David Bahn – Reflections

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. ¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴ And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Maybe you’ve had a very picky boss. He watches your every move. She micromanages every decision. You want a new desk lamp? Do you really need it? You turn in a report. Did you double-check the spelling and grammar? Admittedly, sometimes we need those gentle reminders – especially if we don’t have those red squiggly lines showing up in mispeled misspelled words! But the burden of sending daily reports of every 15 minutes of your work day, or being constantly second-guessed in your decision-making can wear thin.

I’m not sure why, but this came to mind when I read these word: But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Somehow these words refreshed my spirit. Somehow they struck a note in my soul. 

The Spirit, according to Jesus, points us to Jesus. His role is to bear witness about Jesus, affirming His identity and work. And I love where Jesus – unashamedly – says “He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you” (John 16:14).

I was confirmed as a college student. The pastor gave me a confirmation verse that aligns with these thoughts: Jesus says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). 

I’m taking this to heart today, and rejoicing that I don’t have to fight the Holy Spirit’s work in my heart. He leads me back to Jesus, and gives me precious gifts of patience, goodness, kindness, and love.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. ¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, ²¹ envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. ²⁴ And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

²⁵ If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Here is a conundrum, a paradox: For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. I’m not sure how some people get around this. There are two forces at work in our being that are constantly at war.

Sometimes it is obvious – almost like having a good angel and an evil angel, one on each shoulder. Do this [good thing], the one says. The other, Why would you do that?!? That’s no fun at all. Let’s party! One says, Don’t give in to that temptation. It will ruin your life. The other says, Do you really want to miss out on all the fun?!?

Paul reflected on this truth personally when he wrote, “I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing” (Romans 7:19). We all know that reality. We want to be kind and understanding, but we lose our temper. We know better than gossiping, but we join in on the latest whispers in the break room.

We are saint and sinner. And the surest sign that we are saints is that we have a conscience that troubles us when we sin. The greatest danger signal to our spiritual welfare is when we stop feeling bad about something that we know is not right or godly.

It is not an easy battle. And there are times we might wish to be done with it. But God calls us into this battle, and promises to protect us. Paul will speak of the armor God provides in the next chapter. But for now, we must not grow weary or lose heart because we must fight this battle. Satan seeks to kill and destroy us. The world presses in on us, seeking to shape us into its mold. Our own sinful flesh turns our heads and hearts toward cheap imitations of God’s good gifts.

Thankfully we have the Holy Spirit within us who provides his gifts of joy, peace, love, gentleness, and faithfulness – and others as well. All by his grace. All for our good. We must fight the battles against sin and temptation. But we do not have to fight without the power of the Holy Spirit.

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

² Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. ³ I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. ⁴ You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. ⁵ For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. ⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

⁷ You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? ⁸ This persuasion is not from him who calls you. ⁹ A little leaven leavens the whole lump. ¹⁰ I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. ¹¹ But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. ¹² I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

¹³ For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. ¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

Maybe you remember the song “Charlie Brown” by The Coasters. It was released in 1959 and became one of their hits. The song humorously describes a mischievous kid named Charlie Brown who’s always getting into trouble, and the iconic line “Why’s everybody always picking on me?” is part of the chorus.

Paul’s tone in Galatians 4:11 definitely has that “Why’s everybody always picking on me?” vibe. He’s defending himself against false accusations and constant persecution, despite the fact that he’s preaching the truth of the gospel. It’s like Paul is saying, “Look, if I were compromising the gospel by preaching circumcision like they say I am, why would I still be taking all this heat?!” It’s a bit of a “Does this make sense to you?” moment.

Paul did support circumcision under certain circumstances. Paul had Timothy circumcised (Acts 16:3), but that was done to avoid offending Jews they were trying to evangelize—not because Paul believed it was necessary for salvation. Timothy’s mother was Jewish and he would have been considered Jewish by heritage. However, because he wasn’t circumcised, this might have been a stumbling block to Jews they were trying to reach with the gospel. Paul had Timothy circumcised as a matter of practicality for evangelism, not as a requirement for salvation.

Titus, on the other hand, was a Gentile, and Paul explicitly refused to have him circumcised. This took place during a pivotal moment when Paul was defending the truth of the gospel against Judaizers (those who insisted that Gentile believers needed to follow the Jewish law, including circumcision). He has already written about this in Galatians 2:13-15.

