fully disappeared below the skyline by the time we made it on the ferry. Still, I snatched my camera bag and rushed to the upper deck just in case.

And sure enough, God was there.

In a brilliant display of deep oranges and blues, twilight fell upon the ocean as our ferry chugged away from shore. It was so incredibly beautiful, it took my breath away.

It wasn’t the sunset, but it was even more special. And somehow, it lasted for an entire hour–our whole ferry ride back–becoming even more magnificent with each passing minute. (Enjoy my snapshot of this view in the featured image!)

Many of my insecurities are rooted in the fear of missing out. I’ve often struggled with feeling like I’m not where I want to be at this stage of my life.

But God was reminding me, with a simple yet elegant night sky, that He cares for me. His plan is better than mine because He thinks in eternal terms, while I am stuck with my limited understanding.

And His perfect plan is worth waiting for.

So how can we wait without becoming idle or restless?

By praying that God prepares us for what’s to come. We are already living out His will for us, even on the days that feel mundane. As we grow in reliance on God, we will become more and more like Jesus, which is the ultimate goal of God’s plan.

It’s easy to forget who God is, and thus doubt that He knows what He’s doing. But God is perfect in every way, which means we can trust Him. He created us and loves us more than we’ll ever be able to comprehend.

My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plant them and not uproot them.

Jeremiah 24:6 (NIV)

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

God Knows What’s Best for You

Do you trust Him when His plans don’t align with yours?

Who can fathom the Spirit* of the Lord,
    or instruct the Lord as his counselor?

Isaiah 40:13 (NIV)

Let’s be honest here: raise your hand if you’ve ever tried to tell God what to do.

I know my hand is raised. (Well, metaphorically–I’m using both hands to type!)

When we’re experiencing a difficult situation or struggling to reconcile with a frustrating person, it’s easy to go to God in prayer and request that He fix our problems using our methods.

But who are we to instruct God?

Telling God how to solve our problems insinuates that we know better than God, the one who created us, who redeems and restores us, and who is perfect.

Wouldn’t you rather receive the perfect solution of the one who loves you unconditionally and knows everything, than the solution you’ve concocted through limited understanding?

Before I continue, I need to make it clear that God loves hearing from you, broken prayers included. Our earthly prayers will never be perfect because we are all broken people, and that’s okay. The Holy Spirit translates our prayers to our heavenly Father so that He knows what we need.

And even though we will never grasp the fullness of God while on earth–that would literally blow our minds!–there is hope that the longer we walk with Him, the more we may notice God working.

Paul references our intro verse, Isaiah 40:13, in a letter to the church of Corinth:

The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for,

“Who has known the mind of the Lord
    so as to instruct him?”**

But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:15-16

We can have hope that because God’s Spirit dwells in us, we may begin to understand how God works the longer we know Him.

This does not mean we can manipulate Him or guess His every next move. Rather, when we value what God values–which drastically differs from earthly values–we will have peace even when our plans fail because we trust that God’s plans are far better.

But what does trusting God’s plan look like on a day-to-day basis?

It might mean not comparing yourself to a friend who has a higher paying job than you, because you trust that God will meet all your needs.

Or perhaps it means finding joy in your singleness while you wait on God to provide the right person for you, having peace that you are never alone.

Maybe it’s even extending grace to someone who has hurt you because you recognize how much grace you’ve already received through the sacrifice of Jesus for your sins.

Lately, God’s been challenging me to trust Him through my job search process. I crave the security that having another job would provide, but God’s been nudging me to remember that He has and will always meet all my needs. The only job worth pursuing is the one He has called me to pursue…even if it takes experiencing multiple rejections to get there.

How is God calling you to trust Him today?

Remember that God is faithful, even when He might feel far away or situations seem too big for Him to handle. Everything will come together according to His wonderful plans and purposes for us.

In the waiting, God promises His love and peace, which will never fade away. ❤

 God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:9

God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 

1 Corinthians 1:28-30

The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
31 but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:28-31

Footnotes:

*or “mind”

**reference to Isaiah 40:13

All Scripture is in NIV.

Eternal Hope

Reflecting on 2024 as we anticipate the coming year.

I’ll be honest with you: 2024 has been a rough year.

Globally, division, violence, and injustice seem never ending. Personally, it’s been a year of loss, disappointment, and uncertainty.

But it’s also been a year where I’ve witnessed God’s presence and divine intervention like never before.

My word of the year was imagine. And boy, so many things–both good and bad–have happened this year that I never could’ve imagined. But through it all, God has been faithful. His love never changes, even when our circumstances do.

