The most potent truth that I have experienced lately is summed up in the title above: real breakthrough begins with raw surrender.

What is raw surrender? Well it is certainly not an easy position to be in. It is allowing every feeling to be felt, being completely honest before God, and then letting go and letting God's hands hold everything. It is being OK with not everything being OK and accepting that not all the questions have immediate answers. It is acting in obedience to God and continuing to worship and praise Him in the midst of waiting desperately for resolution and restoration. It is continuing to contend in prayer and laying still at the feet of Jesus in spite of circumstances. It is humble submission to letting Holy Spirit work in matters of the heart.

And as I have found, when the point of true surrender to God is reached, God so graciously releases his healing and redemptive power. 

And I could go on about this topic, but I shall leave it as this pithy thought for now. 

God has shown me His redemption power as He has shone His grace and love over the path of my journey.

God has made Himself real to me over the past 7 years, real in a way I could not have imagined. Real in a way that brought about the deep healing that I needed. 

I have discovered what true strength is, what true joy is, and how to forgive and go forward.

Exactly 7 years ago I found myself in a situation that resulted in a mess of intense mixed feelings. Relief, shock, regret, sorrow, bitterness, gratefulness... and an odd sense of unreality and numbness.
I did not know who I was anymore.
I did not know how a heart that was ripped in shredded pieces could ever be put together again.
I did not know if God could still see me as worthy of being His child.

​But God was with me and made His presence known. He showed Himself to be gentle, compassionate, understanding, and fierce in His love and devotion to me.

I have learned much through my redemption journey with God. 

God sees, understands, knows and cares. God is close and ready to comfort. God brings healing and restoration.
​
But there is also an element of choice. 

Through the process that I walked through, I had to choose to let God love me. Choose to let go.
I had to choose...
to forgive 
to trust 
to lean into God's presence
to believe in God's goodness 
to see from God's perspective 

And I had to surrender to God. Surrender burdens, pain, worries, concerns, attitudes, goals, and ambitions.

I also very intentionally began to live again by doing things that I wanted to do, things that gave happiness. Some small, some bigger. And I let myself step into a more courageous life. To find adventures. Not necessarily major adventures such as rock climbing, but things that were adventurous for me.

And one more very important component to healing...  I had to allow not only God to be integrated into my life, but also people that He sent my way to walk with me. Ultimately, God is the redeemer, savior, healer; however trusting the right people and letting them get close plays a major role in real and deep healing.

And looking back, I can see how far I have come, how God has done a miraculous work in and around me, and how God has so faithfully been beside me every step. And I can believe God will continue His faithfulness and goodness to me.

God has already been revealing glimpses of hopes and dreams becoming reality, and I am waiting with joyful anticipation of more manifestations of God's goodness in this new season.