Extend Grace

What are tangible ways to extend God’s grace to others? When I consider the Lord’s undeserved kindness toward me, I’m in awe. I cannot do anything less than share that same grace to my family, friends, and coworkers. 

When my youngest child leaves dirty dishes on the counter instead of placing them in the dishwasher, I forgive. When she squished my fresh, out-of-the-oven homemade bread as she cut a slice, I gave instructions on how to cut warm bread.

A friend, Daphne, and I get together often. A third person shared something from Daphne’s past I didn’t know. When Daphne apologized to me for her past behavior, I said, “No reason to apologize. That’s not the Daphne I know.” I offered love and kindness.

At times, I mess up and forget to extend grace. I get upset with my youngest when she leaves her personal belongings all over the sofa in the family room. And on one occasion with a coworker, instead of sharing grace, I threw up my hands and said, “Whatever. But I’m not happy about this.” (Later, I apologized. To make me happy wasn’t a part of my job description.)

Then there are times in the heat of a battle, I remember to pray and ask God for help to offer grace. When I received a promotion, Marcy accused me of climbing over everyone else to get to the top. She’d worked for the company longer, and anger consumed her. I took a position that placed me above her, and she no longer wanted to interact with me. While she criticized me, I prayed. “Lord. Help me extend grace. Keep me calm and help me respond with kindness.”

A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare
(Proverbs 15:1, NLT).

I understood her frustration and didn’t argue. Instead, I sat and listened while she shared her feelings. Then I told her I was sorry and hoped to repair what had broken between us. It took two years, but when she apologized for her reaction that day, she admitted I’d done a good job in my position.

Did Marcy deserve my kindness? Bitterness filled her words. I hadn’t promoted myself. I could have argued several facts with her. But whatever I said during her heated condition would have proven nothing to her. Better for me to extend grace even though at that moment she didn’t deserve it.

Just as I don’t deserve God’s grace. But I’m so thankful He extends His love, kindness, and forgiveness to me.

But my life is worth nothing to me unless I use it for finishing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus—the work of telling others
the Good News about the wonderful grace of God
(Acts 20:24, NLT).

This Scripture describes telling others who Christ is and sharing the truth of His grace. When we walk in love, kindness, and forgiveness, we show God’s grace. People may need to see it lived out in us before they’ll hear it from our lips.

How do you extend God’s grace?

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Photo by Leah S. Terrell

It's All Good

Two weeks ago, I traveled with my husband to central California. Over the weekend we visited Yosemite National Park. We arrived later than we’d hoped. After 9:00 a.m. Bumper to bumper traffic and we were still a mile from the entrance gate. Hubby commented, “It’s all good.” This became our motto for the trip. God’s delightful creation surrounded us, and we were enjoying it together.

The drive along the Merced River held its own artistry. Crystal clear water flowed over rocks of various sizes and formed ripples of white.

Once inside the park, we drove a short distance along a road cut through huge rocks. We then pulled off and parked along a plush meadow and viewed three waterfalls that make up Yosemite Falls. We pulled back into traffic and found our way to the visitor center where we hoped to park and catch a shuttle. The lot was full. We tried several other locations nearby for a space but found none. “It’s all good,” said my optimistic husband. He found a spot along the road away from the traffic, pulled off, and parked. From there we caught a shuttle to several trailheads, restaurants, and restrooms.

Later, we drove through a long tunnel and stopped at Tunnel View which overlooks El Capitan, Half Dome, Cathedral Rocks, and Bridalveil Fall. We found a parking space where I took the above photo. When we arrived back to our car, we thought we’d never get out. Vehicles waiting to find a spot blocked us. “It’s all good.” And it was. Patience won.

During our visit, we hiked to Lower Yosemite Fall, Mirror Lake, Bridalveil Fall, and through Mariposa Grove’s giant sequoias. They estimate the Grizzly Giant red wood with a diameter at its base of thirty feet to be 1,800 years old. Magnificent.

We observed a deer on one of our hikes, and brave squirrels in the outdoor eating area foraged around our feet. We saw several birds that reminded me of blue jays from back east. After my research, I found they were Steller’s jays. A darker blue than my eastern friends with black heads and necks.

Despite the long line of traffic, lack of parking, and long waits for a shuttle, we enjoyed our time at Yosemite. We hiked, talked, held hands, took nature photos along with a few selfies, visited with others in line as we waited on shuttles, and waded across Mirror Lake. We look forward to more trips together and hope to travel to several national parks. “It’s all good.”

Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good! (Genesis 1:31 NLT).

Which national park do you recommend we add to our bucket list?

Does it Matter?

