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I am seeing God’s grace with new eyes thanks to an illuminating conversation with a friend. 2 Peter 1:2 shows that grace is dynamic, not static. We are not given a set portion of grace that must last us through eternity. As we grow in our knowledge of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Three in One, we are given more grace and more peace. Perhaps that is because as our knowledge and understanding of our Creator and Savior grows, we are able to be more like Him as we deal with the situations of life? I don’t know, but I’m thankful that learning more about Him allows me to tap into more of His grace and peace.

I love the idea that I can grow in grace. I was never very graceful as a child, nor as an adult. The worldly trait of gracefulness is not within my reach, and while the concept of God’s grace is wholly different than the world’s gracefulness, I’m eternally thankful that not only does He cover me with His grace, giving me more and more as I grow in my knowledge and understanding of Him, but also that I can grow in His grace. On those days when my weakness tries to overtake me, when what He is asking me to do or endure seems too far beyond my reach, I can rest in the knowledge that His grace is sufficient, that it covers me in my weakness, that if I allow, He can help me grow in His grace. Thank You, Jesus!

Lord, Thank You for this day and for Your amazing, unending, expanding, strengthening grace. Thank You for conversations that compel me to explore Your concepts further. Thank You that Your grace is beautifully multifaceted and freely given. Help me to grow in Your grace, peace, and love as I seek to know You more. Help me to shine Your light. Draw me closer. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

A friend and I have been talking recently about grace—what it is, what it means, what it encompasses. I’ll admit I probably haven’t given the matter as much thought as I should in the past, and I’m thankful for our conversations. God’s grace is, in part, His unearned favor, freely and lavishly given to me even though I don’t deserve it. It is a multifaceted gift.

1 Peter 4:10 stopped me in my tracks this morning. Not only is His grace a gift, freely and unreservedly given, but He also makes me a steward of His grace through the gifts, talents, and abilities He has bestowed upon me. I am a caretaker of God’s grace. The gifts that He has given me are part of His grace, which I am them responsible for sharing with others as freely and lavishly as He shared with me. Jesus, help me to be Your faithful steward.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for the gift of Your saving grace. Thank You for the gifts, talents, and abilities You have given me so that I could share them with others. Help me never to forget that I am a caretaker of Your grace. Help me to give the job of faithful steward of Your grace the attention and care it deserves. Draw me closer. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

I am a rule follower from way back. If you give me the rules, clearly lay them out for me, I can play by them and enforce them, no problem. And there is much to be said about being able to follow and enforce the rules. It can be a very good trait to possess.

But the Pharisees and Sadducees show another side of rule following. When you get so caught up in following the rules to the letter, when the goal becomes mindless adherence to the rules with no heart for what or why, it is definitely problematic.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for the reminder that while rules and laws are important and necessary, it is crucial that my heart is always involved when I seek You, strive to do Your will, and observe Your statutes. I am really good at following the rules, Lord. Don’t let me ever forget that first and foremost, I am following You with all my heart and soul. Help me to earnestly seek You daily, Lord. Draw me closer with every breath. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

Yesterday, I called on my Savior out of my sickness and my general inability to control certain aspects of my life. Trust me when I say that I understand, in the grand scheme of life, how trivial my current concerns are in light of the struggles many others face. But here’s the beautiful thing about my Savior—He knows me. He knows my struggles. And He cares, even if my sinus headache and congestion are not earth shattering. If I earnestly seek Him, I will find Him. Thank You, Jesus.

And when I come to Him, He doesn’t make me prove my need. I never hear, “Seriously, Beth? I’ve got important things to do. There’s real suffering in this world. I don’t have time for your trivialities.” If I seek Him, earnestly and wholeheartedly, I WILL find Him. Thank You, Jesus.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for Your radical, all-encompassing love. Thank You for the ability to approach Your thrown boldly, regardless of my need, and for the grace and comfort I always find there. Help me to shine Your light for all to see. Help me to love with Your love, so all can know You. Draw us closer to You. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

I have a raging sinus headache, and my lungs are clogged with phlegm. To speak is a struggle. To think is a struggle. And it feels like so many areas of my life, once seemingly so organized, are falling into a pile of rubble at my feet. My cry this morning, soul-weary and heart-felt, is Acts 9:6 …”Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” And my sweet Savior lays the balm of Joshua 1:5-9 on my heart. He pulls me close and whispers, “I am bigger, stronger, greater, more sovereign than your feelings, than your sinus issues, than anything in your life. I am with you. I am holding you. Trust Me.” Thank You, Jesus.

