Everything is a Choice

Welcome to Anchored in Grace, where we explore faith, marriage, family, and the everyday choices that shape our lives.

In today’s episode, **“Everything Is a Choice,”** we are talking about the power God has placed in our decisions. Every day, we choose what we will believe, how we will respond, what we will release, and who we will become.

Even during seasons of pain, uncertainty, or disappointment, we can choose faith over fear, healing over bitterness, and surrender over control. One surrendered choice can change the direction of your life and lead you from brokenness into God’s purpose.

Join us for an honest, encouraging, and faith-filled conversation that will challenge you to examine your choices and intentionally choose the path God has prepared for you.

Be sure to like, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who needs encouragement today. Let’s get started!

📖 THIS WEEK’S HOMEWORK: EVERYTHING IS A CHOICE

This week, intentionally spend time with God and allow Him to reveal where He is calling you to trust, surrender, and make choices that align with His Word.

DAY 1: RELEASE CONTROL
Read **Psalm 139:23–24**.
Ask God to search your heart and reveal any areas where you are still trying to maintain control.

Reflection:
What are you having difficulty placing fully into God’s hands?

DAY 2: CHOOSE TRUST
Read Proverbs 3:5–6
Journal about one area of your life where God is asking you to trust Him more deeply.

Prayer:
“Lord, help me trust You even when I do not understand what You are doing.”

DAY 3: TRUST GOD’S PLAN
Read **Isaiah 55:8–9**.
Write down a time when God’s plan was different from what you expected but ultimately worked for your good.

Reflection:
What did that experience teach you about God’s wisdom and timing?

DAY 4: UNDERSTAND SURRENDER
Read **Matthew 26:39
Reflect on what surrender cost Jesus and what surrender may require from you.

Reflection:
What is God asking you to release, obey, or place before Him?

DAY 5: WALK IN HUMILITY AND OBEDIENCE
Read Philippians 2:5–11.
Study the connection between humility, obedience, surrender, and God’s promotion.

Reflection:
How can you demonstrate the attitude of Christ in your daily choices?

DAY 6: RELEASE THE BURDEN
Identify one burden, wound, offense, disappointment, or fear that you have been carrying.

Spend time in prayer and intentionally surrender it to Jesus.

Prayer:
“Jesus, I release this into Your hands. Heal my heart, renew my mind, and help me walk forward in freedom.”

DAY 7: MAKE YOUR DECLARATION
Write a personal declaration beginning with:

“Today I choose…”

Fill the page with choices that align with God’s Word.
Examples:
“Today I choose faith over fear.”
“Today I choose forgiveness over bitterness.”
“Today I choose peace over confusion.”
“Today I choose obedience over comfort.”
“Today I choose surrender over control.”
“Today I choose God’s will over my own.”

Remember: Every choice may not be easy, but every surrendered choice can move you closer to healing, freedom, purpose, and the life God has prepared for you.

⚓The One who anchors you in grace is holding you in His love and peace.

Transcript

SPEAKER_07 0:01

Welcome to another episode of Anchored in Grace. We're so happy that you're here with us today. I am Eric.

SPEAKER_01 0:09

And I'm Shars.

SPEAKER_07 0:11

And we're grateful that you have joined us today, and we're excited for this message that we have for you. You know, this message is one that has challenged us personally very much. Charis and I have been kind of talking about this one all month, and it's been woven throughout many lessons that God has been teaching us. But, you know, God is really focusing in this topic in our season, and we want to share it with you today. You know, the title today of the episode is Everything Is a Choice. Choosing surrender over control. You know, life is filled with choices. Every day we choose whether we will trust God or trust ourselves. We choose whether we will forgive or hold on to offense. We choose whether we will walk in fear or faith. We choose whether we will allow God to heal us or continue carrying the wounds that Jesus came to restore. Today we want to talk about how many of the greatest breakthroughs in our lives begin with one surrender choice. Amen. Amen. So let's open up with a prayer. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this opportunity to gather today in your presence. Father, we invite the Holy Spirit into the conversation today. Open our hearts to hear what you want to say. Search us, O Lord, and reveal any areas where we have been choosing control instead of surrender.

unknown 1:47

Thank you, God.

SPEAKER_07 1:47

Show us where fear has replaced faith. Show us where hurt has replaced healing. Thank you, God. Thank you, God. Show us where self-reliance has replaced dependence upon you. Father, help us understand that your plans are greater than our plans and your ways are higher than your ways. Thank you, God. Give us the courage to trust you completely. Transform our hearts as we spend time in your word. We ask all these things in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

SPEAKER_01 2:27

All right. So, you know, one thing we have learned in our walk with Christ is that transformation rarely happens by accident. God presents opportunities, God provides grace, and God offers healing. But ultimately, we must choose. Many people are waiting for God to change their lives while refusing to make the choices that lead to change. Right? And that's so real.

SPEAKER_05 2:56

That's real.

SPEAKER_01 2:57

Um, you know, so we want healing, but we don't want to forgive. We want freedom, but don't want to surrender. We want peace, but continue carrying burdens God never intended for us to carry. Everything is a choice.

SPEAKER_07 3:14

Everything is a choice.

SPEAKER_01 3:17

And the scripture foundation that we're gonna read from today is Psalms 139, 23 through 24. And it says, Search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my anxieties, and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way, in the way everlasting.

SPEAKER_07 3:41

You know what's crazy about the Shars is you know, as I mentioned at the top, God has really been dealing with this subject on us all month. Yes, he has today's message from one of the associate pastors at our church today, and our subject in church has been called It's a Lot, right? But the title of it was He Has Everything I Need.

