Highlights from Sandie Freed's Crushing the Spirits of Greed and Poverty: Chapter 5

I continue sharing my notes from Sandie Freed's Crushing the Spirits of Greed and Poverty. These are highlights and I strongly encourage you to purchase her book.  There is so much information. Check the archives for previous posts.

Chapter 5 Our Treasure is Where Our Heart Is

Sandie shares personal story about writing book and how many times she dealt with Mammon. She battled against demonic spirits of murmuring, complaining, selfish desires, lusts of the flesh, doubt and fear.

When Mammon is involved we have an ungodly need to compete with “Joneses”

Wherever our heart is, there is our treasure.

We can collect attitudes in our hearts: love of money, fear of not having money, greed, selfishness.  These “lay up” for a period of time and manifest into the “treasures”.  In  Greek a casket can be where our valuables are  kept, a true death structure!

Wrong heart motives about a treasure can bury us prematurely.

Achan

Achan took the accursed things, spoils that were to be dedicated totally to God. Motivated by Mammon, Achan took a Babylonian garment and Caannanite money and buried them.

Achan’s response shows us three things we should guard against with Mammon and Babylonian influence:

1. Achan saw the spoils. Don’t focus on the worldly ungodly wealth of the world. If we see as good, we covet.
2. Achan coveted
3. Achan took the spoils and hid them.

Mammon deceives us into lusting after garments, things that should be devoted to God. We need to pray down this Babylonian God.

Achor

Achor means troubled.

The spirit behind the fear of future is Mammon.

Greek word for worry is merimnao (merizo) divide  and nous (mind) Worry divides our mind and we become double minded.

Spirit of Caanan

Works with Mammon. Trader, merchant, trafficker. Satan wants us brought low and under his subjection.  Mammon wrestles for God’s seat in our life.  Creates a cycle.

We worry about being poor so we hoarde, horde produces greed, greed produces poverty, poverty produces more greed.  Mammon keeps this cycle going so we don’t trust God for provision and count on the government to provide for us.  We look into trade and merchants as our answers for provision.

Matthew 13:44-45. As we seek His Kingdom we must be like merchants or traders seeking beautiful treasures or pearls.

We have to cast our provision every day on God.

Hosea 2:15-20, KJV promises that God gives us vineyards, turns our valley of trouble (achor) into a door of hope, make us sing as in the times of Egypt (Deliverance), makes covenant with us, marry us for all eternity in His righteousness and justice, cause us to know the Lord (intimacy).

http://www.juliearduini.com

Surrendering the good, the bad, and---maybe one day---the chocolate

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Peace

I have been seeking this peace for quite some time.
Ever since I came to know the Lord, I have been searching.
In His word.
In His promises.
In my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
“Where is this peace?” I have asked frequently over the past four years. “Why don’t I have this peace always?”

Recently my world was rocked. Everything I thought to be true within my marriage and my life were not so true. I have had absolutely no choice but to present all of my requests to God. Actually, my entire life.
Finally.
He’s been waiting for the past four years.

I put my life in His hands—all of it. My kids, my marriage, my everything,
I now trust Him to have His way and do His will.
I have been broken into pieces, and I trust that He is putting me back together daily.
I have surrendered.
I will obey.

And guess what?

I’m finding more and more of His peace each and every day.

March 20-27 is Five Minutes For Mom's Ultimate Blog Party 09. This is a great way for women bloggers to connect and meet new cyber friends. There are always a ton of great giveaways and The Narrow Gate Invites and The Surrendered Scribe both are going to be in on the party.This site will be giving away one copy of Women of Passions:Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God by Jeanice McDade and Janet Ross.
Both Maria and I have works included in this book. It's a wonderful book with many stories, poems and testimonies by women you may know in the blogging world. As a reader I have to tell you I was blown away by the depth the women shared. They opened a curtain up of their lives and totally let the reader in. The book blessed me and we are excited to give it away.So stay tuned and let folks know about the Ultimate Blog Party. It's an awesome event!

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
She is also a contributing author at http://www.mommiesmagazine.com/.Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". Both Kim and Maria have been selected to have their work tentatively included in Lori Wagner's upcoming book, Quilting Patches of Life, Volume 2.

