Freedom.

Lately I've been having much needed breakthrough and revelations about God and His intoxicating love.  Things have been clicking, with my devotions, my thoughts, my therapy...its all coming together and God's truths are starting to be engraved on my heart.
I was talking to my dad recently that Jesus didn't come to condemn the world- he didn't come to tell the world they sucked, but He came to SAVE, to set FREE, to LOVE!  I was saying these things to my dad, but wasn't really believing them in my heart. I know these are truths, but I didn't feel it in my bones- it didn't shatter my life and make my stomach flip....until this week.
I was sitting in therapy and for a while now, my therapist has encouraged me to 'just be'.  I had first heard that phrase in Bolivia this summer when I would share my identity struggles with my sisters and they would encourage me to 'just be'. It sounds so simple, like the statement, "just be yourself"....who thought that would be so hard? But my friend Emily in Bolivia gave me this simple advice that clicked this week....she said, "don't try to be anything or anyone else, and you'll be yourself.  Settle for being nothing..."
This week I realized the best ministry that we could EVER do for the kingdom of God is being ourselves.  There is so much freedom in being who you are and how you feel.  Being present in the moment,  feeling clarity in your feelings and emotions.  Which for me is allowing myself to feel deeply and to feel the things I feel.  At the beginning of this school year I would find myself hysterically crying for no apparent reason and instead of being in the moment and letting myself cry, I criticized myself... telling myself- you shouldn't be crying, stop being so emotional, its too much.
One of the enemy's best tactics is whispering lies in our heads saying, "Rachel you should be a better person....Rachel you should go to church or your ministry more.....Rachel you shouldn't cuss....Rachel you should be more supportive."  But instead of focusing on God and his wonderful love, I've been focusing on myself and all my downfalls.
But here's some truth- We are made NEW in Christ...every single day we wake up and breathe.  God promises us that in His word.  I was under the impression that I was made new when I decided to live for Christ and got saved, but isn't it a daily decision to walk with Christ? Isn't it a daily decision to look for the holy and sacred moments? Isn't it a daily decision to seek intimacy with our Creator?  Everyday where start fresh, start new....
So take heart my friends! You're free- to be yourself! With no condemnation, feel how you feel! Be sad, be happy, laugh hysterically, cry until your head aches..live in the moment!
Walk in Freedom.

"Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you." Galatians 5:1 The Message