Who's In Control?

It always makes me nervous planning upcoming events because I know the Lord is going to walk us through our own journey to teach us first before He has us bring anything before you.  With that being said, Paula and I began meeting over The Well for May 9.  We began by just pouring our hearts out to each other with all that seemed to be going on around us in so many people's lives...some as close as family, some close friends, and some we just knew were walking through difficult times.  Our hearts were so heavy.  We began to really question the Lord as to why He allows certain things to happen, why some prayers seem to continue to go unanswered, why some He seemed to answer more clearly than others.  Why some He chooses to continue to take on hard journeys.  I'm so thankful for a safe place where I can be raw and open about where I am on my journey.  


As we continued to meet, the Lord put before us the word SURRENDER over and over again.  SURRENDER. "Why this word, Lord?", "Why now?"  A precious friend who I often go to for help when I'm walking through these things came to me a couple of days after I had put this before her.  She told me how the Lord helped her to see that Jesus walked through these very struggles as He walked on His own journey.  At one point Jesus actually asked the Father to take this cup from Him.  Look with me at Mark 14:32-36 NIV:

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. 34 “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”

³⁵ Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. ³⁶ “Abba,^[a] Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”

Check out verse 36!! This was the part that hit me right between the eyes.  "YET, not what I will, but what you will." SURRENDER.  The Lord prayed that he wouldn't have to walk the road before him, just like I've prayed so many times before for myself as well as others around me that are going through difficult things.  Wow!!! Yet, instead of taking it away He gave him the strength to walk through it.  

A couple of days later while attending a conference at Watermark, the worship leader shared a verse that began to open our eyes even more to SURRENDER.  Check this out!!! 

Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross,scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Wow....it was for the JOY that was set before him that he endured the cross.  It was to fulfill the perfect plan.  The Lord walked through complete SURRENDER for me. Just WOW.  This gave me such a complete different outlook on things that we may be walking through.  It doesn't necessarily make it any easier, but it helps me walk through these times with HOPE, knowing that He is working all of this together according to His perfect plan.  He's not asking me to do anything He hasn't already done for me.  

I don't know about you though.....I get tired.  Actually, I get weary and quickly want to give up.  I was reading on down in Hebrews 12:12-13 (NLT) and came across a verse the Lord had actually shown me about a year ago.  It was so cool to me how He chose to weave it all together with this new perspective He had shown me.  

So take a new grip with your tired hands and strengthen your weak knees.13 Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong.


Do you need a "new grip" today?  I'm telling you what....I did.  Honestly, I need a new grip every day. As Angela Clements shared with us at The Well....NOTHING ever progresses in our life without surrender. Complete SURRENDER.  EVERY DAY.  

Oh how I pray that you'll truly seek the Father's heart if there is anything or anyone you need to surrender to Him today.  Trust me, I needed to not only surrender several things I was walking through, but I also needed to surrender my family to Him.  He knows what He needs to take them through more than I do to get them to where He wants them to be.  That's the main goal, right??

I was lying in bed one night just praying about stuff on my heart and the Lord reminded me of a song that I absolutely LOVE!! As I listened to it, He whispered to my heart...this is it, Shannon.  This is SURRENDER.  

Hang in there!!! We love you and are on this journey with you!! Please let us know if there is anything we can do!! Keep your eyes open for some exciting new things coming this summer! We've been working on a Bible reading/Scripture writing plan that I'm so very pumped to introduce to you!! Details are coming soon!!!

Much love,

Shannon Mints