Surrendering Regret

By Jane “Goldie” Winn

Regret has a way of following us into places we thought we had already left behind.

We remember the words we wish we had never spoken. The choices we wish we could undo. The opportunities we missed and the moments when we wish we had known then what we know now.

Sometimes we carry those memories so long that they begin to feel like part of who we are.

But regret was never meant to become our identity.

You Cannot Change Yesterday

One of the hardest parts of surrender is accepting that we cannot go back and change what happened. We can learn from yesterday, but we cannot live there.

There is a difference between taking responsibility and continually punishing ourselves.

When we surrender regret, we are not pretending that our mistakes didn’t matter. We are simply choosing not to let those mistakes control the rest of our story.

God already knows every chapter — even the ones we wish we could tear out.

Give Yourself Permission to Move Forward

Sometimes we believe holding onto regret proves that we are sorry enough.

But constantly replaying our failures does not change the past. It only steals from the present.

Surrender means placing those painful memories in God’s hands and saying, “I can’t change this, but I don’t want to carry it anymore.”

There can be freedom in that simple release.

Romans 8:1 reminds us that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. That doesn’t erase the lessons from our past. Instead, it reminds us that our past does not have the final word.

Your Story Isn’t Over

Perhaps there is something you have been carrying for years — a decision, a relationship, a missed opportunity, or something you wish you had handled differently.

Today, you can begin to surrender it.

You don’t have to understand everything that happened. You don’t have to have every answer. You can simply take the next step and trust God with what you cannot change.

Surrendering regret is not forgetting.

It is releasing.

And sometimes the very thing we thought would always hold us back becomes part of the testimony that reminds us how faithfully God carried us through.

Surrender the regret. Keep the lesson. Let God write the next chapter.

Here is a wonderful ebook to help you on your surrender journey:

The Healing Power of Surrender: A 30-Day Devotional Journey to Peace and Purpose by Jane “Goldie” Winn
You can download it today for just $9.99 and begin 30 days of transformation and lasting freedom. Click Here to buy The Healing Power of Surrender

Here for you,

Goldie

National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children

by Jane "Goldie" Winn | Blog

National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children

By Jane “Goldie” Winn

September 12 is the National Day of Remembrance for Aborted Children—a day that invites us to stop, remember, and acknowledge the precious lives that were lost to abortion.

For me, this is more than a date on the calendar. It is a day that I honor and remember my own aborted child who is now in Heaven and a reminder that behind every statistic is a life, a story, and a mother who may still carry feelings she has never been able to put into words.

There are many different emotions surrounding abortion. There may be grief, regret, anger, confusion, or even relief mixed with sadness. Sometimes those emotions (and many others) can surface years—or even decades—later.

Remembering Without Condemning

Remembering these children doesn’t have to mean pointing fingers or placing shame on those who made difficult decisions. It can simply mean acknowledging that a life was lost and allowing ourselves to grieve.

Scripture says:

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” — Psalm 34:18

Those words have brought comfort to me many times. God does not turn away from broken hearts. He meets us right in the places where we hurt the most.

There Is Grace for the Past

If you are carrying regret from an abortion, please know that you do not have to carry it alone. The past cannot be changed, but it does not have to define the rest of your life.

Healing often begins when we finally stop hiding our pain and bring it into the presence of God.

This day can be a time to remember the children, but it can also be a time to extend compassion to the women and families who are still hurting.

A Surrender Note to Declare

Today, I choose to surrender what I cannot change.

I surrender the questions, the memories, the grief, and the regrets I may still carry. I place these precious lives into God’s hands, and I ask Him to bring comfort where there is pain and peace where there is still sorrow.

Sometimes surrender is not forgetting. Sometimes surrender is finally trusting God with what our hearts cannot carry anymore.

Here is a wonderful ebook to help you on your surrender journey:

The Healing Power of Surrender: A 30-Day Devotional Journey to Peace and Purpose by Jane “Goldie” Winn
You can download it today for just $9.99 and begin 30 days of transformation and lasting freedom. Click Here to buy The Healing Power of Surrender

Here for you,

Goldie

Surrendering Enabling Habits

by Jane "Goldie" Winn | Blog

Surrendering Enabling Habits

By Jane “Goldie” Winn

There is a difference between helping someone and enabling them. Helping can offer support, encouragement, and a hand when someone is struggling. Enabling, however, can sometimes keep a person stuck by protecting them from the natural consequences of their choices.

When Helping Becomes Enabling

Surrendering enabling habits can be difficult, especially when our intentions are good. We may step in because we love someone, feel responsible for them, or simply want to keep the peace.

The Desire to Make Everything Better

Sometimes we believe that if we just try harder, explain things differently, or rescue someone one more time, everything will finally change. But we cannot make another person change or make their choices for them.

Constantly fixing problems for others can leave us exhausted, frustrated, and emotionally drained.

Love Does Not Mean Fixing Everything

Loving someone doesn’t require us to solve every problem they face. Sometimes love means allowing another person to experience the consequences of their decisions.

Learning to Step Back

Stepping back doesn’t mean becoming uncaring. It means recognizing what belongs to us—and what belongs to someone else.