There are simple answers to the question, Why is everyone always picking on me? Sometimes we make ourselves the target for others’ criticism. Some people are just mean and they delight in making other people’s lives miserable. Satan incites people to criticize God’s faithful people.

That’s the simple answer. But the more important and far reaching is the fact that Satan delights to  discourage a follower of Jesus, or derail his mission. So he will do all he can to foment criticism, conflict, reproval, and trouble for God’s servants.

So next time you feel the brunt of others’ criticism, take heart. You are in good company. Sadly, there are those who delight in disturbing others. Being criticized might be thought of as a red badge of courage. On the other hand it is simply a reality of life in a fallen world. And when we do experience such troubles we can take heart in remembering Peter’s encouragement: ““Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:12-13, NIV).

Be sure of this. Though we may suffer criticism justly or unjustly, we can be sure that one day every tongue will be stopped, and every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. And we will join in the chorus of praise to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

² Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. ³ I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. ⁴ You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. ⁵ For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. ⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

⁷ You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? ⁸ This persuasion is not from him who calls you. ⁹ A little leaven leavens the whole lump. ¹⁰ I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. ¹¹ But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. ¹² I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

¹³ For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. ¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

My vicarage supervisor (and father of my good friend and traveling buddy, Steve) is a giant. Even though he is in an assisted living community he and his recently-departed wife set up Bible studies there, made evangelism visits and saw at least two people baptized – right there in the facility. Will Sohns and Lynn, his wife were a great blessing to Diane and me those many years ago. I highly respect him. Recently he has written a book, The Great Sending, and a second follow-up God’s Sending Heart. The Mission of God has always been front and center in his ministry.

I recall his constant focus on God’s love and grace, on the central focus of true Lutheran theology: justification by grace through faith. He would regularly make the point that truths of Scripture and theology must find their source in justification, and lead the person to the same. I can hear him say, “It’s important because it impacts the Gospel!” Indeed it – whatever it is – is important because it impacts the Gospel message.

This is what Paul is saying here. The issue wasn’t just about circumcision. It was about how that requirement nullified the Gospel and undercut the grace of God. He writes, “I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace.” 

Then he makes the point that the Gospel message leads us to embrace the true Law of God. He writes, “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” In this context he is not speaking of the Old Testament ceremonial laws regarding circumcision, sabbath restrictions, or dietary limitations. He is speaking of the Law of God in the truest sense. Jesus made that clear: Love God and love your neighbor, he taught.

The fellowship we have in the Gospel of Jesus is a fellowship of love, grace, truth, and forgiveness. It is a precious fellowship that is celebrated at the foot of the cross and the empty tomb. It overflows in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These are the fruit of the Holy Spirit and a reflection of the character and nature of God.

Arrogance, hubris, judgmentalism, and harshness has no place in the fellowship of the redeemed. And as James reminds us, “The anger of man does not accomplish the righteous things that God desires” (James 1:20). Thankfully we’ve been set free by Christ Jesus. We are free to love and serve one another as we thank, praise, serve, and obey God.

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

² Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. ³ I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. ⁴ You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. ⁵ For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. ⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

⁷ You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? ⁸ This persuasion is not from him who calls you. ⁹ A little leaven leavens the whole lump. ¹⁰ I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. ¹¹ But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. ¹² I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

¹³ For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. ¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

I preached at Trinity Lutheran Church in Amarillo last Sunday, and shared the Max Lucado fishing story from his book, The Eye of the Storm. It’s a humorous and disarming account of a trip with is dad and friend Mark that Max took as a young boy. Foul weather rolled in the night they arrived and set up their camper. They went to sleep dreaming of their day in the sun, not realizing they would be stuck inside their camper for the next few days. The weather outside was blustery and cold. The atmosphere inside the camper was hot and contentious. He draws a moral from his experience with his dad and friend Mark. “When fishermen don’t fish, they fight.” It’s a delightful story, worth the read – as is the whole book. Send me a message and I’ll send you my copy of the story.

I thought of that as I read Paul’s warning, “But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.” I can think of few things sadder than church fights. I’ve seen people leave church meetings in tears because of things said. I’ve been the target of unfair criticism and fair criticism delivered unkindly. I’ve experienced few of these, thankfully, but one is too many for God’s people to experience. 

