I don’t know anyone who has died while serving in the military, but Memorial Day always makes me remember friends and family who served – and likely knew fellow soldiers who died.

My grandpa served in the Pacific theater in World War II and decades later still suffered from nightmares on those few occasions he would talk about it, for example the night he told my dad about his service when my parents were first dating in the 1960s. Grandpa showed me a photo album one sunny, summer afternoon in the 1980s…it had a red padded leather cover…and black and white pictures of the devastation to human life that front line war wreaks. I can only assume he had nightmares that night too. More than 30 years later, I still haven’t forgotten those images.

I have other family members and friends who have served – and survived. Or their bodies survived at least, but their souls suffered trauma. Those I know who lived and those they know who died served for my freedom.

Jesus also died for my freedom. For our freedom.

It was for freedom that Christ set us free. Galatians 5:1

But do we really live “free”? Do we live thinking about our freedom, relishing it, rejoicing in the abundant kind of life it offers us?

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. John 10:10

I have tried to learn for many years now to live more intentionally, at a different pace than our culture thinks we should. Part of that has been multiple health issues that have forced me to slow down, my own and then my son’s.

Part of it is hearing God, over and over, saying, “Rest!” “Just be.” “Take My hand and walk with Me.” When I do that, it’s a very different pace. That freedom looks very different from so much of life around me.

I recently signed up for a free online Bible study (link to register below) called “Get Your Life Back” and the author, John Eldredge, talks about the trauma to our souls in living life enslaved to our worries and anxieties, to constant news of death and destruction throughout the world, even to phones and apps and social media…all day long. We have access to an abundance of information that overloads our souls but that doesn’t allow room for an abundant life.

John Eldredge also created an app (yes, ironically for our phones) called One Minute Pause, which has 1-, 3-, 5-, and 10-minute guided pauses to practice slowing down and letting go. To give us freedom from the craziness that surrounds us and find instead a truly abundant life. To help us pause so we can start to receive the life God wants to give us.

Memorial Day was Monday. For many of us that means a four-day work week…and the stress of trying to accomplish five days of work in four. My hope is we can begin to take a pause instead of feeling even more stressed and simply remember the freedom we have been given.

**Here’s the link where you can register for the free online Bible study as well, including access to the six video sessions. The videos are available through June 25th and session 2 is one of the best things I’ve watched in a long time! I hope you enjoy it and the app, which I’ve started using daily.