Unclenched Fists

For years I taught anyone who would listen “to hold on to all things loosely.” To not hold so tightly to our wants and stuff and false dreams and grudges and whatever it is we are holding on to so tightly that our fists are clenched. In fact, our fists can be clinched so tightly that nothing can be removed from our lives nor added to them. I have had to remind myself of this truth over and over again…Dana, hold on to all things loosely!!

Several months ago our son Brandon called and asked us to please pray for him and his wife Nikki. He began to share with us the incredible story of a journey God has had them travel. After that phone call my husband and I prayed with them and for them as they sought the Lord’s wisdom and guidance and perfect will.

This journey is leading them to the Dominion Republic. It is requiring them to sell their cars, home, boat, stuff. It is requiring them to leave friends and family. It is requiring them to leave a fruitful ministry in a wonderful church. It is requiring them to have unclenched fists. And it is requiring me and my husband to have unclenched fists.

I know many of you have children who have surrendered to go to the mission field. I have prayed for you, cried with you, rejoiced with you, and honestly, never envied you. We are very close to our children and I will miss being able to see them. BUT God has been teaching me for years to “hold on to all things loosely” and one of the most difficult things for me to “hold on to loosely” is my children. However, like many of you, I gave my children to the Lord before they were even born. They are not mine to hold on to. They are His!! He is holding on to them with clenched fists!!!

When Brandon was growing up I remember vividly spending many nights in prayer battling satan for his very life. I was in spiritual warfare against the enemy for him and I knew it. I would stay up all through the night interceding for him. I knew God was going to use him mightily. And He has. And He will continue to. I must “hold on to all things loosely”!

When Brandon and Nikki determined just a few weeks ago that they would go to the DR one of the first things they did was begin a blog. I wept when I saw the name of their blog. Unclenched Fists! Please feel free to go to http://unclenchedfists.blogspot.com/ and read their story. You will be blessed. Below is an excerpt from Nikki’s post today…

"And this is why I am thankful that God uses scripture and the words of others to affirm what he has already told us. Through his word this morning he showed me that his call on my life right now is for me to surrender, for me to let go. To let go not only of my physical surroundings, but also any fears or concerns that I have clung so tightly to. This quote from Beth Moore herself hit the nail on the head for me: “We won’t embrace with both hands what God has for us if we hold our lives in a death grip.”

Lord, give me strength to continually let go, to release my grip, to unclench my tightly held fists!

Oh, Father, may we all live with unclenched fists. My we all hold on to all things loosely.