Saturday Confession: Why Chocolate is Part of My Surrender
Last week I had an amazing time sharing my faith and writing journey with a group of ladies. I had a little Power Point filled with pictures from my past, book covers from my present and an acrostic to help us all have a powerful future full of freedom in Jesus.
I used to be someone completely obsessed with people pleasing and fear of rejection so putting those things down and trusting God with it was no easy task. It took time. But what I also learned in my journey was sometimes He’s going to ask me to surrender something good. That seems crazy, but I’ve lived it.
For instance, with writing, He asked me to stop writing the newsletter for my local Mothers of Preschoolers, MOPS, chapter. There’s nothing bad about that task or the organization. I loved it, I still do. But I surrendered it with no idea what was next. I had to trust that Jesus had my back. He also goes before me, and surrounds me. He has me covered. And as I shared with the ladies, it was less than a year later I was invited to a book signing.
As one of the authors.
Last year He asked us to surrender a home we were ready to buy. Boy, that one was hard. But on the other side of it, we have a better home in better condition for a lot less money. I never would have known that had I not surrendered that good thing. For God had something better.
But then there’s the chocolate. My tagline is “Surrendering the good, the bad, and—maybe one day—the chocolate.” I explained that although I love the milk chocolate goodness and it has had quite a hold on me in the past, I use it because it is something we can relate to. [tweetthis]Chocolate’s a way to connect with readers.[/tweetthis]
There’s another reason.
There are times we aren’t ready to surrender. We’re human. And it’s a process. We are a work in progress and need to understand that. If the day comes when the Lord says, “Okay, it’s time to lay down the chocolate once and for all.” I’d do it. He’s been faithful and true. So I share that as part of my tagline so audiences know we’re in this together. Sometimes we need to let go of bad stuff that isn’t good for us. Sometimes it’s good things because God has something better. And sometimes we aren’t ready that particular day, but we’re growing in Him. If He shows us a day and says okay, then we’ll be ready.
I had to giggle because not everyone understood and some handed me their chocolate as a gift, and others gave me their number in case I wanted extra help in giving it up. But everyone there received what God had.
Surrender is a process.
God is good.
[tweetthis]And freedom in Christ is always worth whatever surrender He’s asking of us. [/tweetthis]
