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What for?
How did I miss this? If I’d known this freedom sooner, maybe I wouldn’t have become caught so long in a trap. After high school, I fell for years into believing I was my own source for guidance.
I first heard Jesus died for me when I earned candies in Sunday School for learning Bible verses. Somehow, it didn’t sink into my yearning heart.
I got the idea He died for an impersonal world, and I felt like just one of the mob. I also got the idea I must strain and worry to make sure I didn’t displease Him. Nobody said this, it’s just what I assumed, and what I sometimes see others assuming now.
So, I became an easy target for deception. I yearned, I thought, for independence. What I really wanted was this bone-deep assurance of perfect, unshakeable, unconditional love and affirmation. The freedom comes from that. From Him.
As children, we’d sometimes ask, “What’d you do that for?” What did Jesus die for?
For freedom, (Galatians 5:1, NIV, NASB, AMP). For me. For you. So we can have, immediately, eternal life. Jesus defines eternal life as knowing God the Father and Jesus whom He sent. (John 17:3)
I can know Him more and more, forever. The freedom He gives includes freedom from the guilt, shame, self-loathing, and eternal penalties of sin. Freedom from death and the grave.
Freedom from life-strangling religious obligations. Jesus summarized all the rules into two— loving God and loving others. Without His love filling me up, I find it impossible to love the unlovable. Even loving my dear ones used to include more selfishness than now. I’m far from where I’d like to be in this, and in all areas, but when I feel discouraged, He changes my focus.
Jesus, Creator and Sustainer of the whole universe, reminds me of how far He’s brought me. He encourages and edifies me, and reminds me He will do all the improvements in loving better, by His power and His Word within me.
And best of all? He assures me my happily-ever-after has already begun. With Him, in Him, by Him, through Him, because He lives in me. It’s the greatest freedom story and the best love story I’ve ever heard.
The Treasure
2/23/2021 9:25:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
(Don’t) Follow Your Heart?
2/11/2021 12:05:00 PM by: Cathy Everitt
What’s that smell?
1/27/2021 10:40:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
This Moment
1/14/2021 8:35:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Do your curls, girls!
1/6/2021 10:17:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Forgotten Holiday Promise
12/10/2020 7:40:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
The Flea and the Cosmos
11/19/2020 10:46:00 PM by: Cathy Everitt
Who’s Driving Me?
11/12/2020 10:13:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Safe and Sound
6/24/2020 1:40:00 PM by: Cathy Everitt
Patience
2/27/2020 2:07:00 PM by: Cathy Everitt
Holiday Loneliness?
12/30/2019 9:10:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Haunted? What a Shame.
10/30/2019 1:10:00 PM by: Cathy Everitt
What Are We Celebrating?
7/3/2019 3:40:00 PM by: Cathy Everitt
Where’s The Remote?
6/24/2019 8:08:00 PM by: Cathy Everitt
Post-Hurricane Prayer
1/17/2019 8:45:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Does God Celebrate?
12/12/2018 1:35:00 PM by: Cathy Everitt
What For?
10/5/2018 9:54:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Birthright?
9/1/2018 6:00:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Exclamation Points
8/20/2018 2:20:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Shaking?
7/26/2018 4:45:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Radiance, Not Wrinkles
11/21/2017 1:00:00 PM by: Cathy Everitt
Walkin' and Talkin'
9/22/2017 7:00:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Touches
9/8/2017 10:15:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
The Worry List
7/17/2017 5:28:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Unanswered prayer?
5/21/2017 7:30:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Who's Your First Love?
4/9/2017 6:00:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Worse Than Sickness
12/6/2016 7:00:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
The Highest Price
11/28/2016 2:16:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
No Perfect Christmas
11/21/2016 2:00:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Sacrificing Thanks
11/14/2016 2:00:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
The Director
11/7/2016 3:00:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Watching Dead People
10/31/2016 2:00:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Against The Goad
10/24/2016 5:45:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Eating His Words
10/17/2016 2:00:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Glory
10/9/2016 3:00:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
What Does The Future Hold?
10/4/2016 3:00:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
More Sweetness
9/27/2016 8:59:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Delicious Cycle Revisited
9/20/2016 7:09:58 AM by: Cathy Everitt
A Delicious Cycle
9/13/2016 12:00:01 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Winning and Losing
9/6/2016 12:00:01 AM by: Cathy Everitt
When I lose, I win
8/30/2016 12:00:01 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Sunrise
8/23/2016 12:00:01 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Impressions of Amsterdam
8/16/2016 7:07:48 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Sing 'Til I'm Satisfied
8/8/2016 12:00:01 AM by: Cathy Everitt
Ever-Increasing
7/26/2016 12:12:19 PM by: Cathy Everitt
Corrie
7/11/2016 1:28:43 PM by: Cathy Everitt
Favorites?
6/28/2016 10:27:00 AM by: Cathy Everitt
I love reminders from these guys...
6/14/2016 12:00:01 AM by: Cathy Everitt
How Can I Help?
6/7/2016 1:43:00 PM by: Cathy Everitt
A Perfect Flower
5/31/2016 by: Cathy Everitt