SPEAKER_00 4:03

He has everything.

SPEAKER_07 4:05

Yes, He has everything I need. It's a and it goes with everything's a choice, you know.

SPEAKER_03 4:12

Everything's a choice, you're right.

SPEAKER_07 4:14

And that it has blew me away today thinking about going into this podcast because God has everything we need, and we can choose to lay things at his feet and trust him and give it to him from the get-go, or we can continue to try to wrestle with things for ourselves and go through hardships over and over again. You know, this is one of the most vulnerable prayers in scripture that Shars was just reading there, that Psalms 139. I love that. It's one of my favorites because that's one on a daily basis that I ask God to do for me to search my heart. You know, my good friend Seth, I remember some months ago we start talking about the power of the scripture. And it's one that's for some folks, it's hard to open up to that vulnerability with God at first because they're like, God, I don't want you to see everything that I think. But what you don't realize is God already sees everything you think. You can't hide nothing from God, you know. So it should be your desire. God, search my heart.

SPEAKER_03 5:23

Right.

SPEAKER_07 5:23

You know, I want you to go through and make sure that everything in me, that all my ways are right. God, take anything out of me that's not right, you know. And David is essentially saying, God, expose anything inside me that is preventing me from becoming who you created me to be. That's right. Most people want God to change their circumstances. David asked God to change him. Pastor Mike said this a few weeks ago. Lord, fix me so I can fix it. You know what I'm saying? Fix my heart, God.

SPEAKER_04 6:02

That's right.

SPEAKER_07 6:03

Fix me, fix the things in me that's messed up. Help me change my heart, surrender my heart. This is what true surrender is about. That takes surrender to do this. You know what I'm saying?

SPEAKER_01 6:17

It really does. And you know, and this whole thing, you know, it's about everything is a choice, and what you're saying is so real. Um, you know, God has been definitely dealing with me on the heart, you know, it's it's the heart, it's the heart, you know, and if your heart isn't right, how can you how can you um you know truly believe in what God is gonna do for you? And I know the scripture God has been just being really putting on my heart is Mark 11, 22 through 24. And it says, then Jesus said to the disciples, have faith in God, tell you the truth. You can say to this mountain, may you be lifted up, thrown into the sea, and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen, and have no doubt in your heart. I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that, you'll receive it that it will be yours, you know, and I think that's so real because we often and times we um we ask God, do this for me, Lord. God, I'm believing for this, God, you know, I want this or whatever, but I'm still dealing with an ex or I'm still dealing with one of my coworkers I can't get along with, right? And that already tells you your heart isn't right, right? And so God wants He wants all of you, not just, you know, when we surrender, we're gonna get into surrendering, is lay it all at His feet. There is so much more when you just give it all to God and just lay it at His feet. We limit ourselves. That's something we were talking about earlier. It's like we limit ourselves when we just say, Oh God, I want this new job, God, I need a raise, God, I need a new car. Oh Lord, I need you to pay this bill or work out this this circumstance for me, right? But uh in my heart, I don't really truly believe that he's fully gonna come through for me, right? All I can see is everybody else around me is getting blessed. Everybody else around me is getting elevated. Everybody else around me is has a better relationship with God than I do. That's all we can see because those are the distractions that the enemy has in our in our uh our our way, right? That stumbles us to get us closer to God. So it's so important, you guys. Just our biggest thorn in us is our heart, our heart posture, our our str you know, that's holding us because it is so real and it's scary that it's so simple, you know what I mean? Like it's just the heart and the surrender piece of it. But um, but um, you know, I don't know. I just I really want you guys to really think about that of the heart of any situation that you're going through. It could be with your kids, it could be with your spouse, it could be with your job, it could be your health concerns, you know. God, I need healing. I just read in the word that you can move mountains. If God can do that, he can heal you, but you gotta believe that he's gonna do it. He's already surrendered that on the cross for us. So if he's already done that, it's an easy choice. Amen. Right? Amen. Sure. All right, I like that. All right, so now, like I said, we're gonna talk about surrender. So, surrender is a choice. So the word often sees surrender as weakness, right? Most of us look at that. Oh, if I do this, I'm gonna look weak. The kingdom sees surrender as strength. Let's define a surrender choice, right?

SPEAKER_07 10:25

What's that?

SPEAKER_01 10:25

A surrender choice, a surrender choice. What's that mean? Hey, I'm about to break it down. So it says a surrender choice is a decision made during a moment of brokenness that allows Jesus Christ to establish a new foundation, bringing healing, restoration, and purpose. So many of us first met Jesus during a season of pain. Would you guys say a broken relationship, disappointments, failures, rejection, and loss. Yet those broken places often become the doorway to our greatest transformation.

SPEAKER_07 11:05

Amen to that.

SPEAKER_01 11:06

Amen. So give you some scripture on that. Proverbs 3, 5, and 6 says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart. There goes that heart again, y'all. And lean not on your own understanding, but in all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths. This is just that simple. But like I said, it it says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart. And it's important for us to make sure when we're reading scripture, we're not just ad-libbing and doing stuff, reading it based off what we used to hear growing up in church, or my mom read it to me this way. No, you got you got to go to the word for what it is and read it. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, not partial, not a little bit, not just a little piece, but all of your heart.

