Digging Deeper: Surrender to Your Purpose

Avatar photo Kelly Skelton on March 6, 2026

 

  And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus.

 

Luke 5:10-11 (NLT)


SURRENDER TO YOUR PURPOSE

 

As soon as they saw what God could do, they left everything, EVERYTHING, and followed Jesus.

Think about all the moments in your life where God has shown up, where He has shown out on your behalf. Think about answered prayers, the loud ones and the soft ones. In all of the times God has brought you through, have you ever once thought about walking away from everything you know, everything you own, and relentlessly pursuing Him?

That is what Simon does here. He was frustrated and disappointed in his current situation. Jesus shows up in the flesh. He tells him to try again, but this time to go further out, to push himself. Simon hesitates and reminds Him that this has not worked in the past, but then follows through with what he is asked to do. And because of his faith and his trust, he is blessed abundantly. His partners witness his blessing. Because of his faith, others follow Jesus. Because God showed up and showed out, Simon drops everything he is doing and goes to fish for men. He goes to spread the gospel to everyone who would listen.

Heart:
Where are you in this? As we recap this story, can you relate to Simon? When you think about your blessings, your prayers, your bold God moments, have you ever shared those with anyone? Have you ever shared pieces of your story, your testimony, with someone else? Imagine what a movement there would be if we were all open and willing to share what God has done in our lives with others.

Soul:
Do you fear the unknown, the uncharted territory you feel like God may be calling you to? Are you fearful of the uncertainty of change, of surrendering what you thought your plan was and chasing after what your purpose truly is?

You are not alone. Surrender is intense, but it is also freeing. The most vivid picture I have in my mind is Abraham in Genesis 22. In this story, God asks Abraham to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, as a burnt offering. Abraham does as he is told. In his final act of surrender, he ties him with a rope and lays him on the altar. An angel of the Lord appears and tells him not to lay a hand on Isaac, and a ram appears in the bushes to take Isaac’s place on the altar.

What does your surrender look like today? What is God pressing on your heart to do, to fully surrender to all that He has for you?

Strength:
I think we have all had those moments, the ones where God has done something amazing, something bold in our lives, and it makes us feel on fire. It makes us want to shout from the rooftops how amazing He is. I think that is how Simon felt that day.

What has changed in us that our daily surrender looks different? That our shouts can become a whisper. That our faithful steps can become a tiptoe. Did we forget where we were and what He brought us out of?

Simon Peter left EVERYTHING and followed Him when he saw what God had done. He completely surrendered. Where is your heart today? When you look back at all that God has brought you through, where did your passion go? Where is your surrender now? What are the full nets God has walked with you through and blessed you with? How can you share that part of your story, your testimony?

Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Surrender Your Guilt, Seek Forgiveness

Avatar photo Kelly Skelton on March 5, 2026

 

When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me- I’m such a sinful man.” For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him.  

 

Luke 5:8-9 (NLT)


SURRENDER YOUR GUILT, SEEK FORGIVENESS

 

I have physically fallen to my knees over some very tough situations. I have begged and bartered with God on multiple occasions. I have seen blessings come out of dark situations, and I have felt ashamed of my lack of faith, the same way I imagine Simon did. I have let anxiety and the need to control take over and have needed to be reminded that God is in control.

Simon Peter was ashamed that he doubted, that he hesitated, that he reminded Jesus that what he had been trying was not working. Yet his trust in God to try one more time, his obedience, showed his partners and other witnesses what a miracle God can do, what faith can do.

Heart:
I can imagine Simon’s face, his jaw dropped, the weight of guilt too heavy to hold. Falling before Jesus, ashamed and full of regret. Have you been there before, ashamed of your lack of faith in a situation? Immediately asking forgiveness for your doubts? Where is God pressing on your heart today? Where do you need to surrender your guilt and pick your faith back up?

Soul:
When you look at these passages, what do you connect with? For me, it is the relevance of how Simon felt. It is knowing that I am not alone in feeling less than when I struggle to trust. It is knowing that Simon was literally face to face with Jesus and still hesitated. I think it is safe to say that we have all had doubts. How can this story help you trust God more?

