July 4, 2025
Dear Allen Temple Family and Friends,
As we prepare for this Fourth of July, we do so mindful of the ironies woven into this day’s history. While this nation declared its freedom on July 4, 1776, our ancestors still bore chains for nearly a century longer — and as their descendants, we still find ourselves having to press for the full measure of liberty and justice promised on paper but too often denied in practice. With the passing of the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” (HR1) — millions will be stripped of healthcare; low-income children and families will lose necessary benefits while the wealthiest among us receive permanent tax cuts. For many among us, this is about more than politics — this is about survival.
Yet my prayer is that we hold fast to a greater freedom — the freedom found in Christ. Jesus said:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
— Luke 4:18–19 (NIV)
Christ’s ministry was — and still is — about real liberation: healing the sick, lifting the burdened, proclaiming freedom for those bound by systems of oppression. His mission still calls us to do the same — even when powers and policies fall short.
May this Independence Day remind us of our calling to keep pushing until freedom, justice, and health belong to every household — not just the privileged few. May we remember this day especially, that freedom is never free — it is fought for, prayed over, and lived out by ordinary people who refuse to be silent.
Freedom is still a work in progress — but we are not powerless. Keep your hope alive. The God who brought us this far is not finished with us yet.
Stay encouraged. Keep the Faith. Live Free and ENJOY!
May God continue to cover and keep you!
Until Freedom,
