What Does 'Let Go and Let God' Really Mean?

What Does 'Let Go and Let God' Really Mean?

God's will may test us in ways that are difficult to contemplate.
by Julia Attaway

My 15-year-old will start at a new school this week. After severe anxiety, depression and PTSD led to a massive crisis last year that resulted in nearly six months in the hospital, it was clear that she could not return to the splendid high school where she started 9th grade.

The new school has tiny classes, a lot of flexibility and people on staff who can help when my daughter has a hard day.

We’ll see how it goes. There was a time in my life when I would have been praying like mad in a situation like this. It would, after all, be a huge relief if this set-up were to work. But having been through a great many ups and downs, my prayer now involves far less begging and far more acceptance.

I used to think that the phrase “Let go and let God” was about turning my troubles over to Him, and He would take care of things. The saying bothered me because there were many times I tried to pass Him the baton, and it fell with a clunk on the ground.

I’ve finally begun to understand that the phrase means something different. “Let go [of the outcome you desire], and let God [manifest His will].”

The Lord already knows what I desire. So my prayer today goes more like this:

“Whatever happens, Lord, is what happens. If it’s Your will for this school plan to succeed, I will be thankful. I am very tired and I really, really, really don’t want more pain. But if it all falls apart again, I will love You. And I trust I can still serve You as we figure out Plan B.”

Marian Anderson on the Power of Faith

Failure and frustration are in the unwritten pages of everyone’s record. I have had my share of them. But if my mother’s gentle hands were not there to guide me, perhaps my life in music would have ended long ago.

The faith my mother taught me is my foundation. It is the only ground on which I stand. With it I have a freedom in life I could not have in any other way. Whatever is in my voice, my faith has put it there.

Her presence runs through everything I ever wanted to be. The particular religion a child echoes is an accident of birth. But I was converted to my mother’s faith and patient understanding long before I could define either.

We were poor folk. But there was a wealth in our poverty, a wealth of music, and love and faith. My two sisters, Alice and Ethel, and I were all in the church choir—the junior, not the senior one. There is still a vivid memory of our mother and father, their faces shining with pride, watching us from the front pews. And when I was six I was once fortunate enough to be selected to step out in front of the choir and sing “The Lord Is My Shepherd.”

It was a Baptist Church we attended in Philadelphia. But my mother taught us early that the form of one’s faith is less important than what’s in one’s heart.

“When you come to Him,” she said, “He never asks what you are.”

We children never heard her complain about her lot; or criticize those who offended her. One of her guiding precepts has always been: “Never abuse those who abuse you. Bear them no malice, and theirs will disappear.”

My sisters still attend the Baptist Church in Philadelphia. It is a church and a congregation I hold most fondly in my heart for many reasons. These were the people who, years ago, pooled their pennies into what they grandly called “The Fund for Marian Anderson’s Future,” a gesture of love and confidence impossible to forget in a lifetime. When I come to Philadelphia, I always try to see some of these people who have been so important to me, and though it seldom is possible these days, I love to sing in their choir.

My father died when I was twelve, and my mother’s burden became heavier. Before she became a housewife, and the mother of three daughters, she was a schoolteacher. Now she became a father to us as well as a mother and earned our whole livelihood by taking in washing. It was terribly difficult for her, I know, but she would not even hear of any of us children leaving school for work.

During these years I began to have my first opportunity to earn a little money by singing. Almost entirely they were Sunday evening concerts for the church, or for the YWCA and the YMCA. At these affairs I could sing, perhaps, two or three songs, and my fee was a very grand 50 cents, or once in a great while, $1.00. Sometimes I would dash to four or five of these concerts in one evening.

Many people were kind to me: teachers who took no fees, those who urged me forward when I was discouraged. Gradually I began to sing with glee clubs and churches in other cities. After one minor effort in Harlem, a group of well-meaning people hastily sponsored me for a concert in Town Hall in New York.

It seemed at once incredible and wonderful. But I wasn’t ready: indeed, I was far from it either in experience or maturity. On the exciting night of my first real concert I was told Town Hall was sold out. While waiting in dazed delight to go on, my sponsor said there would be a slight delay. I waited five, ten, fifteen minutes. Then peeked through the curtain.

