Train Tracks and Shouting – A Bday WR Style

Train tracks, a bridge, a view of town, and shouting at the top of our lungs.  That’s what I’ll remember most of my birthday in Moldova.  And the best gift?  Freedom. 

Too often in my life I’ve been silenced.  Too often in my life I’ve believed way too many lies.  I wasn’t funny enough.  I wasn’t pretty or skinny enough.  I didn’t have anything interesting or of value to say.  I couldn’t make a difference with what I had to say anyway.  I just wasn’t cool enough.  I couldn’t be friends with people that awesome.  And the list goes on and on.  I’m probably not the only person who has heard these lies daily.  I now realize that the enemy is just FULL of crap like this.  He’s incredible predictable, and he’s incredibly wrong.

This year my teammates and I put an end to these lies.  Thanks to Jesus we no longer live under them.  We no longer react to them.  We’ll let you in on a secret.  You know that person inside of us that we so desperately want to be but can’t seem to get out because of all those lies?  We found a way to let that person out.  We found a way to be that person every single day. 

It’s called freedom.  It’s called living in the victory already given to us by our Savior.  It’s not just a happy idea we sing about in church.  It can be real.  It happens by taking our thoughts captive and by rebuking every single lie that comes our way – no matter how many times.  Rebuke it.  Then speak let’s speak the truth over ourselves.  We’re accepted.  We have infinite value to God.  We’re given all authority under Heaven.  Don’t let the enemy steal our God-given identity.  This was never real to me until 1 year ago.  Thanks to the grace of God it’s now daily life. 

Back to the train tracks.  Josh, Amy, and I had a moment.  We were caught up in the pure joy and glory of the lives we were meant to have.  We recounted all the ugly lies and spirits we had been freed of in just 1 year. 

–Spirit of Rejection – All those lies I listed above…I don’t live under them anymore.  I don’t believe them! 
–Performance Mentality – What a lie that my achievements determine my value.
–Control – I don’t have to be in control to have it all together or to prove my worth.

Then we celebrated.  I’m pretty sure the entire town heard us yell FREEDOM at the top of our lungs.  What an exhilarating feeling!  What love my Savior has for me that he would wait 20 years for me to claim what he’s been offering me my entire life. 

What an incredible way to spend my birthday.  What an incredible feeling it is to be free!