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During the morning stroll with dog friend Hannah the iPod landed on a song from Nichole Nordeman. The words touched my heart as I thought about and prayed for many of my fellow sojourners in this journey with Jesus. So many followers of  Christ are sad and tired. I spend a lot of time thinking about why that is true. There can be a thousand reasons but I think the song "Finally Free" contains some truths that life's busyness can cause me (and perhaps you) to forget.

And if the Son has set us free
Then we must be, free indeed
Let the chains fall away, starting today
Everything has changed

I'm finally free 

I think I too often forget what happened the day that I trusted in Jesus Christ as the One who could forgive my sins. I was finally free. My joy was overwhelming. Everything was changed. I was changed. Here is a partial list of the miracle that happened at that moment of faith.

• All of my sins were forgiven: past, present, and future (Col. 2:13-14).
• I became a child of God (John 1:12; Rom. 8:15).
• I received eternal life (John 5:24).
• I was delivered from Satan's domain and transferred into the kingdom of Christ (Col. 1:13).
• Christ came to dwell within me (Col. 1:27; Rev. 3:20).
• I became a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17).
• I was declared righteous by God (2 Cor. 5:21).
• I entered into a love relationship with God (1 John 4:9-11).
• I was wholly and completely accepted by God (Col. 1:19-22).

So how did I lose that joy? How did I grow discouraged and sad? For me it was not fully understanding all that happened when I put my trust in Christ. Not really getting that I did not have to change to be acceptable. The change had already happened by His grace. And I think that I didn't fully understand the attributes of God during that time. Trusting who God is allows me to hear lyrics like these and have my heart leap with the knowledge that they are true.

No chain is strong enough
No choice is wrong enough
No mountain high enough that He
can't climb.
No shadow dark enough
No night is black enough
No road is lost enough that He can't find 

The last verse really resonated with my heart today.

No pain is deep enough
No heart could bleed enough

Nothing but Jesus' love can make a way.

Today a simple walk became a time of worship. The Son has set me free and everything has changed. I am finally free.