I have quite a few things in my past I’m not proud of. I made choices that caused me and others a lot of pain and heartbreak, and I made mistakes I sometimes wish I could undo.

You’re not reading a blog by a gal who has done it all right. In fact, you’re reading a blog by a gal whose past should disqualify her from writing about God at all.

For years after, I lived in shame.

I felt like if anyone knew my mistakes, they would write me off. When I compared my past to others’, I felt like mine was so much worse. And when I slipped back into old habits, I beat myself up for days.

If you’ve ever felt this way, you’re not alone. In all the hiding, and sometimes self-hatred, it’s easy to start believing that God couldn’t redeem any of it. Then it becomes even easier to believe that where you are right now is a direct result of what you’ve done.

But while shame threatens to steal your past, it does not get the final say in your story.

Romans 8:1 reminds us what is true: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”

In Christ, you are free from having to hide in shame.

In Christ, you are also free from God’s judgment.

He took on our sins—past, present, and future—so we can have a relationship with God that never ends (Romans 5). We don’t have to be afraid of God; we get to be close to him.

While we can know in our heads that this is what the Bible says, it feels more challenging to believe in our hearts that it’s true. So if we find ourselves stuck in shame or believing we have to earn the blessings we long for, where do we go from here?

We turn to what’s true. We open our Bibles and find out what God says about the lies we believe. I’ve found three simple steps to do this:

1. Acknowledge what is a lie. If it contradicts God’s Word, it’s not true. Sometimes we need a friend to remind us of this, so send the text or make the phone call, and ask someone you trust if you’re believing a lie.

2. Replace the lie with what the Bible says is true. (And there’s no shame in Googling to find a verse if you don’t know where to start looking.)

3. Repeat the truth until it feels real. Which sometimes feels crazy, but eventually it sticks. And then the next time the lie creeps back in, the truth more quickly comes to mind.

If you start there, I think you’ll find when the enemy whispers in your ear that this is all your fault or you’ve missed it or it’s too late, you can tell him and yourself the truth:

God’s goodness does not change based on your decisions.

He is sovereign (Proverbs 16:9; Colossians 1:17).

He loves to redeem His people’s pasts and mistakes (Ephesians 1:7-9).

It’s the crazy, doesn’t make sense, upside-down grace of an empty grave that turns the most broken things into beautiful ones. I’m in awe that the most messed-up parts of our stories can actually be used to give God even an ounce of glory.

No matter how bad, shocking, or gross your past or current sin seems, God loves you too much to leave you feeling shame. When you surrender your life to Jesus, there is no more room for shame (Romans 8:28). It does not belong, and you can live free.

He provides a way out for every mistake and every intentional wrong if we confess and repent of our sin (1 John 1:8-9).

When we run to Jesus and put our faith in him, he provides a place for us. A place where we are no longer the guilty ones but the righteous ones because of his righteousness. A place where we are safe from the consequences of sin and death.

Friend, this is the best news. Regardless of your past mistakes, Jesus offers a refuge. He has prepared a place (John 14:1-3). There is no wrong you have done that cannot be forgiven. He is safe. All you have to do is run to him. He is closer than you think.

If we were sitting across the table from each other at a coffee shop, I’d tell you all about my college years: all the things I thought I’d never be able to say out loud, much less say without feeling ashamed. I’d recall how many times I thought I had messed up too much for God to love me.

Then I’d tell you about the small ways Jesus pursued my heart until he eventually got louder than I could ignore. I’d pull out my first journal with the pink flowers on it, the one that is tearstained and well-worn. I’d show you how he radically changed my life between my junior and senior years of college.

I might get a little teary as I reflect on all he has done to rescue me from myself, and how he continues to rescue me now, even years later. And then I’d look you in the eye and say, “He can do the same for you.”

God takes messed up people and accomplishes his purposes through them anyway.

So here is my challenge as we end this: Say the thing you are afraid to say out loud. To God, to a friend, or to a counselor. Say it aloud because that’s not who you are anymore.

When you live like you’ve been redeemed, living in the light and inviting others to do the same gets a whole lot easier. The enemy knows you’re dangerous to him if you’re no longer in the dark. And you, my friend, were made to bring light.

