Choice 3: Consciously choose to commit all my life and will to Christ\u2019s care and control.<\/strong><\/p>\n Over the past two weeks we\u2019ve been reading and sharing a lot about the issue of control.\u00a0 It seems to be a common thread in our lives \u2013 control the world around us in our way and hope it all works out as we planned.\u00a0 But as we\u2019ve seen we don\u2019t have the power to control our lives, despite what we may think.\u00a0 It is only through surrendering to His control that we truly find life.<\/p>\n As I went back through my book for today\u2019s blog, I was struck again by John Baker\u2019s personal story on page 81.\u00a0 I\u00a0 felt as if I was reading my own story.\u00a0 I was saved at 14, and did all that I thought I was supposed to do \u2013 Sunday School, youth groups, retreats, even Christian college.\u00a0 But something was still missing.\u00a0 In my youth, I surrendered all I thought<\/i> I should surrender, but it wasn\u2019t truly ALL of my life.\u00a0 From college I made wrong choices with relationships, hurt people closest to me, and kept running from the one person who could truly set me free from my fears and worries.\u00a0 God.\u00a0 And, just like John Baker, no matter how bad my choices were, God was still waiting for me with outstretched arms.\u00a0 I can think back to times He was trying to get my attention and pull me back, but I brushed it off and kept going \u201cmy way.\u201d<\/p>\n When I ended an engagement at a young age, I heard God questioning my decision.\u00a0 But He just didn\u2019t understand.\u00a0 When my husband said we were moving out of state, against my wishes, I heard God telling me to speak up.\u00a0 But He just didn\u2019t understand.\u00a0 When I battled infertility, I cried out to God begging to know what I did wrong to deserve this trial.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t hear Him respond.\u00a0 When I was starting an affair, God was calling me out.\u00a0 But He just didn\u2019t understand.\u00a0 When my marriage fell apart and I was moving the next guy in, God tried to get my attention again.\u00a0 But He just didn\u2019t understand.\u00a0 Do you see a pattern here?\u00a0 Me, a little speck on this earth, telling the God of the Universe that He doesn’t understand!\u00a0 Wow, talk about pride!<\/p>\n On May 11, 2001 the world came crashing down around me in ways that no one could have ever seen coming.\u00a0 People I thought were friends left me.\u00a0 Family no longer supported me because it was too difficult a reminder of what my ex had become.\u00a0 There was no greater example in my life of how little control I really have over anything than at this time of my life.\u00a0 But, I also heard God very clearly that night, \u201cDo I have your attention THIS time?<\/strong><\/em>\u201d\u00a0 He wasn\u2019t judging me, or giving me any \u201cI told you so\u201d type lectures.\u00a0 He greeted me with open arms and the patient love only the Father can give.<\/p>\n God reminded me that He had been with me all the way, through every poor decision, every time I pushed Him aside because He didn\u2019t understand my plans and way of doing life.\u00a0 He also reminded me of one precious gift He had given to me, a little ray of sunshine I called my daughter.\u00a0 She was the inspiration I needed to get out of bed and keep moving until I could think clearly during these rough days.\u00a0 She had no one but me, so I had to keep going.\u00a0 I realized that while He didn\u2019t bring the chaos and pain to my life, He allowed it to happen for my good.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We are reminded of this in Romans 8:28: \u201cAnd we know that God causes everything to work together\u00a0for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.\u201d<\/strong><\/em> (NLT)<\/p>\n Two years later, I heard a song on the radio that brought instant tears to my eyes \u2026 another God-message for me.\u00a0 Martina McBride released a song called \u201cIn My Daughter\u2019s Eyes\u201d and sings, \u201cShe was sent to rescue me\u201d.\u00a0 (http:\/\/youtu.be\/eLS0Y40WwlA<\/a>)\u00a0\u00a0 I truly believe that God sent my daughter to rescue me, and to return me to His fold.\u00a0 You see, by medical standards she should not be here.\u00a0 Doctors cannot explain how I was able to get pregnant and managed to carry a child to term with the health issues I experienced.\u00a0 Seven years of infertility and suddenly, this miracle.\u00a0 The last time my doctor said this to me was after my hysterectomy in 2010.\u00a0 We were discussing the pathology report and his surgical findings, and he said, \u201cI just don\u2019t know how your daughter is here.\u201d \u00a0I just smiled and said, \u201cThat\u2019s because you didn\u2019t create her.\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 I knew she was fully and entirely God\u2019s plan for my life.\u00a0 \u00a0But through her life, God gave me the wake-up call I needed to throw up my hands in surrender, and return to His open arms.<\/p>\n