Strength:
Simon was awestruck by the blessings God gave him, not in spite of his doubt, but because of his faith. Is there something you feel led to do or chase after that you may have doubted before, but today you feel fully invested and ready to walk into? When you think about Simon Peter’s reaction, where have you seen a moment like this in your own life? How can you use the strength you had in that moment to push you forward into the next step of obedience?

 

Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Surrender Your Story

Avatar photo Kelly Skelton on March 4, 2026

 

“Master,” Simon replied, “We worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again. And this time their nets were so full of fish that they began to tear. A shout for help brought their partners in the boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. 

 

Luke 5:5-7 (NLT)


SURRENDER YOUR STORY

 

So blessed they almost sank. That is what happened when Simon listened to what Jesus was asking him to do. But before the blessing, Simon tells Jesus, and reminds Him, that the night before they had done the same thing. They worked hard and saw no result. They chased after what they were supposed to do and caught nothing, gained nothing.

Can you imagine standing before Jesus and saying, I hear what You are telling me to do, but have You forgotten that this has not worked? I have tried this. Were You not with me through that last journey? It did not work. I thought You knew that.

Here, Simon admits doubt, but then does exactly what Jesus asks of him. The blessing and life change on the other side of his yes to Jesus were enough to propel him toward chasing his purpose.

Heart:
What times in your life, in your story, have you felt the need to remind God that something did not work out the way you thought it would? In what chapter of your life have you struggled with doubt? In those same stories, how did God change your circumstances for good? How did God right those wrongs? How did you come out on the other side of that situation more blessed than when you went into it?

Soul:
Think about a time in your life when you felt the most blessed, the most loved, the most cared for by God. What led you to that moment? Was there a vivid picture, a moment like a boat overflowing with fish? What was your full boat? How has God used that moment as a testimony, as a moment of truth to show others, and you, who He really is and how much He loves you?

Think about the looks on the faces of the partners who showed up, who had watched Simon fish the night before and catch nothing, walking away empty-handed. Then imagine the looks on their faces, and their belief in God, after seeing what Jesus did for him. What a story, a testimony to Simon’s faith.

Strength:
The kind of faith Simon shows here is faithful obedience, choosing to try again when God says to, even if it has not worked out in your favor before. How close have you been to an answered prayer but fell short because you were weary? What step of obedience is God laying on your heart today? What is one thing you have been struggling with that you could get in the boat for today? I pray that you would take hold of that and make active steps toward it.

Let your faith, your steps into the boat, be visual stories that tell of God’s faithfulness.

 

Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Surrender Your Timeline

Avatar photo Kelly Skelton on March 3, 2026

 

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”

 

Luke 5:4 (NLT)


SURRENDER YOUR TIMELINE

 

How many times in your life have you prayed fervently for something and felt like God delayed His answer or was not listening?

If you could see me right now, you would know that I have both hands raised for this one. There have been deep wounds in my life where, in the moment, I felt like God was taking forever to answer me. Eventually, I realized the answers came, just on His timeline and not mine.

In today’s Scripture, God literally tells Simon to try again, to go further out, to go to a new location. A place where he will find a massive blessing.

How does this relate to today? I imagine God telling us, go where I have called you. Chase after the purpose I have placed in your heart, and there you will find an abundance of blessings. Can you imagine Jesus sitting before you in a boat and saying, go further out. Keep trying. Do not stop. You are so insanely close to the blessings I have for you, you just cannot see them at the surface level right now.

Simon Peter had no idea what waited for him in the sea, and neither do you or I. How many times have we been immensely close to the answer to a prayer, and then we stop praying, we stop believing, we stop looking, listening, and seeking, and then we miss the boat. We miss the blessing.

What does God reveal about your heart in this passage?
Do you feel triggered with doubt? Are there times when you boldly hear God telling you to do something, but because it does not make sense, or because you doubt that it is really His voice, you do not pursue it?

How does this Scripture reveal more of God’s character to you?

I imagine God sitting in the boat, the sea calm, calling me to do something, to make a move, to keep pressing on. Almost like He is waving you out there with Him, asking you to keep pushing further. And the minute you do, you feel at peace. You release the doubt you have been holding inside, and you see His character. Where He saw you struggling, He wanted to take care of you, to remove a burden from you. All you had to do was take the next step, and He was there, watching you, wading the waters with you the whole time. You just could not see it from where you were.

