Free

We have come to the end of this path of Free on our journey together.

Our trailway opens to the familiar large circle area, where the roaring fire greets us once more.

As we walk towards the flames to take our places seated around the fire, we notice that we are all carrying something in our hands.

We carry with us the words of cursed lies that have imprisoned us for far too long.

This is our pivotal point.

Right here, right now, we have the power to choose freedom.

Can we be brave enough to release these burdens and throw them into the flames?

Can we choose to be free of them - forever?

We look down at our hands and read the words written on the papers we hold.

While we have done similar exercises before, we notice that remnants of lies remain and that holding onto them prevents our complete freedom.

Unloved, unwanted, unworthy, unforgiven, discarded, useless, obsolete, weak, undisciplined, unequipped, alone, deserted.

Lies.

From.

The.

Pit.

Of.

Hell.

Can we choose to be free of them once and for all?

As our courage builds, we notice a figure approaching us from the paths beyond our circle.

It is Jesus.  

He comes towards us, beaming with love in His eyes and a bright, ear-to-ear smile that outshines our blazing fire.

It's like our Dad is visiting us at camp, and we can't wait to tell Him all that we've been doing and learning!

One by one, He comes near each of us.

Jesus crouches down, gently takes our faces in his hands, and tells us who we really are.

We are HIS; we are loved, forgiven, wanted, valuable, useful, desired, beloved, cherished, and cared for. Each of us receives the words and the truths we need to believe and receive.

Oh, to hear the truth of the love of God. Nothing is better, nothing.

When Jesus has finished with each of us, He urges us all to stand.

You can feel the electricity flowing within each of us. When I look around at your beautiful faces shining from the light, you all look braver and stronger than when we first arrived.

I swear, we have all grown about 6 inches since He got here.

As we stand around the crackling fire, Jesus' voice fills the night air, "ARE YOU READY? 1...2...3... BE GONE!"

Collectively, we threw the papers filled with those lies into the flames.

WOOSH!

Those flames got so high that I'm sure they hit the heavens. I think I might have lost an eyebrow.

Goodbye forever, nasty lies that held us back. So long, farewell.

As the flames calm down, what remains is the love and truth of who and whose we are.

We want to stay here forever, clinging to Jesus and basking in His love and joyful energy as His whispers of truths linger in our ears.

We never want to stop hearing and believing those words, so we take out our journals and write them down to ensure we never forget them and how wonderful they make us feel.

As wonderful as this has all been, I'm afraid that we can't stay here forever.

Jesus is on the move again, ushering us up and out to follow Him on our next path.  

Look around at us - a bunch of marvelous misfits united in the triumphant truth of God's love.

I've never seen a more beautiful group of people in my life.

Let's keep going, my friend. This journey just keeps getting better and better!

1 John 4:4

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. 

John 8: 31-32

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Romans 8:5

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.