#GiftingGrace

Last week I was on Instagram and I came across a photo in my news feed from @ShutterSisters They were starting a new project #GiftingGrace inspired by the authentic and abundant beauty of Bella Grace Magazine. The idea is sharing and dedicating your own grace inspired photos with a community of people you want to encourage and inspire. All you have to do is tag your post, dedicate, tag and share.  

 This is easy! It is the anniversary week of my brother's entry into heaven. I could choose any photo of him. His story is profound and has touched so many. As I was looking through my gallery of photos, I cam across this one of my grandmother who just celebrated her 98th birthday. The matriarch of our family. This woman who loves Jesus. A woman who prays for us. A woman who will hug you harder than anyone I know (Except for my dad. I guess that's where he gets it from. :) ) She is amazing!

This photograph was taken after the celebration of life service for Doug. Her grandson, 43 years old. My aunt drove from Wisconsin to Ohio to pick up grandma and drove to Virginia so that she could be there to celebrate with us. She has outlived her husband, her two daughters and her grandson. I love this woman and I wanted to celebrate her.

Later that day, Shutter Sisters send me a note congratulating me on winning a copy of BellaGrace Magazine and my image is featured on the Shutter Sisters website. They said my image was gorgeous and thanked me for for #GiftingGrace.

I was pretty excited and in honor of a wonderful lady. My grandmother. 

Love you Gram!

Choosing Grace

I'm reading Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts Devotional book. The subtitle says reflections on finding everyday graces. 

“His secret purpose framed from the very beginning [is] to bring us to our full glory”

— 1 Corinthians 2:7 NEB

She talks about her sister, who died at a very young age. We often ask, how can God allow these terrible things to happen when he is a good God. Why do parents have to bury their children, why marriages implode, and dreams crushed. Where is grace when cancer gnaws and loneliness aches?

But from the beginning, that moment in the garden, God had a different purpose for us...to return us to our full glory. I love when she says when we open the bible, His plans are there...right before our very eyes. "His love letter silences any doubts. He means to rename us." Why would he do that for us? We are unworthy!

“He means to heal our soul holes.”

— Ann Voskamp

Grace means "favor," from the Latin gratia. A free and ready favor. It's one thing to accept the grace offered at the cross but another to choose to live and accept His grace in our daily living. It's a choice.

It's only a few weeks into the new year and "grace" is a recurring theme. I was touched by this devotional.

It's hard to see that Doug's death could be Your plan for our lives. It makes no sense that a wife has to lose her husband and the hopes and dreams they had are shattered. Why parents have to pray to You to take their child because they can't stand to watch him suffer in excruciating pain. Why a sister, who loved her baby brother so much, has to become an only child. Why one of your children had to suffer that much. Then I realize how much your suffered for us...for me. Unworthy!

And yet you offer GRACE! People were touched by Doug's life and because of his testimony, lives were brought into relationship with you. In Doug's words, "it's all worth it." He isn't suffering anymore. He is healed. He lives with you! Isn't that what we all want?

Thank you that even in the hard days, you have it under control. Help me to have the faith and to accept the GRACE you want me to accept.

GRATIA 

Grace

This anchor for my soul,
This everlasting hope,
Your grace on which I stand.

And it's where my life begins,
My future held within,
Your grace on which I stand.

Oh, this grace on which I stand,
It will hold me till the end,
Never failing.

And Oh, praise the One who rescued me,
Jesus you will ever be,
My salvation.

And when I'm on the road,
The road that leads me home,
Your grace on which I stand.

And when I see your face,
The only claim I'll make,
Your grace on which I stand.

Oh, this grace on which I stand,
It will hold me till the end,
Never failing.

And Oh, praise the One who rescued me,
Jesus you will ever be,
My salvation.

Oh, this grace on which I stand,
It will hold me till the end,
Never failing.

And Oh, praise the One who rescued me,
Jesus you will ever be,
My salvation.

Passion - This Grace Lyrics
 

Photo credit: lauradake #madewithvrsly

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