Meghan Ryan Asbury is an author and speaker who is passionate about helping people find and live out their God-given callings. She’s worked in ministry both on college campuses and internationally as well as with Proverbs 31 Ministries. Her first book, You Are Not Behind: Building a Life You Love Without Having Everything You Want, releases in September 2024. When she’s not surrounded by friends, you can usually find her reading a book or doing something outdoors. A Florida beach girl born and raised, she and her husband currently live in Nashville, Tennessee. You can connect with her on Instagram @meghanryanasbury and at alwaysmeghan.com.

The post You Don’t Have to Hide in Shame first appeared on Live Original.

Way before we were “that Duck Dynasty family,” we were just Phil and Miss Kay, a couple of teenagers in love. Then came 10 years of Phil doing almost every terrible thing under the sun. He drank like a fish, he didn’t come home at night, and I was left to raise our three boys and keep a roof over our heads. Everyone I knew told me to leave him.

But our story didn’t end there. 

After a decade of living inside a nightmare, Phil finally let God into his heart, and our lives changed forever. We always joked about what a good movie it would make, but we never thought it might really happen. 

If you know the Robertson family, you may have heard some of the story. In our movie, The Blind, we didn’t hold anything back about how we fell in love and how hard those early years of marriage were. Phil was drinking all the time and mean as a snake most days. He didn’t care much for me or the boys. He even thought running a bar would be a great business opportunity for our family. That right there shows you how out of his mind he was back then!

I know a lot of women will see parts of their stories in this movie. I pray that when they see The Blind, they see hope for themselves. 

When the Lord gives us a story, he gives us the strength to tell it. Jesus tells us that when we’re healed, we should tell others “how much God has done for you” (Luke 8:39), so that’s what I did.  I hope my story will show everyone that things can get better. People really can change. 

I’ve seen firsthand the way God can turn lives around. I want the women out there who are hurting because their husbands are hurting to know that there’s always hope in Jesus. I want the men to know they can become the husband, the father, and the man God made them to be.

Phil was the worst of the worst back then. He was well on his way to jail or an early grave. I knew that for him to change, it would take a miracle. I know The Blind embarrasses him a little because he doesn’t like to remember that part of his life. Would you want to watch a movie about all the rotten things you’ve ever done? But Phil also wants people to see his story, to see that no one is too far gone for God. 

When Phil made Jesus the Lord of his life, it was like night and day. He went from chasing his next high to chasing God’s truth. And it didn’t just change our day-to-day lives — it changed our entire future as a family, and it changed thousands of other lives too. Phil’s sister Jan told our pastor, “If you turn Phil toward Jesus, he’ll bring thousands along with him.” And that’s exactly what happened.

When it comes down to it, The Blind isn’t a movie about Phil or our family origins, not really. It’s a story about the grace God offers us and the power he has to transform the hearts of men and women. 

If you’re a woman who loves a man in need of a miracle, The Blind is for you. If you’re a man who loves a woman in need of a miracle, The Blind is for you too. All of us can be healed. All of us can be put back together again. It’s not too late.

The Blind is streaming now on Great American Pure Flix and available on digital, DVD, and Blu-ray. My prayer is that our story will help everyone see that hope, redemption, and restoration aren’t ever out of reach — not for any of us.

Miss Kay Robertson is the beloved backbone and funny bone of the Robertson family and star of the hit TV series “Duck Dynasty.” She married her pioneer man, Phil Robertson, and has four sons, one daughter, and more than 25 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Kay is the New York Times best-selling author of several books and frequently appears on the “Duck Call Room” and “Unashamed” podcasts. She loves to cook for her family, feed her neighbors, and care for women in need.

The post It’s Not Too Late to Heal Your Brokenness first appeared on Live Original.

One of the most dramatic occurred some twenty years ago; I was about fifty years old. To the casual observer I was on top of the world. Our brand-new church sanctuary was bursting at the seams. We added new members every week. The congregation had very little debt and absolutely no doubt that their pastor was doing a great work.

