Surrendered...

As our family talked over and discussed what our blog name would be, the Lord brought this one out and we all agreed that Simple and Surrendered perfectly fit the journey the four of us have been walking. Although this indefinite journey started nearly five years ago when Kyle was first diagnosed with UC, we continue to discover new depths to what those two words signify.

The past two weeks the word surrendered has come about in conversation amongst Kyle, MaKayla and I regarding specific situations we are working through as individuals. I can distinctly recall the moment that the word surrender became real to me...we had just settled back in here at home following a week long stay in the hospital due to Kyle having the Type B flu. He was currently going through Remicade infusions and due to his compromised immunity, he contracted the flu. Two days into his stay, MaKayla came down with it only for Mallary to follow a day later. It was such a lonely time for me and my heart was sick and angry. I couldn't even begin to fathom why God, the One who promised to never leave me or forsake me allowed our family to be in such a position. Graciously, Dad kept the girls for me so that I could be with Kyle, and after returning to Mount Ayr from a quick trip to Blockton to deliver medicine for one of my sick girls, I sat in the truck sobbing...wondering...analyzing...

Through my distraughtness a dear friend encouraged me to read the book of Job. After I got everything loaded in and everyone comfortable I grabbed my Bible, headed to the basement and stole away to seek direction, peace, assurance... I had no idea the work that God was going to do in my heart in those hours that I spent reading, absorbing, feeding. As I read those words in that blessed Book, I felt the Lord saying, "Who are you to question Me? Who are you to question why I do what I do?" "I am the God says to the snow, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour.'" "Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you and you shall answer me. Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand. Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!" "Have you ever given orders to the morning, or shown the dawn its place...?"

I found myself very humbled for the thought that I even questioned what God was doing. As I sat there in the silence He said, "Mendi, lay down your weapons. Quit striving against Me. Surrender your heart, mind and soul and allow Me to fight this battle you are fighting for you. In and of yourself you can't bear this load alone. Of your own weapons, you will surely die." He reminded me of how King Saul armed David with the armor of war only for David to take it off and use a simple smooth stone to defeat the enormous enemy he had been entrusted to face on behalf of his people. David laid down the common weapon to fight with the weapon of the Lord. I walked away from that time of fellowship with the Lord humbled, empowered, courageous...peaceful, assured, confident... I knew from that moment on I had to surrender every bit of my will in order to be victorious in the days ahead...victorious for the Lord, for Kyle, for our girls.

When I think of surrendering, I think of war, battle lines, white flags, inadequacy, loss of power and for me all of that meant/means freedom; yet freedom can't come without complete surrender, something that requires abandonment of self and reliance on another.

For History, MaKayla is doing an in-depth study of the Civil War so the other morning as she and I visited about some things taking place in her life and how she is dealing with them, I brought up the reality of surrendering them over to the Lord...not just part of them but ALL of them. As we talked, I asked her what surrendering looked like in retrospect of what she has been studying. We agreed that when you surrender, you approach the battle line, hands up, acknowledging that you are no longer able to fight and that you are willing to cross the line to join the other side. In joining the other side, you give up all rights to yourself and submit to the one in authority of the opposite battalion. You conclude that you will do things their way, with their weapons, in an attempt to seal a victory on their behalf. Isn't that what God wants from us? We finally get to the point that we know we can't keep going on our own so we approach the battle line of the war we are facing and say, "Lord, I give up. I no longer can fight this alone. I'm willing to turn everything over to You and do things Your way." Yet instead of crossing the line and abandoning ourselves to Him, we ride the line...one foot on His side, one foot on our side. When we look at this in the sense of physical war, we realize that "riding the line" would bring imminent death...hmmm...maybe that's why we aren't victorious in so many situations and circumstances we face in life. Our spirit wants to submit and surrender but our flesh just won't let go of the control...that might mean we would have to change or do things differently.

