It's About Time

Well, it's January 12th and I'm finally making some of the physical changes to my blog that I had hoped to do during my Christmas holidays.  Alas, time got away on me and over the past couple of days I've had a few moments here and there to re-vamp my blog.

So, my new blog title requires a bit of an explanation.  2012 was all about Thankfulness.  2013 is going to be about Grace-full-ness.  That is, me being more gracious to others, less judgmental of people in my world, and striving to live the life God has intended me to live, embracing the free gift of Grace that He lavishes upon me.  Of course growth is always a process by which there are painful moments, but also includes moments of epiphanies and realizations.  For me, this realization took 40 years to "get".

Grace is a word, that, until recently, I did not fully understand.  I believe that God has been moulding and shaping my heart for such a time as this, a year to drench myself in His Grace like never before.  I hope and pray that He will, in turn, use my growth to empower me to extend more grace to others, through His spirit living within me.

Again, I have been inspired by a book I recently read, entitled, Grace, by Max Lucado.  I briefly referred to it back in December, but I am hoping that more of my discoveries will be told as I post on this blog.  I have known in my head all about God's Grace since I was very young.  The term "grace" is tossed-around in society by people who don't even really understand how it relates to the God of the Universe, and there have been times that I have been one of those people. 

As I read through the pages of the book, God began to reveal some things about myself that I didn't exactly like, or even understand, but now I understand myself better.  My initial reaction to "how another person is, or how another person acts, etc." is often judgmental.  But I realize that what God wants my reaction to be is one of Grace.  He wants a heart that echoes the sentiment . . . "Grace Lives Here.", which replaces the judgment/anger/unforgiving spirit/hostility brewing in my heart, with a spirit and attitude of Grace, attuned to how the Holy Spirit wishes me to respond.  So, while I know I am not perfect, I long to have a gracious heart towards those I encounter both casually and deeply in my daily life.  For the past several weeks, I have been repeating in my mind . . . "Grace Lives Here" each time my sinful nature wishes to take over.  And believe me, it has happened more than I'd like to admit.

I look forward to unfolding each day ahead, as God reminds me of His Grace in my life and in the lives of others . . .

 

"And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you."

Ezekiel 36:26a