The Lies Most People Believe

Most people—moms, dads, husbands, wives, single parents, leaders, caretakers—wake up every morning with a quiet pressure sitting on their shoulders:

Do more.
Be more.
Hold it all together.
Say yes to everything.
Don’t slow down.
Don’t drop the ball.
Don’t disappoint anyone.

But in this constant doing, something gets lost:
Surrender.

And without surrender, even good work becomes draining work…
even holy work becomes heavy work…
and even necessary work can become a burden.

Earlier this year, my husband and I celebrated our 10-year wedding anniversary with nearly three weeks exploring Peru—from the cobblestone streets of Cusco to the breathtaking peaks of the Andes. It was a trip we’d dreamed about for years, filled with beauty, adventure, and moments that stretched us far beyond our comfort zones.

The altitude alone tested us. We hiked at elevations where oxygen felt scarce, slept with oxygen masks and tanks beside our beds, and woke up to thin air and views that took our breath away in more ways than one. The climb up Huayna Picchu, the steep mountain that towers over Machu Picchu, was one of the hardest physical challenges we’ve ever faced. My legs trembled. My lungs burned. Every step demanded surrender—of control, of pace, of the need to push harder.

But when we reached the top, overlooking the ancient ruins surrounded by clouds, I heard the Holy Spirit whisper:
“The view is only possible when you surrender what’s weighing you down.”

That moment changed how I see daily life. Because isn’t that what walking with God feels like?
He’s not impressed by how much we do—He’s drawn to how much we surrender.

And Scripture reveals a truth that flips our whole view of daily life:
God doesn’t call your work holy because of what you produce.
He calls it holy because of what you surrender.

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God Calls Ordinary Work Holy

One of the most overlooked passages in the Bible is Exodus 31.
God is building the Tabernacle—His dwelling place among His people.
We expect Him to fill Moses with His Spirit.
We expect Him to empower the priests.
We expect Him to choose the spiritual giants.

But instead, Scripture says He fills two craftsmen—Bezalel and Oholiab—with:

• wisdom
• skill
• creativity
• understanding
• the Spirit of God

They weren’t preachers.
They weren’t prophets.
They weren’t leaders of Israel.

They were workers.
Builders.
Designers.
Makers.

And God says,
“My Spirit is in the work of your hands.”

This has massive implications for your life.

If He fills ordinary craftsmen…
then yes—He fills YOU in your ordinary work too.

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What You Do Every Day Matters More Than You Think

Your life is full of moments that feel small:

• loading the dishwasher
• commuting to work
• teaching your toddler boundaries
• resolving a conflict
• helping your teen regulate emotions
• talking through a marriage struggle
• paying bills
• answering emails
• cleaning your home
• serving your church or community

These are the moments most people dismiss as insignificant.

But God doesn’t.

Because He’s not looking at the activity—
He’s looking at the heart behind the activity.

When your work is surrendered to Him,
your ordinary becomes holy.

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The Lies We Carry (And Why They Crush Us)

Most women and men carry two quiet lies:

Lie 1: “I’m not doing enough.”
Lie 2: “What I’m doing doesn’t matter.”

These lies create burnout, shame, resentment, and exhaustion.
They make us question our calling and undervalue our daily faithfulness.

But here’s God’s truth:
“The way you show up to what I’ve placed in front of you—THIS is worship.”

Not the glamorous things.
Not the platform things.
Not the obvious spiritual things.

The faithful things.
The surrendered things.
The everyday things.

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Rest is Worship, Too (Especially for Bossy Helpers)

When God gives Bezalel the assignment…
He immediately follows it with a command about Sabbath.

Why?

Because rest is God’s built-in boundary.

Without it, we:

• over-function
• over-help
• over-give
• over-serve
• over-rescue

Many of you, my listeners and readers, are Bossy Helpers “in recovery.”
You struggle to say no.
You carry the emotional load for everyone.
You rescue until you collapse…
and then snap, explode, or withdraw because you’re spiritually and emotionally depleted.

