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Photo credit goes to my sister Katelyn. I needed a picture for this post, so I thought a picture of my horse in the act of non-surrender might be appropriate. He did surrender later on, and I have some cool pics to show you guys over on my Facebook page once I get my computer issues straightened out.
You can pin this post here.
Back at Easter, I wrote a post detailing how God was working with me on the issue of surrender (you can read the post here). I felt like I had surrendered most things in my life…obviously there is always room for improvement, but I felt good about the progress I had made with God’s help. I still feel good about that progress, but God has taken this teaching thing to a whole new level, and boy did this latest lesson hit home.
This whole blogging thing has taken off far faster than I ever would’ve thought it would. In fact, it’s become a nice part time job that I can work on from home (which is great, because I’m a homebody). I’ve really gotten into blogging, and I can spend far too much time on it if I allow myself to. Perhaps this is why God allowed my computer to lock up.
Please note that this is a new laptop that is locking up. My old one crashed in February. Crashed, as in, the computer itself was 4 years old and slow as molasses, and I kept getting viruses, and then I got something called a Crypto Virus that encrypted all my files. I lost pretty much everything (and no, they weren’t backed up. Can we say stupid?). So I got a new computer and moved on. Like Job I was able to say, “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away…blessed be the name of the Lord.” It was a little tough to swallow, but I surrendered it surprisingly easily.
So I get a new computer that is lightning fast and pretty amazing. Everything is hunky dory and I hadn’t quite gotten around to backing up my files that I was accumulating (I’ve only had the computer for three months!)…when POOF! One day I went to restart the computer because it was being slow, and I haven’t been able to boot up since. I’m currently not sure what the problem is, and I don’t know if I’ll be able to retrieve my files. Now thankfully since I hadn’t backed up my stuff yet, I had kept most of my recently-taken pictures on memory cards, but if I can’t get these files back, I’ll lose all the editing work I did. Ouch. And I’ve been unable to use my computer for about a week now, which means that I’m working off of other people’s computers. Slow computers. Computers with issues and keyboards that feel foreign. It’s bad news for a blogger, folks.
It’s been pretty tough to swallow, I admit. I feel like I’m getting really behind in everything I need to do, and then there’s the uncertainty of what’s going to happen to all my info (and to someone with OCD, uncertainty like that really stings). This week I’ve realized just how much time I was spending on my blog…
And God reminded me, “Remember what you said about surrender?”
Surrender was a refrain that was constantly in my head for awhile…and then I got busy, especially with blogging things, getting ready to leave home for the summer…and I kind of forgot. Or at least put the topic on the back burner. Well guess what…God wanted that kettle on the front of the stove to be constantly watched. So He did something about it, and I’m so glad He did. Because you know what? All the blog posts and all the business and all the pictures in the world won’t make up for a hard heart that isn’t surrendered to God in every area. Experiencing the loss of my pictures, my information, my memories-not once but twice-has really put life back into perspective for me. Really, what does it matter in the grand scheme of things? I sure do hope that God never quits giving me wake-up calls when I need them most.
I hope you all will give me a little grace as I struggle to get my blogging done as I am currently without my own computer. I ask for your prayers that I’ll be able to recover my information and get a working computer back soon. God does care about those things! I had a strawberry delight recipe all said to post today, but I’ve decided to wait a day or two to see if I can get my computer working again so I can edit the pictures properly. Picmonkey, while it has its place, just doesn’t fit the bill.
Again, I am so thankful for what God has taught me through all this. 1) I was spending too much time focusing on blogging. It can be done in less time than I think. 2) Things don’t really matter. God and eternity are literally all I need. 3) Back up whatever information you don’t want to lose. 😛
Have you ever experienced a big wake-up call? Share below!
Linda Casella says
Brianna thank you for this post. My word for 2017 is Surrender/Submit. Hard to do but with God’s leading possible
Charis says
so sorry about your computer…a few years back my computer crashed with a bunch of stuff on it that I had not backed up. 🙁 It’s hard!
Nicki says
Very good reminder.
Trish D says
Thanks for sharing so honestly – it’s so easy for things to “creep” in and become more important than we ever anticipated…
Norma Friesen says
God bless you as you continue to trust Him, surrender to Him, and continue to blog! ☺
Briana Thomas says
Thank you, Norma!
Sheila says
You are amazing. Thanks so much for sharing this. I needed this lesson as much as you did. So glad I can enjoy your posts. May God bless you with a working computer and all your stuff!!! Sheila
Briana Thomas says
Thank you so much, Sheila. <3
Amanda says
Hi Briana, Your words totally hit home. I’ve read several things through the years about the need to leave one’s hands open to both give and receive. I often feel like I clench down on what I have, unwilling to give of time, energy, or resources, but that leaves me closed to so many potential blessings to myself and others. Giving it all up to God and his purpose is the wiser path, and we all need reminders along the way. Thank you so much for sharing your story along with your wonderful recipes.
Susie says
Well bless your young heart. You are learning things a lot of older folks haven’t grasped yet and some other younger ones aren’t in the position to grasp. I’m so very pleased for you. Grow baby grow! Our God is good, He does care about the little things and He loves you fiercely yet tenderly. Thank you for reminding us all to consider surrender as one of our choices, always the right one.
Briana Thomas says
Thank you for the words of encouragement, Susie!
Cheryl Smith says
Bless your heart, Briana! I am SO sorry this has happened to you, but I appreciate your humility in accepting God’s enlightenment. I have had Him allow many things like this in my life, and I have learned a new appreciation for Ecclesiastes 7:14, “In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider…” Sometimes, He has had to go to great extremes to get my attention, but it finally hits me to stop and “consider” what it is that He is trying to get me to see. My family and I are now in the midst of some very hard battles, due to Him allowing things to reach a certain point to get our attention to show us that we need to make some adjustments in some areas of our lives. He is leading us more and more into a more minimalistic mindset, and we are trying to follow His prompts and be obedient. I hope you get your files back with no losses…may the dear Lord work all of this out for you. Praying for you!
Briana Thomas says
Thank you for sharing, Cheryl. Praying for you and your family as well.