I’ve often struggled with placing my peace, joy, and hope in my circumstances even though in mere seconds, all that can change. So how can we remain hopeful–even having the faith to imagine brighter days–when life is uncertain?

By rooting our hope in the One who does not change–God.

There are many promises in the Bible that remind us of God’s everlasting qualities. Here are a few from the Psalms that will hopefully bring you hope as we enter a new year:

God has always existed and will always exist


Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Psalm 90:2 (NIV)

As we go through life, we view things with our limited perception of the world and what could lie ahead. But God, who always was and always will be, has seen it all! Nothing can faze Him. When we take His hand and allow Him to lead us through life, we can walk with more confident strides.

God’s love never fades


But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children–

with those who keep his covenant
    and remember to obey his precepts.

Psalm 103:17-18 (NIV)

When we experience rejection or loss, we may begin to fear that someday others in our lives will leave and/or stop loving us. While we can’t control how others might hurt us, we can find peace knowing that our perfect Father will always love us. And as His children, we can love Him back by following in His ways.

God’s word remains holy


Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true.

Psalm 119:142 (NIV)

In a world where truth is treated as subjective, it can be overwhelming to read the news or decipher tricky conversations. Sometimes it’s hard to even know what’s real! But thankfully, God’s word is alive and active, always there to guide us and never outdated. We can turn to it for answers, and ask the Spirit to direct our reading of the Bible.

God’s kingdom will last forever

Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The Lord is trustworthy in all he promises and faithful in all he does.

Psalm 145:13 (NIV)

As the earth groans and crumbles, as people come and go, and as we desperately search for security, we can have courage knowing that we are part of a kingdom that will last forever. A perfect kingdom without brokenness, pain, or heartbreak. While we may not be able to see this kingdom fully on Earth, we can participate in God’s holy work by blessing others with His love and acting on His truth.

You may be scared of where God is leading you in the coming year, but take heart knowing that He who promised is faithful. God will never let you out of His sight. Converse with Him through every step you take, and soon you may start to see where the path leads.

Our light will never be extinguished when its source is our faithful God, who takes such wonderful care of us.

If you doubt this, call out to God. Express your feelings and fears. Trust that He listens to you, and nothing is out of His control.

No matter what 2025 brings, I pray that we may all experience God’s grace, peace, and love through every season.

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

Hebrews 10:23 (NIV)

Discerning God’s Call

Do you ever wish you could directly hear God’s calling on your life?

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel a little jealous of the early Christians, mainly because of how clearly they heard God’s calling.

Take the disciple Philip, for example. The Holy Spirit whisked him away from one location to the next so that he would reach the exact people he was meant to reach (Acts 8:26-40). He likely didn’t spend days, weeks, months, or years on his knees asking God where he was meant to go. He was just sent!

In many ways, the early church’s relationship with God resembles the Israelites’ relationship with Him in the Old Testament. They heard God’s voice audibly and/or through His appointed prophets. They always knew what He wanted them to do, even if they unfortunately didn’t obey Him.

As I’ve been learning how to discern in my own life (without God’s audible voice telling me what to do), I came across this passage:

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. 8 So they passed by Mysia and went down to Troas. 9 During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them.

– Acts 16: 6-10 (NIV)

Notice these phrases:

  • “having been kept by the Holy Spirit”
  • “but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to”
  • “concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them”

I was reminded through this passage that God spoke to the early church in different ways and He continues to speak to us in different ways, too. And even when He spoke directly to them through visions or the Spirit, they still had to exercise patience and discernment.

The Christians thought they were supposed to preach in one location, only for the Spirit to call them elsewhere. They might’ve felt frustrated or confused at first, wondering why God would tell them no. But they obeyed, allowing themselves to finally hear a direct calling from God.

You might’ve noticed that the vision didn’t come overnight. They traveled to multiple places, repeatedly being prevented by the Spirit (I’m curious what that looked like), from spreading the good news there. But once they heard the call, they “got ready at once,” or in some translations, “immediately” left for Macedonia.

The Greek translation for “calling” in verse 10 means “to call to one’s self, to summon, to invite”. When we wait and listen patiently for God’s call, we aren’t just waiting to hear what task He has in store for us. We are being invited into God’s presence. When we say yes to His call, we are being drawn closer to God’s own self.

Just sit with that for a moment. We, God’s mere creation, are given the invitation to be brought to God’s own self.

Even if that invitation is brought to us differently than it was in the past, it’s still the same invitation. An invitation to not only do God’s work, but to be part of God’s family.

