There is Grace

Having grown up in church, I was sure I had this thing called “grace” all figured out. I could spout the “Christian” definition: God’s unmerited favor. I could explain the difference between mercy and grace: Mercy is not getting what you deserve; Grace is getting what you don’t deserve.
I heard sermons about grace. I sang songs about grace. In fact, my name, Nancy, means “full of grace.” So, I was pretty sure I knew all there was to know about it: God’s grace is what brings us to salvation. Because of our sin, we deserve death. But God in His grace offers us salvation through His Son.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. (Ephesians 2:8, 9)

Then, a few years ago, I experienced God’s grace at a whole new level. I was quite familiar with God’s saving grace, but my life, at the time, was quite a mess. Not a drug-and-alcohol-type of mess. Or my-husband-ran-off-with-someone-else type of mess. But an I’ve-got-two-kids-under-5-and-I-might-just-lose-my-mind kind of mess.

I was drowning in a sea of sippy cups and fruity puffs and living on 3.26 hours of sleep a night. And I was sure it would never end. I was a mess.

Then God in His grace reached out and got my attention. Through a sermon series, a recommended book, and a handful of other tiny moments, God began to unravel, and then reconstruct, my view of His grace…

Read the rest over at Happy and Blessed Home where I am honored today to share some Encouraging Words for Moms on Grace.