Tag: freedom

45 years

Whether you are not yet 45 years of age or are a bit past it, we can all agree that 45 years is a big chunk of our lives.

Our church has a presence in the state correctional facilities. The inmates participate in services and have access to prayer request cards. Once they are submitted, a group of people write letters to them and pray over their requests. I serve on this team.

Some requests are straightforward – they need healing, want out, guidance, help for family members.

Others take a different route. I received one of these recently.

His first line stated that he had been where he was for 45 years.

Imagine – 45 years confined to a prison where freedoms are severely limited.

You have the exact same routine day after day after 16,425 days.

I looked up the gentleman. His sentence was life without parole. I believe his appeals were exhausted. This is where he will be for the rest of his life.

Let that sink in for a moment. Can you feel the weight? I can imagine it’s hard to be joyful or to look at anything in a positive light.

His second line of his request showed his response to the situation.

“I am not a mistake.”

Whew! What confidence in his Creator! He knew that his life mattered and that he had a purpose where he was.

He was excited about mentoring someone who hadn’t been in for as long – and to point them to Christ. He is on a mission!

I’ve thought about my own life and read through some things I have written over the years. I noticed some places where I have been in bondage – not a physical jail but, still in bondage because I held on to something that wasn’t mine to hold.

Fear of the future.

Labels I placed on myself or that were unwanted gifts from others.

Placing my confidence in myself or others well above God, whom I say I love more than others.

These (and others) limit me in areas of my attitude, my confidence and my dreams.

This man has found freedom in his physical prison. I can find freedom from my self imposed one. (And so can you!)

The only one who can define me is my Creator. He calls me His masterpiece. He had a purpose for me before I was created (Ephesians 2:10.) I am never alone. He goes before me, behind me and is all around me (Isaiah 41:10.) I am a daughter of The King (1 John 3:1!) His plan for me is to give me a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11.) I don’t have a spirit of fear but one of power, love and self control (2 Timothy 1:7.)

His plan for this gentleman (and for you) is the same. Reconnect with the One who cannot love you any more than He does right now.

Isaiah 61:1-2 (ESV)

The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
    he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
    and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor,
    and the day of vengeance of our God;
    to comfort all who mourn….

Stubborn and Unforgiving

Those two words describe people I know.

They also describe me.

I don’t like this part of myself. I want to be quick to forgive and to move on. And outwardly, I think I appear so.

But y’all, my heart is not always so. If truth be told, I wrestle with this more than I should. Definitely more than I need to.

I have been forgiven much. My Savior paid for my sins – past, present, and future – by dying on the cross for me. Why do I think I have the audacity to not forgive someone who hurt me? Someone who mistreated me or said something about me that wasn’t true?

This same Savior paid for everyone’s sins the same way – even the people who hurt me. I say everyone is redeemable. But do I believe it?

I have asked the Holy Spirit to point out things in my life that need to change, things that don’t align with who I am in Christ’s righteousness and things that are sinful and dishonoring to Him. Well, He’s done it. Again. I’ve gone around this mountain a time or three hundred.

Lord, thank you for being faithful and to keep pursuing me. I repent of not forgiving others and for being stubborn. Thank you for covering my sins and for pruning me once again. I forgive others. Please help me mean it in my heart and to walk it out in my speech and actions.

Alright – moving on!

Once again…

New year. New month. New week. New day.

We like new. Like a fresh sheet of paper wanting to be inscribed. Like warm baked bread inviting cozy conversations and soup. Like a new blanket of snow waiting for the first footprints of man or animal.

Wait…that last one. Snow….Let me rethink that.

We were promised snow. We got ice. I’m thankful for weather people but, they are not in charge.

Still, it was pretty to look at. Everything stopped. It was quiet and peaceful. This was day one.

After a few days with very cold temperatures (one day they matched temperatures in Alaska), it wasn’t so lovely anymore. People wanted out. Being still was for day one – not for day three.

It’s amazing how people (including myself) react when freedoms are suddenly limited. Anyone remember 2020?

One thing I noticed was the amount of complaining! The roads weren’t clear. Someone didn’t say if their road was open or closed. People driving around barricades. The city, the mayor, the state weren’t doing enough. Banks weren’t open. My dog won’t go outside to use the bathroom. (My Xena – the Wonder Dog – had no issue with this. Thankfully.)

I’m trying to approach each new day, new struggle, new unknown with the simple thought of, “What does this make possible?”

This ‘delay’ gave some the opportunity to reorganize their cabinets, read a book, clean their bathtub. Others got some fun sledding and ice skating experiences.

An ice storm makes me again appreciate the first responders (including wrecker drivers) who were so exhausted after day one but kept doing what they were asked to do. Local 4×4 owners coordinated getting people (including hospital workers) to work and then home. Area restaurants who were able to open served others with limited staff.

It gave me an opportunity to thank the cashier at Publix. She was one of two during an open few hours some were able to venture out. She was tired and in need of a break. I couldn’t give her that but I could give her a kind word and sincere appreciation. Some in the line didn’t speak to her. I guess they just wanted to get their groceries and get home. I understand that. Who know what they were dealing with?

But I can smile and appreciate and speak with kind words.

And it wasn’t just because my dog will use the bathroom outside.