Deep Calls To Deep

The worship song “ All Who Are Thirsty” has been resounding in my soul these days…the verse is as follows:

“All who are thirsty,
and All who are weak,
Come to the fountain,
dip your heart in the
Stream of Life
Let the pain and the sorrow,
be washed away
In the waves of His mercy as
Deep calls out to deep…”

Psalm 42:7 states, “Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.”

I never truly knew what “deep cries out to deep” meant until recently. When a challenge enters your world, and you exhaust all of your emotional and physical energy trying to overcome it in your own strength, true surrender happens.

True, honest surrender.

When life comes at you, and completely breaks you into a million little pieces, you have absolutely no other choice but to humble yourself and become transparent before the Lord.

Humble.
Transparent.
Broken.


Then and only then can you receive the deep, amazing, refreshing healing of God’s overflowing river of mercy, love, and hope.

Humble yourself before the Lord.

Repent of your sins, no matter how small or how large you think they are.

He already knows the secrets of your heart.

Go ahead.

Dip your heart in the Stream of Life.

Receive all of His promises.

He is waiting.

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

She is also a contributing author at http://www.mommiesmagazine.com/.Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". Both Kim and Maria have been selected to have their work tentatively included in Lori Wagner's upcoming book, Quilting Patches of Life, Volume 2.

Surrender To Your Hero

"My Hero" by Michele E. Struss. Please visit her site for her story and amazing work, available for purchase

For a few years now, I have been convincing myself that I have surrendered many things in my life to the Lord. It sounded good, so I’ve said it over and over again. But it wasn’t until recently that I truly learned what it meant—and honestly did it.

My daughter is a person with hemiplegic cerebral palsy---the muscles on the left side of her body are tight, as a result of a brain injury from an infection when she was an infant. She is six years old now, and she does extremely well. She wears braces on her legs for support and balance, and she has an incredible, independent spirit.
She started Kindergarten this week—at a “big school” with lots and lots of steps. She is very capable of climbing steps, she just does it at her own pace—and since steps are part of the world, my husband and I wanted her to go to her home school with her big brother.

So she did.

A few months ago I made the conscious decision to lay all my thoughts and fears regarding this transition to the Lord. We needed someone at the school to be around her during the most crucial times of her school day, to keep her safe. I laid this all at His feet, and said, “I know you will send the perfect person to our school for this position, someone with a heart that will see and feel what my daughter needs.”

And He did.

The bus was also a concern of mine, and once again, I submitted everything to Him, and said, “I know you will send us a bus driver with a compassionate heart, and will ensure her safety as she climbs the big steps on and off the bus.”

And He did.

I have been holding on to her for so long, that I knew it was time. He has been petitioning me to trust Him for her safety and her progress, and I think He is very proud of me this week.

He has shown me that He has been holding on to her all her life. He is the one that catches her when she falls, He is the one watching over her and keeping her safe.

The painting shown above is very near and dear to my heart. The artist is an amazing woman that is a person with a disability, also. If you look closely, you will see that the little girl in the picture has fallen, and her crutches that she uses to walk are lying by her side.

This painting, “My Hero” is the epitome of my surrender.

He is watching over my daughter, and all children with disabilities and helping them up when they fall.

He is in control of it all. He chose special parents to parent children with disabilities—we need to trust that He is guiding us with each and every decision we have to make.

He is our hero.

He is the father of all of us, and He wants us to depend on Him for each and every thought, decision, and action.

And He is rejoicing with joy when we surrender it all to Him.


My prayer is that these words will resound in your spirit today and take root.

What are you holding on to?

He’s your hero, too— He is watching over you, and will help you up each time you fall.

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program.

Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com.

Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". Both Kim and Maria have been selected to have their work tentatively included in Lori Wagner,s upcoming book, Quilting Patches of Life, Volume 2.

Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication as well as invitations for her to speak to your group.

Beginning To Fly

(We found this gorgeous image HERE)

(For my last post, “Ready to Fly” click here…)

As I begin to expand my wings, I’m finding a few challenges as well as a new sense of freedom. My wings are a little sticky and almost stiff from the position they have been if for so very long in my cocoon. So as they begin to open (in kind-of slow motion) I am hesitant to start to stretch them out…I have encountered some resistance, but at the same time, as I begin to move my wings freely, it is beginning to get easier. I trust that my wings will be held up on the wind by Him.

