Surrendering is a Choice.

"Evidence of a surrendered life is always obedience."

This quote by Rick Warren is so true. The statement itself may seem so simple and obvious, but living it out is something that can take a lot of growth on our part.

I am speaking from recent personal experience and where God has me right now. While the heart may feel willing, the question I had to ponder was had I really taken the time to quiet myself before him and find out precisely what it was that God wanted me to surrender. In the process of seeking his will, I became keenly aware of how the time spent with him searching out his will for my heart was equally as important as the object of surrender itself. It was the real life equivalent of "Joy in the Journey". I am right there with you in the constant battle of to surrender or not. Make no mistake, it is a choice and not an easy one or it wouldn't be surrendering. I like the Message translation of the following verse.

Take your everyday, ordinary life-your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering.

Romans 12:1

Prayer Updates and Requests:

Stephanie - She is feeling a bit frustrated with the fact that she is only 5-6 weeks into treatment that is scheduled to last a year. She is not a sit on the couch, lay around and watch people take care of her kids kind of a gal. Her faith is strong but her heart is down. She feels unable to contribute anything to her friendships or the lives of people around her including her three children. Lets pray God would bless her in this time of being still, that he would shine his face upon her and allow her to receive during this season. Pray that she would find contentment in surrendering her idea of friendship and service to a season of fighting, healing, and growing in the Lord.

The friend with throat cancer continues her battle. It is a painful journey. I can't even imagine what she must be feeling. Pray that God would continue to speak to her mind when she is in that dark place of receiving the treatments, that she would hear his voice of truth and his voice alone. We come against the enemy who would try to speak lies of death and discouragement to her in the name of Jesus. Give her blessed assurance Lord Jesus.

Nick - The job he currently has is decreasing in it's ability to provide for the family. Join with me in praying that God would miraculously bless this family. Lord if this means a new job in a new location, I know they ask with willing hearts, if this is a simple change of jobs, I pray it would surpass their expectations. Bless this family who desire whole heartedly to serve you. Continue to show them that you are the Almighty God who sees everything and desires only good for their lives.

Mark - He is still available for employment. I know he is feeling discouraged at having to be looking again and feeling unable to provide for his family. God would you make it clear to his heart that you are our Jehovah Jirah, our provider, and that you will never leave him nor forsake him or his family. Lord I pray you would call him to a place of constant reliance on you and your word. Lord you say "seek me and ye shall find me, when you search for me with all your heart" Help him to be searching for you with a new found fervor.

Praise Reports:

Our family has experienced an out pouring of generosity including special dinners made, mysterious checks arriving, gifts of $ from faithful friends and family, bags of groceries, and the countless prayers we have felt lifted up on our behalf. To this I say thank you God for such amazing friends and family that would listen to the call of the Holy Spirit and respond in such specific and tangible ways. One in particular blessed me recently. We received from a friend a dinner that was a recipe I posted on here a while back. I can't really even tell you why... but this really touched my heart. Thank You! I move forward each day knowing that God is good and faithful and he has given me such peace during this weird time. I know his plan for our family includes this time of waiting on him and so it is with "Joyful Expectation" that we wait.

A friends marriage continues to be healed my our Amazing Abba Father. He reached in and sheltered this couple during a raging storm of sin. The healing continues and the testimony continues to grow because of the matchless name of Jesus.

Gavin and Corin ( another son of ours :0) ) are getting baptized soon. This is great step of faith for both young men. Let's pray as the time grows closer, they would be experiencing the Joy of the Lord as they prepare to take their relationship with Christ a step further.

Mark, a great friend of Tristan's, was baptized recently and Tristan was able to attend. This blessed Tristan to get to witness his friends public act of commitment.

If you have anything you would like added to the prayer request list or a praise report to share, you may post a comment, send me an email at dotscnnctd@hotmail.com, or shoot me a facebook message. I have heard from many of you and would love to keep sharing with other faithful warriors what God is doing. There is a sense of urgency for prayer right now that is really driving my prayer life. God is calling up his prayer warriors and we need to be doing battle for each other. We are not called to stand alone to fight. We are called to victoriously stand together and come against our enemy who is neither flesh nor blood. Take up your shields of faith, your swords of the spirit and pray with me! God is listening!