Our church actually appeared on the list of popular San Antonio attractions. Tour companies bused tourists to our services. The magazine Christianity Today sent a reporter to write a profile on me. The writer called me “America’s Pastor.” Reader’s Digest designated me as the “Best Preacher in America.”

All cylinders were firing. I turned sermons into books. My publisher turned books into arena events. I wrote kids stories and recorded kids videos. It was wild!

What no one knew was this: I was a mess.

Our staff was struggling. Departments were squaring off against one another. Tacky emails were flying like missives. Ministers were competing for budget dollars. A couple of invaluable employees, weary from the tension, quietly resigned. And since I was the senior pastor, it fell to me to set things in order.

Yet, who had time for intramural squabbles? I had lessons to prepare. The problem with Sundays is that they happen each week! In addition I led a midweek prayer service and taught a weekly early morning men’s gathering. Deadlines were coming at me from all sides. I needed time to think, to pray, to study.

What’s more (or consequently) I was unhealthy. My heart had the rhythm of a Morse code message: irregular and inconsistent. The cardiologist diagnosed me with atrial fibrillation, put me on medicine, and told me to slow down. But how could I?

The staff needed me.

The pulpit required me.

The publisher was counting on me.

The entire world was looking to me.

So I did what came naturally. I began to drink.

Not publicly. I was the guy you see at the convenience store who buys the big can of beer, hides it in a sack, and presses it against his thigh so no one will see as he hurries out the door. My store of choice was on the other side of the city lest I be seen. I’d sit in the car, pull the can out of the sack, and guzzle the liquid until it took the edge off the sharp demands of the day.

That’s how “America’s Pastor” was coping with his world gone crazy.

Life comes with inflection points, junctures in which we know our world is about to change. Events that time-stamp life. Crossroads that demand a decision. Go this way? Or that? Everyone has them. You do. I do. Jacob did. Jacob’s came with a name: Jabbok. It is the location where Jacob wrestled with an angel and walked away with a lame hip.

My Jabbok, as it turned out, was a parking lot. The wrestling match lasted for the better part of an hour on a spring afternoon. I told God I had everything under control. The staff issues were manageable. The deadlines were manageable. The stress was manageable. The drinking was manageable. But then came a moment of truth. God didn’t touch my hip, but he spoke to my heart. Really, Max? If you have everything together, if you have a lock on this issue, then why are you hiding in a parking lot, sipping a beer that you’ve concealed in a brown paper bag?

Jabbok. That moment in which God brings you face-to-face with yourself, and what you see you don’t like.

Jabbok. When you use all your strength, only to find your strength won’t give you what you need.

Jabbok. A single touch on the hip that brings you to your knees.

Jabbok. Jab. Buck.

Yet even in the moment, or especially in that moment, God dispenses grace. Look what happened next to Jacob.

“What is your name?” the man asked. He replied, “Jacob.” (Gen. 32:27 NLT)

On the page of your Bible, there is scarcely a space between the question and the reply. In real time, however, I sense a pause, a long, painful pause. What is your name? There was only one answer, and Jacob choked to spit it out. My . . .name . . . is . . .Jacob. This was a confession. Jacob was admitting to God that he was, indeed, a Jacob: a heel, a cheater, a hustler, a smart operator, a fraud. “That’s who I am. I’m a Jacob.”

“Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him. “From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.” (v. 28)

Of all the times to be given a new name. And of all the times to be given this name. Israel means “God fights” or “God strives.” The name celebrated, and celebrates, God’s power and loyalty.

The old Jacob fought for himself. The old Jacob relied on his wits, trickery, and fast feet. Jacob, himself, took care of himself. The new Jacob had a new source of power: God. From this day forward each introduction would be a reminder of God’s presence. “Hello, my name is God fights.” Each call to dinner a welcome instruction, “God fights, it’s time to eat.” His email address was godfights@israel.com. His business card reminded all who read it of the true power of Israel: “God fights.” His old name reflected his old self. His new name reflected his new strength. “God fights.”

What grace.

