Surrender Is Your Only Path to Peace (Surrender Principle #6)

Surrender Is Your Only Path to Peace (Surrender Principle #6)

by | May 18, 2026 | Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus, The Surrendered Life

Happy Monday friends!
 
Welcome to our new Happy Monday friends from the Women’s Weekend at Sandy Cove Ministries in Maryland. Ladies, we had an amazing weekend! I’m so glad that you’re here, and I look forward to staying connected with you.
Today is the finale of our series called “The Surrendered Life.” For the past six weeks, we’ve leaned into the six Surrender Principles from my Surrendered Bible study. These six principles aren’t “to-dos” for us to follow in order to magically fix our situations. Rather, these guides equip us to trust God rather than take matters into our hands.
 
Our final principle is Surrender Principle #6: Surrender is your only path to God's peace, power, and provision.
 
As women, we love hard. We devote our lives to caring others, and we willingly make tremendous sacrifices for the people and things we love. Even when we’re worn down to the bone, we keep showing up, and  we won't give up as long as we think someone who needs our help. This is what makes us amazing!
 
But there's a but…Our heart for others and our dedication to our loved ones can trip us up when it comes to recognizing when a situation is beyond our control or when our helping is hurting someone. When something isn't working, our mindset sounds like “Well, let me try something else” or “Let me reach out to them one more time.”
 
Does Surrender Feel Like You're Letting People Down?
We drag our feet toward surrender because of the fear that if we stop the swirl of running after people, showing up for every crisis, or trying to fill all the needs, something terrible will happen. We equate letting go of control with letting people down, and that’s not true. Yes, people may become upset if we’re not available to come to their rescue, but that doesn’t mean we’re letting them down. It just means that we stop letting their problems and crises control us. Have you ever thought about it like that?

“Whatever or whoever you attempt to control will eventually control you.”

                                                                                                          -Surrendered Bible Study
A Question for You…
Toward the end of the well-known movie, “The Help,” the villain, Miss Hilly, threatens Abilene with prison as well as exposing Abilene’s participation in a book to everyone in their town. Miss Hilly wants to push Abilene into submission and bend to Hilly’s will. One of the most powerful lines in the movie happens when Abilene steps into Miss Hilly’s personal space and calmly says, “Ain’t you tired, Miss Hilly? Ain’t you tired?”
Perhaps you’ve heard God whisper the same question to you…
Are you mentally worn out from trying to figure everything out on your own?
Are you tired of nagging people to act right when they clearly don’t want to?
Are you tired of sleepless nights where you can’t pray because you’re worrying too much?
 
If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, it's a good sign that you need to stop doing what you've been doing and surrender.
 
Without surrender, our hearts will become resentful and eventually hopeless. Instead of loving people well, our hearts become cynical or even bitter because either the person or situation doesn’t align with the picture in our head of how things should be. Yet when we give the situation over to God, the space where we plotted our attempts to fix it fills with God’s peace. This act of faith pulls us out of hopelessness, but only if we decide to do it.
 
Today’s verse is popular and perfect for our conversation today. As I reflected on surrender, I saw this verse in a new light. Check this out:
 
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need (to surrender!) , and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
 
Once we’ve done all we can in a situation, we need to tell God we surrender. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. God’s peace, power, and provision are waiting for us - but those blessings can’t move in if your heart and mind are filled to the brim with anxiety and stress. If you’d like to see more blessings, check out the bottom of today’s devotion for “The Blessings of the Surrendered Life” from my Surrendered Devotion.
 
What Do You Need to Surrender Today?
As we wrap, I don’t want you to start your week with any heaviness in your heart. Friend, can you take a moment and give what’s weighing you down to God? Let’s do this together. We’re going to review today’s verse again. This time, fill in the blank with your situation that you need to surrender to God today:
 
Don’t worry about _______________________; instead, pray about _____________________. Tell God what you need (to surrender)_______________________ , and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
 
I’D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU!  If you surrendered something, you can comment “surrender”. As we end this series, I’d love to hear any stories that you’d like to share about what you’ve given over to God and how surrender has blessed you.
BUY SURRENDERED STUDY
BUY SURRENDERED DEVO

Read the Entire Series: The Surrendered Life!

How to See God in Your Story | Interview with Laurie Polich Short 

How to See God in Your Story | Interview with Laurie Polich Short 

by | May 18, 2026 | Bold Brave & Beautiful Podcast

Have you ever looked back and questioned where was God during the hard or painful moments? Are you at the point in life where you’re looking for meaning in the things that you’ve gone through?

In this episode, Barb is joined by speaker and author Laurie Polich Short to talk about her book Tracking God in Your Life: How to See God’s Work in Your Past, Experience His Presence, and Trust Him with Your Future. Together, they explore how to recognize God’s fingerprints in your everyday life — even when you question whether He sees you. 

