By: Carissa Lovvorn
Over the last several months, very large insects have invaded our living room—along with oversized flowers, pool noodles, hula hoops, glue guns, and endless bottles of paint. That can only mean one thing… it’s Vacation Bible School season! Whether I’m building a beehive out of laundry baskets and brown packing paper or creating oversized mushrooms out of paper mâché and chicken wire, I always enjoy the task of making the theme come to life. This year’s Magnified theme, focused on participants discovering the wonder of God in the smallest of things seen in His creation.
Our event went off without a hitch. The children gazed in wonder at the towering critters and larger-than-life greenery. They enjoyed crafts, games, Bible lessons, and singing praises to our Father. Volunteers and church staff worked diligently to ensure the children had fun, but more importantly, a spiritually fulfilling time.
At one point during the week, I mentally stepped back from my task of helping my husband with pre-k recreation. I watched children giggling without worry, my husband acting like a big kid while leading their games, and fellow church members enjoying the company of other volunteers. Honestly, until that moment, I hadn’t once considered our safety—thanks in part to the incredible security team surrounding us, but even more so because of the freedom we’re blessed to enjoy in this country.
We have the freedom to study the Bible, meet publicly, and teach the next generation about our Lord. We have the freedom to express our religious beliefs without fear of persecution. I think at times, we all take this for granted. Studying and sharing the Bible in some countries is considered a threat and can result in imprisonment, torture, or even execution. Governments consider Bible study groups and church services to be illegal. These secret meetings are often subject to police raids and harsh penalties. Yet, they meet anyway— studying and sharing the gospel with conviction, unafraid of what is to come. It is because of this unfailing truth: “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1 ESV)
Although religion is specifically addressed in the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights, I’m thankful our nation’s Founding Fathers set the tone for religious freedom earlier in the Declaration of Independence. It states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness” (Jefferson).
Now to pack up my craft supplies and patiently wait for next year, when I will once again overload our home with random VBS decorations. As I do so, I plan to contemplate the freedom that we enjoy in this great country and how grateful I am to serve our Heavenly Father. I hope you had a safe and happy Fourth of July!
Many blessings,
Carissa Lovvorn
June 20, 2025