Healthy boundaries can feel uncomfortable at first. We may experience guilt, fear, or worry about what will happen when we stop stepping in.

But sometimes stepping back is exactly what allows another person to begin taking responsibility for their own life.

Surrendering the Need to Control

Surrender isn’t about giving up on someone. It is about releasing our belief that everything depends on us.

Choosing Peace Over Responsibility for Everyone

We can love people without carrying their burdens for them. We can offer encouragement without taking over. We can say, “I love you, but I cannot do this for you.”

That isn’t rejection. It can be an honest expression of love.

“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee.” — Psalm 55:22 (KJV)

When we surrender enabling habits, we make room for healthier relationships, stronger boundaries, and greater peace within ourselves.

Sometimes surrender means trusting enough to let go—and allowing others the opportunity to stand on their own.

Here is a wonderful ebook to help you on your surrender journey:

The Healing Power of Surrender: A 30-Day Devotional Journey to Peace and Purpose by Jane “Goldie” Winn
You can download it today for just $9.99 and begin 30 days of transformation and lasting freedom. Click Here to buy The Healing Power of Surrender

Here for you,

Goldie

August Wellness: What If Surrender Made Room for More?

by Jane "Goldie" Winn | Blog

August Wellness: What If Surrender Made Room for More?

August is National Wellness Month, but wellness does not have to mean adding another list of things to accomplish. Eat better. Exercise more. Sleep longer. Drink more water. Make time for yourself.

All of those things can be valuable, but what if wellness also involves doing less?

What if taking care of ourselves sometimes means surrendering the need to have everything figured out?

Surrender Is Not Standing Still

It Can Change the Way We Move Forward

The word surrender can sound like defeat. Yet surrender can actually be a decision to stop fighting battles that are consuming our energy.

There are situations we cannot change, people we cannot control, and outcomes we cannot predict. Spending our days trying to manage all of them can leave very little energy for the life that is actually happening in front of us.

Surrender gives us permission to stop wrestling with every unanswered question.

It can sound like:

“I will do what I can, and I will let the rest unfold.”

That is not giving up. It is making a different choice.

Wellness Includes the Things No One Sees

Pay Attention to Your Inner Life

We are usually pretty good at noticing when our bodies need attention. We recognize when we are hungry, tired, or physically uncomfortable.

But what about our inner life?

Sometimes we need to notice when worry has become a habit, when yesterday is taking up too much space in today, or when we are putting unrealistic expectations on ourselves.

Surrender invites us to become honest about those things without judging ourselves for having them.

A Different Kind of Wellness Check-In

Ask Yourself What Can Go

This month, instead of asking only, “What should I add to my wellness routine?” try asking:

“What can I stop carrying?”

Maybe it is an old expectation.

Maybe it is the pressure to please everyone.

Maybe it is a mistake you continue to replay.

Maybe it is simply the belief that you have to handle everything alone.

August can be a reminder that wellness is not always about doing more for ourselves. Sometimes it is about creating enough space to hear our own thoughts, appreciate where we are today, and trust the next step.

Surrender does not require us to understand the whole journey.

Sometimes, we simply need enough courage to loosen our grip.

And in that space, we may discover something we desperately needed all along: room to breathe, room to grow, and room for something new.

Here is a wonderful ebook to help you on your surrender journey:

The Healing Power of Surrender: A 30-Day Devotional Journey to Peace and Purpose by Jane “Goldie” Winn
You can download it today for just $9.99 and begin 30 days of transformation and lasting freedom. Click Here to buy The Healing Power of Surrender

Here for you,

Goldie

Freedom Begins Within: Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday

by Jane "Goldie" Winn | Blog

Freedom Begins Within: Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday

By Jane “Goldie” Winn, MSS

This Independence Day is especially meaningful as America celebrates 250 years of freedom. We honor those who fought for the liberties we enjoy and remember that freedom has always come with courage, sacrifice, and hope.

While we celebrate our nation’s independence, many of us are also longing for a different kind of freedom—the freedom to let go of worry, regret, fear, or the need to control every outcome.

The Strength of Surrender

The word surrender can sound like weakness, but it often takes great strength to release what we cannot change.

Surrender isn’t about giving up. It’s about letting go of the burdens that weigh us down so we can move forward with greater peace and purpose. Sometimes the most freeing decision we can make is to stop carrying what was never ours to hold.

When we loosen our grip on yesterday’s mistakes or tomorrow’s uncertainties, we create space for hope, joy, and healing.

A Simple Independence Day Reflection

As you celebrate America’s birthday with family and friends, take a quiet moment to ask yourself:

What burden am I ready to release?
Where could I choose peace instead of worry?
What small step could bring more freedom into my life today?

Real freedom isn’t only something we celebrate as a nation. It’s also something we experience personally when we choose to let go and trust the journey ahead.

This Fourth of July, may America’s 250th birthday inspire not only gratitude for our country’s freedom but also a renewed commitment to finding freedom within.

Here is a wonderful ebook to help you:

The Healing Power of Surrender: A 30-Day Devotional Journey to Peace and Purpose by Jane “Goldie” Winn
You can download it today for just $9.99 and begin 30 days of transformation and lasting freedom. Click Here to buy The Healing Power of Surrender

Here for you,

Goldie