For Freedom

I'm one of those girls who talks a lot about perspective.

I haven't had much lately. Nope, none actually.


But that has changed.
It changed because of freedom. Yes, freedom.
One of my new favorite verses says this "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." Galatians 5:1

How amazing is that? Jesus wants us free just because He wants us free. The experience of freedom was enough to set us free. 


My story in freedom is a long one. It's one that I'm not sure I can share completely yet. But what I can share is this: I'm not so much a new person now as I am who I should have been all along. I don't really have different qualities, it's more like I have started being who I started as. In the midst of it all, Father has started showing me what part of Himself He has placed inside of me, and the truth of how from the part of Him in me will the wellspring of life flow.


It's huge. 


And I can't really explain it all. But I'll try to post my thoughts as they come. 


It's a little hard for me to talk about this at all. I'm a REALLY privet person. But Holy Spirit is reminding me of Revelation 12:11 "And they overcame him [the enemy] by of the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony."


For freedom Father wants you free also. 


So I'm here to declare my testimony. It is after all how I will overcome the enemy.


I'm free! I'm continuing to fight for freedom everyday. I will not stop fighting for freedom. For when I'm free, I am who Father created me to be. I am who I am because He is I AM. 


Alana


Ps-The picture is just something that reminds me of freedom--just because it means travel :-) 

Hey World Changer...

I once thought I knew what it meant to be a world changer.

Maybe I did.

I thought it was living a life that was different than normal...overseas, making a name for myself among the churches I grew up in, being one of the best photographers in the world, telling stories of lives so far away from anywhere I grew up.

But then all of my world changing tools left me. I was Stateside. I became a new girl in town. I put my camera down. My writing was put on the back burner.

And when all that left, I realized what it truly meant for me to be a world changer.

It was love.

Every day I get to pour into peoples lives. I get to encourage, I get to uplift. My passion was never traveling, photography or stories, it was loving people. This is what makes me happy, this is what makes me enjoy all of my world changing tools. The people, and how much I just want to love them.

So now, I'm not overseas. I'm not taking pictures. I'm just starting to write again. I serve coffee, I manage, I train. I listen and hear. I give directions. I move boxes. But I'm loving, and ever learning how to give more.

When I really think about it, I'm grateful for the life change. Because I am changing my world. The Creator of the universe started with love. It was the only reason He sent His Son to change the course of history. It was the first motivation that ever compelled the Son to die. "Because God so loved the world..." (John 3:16)

Love is really that powerful.

So why is it sometimes the last resort? Why isn't it my main motivation and investment? Why is most of life spent trying to get to a place where one can start loving instead of loving and then getting to that place? Why are so many waiting until they get their lives together to start loving? I'm here to say that I had it together, I had a name. I was considered by many to be a world changer. But until I had to stop and start only moving forward with love, I never found the blessing I was looking for.

Thank about it friends? Are you a world changer? Are you following God's example and loving first? Because you ARE a world changer...active or not?

Hey World Changer....

Where have you been?

Then There Came Life...

I'll admit, I'm even wondering where I've been.

Here I am a lover of life and writing and I'm no where near this blog.

But as one of my friends said last night, "Sometimes life is just, you know, life."

Let's see...last July...oh garsh that was a long time ago. A LOT of life has happened. I've come up with several of my "theories" I've taken a few pictures (yes, only a few, it is a bummer.) I've written a story. Yes, a story. I've worked a ton, yes a ton. I've read about 4 books. Sigh, only 4. I've fallen in love. I had a birthday. I got a raise. I drank several gallons of coffee. I missed my family. I've exited Texas TWICE. Not yet the USA. Worked. Worked. Worked. Learned how to run a business, learned how to lead. Laughed, hurt, overcome, waited.

Since last July I've been grown. I've been through pain and experienced healing, I've done more living than I thought possible. This has grown me. It's changed me. I'm not sure why I haven't written about it. Maybe because I didn't think anyone would want to read it. Maybe because it was too crazy. Maybe because I didn't know what to think of life half of the time. I'm not quite sure what it was, but I'm hoping I'm back.

Mainly because when I write, my heart comes out. My passion is ignited. My dreams are bigger, my heart for my work is truly alive within me.

Writing is one of the ways I get to love people. Loving people is my favorite thing to do.

So this isn't much. But it's a post. I've enjoyed writing it. I hope you've enjoyed reading it :)

Alana

photo by Michaella Elliott 

We're doing life. Having fun. (Well he's overseas right now... more like we're having fun and missing each other.)