I dare you to control that
I’m laying beside to my daughter who is sick.
A high school student at my son’s school is battling bone cancer and her condition worsens everyday.
I just can’t imagine caring for a child who might not recover. The thought of this has me losing sleep. Sickness isn’t something I can control. Well, there is nothing in life I can control. Well, very very little.
I listened to a podcast recently by Mel Robbins on her new book, “Let Them.” I liked it a lot. It’s all about releasing control. I’ll link it here.
It reminds me of a prayer that has lived on my lips for long while. “Bless them, change me.” As much as I like this prayer, I’m changing it up a bit after listening to that episode. (“Bless”—which by definition is to ask God to grant favor).
When I want to control something, I let this prayer echo in my heart:
God, Bless Them, Care for me.
When I don’t get invite to a girls night—God, Bless Them, Care for me.
When other moms have more financial means—God, Bless Them, Care for me.
When other authors succeed—God, Bless Them, Care for me.
When my son spends time in a way I don’t like—God, Bless him, Care for me.
When other people go on a fancy vacation—God, Bless Them, Care for me.
When a friend ends a friendship—God, Bless her, Care for me.
When leadership makes a decision I don’t like—God, Bless Them, Care for me.
As I pray this, God is healing me. When my ego is pricked or I want to cling to control, this prayer helps me release everyone and everything back to God. It also makes room for my pain and ache to take up space too. I hope it helps you today.
If you need more guided prayers, Feel is a collection of liturgies offering hope for every complicated emotion. My hope is that every feeling becomes a place where you can find connection to God and discover deeper healing.
Some Amazon Reviews:
This is a powerful reminder that God is with us through every feeling. I keep this book with me when I go to work and it is a must. As somebody who has really large feelings and deals with them through numbing, this book has helped me to invite God into those feelings that I have rather than stuff them down. This book is helping me be reminded that I am loved and seen by my heavenly father.— Joy
When I know what I’m feeling, and especially when I know but am afraid to admit it, I reach for this book. When I know I need God, but just don’t know where to flip my Bible to. Where a fresh breath of grace meets truth and direction. For happy and sad emotions - they are all welcome… whether you want to admit them or not.—Alley
I use this book every day. Sometimes multiple times a day. As someone who never knew how to even recognize her emotions, let alone do anything else with them, this book is pure GOLD. Anjuli’s words allow me to sit and live and thrive in the tension between ignoring my emotions completely and drowning in them. God blessed us with emotions for a purpose, a purpose that is often misunderstood and misused. I am deeply grateful for Anjuli’s work. —Heidi
Get Feel today for yourself or for a friend who may need some extra encouragement.
Stay awake to love, sister.