The house was half empty! I died inside. But when the curtain went up I sang my heart out. And when the concert was over, I knew I had failed. The critics next day agreed with me, but what they said was really not so important. I was shattered because within me I felt I had let down all those people who had had faith and confidence in me. It seemed irrevocable.

“I’d better forget all about singing, and do something else,” I told my mother.

“Why don’t you think about it a little, and pray a lot, first?” she cautioned.

She had taught me to make my own decisions when I could, and pray for the right ones when I could not. But I did not heed her now. I refused a few offers to sing at other concerts. I avoided my music teacher. For a whole year I brooded in silence. My mother suffered because I was not expressing myself in the only way I knew happiness. But she knew I had to find my own way back alone. From time to time she just prodded me, gently:

“Have you prayed, Marian? Have you prayed?”

No, I hadn’t. Nothing would help. I embraced my grief. It was sufficient. But in those tearful hours there slowly came the thought that there is a time when even the most self-sufficient cannot find enough strength to stand alone. Then, one prays with a fervor one never had before. From my torment I prayed with the sure knowledge there was Someone to Whom I could pour out the greatest need of my heart and soul. It did not matter if He answered. It was enough to pray.

Slowly I came out of my despair. My mind began to clear. No one was to blame for my failure. Self-pity left me. In a burst of exuberance I told my mother:

“I want to study again. I want to be the best, and be loved by everyone, and be perfect in everything.”

“That’s a wonderful goal,” she chided. “But our dear Lord walked this earth as the most perfect of all beings, yet not everybody loved Him.”

Subdued, I decided to return to my music to seek humbleness before perfection.

One day I came home from my teacher unaware that I was humming. It was the first music I had uttered at home in a whole year. My mother heard it, and she rushed to meet me, and put her arms around me and kissed me. It was her way of saying:

“Your prayers have been answered, and mine have too.”

For a brief moment we stood there silently. Then my mother defined the sweet spell of our gratitude:

“Prayer begins where human capacity ends,” she said.

The golden echo of that moment has always been with me through the years of struggle that followed. Today I am blessed with an active career, and the worldly goods that come with it. If sometimes I do not hear the echo and listen only to the applause, my mother reminds me quickly of what should come first:

“Grace must always come before greatness,” she says.

40 Days of Pocket Prayers: Day 40

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he gave them a prayer. Not a lecture on prayer. Not the doctrine of prayer. He gave them a quotable, repeatable, portable prayer (Luke 11:1-4).

Could you use the same? It seems to me that the prayers of the Bible can be distilled into one. The result is a simple, easy-to-remember, pocket-size prayer.

Once a day for 40 days I'll post a simple prayer that brings peace and rest.

Day 40

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." ~Matthew 28:18?19

Father, you are good. You love all of your people with a love I'll never fully understand. You care for each child in each nation and know every heart.

Give me the desire to spread your word. I so often keep it quiet. Let it begin to burn in me in a way that I can do nothing but tell others of your love and glory.

Be with my friends who are missionaries and working in other countries to share the good news of the gospel. Let them be encouraged and built up today.

Thank you for your love and for calling me to be a part of sharing it with the world.

In Jesus' name, amen.

40 Days of Pocket Prayers: Day 39

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he gave them a prayer. Not a lecture on prayer. Not the doctrine of prayer. He gave them a quotable, repeatable, portable prayer (Luke 11:1-4).

Could you use the same? It seems to me that the prayers of the Bible can be distilled into one. The result is a simple, easy-to-remember, pocket-size prayer.

Once a day for 40 days I'll post a simple prayer that brings peace and rest.

Day 39

Then Peter said, "Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk." ~Acts 3:6

Heavenly Father, your kindness has no limits and your mercy is abundant, overflowing in my life. You are not stingy with your grace and sympathy.

Some days I feel like I don't even have the strength to stand. Would you pick me up and give me the power to make it through those times?

Please help my friends, who are also struggling. When their hearts are heavy and their hands are weary, lift them up through your good name.

Thank you that the name of Jesus has the power to make the lame walk and to give sight to the blind. And it has the power to help me through every trial I face.

In the name of Jesus, all powerful and all compassionate, amen.