I trust.

I’ve surrendered.

I know now (finally!)—Hi is in control of all things—He has created me to be His butterfly---He created me to go through this metamorphosis for the exact amount of time He intended.

He is, in fact, in control.

If I worry about things, it won’t change the outcome of anything. If I’m anxious and allow my thoughts to take over, it won’t make the end result any different. He is ordering my steps and has ordained this time for me to fly.

The color and shape of my wings are perfectly made by Him.

So are yours.

Have you surrendered?

Do you trust Him completely?

I feel free to fly and glide against the wind current of His love. He is holding me and keeping me in the air.

It is an exhilarating sensation.

I feel that the weights I’ve carried in my mind for far too long have finally been lifted.
I have made the conscious choice to surrender all. I’ve given up all to Him. I am grateful for the time I’ve spent in my cocoon. My metamorphosis has been a sometimes uncomfortable, but worthwhile experience.

If your cocoon has begun to get hotter and more uncomfortable recently…

Get ready.

He’s changing you.

He’s molding you.

He’s challenging you.

He wants you to trust Him completely.

Get ready.

His freedom is waiting.

Did you know the Narrow Gate Girls are spreading our wings over at Take Root and Write? We are monthly columnists on topics of adoption, special needs families, and finding freedom through surrender. There are many amazing writers over there covering a lot of great topics. In addition, you can find Kim and Julie (and maybe Maria soon) at the sister site, Christian Women Take Root. CWTR is a social networking sites where if you want you can personalize your page, add a music player, pictures, join groups, and more. You can best find Kim with the adoption group, and Julie with the surrender group. We appreciate you reading wherever you find us!

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy.

Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis.

She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a columnist over with Kim, Julie and other writers over at http://www.takerootandwrite.com/ Maria's column is on encouraging special needs familes.

She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com. Maria's first published work is in Jan Ross and Jeanice McDade's Women of Passion's anthology, "Ordinary Women Serving an Extraordinary God". The book is available for purchase by clicking on the book image on the right side of this blog.

Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication as well as invitations for her to speak to your group.

It's Always A Good Thing when It's a God Thing

This is the second time in recent weeks where we have blogged without the other Narrow Gate Invite Girls knowing what we'd blog about. Did anyone else notice last week that Kim's post and mine were similar? The week before all three of us wrote on unbelief? God is good.

I promised after sharing my frustration of sickness and discouragement after surrendering that I would update you on what it is that might possibly, no wait, definitely has the defeated one shaking. Again, not because I'm all that, but the One I serve is and I'm ready to be a vessel for Him to use.

http://www.takerootandwrite.com/

Noelle Mena contacted me through http://www.godlinked.com/ and invited me to check out her site. Take Root and Write is all about encouraging women. Noelle's vision is to gather a Christian team of women writers who come together and share insights, thoughts, and encouragement through categories and columns. Noelle has the huge task of keeping all the writers on the "same page" and I'm certain she is up to the task. How do I know? I believe God is ordering her steps as much as the writers.

I prayed about what I should do and what I find funny is for someone with a heart for surrender, for someone with a blog called http://www.thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/, I really sought God for days on what topic would He like me to share.

He came back loud and clear.

Surrender.

An open house is coming soon and I strongly encourage you to check it out. I know there are going to be multiple writers with various columns and topics. A dear reader friend here, Jennifer@Zephaniah Way, wrote here in a post called, "Huh?" http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Zephaniahway/#c932849 about her topic. I love it. I don't think any of us can put a number to the faces of women who are married but either between military assignments or career choice (Jennifer's husband has a career where he is gone more than home), they are more like single moms. It is a lonely, hard job with very little thanks.

I think agreeing to be part of this ministry is partly why I immediately got sick with the very same affliction when I started writing for Him in the first place. This summer I'll be part of a team effort that I believe will challenge me in every possible way but the overall theme is pointing people to a surrendered life. God has such a plan, such a love for us, and we've lived in darkness and pain for far too long. Ministries like these are going to be like keys to set us all free. I know from both Kim and Maria that plans in their horizon are just as kingdom minded and with an endless harvest.

Is God calling you to step out? Is there something stirring in your heart that you wonder, is this for me? Pray, seek and expect God to answer. Just know when He does, you won't be the same.