SPEAKER_07 11:56

Amen. Amen. I like that a lot. The question is am I trusting God? Or am I trying to control everything myself? That question we should process before every major decision, you know. And this is something I say to all the folks out there, no matter what level you are on in your life, what type of relationship you're dealing with, whether it's personal or um or work-related, you know, you need to be thinking about marriage, relationships, parenting, career decisions, all that stuff. You know, um, the question should this is a this question you should process before every decision.

SPEAKER_03 12:40

Amen.

SPEAKER_07 12:40

You know, ministry opportunities, financial decisions. Um, that first question should be Am I allowing God to fight this battle? Or am I trying to fight it myself? And I had a situation like this not long ago where I was in a place of super frustration at work. Yeah, and I remember the day I called my wife. This moment of surrender came into my mind where I where you know it was around like a financial situation and a raise that I was waiting for. Yeah, and I remember feeling frustrated because of the way that it came back, right? And I was like, hmm, but God immediately did something in my mind. And in the past, I would get really upset, real frustrated, start feeling entitled. But I felt this calmness come across my heart. The Holy Spirit came to me and said, Don't even worry about that. I got you. I'm fighting your battle. He shifted my mind in the moment because the enemy tried to shift my mind to negative, but God shifted my mind to a positive place and said, I got you. And I remember calling my wife, and I said, You know, honey, I said, It's coming back, the race, and it looks like this. But I said, you know what? It's not a big deal. I said, I don't even really care about it. I said, it's just money. I said, God is gonna take care of everything we need, and that's something He just gave me. That was like my blessing in the moment. That was my real blessing in that moment, not the money, but it was the fact that God gave me a surrendered heart in that moment with that decision. I was able to completely give that to him in his and to him at his feet. I wasn't holding that no more.

SPEAKER_00 14:39

Amen.

SPEAKER_07 14:39

You know, I let that go. That's so good, and that is what we all should be seeking is to surrender all things to the Lord and not hold it, because it just puts you in a place where you're always stuck, always seeking something, never happy.

SPEAKER_03 14:55

Right.

SPEAKER_07 14:56

You know, so I I just wanted to share that little story, you know, because it really freed me in that moment. I feel like the chains were ripped off in that moment.

SPEAKER_01 15:03

Oh, yeah. And I remember that phone call, you know, you're you were at a totally different mindset, and your your posture was completely different from in the past, right? Because we could, you know, you get news like that of it's an expectation, right? This is what I'm going to receive. But God's like, if you just trust me, right? Trust me. Good and faithful servant, as you are, like, trust me, and I will I will fight your battle for you. I'm already in the fight, and you don't even know what's going on right now. But we we insert ourselves in trying to be God sometimes. And like I said, we limit ourselves from our own blessings. And God is like He makes us do it over again, so we learn, you know, we try to figure out why I'm in that cycle. But I thank God that day because babe, you like literally, you that was a breakthrough moment, and like you said, that was the blessing in the moment that that was the the breakthrough, you know what I mean? The restoration that was the transformation, like your heart posture was so right in that, and it was so beautiful because not only were you in a good space, but your wife, I was in a peaceful place. I was like, babe, God got us because God is just doing some amazing things in our life, and I I I can't wait to tell our testimony here in the next six months of this whole year. Like we have been writing down things, and we're just in June, end of June, you know, and it it's wild to me, you know. I'm saying just the things God has expeditiously done in our lives in such a quick time. But the amazing thing, I wanted to speak on this when you were talking about um your posture, because um, one thing today in the message he was talking about the proximity of having a relationship with God, you know, like what's your daily relationship look like? Yes, you know, does it are you just only going to God when you need something? Or do you spend time with Him daily? Yeah, because that's where that heart changes, right? Because now I am prioritizing God every single day. Yeah, I wake up and say, God, thank you for waking up, waking me up, waking up my family, amen. Right? Getting me to work, God, fighting my battles at work when I know people are being irritable or being annoying or whatever, and you're just like, God, you got this. Thank you for the favor that I'm gonna receive today. Yeah, I've even started my day, but I'm walking in expectation because I know who my father is. Amen. Right? I know my identity in Christ. I know like my heart is set upon you. I don't sit there and stress about stuff at work because when I get there, it's already taken care of. It's done. It's not a frustrated, it's not all those things. It's like God just steps in place where I'm before I was stepping in place, right? Now God is doing that. So that proximity of that peace, you know, is so beautiful. So that is another reason, you know, for the listeners is your heart just has to be right. You have to have a relationship with God every single day. Set aside time for Him. I think we've talked about that. Like put it up, put time on your calendar, yeah, because it's so important to prioritize that.

SPEAKER_07 18:42

And that feeds and that feeds to the other point of pursuit.

SPEAKER_01 18:46

Yes.

SPEAKER_07 18:46

Because, like Shars was just saying, we have to we have to pursue God, we have to have a pursuit of God, because you have proximity. If you want proximity to God, you have to pursue God because a lot of times we are waiting on God to come to us and fix our problems. Something the pastor said today, right? But we need to bring our problems to the feet of Christ, to the throne of Christ, to his feet. You know, God's gonna sit there and wait until you surrender, right? You know what I'm saying? Yeah, and bring it to him and give it to him in fullness.

SPEAKER_05 19:20

Yep.

SPEAKER_07 19:21

You know, God is not gonna come to you and fix your problem for you, you have to bring it to him.

SPEAKER_03 19:26

That's right.

SPEAKER_07 19:27

That was a key thing today for me. You know, pursuit, the important of pursuit and the discipline, and just validating what Shars just said. When you pursue God, you are pursuing time with him daily. You desire that is your desire.

SPEAKER_01 19:44

That's right.

