briannaraldridgeCelebrating My Freedom
I love the fourth of July. I love the whole weekend. It feels so exciting to see families get together for cookouts, visiting friends, putting up decorations, and letting off fireworks.
Of course, the fireworks are my favorite part. Something about seeing gunpowder turn different colors to light up the sky, right? Haha
For me, I love seeing the sky filled with fireworks. It’s as though all of us across the country might not agree or see eye to eye on everything but we all agree that we are grateful for our freedom.
When those fireworks are set off, the feeling of what we see and the sound are so humbling and I’m filled with gratitude.
I’m humbled by the work that our founding fathers’ efforts to make this country free and proud.
I’m grateful for those that have served my country and served their God.
I’m grateful for a country that was built upon a Godly Foundation.
Religious Freedom
As a family today and this past weekend I taught about Korihor, the Anti-Christ. He opposed Christ, His ways and His very existence.
Korihor went about teaching people that we can live anyway we want without consequences.
People thought that was freedom. To live anyway you want without thinking of the consequences that come with them.
As I was teaching this to my family I expressed that we do have the freedom to use our agency. It’s so beautiful and much more rewarding to use our agency to create a wonderful life focused on being for Christ and following His ways.
As we are following The Commandments and following Jesus Christ there is a sense of freedom.
The freedom is the blessings that come with choosing the right, using the Atonement, and being guided by the Holy Ghost when we listen closely to its promptings.
My Freedom
I remember times in my life where I used my agency for bad and was sinning. Those were the times I felt like I was in the most bondage.
I used to think watching or listening to bad movies or music wasn’t so bad.
As I realized the impacts they had on my thoughts and how I would act after consuming them, I felt more in Satan’s power.
When I took the steps of repenting and choosing to not watch or listen to things that were against the teachings of Jesus Christ, I felt more comfort and freedom.
I felt the Spirit closer to me and my mind was more clear.
That was my biggest blessing. My mind was clearer and I was able to see the truth in more things.
Korihor wants us to believe that “eat, drink, and be merry” is what fills our thoughts with fun and no regrets. It’s only temporary happiness and doesn’t fulfill us spiritually, mentally, emotionally, or physically.
Jesus Christ allows us the option to choose Him and enrich our minds with love, grace, understanding, and forgiveness. It gives us strength to physically move mountains, emotionally bond relationships, mentally build up our kingdom, and spiritually lift us closer to Him and Heavenly Father.
My freedom and all of our freedom is a great blessing that we have been given by our Father in Heaven. He wants us to use our agency for good.
As we use our agency for good and look towards Heaven and those within it, it’s like fireworks are always firing off.
The colors, the brightness, the size, are big enough and beautiful enough to see.
When I use my freedom for good I can feel those wonderful fireworks going off in me.
I hope to see more of them every day of the year in my life.
Celebrate your freedom. Celebrate your blessings. Heavenly Father sees your value and works and He wants you to choose the best thoughts and actions to have joy.
He has fireworks going off for you through the Holy Ghost when we choose to follow His Son, Jesus Christ, and His commandments.
These commandments and principles are not to keep us in bondage but are to free us from sin and feel happiness.
I love what Gospel Topics on Religious Freedom from churchofjesuschrist.org says,
The Church’s eleventh article of faith states, “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.” Religious freedom embraces not only the right to freely worship but also to speak and act based on one’s religious beliefs. In a modern revelation, the Lord states that just laws should be “maintained for the rights and protection of all flesh … that every man may act … according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment.”1 Governments cannot “exist in peace, except such laws are framed and held inviolate as will secure to each individual the free exercise of conscience.”2 Thus, governments are bound “to enact laws for the protection of all citizens in the free exercise of their religious belief.”
Our Religious Freedom is a wonderful blessing given to us from our Father in Heaven. I’m so grateful and humble by those efforts in keeping our country free.
