In December of 2018, our squad leaders asked us to pray about a word that would define this next year. I wasn’t sure about what that word would bring to my life or how it could affect me or how I could even come up with a word on my own to define an entire year. So I began to listen. And yet again, I was in awe of how God works.
One of the days that we were at reforestation in Ethiopia we were asked to pray over the land. Over the trees, the people, the stream, the animals, and absolutely everything in sight for God to put His hand over to protect and help thrive. I chose to sit on the grass near the stream with my shoes on while looking at the gentle movement of the water. While I was praying over these things, I also asked God what He wanted my word to be for this year. In that moment He told me, “Put your feet in the water.” I looked down at my shoes and said, “Why? I have my shoes on anyway I don’t really want to do that.” And He said, “Just do it and see.” So I sighed, rolled my eyes, and eventually untied my shoes. Yes, I am sassy with God a lot of the time but He loves it. Anyway, when I put my feet in, I felt the brisk touch of the clear and soothing water. It made me feel free.
God began to open my eyes to what He wanted me to see. He wanted me to see that the shoes were my chains. I was blinded by the comfort of the shoes that I couldn’t see that they were making me feel trapped. I was holding myself back from experiencing something so beautiful and so different.
He showed me that I need to live my life freely. That I can’t let my comforts hold me back from experiencing new things and awesome adventures. He told me that I need to live wild and free because He broke all of my chains when He died for my sins. Don’t let the chains of this world like fear, jealousy, envy, hatred, or doubt hold you back from doing the things you’ve always wanted to do. Those things are not of God; happiness, love, joy, appreciation, forgiveness, and flippin genuine life are of God. So trust in Him, let Jesus take the wheel for Pete’s sake. He’s got a much better path for you to follow than any path you could make for yourself. Trust me, I’ve learned from experience.
Before I accepted Jesus into my life (which was about two years ago), I tried to go my own way. That led me to drugs, alcohol, sex, and many other things that just dug a deeper hole in my heart. And I know through that entire time God was there fighting for me. I know His heart broke every time I didn’t choose Him. But when I did, He radically changed my life forever. He changed my life when I actually CHOSE into a relationship with Him. And I’m not talking about just going to church every Sunday and reading my bible once a month. I’m talking about a real and genuine pursuit of Jesus. Which means sacrificing things that you thought you loved. Choosing Jesus over temptations. Loving people and treating them how you would want to be treated. Caring for others like Jesus would. Worshiping Him in everything you do. And that doesn’t mean like singing worship songs on the toilet and at your job and at the grocery store. I mean you can do that if you want, but it just means bringing Him into every part of your life. Asking Him what He thinks and what He wants for you. Trust me, it will change you. He’s freakin awesome and so much fun. If you trust Him with your entire life, He will make it an adventure. He will push you to get out of your comfort zone and to live completely free. Jesus has broken all of your chains, and now it’s your turn to give up the things of this world and to pick up your cross to truly walk with Him.
He decided to give me the word wild. Because this is my year to give up everything, to live a life full of Him and wild adventures.
So go live like the free and wild child of God you are.
