Megan's prayer: Big Daddy Weave's "Completely Free"

He gave us all He had to give
So that we could truly live

What does it really mean to "truly live"?

During grade school, and even part of high school, I felt like I was living in a bubble. All my friends and family and classmates were in there, but I didn't know about the dangers, or the bad parts of the real world. I watched Barney and Arthur, not the depressing nightly news. Even during college, the main push seems to be to prepare us for the "real world." It's like for the past 20 years of my life I haven't really been living - I've just been preparing to live.

Today's song says that Jesus came and died so I can "truly live" - so that I can be "completely free." I'm sitting here, wondering if I even know what that really means. Do I really have to wait for college to be over to know what that means? Can I discover how to live "completely free" right now? How do I even go about doing that?

Erinnicole's Prayer: Big Daddy Weave's "Completely Free"

And wearing my shame so that I could know him

Embarrassment is not something I feel very often. I am very quiet and introverted at school. When you do not talk and remain low key, it is easy to not be embarrassed. When I hear the word shame, I think first of embarrassment in front of other people. But in the context of my Sin, it becomes so much more. With the person that I am and how unworthy I am of all God blesses me with, I sometimes feel nothing but shame. It is amazing to me that not only can God look past my shame and love me for my faults and failures as well as successes, but He also took all my shame and displayed it as his own upon a cross. That was the most shameful way to die in those days and He had no reason to do it for me, but He did. That is such an example of love to me that it is overwhelming. All so that I could know Him. I still feel unworthy, but I am starting to be able to see myself for who God sees me.

Chris' prayer: Big Daddy Weave's "Completely Free"

There is a definite message in this song that equates sacrifice with happiness and freedom. There could be no better a time to hear this message than during Lent, when we are encouraged to sacrifice. Often times, we wonder if that sacrifice will make us better people, if it will make us happier, if it will make us more free. Lord, I pray that my sacrifice this Lent might fulfill that goal. I pray that it might make me happier, a better person, and most importantly, more free to love and serve You. Amen.

Catie's prayer: Big Daddy Weave's "Completely Free"

All that I have is now yours to receive
Payment in full so that you could be free

So many times I forget that God sent his only son that we might have a chance at eternal life. It's something that I know but don't always keep in mind. I forget that Christ thinks that each of us is to die for. So many times we think that Christ died for our sins, but how many times do we think Christ loves us so much that he died for me? That just drives how much he loves us home that much more when not grouping ourselves together with everyone. Christ did not have to die for our sins, he just loved us THAT MUCH. How amazing is that?