I don’t know what you remember from your teenage years (or how much you actually want to remember), but one thing that I took away from it was that it was hard. A lot of struggles.
Who are my true friends?
What kind of music do I really like?
Why do I do the things I do?
How do I want my life to look like?
What is my opinion on xyz?
I especially struggled with my faith.
Why do I believe in God?
Does the way I believe in him actually make sense?
I felt limited in my expressions of faith, boxed in by opinions I had been taught by family and church.
It was time to break out.
The road to freedom often is not a golden-paved way to the promised land.
Rather a stony, hilly path into the unknown.
I also remember conversations with people outside the bubble I had grown up in.
People who lived a completely different lifestyle, had completely different opinions.
People who asked lots of questions and forced me to re-evaluate myself, to step away from all of it for a while and look at things from a distance.
People who encouraged me to pull away the layers of my life that were no longer part of my self.
They were present in my struggles, cheered me on in my search, helped me get rid of unnecessary baggage so that I could finish the race.
Well, the race is not finished yet.
But the more I see and experience in life, the more people I meet, the more I step out of my comfortzone and boxed-in beliefs – the more I discover the great freedom that’s out there.
Freedom to be and not just do.
Freedom to make mistakes.
Freedom to grow.
Freedom to discover and learn.
Freedom to climb up that hill, no matter how long it may take.
Freedom to believe and discover more of God’s facets in unexpected places.
Freedom to live.
thisiskatha.com 
Thanks, Julie!
Definitely true to know that he doesn't give up, but waits until we work it out in our time. Thanks, Karen, I always appreciate your comments!
Thanks, Denise!
That must've been quite a climb…glad that God found you! Thanks for coming by, Andrew!
Such beautiful freedoms you shared in this post! I'm rejoicing with you in them today. Keep writing and sharing… your words have purpose! Bless you!
Katha- I love this take on freedom! These words say it perfectly: “People who encouraged me to pull away the layers of my life that were no longer part of my self.” Praise God that He doesn't give up until we become who we were truly meant to be. Until we are free to truly live with Him. Great post! Happy Friday!
write on sweety, great post.
A stony, hilly path into the unknown…those WERE my teenage years! I had found the world to be a place that protected the most horrible of abusers, and when I could – I was big for my age – I bought a large-calibre pistol and headed up that stony, hilly path…literally…and lived wild. NO ONE was going to make my life a nightmare again.
And it was there that God, after a long search, found me.
http://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2015/07/why-is-bad-thing-happening-to-me.html