05/28/2026
To the beautiful family receiving Surrender,
This painting was created from a place of reflection, release, and trust in God’s ability to do what we cannot do on our own.
While painting, I kept coming back to the word surrender. Not as weakness, but as freedom. The kind of surrender that asks us to lay down our pride, our striving, our fear, and the pressure to hold everything together ourselves.
So many of us try to fix everything on our own - our homes, our marriages, our families, even ourselves. But this piece was born from the reminder that God never asked us to carry those burdens alone. Sometimes the most powerful thing we can do is place it all in His hands.
The imagery within this painting reflects both softness and resurrection, beauty growing from broken places. The lavender symbolizes peace and healing, while the white lilies represent purity, renewal, and hope. At the center is Jesus: the One who still calls us out of darkness and into freedom.
The scripture that inspired this piece is John 11:43–44:
“Jesus called in a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come out!’ The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen…”
What moves me most about this passage is that Lazarus walked out still bound. Jesus brought him back to life first - freedom came after obedience. After surrender.
This painting is a reminder that you do not have to have everything figured out before coming to Him. You do not have to free yourself before answering His call. He already opened the tomb. The invitation now is simply to surrender.
My prayer is that this piece brings peace into your home and serves as a daily reminder that God is present within these walls - in the joy, the healing, the waiting, and the becoming.
With love,
Rylan Peoples