It's a good thing.

Even on those sick days where you want to wave a white flag of surrender.

It's always a good thing when it's a God thing.

Surrender today, the Narrow Gate Girls are right with you!

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09.
To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at:

http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20
To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

I'm Still Standing

Last year I made a covenant (a contract between me and God that He takes seriously, just like marriage) with the Lord that I would no longer let fear stand in the way of writing. I always knew I was not the best writer out there, but as the years passed, the stirring of the pen would not stop.

Before I had a blog I had all these ideas that I wanted to write about. To this day I have characters running around in my head just begging to be let out in a story (don't worry, this is normal, so other writers tell me).

As soon as I started my personal blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/, I got sick. I'd been through times of near bed confinement due to the pain of polycystic ovaries, but this was different. It was an 8 week sinus infection that I could not get rid of. During this time I also had bronchitis and mild asthma. Not long after I got feeling better with all that, my hormones took a dive and I spun around hormonally with perimenopause.

I list these medical issues because of this---I don't think any of it was an accident. As soon as I started to surrender fear, it made a kingdom difference. It also, I believe, shook the gates of hell. Not because I'm somebody, but because Christ is and He has work to do and finally, I'm a willing vessel for Him to use. Even if my writing reached one person, it was still more than it was reaching before because I wasn't writing at all. So the scared terrorist defeated one that the devil is, he hurled everything he could with his bag of tricks.

I'm not musical, but I'm a music person. Recently here I shared the song from Barnyard, Sam Elliott's I Won't Back Down. That song literally kept me going because I promised. I PROMISED to write for the Lord. I really take those commitments seriously. The second song I think of is of all things, Elton John's I'm Still Standing.

"And did you think this fool could never win

Well look at me, I'm coming back again

I got a taste of love in a simple way

And if you need to know while I'm still standing you just fade away

Don't you know I'm still standing better than I ever did

Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid

I'm still standing after all this time

Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind"

Music by Elton JohnLyrics by Bernie Taupin

Available on the album Too Low For Zero

http://www.eltonography.com/songs/im_still_standing.html

Yes, I'm a child of the 70's and 80's and I'm pretty sure when these entertainers collaborated, warfare issues between Christ and the devil weren't on their minds. Yet as I write, this is the song He gives me to share.

I made another recent commitment to write for the Lord. It is something that I'm excited about and I believe is going to be huge in His kingdom to encourage women. The founder of this ministry invited me to join on and challenged me to find a single purpose to share with others through the site. After praying for days, I know He wants me to write on this:

Surrender.

Guess what happened within days of confirming this direction?

I got sick.

With a sinus infection.

Guess what?

I'm still standing.

I'll write more on the writing opportunity next week!

Julie Arduini is a surrendered writer with her own blog, http://thesurrenderedscribe.blogspot.com/. A graduate of the Christian Writers Guild, she blogs for the Christian Writers Forum Sundays as the mommy blogger. She is active with FaithWriters and has several writings ready to publish in different books and anthologies in 2008-09.

To get to know her better, read her interview by Lynda Schab at:

http://www.faithreaders.com/featured-author-details.php?id=33%20

To contact Julie, please use the e mail provided in our profile.

TGIF

The sun is shining, the air is warm, the birds are singing, and I am so glad it is Friday! The weekend ahead holds hope and promise of time with family, laughter with friends, extra sleep, and worship with the Lord. I'm already looking forward to 'a day of rest.'

This past week has been filled with medical appointments, a front tooth extraction, and surgery for my son. I have spent so much time leaning on Him and His strength just to make it through the days. His peace and love for me has warmed my heart and kept me sane. My only side effect of it all has been my stomach rumbling as if to say, "Okay you have held it all together but I have had enough!" It was a reminder of just how weak my flesh can be in times of trial and tribulation. It was also a reminder of life before relationship, a relationship with Jesus, my Savior and friend.

It was only a few years ago, one cold January day when I let my walls of pain, anxiety, disappointment, anger, and regret down at the altar of a small church. It was a day where I was "sick and tired of being sick and tired." It was a day when I was ready to surrender it all and see what this life of being a 'Christian' was all about.