Then I think of Martin Luther. He was not exactly uncontentious. Granted he was put into a corner and had to stand for the truth. But it got him excommunicated. And he lived as an outlaw from the Holy Roman Empire until his death of natural causes. Sometimes you have to stand for the truth – as Luther did. But another contemporary of  Luther, Rupertus Meldenius, was more inclined to collaboration. He famously said, “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty; in all things, charity.” Luther’s close colleague, Philip Melanchthon famously expressed the near identical phrase.

But in Galatia, there were church fights about doctrine that Paul could not ignore. He had to stand against those who were adding to the gospel: requirements of circumcision and other Old Testament Laws. It is not clear whether they were requiring these converts to go as far as following the rituals of the Mishnah regarding extra Sabbath or dietary rules. But their insistence on requiring circumcision in order to be fully accepted into the family of God endangered the Gospel message itself.

We must never cede the Gospel in favor of even the finest sounding extra requirements. But more often than not our conflicts within the church are about preferences, and matters of opinion about which honorable men and women can disagree. In that case, civility must prevail. Jesus has freed us from the curse of the Law, from condemnation, and from the power of sin. We honor him best when we love and serve our brothers and sisters in Christ, holding them in honor and esteem – even if they want pink paisley carpet in the chancel… well maybe not pink!

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

² Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. ³ I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. ⁴ You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. ⁵ For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. ⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

⁷ You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? ⁸ This persuasion is not from him who calls you. ⁹ A little leaven leavens the whole lump. ¹⁰ I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. ¹¹ But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. ¹² I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

¹³ For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. ¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

The idea of the camel getting its nose under the tent is that once it’s there, it’s just a matter of time before the camel is in the tent. And who wants that?!? Answer: the camel! The term is related to the domino theory. Once the first domino falls, the rest will surely follow. Falling dominoes or intruding camels’ noses are not good things. The initial intrusions or tumbles lead to far worse consequences.

This is what Paul speaks of here. And he is adamant! The implications of agreeing to go along with the Circumcision Party’s requirement that the Galatians submit to this part of the Old Testament Law were so drastic that Paul gets carried away with his invective: I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves! That’s pretty extreme. 

Paul is distressed at least in part to the fact that he was being persecuted by these Judaizers. They were insisting that Gentile Christians observe the Mosaic Law (circumcision, dietary laws, etc.) to be fully included in the people of God. Paul was being persecuted because he had consistently proclaimed the gospel of grace through faith in Christ alone, rejecting the idea that circumcision or other works of the Law are necessary for salvation. This gospel message undermined the Judaizers’ belief system and threatened their authority and influence.

But the stakes are high. So high, in fact, that Paul warns the Galatian believers that if they fall prey to this requirement they had fallen from grace. This is the worst possible outcome of this small little compromise.

Not applicable to us today? Just ask the woman who carries on an innocent emotional affair with her office colleague only to give in to temptation and a full-fledged sexual affair. Ask the young man who tried crack cocaine just once only to be pulled into the vortex of addiction. Ask the youth who experiments with sex – just once – and discovers she’s pregnant at the age of 14. Ask the middle management accountant who fudges the figures to cover his gambling debts and ends up broke and without a job when he’s discovered.

Not every sip of whiskey leads to an alcoholic’s nightmare. But there are legitimate dangers we must avoid when dealing with any potential domino effect action. In the case of adding any additional requirement than faith to our salvation the dangers have eternal consequences. Certain clothing. Specific worship forms. Contrived initiation rites. These are the poison-tainted Kool Aide which we must not drink!

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

² Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. ³ I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. ⁴ You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. ⁵ For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. ⁶ For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.

⁷ You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? ⁸ This persuasion is not from him who calls you. ⁹ A little leaven leavens the whole lump. ¹⁰ I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is. ¹¹ But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed. ¹² I wish those who unsettle you would emasculate themselves!

¹³ For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. ¹⁴ For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” ¹⁵ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another.

If you could wave a magic wand and be freed from anything in the world, what would you choose? Financial freedom? Addiction? Fear? Despair? Lust? Disease? Heartache? Anxiety? Freedom from having to work?

All of those freedoms – good as they may be – are really temporary, until the temporary turns into eternity. In the life of the world to come, there is no despair, heartache, anxiety, addiction, fear, lust, or burdensome work. This is the freedom to which God calls us in Jesus Christ. Paul says, “It was for freedom that Christ has set us free.” We have been set free.

