“For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.” ― Galatians 5:1
Have you ever wondered what it feels like to be truly free? I’ve thought about this lately and here are my thoughts…
We know what freedom means or at least have an idea of it, right?
However, I don’t think we truly know what it feels like to be free…at least regarding certain things.
Let’s talk about this some more because I’d love to know your thoughts.
I thought of some scenarios that best describe the feeling of freedom:
Vacations ― That feeling you get once you leave the office or close your laptop knowing you won’t see it again for a few days/weeks. Oh, the sense of pure joy!
Showers ― You know that feeling you get once you get out of the shower/bath after a long work day, flight, road trip, or sweat session? Ahhh…
Parties ― That feeling you get once you leave a party early. You know you’re excited to get into your pajamas, crawl into bed, and binge your favorite show or read a book.
Finances ― How about that feeling you get once you pay off a loan or a credit card debt in full? ::sigh of relief::
Answers ― That feeling you get once you get answers to a prayer or question you desperately needed that you’ve waited SO long for. It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off your shoulders now that you know the answer.
Am I right or am I right? I know you know the physical feeling you feel when reading these examples.
That said, I wanted to share my heart on living a daring life…especially one with God.
ENSLAVED VS TRUE FREEDOM
Aside from God, my friend and mentor, Rachel Kennedy, has taught me so much about what it means to be free. To live life confidently, be true to your feminine self, and know your personal style so you can easily attract other high-quality people who will only force you to level up? That’s true freedom!
I hate feeling enslaved: enslaved to a job where someone else determines my worth and value, enslaved to debt, enslaved to society’s standards. Just feeling trapped in general isn’t fun.
My fears? While I am becoming her, one of my fears is no longer feeling that feeling of comfort. It’s so strange…I want to grow and am growing, but I also like being comfortable. Is there such thing as a happy medium?
GIFTS AND TALENTS
“If you are insecure, guess what? The rest of the world is too. Do not overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think.” — T. Harv Eker
When I read this quote, it brought me back to my high school days. I was in social studies and had just received a not-so-great grade on my test. I looked over at my friend sitting next to me and saw that he had made an A. Just when I was feeling bad about it, I looked to my left. The person sitting next to me made a worse grade than me!
That’s when I realized that there will always be someone better than me and someone worse than me!
Do you know when I realized what my gift was? God gave me several moments: 1) When people came to me and asked me to help them write their resumes for their job interviews…for years. 2) When people still comment after I share a super long, written Facebook post and tell me I have a way with words. 3) During a bachelorette party, one of my friends didn’t know what to say in the card we were giving to the bride. I gave her some ideas for more of a personal message and she expressed that she didn’t know how people can do what I do on the fly.
My fears? One of my biggest fears is leaving this world without using my gifts and talents to the fullest. I want to leave it all on the table when I’m gone.
CREATIVITY
After working at my current day job for nearly 12 years, I’ve realized that the only thing keeping me sane from all the analytical tasks I’m doing is channeling my creative side into the photos I take and this blog.
And to think, I want to try my hand at even more creative things such as:
― Working with a website designer to bring my vision to life for this blog: I can’t wait when this happens!
― Decorating my home the way I want it: modern transitional with neutral vibes and feminine undertones.
― Learning how to knit/crochet: I have a coat and several handbags my family/artisans in Vietnam made for me.
― Leveling up my cooking: bread, pasta, red meats, and anything outside of what I already do well.
― Creating a course of some kind to help others. I thrive when I teach/train people!
My fears? One of my biggest fears is leaving this world without having tried the fun and creative things I’ve wanted to try and do.
DEPLOYMENT
To me, one of the biggest lies we’ve been sold is the whole, “go to school, get a degree, and get a job” thing. I will say that for some professions, such as doctors, lawyers, and engineers, formal education is needed. However, I firmly believe that not everyone needs to go to college.
If you’re not interested in any of those professions, why go to college to be employed by someone else? You can educate yourself through reading books, attending conferences, listening to podcasts from other leaders, and just experiencing it all firsthand so you can be deployed instead.
I mean, God did say, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” ― Proverbs 27:17
My fears? One of my biggest fears is staying employed so long that I’m now old and missed my deployment.
DARING LIFE WITH GOD
Lately, I’ve been seeing and experiencing God’s creativity and I’m in awe! When I finally understood that the Creator of the universe not only died on the cross for my sins but that He died for me to experience true freedom on this side of Heaven was mind-blowing.
Like what? He wants me to be happy, thriving, traveling the world experiencing His creations, and have peace of mind about my finances? Wow, that’s just off the top of my head, but that is Love! What I’ve also learned is that all this can happen…if I live a daring life…with God by my side.
My fears? One of my biggest fears is misconstruing the level of my courage. Am I truly being courageous or am I playing it safer than I think?