Do you accept your valuable gift of freedom? Freedom is an innate gift to us all, however, most who walk this earth have never known the joy of its blessings. Tomorrow, the United States of America commemorates its freedom gained in 1776 by signing the Declaration of Independence. People celebrate this monumental day in many ways, including fireworks, barbeques, and gatherings. Still, this freedom did not come without a cost. It transpired from multiple wars, resulting in the sacrifice of countless people who gave their lives for this unifying goal.
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Freedom for our nation is not the only sovereignty we need to fight for and celebrate. We each have our liberty of self, which few have enjoyed since birth. Far too many of us must fight a war of a different sort to gain such desired liberation. I’ve fought that war for most of my life. One of my biggest battles occurred in 2012 when I escaped my abusive then-husband for the safety of a local shelter. That monumental battle for the first time in my life brought me, to physical safety from others. But my war did not end there.
Once physically safe, I had gained the needed strength and groundwork to face the battles that led to my mental and emotional liberation. Many conclude that I have won this second war. But skirmishes to maintain and shore up that deliverance continue to arise. It is up to me to remain diligent in anything that could threaten my freedom. It is up to me to be ready to defend this freedom when needed.
Your Freedom Muscle
Your freedom is the same as any muscle within your body. You must provide those muscles with the proper nourishment and exercise, or they will deteriorate. When referring to physical muscles, that is easy to accomplish unless something you are unprepared for gets in the way, like an illness, injury, or unforeseen effects of aging.
In many of my previous posts, I have mentioned that I live with the degenerative effects of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome. One of the effects of this devastating syndrome is how challenging it is to build up muscle tone, a war I fight daily. To keep my muscle tissue from deteriorating, I have been in and out of physical therapy most of my life and engage in at least thirty minutes of a specific exercise program no less than five days a week.
Such insubstantial muscles, combined with loose, hyperflexible connective tissue, make it typical for people with this syndrome to become wheelchair-bound and even bedridden. As a result of this abnormality, maintaining my ability to walk and function is a war I battle daily. In my May 8th, 2023 blog post, https://www.crystalmmhuntley.com/revealing-my-healing-the-miraculous-truth/, I disclosed how, after ten years in a wheelchair, I fought my way back to walking. I continue this fight daily, determined to have the best quality of life possible and never again need such assistance.
A War of a Different Sort
Along with this fight for muscle strength, I also battle another war—to not fall into the pitfalls of the mind games my past abusers skillfully installed into me. Those “games” drilled into my brain destructive thoughts such as “I’m no good.” I’m unworthy.” “I’m ugly.” “I’ll never amount to anything.” Such lies are endless. They are an enemy that stalks us at every turn.
But God placed within each of us a muscle stronger than any lie. If you nourish and exercise that muscle, you can utilize it anytime to counteract whatever lie pursues you. God assisted in this endeavor through Deuteronomy 20:1. It reminds us not to be frightened when going to war, for the Lord your God is with you.
My abusers successfully and securely locked into my mindset the concept that I had no value. Consequently, I carried that thought with me at all times. One of the problems with holding onto such a false philosophy is that humans tend to find validation for whatever we seek.
I, like many, did not escape this mind game trap. I sincerely believed that God created me as a lesser being, with my only purpose being to service the needs of others, no matter what they may be or who made such demands. Let me make this clear. God created each one of us with equal value!
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You Must Make the Choice to Accept Your Blessings.
That destructive mentality crippled me, robbing me of any chance of joy. I believe the God of love wants us all released from the tribulations of this world. Our Loving Savior continuously offers you blessings to pull you out of your pitfalls, but because of God’s gift of free agency granted to us all, it is up to you to accept those blessings or to let them pass.
One day, someone introduced me to Michael W. Smith’s song “Surrounded.” Michael W. Smith – Surrounded (Fight My Battles) (youtube.com). The lyrics of this song infiltrated my brain, repeating over and over, night and day. It counteracted those destructive thoughts like a vaccination. This song dominated my brain long enough to conquer that well-formed destructive thought pattern and then faded. By then, I had learned how to use it as a weapon against self-defeating lies that threaten my internal peace.
To utilize this God-given gift, I must put into play an exercise of a different sort. As a result, whenever something threatens my self-esteem or fills me with fear, I sing this song or set it to play on repeat mode. If I neglect to exercise this gift, just like any forgotten muscle, it will fade from existence. I believe God gifted me that song to use as a tool to set me free. Let your eyes remain open to gifts The Almighty bestows upon you, and accept them with gratitude.
You Must Reach Out Your Hand and Receive.
I have a dear, long-time friend who remains trapped within the shackles of lies robbing him of his innate God-given self-worth. Because of this, my heart goes out to this dear friend. For I know first-hand the agony with which he suffers. I’ve offered him many avenues of support. Yet, so far, he has accepted none. One of the pitfalls a lowered self-esteem brings is that its victim feels unworthy of receiving help, providing yet another barrier they must overcome. All I can do is continue to make such offers, but he must reach out his hand to receive.
Robin’s Gift
To create Natalie, one of the main characters from my book Robin’s Gift, I delved into my old feelings of abandonment, betrayal, and insecurity. I placed her in loose-fitting clothing to illustrate her low self-worth. She used such baggy garb as a shield to hide her true self. God provides Natalie a way out of this detrimental mindset through the wisdom offered by Lucy, a dear friend and resident of Autumn’s Grace Nursing Home, where Natalie worked. I invite you to read Robin’s Gift and discover Natalie’s full story.
Note To My Readers
Hopefully, you have gained value from this blog post. If you have, I would like to offer you the opportunity to purchase my books. You can purchase The Hidden Diamond and Robin’s Gift at BUY THE BOOK – Crystal MM Huntley. However, if you prefer to purchase my books from Amazon, you will find The Hidden Diamond at http://www.amazon.com/The-Hidden-Diamond-Crystal-MM-Huntley/dp/1665573767 and Robin’s Gift at https://www.amazon.com/Robins-Gift-Crystal-MM-Huntley/dp/B0CVL7746N. Other places to buy my books are at https://bkbookshoppe.com and https://bizybookstore.com.
Each purchase of my books supports my mission to help those trapped in abuse break those chains and find their way to freedom while drawing closer to their Maker. Once you have read either of my books, feel free to leave a review on the site you purchased from. Your review will encourage others also to seek out the path of healing.
Adult Physical Abuse—My Experience A Reinterpretation Balance Balancing on a Tightrope Boundaries Breaking Out By Giving You Receive Childhood Physical Abuse—My Experience Excerpt from The Hidden Diamond Find the Blessing Within Foster The Gratitude Attitude Free Giveaway From Robin’s Gift Happenings or Interpretations? Hope Invite My Experience New Year Resolution Note To My Readers Overcoming Depression Resources Robin’s Gift Robin’s Gift – A Sneak Peak Sacred Gift Bearing Seek Understanding Shame Has No Place Summer’s Story Surviving Dark Years Take a Step Back. Take the Challenge The Abuser The Commitment to Braking Chains of Abuse The Fantasy Flaw The Gift of Jesus The Hidden Diamond The Power of Gratitude The Tenth Commandment To My Readers Unhealed Wounds Unwittingly Harm Others. Upcoming Posts We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know. What Gift Will You Bring? Why I Write You Are Worthy! Your New Year’s Resolution
