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Sometimes, it’s the simplest conversations that spark the deepest revelations. A couple of Saturdays ago, while working in the salon, a client said something that stirred my spirit and reminded me of how trust and surrender go hand in hand with faith. Here's what happened...


It was a sunny summer day at Heart for Hair Salon and I was finishing up with my second client of the day. She brought hair with her for me to color and have prepared for her next appointment. Before she left, I asked if she wanted me to send a photo of the final color before her appointment or if she wanted me to surprise her.

Her response caught me off guard:“Surprise me. I trust you.”

That moment hit my spirit deeply.

It made me think about my relationship with the Lord.

How many times have I said that to God?“Surprise me. I trust You.”Sometimes, not as often as I would like to.


In the moments when I have fully trusted Him — I mean truly surrendered, not trying to control or manipulate the outcome — I find it much easier for me to allow God to surprise me. And when He does, it was always better than I could have imagined.

But in the seasons when I’ve struggled to trust, I’ve noticed something: I tend to grip tighter, try to "help God out," or rush ahead of His timing. In those moments, I’m not leaving any room for Him to move and lead. I’m not giving Him space to surprise me.


That simple exchange with my client became a Holy Spirit whisper. A gentle reminder that trusting God means leaving room for His divine surprises and His leadership.


Remembering Builds Trust


Psalm 103: 1-2 encourages us to,

“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.

Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.”


When I look back over my life, I can clearly see the fingerprints of God. Times He made a way when there was no way. Times He provided, healed, restored, protected, and promoted — all without me having to push or panic. He’s never given me a reason not to trust Him. He's proven Himself to be faithful over and over again.

But here’s the truth:We don’t naturally trust what we forget.

That’s why the Holy Spirit reminded me of the importance of remembering. When we remember who God is and what God has done, we build the muscle of trust. And that muscle gets stronger each time we use it — especially in areas where trust doesn’t come easily.


“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”— James 1:2-4



Trusting God = Submitting to His Timing


Sometimes we’re tempted to act out of impatience. To "make something happen." But often, impatience is just distrust in disguise. It’s our flesh saying, “God, I don’t think You’re going to do it — at least not how or when I want You to.”

But when we truly say, “Okay, Lord… surprise me”, it communicates something powerful:I trust Your plan. I trust Your process. And I trust Your timing.


“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”— Proverbs 3:5-6


There is always something God is doing in the process of our waiting. And even when we can’t see it, He’s working. Even when we don’t understand it, He’s weaving something together — not just for our blessing, but for our growth.


So here’s the challenge:The next time you're anxious, uncertain, or tempted to take control or act out of impatience, pause. Remember His faithfulness. Take a deep breath. And say with confidence...


“Lord, surprise me — I trust You.”


Let that be your posture of faith. He’s never failed you before, and He won’t start now.



Reflection Questions:

  1. Are there areas in your life where you’re struggling to trust God? Transparency deepens intimacy.  Process and share how you are feeling with the Lord. Invite Him into the space of your feelings and thoughts and allow His love to silence your fears/worries. God cares and wants you to be honest with Him.

  2. Can you look back and remember moments where God surprised you with His goodness? What do these moments remind you about God? How did this moment deepen your relationship with Him?

  3. What’s one way you can actively say, “Lord, surprise me — I trust You” this week?



Abiding Prayer:

Lord, help me to trust You more. Even when I can’t see the outcome, let me rest in the truth that You are good, faithful, and always working on my behalf. I surrender my expectations, my timeline, and my need for control. Surprise me, Lord — I trust You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

 
 
 

Today I am reminded of how complex yet simple God’s love can be. Complex because God's love is the complete opposite of the emotionally driven depiction the world says love is, yet simple because God makes His love so easy to receive. The fact that He went above and beyond by sending His only Son Jesus to live, die, and resurrect from the grave on our behalf, all to say  "I love you", speaks volumes about how much God cares for humanity and makes me desire and love Him even more.


Despite our limited capacity to give Him the love that He truly deserves, our yes through our repentance, surrender, and acceptance of Jesus and our obedience is enough to make Him smile and say "well done good and faithful servant" and call us both His children and his friends. This is an honor that I will never take lightly.


With conditional love, there is usually a level of expectation in conjunction with reciprocity. When an expectation isn’t met, access to what was previously given can become limited and sometimes nonexistent. However, the beauty of God’s unconditional love is the fact that we never have to strive, beg, chase, or work for His love. As a matter of fact, even when we disappoint Him through choosing things other than Him, our sin and our idols are what separate us from His presence but He never takes away or separates us from His love. His love is freely given, with the hope of being wholeheartedly received and with the hope of being loved back. But He will never take His love away.


Whether you have a valentine or not, know that you are fiercely loved, seen, and pursued by the One true God who created and exemplified love in its most purest form; through the love and sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, for you.


Today I encourage you to receive God’s love through His Son Jesus, to give it back to Him through your yes to His will and His way, and to give that same love away to others once you have received it for yourself.


Happy day of Love!


With love,

Simone Parke


Abiding Scripture:


John 3:16 KJV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”



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  • Jan 18, 2024
  • 1 min read

Just a thought...


What if what you’re waiting for isn’t the next best opportunity. What if what you’re waiting for is right in front of you?…Or right inside of you?


Instead of focusing on going after the “next best thing”, focus on stewarding what you currently have now, well. Learning how to steward the now things well, shows God that He can entrust you with even more when the time comes.


May this be an encouraging reminder to appreciate as well as evaluate where you are, what you have, and who you have now and to steward your now well until more is added to your life. Take time to think about what you can do today to help get you to tomorrow’s next step. One day at a time. One step at a time. 🤍


Abiding Scripture:


Luke 16:10-11

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?"



With love,

Simone Parke


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