This week’s reading schedule can be found by clicking this link.

“Your journey toward becoming a hero begins when you simply
grant God permission to have His way.” (Lisa Bevere, pg. 35)

It sounds like such a simple thing – Let Go, Let God. Release whatever your hopes and dreams are for the future so that God can fill your life with His plans which are far better than anything in our wildest dreams. So, why is the action part of it so difficult? Why is it so hard to let those things go?

At age 24, I was told I would never bear a biological child. Too stunned to form a coherent thought, the next eight years of my life went by in a haze of depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. I was lost, and there was no light at the end of the tunnel. My lifelong dream was to have a baby who looked like me with my husband who loved me. I had plans! I had dreams! I had hopes!

In an instant, all seemed lost.

I did not really know Jesus back then. I knew about Him, but we were not doing this life-thing together.  I was a nobody. But, He knew me, and He never stopped His pursuit of me. He knows my name. He loves me (and you) like an only child. He wanted me to come out of the pit I was in because He knew the plans He had for me.

So, He alone rescued me.

At that moment, I turned my burden of infertility over to Him. I decided not to carry it on my back anymore. I let God have His way with me.

Today, I have a 16-month old nephew who I could not love more if he were my own child. Instead of having hurt and pain, I am filled with love and pure joy.

God did that. He is taking my life and using it for His glory. He is taking my pain and turning it for good, to help other people who are in pain.

“You are not normal. You’re an anointed daughter of the Most High God,
the creator of heaven and earth and of all things seen and unseen.
This makes you a potential threat to the enemy.” (Lisa Bevere, pg. 35)

I tell you this story because Satan continues to attack me in this area of my life. There are times I am consumed with grief over not being able to have a biological child. Some days my heart is so heavy that I question God; I doubt Him. I wonder why I am made to suffer this burden.

“Never doubt you are part of the story of your day.” (Lisa Bevere, pg. 36)

Then He whispers to me…I am with you. I have plans for you. You are loved. I am part of God’s story! Satan’s job is to kill, to steal, and to destroy. He will continue to try to defeat me where he knows I am weak but, with God, I am strong. Satan does not want another woman to experience a full life in Christ so he will try to undermine my attempts to help other women.

Ladies, I share this with you because I need for you to know something very important. Right now, where you are, you are living part of God’s story. Satan will try to defeat you – that is his job – but you can be a hero of faith, just like Abraham. You probably will not know you are a hero, and that is okay. We can live for God without knowing the full measure of the whole story until we reach Heaven—and what a beautiful sight that will be!

There is one last thing I want to leave you with. All of this talk about being a hero and living a life surrendered to God sounds great, right? But, you might be someone who really struggles with this. I know I do. It is hard to let go of some things, but in order to receive what God has for us, our hands need to be open and not closed. We are heroes by living the life God has planned for us; walking alongside Him day by day; laying down our hopes and dreams for God’s dreams for us, and trusting in His ultimate plan for our lives. God sees you. He knows your name. He loves you.

‘We can be in our day what the heroes of faith were in their day –
but remember at the time they didn’t know they were heroes. – A.W. Tozer (pg. 36)

Let’s Pray:

Father God, Your story is perfect. Show us how to live fully surrendered to You every single day. Help us to let go of things that we need to release from our lives so that You can fill us with Your plans. Guide us in Your ways and in Your truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

With Love,

Jennifer

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