Listen in as Laurie shows us how every experience can become evidence of God’s presence. She also highlights how creating your own “pile of stones” can help you remember His faithfulness.

If you’ve ever struggled to see where God is at work in your life, this conversation will help you trace His footprints with confidence.

RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE

Connect with Laurie on Instagram

Connect with Laurie on Facebook

Tracking God in Your Life: How to See God’s Work in Your Past, Experience His Presence, and Trust Him with Your Future

Visit Laurie's Website

 

ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST

Laurie Polich Short is a popular speaker, author, and part of the teaching team at Oceanhills Covenant Church in Santa Barbara, California. A graduate of Fuller Theological Seminary, Laurie has spoken to more than a half million people at conferences, colleges, churches, and denominational events around the country, and she has been featured on PBS, Focus on the Family, RightNow Media, and more. 

Experience Life-Transforming Power of Prayer

Pray Like This Bible Study by Barb Roose

As a Christian, you know you’re supposed to pray. But do you ever find yourself wrestling with any of these questions related to prayer?

Do I have to pray the right way for God to answer my prayer?

Do I have to pray the right way for God to answer my prayer?

Am I still praying if I read pre-written prayers?

If you’ve pondered these questions or others about prayer, my Pray Like Bible Study is for you.

Even if you're a prayer warrior, Pray Like This sharpens your prayer focus and is a great resource for you to teach others about prayer.There's a reason why Jesus was passionate about prayer and I want to show you how!

Click Here
When Fear Makes You Want to Control Everything (Surrender Principle #5)

When Fear Makes You Want to Control Everything (Surrender Principle #5)

by | May 11, 2026 | Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus, The Surrendered Life

Happy Monday friends!
 
 We’re in a series titled “The Surrendered Life,” and if you’ve just joined us, this series equips you to let go of whatever you can’t control so you can experience God’s peace. I love hearing from Happy Monday readers because your notes inspire me! At the end of today’s devotion, I’m sharing real-life stories from Laurie H and Tanya M about last week's Surrender Principle #4 - thanks, ladies!
 
This week is Surrender Principle #5: When fear tempts me to flee, fix, or force my way, I will choose to stop and pray.
 
Let me begin here: Christians are fast to shame each other for admitting to anxiety or fear. Please know that God doesn’t love you less if you feel afraid at times or even much of the time. Some of us have nervous systems that are more sensitive to triggers or fear, but that doesn’t mean God loves you less. At the same time, God doesn't want you in bondage to anxiety or living on constant pins and needles waiting for something to go wrong. 
 
When we consider the Fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, etc.), the Holy Spirit's work to grow us in Christ also rewires your nervous system, making you less reactive to uncertainty and certain situations. Note: God may need to work through therapy, medication, and boundaries, so don't be afraid of those!
 
If we don't address our fears, they will take the driver's seat in our thinking and emotions, and we'll end up trying to fix or force solutions where God doesn't need our help. Chances are, you can think of a time when your fears prompted you to do or say something that you regretted later. When we leave fear in the driver's seat for too long, we may forget how to operate without fear telling us what to do and that doesn't bode well for our mental health or our relationships.
 
Do you need to ask God to move fear out of the driver's seat of your life? Do you need to learn more patience and to trust God more instead of jumping into situations ahead of Him? If so, I'm glad that you're here!
 
I’ve shared today’s verse many times before, but it never gets old as far as I'm concerned. Here it is:
 
For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. -2 Timothy 1:7 NLT
 
Fear flees when we’re in God’s presence. In God's presence, we're reminded that He is our safe place. When we're focused on God, fear flees, and we're renewed with strength and hope. The trick is to move toward God when we're afraid, not run from God.  Prayer signals your willingness to let God help you. Help God help you, dear friend!
 
My Story…
If you’ve read my Stronger Than Stress book, you know that the opening lines of the book tell an embarrassing story from my life:
 
“I didn’t realize that I’d thrown those dinner plates through the kitchen window until the sound of shattering glass snapped me back into reality.”
 
During our family’s addiction crisis, my former spouse arrived home intoxicated at 7am in the morning. Instead of leaving the situation to pause and pray, I tried to negotiate with someone who was unable to communicate rationally. The conversation went sideways and tumbled down a terrible path. My mind immediately jumped to every worst-case scenario about the loss of our life as we knew it. I lost it. Fear took control, and I grabbed the dish rack in front of me and launched it through the window. The crash was loud enough to interrupt the steady stream of poisonous thoughts that Fear was feeding me. As I stood around the porcelain carnage, I was embarrassed and overwhelmed.
 