SPEAKER_07 19:45

That's right. Amen.

SPEAKER_01 19:46

So good. All right, so our second point is pain can influence our choices. Interesting, right? Yeah, so the world often calls it trauma. Scripture often refers to it as wounds, burdens, strongholds, or anxieties. Pain has a way of influencing future decisions. A person betrayed may struggle to trust, a person rejected may struggle to love. A person abandoned may struggle to surrender. Wow, that's that's really good right there. Um, I'm gonna read that again. A person abandoned may struggle to surrender. So if you're hand you're feeling abandonment, ask God to help you in your heart, you know, help me in my full surrender, God. I don't want to feel abandoned, I want to feel loved, I want to feel comforted by you, God, and God will show up, okay? You know, it's so real, and it just wow, you know, that just hit me. But go ahead.

SPEAKER_07 20:58

I've been encouraging a friend that is dealing with a situation right now. He has a medical issue, and it's a one of those life-threatening medical conditions, and he knows God, but he's been struggling with why did you let this happen to me, God?

SPEAKER_04 21:16

Yeah, right.

SPEAKER_07 21:17

And it's been really hard on him because sometimes we get in places where we're like, Why, why, God? I pray, I I I I I fast, God, I go to church on Sundays, right? You know, why is these things happening to me? Right? Yep, God will always be with us to go through circumstances, and God never said that difficult things were not gonna happen to good people. That's the truth. But when they do happen, that's when, like the Hebrew boys who were in the furnace, yeah, right, they said, God, everything you have done for me, God, I thank. You and if you don't do anything else, everything that you have done for me that's right is enough. So I honor you, God, I will stand for you no matter what. No matter we have to have that mindset that no matter what our circumstances are, what we're going through, that we choose to say, God, I surrender it to you and I trust you through it. You know, and that's what I've been sharing with our friend who's struggling just to remind him that God is with you through everything you're going through. And you're gonna make it through this.

SPEAKER_03 22:32

Amen.

SPEAKER_07 22:33

Regardless of how you make it through it, God is gonna heal something, the most important thing in you that needs to be healed. And what he doesn't realize, that thing is his heart. It's not his physical body, it's his heart that God wants to heal first. Because that's what God wants.

SPEAKER_01 22:49

Yes, that's so good.

SPEAKER_07 22:51

Amen.

SPEAKER_01 22:52

And also the last um point I'm gonna say is the danger comes when past hurts start making present decisions.

SPEAKER_07 23:00

Yes, that's really good. That's that's powerful. It is, that's hard to stumble over.

SPEAKER_01 23:06

It's hard.

SPEAKER_07 23:07

Yeah, danger comes when past hurts start making present decisions. Well, that's holding on to old mess, old stuff, bringing old things into new seasons. You can't do that, you know. We gotta step into new seasons with a new mindset, a new heart, a new attitude, and leaving that old stuff behind. Gotta let it die. Yes. Yeah, praise God on that.

SPEAKER_01 23:30

Um so in Isaiah 55, 8 through 9, the scripture says, For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. That's pretty, that's pretty clear right there. Amen. God said, The way you're thinking, I don't think like that. I don't think that way. The way you do that, I definitely don't do it like that. When I show up, I show out. But the way you acting, you acting out. That's right. Right. So God, God is that's that's what I'm saying, you guys. You gotta read, read the word, digest it. I remember I used to just read the word and just read it.

SPEAKER_07 24:11

Yes, right?

SPEAKER_01 24:12

Be like, oh, I read my word today. Yeah, what did that do for me? I wasn't even reading it, right? And like now it's like, you know, when you read it, the word is living. Yeah, it is, you know what I'm saying? So when you read, for my thoughts are not your thoughts. This is God, this is God speaking. It's in red. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways.

SPEAKER_07 24:34

Amen.

SPEAKER_01 24:35

So if I'm thinking my way is good, God's like, baby girl, I got something even better. Like, that's your expectation, okay? If that's who you're you're imagining that's who your husband is gonna be, I'm sorry. Your expectations are low. You better speak everything that you want in your husband. That's right. And I mean, like, for the ladies, the single ladies that are listening, like, write it down, write it down. You know, if it's uh your husband, your friend, your job, your expectations just out of life, your kids being surrendered to God fully, like whatever that is, write it down because our thoughts are not our thoughts, and our ways are not God's ways, yeah. And God has so much more for us, you guys, and yeah, that's just what he that's what he wants.

SPEAKER_07 25:28

And put it into perspective.

SPEAKER_01 25:30

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_07 25:30

What if our ways were his ways? Could you imagine what that would look like? So I thank God that his thoughts are not our thoughts. You know what I'm saying? That we're seeking his thoughts. You know, we need him. Right. We're trying to be like him. I thank God he's nothing like us. You know what I'm saying? I really do because we have issues.

SPEAKER_03 25:58

Right. God's problematic. Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_07 26:01

He's perfect.

SPEAKER_03 26:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 26:02

You know, he is a perfect being. So I thank God for that. I thank God for that.

SPEAKER_03 26:06

That's so good.

SPEAKER_07 26:07

God makes us raise our expectations.

SPEAKER_03 26:10

Hallelujah.

SPEAKER_07 26:11

Every day. You know, many times we deny our destiny because we reject the very thing that God is using to heal us. You know, past hurts can make us run from healthy relationships. Past failures can make us avoid new opportunities. Been there before. Past disappointments can make us doubt God's promises. This is why we need to read God's promises every day.

SPEAKER_00 26:37

Amen.

