You Are Free Indeed

Last Tuesday I had the privilege of speaking to a group of women at Cornerstone Church.

I shared with them the freedom that Jesus came to give us.

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."  Luke 4:18,19

Jesus would not have come to preach this message if it were not something that we needed to hear.

He would not have endured the agony and torture of the cross if there weren't chains that only his death and resurrection could break.

There are many things that try to bind us in this life. 

Things that try to tie us up and hold us captive, keep us small and ineffective.

Insecurities

Fear

Past mistakes

Pride

Perfectionism

Guilt

Wrongs done to us

The list in inexhaustible of the things the enemy uses to chain us to a lie for the rest of our life.

But Jesus came to set us FREE!

We are promised trouble in this world as it is broken and sinful.

But Jesus overcame the world and with that he has set us free from all of the trouble that this world hurls at us.

We need only to lay down our chains and receive his freedom.

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." John 8:36

His death on the cross really was enough to break any chain.

You name it - nothing is too difficult for him!

 Do you need freedom today?

The True Meaning of Christmas - a guest post

As I cleaned up our play room to prepare it into a guest room for the holidays, I came across a small manuscript.  With hand drawn pictures and cursive writing to make a Moma proud, I sat down and read the 5 pages.  As tears filled my eyes, I went to the children and asked, "who wrote this?"

My sweet Georgia claimed the authorship.

"I want to have it published Mommy," she said.

Not having the first clue how to make that happen, I realized that I can be her publisher and let her publish her story on my blog!

So, it's my pleasure to welcome Georgia Mae to "Not My Own" today!

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It's that time of year again..... Christmas!

Everyone is rushing around to buy presents or get their tree. 

But that's not the reason for Christmas.

It all started with a girl name Mary.

Mary lived in a town in Galilee called Nazareth.  One day an angel named Gabriel appeared to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored!  The Lord is with you.  Do not be afraid Mary; you have found favor with God.  You will give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus."

 

Mary and Joseph went to a town called Bethlehem.  There they looked for a place to stay but there was no room, so they stayed in a barn.  Mary had her baby, wrapped him in cloth and laid him in the manger.  Then she did what the Lord told her, she named him Jesus.

Jesus came down to earth to save us from our sins.  

He was born and grew up and died on the cross for us.  

Christmas is the celebration of Jesus' birth.  Jesus is our Christmas gift, he is our gift of love.

Merry Christmas

Georgia Newquist