Our family like everyone else has faced many seasons of "war" and for us we've learned that when we surrender to the Lord, we will ALWAYS be victorious! It's about laying down our weapons, raising our hands held high and crossing the line so that our Master, Maker and Creator can guide us in fighting the battle that is looming before us. It's about abandoning ourselves...our thoughts, our ideas, our insight...and clinging to the Most Holy One who knows all and sees all. It's about letting go of fear and gripping hold of peace. It's about saying, "I'm yours Lord, show me the way and I will faithfully follow."

Broken...

The best word to describe my day spiritually is...broken...

My devotion on Monday lead me to a scripture out of the book of Hebrews and I was so enthralled by what I read that I have felt compelled to continue to
dig deeper, push farther, linger longer.
As my heart has digested the words my eyes have fallen upon,
I am deeply humbled by all I have taken for granted the many years I have been a Christian.
I am broken...
Why do I settle for so much less than what God has prepared for me?
Why have I devalued grace so much for so long?
For Someone who gave ALL He had, so that I could live so abundantly,
I certainly do not honor Him,
dwell with Him
or radiate His life within me as He longs for.
I find myself humbly broken before Him with a teachable heart
...hungering...desiring...longing...
for nothing more than to know my Jesus in a way I never imagined.
Because of His blood,
I am invited second-by-second, minute-by-minute, day-by-day
to enter in to the Most Holy Place~the Holy of Holies;
a place of healing,
restoration,
fulfillment...
a place beyond description...
a place where You, Father, the God of all, dwells.
It is not a place unreachable simply because Jesus chose to do the will of the Father...
because He chose me.
I fall before Him broken...thankful...changed!

A few of my Favorite Things...

As mom and I were talking about my next post she came up with the idea for me to do a blog on a few of my favorite things. When I sat down with a piece of paper to write them out I was surprised at how many I had so I decided to do them in two posts. :-)

My Favorite Things ~ Part One

* Ladybugs
* Dove/Hershey's Dark Chocolate
* The Color Red
* Cousin Bri
* My Family ~ Best Friends Mom, Dad & Mal

* Scrapbooking
* Playing Piano
* Bible Quizzing
* Pearl Earrings From Hawaii
* My Bible
* My Utmost For His Highest ~ Oswald Chambers
* Pumpkin Pie
* Willow Tree Angels
* Fall

" For you created my inmost being; you knit me together
in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful. I know that full well.
Psalm 139:13-14

As mom and I looked at my list we talked about how a lot of times who we are reflects our favorite things. The things that we like and do can either produce fruit or blight. This verse says that we are uniquely made; each different then the other, but special in our own way! I praise you Father God, that I am uniquely and wonderfully made in Your image!

Kyle's 1st Post

Well, this is the first post for me on this blog and I have to say first THANK YOU FATHER for this time and opportunity to just bless you and to proclaim your greatness and goodness! I do give you all the praise and honor for your precious Son Jesus, My Lord and Saviour! I see how you are stripping me away Father and I desire to be completely abandoned to you! It's my prayer that those who read this will desire you more and search for you in this world of confusion. You are The Way, The Truth, and Life, let us draw close to you and simply watch and rest in you! I love you Daddy!

Something Fun About Spelling...

Spelling is fun because...
Mom reads me a story every Monday.
I doodle on my preview worksheet while Mom reads.
I get to put stickers on my page on review days.
I learn new words each week.
I like Spelling!

Thirsty...

Land that drinks in the rain often falling on it and that produces a crop useful to those for whom it is farmed receives the blessing of God. But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned.
Hebrews 6:7~8

As I slipped into bed last night, I felt thirsty...thirsty for something that no physical substance could quench. When I feel this way, I turn to God's Word knowing that He desires my communion and fellowship...knowing that He has something He wants to teach me...knowing that there is an area of my life He wants to transform and recreate. Upon reading these verses it was as if a storeroom of treasures and wealth were opened to me. I stood/stand in awe of the beauty...I went to sleep feeling nourished and I awoke feeling satisfied. I see where God is honing, sharpening, shaping, forming His life within me.


