I Surrender All (Sort Of): A Review With Reflections
Daybreak sings a solemn song over a cross-stitched blanket of nutmeg, ash, and ivory. The skeletal arms of the maples still hold their white cloaks, and just a thin strip of charcoal gravel delineates the arched center of the country road. I take it all in from the window as I soak in Michelle Lazurek’s new book I Surrender All (Sort Of).
Michelle and I met at a conference a few years ago, and I was drawn to her sweet, sincere spirit immediately. I would have picked up Michelle’s new book even if I didn’t know her because the title feels like a summary of my walk of faith: Surrendering “all” to God first thing every morning, only to reach out and grasp for control hours later.
God knew I needed this book precisely when a friend suggested it, and I have not been disappointed. Michelle shares her personal story in a way that is relatable and also points back to God’s Word. She is vulnerable and funny, tender and relatable. I was drawn into the narrative part of the story, inspired by the way Michelle pointed me back to God’s Word, and encouraged to continue pressing close to Jesus with my worries and fears.
When Surrender Doesn’t Come Easily
Life felt like it went off the rails here shortly after I started reading Michelle’s words. We faced job uncertainty as we looked to our family’s future. I fell and seriously injured myself. Hackers threatened to demolish five years of writing work on my blog. We had to cancel three credit cards in one week due to online theft. It felt like one thing after another.
We all face seasons when surrender doesn’t come easily. We battle stress and anxiety. Life throws curveballs and knocks us down. This is a book for those hard seasons, but it’s also a book for the everyday seasons of trudging through the daily grind.
I’ve been taking notes, and four powerful truths about surrender are standing out to me as I read. I’m excited to share these words with you today:
4 Truths About Surrender from I Surrender All (Sort Of):
1. Surrender yields productivity.
Maybe the title of this book caught my attention because the classic hymn “I Surrender All” is dear to my heart. Twenty years ago, this hymn helped me return to Jesus after a long season of sinful living.
Throughout my twenties, I would often sing this hymn as I met with God and prepared to enter the classroom where I worked as a high school special education teacher. In my mind, surrender looked like opening my hands, letting go of my worries, and slowing down. I accurately believed that surrender meant exchanging my agenda for God’s will; however, I also believed that if I quit striving to accomplish my agenda, I would be less productive and effective.
Time has taught me that the opposite is true. Letting go of the desire for control often leads to greater productivity in the areas that matter. Michelle reminds us of this truth with these words:
“When my life seems out of control, my first instinct is to work harder, doing everything in my power to make life go my way. It is only when I learn to surrender myself to God’s will am I most productive.”
2. We don’t have to worry about disappointing God.
My inability to surrender to God is often about disappointing others. Other times, I don’t want to let go of my sense of control because I’m afraid I’ll disappoint God. Michelle reminds us that we don’t have to worry about disappointing God. She writes:
“So many times, I don’t want to disappoint others, but really, the main person I am afraid of disappointing is God. Although it is impossible to disappoint an all-knowing, all-loving God, I still believe that if I don’t perform to his standards, he will withhold or withdraw love from me.”
3. God’s Word offers the perspective we need as we aim to surrender to him.
I’m thankful for the way this book points us back to Scripture. It’s easy to get caught up in the many false belief systems of the world. These systems goad us to cling to control and chase achievement. Michelle reminds us of the importance of staying anchored in God’s Truth. She writes:
“When I’m not anchored in the Word of God, my perspective waxes and wanes with what the world tells me.”
4. Surrender changes the way we see our lives.
Just when I think I’ve peeled back every layer of surrender, God shows me another area to release into his hands. I suppose this is part of living in a broken world. Surrender is an ongoing process and not a one-time destination. Every new day provides new opportunities to surrender all. Michelle writes:
“Surrender means to lay down your current definition of the Christian life and redefine it so the work you do can give you peace and purpose and give your life as well as others new meaning.”
“Surrender means to lay down your current definition of the Christian life and redefine it so the work you do can give you peace and purpose and give your life as well as others new meaning.” Michelle Lazurek #isurrenderallbook… Click To TweetBuy I Surrender All (Sort Of) for yourself:
Get your copy of I Surrender All (Sort Of) right here today. This book will challenge and bless you. I also encourage you to take the time to write a review on Amazon or your seller’s site if you are blessed by this book. Reviews help expand authors’ words and carry them to more readers, and this book will transform lives!