Paul is speaking primarily of freedom from the burdensome requirements of the Old Testament Law. In fact, Peter speaks of the Law in this way, “Now, therefore, why are you putting God to the test by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples that neither our fathers nor we have been able to bear?” He’s speaking of requiring the new gentile converts to follow the Old Testament laws. And he admits no one had been able to do it.

Except Jesus. Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament Law, the prophecies, promises, and was all that God had wanted Israel to have been. They had failed miserable time and again. But Jesus never failed. He never wavered. He never gave up – even in the face of terrible resistance and temptation, and suffering. He is our righteousness, and he has freed us from the curse of the Law, the curse of death, the curse of sin, and the power of the devil.

In him we are free.

There is, however, a caveat. Martin Luther put it this way in his treatise, The Freedom of a Christian (1520). “A Christian is a perfectly free lord of all, subject to none. A Christian is a perfectly dutiful servant of all, subject to all.” This is a paradox that, through faith in Christ, Christians are completely free from the demands of the Law and the need to earn salvation (justification by grace through faith). However, as recipients of God’s grace, we are also called to serve others in love, reflecting Christ’s example and love.

Once we get off of the treadmill of doing good so that we’re safe from harm, danger, or judgment, we will find great peace and true freedom. We’re free – not to do as we please in hedonistic pursuit of every distraction and sin, but to serve one another in love. We’re free to give the forgiveness we’ve received, for we don’t have to worry about running out. We’re free to serve one another freely for we’re not trying to gain anything by our acts of kindness and grace.

All this is because Christ has opened the way to everlasting life – a life of joyful freedom to thank, praise, serve and obey God. Without fear or the need to prove anything to anyone.

Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by a slave woman and one by a free woman. ²³ But the son of the slave was born according to the flesh, while the son of the free woman was born through promise. ²⁴ Now this may be interpreted allegorically: these women are two covenants. One is from Mount Sinai, bearing children for slavery; she is Hagar. ²⁵ Now Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia; she corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem above is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written,

“Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear;
    break forth and cry aloud, you who are not in labor!
For the children of the desolate one will be more
    than those of the one who has a husband.”

²⁸ Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise. ²⁹ But just as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so also it is now. ³⁰ But what does the Scripture say? “Cast out the slave woman and her son, for the son of the slave woman shall not inherit with the son of the free woman.” ³¹ So, brothers, we are not children of the slave but of the free woman.

I noticed a hiccup recently in the posting of my podcast of these devotions on Spotify. I have a suspicion about why this was so. I think it may be because of the title which included the word, “Cuba.” I have only a suspicion about this. My data is only anecdotal. It could have been simply an internet glitch.

But I know we were very isolated while we were in Cuba. I could not get to the New York Times from Cuba. Again, this is only anecdotal. But it was my experience. I didn’t try other websites. And it may be that I simply wanted to play Wordle or Connections, and was thwarted in those attempts. But it was clear we had no easy access to the outside world while we were there.

Internet connections are important to us today. We want to be able to get the weather, receive and send our emails, text and message one another wherever we are in the world. Some also want to connect to Facebook. We long for connections – even virtual connections, the imitation of the real thing.

Think of this also in terms of the church. When I am working with a congregation that seeking a pastor, and in the call process, they greatly value their connections with the Texas District. When I was first in ministry, I greatly valued the connections I had with other pastors in our circuit. I would travel 4 hours one way to attend circuit meetings.

As I matured in ministry I gained more appreciation for connections within the congregation. I remember many years ago a meeting with parents of confirmation-age students. They wanted to improve the confirmation program. Their ideas were amazingly helpful. I see now how true it is that we are better together.

We might be tempted to ignore or despise our connections with our church body. Our connections with one another in some cases may impinge upon plans we would with to pursue. But we are part of the Body of Christ. And that puts us into connections of all kinds. All of them, necessarily, will be difficult. And sometimes painful.

Here Paul speaks of the blessings that came from being connected to the free woman, the mother of the child of promise. We are sons and daughters of the free woman – brothers and sisters of Christ. We’re connected to the promises of God in Jesus, and those are the most valuable connections of all.

If you wish to see some of my photos from this trip, you may see them in my smugmug gallery.