Freedom. I love freedom. Our forefathers fought for it. We fight to keep it. Oh freedom. I love you. Freedom. Let it ring. The belief that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness. That all people should have the same opportunities and be able to live the American dream. It was fought for. There is a cry from the earth that echoes today that says, give me liberty or give me death. Battles fought. Sons and daughters lost. Bloodshed. Nation against nation. Brother against brother. People who rather die than live another day without it. Elusive for many still today. Around the world there are people who have never tasted it and inwardly there is that silent scream that only they and God can hear that cries, “Freedom!”
I love my country. Can I say that without being judged? Sounds old school. Or maybe not politically correct. Weird huh? That some (who I believe are the minority, but they scream louder than the majority) find that polarizing to say. I don’t apologize for it. Never will. I have not always loved America like I do today. I do not think I understood God's plan for America until I became a Christian. My own journey in faith has changed how I view America. As a believer I am looking through the eyes of Christ. My own struggle for personal freedom has led me to discover that God’s intent for America is for it to be one nation under God. You can debate it. You can hate it, but you can’t change it. It’s our destiny. It was declared as a prophecy hundreds of years ago and try as you may to scream louder, create chaos, and even spill blood- the world can’t change it. If God’s people humble themselves and pray, He will heal our land. It’s over. Done. He has a plan for America.
I wrote a song many years ago called, “Cry Freedom”. It had God's breath all over it. It was birthed out of the joy of being taken from darkness to light. Of finally being able live again and have hope. My days were getting very desperate before I had an encounter one night that would change my life forever. On the surface I appeared pretty normal. Had a career, a nice place to live, car, family all the things we aspire to in life. But internally I was in deep bondage. I had all these talents that the Lord had given me but because of the closed off world I lived in I did not have the ability to truly express myself. It was like being caged. Like the walls of that cave were closing in on me. I suffered with daily depression. I was beginning to have very scary thoughts. Thoughts that were violent. Thoughts that scared me.
One night as I was channel surfing I stopped on a Christian television station just long enough to start to hear what this preacher was saying. It was as if he was speaking to me directly. His eyes. I remember the intensity in his eyes. I was mesmerized because I had not experienced that before. I listened and as he talked about Jesus and what Jesus could do to set me free, tears began to stream down my face. I felt unseen chains beginning to break off of me. I prayed with this preacher to ask Jesus to be my Lord and savior. I knew that I knew that I had just walked through a new door. I felt hope again. I heard Holy Spirit speak to me for the first time. I was different. Everything was different. I knew it. Although I was very emotional this was not about emotion it was about an encounter. A transformation had just begun.
I had felt the wind of Holy Spirit blow away the clouds of depression that had hung over me for years. It was a new beginning but just the beginning. There was a lot of healing and forgiveness that I was going to walk through in those early years. Each layer bringing me greater and greater levels of freedom.
As a worship leader I became more and more expressive and my worship became more and more passionate. More transparent and authentic. I did not care what anyone really thought or how I looked. I was truly grateful to have my life back. I was ecstatic about the grace I freely received. It was expressed through my worship. I had been forgiven much so my love for Him became so extravagant. His grace led me to places I never thought I would ever see realized in my life. Oh, the adventures and the joy of following him. I was a testimony to His grace. I knew if there was anything good in me it came from Jesus. It was true then it is definitely true now.
Out of that journey of healing came the song, Cry Freedom. Based on Jerimiah 29:11. The lyrics are.
He has a plan for you a hope and a future too
If you seek with all your heart you will be found
And as you seek you’ll find your standing on solid ground
When you build upon the rock of Jesus Christ
If your hearts in captivity
Surrender and you will be
Liberated from the chains that have you bound
For on the cross he paid
So, He could be the way
By the blood of Christ my voice cries Freedom now.
Freedom
Freedom
Freedom in the name of the Lord
I cry Freedom
Oh yes Freedom
Freedom in the name of the Lord
That song had a season where it had a life of its own. When I sang that song, I sang so deeply from the depths of my being because I knew the truth of The Bondage Breaker. The blood of Jesus who died for me, so I could be free to become all he had destined me to be. His grace is truly amazing.
Keep Flourishing,
Barbara
No comments:
Post a Comment