Freedom in a Word

So I joined the bandwagon and decided to choose a word for 2011. I pondered and prayed about what one thing would be my theme for the year. What exactly is the message I want to convey to others about me? What do want to convey to myself? I thought about all the things I struggle with, all the things I need to let go of, remove, or set aside. I remembered the pain of a few hours earlier and the battle of finding worth amid the rubble. What is the word that sums it all up in a nutshell? The word is Freedom.

This morning I was reading about Hagar and Sarah. These two women produced two nations that would battle to the death for rights to a blessed promise. One child was born to a free woman, the other to a slave. Both nations believe they are the rightful heir to the riches of a royal inheritance. Only one will benefit. Which nation am I? I choose to be free.

I choose to be free from worry, anxiety, depression, pain, addiction, wastefullness, slothfulness, guilt, regret, fear, and bad choices. I choose to live in the fullness of life. I am not chained to my past and it cannot hold me captive. I am not bound by the future because only God can see tomorrow. Whatever I have done has been forgiven. The choices I make today are only as effective as I allow them to be. I am free. I am royalty, an heir of Christ, precious, loved, and wholly saved from bondage. I am free.