SURRENDER—Psalm 28:7 
The past five years I’ve chosen a word and Scripture to be an encouragement and sort of a personal anthem for the year. I truly feel that none have resonated with me quite as strongly as this one. 2020 was most definitely a year of change and difficulty and disruption, to everyone’s usual way of life. It was a perspective changing year in so many different ways, some with tangible changes and some intangible. It was the kind of year that will have a lifelong effect on each of us.
For me personally, it was a year filled with some really big, wonderful moments. We found out from one of our daughters that we’ll be grandparents in June and we moved our other daughter here to Idaho to live with us, as she found a teaching job here and will be getting married this year. All of these big life moments bless us so much.
But as we all know, life isn’t just filled with good things. Tragic, difficult things are a part of our journey as well. In the middle of these wonderful moments, in just the past three months, we found out my mom has breast cancer. We also had a tragic incident that involved rushing my husband to the ER when our new rescue dog attacked him, biting his face. We’ve had a sudden death of a family friends son....the list feels far too long with these awful, life-changing things.
So here I find myself, right in the middle of these wonderful and tragic moments. I find myself vacillating between the joy of getting to be a Nana, mixed with the pain of my Mom’s cancer journey. Somehow, I’m to find my way, balancing both, living through both, honoring both......That’s where SURRENDER comes in.
I give 2021 to the Lord with open hands. I can’t control what is to come. My worries and my fears do me no good. The anxiety that feels as if it’s always just below the surface, waiting for my attention, will need to be prayed away and given to Jesus. I genuinely find freedom in surrender. I feel far more connected to the Lord when I put ALL trust and faith in Him. I’m not holding back areas of my life and giving Him pieces, I’m giving ALL of it. I’m trusting in His strength and protection and love. He is worthy of my surrender.
Hi Lara!
I was sitting here reading my Bible in a coffee shop. I came across a scripture and wondered “is this something Lara could put on a necklace?” I looked you up on the internet and read your most recent blog. Oh how it resonated with me! An awesome reminder that whether we are in the valley or on the mountain top….Jesus is still there.
Surrender…..a good place of just being no matter the circumstance. So happy for you about being a grandma and prayers going up to the throne for your mom.
~Sharon
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