I hope you’re enjoying the summer months as much as I am. It’s hard to believe July 4th has already come and gone. As I listened to the sound of fireworks on Independence Day, and watched their colorful display, my mind was captured by the lights and beauty in the night sky. For fifteen short minutes, I thought of little more than the blessing of freedom. I realized that some around the world listened in fear to the booming sound of warfare, while I fearlessly enjoyed the crackles of our country’s annual celebration. As a nation, America is truly blessed.

But just like the Israelites in Old Testament times, we often take our blessings for granted. God repeatedly showed the Israelites His faithfulness and compassion – leading, protecting, and providing for them – but time after time they demonstrated unfaithfulness to Him in return. Nehemiah 9:16-17 says their forefathers “acted arrogantly; they became stubborn and would not listen to (God’s) commandments. They refused to listen, and did not remember (His) wondrous deeds which (He) had performed among them.”

But God, being a God of forgiveness and compassion, “slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness,” did not forsake them. Instead, it says God gave His good Spirit to instruct them (v. 20), and He continued to bless them and expand their territory. Nehemiah says “(the Israelites) reveled in (God’s) great goodness.” But then, “they became disobedient and rebelled” against Him again (v. 25-26).

This is the sin nature of humankind. God blesses man, and man “disses” God. We recognize God as the Creator and Giver of all good things, but show Him little respect in our daily lives. We don’t appreciate His good instruction for how to live. Instead, we take advantage of the freedom God has given each of us to make choices, and we choose our own way rather than God’s way. We’re happy to receive His blessings of family and food, and especially the blessing of freedom – but the gift of guidance? No thanks, I’ll find my own way.

And so He lets us. God gives us the freedom to figure out life the hard way if we choose. But He also offers us the freedom to study His Word and to come into His presence in prayer and to know Him intimately as our friend! We have freedom in Christ to walk in fellowship with the living God and enjoy His presence each and every day! How crazy are we to refuse such blessings! Instead of taking the high road, we choose the hard road.

When I was in sixth grade, a long time ago, our entire student body watched a popular movie starring Marlo Thomas called, “Free to be you and me.” I don’t remember a lot about the movie, but the title makes its message clear. The movie taught the principle of individual freedom. But being a secular movie, it didn’t teach freedom in a biblical context. So here’s the truth. We are free to be either people who walk through life the hard way, following our own selfish desires, and experiencing the consequences that follow. Or we are free to be people who walk through life God’s way, bringing glory and honor to Him and enjoying an abundance of blessings.

In America, many men and women fought to give us the freedoms we enjoy, and for that we are most grateful. But it’s God who gives us the freedom of choice – the ability to think and make decisions. Many people learn about this freedom by making poor choices and walking away from God’s guidance. There are numerous accounts of such people in the Bible. If we want to walk a brighter walk, we must choose to learn from their experiences. We are free to be you and me. The “you and me” our selfishness drives us to be, or the “you and me” God designed us to be. The “you and me” the world seduces us to be, or the “you and me” the Word says we should be.

God gives us the freedom to find our own way in life. But that’s a kind of independence I’m really not interested in. Why choose a blind path when God offers to light the perfect way? And His light shines brightly year round, not just on July 4th. I’m choosing to walk a brighter walk, and you are free to join me!

Little did I know that writing a simple blog would begin a new chapter in my life. Six months ago, I resolved to write in the New Year. My first writing would be a short blog, dedicating anything that came of it to the Lord. It was a simple statement of commitment, or devotion, to pursue a God-given desire. Since that time, God has opened doors for me in writing and in ministry. Assuredly it was not the blog that opened the doors. To date, I have written only two other blogs, neither of which has received any comments from the possible few who may have read them. No, it was the Lord. He honored my small step of faith in ways I could not have imagined. This summer, I will be formally published as a Christian writer. God did not wait in responding to my commitment. He was ready and waiting on me. I did not seek out any new opportunities, only surrendered my desire to Him, believing Him to be the source, as it says in Phil. 2:13, "For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." As a result, He brought the work right to my doorstep. He opened the door and said, "Here it is."

The burden to leave my full-time career as a school principal then became so heavy, I knew that I must lay it down in front of the cross. My decision was confirmed six days after my resignation, when the school district began discussing the possibility of closing my school. Within six weeks, the determination was made. Next year will be its last. God protected me from the difficulties of closing a school, a school in which I have given my heart and soul for the past nine years, while filling me with hope for His next chapter in my life. How great is the Divine Author of Life and Faith!


"Throw yourselves wholeheartedly and full-time--remember, you've been raised from the dead!--into God's way of doing things....You're living in the freedom of God."
--Romans 6:13-14 (The Message)

"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the AUTHOR and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."
--Hebrews 12:1-3