What I've learned

Every year, as we get to the holiday season and begin to look to January, I always feel the need to pause and reflect on what I've learned or how I've grown from this past year.  This year, oh how 2020 has been so different from past years.  So I thought I'd compile a list, while I'm waiting for the cinnamon swirl bread I'm baking to rise. 

 2020 has felt a little bit like a roller coaster.  It gives new meaning to the old saying, "in like a lion, out like a lamb".  But if you think about it, while 2020 did come in like a lion, we are ending with the birth of the Lamb of God.  How marvelous to end such an anxiety filled year focused on our Savior.  Who else but God would give us the reminder of His love through showing us the Christmas Star this year of all years.  God is still with us friends.  God is still in this year and has not been surprised even though we may have been caught off guard.  So, here is where I am as 2020 begins to come to an end.  Here is where God has brought me.  Here is where God is with me as I prepare to enter 2021.

    God has shown me to slow down.  It's ok to slow down.  When we first got wind of this pandemic, we were all put into a quarantine.  We were forced to slow down.  In those first few weeks, I'll admit, it was so hard.  I had things I wanted to do.  Places I wanted to go.  Plans I wanted to make.  But only God could stop the entire world.  And as the weeks began to pass, I felt this peace wash over me that reminded me that it was ok to slow down.  It makes me wonder how many opportunities I have missed in my life because I just didn't slow down.

    God has shown me to trust Him.  I don't know about you but the unknown with this pandemic was anxiety producing to say the least.  Even today, nine months later, it still can produce anxiety.  We've had our first encounter with a potential positive case regarding my son.  It took nine months before anyone in my household had to be tested for covid.  Nine months God gave me to show me to trust Him with all the details and anxiety that I was holding up inside.  And the three days we had to wait for results, God once again slowed me down so that I could focus in on Him and the peace He gives.  God has shown me that He is trustworthy regardless of the situation. God has shown me once again that He is IN all the details.  Not a moment gets missed.  Regardless of the anxiety of covid and the unknowns or finances or health changes or moving to remote church/school/Bible study, HE is sovereign.  HE never left His throne.  HE can be trusted.

    God has shown me that I don't need to sweat the small stuff but instead give it all to Him.  Pre-covid times I would get a bug in my bonnet if we had to go to the doctor.  I would get uptight if the car needed work done.  If one of the fur babies had to go to the vet, I would see dollar signs instead of a wonderful vet who looks after my littles.  Now that I've had time to slow down and to refocus, the small stuff is just that, small.  Ok, so I have to make a second trip to the dentist, that's fine.  I'm blessed to have a dentist that makes time for her patients.  Ok, so the car needed four new tires.  Was I prepared for that expense?  Nope.  But has God provided for us to be able to get four new tires? Yup.  So the vacuum cleaner died on me and I have to make a trip to Walmart (yikes!)  to pick up another one.  Praise God I have four new tires to drive safely to Walmart and praise God we have what we need to be able to purchase a new one.  I've discovered I can't spend my time stressing the "small stuff ".  In the grand scheme of life, it's so trivial and a waste of energy.  

    God has shown me that people matter more than things.  I've always been the type of person who tries to show people love through gifts.  Not big gifts but just little tokens of love and joy to let someone know that they are thought about, cared for, prayed over and not forgotten.  Covid has certainly caused me to re-evaluate how I show kindness.  I love to bake and because God has shown me to slow down and not sweat the small stuff, I have been able to spend time in my kitchen creating little treats.  What a sweet gift of time God has allowed me to bake and share the abundance with people around me.  Nothing makes me smile bigger than being able to text a neighbor and tell her to check her front porch...surprise!  I've had the opportunity to slow down and deliver treats to people in my small group at church just to make them smile.  People are important and they need to know they matter.  And when the world can't go out and about like normal, people need to know they are not forgotten about.

