I was on my way to an event with a friend when she said to me in a very sorrowful manner, “Nothing was saved. Nothing.” I asked her what she was referring to and she explained to me how all the time she had thought the iCloud was backing up her photos, addresses, etc. through her cell phone, that in fact, there was no connection and when her phone crashed it was all just GONE. I felt for her. Deeply. I LOVE my photos and little videos of the kids that I take on my phone, and I understand to the core how much I need backup. We paused for a moment of silence for her.
And then it dawned on me. What did my parents do without all this back up? What did my grandparents do without some mysterious Cloud in the atmosphere theoretically backing up my life? Well, there are a few conclusions I came to. Basic and simple, but important all the same. 1. They wrote everything important down. 2. They printed off the photos that they wanted memories of. 3. They scheduled less and lived more. (Ahhhhhh . . . just typing those words releases the vice that seems clenched around my heart as I feel as if the schedules I keep — including my children’s — are just SO much so many days.) And then I heard/felt this whisper, “Let me be your iCloud.”
I just sat stunned as the words swirled through my brain like that circle on your computer screen while you’re waiting for something to load. And I mulled those words over and over again. “Let Him be my iCloud. Let God be my iCloud. Let me check-in consistently with my Lord that He will direct what needs my attention and what can wait or possibly just get thrown out altogether (which I’m finding more and more there’s PLENTY of that.) I jumped up from my seat and said, “Yes God! Yes! I know this is the culture I live in and I need to be wise, but in general, you are the main backup that I need.” And I started to pray. “God, please help me as THIS becomes my new way of living . . . my new lifestyle . . . . checking in with you on all things . . . on all accounts. Help me to release control to you and feel secure in knowing that YOU know my life, my schedule, my desire to raise up these children in having relationship with you. IN Jesus’ Name . . . Amen!” And then I paused.
Now, please here my heart, I fully understand that there is a need for data backup when it comes to many of our jobs, but I am mainly referring to our day to day living. It is difficult to give up control to our God. It is challenging to trust that He is going to bring something to mind when it is needed or necessary, but I can tell you this. Since I have been praying and reading God’s Word more faithfully, making the effort to praise Him for being my iCloud, I have noticed that He pulls through every time. Every Time! I may be getting ready for work and hear this still small voice, reminding me of a payment I need to make or an event that came up so quickly it didn’t get written down or just a tapping to go and check on one of the kids and ask them specifically about something. God TRULY is my iCloud. He sees it all with my family. He prompts me and moves my heart and that is ONLY possible as I take the time to invest into Him. Into US really.
So, here we go . . . with this newfound way. And with all new paths there will be bumps and hiccups along the way (on my end alone . . . I’m pretty sure God does not hiccup) but NEVER stop trying. Never give up. Never throw in the towel or buy the lie that you’re just not measuring up. IT’s not about YOU measuring up, it’s about us being His vessels and carrying through with His plans and purposes for our lives as we show others around us the beauty and freedom in this way of living. Let God be your iCloud. Let Him be LORD of your life. It’s one thing to say it, it’s another thing to actually understand what that means and carry it out. Allow Him to have dominion over even the smallest of areas in your life . . . and as Scarlett O’Hara declares before the intermission of Gone with the Wind, “you shall never go [without memory] again.” Or at least something like that!
Article Written by: Cindy Aitkin
