Jamian: We often have confidence, but we don't trust ourselves. We have all the tools we need to beat whatever we are facing with God. Trust in yourself through Him! John 3:16 tells us about God's love for the world. It's the foundation of Christianity, but what is your foundation, your why? Why are you a Christian? Is it just so you can go to heaven? What does your salvation save you from? Sometimes if we have been Christians for a long time, we get the idea that we don't have anything else for God to save us from, but this simply isn't true. Galatians 5:13 reminds us we were called to freedom. We seem to have a lot of "buts" - excuses why we aren't free. But I went through this challenge or that one - when we need to leave the big "buts" for what God did and does to redeem us from those situations. Ask yourself if your life inspires others to be free. If it doesn't, then you may not be as free as you think. Write down what it is that you still need freedom from in your life - to help you see yourself walking free from it! Galatians 5:14 tells us to love our neighbor as ourselves, but you can't love others if you don't love yourself. Remember the circumstances of your past and let them propel you, but don't allow them to define you. You are no longer a slave - so don't identify as one! We don't get to choose what we are dealt in life, but we do get to choose how we will play or not. Choose your weapons wisely!

Brent: Sometimes our comfort can hold us back. Struggle gives us an opportunity to grow in a way we wouldn't otherwise. We have this misconception that life should be fair, but nowhere in the Bible does it say life is fair. If you have to push against something or someone stronger than you, like in physical training, eventually you will grow stronger. We have become a nation of the scared, not the brave. We are so risk averse, but the Bible tells us we will be persecuted. Christians should be the toughest people on the planet! In church today, people are too easily offended and worried about what everyone else thinks. If we know who we are in God, it doesn't matter. Nothing can stop God's plan and purpose for our lives if we are living in His will. Why do we think we deserve anything? No one owes us anything! The world is set up to drag us back into slavery at every turn - that's why Galatians 5:1 reminds us not to fall into slavery AGAIN. We have to choose not to submit to it! Matthew 16:21-28 tells the story of Jesus predicting his death and Peter tried to rebuke him. But if we want to live for Jesus, we have to be willing to give up everything. We must be willing to give up what we think we should have. This is not our final destination! If we are truly walking in freedom, we will be willing to lay down our lives to further His purpose. Are you really ready to be free?!

Amen!