God extended it to me. Abundantly. I confessed my hypocrisy to our elders, and they did what good pastors do. They covered me with prayer and designed a plan to help me cope with demands. I admitted my struggle to the congregation and in doing so activated a dozen or so conversations with members who battled the same temptation.

We no longer see tour buses in our parking lot, and that’s fine with me. I enjoy an occasional beer—but for flavor, not stress management. And if anyone mentions the “America’s Pastor” moniker, an image comes to mind. The image of a weary, lonely preacher in a convenience store parking lot.

God met me there that day. He gave me a new name as well. Not Israel. That one was already taken. But “forgiven.” And I’m happy to wear it.

Since entering the ministry in 1978, Max Lucado has served churches in Miami, Florida; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and San Antonio, Texas. He currently serves as Teaching Minister of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. He is the recipient of the 2021 ECPA Pinnacle Award for his outstanding contribution to the publishing industry and society at large. He is America’s bestselling inspirational author with more than 145 million products in print. His latest book is God Never Gives Up On You: What Jacob’s Story Teaches Us About Grace, Mercy and God’s Relentless Love. Check out more at www.MaxLucado.com!

The post God Never Gives Up On You first appeared on Live Original.

This saying does have some merit, but it needs to be used correctly with the right motivation. If I know that speaking words of slander destroys relationships, why in the world would I do it? And if I know passive-aggressive comments hurt the people I love, why would I keep muttering them under my breath? Probably the same reason I keep using products that I know are not the best for me. I make the conscious decision to stay comfortable where I’m at. Change would cause discomfort and possibly mean I was wrong. 

But if I don’t do better once I know better, my words will have the same effect as a demolition project. If I wanted to demolish a building, the obvious way would be to bring in a wrecking ball and knock it over in a few fell swoops. But there’s another way. I could stand at the back of the building and throw rocks and bricks at it. It might not look like much, but over time, slowly but surely I would tear down that building. One broken window here, another hole in the wall there. It would take months, maybe a year, before people began to see areas that had been slowly chipped away. This is how destructive our words can be. Once we know that, we must make a change. 

Thank goodness for redemption and a God who paid the ultimate price so that you and I could be forgiven for our sins. We’re covered by His grace and love in a way that doesn’t leave us where we are but, instead, says, “Go and sin no more”—just as Jesus said to the woman everyone wanted to stone. Remember her? You can find the story in John 8:1-11, but here’s the gist: the Pharisees were trying to trick Jesus, so they brought a woman to him and said, “This woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” 

Jesus knew the Pharisees’ wicked hearts and motivations. He responded, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” (verse 7). Can you imagine? Not a single person threw a stone. They all walked away, leaving only Jesus and the woman. And his instructions to her were straightforward: “Go and sin no more” (verse 11). 

If that story isn’t the simplest picture of redemption and grace wrapped up in God’s love, I don’t know what is. But you know what else I find interesting here? Many times, we forget those last five words of the story. It’s easy to focus on how Jesus stood up for the woman and put everyone else in their place. If we stop short of these five words, though, we lose the heart of Jesus completely. Without those five words, forgiveness becomes flippant and something we can just expect over and over because, no matter how many times we do wrong, grace and forgiveness will follow, right? But that last part—“go and sin no more”—encourages the heart change needed to do better and keep doing it in a way that honors the Lord. We can have all the forgiveness in the world and still stay stuck. It’s the redemptive nature of God—paired with His forgiveness—that allows us to see a way out of our sin instead of staying stuck in it. Once we’re redeemed, God wants us to move forward, away from sin—and this redemption is part of the process.  

Aren’t you glad our God isn’t one-dimensional? His heart is not solely defensive (although he is our defender). Nor is His heart only on the offense (although He does move on our behalf and go before us). God is both of those things—He is all things—but even more than that, His heart for His people, for us, is that our hearts would change. And God’s ways don’t require us to be loud or talk more at other people. He asks us to look inward and allow Him to prune the areas that aren’t producing good fruit and to nourish the areas that are.  

