Ashes To Victory: Week 1 Theme SURRENDER
The official launch of From Ashes to Victory on Ash Wednesday was powerful. It marked a sacred shift and gave us a moment to pause, reflect, and realign our hearts as we begin this 40-day journey toward Easter.
Now in week one, we are building the foundation of transformation through SURRENDER.
Our theme scripture is Luke 22:42:
“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”
Jesus showed us what surrender looks like. He acknowledged the weight of the moment but chose the will of the Father over His own comfort. That is surrender.
Surrender is often misunderstood. It is not weakness. It is not defeat. It is alignment. It is releasing what God has asked you to lay down, even when your emotions want to hold on.
But here’s the real question: When you say you surrendered it, how do you know you actually released it?
Surrender isn’t just praying, “God, I give it to You.” It’s when you stop replaying the conversation. It’s when you stop trying to fix what God told you to release. It’s when you resist picking it back up the moment things feel uncertain.
Fear will tempt you to grab it again. Control will whisper that you can manage it better. Ego will demand closure. Your flesh will always try to repossess what your spirit placed on the altar.
Practical Application This Week:
Start each morning with: “God, I surrender today to You.”
Write down one worry and physically tear up the paper as an act of release.
Pause before reacting in frustration and pray first.
This 40-day journey is also an invitation to journal your transformation. Journaling slows you down. It reveals patterns. It shows you where you are growing — and where you are still gripping too tightly.
When journaling consider reflecting on:
What am I afraid will happen if I fully let this go?
Where am I trying to control what God is asking me to trust Him with?
What would obedience look like today?
Ashes symbolize what has ended. But victory begins the moment you surrender.
Surrender is where victory begins. As you lean into this week, let this song guide your spirit: “I Surrender” by Tasha Cobbs Leonard. Let it be the soundtrack to your journey and a reminder to surrender, release, and step forward in faith.
