The most beautiful things in life are felt with every fiber of our being. Sunlight on bare skin and the warmth of a friend’s love – these are some of the things we have the freedom to enjoy or at least we should. We long to live and live to the fullest. Excitement and adventure are things we desperately long for. Life should be beautiful right? It should be full. Those memories of laughter and joy seem to evade us in struggle of every day life. Work, family, school and whatever else fills up our days seem to consume our hearts. Where is the joy of simply being alive? Where is the peace that should accompany us as we go about our day? Where is the happiness and freedom we use to feel as children?
I have come to combat the lie that as we get older life gets more boring and less beautiful. Life is suppose to be an adventure. You are meant to be as free as a child dancing in the rain. The years are meant to be beautiful not full of fear, regret, and stress. Freedom is your destiny.
I am 19 going on 20. I am not very old but I have been through many different things. I have been through. I have felt joy and I have felt sorrow. I have come through seasons of my life of pain that I thought would never end. My tears seemed to be my life during that time and I hated it. My personality is a bubbly, care free one. I love laughing and especially when there is no reason to laugh at all accept at the beauty of being alive. So, when I was going through an intense time of pain I had to believe that I would laugh again. My heart had to go back and remember why she was so happy. Why had I been so alive on the inside? What had been my source of joy and happiness for so long? It was not people – they were unstable. It was not things – I have never been very materialistic. It was something beautiful that made me feel beautiful.
It was someone. It was Jesus.
I had built my life around Him. Growing up I saw the beauty and freedom of loving Him first. I watched Him put hearts back together and heal broken bodies. He became my First Love – literally. When I was 13 going on 14 I decided to pursue Him and not just admire Him from a distance. I wanted to be in love with this Man who was completely in love with me. This became the source of all my happiness and joy. I did encounter hurt along the way, don’t misunderstand what I am saying. Pursuing Jesus did not erase hurt or pain in my life – it gave me a Best friend to confide in and a Beloved to hold me when I needed it the most. My love relationship with Him helped me deal with the stress of family situations and broken friendships. When I got alone with Him He revealed His heart to me. He showed me how to believe for what looked impossible to the natural mind. He loved me and still loves me like no other.
Staying in love with Jesus gave me the joy of living. Going after Him and letting Him chase after me gave me the adventure of a lifetime.
It was when I neglected our relationship that I found myself becoming distracted and fearful. I found my self settling for a life motivated by fear instead of perfect love. My life became a nightmare that I could not escape. Jesus is life and outside of Him is death. Staying in love with Jesus meant daily seeking His heart like I would in any other relationship. Relationships take time and devotion. We spend time with those we love and enjoy. He is the most enjoyable person that ever walked the earth.
When I came to Him and laid down all the hurt and offense in my heart, I found freedom again. I have realized that freedom looks like saying YES to God. Freedom is a yes. Really? Is it that simple? Yes. Freedom begins in our lives as we say yes to being in a covenant relationship with Him. Why? In His presence is FULLNESS of joy (Psalm 16:11).
His question to us is, “Will you live life with Me? Will you be My best friend and beloved? I want to be your everything. I want to give you abundant life. Will you let Me delight in you and you in Me, for now and eternity?
Everyday I am choosing to say yes to Him. Everyday I am growing more in love with Him. It is truly an adventure loving Jesus. As I choose Him I see my dreams coming to pass. I am more alive than I have ever been. I love who I am more than I ever have. My security in Jesus is stronger than ever. I have found my joy.
So today, I am challenging you to say YES; to love Him with your life. Apart from Him there is no life at all and in Him there is life beyond your wildest dreams. Go back to your First Love and let Him romance you again. This is life beloved! He causes the dead things – dreams, family relationships, desires, and visions – to awake and be restored. In Him we must live, move and have our being. Ask Him to awaken love in your soul for He is already burning with love for you.
You are His child of freedom. You are loved with an everlasting love. You are His beloved.
May joy flood your life as you seek Him,
Nellie Martin
Beloved and Held 
Thank you so much for you post. I had a terrible experience thur a divorce of over 20 years. @ its been over 7 years. I wanted to do all the right things . To trust God and forgive. But little did I know how hurt I was and angry. I had a break thur last night and was so desperate in having his presence. I told Him how angry I was and hurt. And something broke I felt a release. I love the Lord and my very breath depends on him. When I read your . Post I started to cry becaua e I realized I was so stuck on what happened I forgot my first love. I was just going thur the motions but there is so much more. So thank you for your post. I look forward to reading your blog.
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