In our house, we love to play card games. One of them is a favorite for everyone: Uno. It’s the perfect beginning card game. Bright colors, simple numbers, basic rules. But you know what happens when we teach our boys to play? They make a lot of mistakes. Sometimes they play the wrong color at the wrong time. Sometimes they mistake the 6 for the 9. Sometimes they even lay down a card only to change their minds and ask if they can play a different one. (GASP. I know. A travesty.) 

But as their mom, when they make a mistake, you know what I do as I’m teaching them? I give them a second chance. Lots of second chances, in fact. Because I love them, I want them to learn to play correctly. I don’t want them to always play like beginners. Sometimes I have to remind them of the rules over and over, but one day, it clicks!  

You know what else I do? When they make a mistake or ask for a do-over, I don’t just tell them to try again and watch as they stumble to guess the right move. I show them the correct way to play. I demonstrate it. And then I make sure they understand what I said. I don’t let them stay stuck, doing it wrong over and over. I want them to move forward. I give them the tools to learn and sit beside them as they play. I want them to feel equipped to do it right. 

I love my children, want the best for them, and am willing to teach and equip them, and there is a God who feels the exact same way about us. About me. About you! Because we are His children. I think we sometimes forget that as we are busy doing all the adult things in life. When we come to know God—whether at age five, fifteen, fifty, or seventy-five—we surely don’t come knowing it all. But as we open our hearts to what God has for us, He begins to take us from that young child just learning to someone who begins to know and understand our purpose in Him. Someone who’s able to know and do better.

Adapted from Well Said: Choosing Words that Speak Life, Give Grace, and Strengthen Your Faith and Family by Sarah Molitor. Copyright© 2023. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries.  All rights reserved. 

The post Know Better, Do Better first appeared on Live Original.

But sometimes we find ourselves distant, anxious, and unsteady in His presence. We know that Jesus makes it possible to be in His throne room and that He is sufficient to cover sins. We just don’t think God wants us there. 

I went to Him cautiously, thinking that He was accepting, but displeased. I went to Him reluctantly, convinced He rolled His eyes when I showed up. I went quietly, on my best behavior, not wanting to take up any space where I already felt unworthy. If you’ve ever felt like me, give the Bible a chance to convince you otherwise— His presence is the safest, most joyful place to be, and He really does want you there. 

First, it is commanded that we go to Him. He is the one who commands it. Matthew 11:28-30 starts with this: “Come to me, all…” This is an imperative command. A deliberate instruction. Jesus is commanding that all come to Him. He says the same thing in John 15, commanding us to abide in Him. But how can we come to Him? 

Second, we know the holiness of God, and that our sin makes it impossible to go to Him on our own. The Father knew that too. Since the beginning, He has been making ways for us. Establishing covenants, using men as mouthpieces, dwelling in tents made by human hands, leading in pillars of cloud and fire, honoring sacrifices, responding to prayers, and finally, coming down Himself. The story of the Bible is one of God constantly seeking broken people. He subjected Himself to human life and death—why? For His glory and our participation in it. That we might be called sons and daughters. So He commands that we come to Him, and He made it possible to come to Him. 

Third, it was the joy of Christ to hang on the cross on our behalf. Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus went to the cross “for the joy set before Him.” The joy of bringing us to the Father was great enough to justify the torture of the cross. He called it “joy” to endure the cross when He saw our communion with Him on the other side. In fact, Hebrews calls Him the “author” of our faith in this sense. He chose the cross in order to choose you, and He wrote it that way. 

So we have a command to come to Christ, the path to Him accomplished by Christ, and a declaration that it was His joy to bring us to the Father. Maybe He does want us to come— and still, there’s more. 

Jesus “knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.” (Psalm 103:14) He is not shocked by our weakness. 1 John says that “if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” We are even told that His power is made perfect in our weakness. That we are hidden in Christ. Seated with Him in the heavenly places. So when the Father sees us, He sees the sufficiency of Christ. 

The deeper our need for forgiveness, the more the worthiness of Christ is put on display. His sacrifice was enough to accomplish not only our sinlessness before Christ, which is a miracle in itself, but it was enough to accomplish His delight in us as well. 

