I Surrender All

And welcome November. Thought I would update things again. I am still going down on the scale. That is a good thing. I am in the 240's now. I would like to go down another decade (that is what I call it) before the end of the year. That gives me 7 weeks to lose 10 pounds. I am up to walking 3 miles a day even if I do not do it all at once. So I bet I could lose 10 pounds by the end of the year. I was trying to lose half of my weight that I wanted to lose which would be about 67 pounds. I will be happy if I can have gotten 56 pounds of it off. I will accept that. When 2015 hits I will continue to go at it. Not where I want to be, but I will enjoy the journey getting there.

It is funny. I say that a lot. I may not be where I am supposed to be, but I will enjoy the journey getting there. I find this to be a constant reminder that God places at the forefront of my mind. It is hard sometimes. I want to be there now. I prayed for patience once back in 1997 while sitting at a bus stop in front of California Baptist University. Big mistake. That is the one prayer that you can be assured that God will answer. And patience does not mean I can wait in a long line at the movies and not get mad. Patience means that in times of trial when you just want to give up or hurry up and get out and move to the other side, God will keep you in it until you learn to surrender and let go. Which is not easy. And with a prayer for patience there will be a testing of your faith. I still feel impatient at times because I want to hurry up and get there. But I need to just let go and enjoy the moment. Life is too short not to. You never get today back. 

Which speaking of patience. My pastor preached a sermon a week before my birthday. It was about living the life in the gospel of others. I sat and listened to the sermon up in the media suite at church because I was either prompting or shading and as I was listening to the sermon, I prayed for God to bring someone across my path for me to live the gospel in their life. Then I said wait maybe I do not mean that. I mean after all you pray that prayer and then wonder who the heck God will send across your path. I remember I prayed that prayer because I feel like I am staying in my comfort zone. I am not in a small group and I do not do much except the media apparently every Sunday (thanks Joel if you ever read this - and I do not mind because it is fun). Anyway, I spend a lot of time at work. And a lot of time driving the back roads to get to and from work. I do not really know where I am going with this. But the point is that I prayed and the point is I had my mini panic moment because what the heck are ya going to do if You decide to answer this prayer God. Well, guess what. If I just open my eyes (which I did), God answered. He has put someone on my heart that I am praying God will be able to use me in this person's life. It is not easy at times. I want to be able to take things in my own hands. This person is out from work until December and when this person returns to work (which I am praying this person is able to), it may be a bit difficult since there are some very unhappy people with this person. But God has opened my eyes to this person's need to know the hope of Christ and for this person to know the love of Christ. It is hard because I want to send this person text messages saying hey I am here. But right now this person does not want to have any contact with anyone from work. It is because it just brings forth to mind everything that is going on. It is hard and it is literally a one day at a time thing. And I need to enjoy being able to pray for this person and let God work. Let God do what He needs to do. So I surrender. And pray. My pastor said it would stretch us and drive us to our knees in prayer. And that is what is doing with me. 

Today's song is I Surrender All. I chose the Selah and Michael English. Kind of going old school because Nicole was with them then.  Hope you enjoy it! 3 months til I go see them at First Baptist Euless. Something to make me smile :)

All to Jesus, I surrender
All to Him, I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence, daily live

And I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Thee, my blessed Savior
I surrender all

All to Jesus, I surrender
Humbly at His feet, I bow
Worldly pleasures, all forsaken
Take me, Jesus, take me now

And I surrender all
Oh, I surrender all
All to Thee, my blessed Savior
I surrender all, I surrender all