When I was little, I had a pretty clear idea of what I thought freedom was. If someone were to ask little five-year-old me what the concept of freedom meant, I would have said something about an unlimited amount of ice-cream before dinner. Nine-year-old me probably would have responded with something about running barefoot through the field behind our house and not having a limit on how far I could run without my mom calling me back closer to our yard.

Freedom is a funny thing, in the sense that it means something different to every person that you might ask. And as we get older, our definition of freedom is likely to change. As I've grown in age and in my faith, I have experienced freedom in the most beautiful and pure way; I've experienced a freedom that comes straight from Jesus.

Let me explain.

I think there are a few misconceptions about what life with the Lord looks like. Some have asked if I feel like I'm missing out, choosing to live life with the goal of glorifying Him. Some have asked me why I "even bother" to live any differently, because "hasn't He forgiven your sins anyway...?" BUT that's where the different definitions of freedom come into play. You see, so many of us think of freedom as the right to do whatever we want, whenever we want. And that's where we miss the mark. The freedom that comes from living with the Lord is far greater then that simple idea.

True, pure freedom is not permission to live however we want, but rather a beautiful invitation to walk hand in hand with the Creator of the Universe.

Freedom is grace. Freedom is true love. Freedom is a passion in your heart yearning to serve the Lord, not the chase after the selfish desires of this world.

When Jesus Christ died on the cross, and rose three days later, He walked out of that grave with our freedom in hand. He defeated death so that we might know Him, love Him, and live for Him. Once we know the beauty that real freedom is, why would we run back to the emptiness of this world? 1 John 2:6 says, "The one who says he remains in Him should walk just as He walked."

So no, I don't feel like I'm missing out. Not even a little bit. It feels way more like I fell in love and now I get to experience the joy of walking hand-in-hand with the Lord. And how cool is that? Pretty darn neat if you ask me.