Her Name Is Freedom

A Rose, A Name, A Meditation on Freedom

Inspired by a rose in July 2021

I was working with flowers again. This time, a palette I don’t usually reach for—deep reds, bold tones. Not my preference. I tend toward soft whites, pastels, and blush. But one flower held my attention: the Freedom rose.

As I gently reflected and peeled open its petals to help the bloom open, something in my heart shifted. I was stunned by the intensity of its colour. The colour was breathtaking—velvety, red like blood —deep, powerful, unforgettable. I couldn’t capture it on camera, not really. Some things are meant only for the heart to witness.

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Freedom

That day I was listening, as I often do, to the Word—Scripture, prayers, or voices that lift. A line stayed with me:

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” 2 Corinthians 3:17

Have you ever noticed how often we hear about freedom and liberty in Scripture? How does the Spirit breathe life into those words?

It made me think. That little rose, named Freedom, had more to say than I expected.

My heart echoed the words of Viktor Frankl, who wrote Man's Search for Meaning.

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way (in how he approaches his circumstances).”

"Viktor Emil Frankl was an Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher, author, and Holocaust survivor. He was the founder of logotherapy, a school of psychotherapy that describes a search for life meaning as the central human motivational force." Wikipedia

... "and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom."

Have you ever compared the usage of the words "freedom & liberty" in the Bible?... in general? The Rose Led Me Further

That red rose stirred something else: a memory of Viktor Frankl’s writing. He said:

"Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom."

That space is real. Sometimes tiny. But it’s there. And when we become aware of it, even in struggle, we are free.

Practicing the Pause

It takes practice to change how we respond. It takes even more to remember to ask for help before we react. But when we do, grace meets us in that pause.

And in that space, God works.

So I whispered prayers I often do, quietly and with conviction:

🌹The Blood of Jesus, heal us.

🌹The Blood of Jesus, protect us.

🌹The Blood of Jesus, save us.

Amen.

What July Taught Me

That July was filled with many quiet lessons. The Litany to the Precious Blood, Bishop Fulton J. Sheen’s words, Viktor Frankl and his search for meaning... All of them seemed to echo the same truth: There’s power in choosing how we respond. And there's meaning in every surrender.

Frankl said:

“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms – to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”

It stayed with me.

Closing Thought

🌹Freedom has many names. But that summer, for me, her name was a rose. And she spoke in silence about blood, choice, and the Spirit of God.

If you made it this far, maybe something touched you.

Let it.

Bring it to prayer. Sit with it. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where your heart longs for freedom.

💮 Tend Love Like Roses – enter deeper into the practice of gentle tending, sacred blooming, and the quiet power of love.

Let the rose of His Blood bloom in other hearts. Let Her name be Freedom—in you, and through you.

💮 Letters to Serena, Part 3: Christian Love and Identity – Becoming the Woman You’re Meant to Be

🌹 If this spoke to your heart, please like, share, or leave a comment below. Your words might water the soil of someone else's soul.