But rest breaks that cycle.

Rest is not weakness.
Rest is worship.
Rest is warfare.
Rest is trust.

Rest says:

“I refuse to idolize my productivity.
I refuse to be the rescuer.
I refuse to carry what isn’t mine.
I surrender the outcome to God.”

Boundaries are rest.
And rest is surrender.

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The Happy Kid Toolkit & Why Surrender Shapes Generations

The Happy Kid Toolkit is grounded in one truth:

“You cannot form emotional maturity in your children if you’re not practicing emotional surrender yourself.“

Kids learn emotional excellence by watching YOU:

• taking responsibility
• setting boundaries
• apologizing
• regulating emotions
• telling the truth
• choosing self-control
• avoiding the UHKT roles
• resting
• surrendering instead of striving

They learn healthy patterns because YOU model healthy patterns.

That’s why surrendered parenting produces generational transformation.

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Why Retreats Matter (And Why You Might Need One)

There’s a reason women (and men) come home from retreats transformed.

Because retreat spaces are created with:

• intention
• beauty
• safety
• truth
• rest
• surrender
• the presence of God

You step away from noise, chaos, and responsibility,
and step into clarity, healing, and renewal.

A retreat is not a luxury.
It’s spiritual maintenance.

It’s stepping out of survival mode
and into the presence of God.

If you are drained, distracted, overwhelmed, or carrying more than God intended…
you may need this.

Retreats give the soul room to breathe again.

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Practical Ways To Live Surrendered This Week

Here are simple ways to turn surrender into a daily rhythm:

1. Begin your day with a breath prayer:
“Lord, I surrender today to You.”

2. Before responding to conflict, pause:
“Holy Spirit, help me respond, not react.”

3. Reframe ordinary tasks:
“This is service. This is love. This is worship.”

4. Set boundaries without apology.
“No is holy when God says no for you.”

5. Rest without guilt.
Sabbath is obedience.

6. Release pressure at night:
“God, I offered You my best today. I surrender the rest.”

These tiny heart-postures change everything.

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Questions To Reflect On

1. What work in my life have I been doing in my own strength?
2. What is God calling me to surrender?
3. Where do I need to set boundaries or rest?
4. What ordinary task could become holy if I offered it to God?
5. Which UHKT role do I slip into when I’m overwhelmed—and how can I choose the HKT instead?
6. How might God be inviting me into surrendered excellence this week?

Let the Lord meet you in these questions.

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The Heart of It All

God isn’t asking you to be perfect.
He’s asking you to be surrendered.

Your daily work matters.
Your hidden faithfulness matters.
Your ordinary moments matter.
Your rest matters.
Your boundaries matter.
Your obedience matters.
Your worship—right in the middle of your real life—matters.

Because in God’s kingdom…

It’s never about what you do.
It’s about what you surrender.

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Ready to Take the Next Step?

If this message stirred something in you—if it reminded you to slow down, breathe, rest, or surrender—there are several ways you can continue this journey. Whether you’re seeking healing, practical tools for your family, deeper discipleship, or a sacred space to reset, these resources were created to support you. Choose the next step that meets you right where you are and helps you keep growing in emotional, spiritual, and generational wholeness.

Download the FREE Legacy of Faith Guided Journal
Reflect on God’s faithfulness and begin writing the story you want to pass down to your children and future generations.

Register for the Renew & Restore Women’s Healing Retreat
Step into a sacred weekend of rest, healing, beauty, and Holy Spirit renewal. Spaces are limited.

Book a Biblical Counseling or Family Coaching Session
Get personalized, Spirit-led support for your marriage, parenting, emotional health, or family dynamics.

Order the Happy Kid Toolkit
Bring emotional regulation, responsibility, truth-based thinking, and generational transformation into your home.

Go Deeper with Episode 84: “It’s Not What You Do—It’s What You Surrender”
This blog is only the beginning. When you finish reading, the podcast episode below will walk you deeper into the heart behind this message.

Press play whenever you’re ready to continue:

With hope and gratitude