40 Days of Pocket Prayers: Day 38

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he gave them a prayer. Not a lecture on prayer. Not the doctrine of prayer. He gave them a quotable, repeatable, portable prayer (Luke 11:1-4).

Could you use the same? It seems to me that the prayers of the Bible can be distilled into one. The result is a simple, easy-to-remember, pocket-size prayer.

Once a day for 40 days I'll post a simple prayer that brings peace and rest.

Day 38

They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. ~Revelation 7:16-17

Dear God, only you take away pain and suffering. You lift our burdens and bring comfort in your perfect timing.

Keep my eyes heavenward. When my thoughts stray to worry about the future or regret the past, lift my eyes up so that I will focus on the ultimate goal.

Bring freedom to my friends, who are living in and regretting their pasts. Give them the strength to let go and remind them that you will wipe every tear from their eyes.

Thank you for sending your Son to us and quenching all of our thirsts. And thank you for fulfilling all of your promises.

In the name of the Living Water, amen.

40 Days of Pocket Prayers: Day 37

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he gave them a prayer. Not a lecture on prayer. Not the doctrine of prayer. He gave them a quotable, repeatable, portable prayer (Luke 11:1-4).

Could you use the same? It seems to me that the prayers of the Bible can be distilled into one. The result is a simple, easy-to-remember, pocket-size prayer.

Once a day for 40 days I'll post a simple prayer that brings peace and rest.

Day 37

Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth. ~Philippians 2:9-10

Father, your name is above all other names. You deserve my worship and my praise.

Help me to remember that the same power that conquered the grave also lives in me. So often I take for granted what Christ did for me. Teach me the truths of Jesus as if I am hearing them for the first time.

Please help my friends and family to see that your way is righteous and true.

Thank you, God, that you give us what we need when we need it.

In Christ's name, amen.

40 Days of Pocket Prayers: Day 36

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he gave them a prayer. Not a lecture on prayer. Not the doctrine of prayer. He gave them a quotable, repeatable, portable prayer (Luke 11:1-4).

Could you use the same? It seems to me that the prayers of the Bible can be distilled into one. The result is a simple, easy-to-remember, pocket-size prayer.

Once a day for 40 days I'll post a simple prayer that brings peace and rest.

Day 36

God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds. ~Hebrews 1:1?2

My God, you are the one who spoke and still speaks. You are the one who came and still comes.

Give me a discerning heart toward the Holy Spirit. Teach me to hear. Teach me to be still and silent to know when you are talking. Give me silence today.

Point my friends and family in the direction of your truth. As they are trying to decide which way to go, give them the strength to choose your way above their own.

Thank you for the hope we have in you and that we have eternity to look forward to.

In the name of the Son, who is heir to all things, amen.

40 Days of Pocket Prayers: Day 35

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he gave them a prayer. Not a lecture on prayer. Not the doctrine of prayer. He gave them a quotable, repeatable, portable prayer (Luke 11:1-4).

Could you use the same? It seems to me that the prayers of the Bible can be distilled into one. The result is a simple, easy-to-remember, pocket-size prayer.

Once a day for 40 days I'll post a simple prayer that brings peace and rest.

Day 35

The centurion answered and said, "Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed." . . . Then Jesus said to the centurion, "Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you." And his servant was healed that same hour. ~Matthew 8:8,13

Good father, death is no match for you, nor sickness, nor pain. You are mightier than it all, able to abolish all suffering.

Remind me of your promises today. May I walk in them and not the promises of man. When others let me down, allow me to see your face and be comforted.

For my family, I pray you would bless them today, more than they can even ask for themselves. Surprise them at every corner and build up their faith.

Thank you that you gave us Jesus through whom all power is given. Thank you that when we ask, you hear our cries.

It's in his name that I always pray, amen.

40 Days of Pocket Prayers: Day 34

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he gave them a prayer. Not a lecture on prayer. Not the doctrine of prayer. He gave them a quotable, repeatable, portable prayer (Luke 11:1-4).

Could you use the same? It seems to me that the prayers of the Bible can be distilled into one. The result is a simple, easy-to-remember, pocket-size prayer.

Once a day for 40 days I'll post a simple prayer that brings peace and rest.

