Have you forgotten how to be free? Maybe it is due to your current circumstances, or perhaps this longing has been festering for some time. Quite possibly, the wants and needs of others have taken priority, and your sense of freedom has been slowly getting drowned out. How long do you think you will last going without the fantastic feeling of being free?
Hands down for me, my favorite freedom time begins when I hear the familiar click of my ski boots attaching to my snow skis. As I move towards the lifts, my heart skips a beat, knowing it will be a fabulous day, only God and me. As I ride up the hill, my eyes dart from side to side, and I am in awe of God’s creation. The beauty reminds me HE IS ENOUGH! Then I slowly edge my way to the top of the ridge, point my skis downhill and let it all go! There is nothing like the thrill of racing down the hill without a care in the world.
Ponder with me, when was the last time you felt free? What were you doing? #freedom #free Click To Tweet
The Struggle to Find Freedom
However – snow melts and activities end. And with it, the feeling of freedom starts slowly dissipating into thin air. Without even noticing it, our days don’t seem to hold enough of being free. Before we know it, productivity, meeting other’s needs, and an over-packed schedule seems to take priority. We become slaves to what controls us.
For “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” 2 Peter 2:19
Perhaps, you struggle to find freedom and yearn to know how to be free again. #freedom #free Click To Tweet
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Great post!
Thank you for stopping by. I hope your weekend is excellent! Maree
Thanks Maree,
Sorry if I made you think that I was into money. It’s what I could do with it that is important. I have yet to find my God given talents/skills. Maybe that is because I have never had the opportunity/ financial resources to bring my talents to light. I see a guaranteed way to help homeless people help themselves get back into society. But I see the cost needed to do that is semi big. I have always been able to comprehend large quantities of money easier than small amounts. I can’t balance my own money issues because I don’t know how to at such a small scale. Money can’t buy you happiness, is not entirely true. Money can be used to help people, thus giving the person spending the money happiness. Why? The person likes helping people, thus is happy to spend money to help people. Money is neither good or bad, it is how it is used that determines intent.
Sorry for seeming to focus on money. I just want to help, make a difference. Well God Bless You Maree, in Jesus name, Amen.
I love your heart to want to help people. Maree
I have never skied but I love how you capture that sense of freedom. For me, it’s walking in beautiful places. For six weeks we were only meant to exercise outside for an hour a day due to the lockdown, but now that restrictions have eased a little bit outdoor exercise is unlimited, so I have been making the most of having that freedom back!
I agree being outside is amazing. Maree
I love your description of skiing. I have never skied before but it sounds exhilarating. Freedom comes from surrendering to God and letting Him be in control. For me, it looks like being outdoors hiking, walking, or biking.
You should try skiing sometime. It is never too late. However, the key to freedom is always God, and being outdoors sure helps to feel close to Him.
I have had many cares the couple of times I have hit the ski slopes. Falling, breaking something, dying, etc, etc. Ha! Glad that is a place of joy for you. I’ll stay in the lodge with a good book and cup of tea!
Lauren,
What do you do that makes you feel free? A good book with no time limit does it for me too. Maree
I will be honest…I HAVE forgotten what it’s like to be free in many ways. I was always a homebody but I had the freedom to go out to dinner with my husband or go to church or just go to the store together. But in many ways, I feel more free! I feel like some of the “must do’s” have been replaced with “not now’s” and in those instances, it’s nice! And I am appreciating my home more! I started a garden and we are removing an old tree so we can put in a pool for the kids. So for me, the freedom I feel I lost has been replaced with new ones! Thank you for linking up at Worth Beyond Rubies!!
Diane –
Thank you for sharing your experience with freedom. I love your newfound freedom. Through your examples, you only solidify the fact that we can find freedom.
Those”must do’s” sure can put a damper on freedom. However, I am finding such freedom in setting aside time to do nothing.
Blessings,
Maree
I am free when I’m hiking deep in the woods. I love that feeling…surrounded only by God’s creation! I am trying to ‘schedule’ time to be hiking. Schedule time to feel free. Thank you for saying it this way!
Lisa,
I love that hike deep in the woods. Do you go alone? I am a wanna-be hiker but get a little scared of the wild creatures out there. However, when I do get brave, it is amazing. You have encouraged me to give it a whirl. thank you. Maree
So I’m your neighbor again this week. ;-D I’m glad I got to read your article again, since there are always little things we miss the first time through. It’s so amazing how free it feels to be outside. I love riding a bike, but you know the weird thing about that is it’s kinda hard to do that when you live in the country. With no trails around you and no sidewalks. I also don’t have anywhere to store a bike right now, but maybe one day I’ll have a bike and will just travel to the trails. That’ll be fun. Great article!