As I approached the altar the tears were flowing. When I arrived a woman approached me and asked if I wanted to tell her what I wanted prayer for. To ashamed of my sin and struggles I shook my head no. She gently touched my head and began to pray. It was as though she were reading my mind. She prayed for peace in my mind and spirit. She prayed for relationship and trust in Him. And it was there at the altar that I cried and felt Him lift my burden, inviting me to trust Him.

Since that day my walk with the Lord has been like an amusement park roller coaster ride. It has had uphill climbs with downhill delights, twists and turns, acceleration and speed, and moments of sitting on the track while He repaired the brokeness inside me. He has showed me, especially through His written word, how to trust Him as I lift my hands in total surrender anticipating the 'ride of my life.'

The past few years have been a ride like no other. And as the week comes to a close I lift my hands and thank Him for riding with me, strapped in by my side. I cannot imagine the week without Him. Amen.

Have a blessed weekend! Kim

With Love . . . God

(classroomclipart.com)

The past few weeks I have been reading a book that I absolutely love and don't want to end! The title is Dangerous Surrender by Kay Warren.

In the book Kay describes dangerous surrender like this (pp.23-24):

Surrendering means that we have come to an end of our independence from him, our reliance on self-sufficiency, and our insistence that we don't need him. Surrender to God changes everything. Why add the word dangerous to surrender? Because we don't surrender to a benevolent but impotent grandfather figure; we surrender to Almighty God-the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.

Each chapter is just raw and loaded with thought provoking insight. It has left me both wrecked and ruined, and as Kay writes, "gloriously ruined." As the book comes to a close I have been struggling with how to 'walk out' what I have read, to 'see' what dangerous surrender looks like until a present arrived on my doorstep with a tag that read, "With Love, God."

Last weekend my husband and I picked up a friend to go to a wedding. When we arrived at her home one of children answered the door with his bright smile. Within a few minutes she hurried into the car and we were on our way. In the car she shared that another foster child had arrived this week, one hour before her small church group was to arrive at her home for their weekly study. (So now they have nine children with a wide range of special needs that they are loving and caring for.) Her words were this, "I said okay Lord!" And then she calmy said, "I told myself I was not going to lose the affections of the Lord." I thought to myself, "Did she just say what I think she said? I think I need to pinch her and see if she is for real." The beauty of it, she truly is!

After the wedding we went to her house to visit and when we arrived one of her best friends was putting together a crib because they needed another place for a child to sleep. Nine children in a small home filled with love and the joy of the Lord! (They have already fostered over 65 children.) We spent the evening visiting, each of us with a small child on our lap while the older children slept. When I went to bed that night I laid there thinking about our evening and the incredible couple the Lord has placed in my life. As tears streamed down my cheeks I felt as though God had handed me a gift with a tag that said, "With Love, God" and inside was a picture of my friends and the title underneath was "Dangerous Surrender."

For Him, Kim

(Kay's book can be found at the local library, on-line, or at your local bookstore. Join me each week at http://divingintohisgrace.blogspot.com/ where I am journaling my thoughts one chapter at a time. Enjoy!)

Maria Shares Her Thoughts on "That Voice"

picture found at http://www.heartlight.org

This whole obedience thing is harder than I thought…

It requires complete surrender. Surrender of your own thoughts, strength, and energy to God.

Instead, He gives you your thoughts, strength and energy through the sound of His voice. This voice of His is without doubt and uncertainty. It is ever so clear and strong, but yet so very gentle, He leads you with the sweet sound of almost a whisper.

How does one hear a loud shout of directions that can be as peaceful as a whisper? This sound can only come from a Savior.

Until recently, I used to ask others, “How do you know it’s God’s voice, how do we really know?”
When you hear it you know. You can’t possibly allow yourself to hear such a sound unless you have placed your thoughts—your entire life-- out at His feet. What other sound can sound like a father guiding his child with discipline, and have the calm confidence of unveiling grace at the same time?

That’s Him.

That voice that you’ve heard when you were down in the ashes of your life, that pulled you out and dusted you off---then it sounded loud and firm.

And that voice that has guided your decisions when you knew that you knew you were doing what was right—then it was filled with sounds of affection and warmth-like that of a soft hand pulling you.

That’s Him.

Giving in to this voice is directly related to receiving His grace. Choosing to accept His grace.
How does one define the grace of God?