    God has shown me that I am stronger and wiser when I lean on the power of the Holy Spirit.  Through this year, my BSF leadership has changed and we've had to move to virtual discussion groups.  When the idea was presented to me in March, man, the stress level!   And then we moved to summer break and I have to be honest, it wasn't much of a break for this gal.  But come September, with the guidance and help of the Holy Spirit, I was able to help our class move to an online format and I have been so humbled to be able to have helped so many women in our discussion groups get online and be able to participate.  Are there days I grumble that I wish I wasn't the "IT go to" person?  Certainly.  But, through these nine months of helping others go virtual, I have seen the guidance and perseverance I have been gifted by the Holy Spirit and I can see my spiritual gifts being grown.  I find immense joy in the success of an online discussion group and the ability to upload the weekly lecture for all to hear God's Word.  It is not through my capabilities but through the power of the Spirit within me.  

Throughout this entire year I have been reminded over and over again, God is constant and in control.  Even when my world has been shaken, God is still God.  We've had immense answer to prayer this year.  Matthew and I had our best A1C's ever!  I've been able to start to lower some doses of my medications.  I've lost weight thanks for being able to slow down and focus in on good eating habits, and a few dog walks have helped.  We watched Matthew conquer remote learning and have his best semester ever with a 3.47 GPA.  Friends, amidst the struggle is joy.  If I've learned nothing it's to slow down, trust, be patient, show your love and lean into the Spirit. That's my take away for 2020.  

STPLL!  

Slow.  Trust.  Patience.  Love.  Lean.  

Now, don't get me wrong, I'm as anxious as all of you to get this pandemic behind us and go back to a "normal routine" but, I pray and hope that God will keep my eyes on Him and I will continue to value what He has shown me this past year.  I pray I will continue to slow down and to trust.  I want to continue to not sweat the small stuff but to be patient and trust God with all the details.  I hope that I am able to continue to put people in my life first and not get so busy that I forget they are there and may need a little extra love.  And most of all, I hope that I never get so busy that I don't take the time to lean into the Spirit.  

I pray that whoever is reading this takes a moment to just sit and reflect on your year.  How has God grown you?  How has God opened your eyes to trusting Him?  I pray that each of us is reminded of just how faithful God is as we go into 2021.  

"Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal." 

 Isaiah 26:4

Merry Christmas friends and Happy New Year!

Z end

Today is the last day of this year's A to Z challenge.  Every year that I have done this, I get to the end and while I am excited to be through the entire alphabet, I'm also a little sad and to be perfectly honest, a bit tired.  This challenge certainly requires perseverance and diligence.  Without it, I think you would give up at about the letter G.

So here we sit at Z.  The end of the alphabet.  And as I sit and ponder the end, I can't help but think about how a lot of our quarantines are opening back up and ending slowly.  I've seen a lot of posts about people being anxious about the world opening up again amongst the covid-19 fears.  And so, I just feel led this last day of this challenge to remind all of us, God is still in this with us.  There is no end with God.

As I have said all throughout this challenge, God is in the details.  God is never surprised.  God is always constant.  God is always on His throne.  Nothing in this world gets past God.  And nothing can derail God's plans.  Furthermore, God uses all things for our good to grow us, mold us, and turn our eyes to Him.

God tells us in Isaiah 43:2-3 HCSB, "I will be with you when you pass through the waters...when you walk through the fire...the flame will not burn you.  For I the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, and your Savior."  God is always with us and we are always loved.  So because God is with us and we begin to end these stay at home orders, we do not need to fear.  Mind you, I'm most certainly NOT telling you to go running around town as if we are free to be you and me.  Not at all!  But through the worry and fear we all have of stepping back out into the world, we need to ultimately place our trust and faith in God to continue to walk with each of us as we navigate this new normal.

I read somewhere in one of my devotionals, "Faith in God is the antidote to worry.  Faith in God is the foundation of courage and the source of power".  Through our faith in God, we do not have to have fear and we can be confident in God's abilities.  We are all struggling with our next steps and what we should do.  How we can continue to protect our families and ourselves, But God.  God must be at the center of our focus so that we don't allow worry and anxiety to take over.  We can trust God to keep us safe, recharge our economy and be with our leaders as they make difficult decisions.

