Freedom in Surrender: Live God’s Great Purpose for YouEgzanp

Give yourself away and gain all you really need.

“Regardless of what’s ahead for you, darling girl, I hope that you will use your love wisely. Give it away for its intended purpose and don’t be afraid to risk loss. Promise?”

Aidyn nodded.

“Authentic love is the greatest joy there is, Miss Kelley, but it requires a thousand little deaths to self.”

That last line is Mrs. Kip’s most important rule to live by—and it is the foundation of the novel’s title, The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip.

Love has seemingly myriad definitions these days, but God’s definition has stood since the dawn of creation. Love in its purest, most worshipful form, seeks to lift up others, even at high cost to self. It’s a giving away, piece by piece, moment by moment, decision by decision, for the joy of seeing others edified, encouraged, and prospered. It’s a counterintuitive way to live. If a flower were picked apart piece by piece, it would wither and return to dust. But when a believer willingly gives away a piece of themselves for the sake of a brother or sister, they flourish.

For a believer, to give is to gain. To surrender is to succeed. To sacrifice is to love. This kind of love did not originate from the world. It is fully God’s. It is the indwelling power of Jesus Christ in the hearts of believers. The love Jesus gave on the cross is the love that lives inside of us, calling us to live in our most flourishing state. He calls us to give ourselves away as freely as his blood ran for us. He calls us to live in the utter joy of freedom in surrender.

Prayer:

Father God, thank you for your Son. Thank you for his example of authentic love, given for me, a woeful sinner, that I might have freedom. This love pumps through my veins and calls me to live in surrender. Help me to love wisely. Help me give this love away for its intended purpose and not be afraid to risk loss. Authentic love is the greatest joy there is, but it requires a thousand little deaths to self. Even as pieces of me break away for the sake of others, help me believe that I will flourish.

More Mrs. Kip Lessons:

The fictional character Clara Kip embodies the real scriptural truths of surrender, obedience, and love. Learn more about Clara Kip and The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip at https://bakerbookhouse.com/products/405237 .