As I pulled the weeds away from the beautiful rose bush’s base, I noticed the root ball had four sections. I wondered if I should leave them together or divide and place each section at different posts across the fence…
Just like the uprooting of my rose bush, some of my life’s leaves wilted, petals fell to the ground and a few of my branches produced more thorns than blossoms – at least for a while. God was pruning my ministry and my life, teaching me how to surrender my plans for His.
It was hard. But God was doing a new thing and allowing me to perceive it. (Is.43:19) That was five years ago and I can say without a doubt that I wouldn’t be the woman I am today if He had not uprooted me and planted me in a new place, with new dreams.
It’s easy to doubt God, ourselves and our futures when our lives feel uprooted and our dreams fall apart. For years, I had allowed pain in my past to hinder me from trusting God with my future. I allowed insecurities and fears to keep me from living in the assurance of His promises and the confidence of His love.
The only way I could surrender my former soil was to get rooted in God’s love. So I spent time with Jesus. He was all I had. Each time I wanted to cry or run, I took the broken pieces of my heart and my will and gave them to Him. I was honest with Him about how I felt. How disappointed I was. How mad I was. How hurt I was. How scared I was.
Each day I would ask Him to show me how to process my pain or my questions through His truth. How to rely on Him. How to embrace what He was doing so that I would become more like Him. I remember reading, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. “(Philippians 2:5-7)
As I asked Him to help me understand, I began to see How God could reveal more of Himself through me as I depended more on Him. Eventually those around me would enjoy the new blossoms that were produced through my surrender..
I read through the book of John, journaling each time I noticed Jesus laying down His comforts, His familiar places and people, His rights, His life – to bring glory to His Father. And each time I would let go a little more.
It taught me absolute dependence on God like I had never known and changed me from the inside out. I came to new place of trusting Him and experiencing His glory in my life and in my family. Even now we are living out the lesson of the rose bush as we make room for a new “planting of the Lord” in our lives. I invite you to read through my posts last week and see our little crown of beauty: a display of His glory revealed through a little girl who’s becoming part of our story!
What is God asking you to surrender? I’d love to know so I can pray for you! And if you’d like a chance to win a copy of my “Beyond the Shadow of Doubt” message on DVD, be sure to click on the word “comments” just below my name, then type in the white box. If you don’t have a blog, just click anonymous. It’d be fun to know your first name, age and city (& email address so I can let you know if you win)!
Discover more from Renee Swope
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
would love to win your book
Sweet Precious Beautiful Renee…thank you for your amazing writings..I have been reading this morning and have been blessed by what you are sharing…I can not wait to meet Aster!! 🙂
Julie
I've found myself not surrendering or seeing where I am now as a place that God can use me for His glory. It's been tough. I got married last October, and moved 400+ miles away from home. Then, 8 months later, we uprooted and moved again so my husband can attend seminary.
We've found a new church, and will be here for the next 3.5 years, which has given me hope that we'll be able to make some new friends. (But my husband's calling is to be an Army chaplain, so I wonder how much more uprooting and lonliness I will be experiencing in the future…)
In the meantime, I need a job. I need friends. I need a reason to get up each morning. And I know I should be running TO Him, but I feel millions of miles away.
Thank you for sharing Aster with us, along with your precious family. God is leading me to surrender the pain and ridule that came with getting pregnant out of wedlock. Yet, I have been extremely blessed for 12 years with an amazing son! NOw, I need to surrender that hurt, and help others that find themselves in that situation.
[email protected]
God Bless you!
Angie
Dear Deborah,
I don't know if The Lord is actually asking you to be rejected or just be willing to risk it. I do know that He was rejected by the world. As you seek to know Him and walk closer to Him this is part of taking up your cross daily for His name's sake. You will not suffer anything that He cannot redeem. Trust Him [and thankyou for reminding me to do the same].
I'd love to be entered into your drawing.
Age: 41
Hometown: Chicago, IL
I am preparing a book proposal for women going through divorce because God whispered it to my heart as I came out of my own season of divorce. Why he wants to expose me to the rejection–i do not know–but I am trying to surrender to Him and be obedient. Please pray.
[email protected]
Renee,
You are always inspiring to me–as was my last message and please know how worthwhile your words are touching the hearts of many who never reply. You are a true blessing!
Patricia, age 55, Stillwater, OK
Renee, Please pray for me and my husband as we are the ginea pigs for the new Marriage Mentoring Program being developed at our church. Please pray that I can trust the Lord in guiding my husband who agrees to doing his part/activities in the program–such as homework and reading and then doesn't do them!
Please help me to gain more trust in the couple leading this as they attempt to put together a meaningful program for other couples for the future.
Thank you and bless your ministry!
Patricia
Dear Renee~
Thank you, dear friend for the beautiful update of your families adoption journey! I am so very happy for you!
Ah…giving up…surrender…I too like to hold onto things so very tightly!
Right now…it is letting go of a book proposal I have been working on "Mommy, please don't scream" Help for frustrated mothers. I need to just write and let GOD do his work…instead of trying to figure it ALL out.
Thanks for your openess and transparency…
Sweetest Blessings to you across the miles.
Sue,45,Colfax, IL