But that day changed me. I told God that I never wanted fear to win again in my life. After Stronger Than Stress was released, one critic commented that I should never have been able to write a book because I did something so irresponsible. Telling that embarrassing story shows the starting point of God transforming my life. With God's help, the spirit of fear stopped controlling me, even though our family’s alcohol crisis would continue for several more years. Praise God!
 
The Choice is Yours!
We can do so much more in faith than in fear! Yet fear likes for us to believe that when something goes wrong, we’re supposed to fix it right now. Let's remember that fear is a liar. When something is going wrong, tell your fear, “God is here, so there’s nothing to fear!” Friends, let's anchor into God’s presence, and He will give us the wisdom if/when we’re to take action.
 
Here’s one powerful tool from my Winning the Worry Battle book that I’ve used and taught to tens of thousands of people that helps me to pause and pray, while calming my body’s nervous system at the same time:
I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU! If today's devotion resonated with you, comment and write “No Fear” and I'll know this devotion encouraged you. If you have a story to share about today's devotion, I'd love to hear it. 
BUY SURRENDERED STUDY

STORIES FROM HAPPY MONDAY READERS

 

Surrender Principle #4: Trusting God’s promises will bless me, but pushing my plans will stress me. Here’s Laurie’s story:
We live in Texas, and our son and his family live in Florida. It breaks my heart to be so far away from our granddaughter, who is about to turn two. At this time, my husband has no desire to move. I have surrendered this to the Lord, then take it back, look at real estate listings, even rental listings, so we might have a place there, making it easier to visit (they live in a small apartment, so we can’t stay with them).  I have not given up the dream, but remind myself of times in the past when the Lord’s timing was right. I have to practice surrender on an ongoing basis. For me, surrendering never seems to be a one-time thing.  -Laurie H.
Here’s Tanya's Surrender Principle #4 story:
I tend to want to rush ahead of God when I'm tired or afraid will go wrong. That's when I stop, get quiet, and take a breath so I can hear God and pray. then I pause and wait. If something happens and the situation gets harder, I listen, but at the same time I'm seeking God in order to stay at peace and look for where His power is working. I've learned to trust that the Lord work it out in His favor. -Tanya M.

Read the Entire Series: The Surrendered Life!

God, I’m Tired of Dieting | Interview with Brandice Lardner 

God, I’m Tired of Dieting | Interview with Brandice Lardner 

by | May 4, 2026 | Bold Brave & Beautiful Podcast

Have you ever felt stuck on the diet roller coaster, bouncing between restriction, failure, and shame?

In this episode, Barb is joined by personal trainer and nutrition coach Brandice Lardner, founder of Grace Filled Plate, to talk about food freedom, faith-based wellness, and breaking free from diet culture for good.

Brandice shares her personal journey through dieting and disordered eating, and how it led her to create a compassionate, grace-filled approach to health that meets women’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. They discuss why traditional diets fail, how all-or-nothing thinking keeps women stuck in cycles of restriction and shame, and what it looks like to build “fruitful habits” instead of chasing perfect eating.

If you’re tired of the diet roller coaster and ready for a sustainable, Christ-centered approach to healthy living, this conversation will give you practical tools — and real hope — for lasting change.

 

RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE

Connect with Brandice on Instagram

Connect with Brandice on Facebook

Fully Nourished: A Grace-Filled Approach to Ditch Diets and Find Peace with Food and Your Body

Visit Brandice's Website

 

ABOUT OUR SPECIAL GUEST

Brandice Lardner is a personal trainer, nutrition coach, and owner and author of Grace Filled Plate, which she founded in 2017. She has helped hundreds of women through one-on-one and group coaching programs, teaching them how to find food freedom by meeting their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. She’s appeared on numerous podcasts, including Do It Scared with Ruth Soukup, and has been featured as a guest expert on MyFitnessPal, TLC Online, MapMyRun, and Women’s Running. She lives in Clearwater, Florida, with her family.

Experience Life-Transforming Power of Prayer

Pray Like This Bible Study by Barb Roose

As a Christian, you know you’re supposed to pray. But do you ever find yourself wrestling with any of these questions related to prayer?

Do I have to pray the right way for God to answer my prayer?

Do I have to pray the right way for God to answer my prayer?

Am I still praying if I read pre-written prayers?

If you’ve pondered these questions or others about prayer, my Pray Like Bible Study is for you.

Even if you're a prayer warrior, Pray Like This sharpens your prayer focus and is a great resource for you to teach others about prayer.There's a reason why Jesus was passionate about prayer and I want to show you how!

Click Here
Stop Rushing Ahead of God! (Surrender Principle #4)

Stop Rushing Ahead of God! (Surrender Principle #4)

by | May 4, 2026 | Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus, The Surrendered Life

Happy Monday, friends!
 