SPEAKER_07 26:39

The enemy wants us making decisions from wounds. Really let that sink in. He wants you making decisions from wounds, from hurt places, from broken places. That's a bad place to be. That is the worst place to make decisions. This is why every day we need God's healing to heal our wounds.

SPEAKER_01 27:00

That's right. What does God want from us, Eric?

SPEAKER_07 27:04

God wants from us making decisions from faith. You know, from faith. And faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things seen.

SPEAKER_01 27:17

You know, love that. Wow. That is so wow. That's really good. I was just letting that sink in a little bit because I love that you said the enemy wants us making decisions for wounds. How many of us have wounds? All of us, all of us in some capacity, something that could have happened to us as a child, or in a broken relationship, from a parent to a child relationship, seeking approval, you know, all these things, right? If it's something on work, trying to be successful, but everybody else around you is getting promoted and you're not, um, that's a wound. Yes. You know what I mean? Or your kids don't respect you, but they respect everybody else, that's a wound, right? Like just really think about that. You know, when God says, My thoughts are not your thoughts, you know, my ways are not your ways. And these two lines here of perspective is the enemy wants us making decisions from wounds. God wants us making decisions from faith. Have faith. Wow, that was really good. That just hit me. I just really, even though it's like you know that, but when you really think about it, yeah, yeah, you know, you have those bad decisions. Oh, that's not coming from God because God is love, yeah. You know, the enemy will keep you distracted, you know, and it it's it's wild, like to make you make a horrible decision based off of a wound.

SPEAKER_07 28:52

Yes, and those wounds, something that Pastor said today that I thought that really set with me and Shars both is when you do have a bunch of wounds and are unhealed and you stay in them a long time, they start putting you in a place of distance with God. Yes, distance from God. That's right, you know, and when you have distance from God, there are some things that happen. You know, you become distracted, you start caring about what other people say, you start caring about what other people are doing, what others think about you, whether you're being accepted, whether you're being recognized, things that are completely out of your control. Yeah, you know, this is why spiritual focus and pursuit are so important. We must remain focused so you can recognize where God is taking you, you know, it's really important, you know. So I just I just want to share that.

SPEAKER_01 29:54

I love that. Thank you for sharing that. So God, Jesus, you know, Jesus wants us complete, completely healed, right? So one of the biggest lies believers accept is partial healing. Jesus never came to make us partially whole, He came to make us what?

SPEAKER_07 30:19

Fully whole.

SPEAKER_01 30:21

Fully whole. And that's you know that thing I was talking about with the heart. Like you have to believe in your heart fully.

SPEAKER_07 30:29

Fully.

SPEAKER_01 30:29

Not partially, God's gonna heal me. Oh, I have cancer. Okay, you know, the doctor told me this, and he's certified, and he has his degree, and he went to Yale and wherever credentials he has, right? Okay, but my God is Jehovah Rapha. Yes the God that heals, the God that heals, and you have to make a stance that is fully believing in your heart, not partially believing what God can do. Do you want partial blessings from God, or do you want full blessings from God? I know I'm fully walking in. I want I want it all of it that God has because that's a promise He has already written before I was even born. Amen to that. So I just I really want you guys to hear this. I just this has been on our minds, on our in our spirits, you know, about that full heart transformation. Some of us need that. Yeah, we need to take a full heart surgery and lay down, be still, and let God work and let him do what he do so we can be fully whole. Amen. So in scripture, John 10 and 10, it says, I have come that you may have life, and that you may have it more abundantly, abundantly, not partially, not maybe just a little bit, you know, but more abundantly. Who wants more abundance in their life? I know I do, and I already know I got it because I walk on that on a daily basis.

SPEAKER_07 32:10

It's kind of like uh put yourself in a situation. If you was having a surgery, would you want the surgeon to do partial of the surgery or do all of it? Do you want to be partially healed? Exactly, or do you want to be fully healed? You know, and that's how we walk around sometimes. We walk around partially healed because we have not accepted the full healing.

SPEAKER_01 32:38

Amen.

SPEAKER_07 32:39

You know, because we're walking around wounded, and and wounded and holding on to something we have no control over. It needs to be surrendered to the Lord.

SPEAKER_01 32:50

Amen. To that. I love that.

SPEAKER_07 32:54

Psalms 23 and 3. He restores my soul. He restores my soul. Only God can restore, only Christ can restore your soul.

SPEAKER_01 33:06

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_07 33:06

You gotta surrender, though. Uh notice that the scripture says he restores our soul, not part of it, not a percentage of it, all of it. All of it. Many believers remain stuck because they have accepted what this word is. What is it, Shars? Survival. Survival. When Jesus is offering restoration. You know, we need revival in our life. You know, the word revival has become so important to me because it's Jesus Christ who can revive your soul.

SPEAKER_03 33:44

Amen.

SPEAKER_07 33:45

We need a daily revival of the Holy Spirit because that is the thing that transforms our heart and changes our heart. You know, anything we continue to carry after Jesus have has invited us to surrender, it becomes a choice.

SPEAKER_06 34:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 34:03

And this is why everything is a choice. This is the pinnacle of what we're talking about today. Freedom is a choice. Forgiveness is a choice.

SPEAKER_04 34:15

Speak on it.

SPEAKER_07 34:16

You hear that? Forgiveness is a choice. You choosing to forgive somebody, yes, you choosing to hold on to pain, suffering, hurt, what somebody did to you is a choice. Healing is a choice. You know, healing on the inside, healing in your mind.