Each of us has sustained some sort of loss during this covid-19 world.  Each of us has been dealt

difficult cards in life.  But each of has the opportunity to allow the world to see what living in faith in God looks like.  This is a divine opportunity for every Christian to live out their faith for the world and their families to see.  This is an opportunity for each of us to continue to give thanks to God for His constant love, grace, mercy and the courage He infuses within us.

God is right there with each of you.  He's not over yonder but right there with you.  Never leaving your side.  Elisabeth Elliot once said, "We are meddling with God's business when we let all manner of imaginings loose, predicting disaster, contemplating possibilities instead of following, one day at a time, God's plain and simple pathway."

Friends, as we continue to walk this path of covid-19, I pray that you will let go and let God lead.  I pray that each of you would feel the peace that God provides as you decide what is best for your families and each of you.  I pray that if you don't know the peace that God can give you that you would pray right now to God for that peace.  I pray that as our economy begins to open back up that any of you that have lost jobs would once again find financial success.  And as I end this challenge with this final blog, I want to leave you with my most favorite verse in the Bible.  This is my life verse that I cling to whenever my world feels shaken or upside down.  This is my verse that I have written all over my home and my heart. 

"So do not fear, for I am with you; 

do not dismayed, for I am your God. 

 I will strengthen you and help you;

 I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."  

Isaiah 41:10 NIV

I want to thank all of you who have followed me throughout these last few weeks reading what God has put on my heart.  I hope that the words I wrote have been able to uplift you, strengthen you and encourage you.  I pray most of all that my words were from God's lips and not of my own.  Thank you for another successful A to Z challenge.  Until we meet again...Z is the end.  Be blessed and stay well.

Your Rock

"The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; the God of my strength, in whom I will trust."  2 Samuel 22:2-3 NKJV

Do you see Jesus as your rock?  Do you trust Jesus with every ounce of your being?  If not, you should.  Jesus is always with us.  He is never not interested in what is happening in your life.  He is never surprised by what is going on.  He is always constant, always present, always loving and always our rock.  "We can take great comfort that God never sleeps- so we can." (Dianna Booher)

If you don't know Jesus, what are you waiting for?  Jesus came to earth for one purpose, saving grace and perfect atonement for our sins.  God's plan of sacrificing His only Son was for our sins.  It was God's plan all along to save His people through one final atoning sacrifice. John 3:16 tells us, " For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

God provided His Son, Jesus, as our Rock, our Cornerstone, our Savior.  Jesus should be in every moment of our lives and not just allowed to be a part of our Sunday worship time.  God desires an intimate relationship with each of us.  Jesus is coming back and God wants ALL of His children to be with Him in eternity.  What are you waiting for?

God loves you more than you could ever imagine.  God is with us at all times.  God gives us comfort when our heart is breaking.  God gives us peace when we are fearful.  God gives us strength when we feel we just can't take the next step.  God is a God of details and not a single moment passes by Him. But God won't force you to follow Jesus.  God is faithful and will patiently wait for you to allow Him into your heart.  But friends, the time is drawing near when Jesus will return and gather up those who have believe in Him.  Don't let another sun go down on a closed heart for God.

I personally could not get through an entire day without the grace that God gives me.  I, like so many of us, was a lukewarm believer for years.  It took God removing everything for me to truly turn my eyes to Him.  We lost our home.  We lost jobs.  We had to move across the country several times.  And with each change, I can see growth and less independence and more dependence on God.  If you allow God into your heart, while each day will still have obstacles and struggles, God provides you with strength and courage you could never provide for yourself.  Don't be lukewarm friends, jump in with both feet and declare it with your mouth that Jesus is Lord.  Jesus is our rock.  Jesus is YOUR

ROCK through every day of your life.

