Jesus, the MAIN thing, my One thing – that is a life of SIMPLICITY. To live this life, we must learn to practice total surrender and abandonment to God.
SURRENDER
Surrender is simple trust.
“Can I, will I trust God – no matter what He chooses for my day?”
The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps (Proverbs 16:9).
Surrender can also be a struggle.
To trust Him, really trust Him, no matter what? That can be hard. Turning over the details of our lives to God, no matter what, is not an easy task.
SEEKING SURRENDER
Here are a few simple ways to implement the practice of surrender:
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Daily Status Meetings with God
Think business meeting. Not to be confused with a time of devotions, this is a business meeting – at a desk with your planner/calendar open.
A daily status meeting with God is a time to prayerfully review your daily calendar. As you do:
Ask for guidance for the appointments and tasks that are scheduled for your week.
Refocus on your goals and priorities.
Surrender everything – your plans, your priorities, your goals – back to God.
As you review your plans and align your soul during your daily status meeting, listen to God as you pray, “Show me your purpose, Lord.”
Daily status meetings with God are so necessary in order to navigate the “overwhelms.” We need this daily status meeting with our Purpose-Giver to ensure that we are aligning our daily commitments to His purposes and to receive direction from Him as to how we are to fulfill that purpose.
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Grace Breaks
The institution and observance of grace breaks will provide a much-needed respite during your day. Grace breaks are a brief time set aside for the purpose of reviewing things that God has spoken to us.
So often we enjoy a sweet time of communion with our Heavenly Father during our morning quiet time. Then, we are off – so much to do, so many places to be, people demanding our time and energy – never giving it another thought.
Grace breaks provide a time to recall, to remember, and to reflect.
Set an alarm on your phone, set the kitchen timer, or associate your grace break time with something you are already doing such as preparing or eating meals. When the alarm goes off, when it is time to eat – take a few minutes to recall, remember, and reflect upon what God is speaking to you.
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A Visual Reminder
Choose something tangible as a visual reminder to practice surrender.
I have several “reminders” placed around my home. One of my favorites sits in my kitchen window sill – a small little canvas and easel.
Its strategic placement means I see it often throughout my day. The wee little BLANK canvas represents my day and serves to as a reminder than even though I tend to pre-paint the “canvas” of my day, it is God who ultimately determines the course of my day.
Whatever your reminder, when you look at it be reminded that He will paint your day and ask yourself if you are willing to accept all His assignments for the day.
The questions is: Will you surrender to His will for your day – no matter what?
RELATED ARTICLES:
Simplicity: Jesus, My One Thing
Simplicity through Fasting
Soul Nourishment: Satisfying Our Deep Longing for God is a gentle reminder of the importance of soul care. It is also a handbook for today’s 
busy woman filled with a multitude of easy, ready-to-use resources to bring refreshment on the journey. This 2-color book offers a multitude of ways to intentionally nourish and care for our soul including: prayer practices, using scripture, building relationships, listening, & solitude.
Available at Warner Press.
