Amazing Freedom is a group effort – it includes stories from Patsy Clairmont, Barbara Johnson, Nicole Johnson, Marilyn Meberg, Luci Swindoll, Sheila Walsh, Thelma Wells, and Mary Graham.  We couldn’t quite round up everybody for an interview this month, but we did manage to catch up with Patsy, Marilyn, Luci, and Thelma to talk about God, life, and Amazing Freedom.

The book is divided into 3 sections: 
“Freedom from . . .”, “Freedom to . . .”,
and “Freedom for . . .”.  Can you explain the
difference between these for you personally?

God, through the power of the Holy Spirit living in me, has given me freedom from self-condemnation, fear and judging others by their outward appearance.  God has given me freedom to be authentic "real" and to encourage others to be the same.  God has given me freedom for boldly telling others about His mercy, grace, goodness, compassion and love.  Romans 1:16 says, and is my tenet, "I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes.”

These three different expressions “Freedom from, to and for” imply different experiences. For example, “Freedom from…” implies GROWTH. It’s as if we’re saying I’ve come out of something to enjoy freedom from it. If you look at the chapters in that section of the book, they’re all dealing with growth and change for the better. “Freedom to…” implies PERSONAL ACCEPTANCE. We’re saying, in effect -- I have the freedom to trust, to give, to love, to enjoy. It’s a feeling of internal liberty. And, “Freedom for…” implies PERMISSION.  Like…I give myself permission for fulfilling something or enjoying life or receiving grace.  They’re closely related, but different in their deepest meaning. For me personally, they remind me of ALL I have in Christ – Growth, Personal Acceptance and Permission!

Why is freedom so difficult to accept?

	Sometimes freedom is difficult because we don’t have the habit of freedom.  Samuel Beckett said habit is the ballast that chains a dog to his vomit.  I looked up the word ballast to make sure I get that startling quote.  I was reminded that a ballast serves to bind or secure something in place.  So if we don’t have the ballast of freedom, we may be experiencing the hold sin has on us.  That sin has become a habit; it’s hard to give up.  Proverbs 26:11 uses the same unattractive metaphor for sin’s ballast: “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.”  The good news is we can all have the ballast of freedom.  It will hold us securely in place as we determine to break free from the sin habit.
	I believe freedom is so difficult to accept because we have been taught and groomed to be performers for God so He would love us.  Freedom to me is not doing and acting and performing for God, it is simply building a relationship with Him based on a friendship.  This friendship is developed the same way you would develop a natural friendship ― talking to God (praying), listening to God speak to our minds and spirits, praising God (telling Him "Thank YOU" for what He has and is doing for us), and studying about Him and from the pages of His book, the Bible.  When we spend time with God ― like we spend time with people we care about ― and we embrace the relationship, it becomes a lot less difficult to accept the Amazing Freedom of God.
	Almost everything in life has to be earned, paid for, expensed. Freedom is a feeling that’s almost too good to be true. (Actually, it HAS been paid for, with a high price, but we don’t often think about that). It’s hard to accept because there aren’t many rules with true freedom. Most people operate better with rules. Rules make people feel safe. They have parameters, a known path and they’re comfortable in that path. To be free is too scary. “What if I blow it with all this freedom? Will God get me”? This is why there are so many legalists…they can’t imagine living freely. It’s easier to stick with what they know, albeit a miserable existence.

What one piece of advice could you give to a woman
who wants to take the first step toward achieving
the freedom we are talking about?

	This may sound odd but I think the first step toward achieving freedom is to ask yourself if you truly want it.  Many people take comfort in the daily commitment of maintaining their rut.
	Take deliberate steps in Christ’s direction by loving the unlovely, giving when it’s not convenient, expressing gratitude, and forgiving yourself...to name a few. Begin where you are with what you have. You don't have to do things perfectly but you do need to move in the direction of freedom. Freedom is all about Christ but He calls us to participate in the process.
	As simple as it may sound, it’s awfully hard to do – I advise that woman to take God at His word. He tells us about freedom, He demonstrates freedom through His grace, He provides freedom through the death of His Son. But we have to take believe His word in order to take that first step.

With as many books as you’ve written and
messages you’ve given, are you ever afraid that
you’ll run out of stories to share?

	Yes! And then the dailyness of life crowds in and in the midst of it new stories are birthed. Whew. Thank you Jesus.
	One of the basic fears of my life is that I will run out of stories to tell and start repeating myself over and over again.  However, it seems that when I really serious about writing a book or an article, I remember situations in my past or record something that's happening now either to me or to someone I know (who’s given me permission to write about them) and it remains fresh, informative and inspirational.
	I’m always afraid of running out of material but then…something happens.  When that something happens I think, “I’d like to tell that.”  (Watch out…I may be lurking about your neighborhood with a tape recorder and notepad.)  Life just keeps happening and when it happens someone has to tell it.  So I say, “Stay turned!”

What have you read lately that you’ve really enjoyed?

	Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen ― a classic that is ever fresh with scintillating word pictures that transports you around the world to a land full of mystery and wonder. Trust me, it’s not enough to just see the movie.
	I am currently reading The Lost Virtue of Happiness.  The authors, J.P. Moreland and Klaus Issler, are professors at Talbot School of Theology, who never fail to ignite a spark in my thinking.  Perhaps part of my sense of kinship with them is that they too speak of the necessity for relationships.  Christians know they must have a relationship with God but often that relationship is not one of trust because our human relationships have lacked trust.  We tend to transfer our human stuff onto God and then blame Him for the fact we aren’t happy.
	At the moment I’m reading a wonderful book – The Measure of a Man – by Sidney Poitier. It starts with his upbringing in the Bahamas, to the present day. A spiritual autobiography, Poitier shows how the ebb and flow of his life gave him values, balance and character. It’s written with tremendous dignity.

Tell us something about yourself that we don’t know
(that you don’t mind sharing, of course!)

	Hmm. My hubby and I are crossword puzzlers. Not exactly juicy. Oh, wait, sometimes when no one’s looking I sketch and play with watercolors. Shh.  I also have my own PINK DS Lite Intendo that I play two games on to help improve my brain―Big Brain (as if) and Brain Age.
	When I have several writing projects as I have while writing this to you, I get annoyed when people interrupt me and just want to talk about nothing special, just chitter-chatter.  When I try to tell them that I really want to talk to them but not at this moment, let's talk after a certain time, they get offended and I get aggravated.  Please pray that I will be understanding and that I won't go off the deep end and further hurt their feelings.  I really do love them.  I just want them to be quiet for a while.
	I’ve figured out what I want my last meal to be, were I ever on Death Row – a cheddar cheese and mushroom omelet, fresh broccoli with hollandaise sauce, popovers with lots of butter and a big helping of Zabaglione Trifle. (It’s a rich dessert I had in Italy and it’s to die for…which of course I WOULD be dying for since I’d be on Death Row).

What do you look forward to in 2007?

	Seeing old friends at the conferences and meeting new ones… and celebrating my 45th wedding anniversary.
	I look forward to sharing the platform with Luci Swindoll.  We will combine our “speak time” which is a new venture for the organizers of the program.  They seem a trifle nervous about us getting out of hand and forgetting there’s an audience “out there” while we simply chat and carry on.  They warn us there may be some people who might expect us to say something useful or even enriching.  Does that not sound like a touch of pressure?
	I look forward to being able physically, mentally and spiritually to be able to walk through the doors of opportunity to work for the Kingdom of God.  In fact, I'm excited about what God is already doing in my life.  I look forward to the greatest season in history for the Women of Faith Conferences and that God would move this conference higher and higher for His glory.