In 11 days I will be on a plane…heading to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to meet up with my squad. 1 pack-pack, a day-pack, a pillow, tent, camera, and toothbrush…I’m ready to go! It’s strange to imagine leaving the beauty of what I’ve always known behind to pursue things of greater, untapped, unexplored beauty my eyes have never imagined seeing! As I consider leaving for the race on a special day for my country – the 4th of July, I can’t help but be reminded of the freedom and independence I’ve been granted since birth. Such privilege, such resource and the more I grow and think about it, such unrecognized, unaccepted responsibility. It’s time for my generation to live out this responsibility – to embrace the freedom we’ve been freely given, and in turn, to freely GIVE!
I had to laugh when the chorus of Martina McBride’s song “Independence Day” rang through my head — “Let freedom ring!!” This is my prayer for the many nations of people I will encounter over the next year of life – that the freedom of Christ will ring loud and clear, pure, and boldly in their hearts. I found this almost like a commissioning of sorts – what a better day to be sent off to lands and people who are deeply not living in freedom – on the very day my country has celebrated freedom for decades?!?!
So, in 11 countries over the next 11 months — “Let freedom ring – the white dove sing – let the WHOLE WORLD know that today is a DAY OF RECKONING – let the WEAK BE STRONG – let the right be wrong – roll the stone away, let the guilty pay – it’s independence day!” Lord may your children across the nations – man, woman, child alike, know your truth and freedom – may they recognize the only true freedom is found in Christ and Christ alone.
2 Corinthians 3:17 says, ” Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.“
Ready….Set….GO!!!!!!!!