SPEAKER_04 34:34

Yep.

SPEAKER_07 34:35

You know, all healing is a choice. Trust is a choice. Healing from being abused. You know, we talk about this one all the time because clinically, in my world of psychology in the world, we talk about people, and I and I never want to disrespect anybody going through treatment or anything, but there is a place, there are things that God can heal in you. God can heal anything in you. There is nothing that he can if you surrender it to him.

SPEAKER_03 35:06

That's right.

SPEAKER_07 35:07

You know, and that's what I'll say about that. Trust. When someone's broken your choice, trust.

SPEAKER_03 35:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 35:13

Many of us have been in that place where we've had our trust broken.

SPEAKER_06 35:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 35:17

But God can give you forgiveness in your heart so that you can trust again. Surrender is a choice. And I'm just gonna leave that with you because it's so important. Remember that. Think about that this week. How much surrender is a choice. I want to surrender everything, God. I don't want no chains holding me back.

SPEAKER_01 35:36

That's right. That's right. So as we were doing this, um, preparing for this, you know, God gave me an illustration of a bird with a clipped wing. And I want you, I'm gonna take you through this. So imagine a bird with a clipped wing. It can't move, it can't survive, it can't function, but it also cannot soar. So its potential is limited by its injury, right? So what does this bird need? This bird, it needs rehabilitation, consistency, movement, support, time. Does that sound familiar to you guys? That's exactly what Jesus does for us.

SPEAKER_07 36:29

Come on.

SPEAKER_01 36:30

Right. Yeah, wow. So me and Eric were talking, it was just like, you know, in this surrender, like, wow, you know, to God just gave me this vision of this bird with a clipped wing. And it's like this bird wasn't moving, you know, it was barely functioning, it couldn't get to where it needed to go because it was limited by its injury. And so, but in that, you know, it's it's our walk with Christ, you know. You need rehabilitation, you need people around you, you need consistency in your word every single day. You need to be moving, lifting when I say movement, it's walking in purpose, right? And surrendering your hands, lifting your hands straight up and just saying, God, I thank you. Thank you, God, I surrender to you, God, you are more than enough. Amen. And the support being, you know, in a small group, being, you know, listening to this podcast, praying consistently with a brother or sister that you trust, and time with God, right? Daily, daily, every single day. Spend time with God. I don't care if it's five minutes or five hours, whatever permits your day, whatever your day looks like. And I guarantee you that is gonna change your life forever.

SPEAKER_07 37:54

Yes, and it's and it's quiet time, right, baby? Yes, listening. Sometimes we can't talk a lot, yes, but it's quiet time listening, amen. And sometimes it's sitting there in silence, not saying a word, not asking God for anything, right? But just thanking God in your mind for everything that He's done for you, and everything that He will do for you.

SPEAKER_01 38:15

That's right. And we were talking about that because I said God kind of had He has me in a season right now where He's like, I need you just to listen, I need you to hear me. And that's where this clip bird, you know, came in. And I was just like, wow, God, God has just been giving me visions, and I'm just like, you know, when you can't understand something, but God is purposely putting me in position to where I need to be. And this is in this quiet place of hearing his voice.

SPEAKER_07 38:46

And I guarantee you, this vision is for somebody listening.

SPEAKER_01 38:49

Amen.

SPEAKER_07 38:50

Somebody's gonna hear this, and this is going to speak to their heart, you know, because it spoke to me when she shared it. And I said, Thank you, Holy Spirit.

SPEAKER_01 38:58

That's right. You know, and that came just straight from God. So I just I thank God for that, you know. So when you take those moments, that time with God, like He'll give you the answers, He will give you the vision. I tell you that.

SPEAKER_07 39:13

Amen. Because many Christians live like clip winged birds. They love God, they attend church, they pray. Yeah, but unresolved wounds, you hear that? Unresolved wounds keep them from soaring into their God-given purpose, right?

SPEAKER_00 39:32

Wow, it does, yeah, it's true.

SPEAKER_07 39:37

It's Jesus that can begin the healing for you.

SPEAKER_00 39:41

Amen to that.

SPEAKER_07 39:42

We have to realize, like the pastor said today, Jesus is everything that I need. You have to realize that Jesus is everything I need, He is the only thing I need, you know. And when you realize that, strength returns, confidence returns, identity returns, everything eventually the wings are restored because God can heal all things. He is Jehovah Rapha, the healer. Yes, and he gives you time to heal, he gives you time to realize. That's where mercies and grace come into place, because that's what God is. Thank you, Lord. God can be nasty and destroy everybody that sins, but he gives us time through his mercies and his grace. That's beautiful, and because of that, now the bird can fly exactly as it was designed to, because it had the time.

SPEAKER_01 40:39

Amen.

SPEAKER_07 40:39

That's what restoration in Christ looks like.

SPEAKER_01 40:43

I receive all that.

SPEAKER_07 40:45

Amen.

SPEAKER_01 40:46

That's beautiful. Thank you, God.

SPEAKER_07 40:51

All right, so now we're gonna look at Jesus' model perfect surrender, and we're gonna look at Matthews 26 and 39. My father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as my will, but as your will. And this is Jesus in the garden of Ghessinome before his crucifixion, and he was talking to the father about what he was about to face in crucifixion. Yeah, you know, and he had this moment of people call it weakness, but it's a moment of humanness. We're like, Father, take this cup, but then he says, No, Father, not my will, your will, because I do this for your glory. Yes, and that's the mindset we have to have when we're going through things, we're doing it for God's glory. You know, everything that we go through is for God's glory because I know it hurts. Yeah, you know, we watched this movie called The Shift recently, and it was about a person going through massive suffering.

