Updated Blog Post
A Simpler Time, A Steadfast Faith
Growing up in the late 1940s and 1950s, life oscillated between delightfully simple and devastatingly dull—no TVs, scant toys, just chores and occasional complaints. Yet, we transformed boredom into brilliance, building treehouses, flying kites, and riding second-hand Schwinn bikes like chariots of joy. Times were tough, but faith and family anchored us. Church wasn’t a burden but a blessing—Sundays, Wednesdays, and revivals drew us into God’s presence, molding us into witnesses of His grace. This reverence for God and country, even through life’s stumbles, unveiled miracles in the mundane.
Freedom’s Foundation: National and Spiritual
I sidestepped Vietnam due to a leg injury, yet I salute those who sacrificed. The Revolutionary War’s grit—from Valley Forge’s frigid trials to Yorktown’s 1781 triumph—forged a republic where liberty resounds, as seen in today’s Fourth of July joy: flags fluttering, ice cream melting, communities united. Still, this freedom pales in comparison to Christ’s sacrifice. “Whom the Son sets free is free indeed” (John 8:36) ignites a soul-deep resolve that carried me through self-doubt, despair, and poor choices, and enough good ones to resonate with Romans 8:28, which declares that “in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.”
A Personal Pilgrimage
Raised under one dominant and one docile parent, I flailed toward freedom through a life of purpose. Church gave my introverted spirit a voice, while faith steadied me through trials and triumphs. My fifty-plus years of self-taught graphic design and typesetting, once a humble pursuit, blossomed into a divinely anointed craft, echoing Bezalel, the first Spirit-anointed artisan highlighted in Exodus 31:1-5, who was filled with the Spirit of God for craftsmanship. From faltering pastorate to a finally dawning realization that I hadn’t failed, but fulfilled His calling as an artisan, I’ve seen God’s hand mercifully bringing me to a measured plateau of peace.
Embracing True Freedom
Pursue this spiritual freedom: Ephesians 2:8-9 offers salvation by grace through faith, while Romans 10:9 elucidates it with confession and belief. As we celebrate America’s liberty today, let us nurture Christ’s freedom by loving God and others.
Have you found freedom in your faith? Does your celebration reflect both national pride and spiritual peace? How might you share this dual liberty with those around you?
Prayer: Father, teach us Your true freedom. Ignite our faith and strengthen our families. We treasure this day’s liberty and honor the Founding Fathers. In Jesus’ Name, AMEN.
Served with a side of Grok-amole!™ (Image and Writing Assisted with X’s Grok AI engine)
imaginate.pro 