Quiet in His Love

Eleven months have passed since that awful day that we had to say goodbye to my dad. So many days I am still overcome by strong emotions and the loss of hoped-for experiences. I am so very thankful for all the wonderful experiences I did have with my dad, and he had with my children and my husband. My joy has shriveled into a tangled mess of hurt, sadness, confusion, and, occasionally, anger. The truth is that when I say I'm okay...I'm not...not entirely. I'm broken...heartbroken. I'm treading water, staying afloat. I put on a brave face and step into the world and live, but the living isn't quite as joyful, not quite as carefree as it once was. The last two and a half years have been full of challenges, hurts, heartaches, unexplainable craziness. So many are hurt, scared, treading water. They may be experiencing loss, anxiety, fear, confusion, financial troubles, medical concerns, family upheaval. Our prayer list seems to grow weekly, if not daily, with another...

Freedom. That is what those in the United States celebrate on July 4th. Freedom. What is freedom? According to https://webstersdictionary1828.com/Dictionary/freedom , freedom is " A state of exemption from the power or control of another; liberty; exemption from slavery, servitude or confinement ." Are you seeking freedom from something in your life? Maybe this is the time to revolutionize your life and gain the freedom you need. Is something other than Christ controlling your life? Are you struggling with laziness, gluttony, anger, bitterness, an addiction? Is something in your life causing you to walk away from Christ instead of toward Him? There is freedom in Christ according to Galatians 5:1 (NIV): " It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." The ESV says, " do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." Why do we so easily give into the yoke of slavery? Have you ever ...