SPEAKER_00 42:00

The story of Job.

SPEAKER_07 42:01

The story of Job, yeah. It was like the story of Job in a modern day time. But God will always be with you through your suffering. That's something he promises you. His scripture says that. Yes, he does. You know, Jesus knew the suffering ahead, he knew the pain, he knew the cost, yet he still chose obedience. Will you choose obedience? The cross was not forced upon Jesus, it was embraced through surrender. Jesus could have called angels because he has the power of the Father. He could have called all the angels from heaven to some come get me off this cross, but he chose not to because it was for the purpose and glory of the Father in heaven. Philippians 2, 5 and 11. He humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on the cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor. That right there is what surrender looks like. And I want you to think about this. Anytime you surrender to God, because going back to my story earlier, yeah, when I surrendered in the moment, ha ha ha. When I surrendered, what happened was God was already working on my behalf.

SPEAKER_04 43:28

He sure was.

SPEAKER_07 43:29

And everything that I would have been mad about, or was mad about, or would have been mad about if I didn't surrender, right? Huh. What God did was He blessed me even more than I thought I was gonna get blessed. Yeah, what I thought was happening didn't even happen because God fixed it on His own.

SPEAKER_01 43:49

Yes, and He interceded on your behalf.

SPEAKER_07 43:53

Organization came back to me and said, Oh no, it's all good, you're getting. What you're supposed to get. So I just want you just to remember how important it is to surrender to God.

SPEAKER_03 44:10

Amen.

SPEAKER_07 44:11

Surrender all situations because the enemy will always play with your mind.

SPEAKER_00 44:15

That was a test.

SPEAKER_07 44:17

And play with you because they are tests.

SPEAKER_00 44:19

Tests and trials.

SPEAKER_07 44:20

When hard things happen in your life, surrender them to God and say, Lord, I trust you through this trial.

SPEAKER_01 44:29

That's right.

SPEAKER_07 44:30

Because I know when you bless me through it, he just takes care of the rest. All your glory.

SPEAKER_01 44:37

And that's just the beginning.

SPEAKER_07 44:38

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 44:40

That's so good. Thank you for sharing that. So also, you know, notice the pattern. Surrender came first. Exaltation came second. Obedience came first. Promotion came second. Trust came first. Victory. Victory came second. The kingdom often works that way.

SPEAKER_07 45:02

Yes, it does. That's beautiful.

SPEAKER_01 45:04

So really think about the pattern, you guys. Like, wow. We always say we want to be more like Christ. Well, He's given us the example, right? So we have to fully walk in that. Fully walk in the surrender. If you want, you know, you have to be, you have to surrender. You have to be obedient. You have to trust. And all the things that we want and desire, those just come. They come naturally. It just it's just like a boom. It's like next step. Like, do this, you get this. Amen. You do that, God's gonna provide for that. You do you trust me, I'm gonna come through. But if you don't even trust me, that I'm gonna make it all good. Like, what we doing? We're just gonna play the game of back and forth, I guess. Pass the ball back and forth, because that's what that's the game that we're playing with our lives. And sometimes we can do that in our relationships, right? We don't surrender in our relationships. You hurt me. You said those words to me. Yep, you abused me. You know, we can do those things, but surrender it to God. Give it to God. We don't we can't fix us as humans, we can't fix all these situations, right? But we know we can go to God in our relationships, in our marriages, the the married couples that are listening, surrender it. Yes, be obedient. If God says forgive him, forgive her, do it. Yes. Because if you forgive and if you're a being ob if God says forgive your spouse for this, this, and that or the other, and you're like, that's not in my heart to get to forgive them. That's right. Okay, just understand that the promotion can't come in your relationship, right? So if you take that on a marriage level, because this is a marriage podcast, you know, and family podcast, I want you to understand that the relationship with God, and then also look at your your personal relationship with your spouse. Yeah, is so important, right? If you can't trust them, how are you gonna have victory in your relationship? Amen. You know, so you can kind of do the same thing with your relationship with God, also in your relationship with your spouse, amen.

SPEAKER_07 47:34

And for all my single people out there listening to this podcast, also relate what Shars just said to your life, to your life, yeah. It works in all situations, everything that's right beautifully. I love it, Shores.

SPEAKER_01 47:50

Yes, okay, so we're gonna go over some reflection questions. So take a moment and ask yourself, what am I holding on to that Jesus has asked me to surrender? We all know that God has asked us to surrender something, it could be smoking, it could be marijuana, it could be drugs, it could be negative attitudes, like Eric's saying, it could be, you know, the addiction of going to church and not even, you know, seeing God and the presence that He has for us. So just remember, just surrender those things to God. The other question is am I making decisions from faith or from fear? Have I accepted partial healing when Jesus is offering complete healing? Right? Um, what relationship opportunities, what relationship opportunity or calling have I resisted because of past hurts? Am I allowing God to fight my battles or am I still trying to control the outcome? I know I've done that before.

SPEAKER_07 49:12

Yes. So here's some review, you know, some things we want you to think about. So, number one, everything is a choice. We choose faith or fear, we choose trust or control, we choose surrender or resistance. Number two, surrender is strength. Surrender is not giving up. Surrender is giving God access.

SPEAKER_04 49:40

That's good.

