Grace

Gratitude for Grace


A man walked into the doctor’s office and said, “Doctor, I have this awful headache that never leaves me. Could you give me something for it?

“I will,” said the doctor, “but I want to check a few things out first. Tell me, do you drink a lot of liquor?”
“Liquor?” said the man indignantly. “I never touch the filthy stuff.”
“How about smoking?”
“I think smoking is disgusting, I’ve never in my life touched tobacco.”
“I’m a bit embarrassed to ask this, but—you know the way some men are–do you do any running around at night.”
“Of course not. What do you take me for? I’m in bed every night by ten o’clock at the latest.”
“Tell me,” said the doctor, “the pain in the head you speak of, is it a sharp, shooting kind of pain?”
“Yes,” said the man. “That’s it–a sharp shooting kind of pain.”
“Simple, my dear fellow! Your trouble is you have your halo on too tight. All we need to do is loosen it a bit.”

The trouble with our ideals is that if we live up to all of them, we become impossible to live with.
The tilted halo of the saved sinner is worn loosely and with easy grace. We have discovered that the cross accomplished far more than revealing the love of God. The blood of the Lamb points to the truth of grace: what we cannot do for ourselves, God has done for us. Brennan Manning, The Ragamuffin Gospel

Jesus shattered all the carefully constructed societal class structures of His day. He ate with undesirables and sinners; He blessed children who had absolutely no rights whatsoever in first century Palestine, they were almost like non-people; and He readily engaged in open conversations with women, another breaking with tradition. In doing so He recieved much criticism from the religious leaders of the day. By those same actions, He opened the gateway for Grace….

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.” 1 Timothy 1:15,16

The Bible, fair and balanced….


I read a fictional book recently called Shades of Blue by Karen Kingsbury. The story revolved around two young people haunted by a decision made when they were young, one with dire consequences. Now years down the road, both are trapped by the past and can’t seem to move on. One couldn’t forgive herself and the one who abandoned her in her time of need, and the other refused to accept his responsibility so he buried his secret and hid behind an image he wanted the world to see. As a result they both lost their faith in God because they both blamed Him as well. Isn’t that just like human nature?

He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.” Genesis 3:10

We all have a past, and God knows all about it! “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Romans 8:1

Does that mean we are automatically sinless from that point on? No, we will fail because we still have that old sin nature we fight with, but thankfully, now we have the Holy Spirit who is stronger than that “old nature.” That’s why the Apostle Paul says this: “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:12,13

Note that he said, “work out”, not “work for.” The more I read and study the Bible I am amazed at just how perfectly balanced it is. It resonates with hope! We no longer have to dwell on the past, we can embrace our future with confidence, knowing we are forgiven. When God looks at me, He sees Jesus!

Love Mercy

Love Mercy, by Lisa and Ty Samson

Going from a life of plenty in Suburban America to a life of “serving others.” This is a book I recommend whole-heartedly. Lisa Samson has always been one of my favorite fictional authors, but this true story is one that you won’t soon forget. It chronicles she and her daughter Ty’s experiences in Swaziland, the AIDs capital of the world.

They are not prepared for what they see. Expecting to minister to others, they soon figure out that “the others” will be ministering to them….

How do we in America handle the poverty all around us? We don’t have to go as far as Africa to find it. I can go about 2 blocks away and I can see its effects. Is just being thankful for what we have enough? Is sending a check to World Vision enough? This is what I asked myself this morning when I was reading from Isaiah…..

The kind of fast God wants……”Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.” Isaiah 58:7,10

Lord, help me to not close my eyes and my heart to people you might send my way to help. Help me see those opportunities as gifts. May I not be so blinded by my love of safety and security that I no longer see the world outside that You died to save. I have built walls to keep the dirty, troubling, smelly world out, Lord. Help those walls not be so unyielding, Lord. That is the best I can do for now.