Welcome to my new Happy Monday friends from my final Spring Aspire tour weekend. Our team loved meeting those of you who attended Aspire Events in Temperance, MI, Richmond, IN, and Jackson, OH! We pray that your hearts and minds are still full of inspiration and encouragement.
 
For everyone who is new to our Happy Monday community, we're on week four of a series titled "The Surrendered Life," based on the six surrender principles from my Surrendered: Letting Go and Living Like Jesus Bible study. You can read the first three devotions in the series at the bottom of this blog post!

Friday night's event was extra special for me since our host church was located less than fifteen minutes from my home. Dozens of ladies from my home church, CedarCreek.tv, attended, and my heart was so full seeing them in the audience.

Today's devotion tackles Surrender Principle #4: Trusting God's promises will bless me, but pushing my plans will stress me.
 
This surrender principle seems like a no-brainer, right? Yet it's so easy for us to jump ahead of God, especially when we're afraid or feeling impatient. And when we do jump ahead of Him, we realize that we've overstepped and find ourselves asking God for help to deal with the stress and frustration.
 
One of the best stories in the Bible about jumping ahead of God and pushing for control is the story of Abraham and Sarah. Known as Abram and Sarai in this portion of Scripture, the couple struggled to have a baby. In the culture of the time, men desired children to carry on the family name, and a woman's social value was tied to her ability to have children. Even though they were well-off in resources, Abram and Sarai lacked the one thing they couldn't make happen on their own: a baby.
 
Genesis 16 records what happened when Abram and Sarai became impatient with God, who had promised Abraham that he'd have a son (Genesis 15:2, 4).
 
After many years of waiting, it seemed that God wasn't coming through with what was promised. In time, Sarai could no longer have a baby.
 
In Genesis 16, Sarai launches a plan and Abram agrees to go along with it.
 
Sarai said to Abram, "The LORD has prevented me from having children. Go and sleep with my servant. Perhaps I can have children through her." Genesis 16:2 NLT
 
Why did Abraham go along with this plan, especially when God had already told him he would have a son? It seems that because it wasn't happening on their expected timeline, Abram and Sarai assumed it wouldn't happen at all. So they took matters into their own hands.
 
If you read the rest of Genesis 16, a terrible mess unfolds. Hagar becomes pregnant (Genesis 16:4) and begins mistreating Sarai. Then Sarai blames Abraham for the situation (Genesis 16:5), and at one point Hagar runs off because Sarai treats her so badly. Eventually, God supernaturally enables Sarai to have a baby, but the family relationships are strained and damaged because Abram and Sarai pushed their plans instead of waiting on God.
 
Before we shake our heads at Abram and Sarai, how many times have we doubted God because He wasn't moving fast enough for us, so we took matters into our own hands?
 
Fear and impatience are powerful tempters, and we already know the regret and mess that comes when we are impatient. So let's focus on God's promises. They are so powerful, but only if we know them for ourselves. Here are just a few of the many promises of God. Which ones did you need to read today?
As much as we want our plans to work out or the picture in our heads to work out, what we need is to keep our eyes on God and not our circumstances. Focusing on God's promises keeps our eyes and our hope solely on Him. This means that if things work out, we're good. If things don't work out as we'd hoped, we're still good. But if we're locked into our plans, our hopes are tied to something that is out of our control, and that's asking for disappointment and resentment.
 
Dear friends, I'm waiting and praying right along with you! For years, I've prayed for prodigals and for a future spouse. When I feel fear that God may not answer my prayers, or I'm weary of waiting, I whisper Surrender Principle #4 to myself: "Don't rush ahead of God, Barb. Go at the pace of grace."
 
During my surrender journey, I had to learn to trust God with whatever the future holds, and He is still teaching me. I'm still tempted to straighten out my prodigals on my own. Thankfully, I've experienced the power of surrender and God's unshakeable peace, so I've learned to back off and keep trusting His promises and not push my plans. You can do this, too. It's not easy, but it's worth it!
 
One warning about God's promises: we must be careful not to stretch them beyond their intended meaning. The verses above, along with the other promises of God in Scripture, guarantee God's sovereignty over all things, His faithfulness in all things, and His unconditional love, but they don't guarantee specific outcomes or individual timelines.
 
Yes, there are times when we sense God's leading in a specific direction, but we must still apply wisdom and discernment and be careful about using specific promises to justify jumping ahead of Him.
 
I'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU: How do you keep from rushing ahead of God, especially when you're tired of waiting or afraid that something bad will happen?
 
Thank you for joining me this week. I look forward to hearing from you!
Blessings, Barb
BUY SURRENDERED STUDY

Read the Entire Series: The Surrendered Life!

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