From my brain of a dictionary, I cannot find the words to express the deepest of times and experiences I’ve had here since Summer of Service officially started (June 1). We interns have been so engaged in the duties of our departments and the fellowship with each of the students, that I have yet to sit down to update you all on what has been going on in my life.
Currently we have 17 SOS students with more coming this weekend and next week. With each new student, for me, it has become more and more difficult to develop deep personal relationships with each individual. But with the fact that the majority of the kids are staying here long term, there is no pressure with the constraint of time. Earlier this week, I was surveying the arrival and departure list and already I feel like people are leaving too soon. Time is certainly going to fly super fast this summer and there is definitely the urgency of cherishing every moment and experience being here.
So many things have happened that its hard to recall what has occurred. Which is why I have been updating my Instagram everyday with captions telling of my day or what the Lord has been teaching me. However, generally, I know that the Lord has been teaching me what seems to be a lot of little things- leading up to the big theme of surrender.
Why is the concept of full surrender such a hard concept for us to grasp? We know that the advantage of a full surrender to the One who knows everything about us, everything about the past, present, and future, the One who is the creator of the entire universe… this a no brainer. Who wouldn’t you trust more than the One who knows all things? It make sense, but the concept of pouring all of us before the Lord, the vulnerability, seems deathly terrifying.
“For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time for my departure is near.”
2 Timothy 4:6
Being poured out requires us to hold nothing back with no hesitation. There is no way we can pour ourselves out and put the liquid back in the jar. Everyday we are pouring new things into our lives, making it a part of us, and everyday we need to look at our lives and make a purposeful decision to pour out our lives before Him giving Him the opportunity to do with us what He wants.
Surrender is more than saying to the Lord, “Okay Lord, today I surrender to you.” Surrendering to the Lord is a moment by moment, thought by thought, giving to the Lord every aspect of our lives. We can do this by being in constant communication with Him. I learned this at the end of last month, and it has been good to be reminded once again to be in constant communication with Him.
Prayer Requests:
- Focus on the Lord and attentiveness to hearing His voice throughout the day
- Safety for the students working with tools and the weather making the steps wet
- Reminder to surrender everything to the Lord moment by moment and not just once for the day
Hey Kris Gurl 
Praying for you! And thanks for writing about surrender – you’re right, it’s not a one time thing or even a once a day thing – it’s in every thought and every situation that comes up. Sometimes I get to the end of the day and think, what happened? It’s definitely an underdeveloped muscle for me 🙂