Monthly Archives: June 2013

God’s Gift of Grace

MP900440274[1]Imagine giving a gift and having it refused.

Maybe it’s happened to you like it’s happened to me.

It was a small gift—nothing major, but something I thought would be enjoyed. The response I received was No thank you; I don’t have anything for you.

My gift was refused because it couldn’t be earned or reciprocated. And it hurt.

I wonder if that’s how God feels when we refuse His gift of grace.

Grace…God’s free and unmerited favor toward sinful humanity (NLT Study Bible, Tyndale)

God’s love and forgiveness wrapped up in His gift of grace.

It can’t be earned and can never be reciprocated.

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An Everyday Symphony: How to live in the quiet presence of God

presenceofgod

I live in a noisy house, maybe you can relate? I live with 4 wild souls, a dog, and two cats so it is to be expected. I have learned to embrace the noise for the most part but it can begin to consume my heart and mind if I let it.

An everyday symphony, made up of many instruments with many different sounds. Every day is different. Some days it is sweet music to my ears, other days I have to turn it down and tune it out, and then there are days like today, where the noise just became too overwhelming for my heart to listen anymore.

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Grace is…

iStock_000011773050XSmallGRACE IS…

the unexplainable hope
that washes away
the accusing whispers that dance in the darkness
and hide behind the mirror
and say, “You need to be thinner
and thinner
and thinner.”

Grace…
is the light that calls you
toward something so good that you’re scared to trust it.
You might even ignore it at first,
thinking it’s not for you.
Instead,
you try to get better
and fix things on your own.
You try to be strong.
Confident.
Perfect.

But hours of 3:00 a.m. sit-ups,
calorie counting,
dieting,
scrutinizing,
and hiding,
will make a person fall.

Yet Grace…
is the mighty hand that will catch you
and promise you
that you don’t have to be
perfect.

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