Today, we have many ways to hear God’s voice, even if they feel less direct than in the past.

Here are a few examples:

  • Reading the Bible and getting to know God’s character and teachings so that we can discern what God might call us to do versus what would be sinful.
  • Spending time in Christian community and receiving wise counsel from people God chooses to speak through.
  • Praying to God directly and spending time in God’s presence, getting to know Him better so that we can become more like Him.
  • And most of all, as believers we still have the Holy Spirit living inside us.

The Spirit moves in many ways, whether through the above avenues, or through visions, prophetic words, or miracles. While we shouldn’t necessarily expect these less common things to happen, we should never place limits on what the Spirit can do. Even having the Spirit inside of us is supernatural in and of itself.

We often talk about how the Holy Spirit is living inside of us, but the Spirit is not limited to our bodies’ capabilities. When we realize we are just one little sliver of a reflection of God, as we are created in His image, we can tap into the supernatural fruits the Spirit offers: love, joy, peace and patience, to name a few.

I encourage you to spend time with God today and ask Him how He might be leading you. Have peace in the process, knowing that all good things take time. And being in God’s presence is the best thing of all.

Surrendering Your Tomorrows

Ask God to help you release your plans and unknowns into His hands.

When you think about the future, how do you feel?

You might feel excited about all your plans. You might feel anxious by your lack of plans. You might feel exhausted thinking about even the prospect of making plans.

While planning can help us make good use of our time, we must hold our plans lightly. Following Jesus requires us to take each step forward in His footsteps, even if they lead down a path we didn’t plan to walk through. When we commit to following Jesus, we enter into the process of surrendering our will to Him over and over again.

But what does surrendering our will mean?

In the simplest sense, our will is our plan for our lives. Our plans can involve our hopes and dreams, our greatest fears, and even the little desires we lock tight in our hearts.

When we surrender our will to Jesus, we can tell Him what we want to do, but we are open to change course as He directs. This takes a great deal of trust since essentially we are giving Jesus the most valuable thing we have: our lives.

But since Jesus was the one who gave us life, He knows how to best use our lives to grow and shape us into beacons of His light and love.

There are so many beautiful aspects of surrendering to Jesus, even though it is challenging and requires sacrifice. Jesus’ will for us is far greater than we could ever imagine, which means when you offer your life to Him, you will be surprised by how Jesus can transform you.

There are two major temptations to avoid when considering your future, which we are warned about in the Bible.

The first is fearing for tomorrow:

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

– Matthew 6:34

The second is boasting about your plans:

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

– James 4:13-14

It is natural to be worried about the unknown, but when you are in constant panic about it, you are grasping for your will back, not ready to trust Jesus fully.

It is okay if you are at the stage of learning not to fear. I am still working through that as well. Surrendering is a process, not a one-time decision.

There will be some seasons that are easier to trust Jesus than others, but Jesus is ready and willing to walk alongside you through the journey of learning to trust in Him.

It is also natural to get excited about the future, which is wonderful and even an act of trust all on its own. But when we start to boast about our plans, we turn the spotlight back on ourselves.

We have a limited knowledge of the future and we must take life day by day. If we get too far ahead of ourselves, we may fall into the trap of pride and find that we are trusting in our own plans again rather than God’s.

Today, as you think about tomorrow and the days that follow it, ask yourself what aspects of your life are you still worried about? What situations or relationships or opportunities are you struggling to surrender to God?

Pray and ask Him to help you release your future into His hands. And who knows? You may be taken on a path going the opposite direction, but a path better suited for God’s wonderful purposes in store for you.

 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

– James 4:15

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you. 

– James 4:7-8

Let Your Will Be Done

Do you long to surrender your life to God, but you aren’t sure where to start?

If you’ve been a follower of Christ for a while, you’ve likely wondered what decisions God wants you to make. Certain decisions are quite clear in the Bible: do not steal, do not murder, do not commit adultery. But other decisions, the specific ones that may lead to two good outcomes, are difficult to determine.

I’m not sure where you are on your journey. Perhaps you are just entering the job market or anticipating retirement. Maybe you have been single your whole life or you are in a serious relationship. You could be figuring out where to move or when to have kids or who to stay close with as you enter a new season of life.

As for me, I’m wrapping up my second-to-last quarter of college and trying to figure out where God wants me next. Does He want me to find a full-time job related to my major? Would He rather have me pursue another degree? Should I try exploring a different career path entirely?

A piece of advice I received related to this conundrum has stuck with me:

Acknowledge your desires, then surrender them to God.

