As I watched the fireworks last night so many words came to mind. Beautiful, intense, spectacular, artful…. Freedom.

I love fireworks and Independence Day. I may be a little sentimental or overly patriotic (if there is such a thing), but when I watch fireworks on Independence Day it always brings tears to my eyes. I think of Francis Scott Key looking out across the bay at dawn’s early light to see our flag still waving there. I think of the first patriots who signed the Declaration of Independence on the first Independence Day, and the courage it took to do so. I think of soldiers who have bled and died to gain our freedom, and those who even now, are away from the ones they love to keep it.

America may not be perfect, but we still are the land of endless opportunity. A country where others long to live. We may not be perfect, but we still have so much to be thankful for. So when those streaming lights are bursting in the sky, and flickering in the darkness, my heart swells with pride to live in the home of the brave and the land of the free. I thank God for freedom, and I thank all the brave men and women who fight to keep us that way.

Have a wonderful and safe Independence Day and God bless!

Two poems to share on this subject. 

 The Path

Where is my life going?
I wonder from time to time. 
Where is my life going?
I look to Jesus, and to the path that is mine.
Life with purpose, that is the goal.
Peace that passes understanding
Peace for my soul.
Run the race with patience
Run the race to win.
He has set the course
I just have to begin.
Step by step, day by day
Seeking after Him
Walking in His way
Waiting for him to speak
For by the spirit I am lead
Waiting on Him
And by His word fed,
His time I borrow
For he redeems the time
And I continue on
As I walk this path of mine.

LRJ 

Empty

Love’s lost, my heart’s dying
No end to tears, I’m crying
Pain endures, mortifying
Spirit is bound, dissatisfying 
Redemption I seek, solidifying
Outward reach, identifying
The answer I found, gratifying
All that I am, crucifying

 LRJ

“Can I Live”
(feat. Anthony Hamilton)

[Talking]
Talking Ma
I know the Situation is Personal
But it something that has to be told
As I was making this beat
You was all I could think about you heard my voice

[Verse 1]
Yeah Just think Just Think
What if you could Just
Just blink your self away..
Just Just wait just pause for a second
Let me plead my case
It’s the late 70′s Huh
You Seventeen huh
And having me that will ruin everything huh
It’s alot of angels waiting on their wings
You see me in your sleep so you cant kill your dreams
300 Dollars thats the price of living what?
Mommy I dont like this clinic
Hopefully you’ll make the right decision
And dont go through with the Knife incision
But it’s hard to make the right move
When you in high school
How you have to work all day and take night school
Hopping off da bus when the rain is pouring
What you want morning sickness or the sickness of mourning

[Chorus]
I’ll Always Be a part of you
Trust Your Soul Know it’s always true
If I Could Talk I’d Say To You
CAN I LIVE
CAN I LIVE
I’ll Always Be a part of you
Trust Your Soul Know it’s always true
If I Could Talk I’d Say To You
CAN I LIVE
CAN I LIVE

[Verse 2]
I am a child of the king
Ain’t no need to go fear me
And I see the flowing tears so know that you hear me
When I move in your womb that’s me being scary
Cause who knows what my future holds
Yo the truth be told you ain’t told a soul
Yo you ain’t even showing I’m just 2 months old
Through your clothes try to hide me deny me
Went up 3 sizes
Your pride got you lying saying ain’t nothing but a migraine
It ain’t surprising you not trying to be in Wic food lines
Your friends will look at you funny but look at you mommy
That’s a life inside you look at your tummy
What is becoming ma I am Oprah bound
You can tell he’s a star from the Ultrasound
Our Sprits Connected Doors Open Now
Nothing But Love And Respect Thanks For Holding Me Down She Let Me Live…

[Chorus]
I’ll Always Be a part of you
Trust Your Soul Know it’s always true
If I Could Talk I’d Say To You
CAN I LIVE
CAN I LIVE
I’ll Always Be apart of you
Trust Your Soul Know it’s always true
If I Could Talk I’d Say To You
CAN I LIVE
CAN I LIVE
[Repeat 2]

[Nick Talking]

It’s uplifting foreal yall
I ain’t passing no judgement
Ain’t making no decisions
I am just telling ya’ll my story
I love life
I love my mother for giving me life
We all need to appreciate life
A strong woman that had to make a sacrifice
Thanks for listening
Thanks for listening
Mama thanks for listening

-Knowing who we are is a gift we give to ourselves and like ripples in a pond, affects everyone around us.

First, I want to share that this has been and still is my personal journey. I think we all at some point in time ask ourselves, who am I? And, who is it that I want to be. I do think some people in life come up with a great answer, however I believe that most people do not. Far too often we learn to define ourselves through our surroundings, things we have, or own, and I think many of us define ourselves through what we think others think of us. When in reality none of these things are truly who we are, nor do they change who we are. I have found in my life it has been hard to discover who I really am, and even when I do, I don’t always like what I find.

