Earlier this summer we celebrated the fourth of July, commemorating our country’s independence as a nation. We all love gathering together with friends and family for backyard BBQ’s and fireworks, but I noticed another trend popping up on social media. More discussion is centering around our freedom as individuals, specifically as believers in Jesus Christ. True freedom is indeed spiritual, something we must fight for, something others fight for on our behalf often before we realize the battle we are facing. Have you had a chance to reflect on those things? To be thankful for those who have paved the way not only for our safety, but for us educationally, financially, spiritually, relationally, or practically? Think of the mentors and friends who have labored on your behalf, whether that be teachers, college mates, siblings, parents, church leaders, etc. Our successes are not our own, but they are shared with those that have invested in us, in any way.

My story has been a fight for freedom. A fight to discover who I really am, what God is calling me to, and also learning how to fight for the freedom of those I love and anyone God brings into my path.

The path to freedom is a fight that can only be fueled by the free gift of grace from God. This is such an important point, that I will always come back to! Relying on our own power and resources alone will never be enough to change us in a lasting way. There might be short-term victories, but true freedom is an uphill (but worthwhile) marathon. It is a glorious and noble endeavor; a small gate and a narrow road that leads to life, and only a few find it. {Matthew 7:14} I hope that as God continues to reveal his plan for this blog ministry and gives me words to share, you will be inspired to fight well in the power of Christ, for the freedom that is our birthright as his beloved children.

“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” – Galatians 5:1

What does all this have to do with a health and wellness blog, you might be asking? Our spiritual condition is deeply connected with every other aspect of our being! Spiritual issues are often tied to physical, relational, and even financial issues. No matter what area God is helping you address in your life, the ultimate goal is that we know him more deeply, and live into the deepest understanding of grace, love, freedom and peace possible, things that he died that we might know. Doesn’t that sound like something worth fighting for?

God is the only one that can bring true peace and freedom to our hearts. There is much strife going on in our world and in our country today, but no matter who wins and loses in the cultural wars we face, we all must turn to God for the freedom we truly crave. Will you open up to him today? Will you crack open the door to a new world of possibility, of freedom, peace, joy, hope and love? Despite what you have seen from Christians, myself or others, turn to God. We falter, but relationship with Jesus can be more than you’ve ever imagined. He offered himself up for you, so that you could live and walk in abundant freedom. That gift is yours for the taking, if you will accept it. (I’m smiling now, because I know that His love is irresistible, and I’m hoping that will soon become apparent in your life if it is not already!)

For all those reasons, now is a great time to launch my new blog. The season we are in has been hard, but I have found that hard seasons force us to either fight, or give up. I know that many have been fighting for us in prayer, through encouragement, and in numerous practical ways.  This inspires us to keep fighting to hope, trust, and believe in the goodness of a God who allows hardship for our good and his glory. God continues to surprise us with unexpected graces even as we wait on his guidance forward. I am thankful that God has strengthened us to continue fighting for each other’s hearts, as well. What a privilege to walk closely beside someone you treasure, learning more about their heart and what makes them who they are.

I’ll leave you with one of my favorite sections of Scripture. Ephesians 1-3 shows us so beautifully how our fight to grow in grace is only made possible by the finished work of Jesus Christ. My hope is that this blog will always point back to Jesus Christ as the power, motivation, and purpose for everything we do and say. To him be the glory forever and ever!

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:1-10 (HCSB)