SPEAKER_07 49:41

Number three, pain should not lead our decisions. God wants healed choices, not wounded reactions. Number four, Jesus offers complete restoration. Jesus did not come to partially heal us, He came to make us whole. And number five, Jesus modeled surrender. Not my will, but yours be done. That is the model for every believer.

SPEAKER_01 50:14

That's really good. Love those. Thank you. So we always got some homework for y'all. Y'all love that. So this week, spend time with God and complete the following, okay? So read Psalms 139, 23, and 24, and ask God to reveal areas where you are still holding on to control. So that's your first day, okay? And then on your second day, read Proverbs 3, 5 through 6. Journal about the one area where God is asking you to trust Him more deeply. Day 3. Read Isaiah 55, 8 through 9. Write down ways God's God's plan differed from your expectations, but ultimately worked for your good. Right? Day four, read Matthews 26 and 39. Reflect on what surrender costs Jesus and what surrendered may require from you. And then on day five, read Philippians 2, 5, and 11. Study the connection between humility, obedience, and God's promotion. Day six, identify one burden, wound, offense, or fear you have been carrying. Surrender it to Jesus in prayer. And on your last day, write on day seven a declaration beginning with, Today I choose. Fill the page with choices that align with God's word. So one thing we were challenging you guys, right, was to spend time with God. So I would love, love to hear in the comments who is all gonna do this challenge, you know, the day one through seven. Comment, um, challenge accepted in the comments below. I think that would be great. So we can stand and believe with you as you're going through your week um through these daily challenges. But we want to make sure that you guys have a good foundation starting off this week to spend time with God. And we'll put this in the in the notes of the um podcast, of the podcast notes in the um area so you guys can view that in the description. So um definitely say that challenge, accept it.

SPEAKER_07 52:43

And also remember why we give you homework. Yes, we give you homework because you know, and you may not realize it. We're trying to help you build in that intimate time with God throughout the week. Yeah, each one of these things can represent spending intimate time with God as you focus on these things, yeah. You know, so just keep that in mind. Yeah, and the way we would like to end all of our podcasts is important to us because you know, not all you may have a relationship with Christ. So we always give the invitation of salvation, God, because it's so important. I thank God for the invitation. Yes, you know. So before we close, we want to speak to anyone listening who may not know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. If that's you, listen up right now. Maybe you've been carrying pain, maybe you've been carrying disappointment, maybe you've been trying to fix everything yourself. Jesus is inviting you to surrender right now. Not because he wants something from you, but because he wants something for you. The greatest choice you will ever make is choosing Jesus Christ. If you would like to receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, pray this prayer with us right now. Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. I believe you died on the cross for my sins.

unknown 54:18

Yes, God. Amen.

SPEAKER_07 54:20

I believe you rose again on the third day. And today I surrender my life to you. Forgive my sins. Thank you, God. Wash my sins, clean me up, God. Thank you, God. Restore what has been broken. Yes, fill me with your Holy Spirit, teach me to follow you, God. I place my faith and trust in you alone, God. You are Lord, you are my Savior. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Amen. And if you pray this mighty, powerful prayer, welcome to the family. God is with you, and he loves you.

SPEAKER_00 55:06

Yes, he does.

SPEAKER_07 55:07

And if you ever have any questions about the decision or you need discipleship, Eric, I mean, Shharis and I, I said Eric, Shharis and I are here to support you in your journey.

SPEAKER_04 55:22

That's right.

SPEAKER_07 55:23

So please feel free to reach out to us. We're glad to connect with you for discipleship, supporting you through your journey.

SPEAKER_01 55:31

Amen.

SPEAKER_07 55:31

And may God bless you for the choice that you just made. Amen.

SPEAKER_01 55:34

Welcome to the family. So we're gonna close out in prayer, but this just has been a great podcast, and we just really appreciate you guys listening and supporting us. But definitely, like I said, in those comments, please. I think I said challenge accept it, but I I want you to type I choose. I choose. Okay, do that because I think God wants our hearts, He wants us fully transformed to be able to have a uh purpose-driven life for Him.

SPEAKER_07 56:08

I choose this challenge.

SPEAKER_01 56:09

I choose, yep. So type I choose. Okay, so Father God, in the name of Jesus, Lord, we just thank you for reminding us that every day we have a choice. We choose joy, we choose faith, we choose love, and we choose surrender. Help us recognize the areas where we are still trying to control outcomes that belong to you. Heal our every wounded place, restore every clipped wing, strengthen every weary heart, God. Give us courage to trust you fully and follow wherever you leave, God. We will follow you. Thank you. May our lives reflect the example of Jesus who chose obedience even when it was difficult. Yes. Thank you for your grace, thank you for your restoration, thank you for your unfailing love. We surrender everything into your hands in Jesus' mighty name. We pray.

SPEAKER_07 57:09

Amen. Amen. And we want to leave this podcast with an encouragement for you because we love you. I want you to remember Jesus already chose the cross for you.

SPEAKER_03 57:22

Amen.

SPEAKER_07 57:23

All right, Jesus already chose to love you, Jesus already chose to restore you. Now the question is: what are you choosing today? So thank you for joining us on Anchored in Grace today. We love you. And we want to leave you because we love this tag, because this is our tagline.

SPEAKER_01 57:52

That's right.

SPEAKER_07 57:53

So the one who anchors you in grace is holding you in his love and his peace. Praise God. Thank you for being here.

SPEAKER_01 58:04

That's right.

SPEAKER_07 58:04

Have a blessed week.

SPEAKER_01 58:06

Blessed week. And don't forget to say, I choose.

SPEAKER_02 58:09

I choose to.