To go to Him anxiously believing that He is secretly disappointed is to reject the truth that the blood of Jesus is enough to cover your failures. This weight on our shoulders is enough to keep us from His presence, which is the very point of Jesus’ sacrifice in the first place. Why would He command you to come to Him, give His life to make it possible, call it joy to endure the cross, and then hide you in Christ and include your life in His glory if He didn’t want you in His presence? Even delight in your coming to Him? 

I’ll submit to you what I have been leaning on for life: The Father is greatly pleased when you trust the blood of Jesus enough to walk into His throne room with confidence. This confidence does not come from faith in yourself, but complete knowledge of your complete unworthiness, matched and exceeded by the sacrifice of Jesus on your behalf. He knows your frame. He knows your weakness. He knows your sinfulness— much better than you do, actually, for He felt the whole weight of it— and He has covered it to the uttermost, accomplishing not only your righteousness but joyful communion with your Father. I can personally testify to what a life lived with Jesus is like. Living this broken, messy, heartbreaking and difficult life can take a toll on any soul, no matter how resilient it might be. The Bible, and our Lord, does not diminish the difficulty of life. In fact, He often warns us about how hard it is. But if no one has ever held your hands and looked you in the eyes, and through tears promised you that He really means what He says, then let me be the first. There is nothing that compares to the embrace of Jesus. There is no sweetness like the Gospel. There is no freedom like His friendship. There is no greater joy than sitting at His feet. There is no Father who is tender like Him. I know this stuff can be hard to believe— trust me, I do. And I know that this life can harden hearts into believing that there is no ultimate good. But I can look at you with confidence and say that I believe Him. His Word truly is life, He really does love you, and He really does know what He is doing. He is trustworthy. His will is the greatest adventure you could ever know, friend. So here’s my final plea to you: go sit at His feet. Go to Him first, go to Him quickly, and go to Him often. He is so pleased when you do. 

The post The Heart of God For You first appeared on Live Original.

I spent the rest of my college years knowing that I had an encounter, something that marked my life, something that made Jesus real to me for the first time. I spent those years learning what that freedom meant for my life. But it wasn’t until my senior year of college that I actually got serious about knowing Jesus. I wanted to know his character and I wanted to know the Bible better.

While on my journey to get to know Jesus better over the last decade, God has been so kind. There have been good friends that spurred me on and helped me fight the good fight. There have been opportunities to share the gospel and serve in ministry. He has illuminated the Bible countless times and led me to depths I didn’t know I had. Jesus has proven to be worth it all time and time and again.

So tell me why at a conference earlier this year, did I realize that I’m not actually as free as I thought I was all these years?

You see, a pastor had gotten up on stage at a youth pastors’ conference and shared a story about these men who had been trapped in a mine for 70 days. I’ll butcher the story if I go too detailed so here are the cliffnotes. These men were ultimately rescued, which is obviously amazing. Then Time Magazine went back and checked on them about a year later. What they found were men who had been physically rescued but many of whom were not living free. Some were abusing substances, some sleeping on the floor when there was a perfectly good bed next to them, some living with crippling anxiety. These men had obviously experienced something extremely traumatic. But often times we think the work is done once someone is saved, the truth is the work is usually just beginning. There is almost a need for second rescue. This pastor shared this story and then asked the question, “How many of us need a second saving?”

And it struck me. My surrender moment as a freshman was that life preserver, pull you from the depths kind of saving that set me free to know and love Jesus. But there is another freedom that had been just out of my reach and not because it wasn’t available to me. I was sucked into this thought that salvation and surrender, while a HUGE step, was all I could receive. But Jesus was calling me deeper than my initial experience of freedom. Isn’t that so kind of Him?

I felt like the max level for my freedom was awareness of my issues, pain points, or “baggage”. I thought that as long as I’m aware of these things that cause behaviors or responses I could identify it and put it neatly in its category. For me, that looks like being aware of my tendency to ride the highs of praise and affirmation a little too high, while even the most kind and constructive criticism can make me overthink every small detail. It looks like seeking validation from my husband or doing good things in order to look “good”. I believe self-awareness is important and I’m a generally positive person, so I thought I had it down!

