Freedom BABY Freedom

Hey bloggin' family! It's been a good minute since I posted a devotional or update on what God has been doing in my life, so it's about time, eh?! Especially since so many of you saw my baptism story on Instagram yesterday. I just have to share this incredible story and journey I have been on with you all!

Over the past 12 weeks, Philip and I have been walking through a LIFE (Living In Freedom Every Day) Small Group through our church, Celebration Church. Major shoutout to the best leaders, Jake and Kim John! And although we have been a part of "similar" encounters and deep spiritual studies, we have never walked through something so well put together, especially the conference which is what I really want to share with you all. To close out the LIFE Small Group, there is a LIFE Conference—it's where you put together everything you have learned and walked through into two days of deep worship, prayer, and freedom-declaration. At the end of the conference, there was an opportunity to get baptized. And guys...without a doubt in my mind...I knew God wanted me to get baptized again.

Now don't get me wrong, I will never forget the day I was baptized as a child back in my hometown, Midland, Texas. But I truly didn't begin my relationship with Jesus until I was 16 years old—after walking through the greatest health crisis of my life. Since then, I had always wanted to get baptized again. I just never had the opportunity or big push from God to. Now I know why...

He wanted me to have this specific moment. He knew the freedom I would experience from the bonds of fear and anxiety, anger, and so forth. He knew what I would walk through as a believer. He knew the next level He was calling me to rise to. So, I took that plunge...and my life will NEVER be the same.

To back it up just a bit more...after my recent trip to Chicago where I received training for the Global Leadership Summit that Celebration will be a host site for this August, there was a freedom that started to take place through one of the sessions there. Through that time, a worship song took on a whole new meaning in my life, becoming my go-to worship song any time I felt anxious or fearful—No Longer Slaves by Bethel Music. Near the end of the song, the lyrics are, "All my fears were drowned in perfect love". Those words kept stirring inside of me, and the reason became crystal clear closer to this conference. God was preparing me for the final breaking of every chain of fear and anxiety (and more!). And the last step of obedience in order to experience that full freedom was through water baptism—it's where I physically drowned those fears, leaving them at the bottom forever, and rose out of that bondage drenched in His perfect LOVE.

Fear is real. Anxiety is real. Depression is real. Stress is real. BUT SO IS JESUS. He is real. His love is real. His freedom is real.

I hope this encourages anyone walking through any kind of fear today. Maybe you have wondered if you will ever be set free. Maybe you believe that it is purely psychological—I know and believe that so much of it DOES have to do with our mind. There IS such a need for therapist, counselors, psychiatrists etc. I have met with some in my life, and they have all been so helpful and needed. BUT I also know that there is a spiritual component to it all. I know that I could see every doctor on this planet; but without consultation from THE Doctor, I would never experience FULL freedom.

I am incredibly thankful for this LIFE material and the conference, and I definitely recommend it for EVERYONE. Here is a link to our Small Groups page where you can get information on all upcoming LIFE groups. You will be welcomed with open arms, no matter what you are walking through.

Thanks for reading just a bit of my story ya'll.

All glory to the real MVP, Jesus!