This past month I’ve been spending some time in inquiry of what it truly means to surrender. This has always been a topic near and dear to my heart because the day I got sober was a moment of sweet surrender for me in which my life was changed forever.
That day on August 17, 2008 I got down on my hands and knees and cried out for help. I surrendered to the fact that I couldn’t do it on my own and I didn’t want to live the way I had been living for one minute longer. I wasn’t a spiritual person at the time and, quite honestly, had no clue how to pray or if I was even doing it correctly.
But that day in my desperation, I surrendered fully and completely to a plan greater than mine.
And I had no idea what would come to be in the days and years following, but it has definitely been far grander than I could have ever imagined.
Something came over me in this darkest day of my life, sending a calming signal coursing through my veins. I felt a physical shift inside of me. It was a miraculous flash before my eyes knowing:
“That was then and this is now.”
This word surfaced again for me when I signed up for an Art Exchange with an amazing group of women in recovery. In this group we were paired up to create art during Winter Solstice for one another based on a topic, which happened to be “Surrender.”
I was paired up with my friend, Cristina Ferri who is the author behind Sober Unicorn where she shares about her recovery, how faith found her inside of it and inspiration to help others along on their own journey.
I couldn’t help but notice the similarities we both shared in that when we got sober we found our faith in God. As I thought about what to make her for our art exchange, I knew that it had to be something centered around this.
The process of creating art in this medium was so different from writing, my normal medium of creation. This process of creating made me continue to surrender, knowing that ideas would come to me and to just trust my intuition.
This came in to play at the art store when I was picking out pieces to put together as I was feeling overwhelmed at all the isles upon isles of options.
It came again when I got home and actually had to put it all together.
It visited again when my perfectionism wanted to be sure I didn’t mess it up. And it came once again when I had to focus on the centerpiece of the project, which would be a hand written quote of some kind.
I debated back and forth about picking a bible verse, a quote or coming up with my own words. I kept waiting to see what spoke to me, but nothing felt right.
I surrendered once more and put the project away. The next day came and went and I couldn’t seem to figure out what I wanted to say. But I knew it would come to me if I didn’t force it.
Sure enough, I decided to sit and write about surrender to see what came up for me. It was then that a prayer came through me on my screen. I knew God was speaking and I knew these words I was typing were sent across for Cristina.
Inside the frame of hand selected scrapbook paper meshed together with words, letters and sayings all carefully placed together by yours truly, I hand wrote in a new style of penmanship:
“May your paths always be made straight, trusting in sacred surrender.”
Inspired by my favorite bible verse from Proverbs 3:5-6. This was the last line in the Sacred Surrender Prayer penned for Miss Cristina. I finished it up wrapping a key around it from The Giving Keys, that says “Let Go.” I got this key in Los Angeles during a time where I needed this reminder. The card with it says: “Choose, Wear, & Embrace the word on your key. Then pass it on to someone you feel needs the message more than you.”
This was such a fun project for me because it took me completely out of my comfort zone into arts and crafts which I’ve always shied away from thinking I wasn’t crafty enough.
To my surprise I found this process to be very meditative, therapeutic and yet another opportunity for me to surrender to divine guidance.
If you’d like to see more of our projects, search #artexchange or #recoverygalsartexchange on Instagram.
I used to think surrendering meant weakness – that I had given up or failed. Now I know that it actually is a power posture.
When we surrender, we don’t give up – we give it over. And when we give it over, a force mightier than us takes over.
Giving it over just means you’re saying “I don’t got this” and God I need you to show me what you’ve got.
Surrendering puts us at peace with what is. It puts the past behind us and opens us to the present. It is from here that we see that we DO have the ability to create the future we truly desire.
Surrender is an invitation for greatness.
It’s often the birthplace for miracles and it is most certainly the place where new beginnings emerge with so much grace.
What can you let go of today? What can you give over? Where do you need to invite in divine greatness?
Surrender. It is in that moment that a strength much stronger than your own prevails.
The Sacred Surrender Prayer
Let yourself crack wide open, becoming unhinged.
Release all that’s been caged inside you, softening your grip.
Open your hand and heart, inviting in divine intervention.
Let grace kiss all that needs to be healed, faithfully forfeiting your darkness.
Feel the light shine upon you, knowing all is being worked out for your greater good.
Allow what feels heavy to be removed, reviving your soul to its highest order.
Summon your highest purpose, welcoming miracles beyond your imagination.
Let go of that which no longer serves you, creating space for the new to arrive.
May holiness lead you, guiding you to transcend fear.
May you willingly step into doing things differently, allowing The master plan to prevail.
May your paths always be made straight, trusting in sacred surrender.
Photo Credit: Elise Cook