While this advice felt solid and biblical, I wasn’t quite sure how to surrender to God. I was left with a list of all the things I wanted and a burning feeling of guilt for holding onto them.

If you are in a similar place, I assure you that you shouldn’t feel guilty for wanting things, especially things that God desires for you, such as joy, purpose, community, and love. I assumed that the surrendering process would be significant and perhaps even physical, and while it is significant and can lead to physical actions over time, the surrendering process may actually feel quite gradual.

The best person to learn from in any situation is Jesus. When crucifixion loomed overhead, He drew near to God in prayer.

36 Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. 38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

Matthew 26: 36-39

Jesus didn’t deny what He wanted, but He surrendered His will to God through prayer. Sometimes, we can feel distant from God because we are afraid of telling Him what we want. We are ashamed that we have desires that haven’t been met yet. Perhaps it even seems symbolic of a lack of faith.

The pendulum can swing the other way, too. We fall into the temptation of treating God as Santa Claus, demanding what we want and feeling utterly disappointed and hopeless when He doesn’t deliver in the way we wanted.

Jesus’ model is the perfect approach to take to prevent distance and disappointment. Come to God honestly with all of your feelings and hopes and dreams. This reveals great faith and vulnerability. Admit what you long for and what weighs heavily on your heart. Then ask for God’s will to be done no matter what and pray for peace in any outcome.

You may not see instant results the first time you pray (though I hope you are filled with peace). But if you continue this practice day after day, you may find yourself shedding your old perspective and embracing one of hope and anticipation for all the amazing things God has in store for you.

If you find yourself desiring things that don’t align with God’s will, ask Him for help in this process. Slowly, but certainly, you will find yourself eager for what God has planned for you. And when you face fear, sadness, or chaos, you will always know to whom you can turn. Your loving Creator, the one who knows you best.

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship[c] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

Ephesians 1:4-10

Surrendering Your Year

Reflecting on what God has taught me in 2023.

Everything is in God’s hands. I know it; you know it. But do we really believe it?

I am a worrier. I plan things out, analyze before and after situations occur, and go to great lengths to avoid problems. But this year, God has really challenged me to surrender everything to Him.

For those of us who enjoy knowing the plan or having clear goals, it can be frustrating to surrender to God because it means making decisions we wouldn’t necessarily make on our own. Sometimes, those decisions seem like straying from the path we want or disappointing people we admire. Often, especially at the beginning of the surrendering process, we have no idea where God is taking us. That’s downright frightening!

While surrendering is a very difficult process, it allows us to accept our freedom found in Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. When we surrender our hopes and dreams to God, we aren’t giving up on who He created us to be. Rather, we are aligning our will with His. We are letting go of the idea that life has to look the way we planned to be meaningful.

It’s easier to surrender our will to God’s when we spend time with Him and realize He has our best interest in mind. He loves us more than we could ever comprehend and He will always take good care of us.

Surrendering makes room for peace. The pressure isn’t on us to perform and fulfill our goals. Instead, we can take life one step at a time, only acting as God leads.

This doesn’t mean we have an excuse to be lazy or unprepared. Rather, we don’t have to worry about what life will bring. We can continue on ahead, bringing each situation to God in prayer, and making decisions that glorify Him. When things don’t turn out the way we want, we don’t have to panic. God must have something better in store.

What is your biggest takeaway from 2023? What do you hope for in 2024?

I pray that for all of us, 2024 is a year of fulfilled promises, personal growth, and a deeper relationship with God.

Jesus answered them, “Do you finally believe? In fact, you’re about to make a run for it—saving your own skins and abandoning me. But I’m not abandoned. The Father is with me. I’ve told you all this so that trusting me, you will be unshakable and assured, deeply at peace. In this godless world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.”

John 16:33 (MSG)

A Haiku for You

If you are a writer, I encourage you to try different writing styles to spice up your writing life. Tonight, I decided to try writing a few haikus. I hope either one of mine, or one of your own creation, is an inspiration to you.

Broken mirror

Saying goodbye to

My younger self looks like a

Smile unashamed.

To Doubt

Doubting has power

When we thought it was saftey

It is a fear wall.

Tidal Wave

Sinking in my doubt

To avoid disappointment

No longer I stand.

Calling

Daughter, Son, Child

Of the Most High God, you are

Free to heal in Him.

Miracles

Jesus offers life

In the fullest when we trust

He is here to stay.

Butterflies

Flutter from flower

To flower transformed into

Life everlasting.