SURRENDERELLA PART 1

Did They Really Live Happily Ever After?

 

In this blog, I want to share a simple fairytale with you, which for believers is no fairytale at all. It is our REALITY! This story is a reminder of who we were, who we are, and our most precious journey as we allow Christ to become our LIFE.

 

Do you recall the story of Cinderella, her parents died and she was left living with her stepmother and stepsisters who despised her? Do you remember how they treated her with contempt and she became their housekeeper, cook, caretaker, and whatever they wanted her to become? They were always making her feel worthless, no one would ever love or care for her, and she would always be just a ‘nobody.’ Remember how Cinderella felt alone, fearful, worried, and guarded, because she didn’t have anyone who loved or accepted her?

 

 

Do you recall one day when she met her fairy godmother and she told her of a prince who was in search of a bride? She explained that he was hosting a ball and everyone in the village was invited and she should go. Her fairy godmother brought her hope and vision. Cinderella was very hesitant at first and couldn’t believe someone would want to love and care for her. It was her fairy godmother who convinced and prepared her to meet the prince. When her fairy godmother waved her magic wand, suddenly, all of her menial items in her little world were transformed and used for noble purposes. Do you remember the most precious of all items were her glass slippers; they symbolized a ‘NEW WALK OF LIFE’ available to her?

 

Cinderella went to the ball. There she was, so amazingly beautiful, every eye gazed upon her beauty. Cinderella was the envy of the ball! What made the story so beautiful is the prince saw her and left all of his guests just to dance with her. They danced together until midnight but when the clock struck 12:00 a.m. letting Cinderella know her magical moment was over, it was time to return to her old way of life. But something changed in Cinderella’s heart. Once she tasted and had a vision of a NEW and different life… FAITH IN HER HEART WAS BORN!

 

She ran from the ball only to leave one of her glass slippers behind – a clue for the prince to search for her, and he did. You remember how he searched the village from house to house in search of his chosen bride? He finally found her, put the glass slipper on her foot, then, whisked her away to his castle to LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER!  But, did they?

 

 

This is where Cinderella ends and SINderella for us begins.

 

We were all SINderella. We all felt empty, lost, broken, and without any hope in the world. We asked the Lord Jesus Christ to come into your hearts and He made us NEW, SINderalla was gone… behold Surrenderella was born. I remember that day: July 26, 1979. I remember a very distinct thought: “Who would want me after the things I had done and life I had lived?” My life was one of mental illness, sexual abuse, drugs, and the list went on and on. From the time I was born, I was a mistake. My mother and father were not married. They were teenagers messing around, my mother got pregnant, and boom there I was. They were forced to get married which didn’t last because my father was very abusive. From the beginning, I was overcome with feelings of rejection and not being good enough. What good could ever come from an unwanted child? I learned as a child that to feel loved you had to perform, get good grades, and please everyone. If you did this, everyone would like you. Because I had been abused at age four, for me, love was defined by ‘whoever touched me.’ I’d tell myself the abusers must really love me because my mother and father weren’t there to hold me or comfort me. It was always my fault…something was wrong with me! Have you ever felt that something was wrong with you, because you didn’t feel loved, accepted, or approved by your parents, siblings or even yourself? But the people who I believed really accepted me were the ones who used and abused me. It reminds me of Cinderella, a little crumb of love is better than no love at all, right? For years I lived angry with God but never realized it. I gave my heart to Him at eight years old, but as I got older and all the abuse and feelings of worthlessness, shame, and guilt began to take over, I knew He couldn’t love or want me, since no one else did. But He did! And He wants you too! No matter what you and I have done, the lives we have destroyed trying to get our needs met, He still loves us!!

 

Could the Prince of Peace, The Beloved Prince of Glory, The Lord of all lords, truly want me as His? Yes, oh yes, oh yes! My old life was filled to the brim with sin, disobedience, death, drugs, abuse, lies, trying to be a ‘good girl’ and rebellion, but none of that mattered to Him. He chose me; I didn’t choose Him. And as you surrender and let go of your old life to Him, Your new name becomes SURRENDERELLA AND NO LONGER SINderella.

 

SURRENDERELLA is only the beginning. We will discover in the next few blogs the challenges she faced as the Bride of her Beloved Prince and an even greater name that awaits her and us.

 

Prayer: Thank you, Papa, You have a plan for our lives in spite of the challenges we face and have faced. You have sent a call and invitation to join You and Your Son to the ball, the eternal joy of heaven… the Kingdom of God within us.