Embrace Requires Release

My word of the year for 2022 is EMBRACE. Recently though, I was thinking about that word and wondering if I should have chosen RELEASE for this year and saved EMBRACE for 2023 (I don't even like writing that number!). In order to embrace my life now, there is a lot I have to release, but I've decided they can happen concurrently.

I don't recall now what made me start thinking about this concept of releasing to embrace, but it struck me and I couldn't get it out of my head. You embrace things with your hands (or arms) but you can't do that if they are already full. I'm not so sure that I've fully released old dreams and desires and if I don't do that, then I cannot embrace the life I have now. I have to release the life I wanted to embrace the life I want to live. And I want to live a full life, even if it's not what I expected.

So right now, while I'm in the chaos of moving and then settling in after a move, I'm going to work on releasing so that when I am ready to embrace, my hands are empty and waiting to grab onto the new things life has in store for me.

There is a song by Laura Story that I love called Open Hands and it is how I am trying to live. It's had to love well while holding loosely. That's what I've been thinking about, for a few years since I heard this song but especially the last few weeks. I'll leave you with the lyrics to think on.

The sweetest sound the highest praise
Is the letting go of this life you gave
Our greatest prayer our active faith
Is an open hand Lord have your way

Take it all every hope every dream every plan
Take it every weights all the shame and Brokenness
Jesus I surrender all every victory and loss
Take it all take it all till all I have is open hands

A clenching fist a life of fear
A burden held has no place here
Cause you call me now to cast it all
On the shoulders of the one who strong

Take it all every hope every dream every plan
Take it all every weight all the shame and Brokenness
Jesus I surrender all every Victory and loss
Take it all take it all, till all I have is open hands
All I have is open hands

I'm not afraid of what I'll lose my greatest joy is finding you,
I'm not afraid of what I'll lose my
Greatest joy is finding you, it's finding you

Take it All
Take it All
Take it All
Take it All

Take it all every hope every dream every plan
Take it all every weight, all the shame and brokenness
Jesus I surrender all, every victory and loss
Take it all, Take it all, till all I have is open hands
All I have is open hands
I surrender
Till all I have is open hands