"God-His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is pure.  

He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him."  Psalm 18:30 HCSB

God's way is perfect.  God's love for you can never be lost.  When you are weak, God is strong.  And a life build on the rock of Jesus can never be shaken.  "When you live a surrendered life, God is willing and able to provide for your every need." (Corrie ten Boom)  Trust in the Lord Almighty.  Lean into Him who is fully capable of holding you up and walking alongside you.  Jesus is the rock that is steadfast and never wavers.  Trusting in Jesus brings peace where there was once chaos.  Jesus can provide all you need.  All you need do is trust in Him, believe in Him, and ask Him into your heart.  Don't be shy, He's right there ready and waiting.


Father, You are our constant rock in all situations.  I pray that we would trust You and build our lives upon Your Rock that can never be shaken.  Lord, for those that do not know You, I ask that they would open their eyes to welcoming You into their hearts.  You provided Your Son as a sacrifice to save us from the ugliness of our sins.  Thank You Lord for loving us that much.  Amen.

eXraordinary within the ordinary

Ok, Ok, so I'm stretching my "X" a tad but give me a little grace here!  "X" is a tough letter to come up with a word for.  So in my attempt to keep our eyes on Jesus, I'm using "X" the best way the Lord is pointing me to.  And in these current days of quarantine, viruses, and being at home, I think God is trying to show us to look and see the eXtraordinary in just the ordinary things.

I once read a book by Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts, that explains how instead of just looking at the things around us, we should be looking at the beauty and marvel at God's creation around us. When I did the study, we were asked to keep a journal and see just how many gifts we could see throughout the day.  When you take the time to really focus in on your day, it's amazing how many gifts you can find.  Suddenly all the ordinary things seem to become extraordinary when you are intentionally looking for God in them.

I remember when I started my list, the smallest things that I had never noticed before all the sudden became extraordinary.  Dirty laundry became extraordinary because it meant that I had a family that had clothes to wear.  Dirty dishes meant I had food to prepare for my family and they were well feed.  A bird chirping, the window curtains bellowing in the wind, the warmth of the sun, laughter from my son, all became extraordinary because all the sudden those simple things became beautiful reminders that God created it all.

As we are living in these current times, what could you look around and see, hear, smell that would remind you that God is with you?  Are you taking time to look around and enjoy the extraordinary or are you just trying to get through the day?  Gloria Gaither once said, "I could go through this day oblivious to the miracles all around me or I could tun in and "enjoy"".

Every moment in our lives shapes us to who we are.  Every choice we've made has brought us to where we are.  Every moment has an opportunity for us to truly see the goodness of God.  Every moment of our day gives us glimpses into God's beauty and love for us.  And even when we hit roadblocks in our moments, we still can be certain that God is there and those moments will still be extraordinary because God is in those moments with us.

Imagine, if we all began looking for the extraordinary in our days instead of the mundane, how different would our world look?  How much more joy would we have in our day?  The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:8, "...Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right.  Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable.  Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise."  Paul is telling us to think on things that are pure and lovely, the extraordinary things in our

day that God has smudged with His fingerprints.  "Attitude is the mind's paintbrush; it can color any situation." (Barbara Johnson)

I encourage you, as you are spending all this extra time at home and with your family, take a few moments and write down the extraordinary moments in your day.  Take time to look for the extraordinary and I assure you, you will be amazed at what God points out to you.


Lord, helps us to see the extraordinary in our everyday.  Let us be people who look for You in all we do.  Help us to keep our minds fixed on those things that are pure and lovely and not get caught up in the mundane, routine of life.  Father, You provide so many opportunities for extraordinary moments in our lives.  Let us never forget that with every moment, You are there with us.  Amen.

Whispers

I find true peace in knowing that not a moment goes by that God doesn't know about.  Often times, we don't lift up our needs or prayers to God because we feel they aren't big enough or that maybe they are too big.  But I can assure you, no prayer request to God is ever too big or too small for God to hear and answer in His way.