I often think about how many times I look in the mirror and only see the things I want to change. I think especially being a woman I do that often. But, not only do I look at my outside image, but also whom I am inside. I think it is important as a person to one day look in the mirror and be happy with what you see, knowing that you have found yourself, and that you now have a foundation on which to build. Knowing that you have things to offer the world that no one else has.

Truly knowing one’s self is vital in life. Only when we really know and love ourselves, can we truly be free to understand and love others. There is a freedom that comes with looking in the mirror seeing ourselves for who we are and being okay with that. Now, I don’t mean we take a seven-year sabbatical to find ourselves, or that we have the attitude that this is me if you don’t like it, oh well. What I am talking about is knowing that we all have strengths and weaknesses, and to look at our strengths and work on our weaknesses, and to do this for ourselves, not trying to be someone else.

So how do we begin to find ourselves? I truly believe first we have to start with finding out who God created us to be and to find that place where we are walking in our perfect purpose. Many years ago, I reached the point of being totally lost to myself, and through many trying times, and a lot of years I have come to discover that we must continue every day to discover who we are. I want to share my personal story, who God’s word says we are, and how truly important it is to love yourself.

I am sure most of us at one point or another have heard of positive thinking, and focusing on what we want, instead of what we don’t have. I like to take it a step further and compare faith vs. fear.

Now whether we want to call it faith, belief, confidence, or a gut feeling, somewhere along our life’s path we all have goals, dreams, and desires for the things we think we can accomplish. And unfortunately, this is usually where the naysayers come in and say you better be careful, that can’t happen for you, who are you to think you can be successful at that, you are a nobody, you should give up. So, for many of us, this is the beginning of a never ending battle. Belief that we can, fear that we won’t.

Someone once told me that fear stands for: false evidence appearing real, well sometimes it feels real enough, crippling even. So how do we follow our faith, and not give in to fear? How do we take that risk, make that move, step out beyond what is comfortable, think out of the box? We must have faith, belief and trust. Now I think this is a principle that applies to everyone, whether what we believe in is ourselves, or our faith. For me it is my faith in God and that the things I see in my life are for me and that I can have them and succeed. We need to understand that most of the people who say we can’t are not really saying it to us, but to themselves, because they have given into fear, lost their faith, and given up on their dreams. Faith and fear cannot abide together, with one present the other is removed.

…Fear tolerated is Faith contaminated

I have come to place in my life to realize that I am the one who knows my hopes, plans, and dreams. Sometimes somebody else may think I am nuts, but in the end it is my life that I have to lead. Succeed or fail, I will be the one dealing with it. There was a freedom in that for me. It also helped me to learn to trust myself, trust my gut, listen to my spirit, and to what God was speaking, and have faith that what I was seeing for my life is real. If we walk around living in fear, it is really no life at all. Being afraid is one of the worst kinds of feelings. Sometimes we look so close at our circumstances, and listen too much to what other’s tell us, instead of keeping our eyes on where we are going and on what we want, that we forget what we were even trying to accomplish.

Remember, when life gets you down, focus on the positive, believe in yourself, guard who you listen too, surround yourself with like minded people, and have a little faith. Believe that what you once saw for your life is still there waiting on you to come and get it.
And then… go get it.

So, rejoice, love, pray, laugh, and stand stronger, knowing that you are not alone. Your God loves you and so many others love you. Look at the beautiful person you are and love yourself, and let your strength shine though.

I walked through the fire

On my way to you

The flames grew higher

I was lost and confused

I had to let go of what I called me

And stop walking my own way

So that I could truly see

Sometimes our faith grows weak

The path is like a stormy night

I hold on to his strong hand

I must fight the fight

When the enemy speaks lies

And tries to pull me away

I listen to my Lord

So that I do not stray

I step into the unknown

My feet begin to walk on a wire

He speaks the truth and I grow stronger

As I walk through the fire

© Leah Jacobsen

The Lord is calling many to change, calling, come closer, walk faster, stand longer, fight harder. He is calling for us to reach out and take the promise, to take what belongs to us. For many of us this is an exciting yet frightening time. Because it means we have to change and embrace the fire.

In times of change it can be difficult to let go and move on. Nevertheless, the Lord is calling, tugging at us, wanting us to move forward. Now if you are like me I like my comfort zone, it feels good. However, I do want what God has for me, so therefore I want to follow Him wherever he leads me.

Which brings me to this, we must go through the fire, and learn to embrace it. God is the fire (Hebrew 12:29). Therefore, in coming closer to God is coming closer to fire. Now the fire is good, even though it may scare us. But the fire is a time of testing, purging, and refining. Hmm, refined I like that one. Like fine silver and gold, purged, to remove impurities, tested for strength, and refined to shine with His light. Polished and melded into God’s work of art. What more could we ask for? For now our feet are walking in His way, following His path. Even though it may be scary or sometimes even painful, the fire will merely burn away things that were hiding and holding us back. And when we embrace the fire, we come out stronger, purer, better…

So let us embrace the fire, and let God be our consuming fire, knowing that He is standing there with us. Be blessed my friends!

Scriptures:

Hebrews 12:29

Malachi 3:3-2

Zechariah 2:5