July is a time when we think about freedom: flags waving, fireworks booming, and Independence Day celebrations. But, for me, freedom is also a personal matter. This month marks 13 years since the second moment that changed my life (the first and most significant was when I met Dionne on July 13, 2005), my second kidney transplant on July 1, 2012. That day reminds me of what it means to find freedom when you're stuck in the middle of life.

It's been twenty-seven years since I was told I had kidney failure. I spent hours hooked up to a dialysis machine because my kidneys were not working correctly. I was waiting—waiting for healing, for a transplant, for life to feel normal again. When I finally got my first transplant, it felt like a miracle. But then my body rejected it a few years later.

That’s when I truly learned what it means to live “in the middle.” Not where you used to be. Not where you want to be.

Just...waiting.

Then, on July 1, 2012, I got a second transplant. This one worked. Since that day, I’ve come to see July 1 as a day of freedom. Not just freedom in my body, but freedom in my heart and soul. Freedom to hope again. Freedom to trust deeper. Freedom to live with purpose, even when things aren’t clear.

I want you to know something: you don’t have to go through a health crisis to know what it feels like to be stuck. 
 
Maybe you’re trying to figure out your next step at work.
Maybe your family life has changed, and it’s hard to hold things together.
Maybe someone you counted on has left or let you down.
Maybe you’re fighting a private battle no one else can see. 
 
That’s where many of us are not in a full crisis, but at an intersection. An intersection between pressure and peace. Between life’s loud noise and the quiet you’re craving. Between staying busy and finding what really matters. 
 
Here’s the truth: the freedom we need isn’t just about what’s going on around us. It’s about what’s happening inside us. And maybe it’s time to find freedom in your soul. Freedom from the constant need to prove yourself. Freedom from rushing to meet every demand. Freedom to be real, ask honest questions, and remember what makes your life meaningful. 
 
So, this Independence Day, let’s celebrate more than a country. Let’s celebrate freedom, the kind that re-centers your heart, rebuilds your habits, and reminds you who you are.

If you’re waiting for healing, clarity, peace, or just a next step, I want you to hear this: Freedom isn’t only for those who’ve already made it. It’s for those still walking. Still trusting. Still standing at the intersection—holding on to hope. You don’t need every answer. You just need the courage to stop and the faith to believe that freedom can still find you. 
 
At the Intersection,
Dr. Quincy D. Brown
Senior Pastor