Freedom Realized

     The latest book I have been working on has been way out of my comfort zone. I know the Lord wanted it written, but I felt resistant. It is Book III of the Nashville Series and deals with one of the characters who ended up in prison. I thought I could move on without telling the rest of her story, but I was wrong. The readers requested that I not end her story with the prison sentence. Doing research on prison life and life after prison is somewhat depressing to me so I had to press on.
      I almost fell into the trap of putting a title I thought would catch the most attention, but again, the Lord dealt with my heart. I thought “Jailbird” would be perfect and catchy, but the more I thought about it, the more I knew it wasn’t right. It might wound someone who was trying to begin a new life, like the character I was writing about.
     As I chatted with another author friend, she confirmed what I was thinking. I began to think about the message I wanted this book to convey. The title was clear as day, “Restored”. God will restore the years the locusts have eaten. He restored the prodigal son and the lost soul who calls out to Him.
     I began writing and was reminded of a dream a famous author said he had of a prison. He was in the prison and felt hopeless and afraid. All of a sudden, he realized that there were no locks on the jail cells. Any of the prisoners could leave whenever they wished. He walked out of his cell and began to tell the other prisoners that they were free. Some listened to him, but most believed they had no choice but to stay in prison.
     Isn’t that what God did for us through Jesus Christ? He took the locks off the doors and offers us freedom. We just have to believe him and walk out of our cell and live a life out of the cell of sin and into the freedom of Salvation. Restoration and Freedom are such wonderful words. Thank God that is what He offers to mankind.