Day 34

Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. ~Ephesians 1:15-16

God, the beauty of this earth reminds me of you. The sea, forest, and mountains are your creation, a reflection of your power and goodness.

I pray that you would put godly counsel in my path. Give me the courage to seek mentorship and discipleship. Don't let me depend on my own wisdom but on yours and those wiser than I.

Be with those who have absent family members and feel abandoned. Show them that you are their great Father who is able to fill that lonely place.

Thank you for your faithfulness and the gift of friendship. Thank you for bringing people into my life to encourage me to draw near to you.

In Jesus' name, amen.

40 Days of Pocket Prayers: Day 33

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he gave them a prayer. Not a lecture on prayer. Not the doctrine of prayer. He gave them a quotable, repeatable, portable prayer (Luke 11:1-4).

Could you use the same? It seems to me that the prayers of the Bible can be distilled into one. The result is a simple, easy-to-remember, pocket-size prayer.

Once a day for 40 days I'll post a simple prayer that brings peace and rest.

Day 33

Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, "This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many." ~Mark 14: 23-24

Father, you are good. You sent your Son for us and you are merciful to us daily, moment by moment, even to the final cost.

Remind me today of your sacrifice, keep it close to my heart. Make me not only thankful for but a vessel of your grace. Don't let your grace stop with me, but show it to others through me.

Be with my friends and family who do not believe in you and have hard hearts. Let them know the promise of your good news.

Thank you for the depth of your love. You sent your Son to die a sinner's death so that I could be redeemed. Thank you that you want to have a relationship with me through Jesus Christ.

In his precious name, amen.

Four Simple Keys to Ensure a Happy Retirement

Four Simple Keys to Ensure a Happy Retirement

Retirement expert Eric Thurman on how to find lasting joy in retirement.
by Alikay Wood

The number of Americans over age 65 is projected to jump to 98 million by the year 2060—more than double the number in 2015—according to the Population Reference Bureau. Yet, with more people than ever nearing retirement age, MarketWatch reported on research from the Employee Benefit Research Institute demonstrating that less than 50 percent of those are satisfied in retirement.

Eric Thurman experienced this dissatisfaction firsthand. A successful businessman for decades, he worked as an International President for a publishing company. On his 65th birthday Thurman was on a business trip in India, and had a ten-year plan for his career. He was excited about the professional future.

Then, his wife’s cancer came back with a vengeance and within a year she was gone. Thurman’s plans were decimated. He resigned from his job, moved out of the house he’d shared with his wife and didn’t know what to do next. He hadn’t planned on retiring so soon, and he certainly hadn’t planned on becoming a widower.

“I [realized] that that kind of wake up happens to everyone at some point,” Thurman told Guideposts.org.

He realized how strongly his identity was tied to his career and that sitting around doing nothing was not his ideal way of life. So he decided to dig into research on retirement and figure out how to live successfully in this next phase of life. Thurman wrote a book full of his tips called Thrive in Retirement: Simple Secrets for Being Happy for the Rest of Your Life.

1. Seek purpose over entertainment
Many people view retirement as a time in life to do nothing. But in Thurman’s experience, doing nothing is not a path to lasting joy.

“[There’s a] popular notion is that [retirement is an] endless vacation and you just have fun,” Thurman said. That is good for a while, because we all could stand to have deep refreshment. But how long can you do nothing?”

When Thurman talked to people about what they wanted in retirement, he heard one response over and over: to be happy. From his research and conversations with people, he identified purpose as being essential to happiness. And purpose is not found in doing nothing. According to Thurman, purpose requires engaging in something bigger than yourself that serves others.

“We have confused happiness and fun,” Thurman said. “Fun is temporary. If you're really happy though, that's lasting and enduring. Look at all of life, and say, how do you add purpose, pleasure, peace?”

2. Prioritize human connection
Thurman uses the phrase “unretirement” to refer to people who officially retire—and pick up another job. This situation is becoming more common. In 2015, the American Association of Retired Persons reported that the number of employed people over retirement age will grow more in the coming years than any other age group.

Thurman said working past retirement isn’t a bad thing, and for some, may be crucial to finding purpose and happiness.

