Control and I go way back. I love a good plan—and I especially love when it’s mine. And lists? Don’t even get me started! (I even previously wrote a blog about that!) I’m a planner, a list-maker, a lover of structure and clarity. So naturally, when God invited my husband and me to step away from the predictability of our corporate lives and into something far less clear, it felt less like a calling and more like spiritual free fall.

It started years ago. My husband was being led out of a toxic corporate environment—one that looked great on paper but was quietly draining his soul. Through a series of unexpected nudges, closed doors, and new opportunities, God opened a path for him into full-time ministry. It wasn’t lucrative. It wasn’t easy. But it was right. He’s been faithfully working and serving there ever since.

I was on a different path. I felt a nudge to leave my own corporate job and take a position at our sons’ Christian school, a nonprofit environment with heart and purpose. It was one of those rare opportunities that, at the time, felt like a divine assignment, but when I stepped in it felt more like a divine challenge. For ten years, I poured myself into that work. It was incredibly challenging, fulfilling, impactful, and aligned with our family values. It truly took years to settle in there with confidence, but I finally did.

But then, God stirred again.

After nearly a decade of serving in that role, I began to feel an inner shift. There wasn’t a shiny opportunity pulling me forward. Just a quiet, persistent whisper: It’s time.

This wasn’t unfamiliar territory; I’d been here before. And years of walking with God and years of surrendering, resisting, and relearning what trust really looks like (many of those years in the aforementioned role) had prepared me for this moment. So, when I felt called to step away, I did. And here’s the best part: it was easy.

Not because I had a clear next step. I didn’t.

Not because I was brimming with confidence. I wasn’t.

Not because we had endless resources. We didn’t.

But we did have some muscle memory. We knew what it felt like to step out in faith and trust God’s plans over ours, that if we’re obedient to what God is calling us to (or from), He will be with us. I knew deep down that if God was asking me to release something, He already had something else in motion. And many people close to me were affirming this. I didn’t need to have it all figured out. I just needed to trust and take the next right step.

Of course, there was irony in what came next. During that in-between season, people would ask, “Are you going to start your own business? Be a consultant?” And I’d smile and respond, “Oh no, if there is one thing I am NOT going to do, it’s that!” Every. Single. Time.

Why? I guess because it felt too uncertain, too exposed, too independent, and I didn’t want to hustle for clients. I’ve never had a desire to start something from scratch. Honestly, I didn’t want that much freedom. I wanted a defined role, a job description, a team, and a budget. Structure. Control.

But God clearly had other plans for me.

Fast-forward to today, and here I am—running my own consultancy. The EXACT thing I said I’d never do. And wouldn’t you know? It challenges me. It stretches me. And best of all, it has brought me joy. I get to help leaders, nonprofits, and businesses clarify their brands, tell their stories, and make a bigger impact. It’s work I love, and it’s rooted in a calling I didn’t see coming.

And the further I go, the more I realize: this story isn’t really about a career pivot. It’s about control. And about how gently, but persistently, God keeps inviting me to let go of it. I’m learning that surrender isn’t about giving up, it’s about giving over. Giving our carefully crafted outcomes, timelines, lists, identities, and “I’ll never do that” declarations back to the One who sees the whole picture.  

And here’s the miracle in all of it: peace.

Not the kind that comes from perfect plans or bulletproof strategies, but the kind that can only be found in letting go. Isaiah 26:3 reminds us of what comes when we give control to God:

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You.”

When you’ve seen God come through again and again, it actually gets easier to trust Him the next time. Not because you’re stronger, but because He’s proven Himself faithful.

The first time we stepped out of corporate life, it was a bit nerve-wracking and unsettling. The second time, it was much more peaceful. Both times required obedience. But the second time was buoyed by a deep confidence that God was still writing a good story—even when I didn’t know what the next chapter held.

“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.” –Proverbs 3:5–6

Submit. Surrender. Let go. Not because we’re giving up—but because we’re giving God room to do what only He can. Don’t get me wrong—I still love a good plan. I still make lists. But I’ve come to realize that while control may feel safe, it isn’t the same as peace. Peace comes not from having every step laid out, but from knowing Who’s leading the way. I no longer believe that control is the key to peace. It’s not. Surrender is.

If you’re standing at your own crossroads, staring down uncertainty, holding tightly to your timeline or your title—maybe God is inviting you to do the same thing He invited me to do: let go. So, here’s my challenge:

Where is God asking you to loosen your grip so He can move?

It might not make sense. It might not come with a five-year plan. But it just might lead to a deeper kind of freedom than you imagined.

And if surrender feels hard right now, here are three truths I hold onto when struggling to trust God with what comes next:

1. I don’t need the full picture to take the next step.
   God rarely gives us the whole roadmap. But He always gives enough light for the step we’re on. (Psalm 119:105)
2. God’s past faithfulness is my present evidence.
   Look back. Has He provided? Protected? Redirected? Let your history with Him fuel your hope for what’s ahead.
3. Peace isn’t found in knowing—it’s found in trusting.
   The more we try to control the outcome, the more anxious we become. But peace shows up when we finally release what we were never meant to carry.

And that’s a gift of walking with God: you learn to trust not just what He gives, but how He leads—even when it looks nothing like what you expected.

Lord, thank You for the freedom that comes with surrender. Thank You for guiding my steps, and for your grace and love when I try to control everything around me. I pray that I can more and more boldly surrender my own desires, agendas, and lists, and trust the path on which You have me and my family. Please help me to remember Your faithfulness when doubt creeps in, and please keep me surrendered to You in all I do. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.