Lord, I so love your Word, but at times I find it troubling. Help me to be open to what it speaks to my heart, Father. Amen

Grace in action

James 1:27
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

On a February evening in 1998, the secretary of Living Springs Assembly of God Church in Glendale, Arizona got a call from a needy family; a request for food. When volunteer Trudy Calabrese found out there were 4 children in the home, she decided that the need was crucial enough that she go alone, so she got in her truck and went to the home of John and Kara Sansing. This is what happened next in the words of John Sansing:

“I grabbed on to the church lady who brought
me food to help my family. When I grabbed the lady, I
crossed the line. It was like no turning back.” Next,
Sansing tied her up, raped her, robbed her and
murdered her. Kara Sansing helped restrain Calabrese
as his children listened in a nearby room. He then
dumped Trudy Calabrese’s body behind his house.

John and Kara had been smoking crack cocaine at the time and robbing Trudy was a way to get more, but then it all went terribly out of control. During the attack, when John left for awhile Trudy pled for her life, to be let go. Kara refused.

I remember when this happened. John and Kara have been in prison now for years, John on death row. But this is the part of the story I didn’t know until recently. A family in the church stepped up and formally adopted all 4 of those precious children, the boy now in college.

The wife of my co-worker was best friends with Trudy and usually went with her on home deliveries. She didn’t go that night and it still haunts her even now. He shared all these facts with me one day when something came on the news about the case when we were at work.

Trudy served in the military, but she died on a very different battlefield. She will be remembered, is still remembered. No doubt it would have made her very happy to know that the family who adopted those children kept them all together. They wanted to give them every chance for a somewhat normal life. I honor that family today. I pray that the scars that these children had to bear from what they witnessed and heard, have been healed over with the love and grace of God and this family. I honor Trudy today, I pray for the ones in her family left behind, that they may have continual comfort knowing she is safe in the arms of God.

“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” 1 John 4:7,8

Grateful for Grace


Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.”

Thankful today for God’s grace….the grace that leads to salvation.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” 2 Corinthians 5:17….

I have seen it happen many, many times, this modern day miracle and it never gets old! I have seen lives changed, transformed dramatically with just one decision. The most important one we will ever make.

Jesus called it being “born again.”

What it is, is conversion. Blinding light with closed eyes conversion. It is the power that struck Saul on the road with that same blinding light and turned him, former “Christian persecutor” into Paul, a “Christ-follower himself’; and one of the greatest evangelists the world has ever known.

It is me sitting in the back seat after going to a Billy Graham crusade and knowing that the next Sunday I would walk down the church aisle and start my journey with Christ. It is my Dad, walking down the same church aisle, (the one he said he would never walk down) at around 45 years of age. It is my best friend who accepted Christ in my small apartment, seeing as she said, “a white light” through closed eyes. A heart-change, a life change.
It is going from death to life in one decision. One step that leads to life……

What it isn’t:

Seven habits of highly successful people
Following a set of laws
Going through the 12 steps
Being in church everytime the doors are open
Doing good works
All noble things, and yet…..they won’t get you the relationship with Him This Grace is peace #239, knowing your final destination #240, strength for this life #241, someone always having your back (God)#242, it is being able to throw someone who is drowning a life-preserver #243, it colors everything in this life with meaning #244, it is life eternal with God who loves me!#245 It is Jesus giving His all for you and me!#246 It is being a part of the family of God #247
Find out more here!

Join Ann along with the rest of the gratitude community here to continue counting our blessings…..
holy experience

Window of compassion

I saw a crazy lady on a bike yesterday. She was talking to herself, making wild movements. She was at a crosswalk and I was wary, thinking she might dart out in front of me. At that moment a bit of Heaven peeled back and I saw her, really saw her the way God must see her. Something moved me deep within and tears came unexpectedly. This is someone’s daughter, maybe someone’s Mom.

The light turned green, I moved on. But the impact is still there even today. Day after day we carry our burdens carefully so as not to upset the precarious balance we have made. Under the weight of our own we sometimes don’t see others precious burdens. We say, “Why don’t they just let it go?” But if we just turn and help, listen….support, acknowledge the burden; give them the freedom to acknowledge yours.

I wonder are we all just a bit crazy? Maybe we are all a bit like the woman on the bicycle; maybe we just hide it better.

Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. Galations 6:2