Freedom?

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I’m going to keep real here as always…


I have been struggling to “celebrate” the 4th of July, as I now see it through new lenses. I can’t forget that everybody was not really free until June 19, 1865, eighty-nine years after “Independence Day.” I can’t forget, and that’s okay.


But then, this morning, I watched a video of a Godly black man, speaking about who we believers are in Christ, and my thoughts shifted.


Before I am a black woman, I am a child of God. I am a believer. I am a Christ-follower. 


Because of who I am, I must first focus my mind on things above. I realized that instead of focusing on the positive things about this country, I have been really distracted by its faults. Now, that’s not to say that I should ignore the things that are wrong and work to help fix them, but I cannot allow that to block my view of what has gone right. I cannot deny that many of the things the forefathers did, do indeed benefit me today. I can at the same time recognize that we still have many things to fix. I can also recognize God’s presence has always been here. 


He was with my people when they were slaves. He allowed us to survive. He made us strong. He never left us. He remained our God. As we sang in the Anthem of my people,


God of our weary years
God of our silent tears
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way
Thou who has by Thy might
Led us into the light


We did not walk into that light without the help of our white brothers and sisters. Without that help, the last stop of the railroad would have been death and annihilation. God was there, with each one of us. Together. Together we became free in America. The most important freedom being that we could worship HIM.


I recognize that if I care about black lives, just like as much as other lives. then I should go out of my way to show it. If you believe that all lives matter, then you should do the same. If you want to shout that all lives matter, then act like all lives do indeed matter. Don't walk away now.


If we believe that we humans are all God’s children, then we shouldn’t have a problem helping and taking care of ALL His children. Before I pledge allegiance to the American flag, I pledge allegiance to my Creator and His children.

I am a citizen of Heaven. 

Because I am a citizen of Heaven, I will put on the full of armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18) and fight this fight against an enemy that I cannot see. The enemy does not wear a skin color. The enemy does prowl around like a roaring lion seeking whom to devour (I Peter 5:8). 

I will refuse to be devoured by that enemy. Today I honor my Creator and celebrate His continued presence in my life and in this country now and always. I will fight for and enjoy that freedom.


Let freedom in Christ ring.



“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed FREE, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” -‭‭Luke‬ ‭4:18-19‬ ‭

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