When you think about what you must leave behind to take the next step forward toward your purpose, what scares you the most?
Is it releasing the timeline of events or accomplishments you thought you needed to attain? Is it walking away from the comfort you have now?

God does not call us to be comfortable. He calls us to be obedient. So by not taking that next step you are so desperately nervous to take, you are, in fact, being disobedient. You are not trusting Him or having faith that He will work it out.

I challenge you today, as you close out this devotion, to think about what your next step is. What is the very next thing you can do to chase after where God wants you to be? If you do not know what that is, that is the perfect place to start. Pray specific prayers over what God wants to do in your life. What impact can He make with your story?

Maybe your first step is admitting your doubts and your fears. And maybe your next prayer is, here I am, Lord. Send me. I surrender my control and my timeline, and I will faithfully chase after Yours.

 

Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Surrender Your Plan

Avatar photo Kelly Skelton on March 2, 2026

 

One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God.  He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fisherman had left them and were washing their nets.  Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water.  So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there. 

Luke 5:1-3 (NLT)


SURRENDER YOUR PLAN

 

There, Jesus sat in the middle of His purpose, His plan for Simon.

Surrendering is releasing the control you think you have and trusting God to handle everything.

When I get that uneasy feeling in my stomach, when I begin to feel discontent, when I am not at peace, surrendering something is almost always what needs to follow next. No matter what it is that I am trying to control, I can tell that God wants me to release it.

The most vivid moment in my life where I struggled to surrender was in 2020. With the weight of the pandemic and everything that felt lost, I felt like God was calling me to step away from teaching for a bit. To walk away from a steady paycheck in the middle of a pandemic was definitely not something I wanted to sign up for. But the moment I realized the surrender was real, I resigned.

Because of that obedience, God opened some amazing doors, opportunities, and blessings I would have otherwise missed out on. Of all of those moments that I will never forget, I was given one that still rocks me to my core. God knew what chapter was coming in my story, and He prepared a way for me to be present in ways being a teacher would not. He gave me the time to be present and walk with my mom when her terminal cancer returned. In those months, He healed a lifetime of hurt, even while I was breaking inside. Because I had surrendered my plan, I was able to spend those final months with her.

When we read these Scriptures, I can imagine myself walking away from those boats like Simon did, feeling frustrated and defeated. Having worked and chased after something that I thought was where I was supposed to be. Then standing off to the side, rinsing away my frustration, cleaning up the mess of defeat and disappointment.

I think if we are all honest, we have each been here at one point in our lives. Feeling like we are out at sea, drifting and not knowing what is next, while trying to control our next move. This is where I feel like God is calling us to surrender.

In our hearts:
He is calling us to surrender our plan.
Where in your life do you have doubts, or where are you resistant to relinquishing control you do not have?
Where do you need to look back at your boat and let God step in?

In our souls:
How does this Scripture reveal Jesus’ character to you? When you think about what He saw, empty boats on the shore and defeated fishermen washing up, He decides to step in, literally, and continue to teach them.

With His strength:
Surrendering your plan requires leaving what you thought would happen behind. It is an insanely bold act of faith to walk away from what you thought life would be like and embrace what it can be. Because I promise you, His plan is so much greater than anything you could have dreamed up.

As you start your week, I challenge you to think about the empty boats you have brought back to shore. The times you have felt defeated, where your plan did not work out the way you thought it would. Reflect on how God has used those empty moments for a bigger purpose and a better plan.

I imagine when Jesus saw those fishermen, He felt empathy for them. He felt their frustration and pain, and I know He has felt the same for you. Let Him step into your boat and guide you back to the plan He has for you.

 

Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Simple Faithfulness

Avatar photo Kelly Skelton on December 12, 2025

 

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her.”

Luke 1:45 (NIV)


SIMPLE FAITHFULNESS


Joseph obeyed. Mary obeyed. They simply did what God asked: travel, trust, keep going. Through their willingness, our Savior entered the world.
God often works through the quiet, unseen acts of obedience in our everyday lives:
• the prayers whispered in the dark
• the meals prepared
• the patience shown
• the love offered in exhaustion

These small acts of faithfulness create space for Jesus, the Light, to shine in our families and communities. Your obedience matters, even if it feels small.

