By Chanel Bingham

There’s nothing like sitting on a beautiful beach to bring a little clarity to the mind and peace to the soul. As a young girl, I would spend my summers on the white, sandy beaches of Gulf Shores, running along the shoreline and splashing in the warm, salty ocean.

My grandmother owned a beach house four blocks off the main beach, and some of my most precious childhood memories were formed in this magical place.

Because of my fondness for all things beach, I try as often as possible to get away with my family to this small piece of paradise on earth.

Over the past couple of years, it has become somewhat of a tradition to spend the New Year’s holiday celebrating in Gulf Shores. It is always a wonderful time spent reflecting on the past year and looking forward to the future.

As I walked out on the beach the last morning before returning home, I felt something stirring inside me. I thought about the upcoming year and all of the opportunity it could bring, but I also reflected on some of the desires and dreams God had placed in my heart that have yet to be fulfilled.

I felt a twinge of sadness and even frustration as I struggled with some of my unfulfilled dreams.

As I pondered these things, I looked around at my beautiful surroundings: the expansive skyline meeting the edge of the ocean, the glassy water reflecting the sun’s warm glow and the endless miles of sandy beaches with sand as soft as silk.

In the middle of my contemplations, I heard God whisper a single word to my heart: surrender.

Just as the very ocean I stood before surrenders to God and stops at the appointed line on the shore, so God has called me to surrender my plans and allow Him to work out His calling in my life. He asks me to surrender not only my situation and circumstances but all of myself.

It is only when I surrender my own anxious thoughts and plans that God has room to work.

God’s promises are true. He is faithful to never give us a desire that He cannot fulfill.

As I begin to surrender my plans to God, I am reminded of many others who waited on the Lord for the fulfillment of their dreams.

Remember David from the Bible? He was called and anointed by God as a young boy, but he faced trials and tribulations before the fulfillment of his calling to be King of Israel.

And what about Joseph? God gave him amazing dreams and visions for his life, but first he had to endure great suffering and hardships.

When we find our God-given dreams and visions put on hold, we can trust that God has a purpose in the delay. Whether it is to grow our faith or build our character, God wants us to surrender all of ourselves to Him and the work He is doing in our life.

Heading into the new year, if you find that some of your God-given dreams remain unfulfilled, I encourage you to take heart and surrender them to God. Be patient during the process, and you will find that He is faithful to fulfill the dreams He has placed in your heart!

“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

“You can always give without loving, but you can never love without giving.” Amy Carmichael

Chanel Bingham is a freelance writer, blogger and public speaker. She resides in Thorsby with her husband and four children. You can visit Chanel at www.thepolishedcanvas.com or on Facebook at “The Polished Canvas.” Her column publishes each week.