My inner dialogue was typically something like: I’m growing, I’m aware, I’m not just doing things with no idea why I do them. I could recognize a behavior and put it in it’s little box and feel good about it because as a “glass half full” kind of girl, I felt like awareness was good enough.

As I listened to that pastor ask that question, it struck me that good enough is not actually what Jesus died for. Glass half full freedom wasn’t what He wanted for me. He wanted me to experience freedom as fully as He can give. He wants me to have joy, He wants me to be secure in who He created and called me to be that I don’t need to live and die on the words of others (good or bad). He wants me to validated by His love alone and He wants me to be motivated solely by a pure heart seeking to serve Him. Jesus wants my glass to be full, overflowing even, because that means that I am living in all the truths and promises that He died for me to receive along with the free gift of salvation.

That day my eyes were opened to this next level of freedom. The old me would have felt shame. I would have thought things like “I can’t believe I’ve been preaching freedom in Christ when I haven’t even been free.” I would have felt like a fraud. But this is how I know this revelation was from God—all I felt was His love and kindness. As I cried at this conference it felt like God was telling with a smile, “Aubree, I just want to take you a little deeper. You’re ready. I have more for you.”

The whole thing reminded me of John 10:10:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (NIV)

I’m not saying the enemy was keeping my glass half full, but I do think that if he can’t keep my glass empty, he’ll take half full and a good enough attitude.

We’ve been called to a life of abundance, that doesn’t necessarily mean wealth and good things all the time, but it sure does mean an abundance of Christ’s love and grace and that should impact every area of our lives.

My question for you is are you living in half glass freedom? Or are you pursuing full glass freedom? What have you accepted as “good enough” in your life? And my challenge to that thought would be to ask yourself if Jesus died on the cross for you to have anything that is just “good enough” or do you believe the words of John 10:10 that he came so that you and I could have life and have it to the full?

Awareness is so important, I just think awareness should ultimately lead us to more freedom. Jesus is there to walk you through it just as He is walking me towards my full glass of freedom.

Aubree Munro Watson is a former professional softball player and Olympic silver medalist. Jesus became real to her during her freshman year at the University of Florida and she hasn’t looked back. She competed all over the country and the world with Team USA for six years and retired in 2022 after reaching her biggest dream of playing in the Olympics. Since retiring, Aubree has gone into full time youth ministry at her local church. She lives in Florida with her husband it 4 years and their black lab Ripp. 

The post Freedom in Christ first appeared on Live Original.

Fam, what a year it has already been! I don’t know about you, but there is a stirring in me for God to get in my heart and take care of some of the hard stuff that maybe I didn’t want Him to touch in 2019.

I’ll say this upfront so you’re not mad at me later: this might be the last blog you want to read today but the one blog that you need to take in.

Maybe in 2019 you were hurt by something (or more accurately, someone) and you have carried it into this decade. And maybe everyone around you is living all freed up and joyful (in our flesh, that can be so frustrating, can’t it?) and you can’t quite get there because of some resentment that has been hard to let go. I feel you. I sit here writing this post on forgiveness feeling deeply convicted over a relationship with someone that I have yet to forgive from almost a year ago.

So, what if today, right now, you and I take a dive into the Word that wants to do a new thing in us this year? A good work in and through you and I that will cleanse us of bitterness, resentment, and anger from the pains of the last decade?

What I do know is that hurts run deep, and I would never want to minimize that. But what I also know to be just as true if not truer, is that God’s grace for us (shown through Jesus) runs deeper and has more power than resentment ever could.

Let’s start being the forgiven who forgive because of The Great Forgiver.

We’re taking a look at 10 verses on forgiveness that have the power to do the seemingly impossible. You’ll find a question below every verse as well to pray through or journal them out. Don’t rush through this! Take your time, let Jesus speak, and ask Him to guide you as He pleases for the purpose of forgiveness and letting go of the past.

1. “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to five us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:8-9

You probably didn’t think I was going to start with a verse on our own sin, did you? That’s right, before we can ever hope to forgive others, we have to acknowledge and be confronted by our need for forgiveness. As much as it isn’t fun to think about, God sees all sin as equal and you and I are just as in need of forgiveness as anyone else.