I pray that as you end your week, God would help you trust that He is working through your daily faithfulness. Let your small acts of obedience make room for His light to shine.

 

Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Obedience Even When You’re Weary

Avatar photo Kelly Skelton on December 11, 2025

 

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Matthew 11:28 (NIV)


OBEDIENCE EVEN WHEN YOU’RE WEARY


Imagine Mary, tired, sore, far from home, and about to give birth. Yet she kept going—not because she had strength, but because she had purpose. As a parent, I feel that we often move forward even when we are emotionally drained and physically tired. The call of obedience can feel heavy at times, but God never asks us to carry it alone. I have heard it said that the cost of obedience is great, but so is the cost of disobedience. Just as Mary’s strength was not her own, neither is ours. I firmly believe that God strengthens us for what He calls us to carry, and when our strength runs out, His begins.

I pray today that if you feel weary, He would renew your strength. Lord, help us to walk in obedience not by our own power, but by Yours alone.

Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Light in the Journey

Avatar photo Kelly Skelton on December 10, 2025

 

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”

John 1:5 (NIV)


LIGHT IN THE JOURNEY


Mary and Joseph’s journey to Bethlehem was physically exhausting and emotionally draining. Yet each step was leading them closer to the arrival of Light itself, Jesus. Sometimes the hardest seasons we walk through are the very ones where God is bringing us something new and something radiant. When the path feels dark, whether parenting challenges, emotional burdens, or fear of the future, be reminded that Jesus is already on His way. He sees the big picture, not just the trial that lies in front of you.

I pray today that you would shine your light into every building, school, community center, and office space you come into contact with. May we be reminded that, although we cannot see the full picture, the small part we are walking through will be used for His glory.

Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Showing Support

Avatar photo Kelly Skelton on December 9, 2025

 

“…to act justly, and to love mercy, and walk humbly with your God.”

Micah 6:8 (NIV)


SHOWING SUPPORT

 

When I think of Joseph, I often picture a strong, silent figure standing next to Mary. But Joseph was more than a supporting character in the story. He was a parent stepping into a calling he did not ask for, yet embraced wholeheartedly. Joseph’s obedience was the quiet kind, the kind that shows up early in the morning, sacrifices without applause, and chooses faith over fear—the kind every parent understands. He was obedient even without a full set of instructions. Joseph reminds us that God uses parents—not perfect ones, but willing ones—to shape, protect, and nurture His purposes in the lives of their children. And like Joseph, your obedience may not be applauded, understood, or recognized, but Heaven sees it. God sees every quiet yes, every sacrifice, every moment you show up.

If you have ever made a decision with trembling hope that it was the right one, if you have ever carried the weight of your family on your shoulders while crying out silently for God’s help, if you have ever been scared to be obedient but trusted God anyway, know this: God is with you. He strengthens you. He honors your quiet obedience. Just as He guided Joseph, He guides you step by step, moment by moment, season by season.

PRAYER
Lord, thank You for the example of Joseph’s steady heart. Please help us lead with humility, love with courage, and support our families and communities with grace. Strengthen us in the quiet, unseen moments, and remind us that You are guiding us just as You guided him.

 

Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.

 

Digging Deeper: Obedience in the Unknown

Avatar photo Kelly Skelton on December 8, 2025

 

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.”

Proverbs 3:5 (NIV)


OBEDIENCE IN THE UNKNOWN

 

Mary traveled nearly 90 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem, pregnant, uncomfortable, unsure, and likely afraid. Yet she moved forward because she trusted God, who had called her to do it. As parents, teachers, and believers, obedience often looks like walking through seasons where we cannot see the full path—caring for our families, making hard decisions, or stepping into unfamiliar roles. Mary’s story reminds us that obedience is not about having clarity; it is about having trust. God’s presence goes before us just as it went before her on that long road to Bethlehem.

I pray that as you start this week, you would look to Mary’s heart and be willing to obey even when the path is unclear. Be willing to trust God’s guidance and rest in His presence in every unknown.

 

Kelly Skelton is a Georgia native, raised in the south on Jesus, Georgia football and sweet tea.  She is her husbands’ biggest fan and her two daughters’ loudest cheerleaders.  She recently published her first children’s book titled, But God Had a Plan.  She stays active in the Dallas area as a  photographer, videographer, writer, and middle school teacher.