Happy 4th of July!

Hope everyone had a great celebration of our country's birthday. We celebrated by taking the boat out on the River in Chattanooga, grilled burgers, and watched the fireworks.



I'm not a city-girl by any means, but I do love Chattanooga. I love the history, natural beauty, and slower pace of it.






As I was thinking about how grateful I am to live in this free country, I also began to think about the freedom we as Christians have in Christ. An amazing man, Larry Crabb (a Christian counselor, author, and old professor of mine) put it in a way that really hits home for me and my struggle-

In the Old Way of life, "you've decided that what you most want out of life is within your reach, and you're doing whatever you believe it takes to get it." But in the New Way of life, "you've realized that what you most want is beyond your reach, and you're trusting God for the satisfaction you seek. You want Him. Nothing less, not even His blessings, will do."

I am so thankful to live in a country where I am free to worship and so grateful to the people who worked, fought, and died for that. But even more, I am thankful to a Savior who rescued me (and continues to rescue me daily) from the bondage of that Old Way of life, giving me freedom to live in the New Way.