Saturday, December 8, 2007

SURRENDER

I'm giving you my heart, and all that is within


I lay it all down for the sake of you my King


I'm giving you my dreams, I'm laying down my rights


I'm giving up my pride for the promise of new life


And I surrender all to you, all to you


And I surrender all to you, all to you


I'm singing You this song, I'm waiting at the cross


And all the world holds dear, I count it all as loss


For the sake of knowing You, for the glory of Your name


To know the lasting joy, even sharing in Your pain
There comes a point in one's life when you realize, no matter how hard you try, how hard you work, how late you stay up, how early you wake up, how well you plan...you just can't get it all done. My heart has been heavy today. I'm overwhelmed. I'm disappointed. Feelings of failure and anxiety are permeating my thoughts. As I stood at the kitchen sink tonight, exhausted, and worrying about the week that lies ahead, I realized I've been trying to make it on my own strength lately. I've rushed out the door too many mornings without spending time with the most important Person. I've made too many decisions without Him. I've been parenting my children without His guidance. I've been looking at my life through the eyes of the world, hence my feelings of inadequacy. I heard this song for the first time tonight, and it was one of those moments where you realize God, in His goodness, is taking the time to speak to your troubled heart. I hope you take the time to listen to this song. I hope it reminds you, as it did me, to lay your heavy burdens down at the feet of Jesus. Let Him take your worries, your fears, your disappointments, even all the things you hope to do and become...just lay it down. Commit yourself to Him, take His hand and let Him gently lead you. His ways are perfect.

"I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for
apart from Me you can do nothing.
~John 15:5
I love You, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. As for God, His way is blameless; the word of the Lord is tried; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him. For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God, the God who girds me with strength and makes my way blameless? He makes my feet like hinds' feet, and sets me upon my high places.
~Psalm 18:1-2, 30-33

15 comments:

Michelle said...

Liz... Oh, I wish we were closer. I have such empathy for you right now. I hear your heart... and I have had that heart, too. You are right, that song is so convicted. As a working mom, we HAVE to rely on God and surrender to His plans. It is so hard to be pulled in 20 directions at once. Being a stay at home mom is difficult in many ways, but the life of a working mom and being all things to all people can become overwhelming. Bless you tonight! May you rest inhis presence and knowing that HE is Lord of all things, and He has his eye on you. Be real with Him... because He loves you so deeply!

Sharon said...

Amen. Thank you for this reminder. And I will keep you in my prayers as you traverse this week. God will bless you for this sweet surrender to Him.

Ona said...

Liz, I'm sorry you're feeling this way. I will be thinking of you! Leave it to him and get some rest :)

Lindsay said...

Great song to focus on for all of us! Thank you for sharing it - I've listened to it three times this morning already :)

Be encouraged and know that you are lifted up in many of our prayers!!

Blessings to you as you SURRENDER yourself... laying everything at HIS feet & giving HIM your all!

Jen said...

LIZ!!!

Thank you for being so transparent for the good of ALL of us. I am about to embark on the most stressful week I've had in years. I've been in tears for days trying to figure out how on earth I'm going to survive it all. Your words are like an ointment for my soul. God Bless You. Jen

Angela said...

Thanks for sharing your heart! I love this song. I feel the same way you are feeling at times. Praise be to God because he will lift us out of it!
Love you!

Stefanie said...

Thanks for this Liz - I have been in feeling the tension too, between getting ALL done and giving ALL to Him.

We sing this song at church and I love it.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing your heart Liz. I have been feeling the same way lately and it was such a good reminder to me that I need to surrender all to the Lord and that stress and anxiety do not come from the Lord. He will carry you through this week. You will be in my prayers.

Shauna

P.S. I finally left a comment on your sweet post from my birthday. And Happy Belated Birthday to you!!!

LizzyG said...

Thank you Shauna.
I hope you had a great birthday bash! Were you surprised? I hope you have a wonderful week, and we should try to get together soon. Whenever we both have time...I'm thinking sometime in March :)

Lindsay said...

Hi!

You have a great blog and your fam is so beautiful! It's amazing how many people you come in contact with, with the whole bolg thing. It's like the more you click, the more you find!

Tell Jon hi, and have a Merry Christmas!

~Lindsay

Christi said...

I found you and your family through Becca Riddle's blog. I was friends with Jon in high school and couldn't resist commenting because your family is amazing. To see someone from high school who has it together, but only through God's grace, feels so good. I love your words and can completely relate...even though we are strangers I was encouraged by you today.

Tell Jon I said hi and you are welcome to check out my blog at campkurtz.blogspot.com

- Christi Kurtz (Hermansen)

Jenny vick said...

Thank you lizzy g. I do not know you...but only through the blogging world. I did a smilar thing the other day..I was painting in the garage, (my job..previously posteda bout on becca's blog) listening to the new sarah groves album on my mp3 player and all of a sudden just felt soooooo overwhelmed! crying and painting and painting and crying...not even really knowing what i was crying about ...everything and nothing! All at the same time. The things that I've let go of...and the things I wish I could be more happy picking up! Thanks for your honesty....We are pieces of ourselves....but only because we've lived enough to give away what has been so richly given to us. What is the point of being whole...in oneself..and not having the pleasure of sharing our life with those around us! I'm realizing I'd much rather be torn limb from limb living and giving my life...that to have my whole life to only myself!
Jenny vick ...mom of two 3 and 5...and fellow neat freak husband survivor! God bless them! ;)

Angela said...

Hi friend!
Can't wait to see you either!!!

Stefanie said...

I just saw your slide show and loved it so much! You are so good with this blog stuff. I have no idea how to do music and slides. Your family is adorable!! And you look fabulous at all stages of motherhood - even when Sarah looked newborn.

Rachel said...

I hope everything is going better for you now. You can't forget to take care of those things that help us be our true selves.