The secret of life
Is letting go.
The secret of love
Is letting it show
In all that I do,
In all that I say,
Right here in this moment.
 
The power of prayer
Is in a humble cry.
The power of change
Is in [yielding] my life
And laying it down,
Down at Your feet,
Right here in this moment.
 
This songwriter beautifully, truthfully captures the secret to Christian living. It applies to all of us across the spectrum of life—young and old, women and men, followers and leaders, daughters, mothers, sisters, wives. Amy Carmichael puts it this way:
 
But all through life I see a cross,
Where sons of God yield up their breath.
There is no gain except by loss;
There is no life except by death.
 
What does surrender to God ultimately mean? What concepts does it carry into our lives as we seek to walk it every day? It’s helpful to lay groundwork at the start of our discussion. Please muse with me for a moment. Read slowly and ponder.

“Mom, may I please invite a friend over today?”  Elizabeth requested. 
   
“Yes, you may, dear,” replied Mama, “as soon as you finish chores and school.”  Later that afternoon, Elizabeth and Victoria were sitting on the porch happily deciding how to spend the afternoon.
   
“I know, why don’t we play that we each own a little store and we can buy and sell things to each other with our play money?” suggested Elizabeth.
   
“Yes, that would be fun!” Victoria said agreeing with her friend.
   
Skipping cheerfully into the living room, the girls began to set up their stores.  Then a thought popped into Elizabeth’s mind, Maybe I should check with Mom and make sure she doesn’t mind if we make a mess in the living room.  Oh well, I don’t know where Mom is, and Victoria might think I’m silly.  After working busily, the whole living room was full of merchandise on display.
   
Hearing a sweet voice, Victoria turned around.  It was Elizabeth’s little sister, Hannah.  “Can I play too?” Hannah asked.
   
Oh no, she’s too little and we’ll have to help her.  Why did she have to come along?  Sour thoughts were filling Victoria’s mind.  “No, why don’t you play over here with these markers and coloring books?” Victoria said hastily as she shoved the little girl into another room.
   
A few minutes later Mama walked inside from checking the mail.  She was a very patient and kind mother, but a shadow of disappointment crossed her face.  “Girls, I need to have dinner ready and the house clean soon because we are having a special guest for dinner.  Where is baby Hannah?”  When Mama found Hannah, she looked up and flashed a rainbow colored smile at Mama while waving a chewed-up marker in her hand.
   
​Later, before bed, Mama sat down with Elizabeth.  “Let’s see what the Bible teaches us about friends:

My Dear Sisters,
   
What do you do when you are in need of spiritual rejuvenation? We certainly “go in the strength of the Lord GOD” (Psalm 71:16), yet we still retain our human frailty and God knows that there are times when, like Elijah, “the journey is too much for thee.” Do you attend a Christian conference? read a devotional book? talk to family or a good friend? go on vacation? eat a chocolate candy? :) None of these are wrong and in fact may be a tremendous blessing (except for the chocolate!). However, there is one thing which is simply incomparable, it is so infinitely better. It worked for Elijah, it’s worked for Christians all through the ages, and I wholeheartedly recommend it: Spend a day with Jesus!

Throughout the passage of II Samuel 9, David’s compassionate care for Mephibosheth paints a beautiful picture of the Christ-like kindness that we all should desire to have for others. Although such kindness is often rare in the world today, the Lord is pleased to see it displayed in the lives of those who follow Him! Let’s consider a few thoughts that find their roots in this passage about David and Mephibosheth.

Liberty is the result of the belief that right is greater than wrong, not equal to it. We have been raised in a culture that believes that right and wrong are equal, opposing forces, and we can try really hard to oppose wrong, but we probably won’t win in the end, because that evil out there is just too strong. This view does not generate liberty, but bondage, because it results in the fear of man, and not of God, and ultimately is humanism. “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but he that trusteth in the Lord shall be exalted” (Proverbs 29:25

As Christian young ladies, it is our goal to become virtuous daughters. But what is a virtuous daughter, and how can we become one? The thirty-first chapter of Proverbs depicts the many qualities of a virtuous woman. If we look at the different characteristics discussed throughout the passage, we can begin to form a picture of what we should be. To become just such a daughter, it is important that we look to the Lord and His Word for instruction and for an example to follow. It is only with Christ’s help that we can become what He wants us to be!

People prepare for many things: they prepare for college, retirement, events, vacation, foreign travel, etc. If they are traveling, they will research the place they are traveling to, the culture, the food, the language, and the people. Since people go to such lengths to prepare for these short-term pursuits, young ladies should be going to great lengths to prepare for something that will last longer—marriage.