Since we just celebrated the July 4th holiday, it seems an appropriate time to talk about freedom. As Americans, we sometimes take our freedoms for granted. Just the act of writing and posting this blog represents one of our freedoms; yet we so easily click onto the internet every day, send e-mails and write about our opinions without realizing what a gift it is to have free speech.

For those of us who are Christians, freedom in Christ represents peace without worrying about our latest mistakes. We pray openly to God and know that He hears the smallest whisper. We confess that Jesus is Lord, and we worship the Divine who loved us enough to die. We accept grace and appreciate the soul healing He perfects in us.

Freedom for women at GateWay is illustrated in various ways. Women come for counseling, groups and prayer. By working on the hard stuff, they discover freedom from past lies. These women learn how it feels to be liberated from strongholds or from the consequences of someone else’s sin.

Our Hope for Freedom group defines its name. These are wives of husbands with sexual addictions who find the courage to share their common journeys and work on setting boundaries. They deal with the hard truths of working on a relationship that has betrayed them yet find the strength to persevere. Freedom comes with a great price for these women. They are heroines – every one of them.

During our summer book study, we’ve looked at the life of Esther – a young woman whose freedom was taken from her. Yet she used her new position as queen to save a nation and impact scores of us throughout history. We learn from Esther about the freedom of accepting ourselves as God made us and the joy of finding our true calling.

While we treasure our freedom, approximately 800,000 sex-trafficking victims are bought and sold each year. Most of these are female. They no longer have any freedoms but are used and abused to satisfy the decrepit lifestyles of their owners.

Freedom is a precious commodity and a valued product of GateWay of Hope Ministries. During July and every day of the year, we need to thank God for our freedoms – then continue to work so that others can also be free.