Is there something you need to be forgiven for today? I encourage you to first confess to God and then confess to anyone you need forgiveness from. Let’s forgive from a fresh place of being forgiven!

2. “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:31-32 

Paul (the author of Ephesians, speaking to the church in Ephesus), encourages us to “put away” everything that would hinder us from offering forgiveness to those around us. He explains a few verses earlier in chapter 4 to put off our old self, the self that only follows our desires. The old self holds on to past hurts and bitterness, but the new self, found in Jesus, hands our hearts over to Him to be healed and softened toward forgiveness.

What are some differences in your old and new self?

3. “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” Colossians 3:12-13

We just looked at what we are told to “put off”, and in this verse, we are shown what to “put on” as our new selves. Putting on these characteristics of Christ is our only path to true forgiveness.

What are some ways you can begin to put on and practice the qualities of Jesus?

4. “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent’, you must forgive him.” Luke 17:3-4

Jesus, speaking to his disciples (and you and I), is asking a big thing of us here. He is showing us that we must stay uncapped on our forgiveness. We are called to forgive for every trespass done against us, and especially when our brother or sister comes to us in repentance. And guess what was the disciples immediate reply in verse 5? “Increase our faith!” They KNEW that this was an impossible task without Jesus doing a work in them.

Do you find yourself limiting your forgiveness? Is there a specific person it is harder to forgive?

5. “Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” Luke 7:47

Jesus is so rich in mercy! Jesus is speaking to a pharisee who was offended by the service that a “sinful” woman was offering Jesus by washing his feet. The lesson here? When we know the depth that we are forgiven, forgiving becomes the better, freer option, rather than judgement.

Do you live like a child deeply forgiven by Jesus? Does this affect the way you forgive?

6. “Now if anyone has caused pain, he has caused it not to me, but in some measure — not to put it too severely — to all of you. For such a one, this punishment by the majority is enough, so you should rather turn to forgive and comfort him, or he may be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. So I beg you to reaffirm your love for him … Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive.” 2 Corinthians 2:5-8,10

Do you mean it when you say you want people to know Jesus? If so, forgiveness is the best way to show them that you forgive because you have a forgiving God and that they aren’t as far away from Him as they think. In fact, He is ready to welcome them home as soon as possible (Check out the prodigal son in Luke 15!)

How can you show the forgiveness of God through the way you forgive?

7. “And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.” Mark 11:25

What Mark is saying here is that prayer should be an integral part of our daily prayer life. Did you catch that? Every time we pray, we need to practice bringing our hurts to Jesus and forgiving anyone who has hurt us. When we do, we have freely received the forgiveness that’s offered to us.

How can you incorporate forgiveness into your daily prayer life?

8. “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool. – Isaiah 1:18

We see here the type of forgiveness that God offers. As you can see, God never partially forgives. His forgiveness is wholistic, turning what is completely blood stained into blemish-free. For us, this means that our forgiveness must also be full and impartial.

Is there anyone you have partially forgiven that you need to extend FULL forgiveness to today?

9. “And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they cast lots to divide his garments.” Luke 23:34

One of the last things that Jesus did on earth before He died was advocate for forgiveness. He knows that without forgiveness, we can’t be fully free.

Have you fully accepted and received Jesus’ forgiveness for your sins paid for on the cross? If not, He is ready to show you His forgiveness today, friend!

10. “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”  Isaiah 43:25

God doesn’t just forgive us, He chooses to “remember our sins no more”. He lives like our past sins are not a part of us. What a gracious act of love! Maybe you feel that you’ll never be able to forget the pain of the past, but through the power of Jesus, you do have the ability to love people like they never hurt you. Through Jesus, we can be free from holding onto those pains and love without boundaries.

Friend, I hope this was a challenging and fruitful time and that God has prompted you to journal some prayers of forgiveness, call a friend for an overdue conversation, or even finally walk in the forgiveness that you’ve been given!

Forgiveness is one of the hardest realities on earth, and that is why Jesus had to die one of the hardest death to overcome it. But He did it, for us, and now we get to be the recipients of a forgiveness that is immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine.

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