I'm sure many of you, just as I have on so many occasions, have left unspoken prayers sitting in your heart.  But while we may think those prayers have gone unknown about or unheard by God, that is not true.  God can hear the secret whispers of our hearts.  Whispers that we often times don't even realize exist.  How privileged we are that before our prayers ever leave our lips, God knows our needs because of the whispers from our heart.

Matthew 7:7-8 (HCSB) says, "Keep asking, and it will be given to you.  Keep searching, and you will find.  Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened."

God tells us to Ask Him.  We should be people who ask confidently believing that God can and will do it.  We don't need to leave our prayers and requests sitting quietly in our hearts, Pray Big!  In every prayer spoken or unspoken, God hears you.  God desires to hear it all from you.  And God has promised that when we bring our requests to Him, He will show Himself faithful.

"And everything- whatever you ask in prayer, 

believing- you will receive."  Matthew 21:22 (HCSB) 

Now mind you, just because we've asked, doesn't always mean that God will answer in the way WE think He should.  Often times, God gives us a "No" because He has something so much better in store for us.  One of my favorite quotes on prayer comes from Mrs. Charles E. Cowman.  She said, "Two wings are necessary to lift our souls toward God: prayer and praise.  Prayer asks.  Praise accepts the answer."  When we let God into the secret whispers of our heart, we need to be ready to trust Him with the results.  We need to pray in such a way that shows our complete trust and faith in God's answers to our prayers.

There is no better time then the present to present your prayers to God.  Invite Him into the quiet

moments and allow those whispers that you are too timid to share be heard.  God already knows them.  God is waiting to be invited into that secret spot deep within your soul.  Marie T. Freeman once observed, "When you ask God to do something, don't ask timidly; put your whole heart into it".  Ask God with your whole heart, every nook and cranny.  Let those whispers become opportunities for you to share with God all aspects of your life.  In the wise words of Billy Graham, "God delights in the prayers of His children- prayers that express our love for Him, prayers that share our deepest burdens with Him."  Let God into those secret spots within your heart.  Pray Big Always.  God wants to hear more from us than just a whisper. 


Lord, I pray that we would be a people that opens our hearts to You.  I pray that we would boldly ask and present all our requests to You.  Nothing is too big or too small.  I ask that those who are timid in sharing their requests with You that You would hear the whispers of their hearts and that they would step out in full confidence and faith in You.  And I pray that when we release these prayers to You that we would trust the answer that You provide because Your answer is always what You see as best for us.  Amen.

Values

I recently was asked by my son to read one of his reports for school.  One of his minors is Criminology and so he has been taking Juvenile Delinquency this semester.  Part of his final report has been to research and write a paper on some subject in juvenile delinquency, the writer gets to pick.  I must say, I am blown away by Matthew's topic choice.

Sometimes as parents, we don't realize that the values we instill in our children as they are growing up will then become the values that they live by.  God tells us in Proverbs 22:6, "Start children off on the way they should go,and even when they are old they will not turn from it".  When Matthew was younger, I planted those seeds for God to grow them.  I tried hard to instill in Matthew's life value for work, value for how we live, value on how to treat people, values for all aspects of life.  This morning, I saw the big picture on how those values have impacted my son.

Matthew's topic for his final research paper is himself.  Over the years, Matthew and I have had many conversations about his biological father.  Most recently, he was asking me about that marriage as compared to my marriage now.  I told him it was completely different.  I explained to Matthew that in my first marriage I had "rules".  Not many people know, because I just didn't share. I had a curfew, I had an allowance, I had to follow the rules or I would be punished.  And while the punishment wouldn't always be physical, it was always emotional.  I remember praying to God one night, just give me someone to love me unconditionally.  And **poof** guess who all the sudden was pregnant?  I shared for the first time with Matthew recently that he truly is a miracle child.  I should have NEVER gotten pregnant.  I was still technically on birth control and other forms of birth control were used because my then husband did not want the burden of a kid.  And yet, God gave me the gift of a baby. 

