It’s hard to see what’s going on around you when you have tunnel vision. I am talking laser beam focus! Well I once lived in this bubble of what I thought was perfection. As I began to explore the intensity of wanting my life to be a certain way, being the best at what I did, or obtaining certain material possessions, I discovered my desire for perfection was rooted in control. I had a vision and I wanted to see that vision come to fruition, so like most people I overlooked things that should have alarmed me.

As I dug deeper into my desire for perfection and control, I realized these were just fruits of my real issue: fear. I was incredibly fearful. This fear was paralyzing because in reality I was not in control, my fear was. My fear of not pleasing people, my fear of not trusting, and the fear of not being enough or having enough plagued me.

As my curated perfection of a life crumbled, I was devastated. However, as the glass cracked all around me I saw my reflection, the woman God created. I discovered that I am still whole even though my perfectly curated picture broke. I am deeply loved by Jesus. I no longer have to strive for perfection, control outcomes, and operate from a place of fear! My freedom came when I allowed God access to all of me.

The vision for FREED Magazine came during the roughest period of my life. The moment I had to start walking through the shards of glass scattered all around me. In the midst of great pain, I am talking soul splitting, earth shattering, cries without a single sound type of pain – I found unexplainable joy. I could not understand how I could be at peace and full of joy while my present circumstances were grave and heartbreaking. The freedom I received was a beautiful gift from Christ! I knew if God could give me freedom in that season that I needed to share the gift with others. FREED is a platform for people to be transparent and authentic in exposing their truth and how they are overcoming in spite of their circumstances. I discovered my true freedom in Christ and that even through the storms of life He loves me unconditionally.

These days I pack light and by doing so I now operate from a FREED Soul!

I am FREED from fear; I am now FREED to trust in God’s perfect plan for my life.