Well, here I am starting my twenty-something blog. I've tried to create blogs in the past & haven't done a good job of keeping them up. Starting my second year of marriage, I really want to do better with documenting our lives & especially what The Lord is doing in my heart, mostly due to the fact that I get bored writing in a real journal because my thoughts flow faster than my hand can write :)
Titus & I spend New Year's Eve at my parents lake house on Fishing Creek Lake with his brother & sister & their families. Before midnight, we all picked a word to encompass what 2014 would look like for us; a word that we wanted to focus on in our life. Words such as joy, communication, accomplishment, focus & patience all came up. I chose the word "grace." It's a word God has laid on my heart recently, & I thought what better way to implement this word in my life than with the start of a new year!
And so began my journey...
"Covered by His Grace Alone."
(I added "alone" because the blog address was already taken ;)
I decided it was first important to define the word grace. Just looking it up in the online dictionary it comes up as:
"The free & unmerited favor of God, as manifested in the salvation of sinners & the bestowal of blessings."
As I dug a little deeper in the Bible, I found countless scripture about God's grace for us. Most of the message revolving around grace encompasses the Gospel, that while we were in our sin & shame, God bestowed his forgiveness & grace upon us, COVERING our transgressions, giving us favor & forgiveness. Now with this in mind, how could I show grace in 2014?
It all started with a devotion I read a month or so ago from Proverbs 31 Woman. (I get a really cool daily devo from them, you should check it out). It was on being a "mean girl" (you can read it here). Basically the author touched on how we can get up one day choosing to be Christ-like & desiring to show grace. We can handle ourselves so godly in one situation & walking with our head high. But then 15 minutes later, an irritating situation arises & we have the tendency to be a "mean girl." She described a situation where she was in the grocery store. The woman in front of her in line & put all her items on the counter to check out, just as the clerk turned off her light & said she was closed. Instead of grumbling & being annoyed (like I know I would), the woman smiled at the clerk & said something like "I bet you're going on your break or heading home for the day. I hope you have a wonderful day". It's so easy to start out a day or a new year with plans of being kind & gracious & when a moment of annoyance enters in, we loose our gracious attitude.
I know I shouldn't really be surprised, but God truly never ceases to amaze me. With this thought, I had plans of giving grace in lots of small ways. Well, just a couple days after making this decision, He hands me a BIG obstacle to overcome with undeserved grace. I've been reminded that instead of reluctantly accepting the challenge, I should rejoice in HIS power through me as I seek to overcome opposition.
2 Corinthians 12:9 says:
"But he said to me, 'My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me."
Because of the sensitivity of the situation, I can't share it on here, but I know God will overcome this situation like He does every other, and so I am rejoicing in the battle that lies ahead. As I was watching a video today of a recent Bible study I finished on the story of Gideon (by Priscilla Shirer- it's awesome, you should do it), the author was talking about going into battle. God has given me these amazing tools to overcome obstacles & instead of dreading the battle, I should face it with confidence, knowing that what I will come out with in the end will be something truly great. Through this study, I really feel equipped & ready to take on this challenge of offering grace. Although in my mind the person may not deserve it, God is reminding me that the grace I've been shown by the Lord of the Universe far outweighs any display of grace on this earth that I could imagine.
Romans 3:24:
"For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."
Well, that's about all for today. Congrats to anyone still reading this mess of thoughts :)
Covered by His Grace,
Kailee
2 Corinthians 12:9 says:
"But he said to me, 'My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me."
Because of the sensitivity of the situation, I can't share it on here, but I know God will overcome this situation like He does every other, and so I am rejoicing in the battle that lies ahead. As I was watching a video today of a recent Bible study I finished on the story of Gideon (by Priscilla Shirer- it's awesome, you should do it), the author was talking about going into battle. God has given me these amazing tools to overcome obstacles & instead of dreading the battle, I should face it with confidence, knowing that what I will come out with in the end will be something truly great. Through this study, I really feel equipped & ready to take on this challenge of offering grace. Although in my mind the person may not deserve it, God is reminding me that the grace I've been shown by the Lord of the Universe far outweighs any display of grace on this earth that I could imagine.
Romans 3:24:
"For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."
Well, that's about all for today. Congrats to anyone still reading this mess of thoughts :)
Covered by His Grace,
Kailee
You are an amazing writer at an early age. I hope you can keep up the blog because you might use some of these excerpts some day when you write a Bible study for us ladies to follow!
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