One definition of grace is “the influence or Spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.” He lives in us, and can only function in the absolute state of grace. It’s who He is, and who we are, as He lives in us.

Can your mind even comprehend such sanctification and complete immersion of how much love it takes to give us this grace always? It’s there for us each and every moment of our lives.

By choosing to receive His grace, we allow His voice to be heard clearer than any other sound we encounter throughout our day. Once you hear His voice, and truly accept t he fact that He has made you worthy of guiding your every thought, act, and decision, you crave the sound of it more and more…

Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy. Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com. Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication. If you would like to talk to her, please e-mail her. Our e mail address is in our profile.

Maria on Surrender

Did you ever have a minor cut or scrape that at first hurts so bad, you don’t know how you will ever think about anything else? The pain seems to override everything else you have to do or focus on….It takes all of your energy to do something other than try to alleviate the pain from this wound.

Then after you nurse this wound for a little while, you realize the pain is not as it once was, it is tolerable, and you can go about your daily routine without having to feel the reminder that it is there and still causing you pain. Then suddenly, one day, you see the remainder of a scab or scar that was there, and you actually forgot it was there, or that not so long ago, it was causing you pain.

I feel that the wounds of our lives, our hearts, our emotions, are very similar to this kind of wound. No matter how minor the wound may be, the pain that can come from such a wound can pierce our innermost beings. But when we come to Christ, we know and we learn that He can make all things new, He has paid the price of his life for us, for our sins…so initially we think that if we go after Him and search out answers to all of our questions, maybe he can take away some of this pain. And we read His promises, we believe them to be true, but in the meantime, we are nursing these wounds…they still hurt. We know in our heart that He is who He says He is, and we see Him working in other people’s lives, and we read, we ask, we want to know him more….and we believe. But why then, if we believe, do these things still hurt? We think, “If I were a true believer, this pain would be gone…what’s wrong with me? I must not know enough, I must not be willing enough…” So, in turn, we search more, more resources, more books, more messengers and conferences, we think to ourselves, “surely if I go here or there, or read this book or that book, then I will fully understand and the pain will go away.”

But it is not until we realize there is only one book and only one resource that we need. It is in His word, and His name is Jesus, and He has endured the pain of our wounds, he has felt our scrapes, he has felt them even before we did. He knew we would be feeling them, and he has been waiting for us to totally completely surrender and believe him at his word. Believe that he is who he says he is, and he wants us to depend on him to carry us through.

I feel that this cannot happen completely until we learn what it is to receive this grace, this love, this mercy that he has for us. Each and every one of us. When we stop searching, running to find answers…when we just sit in his presence and truly receive his words from the only book we need, it is then and only then that our healing can begin. He doesn’t want us to hold onto anything…he knows we’re holding on to it and trying to do it in our own strength…he wants us to trust all of his words, and allow him to rescue us from this pain. He wants believing and receiving to go hand in hand. He knows it is sometimes difficult for us to receive….because some of these even small scrapes can be very, very deep and cause intense pain. When we decide to immerse ourselves in his word and live within his grace, we can truly, completely receive his promises.
And then, one day, as this receiving becomes second nature to us, we realize there were wounds that have now begun to heal. You see, when we surrender all to the Lord, and let his rain fall on us…and soak in it, it is then and only then that pain will become a memory. He will take the pain, and bask in the joy of our commitment and love for him.

Allow him to take your pain.
Allow him to rescue you from the wounds in your heart.
Let him in.
Give him your pain.
He wants to take it.
Go ahead. He really is who he says he is.
Let him heal you.
Surrender.


Maria and her family reside in NE Ohio. She and her husband are the parents of two. Their daughter is a person with hemipelegic cerebral palsy. Because of her experiences, Maria provides parent-to-parent support for families involved in her local early intervention program. Her gift for writing has come directly from the Lord since her daughter’s diagnosis. She writes a monthly column entitled, “Special Parents, Special Kids” for the Mahoning Valley Parent magazine in Ohio; and has expanded into Parent magazines in parts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She is also a contributing author at www.mommiesmagazine.com. Maria is very passionate about getting the word out to special parents that they are not alone in their journey of raising their special child; and that they were chosen by God to parent their children. Maria welcomes comments and communication. If you would like to talk to her, please leave a comment with an e mail address.