As we step into Holy Week, beginning with the celebration of Palm Sunday, we are invited into a sacred journey. A journey that mirrors the path Jesus walked.
A journey not of comfort, but of courage… not of certainty, but of surrender.
This week, I want to ask you a question that could change everything:
What do you need to lay down to rise up?
In a world that glorifies control, ego, and constant hustle, the word surrender can feel like defeat. But in truth, surrender is not giving up, it’s giving over. It’s making room for something greater than ourselves to move in our lives. Just as Jesus laid down his life in obedience and trust, we too are called to lay down our old stories, our fears, and our limitations so that we can rise into the fullness of who God created us to be.
The Power of Surrender
Surrender begins with faith. And faith often grows in the soil of hardship.
It’s easy to trust when things are going well, but true transformation comes when you choose faith in the middle of difficulty. When your bank account is low. When relationships are strained. When anxiety whispers that you’re not enough. In those moments, surrender is the most courageous act you can choose.
Scripture tells us in Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV):
“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.”
When we stop trying to force life to make sense, and instead trust God’s process, something amazing happens. We begin to heal. To grow. To rise.
The Stories We Carry and the Ones We Need to Let Go
Every person is walking around with a backpack full of stories, stories from childhood, past relationships, failures, or voices of criticism that have lingered for years.
But here’s the truth:
You can’t step into a new season with old labels on your soul.
If you keep telling yourself “I’m not worthy,” “I’ll always be stuck,” or “Nothing ever works out for me,” then your mind and body will align with that belief.
In fact, research from the National Science Foundation found that the average person has between 12,000 to 60,000 thoughts per day and over 80% of them are negative. That’s a massive amount of resistance we’re unknowingly feeding.
What’s more, a study by the University of Pennsylvania showed that individuals who practice positive self-affirmation and speak life into their goals have 22% higher performance outcomes and greater emotional resilience.
Your words shape your biology, your mood, your immune system, your energy, and even your neural pathways. So if you want to grow, you have to speak what you want, not what you fear.
Rise Up: A 3 Step Process to Begin Today
Here’s a simple but profound practice to help you begin shedding the old and embracing the new:
1. Identify What Needs to Be Laid Down
Take 10 minutes in silence today and ask:
“What belief, fear, or behavior do I need to release?”
Write it down. Speak it out loud. Name it so it no longer has power over you.
2. Replace It with a Declaration of Truth
Now speak a blessing over your life. Say:
“I am worthy of God’s love. I am rising into the person I was created to be. I let go of what no longer serves me and step into faith.”
Post it on your mirror. Say it daily. Let it rewire your identity.
3. Surrender Through Action
Faith without works is dead. Choose one bold action today that aligns with the person you’re becoming. It could be setting a boundary, forgiving someone, starting that project you’ve delayed, or simply showing up with more love.
This Is Your Week to Rise
Holy Week is not just a remembrance of what Jesus did, it’s an invitation to do the same.
To release your grip. To shed the old skin. To trust deeper. And to rise higher.
This week, lay it down, whatever it is.
Let go of the shame.
Let go of the story.
Let go of the fear.
And in its place, let God in.
Because you were never meant to carry it all…
But you were meant to rise.