I named Matthew his name because it means, "Gift of the Lord".  That's what he is.  Matthew was and still is MY gift.  Matthew was what God gave me to refocus my values and shift my eyes to God.  Matthew was my reason for finally saying NO MORE to that horrible marriage.  Matthew was my purpose in walking away and having someone love me and depend on me.  So at 4 months pregnant, I began divorce proceedings to get out of a marriage full of adultery, lies, and anger.  A lot of this story was just never shared with Matthew.  I was always embarrassed by my choice in marrying that first person.  I was never valued in that relationship and yet, I couldn't walk away.

I never really thought that my choices would or could have an impact on my son and his life.  And I praise God everyday that He lead me to Chris.  Chris is not a perfect husband but he values me and Matthew.  He places value on our home, our family, our needs and our walk with God.  We haven't always had a smooth path, often times our path is bumpy and full of rocks but Chris stands firm in his faith and doesn't run or hide.  Chris is the type of man I had hoped Matthew would see and become more like.  Chris is a man that was raised by parents who valued him, his life, and their family.

And so, as I read my son's report this morning, I realized that prayers had been answered.  I realized that what I wanted Matthew to value in life, he is seeing and opening his eyes to.  Matthew has in his paper how his relationship with his biological father was never one of a father/son but more of a "have to have".  It breaks my heart to see what Matthew wrote about his "visits" with his father.  How he was ignored, left home alone, constantly introduced to new girlfriends or wives.  And I have to question if I protected him.  But in his paper, he has listed that me, his Mom, is a big reason on why he is so strong today.  Me?  I just want to hug him and say, no son, YOU are a big reason why I am so strong.  YOU came into my life when I needed you so badly.  And I just have to thank God that He has walked with us through all of it.

Our children see what we value in life.  If we value things or money, they are going to see that and grow up with those same values.  In no way am I saying I was a perfect parent..ha, far from it!  Even with Matthew being 20 years old, I still make mistakes and over-parent.  But I'm here and I've put in the work and the effort.  Our children need to see that they have value and that we, as their parents, value them.

Matthew finished one section of his paper talking about how different his biological father is from Chris.  Just the words on paper was confirmation to see that God had brought this family together.  God has been in this family from the moment I met Chris shortly after Matthew was born.  And God brought it to complete fruition when Chris adopted Matthew last year.  In Matthew's words, "no longer am I tied to a person who didn't want me or love me or even care about me but instead, I am now truly Dad's".  Oh be still my heart.  Value.  My son has and does feel valued and has those same values for life tucked in his heart.  I may not have gotten it right the first time, but God knew the plan all along. 

I've said it so many times in my life, God takes the ugly and makes it truly something beautiful.  And as I read Matthew's final paper, I could see the ugly and then I could see the beautiful.  I could see where Chris and I instilling values into our son made the difference.  And to this day, Matthew values our parent/child relationship.  Most importantly he values himself and has a heart for others.  I can't take complete credit for that.  Most of that is God working in our lives and our family and a good portion is from how I was instilled values and importance from my parents.

Friends, your children are watching you.  What values are you instilling within them?  What are you placing priorities on?  "Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them."- Deuteronomy 4:9 (NIV)

Parenting is not easy or for the faint at heart.  The road is not paved with roses but rather often times with thorns.  But our children need to be raised with seeds for God in their hearts.  We, as parents, need to show our children they are the priority and that what they do, what they see, how they act and who they are around matters.  Pray for your children and pray for your parenting.  When God is at the center of our families, that is where the true value of life is.

"The godly walk with integrity; 

blessed are their children after them."  Proverbs 20:7 (NLT)

Heavenly Father, You love us and you love our families.  Even when we don't get it right, You give us second chances and opportunities to trust You and try again.  Lord, I thank You for the way You allow us to parent the little (and not so little) people in our lives.  May our children grow up to see You as a priority in their lives and may we as parents never miss an opportunity to instill in our children the values for success and strong faith in You.  Amen.

