Happy New Years to each of you, you know, without fail, I send out an encouraging word for the New Year’s. Usually it’s a word that God has been speaking to me throughout the year.

2016, for me was a year of learning to trust God in a new way, there was so much uncertainty! It was not a bad year, but there were times, I literally could not hear God. I was seeking him, but it seemed like I could only find little glimpses of him. I cried out and prayed, but nothing! It was like, I was clinging on to nothing but the hem of his garment; desperately hoping that he would feel my desperation within his spirit, turn, and answer me.

Yet, throughout the times of uncertainty, I knew He was there, so I chose to cling even harder! I did not realize it at the time, but the more I clung, the stronger I was becoming. When I did not know what to do, I did nothing. I was learning how to be still and know that he was God. When I did not understand some of the things that were happening: I went in my prayer room, laid on my face, and worshipped. I will tell you, sometimes, my worship looked like putting on my worship music, laying out, while the words played over me until I fell asleep. And there were times that I had to call on my prayer warriors to cover me because I felt like I needed reinforcement!

We recently moved to a new city towards the end of July, in the beginning we did not know where God was shifting us to, but we knew we were moving. The late Steve Jobs, stated you can’t connect the dots looking forward, only backwards: Well, looking back I was able to see that during my time of uncertainty, God was healing, transforming, maturing, strengthening, teaching me, and blessing me!

He might have been silent, but he was present.
He might have been silent, but he was answering me.
He might have been silent, but he was guiding me.
He might have been silent, but he was moving.
He was silent, yet he was strategizing for me… for 2017.

God was teaching me how to move with him, and in him by trusting him! He was teaching me to know his heart beat for me! I was learning how to stop looking and depending on everything outside of me. I had to learn that nothing external should be able to dictate his unwavering love for me. I was praying one day, and thanking papa for all that he was showing me! In my time of prayer I heard these words “Who the son sets free, is free indeed.” I began to see all the things he helped me overcome during my time of uncertainty, and I realized that I was free, but not free indeed.

One definition of freedom is exemption from external control, interference, regulations, etc. I realized, that even though I say I’m not controlled my what I see or by what’s going in the world, I was not living like it. I was still allowing things to cause me to take my eyes off of God. There were times, where my first thought was about what people thought, than what I was called to do or say; I was still shrinking back. There were nights that I did not sleep, not because I was up praying, but because I was concerned about all the things that were happening that was contrary to God’s promises over my life. I realized there was still fear of stepping out of everyone’s expectation of me. I still had concerns about my children, my marriage, my finances, and my purpose. I was still scared to take risk to fulfil my dreams! I was still restricted by external things! And I allowed them to have control over my joy, peace, promises, boldness, gifts, dreams, my laughter, among other things.

Yes, I was restricted by that which I could not understand with my carnal mind. The reality was there were some things outside of my control, but guess what, they were not outside of God’s. I was living as if I had not been granted freedom; living as if the shackles had not been broken off, as if the jail cell door had not been opened wide for me. I had not embraced this truth! God, in his goodness, knew that I was not “free indeed”, and he was saying it’s time for me to experience the freedom that his son died for! He wanted me to experience the personal rights he gave me as being his child, and He wants the same for each of you.

He wants you, as well as me, to be free from: doubt, fear, false expectations, lies, guilt, shame, worry, uncertainty, etc. Living in the “indeed” is living in that truth. Indeed confirms and amplifies that truth! If God said it, then it is! I want to experience the Free Indeed!

God was preparing me to walk in the indeed … and I’m excited for this New Year. I will not be satisfied with anything less than his freedom to be who he created me to be, free to love the way he loves, free to have live an abundant life, free to embrace all that he has written out for me before the foundation of the world. Free to enjoy life unapologetically!

My experience in 2016, revealed that saying, I’m free, is not enough! Totally Trusting in GOD and learning how to recognize that He is always present and that He is faithful!

In the “ Free Indeed” we lose all consciousness of every external distraction that causes us to continually be restricted from moving within the sovereignty of the everlasting God. Yes, we are free indeed in Him! It’s a simple word, a simple question…. Are you free or free indeed? Are you living your life as one who is free!!!! Christ gave his life for us not to just say we are free, but to be free indeed! Happy New Year’s 2017!!! You are Free Indeed!