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In Christ, I am free ...
Free from all I once was. (Philippians 3:7, 13)
Free to be all that God desires. (Philippians 1:6)
Free to live joyfully, with complete contentment. (Philippians 4:12-13)
Free to love others deeply. (Philippians 1:3, 7-8)
Free in death or life. (Philippians 1:21)
Free to serve like Jesus. (Philippians 2:3-11)
Free to be like Jesus. (Philippians 3:20-21)
Free to know Jesus. (Philippians 3:10-11)
In Christ—thank You God!—I am free!
Whether it's someone else or ourselves trying to confine us, God is not limited by imposed barriers, but provides a way of escape to live in His freedom.
In Karin Hume's "Freedom Dance," she shares how God began teaching her at a young age His ways of breaking free from the restraints of abuse. She writes:
Growing up in a home environment that consisted of many forms of abuse and all of its consequences, learning to move and leap freely proved to be more than a dancing skill. It was also a coping mechanism—a defense of sorts—against the chaotic world around me. Leotards and ballet shoes were my shields used to combat the trials I was forced to face. Little did I know at the time, God was the strategist behind this method. In fact, there seems to be a biblical theme of using artistic expression—such as dance or praise—as a means of warfare.
And Kelly Langner Sauer, in "Released to Love," talks about how her image of being free in God differed from God's. Kelly writes:
It was a beautiful picture I had for myself—total surrender to God. I believed that if I handed my whole life over to Him, I'd be free to run in that lovely meadow under the smile of His love.
For years, I turned my focus inward, trying to reach a place where I desired only God. I walked aisles to dedicate and rededicate my life to Him. I prayed for peace, tried to trust, and hoped that somehow I'd find freedom from the part of myself that kept backing out of my desire to be fully abandoned to Him.
But as the years passed, I was no closer to that meadow than when I began.
After reading the articles, please take some time to let us know how God has helped you to experience His freedom. There just might be someone out there hoping to find what you've discovered.
I'm pregnant and I love dessert! I wish I was like the women who truly isn't tempted by rich desserts, but I'm not. If dessert is served to me, I'll eat it gladly. But I have noticed when I have that handful of cookies, it's only minutes later when I start to get a headache and feel very, very sleepy. When I eat too many sweets, it's only a matter of time when I get grumpier and my outlook grows more bleak.
I was talking an older woman who always has so much pep and energy. I asked her secret—and one of them was keeping sugar out of the house. So, that's what I'm trying— freedom from sugar! I'd like to have sugar as a treat but not as a daily habit.
When you're pregnant, or under stress, or working hard, it's easy to give yourself a "eat whatever you want, you deserve it" pass. But the truth is, the better you eat, the better you'll feel. Freedom from sugar may be a lifelong endeavor (I'm sure I'll still like key lime pie when I'm 80), but it's a worthy pursuit!
I was first formally introduced to what our culture popularly accepts as the "married crush" in October 2007 when I picked up a copy of Parents Magazine. The issue featured an article titled, "Secret Mommy Crushes." In it, experts encouraged married women to indulge in their secret affections for men other than their husbands. I was aghast!
It wasn't that I didn't understand the temptation, I did. As I share in this week's article, "Starve a Crush Club"—a piece my husband Ted edited for me, suggesting ways I could be more vulnerable—I've struggled with noticing a man other than Ted. But what I didn't understand was the cultural acceptance of it. After all, weren't my affections supposed to be reserved solely for my husband? How could having a crush on someone other than him be harmless?
The truth is, if we are basing our lives on what God has to say, it can't.
So this week on Ungrind we focus our attention on the importance of starving married crushes with two articles: my "Starve a Crush Club" and Christin Taylor's "Kind of Like Gomer." Both pieces share personal struggles in this area and offer practical tips on how to starve, not feed, a crush.
It's my desire that this week's lineup provides hope and freedom for women—perhaps this includes you—struggling with a married crush.
"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free," Paul told the Galatians. What does freedom look like? Here are four attributes of life set free:
Forgiven from sin. "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins" (Ephesians 1:7).
Regarded as precious. "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God" (1 Peter 2:9).
Empowered and complete. "You have been given fullness in Christ" (Colossians 2:10).
Eager to obey God's will. "Do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature, rather, serve one another in love" (Galatians 5:13).
Thank You, God, for setting us F.R.E.E.
Reluctance. It's a feeling I faced this weekend as I prepared to publish the latest articles on Ungrind.