Undeserving Grace

I was reminded this morning as I looked through my Facebook memories for this date over the years of a post I had made in 2009.  April of 2009 was scary for our family and yet God showed us such undeserving grace in those days of fear.  For those of you new to my blog, let me just give a quick synopsis of what happened.

On March 31, 2009, my Dad went in for a routine bypass surgery.  And what should have been routine turned out to be anything but.  When the doctor got into Dad's chest, he had to do 4 bypasses, not 2.  And then after surgery, Dad ended up with fluid around his heart and coded out several times.  Ya know, it's been 11 years now and I can still feel the knot in my stomach whenever I think about those days.  I can still smell the smell of the hospital.  I can still hear the doctors and nurses shouting and giving orders.  I can still see my Mom's face full of fear and panic.  Just as if it had just happened.

But God, because He is who He says He is...But God.  God showed up that day with undeserving grace.  I remember sitting with my parents and looking down at the book I was reading and seeing no words but a picture of my Dad laying down with alarms and lights flashing.  Doctors and nurses rushing in.  And Mom and I standing in a corner watching it all unfold.  And then boom.  That picture became reality.  In the blink of an eye, it all happened and Mom and I were in a corner watching my Dad code out and medical staff using the paddles to get him back.  Through God's grace, He gifted me a momentary glimpse of what was to come so that I would trust Him and remain calm.

Dad would stay in a medical induced coma for about 11 days while they allowed his heart to heal and the fluid to drain.  Those 11 days were hard.  Daily trips to the hospital, watching my Dad need a ventilator to survive.  Hard.  But God gave all of us such undeserving grace.  That's who He is.  God didn't have to cover that situation, He could have taken Dad home to heaven.  But God.  God didn't  have to gift me that image of what was about to unfold, but He did.  God didn't have to give our family strength we didn't know we had, but He did because He is a God of grace however undeserving and yet freely given.  God could have let things turn out so differently but because of the love He has for us, He gives us grace each day.  Eleven years later and Dad is doing great.  Eleven years later and we can all still remember that day but we can all see God in every detail.

We are so undeserving of grace.  We are sinful people who are arrogant, self-centered and just down right ugly at times.  And yet, God extends grace to each of us everyday.   Ephesians 2:8-9 (HCSB) tells us, "For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift- not works, so that no one can boast."  Abundant grace in all situations we walk through, THAT is who God is.

Grace is given freely.  There is no magic list of what we have to do to receive it.  Grace is not earned, it is not bought, it can't be lost.  God even tells us in 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NKJV), "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness."

Regardless of what we face in this life, we can be certain that God stands with us ready to extend undeserving grace to each of us.  "God is always sufficient in perfect proportion to our need." (Beth Moore)  God is always sufficient.  God is always enough.  God is always good and we are always loved by Him.  Even in our toughest days when we have so many unknowns, God is constant.

Undeserving grace given to each of us because He loves us.  Are you feeling fearful, overwhelmed, uncertain, full of anxiety or just down right angry?  Give it to God.  Let Him have it and let Him cover you with the grace and peace only He can provide.  One of my favorite quotes that I read when my Dad was in his coma comes from Barbara Johnson, "We all go through pain and sorrow, but the presence of God, like a warm, comforting blanket, can shield us and protect us, and allow the deep inner joy to surface, even in the most devastating circumstances".  Open your heart to God.  Let Him surround you like a warm comforting blanket and be content knowing that His grace is sufficient.


Father, we praise You for the undeserving grace that you provide us even though we are sinners.  We could not walk this life without the grace you so freely give.  Be with each of us Father, as we walk through tough days and struggles.  Cover us with a warm comfortable blanket of Your grace and love so that we may be reminded that we are never alone but always loved by You.  Amen.