Freedom Reigns

Sorry again for it being so long, but I promise to make it up and hopefully today's will be something that speaks to you as it has me. This past weekend I went on a leadership weekend with some awesome people, and spent time with the Lord, hung-out with these great folks, eat good food, and just all around had a grand time indeed! One night in particular got my attention when we worshiped the Lord with some good songs, and then a good friend of mine Laura handed something I had read before but was very good for the purpose of the weekend as well as the purpose of the life in ministry I have chosen. The handout is by Henri Nouwen, and is called: Moving from Solitude to Community to Ministry. Now the overall message of this article is that many times in a ministry, and life stand point we try to go about it in the wrong order and get frustrated in the process which leads to burnout, and in some cases quitting what we have been called to because we are trying to do it ourselves so much that the weight on our shoulders gets to much to bare and peace out for its not what we signed up for. So to help with this Nouwen talks about how "Solitude", or time and space with the Lord away from all else to understand that out status as his beloved son, or daughter is the starting point of all else. I am going to save the community and ministry accepts of the article for other blogs, but lets go further into solitude.

Creating this space, this time of solitude is important for it is no surprise that we live in a busy world that has us go, go, go and stop only to sleep but even then there is things pulling at us to stay awake for the darkness/silence/loneliness scares us more than anything even as adults. How important is it? some ask because them feel they have "arrived" and don't need it, or feel that with everything else going on they simply don't have the time. To both I say, yes it is important for without it we will move through our days/lives not understand the reality that God loves us and all else matters little till that point makes sense to us and it is where we find freedom! Freedom from always trying to prove yourself, freedom from the pressure that pushes down, freedom from the lies that are whispered in our ears, FREEDOM! Now I'm not saying the responsibilities of life go away, or we run away from life but instead I and Nouwen are saying that they will not be the focus point; God and what he has to say about us/the life he has for us becomes not the most important thing, not the #1 on some list of things to do, but part of everything in our lives. Love this line from the handout, "That's where ministry starts, because your freedom is anchored in claiming your belovedness...When you discover your belovedness by God, you see the belovedness of other people and call that forth." When your life is 'anchored' in the facts of God's love, not only are you truly living but you are calling others to live as well; out of the pain into healing, out of death into life, out of the world into eternal life with Christ.

There is a song about this, that is kinda cheesy but still good and I like it. It is the title of this blog, Freedom Riegns by Jason Upton. Here is part of the song,
"Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom
Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom
If you're tired and you are, there is freedom
If you're tired and you are, there is freedom

Freedom Riegns in this place
Showers of mercy and grace
Falling on every face
There is freedom."
Very simple but very true. I leave you with a fav verse from Pauls letter to the Galatians, "Christ has set us FREE to live a FREE life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you."(5:1)
Hope ur day/week is great and seek God and his freedom will come indeed!
-WP