What I want is a divine action plan guaranteed to make my life feel like it is back under my control. What He’s given me is a reminder that He is with me, that I am not alone. He seems to be saying, “Keep on keeping on, one foot in front of the other. I am with you, guiding you. I am in control. I have a plan for all of this. You are deeply loved, and I am holding you even now.” Thank You, Jesus.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for Your love, Your presence, and Your reassurance. Thank You for seeing me as a treasure, even when everything around me and inside me tries to convince me I am worthless. Thank You for the reassurance that You are with me and for now I just need to stay the course, trusting that You are in control, that You are guiding me. Draw me closer, Lord. Use all of this for my good and Your glory. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

Last night I dreamed of my mom. In the dream, I got to hug her close and tell her how much I missed her. As I was doing my prayer and devotional time this morning, I remembered a tiny snippet of that dream and was flooded with a sense of longing to see and love on those who have gone before. I’m am thankful that this world is not my home and that someday there will be no more tears or sorrow.

Somehow, and who knows how the mind works, I went from longing for my loved ones to thinking of how God longs for a relationship with His beloved children—all of them. He wants it so much that He sent His Son for our sins to restore us to a right relationship with Him. He knew us before we were born, knows everything about us, and still He loves us unconditionally and wants a relationship with us.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for the ability to have a close relationship with You. Thank You that this world is not our home and that a better place awaits us. Thank You for the family and friends with which we share our lives and the fact that we will see them again some day. Draw us closer to You. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

Today the hubs and I celebrate 21 years of marriage. When I think back over how our love story began, I see God’s guiding hand all over it, and I thank God daily for this wonderful man, so uniquely suited for me. I pray that I have been as much a blessing and helpmate to him as he has been to me over the years.

It’s no surprise that today has me reflecting back over the years, and as I look at the major events in our marriage, God is with us in the midst of the good and the bad—births, strokes, crippling losses, a heart attack, incredibly frightening parenthood moments that solidified the knowledge that even though we love these children with every fiber of our being, God loves them more and holds them in the palm of His hand. Looking ahead, I know He is in the midst of these new middle school and homeschool adventures. I know He will be with the hubs on the trail and with me while he’s gone. God has been with us every step of this marriage adventure. He won’t leave us.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for this man whom I love so very much. Thank You for 21 years of marriage in a world where every day we are together we defy the odds. Thank You for helping us through both “for better or for worse,” and for being such a vital part of our marriage, the glue that keeps us strong. Help my husband to know how deeply I love him, how much I respect and value him, and thank You, Lord, for the gift of his presence and his love in my life. Draw us daily closer to You and to each other daily. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

Lord, I need You. Help me to breathe in Your grace, to clothe myself with Your love and mercy. Help me to persevere, to be the kind, compassionate, loving person You created me to be, without feeling so completely inept and ineffective. Help me to find the balance between high standards and high expectations and compassion for shortcomings. You see my heart, Lord. Help those I serve, those I care about, to see and understand as well.

I want to recoil at the word rebellion, Lord. I’m not rebellious toward You. But anger and frustration are becoming my default, and those are not Your emotions. Cleanse my heart, Lord. Renew my spirit. Help me to tap into Your overwhelming peace and steadfast love, even as I feel gripped by frustration.

Lord, Thank You for this day and for the realization of how desperately I need You. Thank You for Your renewal and healing. Take my stony, stubborn heart, Lord, and exchange it for a tender, responsive heart that loves as You love, forgives as You forgive, serves as You serve. Draw me closer to You. Amen.

Have a blessed day.

This morning has me filled with a vague, negative emotion that I’m hard-pressed to identify. There’s nothing really I can put my finger on. I just feel like yesterday’s nonsense is creeping into today. Not cool. While trying to mentally wipe my slate clean and start fresh, the LORD brought Lam 3:22 to mind. Thank You, Jesus for Your steadfast love and for mercies that never come to an end.

My current mood reminds me of a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson: “Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin it serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.”

Lord, Thank You for this day and for Your mercies, which are new every morning. Thank You for bringing the Emerson quote to mind as I begin this new day. Thank You for the ability to finish each day and be done with it, the ability to wipe the slate clean, to turn the page. Help me to go into this new day unencumbered by yesterday’s nonsense. Help me to shine Your light and Your love. Draw me closer. Amen.

Have a blessed day.