I reopened my Bible again this morning to pour over these words once more, only to be renewed and refreshed anew. When God blesses the earth with rain, all ground receives the nourishment it offers, yet some soil produces fruit (crop) and some soil produces blight (death). I myself determine what kind of crop will spring forth...

*How am I spending my time?
*How often am I actively in God's Word?
*What am I doing with what He is teaching me?
*Am I receiving and putting to work what He is showing me?

Oh, that I would produce a crop that will be pleasing, glorifying and nurturing to the Father....that I would choose to loose my will and dwell within His...that I would have a teachable heart so that I can receive the "rain" He promises and allow it to penetrate and nourish the soil of my heart...that my life will exemplify the "fruit" of Jesus!

Thank you Holy Spirit for quenching my thirst and for saturating my soul!
I'm forever in love with You!

Why Blog...

After much thought and prayer, Kyle and I decided that blogging would be a fun and creative way for MaKayla to cultivate her interest in design as well as exercise her English/Journaling skills. For a mom who LOVES to write and put her thoughts/feelings on paper who was richly blessed with a daughter who has a difficult time thinking outside the box when it comes to expressing herself through written word, we felt this a great opportunity to awaken this gift within her.

Obviously not all posts will be from MaKayla as our intentions are for our entire family to jump on the blog and share what is taking place in our lives...spiritually, physically and emotionally. We also felt this would be neat way for those friends and family who we aren't able to see as often as we would like to stay in touch.

We pray that anyone who reads what our hearts our feeling, our minds are thinking and our bodies are doing, would find our thoughts, words and actions pleasing and acceptable in the sight of the Lord. As I read this morning, "The entire human race was created to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. The true expression of Christian character is not in good-doing, but in God-likeness. If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit divine characteristics in your life, not just good human characteristics. God's life in us expresses itself as God's life, not human life trying to be godly." - Oswald Chambers

Welcome to our blog...we're glad you stopped by! :o)

Danielle's Bridal Shower

The time that we spent together with family-friends Saturday at Danielle's wedding shower, was so much fun! The fellowship and atmosphere was very special and I really enjoyed celebrating this exciting occasion with Danielle, Aunt Marci, Briana, and various others that are so important to me! Now I just can't wait for the wedding!

So many gifts...So many treasures...

Four Generations...
Grandma Sharon, Danielle, Aunt Marci, Great-Grandma Jean

Me, Bri, and D!

Mal and Great Grandma Jean...

Having a little chat...

One special evening...

Relay for Life was an amazing experience to share with Grandpa and Grandma! It opened my eyes so much to the struggles of those dealing with the same illness as the one I love so very much. Walking hand-in-hand with Grandpa, Grandma, Dad, Mom, Mal, and my very special Aunt Connie in the survivor's walk, was something that I will Never forget!


As darkness settled in and I watched them light Grandpa's luminary, it brought tears to my eyes, as I thought about how this battle within him has changed his life physically maybe for the worse, but spiritually for the better as he has accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior and I praise you Father God for that!

It was so neat Father God, to watch Grandpa use the strength you gave him as he walked several laps for the LMP/ Nucor team, proudly displaying their creative headgear!?!

" But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength:
they shall mount up with wings as eagles;
they shall run, and not be weary;
and they shall walk, and not faint."
Isaiah 40:31

~Precious Times~

Sharing a birthday treat...

Grandpa & Kyle taking a rest from a "stressful" game of golf...

MaKayla loving on Dad...

I'm so glad that our girls love one another so much...

Mal with Grandpa and Grandma...
I so love the smiles on these faces!!!!

What precious times we've been afforded in some of our most recent outings. God has most graciously blessed us with moments of joy and fulfillment as we celebrated Grandpa's birthday together! These are times and seasons we shall hold dear as individuals and as a family. Our hearts are forever touched through the conversations, smiles and experiences we have encountered.