Grace

Today I'm taking a 5 minute writing challenge and the word for the challenge is GRACE. 

<start 5 minutes>

Wow, that's a powerful word.  Grace saved me.  It doesn't make sense but God in His infinite grace saved me when I came to believe in Him. 

 

In Kenya, I started the long, really hard work of believing what God tells me.  I mean, I believe that the Bible is TRUE and the WORD OF GOD but do I believe that He intended everything in it for me?  That's a whole can of worms but for today that leads me here . . .

 

Grace towards myself.  I'm the beloved child of God.  I'm worthy of forgiveness and love and understanding.  I try hard to extend that to others but how often do I deny those things to myself?  Let me tell you, it's A LOT. 

 

• A lot of denying myself love. We women are trained early and often to use hate speech toward ourselves.  I'm too fat.  I'm too short/tall.  My hair is too curly/straight/wiry/fine/WHATEVER. 

 

• A lot of denying myself forgiveness.  If I lost my temper with my kids and asked God and the kids for forgiveness, they give it to me but I keep beating myself up. 

If I BELIEVE what God says, then I have to believe I'm worthy of GRACE.  Now I just have to start exercising that grace in my own direction. 

<end of 5 minutes>