Being Free.

July rolls around and what first comes to mind?  July 4th. Family. Food. Fireworks.  Normally in that order. :)  I also think of Freedom.  Freedom to spend time with my family.  Freedom to eat as much as I want of blackberry cobbler, homemade ice cream, and BBQ ribs.  Freedom to watch the night sky lit up with all variances of color bursts in a display of American beauty. Freedom to attend church.  Freedom to pray to an Almighty God.  The one and only Almighty God.  Without fear.

And these freedoms I speak of...well, at times, myself and many others, take these for granted. We've always had this opportunity to live in the land of the free, home of the brave.  Freedoms that our service men and women have sacrificed their time, their families, their comfortable way of life, their air conditioned, king size bed, hot water, slow drive on Sunday afternoons, firefly catching with their kids, grilling hot dogs by the pool, having an afternoon nap because they splurged on the ice cream, watching all the cousins enjoy that brief moment of sparklers before someone gets burned by a fly-a-way spark.   Yes, all those freedoms that our soldiers have to miss out on, so we can sit back enjoying our American life, while they guard the heart of America.  

Man, I'm thankful for our freedoms.  I'm so thankful for the folks who have given so much of themselves to serve others, those who have sacrificed it all, so we can continue to say we live in the land of the free, home of the brave. 

But let me tell you what all of this has to do with our H3 verse for the month.....oh, yes, it's about freedom, but I bet you could have figured that out by now, right?  While the freedoms we have here in the good ol' USA are wonderful, they are nothing compared to the free life offered to us by the blood of Jesus.  

"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

~John 8:36

Have you been set free by the Son?  If not, please do so.  One man gave his all for you.  Like many of our war heroes, He sacrificed his life, for your freedom....your freedom that doesn't just matter during your life in this country, but rather for all eternity!   

For July, and all year really, remember to thank those who serve or have served under our stars and stripes, remember to pray for them and their families. 

And for July, all year, the remainder of your life, remember the words held in John 8, verse 36.  Tell them to a friend.  Share them with someone, anyone, don't keep them to yourself......encourage others to know true freedom. Freedom in Jesus.  Forever.