No, not because I didn't like them. That couldn't be further from the truth. We have one coming from Christin Taylor that I am very excited about. But because the one I'd written to run with it for this week just didn't seem ready—even though I've been working on it for months. So instead I decided to publish the articles originally scheduled for next week. I wanted to have extra time to go back over mine with a fine-toothed comb.
I'm not the only one to experience reluctance though. Both articles this week examine this topic and how it can inhibit us from embracing freedom.
In "The Little Black Box," Christina reveals her difficulty in letting go of memories from a past relationship. She shares how the little black box she hung on to revealed the presence of bitterness in her heart. Read here to find out she took a painful step in the process of moving on.
Natalie, in "Reluctant Mother," also discovered freedom in letting go. Surprised by pregnancy at age 18, she fearfully entered motherhood, concerned that it would keep her from the dreams and aspirations she longed to chase. She shares how God has turned her heart from one of fear to freedom.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on both pieces. Also, feel free to share any areas of your life you've felt reluctant in, no matter how small.
There are certain things in life that you are taught to say no to like "say no to drugs." But we often feel pressured to say yes to good things when we really should be saying no.
Why would we pass up a good thing? Well, it's like what Ashleigh wrote about—in a word—overcommitment. When we already have a full plate, it doesn't serve anyone well to say yes to "one more good thing!"
I was talking with my friend Karen who has worked as a neo-natal nurse for 20 plus years. She talked about the stress new moms face and how so many take on too much during that first year with baby. She applauded her friend who said, "I've just had a baby and you won't be seeing much of me at women's committees and volunteer events for the next few months, because I need to take care of myself and my baby." Kudos to that mom for feeling free to say no to extracirricular things during that special (and demanding) time with baby.
It may not be popular to say no (especially when you're expected to save the day), but it can certainly be a sanity saver and make you more productive in your most important commitments!
"I woke up with a song in my head this morning," Ted told me, as he munched on his breakfast of cheerios and milk.
"Really? What song?" I asked, half expecting his answer to include a title such as "She'll Be Coming Around the Mountain" or "Oh, Susanna!" After all, we do listen to our share of silly songs for kids.
Turns out, I was only partially right. It was a kids' song, but not a silly one. The tune playing in Ted's head came from a VBS CD we'd received last year. Its title? "I Want to Be Grateful."
At the mere mention of the song title, came a reminder of the importance of contentment and the freedom that's found within it. It's this topic that Danielle Ayers Jones discusses in this week's article, "More Than Enough." She writes:
The fact is I always want more: more books, music, clothes, camera lenses, and Starbucks. The more I get the more I want. Sometimes what I want isn't just material items but better circumstances, like perfect kids and a comfortable life. I know intellectually that material items and perfect circumstances are not ultimately satisfying, but part of me always wants something that I don't have—like an iPhone—for instance. And this part of me wars against the other side of me that longs to be content in simple daily living, happy with what I have.I have to ask myself, How much is enough? Will I ever be satisfied, free from the never-ending longing for more?
Continue reading here to find out how Danielle is seeking satisfaction in Jesus, then come back and discuss. We'd love to hear your thoughts on the article and how you are finding freedom in contentment.
Freedom—it's what the Dictionary points to as "the condition of being free; the power to act or speak or think without externally imposed restraints; exemption, immunity from an obligation or duty." It's a word that hasn't appeared much in my vocabulary of late, as I've spent hour upon hour in front of my computer screen working on freelance editing projects, weighed down by obligation and duty.
Sigh.
While there's nothing wrong with obligation and duty—in fact, responsibility and work are good things—the last two months have brought with them more than I can easily swallow. Not that anyone is to blame for that other than myself. I simply took on too much work. The result—overcommitment.
The positive aspect of this not-so-positive feeling named "overwhelmed" is that it brings with it a helpful reminder: the importance of scaling back. It sheds beautiful light on the freedom that follows the often difficult words to utter, "No, I'm sorry I can't take on another project right now."
Freedom. It's a concept I hope to experience more of as I slowly whittle down my pile of work.
In the meantime, as I continue to forge ahead busier than I'd prefer, I hope to learn all I can about freedom as we explore it this month on Ungrind. This week we start off with two articles, "Pictures of Freedom" and "Free-for-All," that look at our freedom in Christ.
I'd love to hear your thoughts on both pieces, as well as the concept of freedom. So comment away!
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