“Clinical depression is widespread for older adults, and it's [because of] that lack of human connection,” Thurman said. “Being back at work is a huge benefit just for the people contact. You may develop close friendships, but even if you don't develop close friendships, you do have some interaction with people, and that's healthy.”

3. Number your days
“Psalm 90, verse 12 says, ‘Teach us to number our days, that we may get a heart of wisdom,’” Thurman said. “Wisdom is about knowing how to number your days.”

Thurman has spent a lot of time thinking about the time he has left on earth.

“Wisdom for me is having two numbers,” Thurman said. “One is tomorrow, the other is age 100. Wisdom for me is, I'm ready to die tomorrow. I have put my affairs in order. [The other is] am I able to live well to a hundred?”

These two numbers “bookend” Thurman’s approach to life. He recommends living for the short term and long term to create a happy third phase of life.

4. Keep learning
One of the most common mistakes retirees make, according to Thurman, is assume they are done growing once they stop working.

“If you're in retirement for 20 or 30 years, you're going to go through tons of changes,” Thurman said.

Taking up a new hobby or learning opportunity is key to retirement success, according to Thurman.

 “Scientists have a handful of definitions for whether something is alive,” Thurman explained. “A couple of the things that are indicators are whether it adapts, and whether it grows. If something adapts and grows, it's alive, and I want to be alive all of my life. I don't want to die before my body dies. I want to keep adapting and growing through my whole life.”

Thrive in Retirement is available wherever books are sold.

10 Bible Blessings to Pray for Those You Love

10 Bible Blessings to Pray for Those You Love

These quick but powerful words can be prayed over loved ones near and far.
by Bob Hostetler

A friend shared a touching story in Bible study. His adult son and daughter-in-law began a tradition with their firstborn. They hung over the child’s bed a framed representation of the Aaronic blessing from the Bible: “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.”

Each night, as they tucked their child into bed, they blessed him with those words. Now, when his grandmother or grandfather (my friend) visit and tuck him in, he asks, “Will you bless me?”

Blessings, many of which can be found in the Bible, are a great way to pray for those we love, both when they can hear us and when they can’t. In fact, biblical blessings can focus and enhance your prayers even when you don’t know what else to pray for someone.

Here are 10 blessings I like to pray for those I love, and the part of the Bible they’re drawn from:

1)  "May the Lord bless you and keep you; may He smile on you and be gracious to you; may He look your way and give you peace." (Numbers 6:24-26, author’s paraphrase)

2)  “May God give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.” (Psalm 20:4, NIV)

3)  “May God be gracious to you and bless you and make His face shine upon you.” (Psalm 67:1, NIV)

4)  “May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it, and may you be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” (Ephesians 3:16, NLT)

5)  “May Christ make His home in your heart through faith.” (Ephesians 3:17b, GNT)

6)  “May your love abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God." (Philippians 1:9-11, NIV)

7)  “May you be strengthened with all power, according to God's glorious might.” (Colossians 1:11a, NLT)

8)  “May you be filled with joy.” (Colossians 1:11b, NLT)

9)  “May the Master pour on the love so it fills your life and splashes over on everyone around you.” (1 Thessalonians 3:12, MSG)

10)  “May the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way.” (2 Thessalonians 3:16, NIV)

Why not start today? Pray one or more of the above for a loved one. Memorize one or two so you can speak a blessing anytime, for anyone.

40 Days of Pocket Prayers: Day 32

When the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he gave them a prayer. Not a lecture on prayer. Not the doctrine of prayer. He gave them a quotable, repeatable, portable prayer (Luke 11:1-4).

Could you use the same? It seems to me that the prayers of the Bible can be distilled into one. The result is a simple, easy-to-remember, pocket-size prayer.

Once a day for 40 days I'll post a simple prayer that brings peace and rest.

Day 32

I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the poor. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to Your name; the upright shall dwell in Your presence. ~Psalm 140:12-13

Dear God, you are the true judge and the true righteous one. You are known throughout the earth.

Help me to recognize the injustice around me that I'm blind to. Help me to see my blind spots. Show me how I can help where I'm needed most.

Be with those around the world who are suffering and being taken advantage of. Raise up someone to speak on their behalf.

Thank you for being my advocate and allowing me to dwell in your presence.

In the just and righteous name of Christ, I pray this, amen.