truth and grace

Some people in my life I am close to have been encouraging me to write my thoughts down in blog form for a few years now. The idea of putting my personal thoughts and words from God onto the internet seemed so scary and vulnerable. God has been pressing this on my heart more over the last few weeks, and I have considered the cost. The cost of being vulnerable allows for pain, criticism, and rejection.  I have considered the cost and realized it's worth it. If I can encourage one person by the words I write here... it is worth it.   A friend of mine says we should be willing to "whisper revelations", meaning we share the big revelations God has placed on our hearts while having coffee with one person, and not wait until we have a big audience to share it. I want to be faithful with the small. So please be gentle with my heart, and these revelations God teaches me.

This will be a place of honest sharing, encouragement, and realization that we all have issues in our lives that we wish weren't there, but in Christ we are okay.


This morning I was considering grace and truth. I have heard in the past grace does not exist without truth and vice versa. John 1 says Jesus came full of grace and truth, and also grace and truth come to us through Jesus Christ. But I asked God what is the significance of marrying grace and truth together?  Why do they have to go together? He replied so quickly, because grace is not effective in a life unless complete truth is exposed. An honest heart is able to receive grace because the darkness is exposed and His light has access to cover it. If the truth does not exist our flesh secrets remains hidden and concealed; seperated from His grace. If we think we can figure out our lives alone or are too ashamed to expose our weakness before him it cuts of grace's ability to change our soul.  If we choose vulnerability before God and man I believe it opens up doors for us to understand more of His grace.

Jesus is the only one who is FULL of grace and truth. He knows every single dark secret, good deed, dreams and hopes for the future, past shames, and present emotions about us, he listens when we sing, when we cry, and when we laugh. He knows how fragile we are even when we think we are unbreakable. Despite knowing us to the core, knowing the whole truth about who we are, He pours out an unlimited amount of grace to release us from freshly-living and set us free to live as our true nature --- forgiven, champions over our lives, and filled with His Spirit.

He sets this example for us to live in community the same way. He is daring us to go deeper with one another as we go deeper with Him. It is always scary and hard to open our hearts up to other humans. They are just as imperfect as us, and have the capability to cause great pain. On the other hand, we all have the capability to extend the grace and love we have received from God to the ones He has placed in our lives. I believe the reward for vunerability is immeasurable. Through our truth with eachother we open the door of grace, through our truth with eachother we build genuine relationships that will last, through an honest heart we can experience God's grace together. Beauty is revealed through exposing our ugliness. Let our imperfections allow for Jesus' perfect sacrafice to be magnified. The cost of being vunerable is worth it.

From my heart:

Most days, if I really examine my thoughts, I feel like I'm failing. Failing as a mother, wife, daughter, child of God, Christian, and friend.  "I could have done more", "I wasted too much time on social media or TV", "I didn't play with my baby enough", the list and thoughts go on and on. The demands the world puts on us are infinite in number and continue daily. I know I am not alone in feeling this way. The coined term "Mother's guilt" exsists for a reason. These thoughts can be so overwhelming at times they eventually lead to more thoughts of "why even try", "what's the point", "I can't get my own life together so am I suppose to help other people?". I want to expose the lies that I choose to believe along with most mom's out there. God never said our lives have to look a certain way before we can be effective and used by him.  My life is NOW. It does not start in the future or when I solve the problems of the past. It is right now - TODAY! Too many times I catch myself saying "well when ____, then _____." "When our debt is paid off, then we can give more... "When I lose 10 lbs, then I'll feel prettier" ... "when my marriage is better, then I will be happier." These lies are not getting us anywhere and they actually render us ineffective to receive God's grace (which is exactly what the enemy of our soul wants).

This is my life, and I am taking it back. How I choose to live is souly my responsibility and because of God's grace He lifts my head up, He gives me joy, He supplies hope for the future, food on the table, clothes on my back, and a roof over my head. He is the source and I have never been in want for any necessity.

"I lift my eyes unto the hills
where does my help come from
my help comes from The Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth."

I am extremely humbled by the Maker of heaven and earth stooping down to peer into my life and offer help! He cares so much about the big and small things in our lives that he desires us to run to him first so he can offer help.  What an amazing God! The Father poured out his love and grace into our lives the day Jesus died. He continues to pour himself out to us daily; now we have complete access to His Kingdom because we are called sons and daughters; conqueorors and victors in this life and the next.

Grace has a first name; Jesus

Jesus now makes his dwelling place in the ones that call on his name and trust him with their lives.  These are the ones who are the image of grace to the world. I am an image of grace to the world.

Jesus, King Jesus, I am desperate for you!  I need you like the flowers need the honey bee. You pollinate me and I bloom. You make me into something beautiful. I was closed up to the world, but you brought nourishment to my soul. You brought me just what I needed. It caused my heart to open; my true colors to radiate, and a sweet aroma to rise up from the earth. You make me radiant among the other flowers. You make me beautiful. You make me new. It's all for your glory Jesus, all for your glory. Let my colors and aroma be a gift of praise to you. I love you!