Hey Kingdom Builder,

Welcome back to the throne room. We’re so glad you’re here! This week, we’re diving into something that might sting a little: surrender. Not the pretty, Instagram-caption kind of surrender, but the messy, uncomfortable, “God, are you serious?” kind. The kind where God’s calling you one way, and you’re running the opposite direction because your plan just “makes more sense".

We've all been there. We've all had our Nineveh moment, where God says "go" and we book a ticket to Tarshish instead. But here's what Jonah's story teaches us: running from God's plan is way more painful than surrendering to it.

So grab your coffee (or some tea), and let's talk about what it really means to build from a surrendered heart.

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“But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.” — Jonah 1:3

Let's be real: Jonah is one of the most relatable prophets in the Bible. God told him to go to Nineveh and preach repentance to his enemies. Jonah's response? Nah, I'm good. He literally got on a boat going the opposite direction.

Jonah didn't just run from God's assignment. He ran from his purpose, his peace, and ultimately, his breakthrough. His disobedience didn't just affect him.

It caused a storm that endangered everyone around him. He ended up in the belly of a fish, isolated, uncomfortable, and finally desperate enough to pray.

Sound familiar?

Maybe your "belly of the fish" looks like burnout from chasing the wrong opportunities.

Maybe it's anxiety from trying to force doors that God never intended you to walk through.

Maybe it's the loneliness of building something impressive but empty because it wasn't rooted in His will.

Jonah's breaking point came when he finally prayed from the fish's belly: "When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you" (Jonah 2:7). It took hitting rock bottom for him to remember that God's plan—even when it's hard—is always better than his own.

When Jonah finally obeyed and went to Nineveh, the entire city repented. An entire nation turned to God because one man stopped running and surrendered.

What would happen if you stopped running?

What breakthrough, what impact, what divine assignment is waiting on the other side of your surrender?

Jonah learned the hard way that you can't outrun God's calling.

Eventually, you'll have to choose: surrender now in obedience, or surrender later in desperation.

Today's reminder: Surrender is not weakness. It's the path to breakthrough.

Surrender isn't a one-time decision. It's a daily posture. It's choosing God's will over your comfort, His timing over your urgency, His vision over your plan.

Here's what living surrendered actually looks like:

1) You stop justifying your disobedience.

Jonah had all the reasons why he shouldn't go to Nineveh. They were his enemies. In his eyes, they didn't deserve mercy. It didn't make strategic sense. But God never asked for his opinion. He gave him an assignment. When God speaks, obedience isn't negotiable.

2) You embrace the discomfort of obedience.

Surrendered living often means doing things that don't make sense to anyone else. It might mean starting that business when everyone says it's too risky. It might mean walking away from a "good" opportunity because it's not God's best. It might mean forgiving when you'd rather hold a grudge.

3) You trust God’s heart even when you can’t see His hand.

Jonah couldn't see the outcome of his obedience. He didn't know that an entire city would repent. He just knew God said go. Surrender means trusting that God's plan is good, even when you're standing in the middle of uncertainty.

4) You let go of control.

This is the hardest part. Surrendered living means releasing your grip on timelines, outcomes, and how things "should" look. It means praying "Your will be done" and actually meaning it.

This week, ask yourself: What am I still holding onto that God’s asking me to release?

Is it a relationship? A business plan? A grudge? A timeline? A version of yourself that no longer serves His purpose?

Surrender isn't giving up. It's giving over. And the moment you do, you'll find that His plans were better all along.

When moving back to NYC in 2023, Philip & Dana knew that God was doing something new in both of them - and something special in the city. With backgrounds in tech, entrepreneurship and marketing, and a deep passion for knowing the person of Jesus and making Him known, launching Proximity is their first step in redemptive entrepreneurship.

Proximity creates shared spaces for the integration of faith and work, bringing revival to the city though the marketplace. They want God’s presence and love to pervade every area of life, not just within the walls of a church. By gathering to pray, share testimonies, and get stuff done, they’re inviting folks to draw near to God and each other- in and through their work.

Phil and Dana will also be welcoming their first child into the world soon!🎉

We want to use this space to formally congratulate them on the growth of their family, while growing their business. Truly so excited for all that is in store for them in the coming months!

Stay plugged in for their future events here!

If you’re feeling the nudge to serve, partner, or sponsor an upcoming Royal Authority event, we want to hear from you. Whether you want to volunteer your time, collaborate on a gathering, or support the movement financially — let’s talk!

Ready to build together? Email us at [email protected] or Contact Us through our website.