A Precious Gift.

I received a precious gift from a friend last week. Completely unexpected, yet absolutely significant. It was a way for this friend of mine to memorialize something we had experienced together. He found this pretty, dainty necklace of a bird, keeping in mind my accessory preferences as of late, and wanting to gift me something special. I was incredibly touched by his kindness.

Birds often signify freedom. It is something I have talked about frequently on this page. Freedom. Autonomy. Without chains or a cage. It is incredibly important to me to have freedom and to not feel caged or imprisoned in any way by anything or anyone. We like to joke that I am stubborn and that I don’t like being told what to do.

But the root of it all is that I don’t want to be controlled, because if someone or something controls me, that gives them power over me (which makes me feel weak) and then they would be able to hurt me.

I don’t like being seen as weak and I don’t want to be controlled.

As a believer, this is a hard thing to reconcile because so often those in the outside, who don’t walk with Jesus see those of us who as those who are controlled by rules, statutes and regulations. And in some cases, that is very true. But those of us who have walked as prodigals become understand and fully recognize the freedom that comes with following Christ.

I am no way chained or imprisoned. I am free. Freer than I have ever been.

Walking through a painful divorce, wondering if life would feel carefree and joyous again, and now suddenly discovering a freedom to love again. To serve others with abandon. To use my gifts and step forth in a direction I knew God called me to nearly 20 years ago….it is. Just. Wow.

Only God.

That is freedom. Beauty for ashes out of rubble. I found myself there for awhile, and oh how gracious He was to be with me every step of the way.

I have shared many times about how broken I was years prior.

But I think that is so beautiful about our stories. We don’t have to stay there. I didn’t want to stay there. I knew there was good. I believed and still do believe that God is incredibly good.

Freedom.

When we fully realize how free we are. When we refuse to confirm to all the man made rules and regulations on what it means to be a Christian. If we seek His word and view them as a delight as opposed to viewing them as an angry parent who constantly berates us, or a judge who wants to throw the book at us when we screw up…..maybe then we can see the freedom that comes with surrendering our hearts and lives to Him.

Maybe then we can experience true freedom because we have truly been set free from all the imprisons us.

That sounds really good to me.

Keep soaring, friends.

Tiffany Rhea