I love that we are neighbors. To be honest, I am not a very comfortable bike rider, so I admire your adventurous attitude. From time to time, I ride but only on paved trails with no cars. Glad you stopped by twice. I hope you are having a great day! Maree
Mother’s Day. My husband took over the whole house for the day. He cleaned for two+ hours before I came out of the bedroom. I slept in and showered. He made breakfast while I “attended” church. He made lunch while I read. Then he let me paint all afternoon while he made my favorite dinner. I didn’t have to feed him or the kids, do dishes, etc. I did do the dinner dishes after all his hard work, but it was so relaxing to feel like I could just be a person without all the demands on my energy and time. That was a pretty freeing feeling during this stage of parenting. In a spiritual sense, God really set me free from my body image issues a few years ago. While I need a refresher sometimes, that really has been so freeing. Recognizing my vanity and comparison issues were sin was like a lightbulb. I repented and learned to accept who I am for what I am physically and know God has purpose for me being and looking the way I do. I should take care of myself, but never wish to have another person’s purpose. It’s really been a powerful change for me. It’s very freeing to just enjoy who people are without feeling like I need to measure up. And enjoying the gifts God has given me without feeling like I need to do everything everyone else does. God didn’t make me a gardener. I might grow to enjoy it more. I could even get good at it, but God made me a writer and not using the skills He gave me would make me a poor steward. It’s been so freeing to just rest in who God made me to be and seeking His face and purpose for me!
Jennifer,
Wow, what a Mother’s Day you had. I am so glad you were well taken care of on this special day. It is fun to shed responsibilities every once in a while. I am happy you shared your day with us.
I also love how God set you free with your body image issues and comparing. Those are hard ones to overcome. I, too, struggle from time to time, thinking I need to do what everyone else is doing.
I love how you are resting in who God made you to be. Thank you for sharing your encouraging comment. It is so inspiring and helpful.
Blessings,
Maree
Hi Maree Dee,
I read your article on being free. I also checked out the link.
You said that you feel free when you are skiing. That must be a fun way to spend money. The cost of the equipment, the cost of getting to the slopes, the cost to access the slopes. Everyone keeps telling me about activities that could help me feel better about myself. The thing is that no one ever considers the cost. I know what has trapped me, the poverty. In today’s world everything has a financial element to it. When you live as far under the poverty line as I do you don’t have the resources to be free. To me being free is to live life as I want too. I can’t live the life I want to because I can’t afford it. Believe me, I don’t love money, I just know what I could do with it. With money, I could afford to go to church, to get education so I can find a purpose in life, to be able to help others, etc. From my perspective, God refusing to answer my prayers for financial help is keeping me trapped in poverty. Where I am the poverty line is about $37,000 per year, I am surviving on less than $15,000 per year. I can’t afford freedom. My disability keeps me from working with other people as I never know when I might lose it. Bipolar, depression and anxiety makes me unpredictable. On top of that I suffer from blackouts caused by ever changing blood pressure. I almost forgot, the conditions of my disability income tell me that I can’t go anywhere without their permission. (leave my city) Then there is the government telling me what I can do, how to do it, what I can own. There isn’t any freedom in my life. Thanks again and may God Bless You, in Jesus name. Amen
Kenneth,
I haven’t stopped praying for you. I am so sorry you are living on so little and have such great challenges. It must be hard.
I apologize if you thought I was suggesting you need to spend money or ski to experience freedom. It is more a matter of getting in touch with the feeling of freedom and seeking that out in other ways.
I have felt lost at times, with no sense of freedom. At times in my life, I have had little ability to move about freely and do anything. However, freedom, in other ways, was always present through remembering Christ wants us to live in freedom. It is why He sacrificed His life for us. For me, money has never been able to buy it. It is something within and with God. Yes, money can appear as if it is the answer at times, and I know it can help ease some discomfort.
But I can tell you many times I have tried to seek a little freedom and been filled with a sense of guilt. I used to be quite the people pleaser, and my needs and wants were always set aside to care for someone else. This is a road to burn out, which I have found myself on before.
Once in touch with the feeling of freedom, it has led me to find many ways in my everyday life to get a taste of it. Another great way is remembering back to childhood, riding a bike with my hair whipping in the air, and feeling free?
Being able to stay out until the lights came on with no cell phone attached to my hand. Now, I find freedom in taking a short drive with nowhere in mind to go, a walk by myself down a new path, silly as it may sound I feel freedom when Inturn my phone off, or linger a little longer alone with God. I could go on and on. But I mainly find freedom while spending time in God’s creation and with Him.
Your challenges are much. I am so sorry about that. I hope in the middle of all your challenges, you can find a moment when you feel free while basking in God’s creation.
Blessings,
Maree