The Psalmist prayed, Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me (Psalm 19:13a NKJV).

When I read the above verse, I wanted to learn more. What did David mean by presumptuous sins?

The NLT uses the word “deliberate,” and the NIV uses “willful.”

Presumptuous sins are those deliberate, willful acts that we do or things we say when we know we shouldn’t. We assume God will forgive us. 

This disturbs me. Does it you?

In his book, Conversation with God, Lloyd John Ogilvie states, “In short, presumptuous sins are those we do willfully, while falsely thinking it doesn’t really matter.”

Which sins don’t matter?

Are we taking liberties that aren’t ours to take? I’m not talking about those who think they are Christians because they are good, moral people and attend church. I’m talking about me—a believer. A follower of Christ.

David’s prayer caused me to ask, what sins do I commit that would be considered willful? The ones I think don’t really matter. I’ve failed to pray when I said I would. Lacked concern for someone who could use my help. Talked about someone unfairly. Grumbled and complained.

Should I sweep these matters under a rug because God understands, or do I need to repent in total surrender to Him?

I hope to live for God and possess a righteous character. My prayer is for the Holy Spirit to convict me when I fall into deliberate sin. I want to confess these sins and surrender my all to Christ, so I grow in my life with God and honor Him. 

Like David, I don’t want sin to have dominion over me. I wish to have a greater impact on those around me and be led by faith, hope, and love. To be an effective witness and spread mercy and grace. I desire to reach out and help someone less fortunate, encourage others with God’s Word, pray for the sick and hurting, and be a friend.

David continued his prayer, Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14 NKJV). 

This verse, too, is my prayer. 

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Photo by Juliet Furst - Unsplash

Faith Conquers Fear

This past week my husband, Kenn, and I traveled to Atlanta, Georgia, for the Gideons International Convention. We met new friends, visited with old friends, partook of amazing worship, listened to powerful testimonies, and enjoyed God’s Word. During this inspirational time of worship, fear attacked. But faith conquers fear.

On Wednesday, I got stuck in an elevator after the housekeeper placed her arms inside to keep the doors from closing. She asked me a question and walked away. The doors remained open six inches which caused the alarm to sound. I punched the button on the panel to open the door—nothing. When I pressed the close button, still nothing. I tried the lobby and our floor’s button with no results. The doors wouldn’t budge when I stuck my arms in between them to pry them open. My heart rate intensified. After what seemed like hours (two minutes), the housekeeper returned and pried the doors open from the outside. After she forced them open, they closed on their own, and I was on my way to the lobby. Everything was fine.

Rarely do I remember dreams, but that night I had an eerie one. Kenn and I stood inside a store. I moved away from him and walked outdoors. The parking lot was dark and vacant except for two cars, and neither belonged to us. I turned to go back inside to find my husband, but the store was empty. Not only of people but of everything. The lights were bright inside, and the sliding doors were open six inches. But nothing remained in the store.

When I awoke, I determined everything wasn’t fine. Fear tried to take hold of me. I said out loud, “I will not give in to fear,” and I quoted 2 Timothy 1:7.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love
and of a sound mind (NKJV).

On Thursday night, fear again attacked my dreams. This time, someone knocked on my hotel room door. I opened the door to a woman and asked her in a panicked voice, “Where’s Kenn?”

Again, I repeated 2 Timothy 1:7. Every time I remembered either dream, I repeated this verse because Scripture wields power and builds our faith. I took fearful thoughts captive and overcame them with the Word of God.

Friday evening after a banquet, Kenn’s supervisor, Rodney, requested his help, and I returned to our room. Forty-five minutes later, I received a call from Rodney. “LuAnn. Kenn had an accident. The freight elevator doors smashed his hand. He passed out, and his hand is swollen, but he’s okay. You should come down here.” I grabbed my purse in case we’d need to make a trip to the hospital and took the elevator.

On my way, fear spoke. “He’s worse than what Rodney told you. Remember your dreams?”

I once again declared God’s Word and repeated, “I will not give in to fear.”

Kenn sat in a chair with beads of sweat on his forehead. His hand was under a plastic bag filled with ice. He looked up at me and said, “I’m okay. Don’t worry.” Two EMTs arrived a few minutes later with a gurney, took his vitals, and recommended he visit the emergency room for x-rays. They offered him a ride, but he chose to bypass the ambulance. We spent the next three hours at an ER in downtown Atlanta. We returned to the hotel around 3:00 a.m.

I’m grateful there were no broken bones and that the weird dreams stopped.

Fear comes from the enemy. Our faith in God combats it. When fear speaks, refuse to listen. Speak the Word of God, and keep your focus on Christ. Trust in Him and His Word.

For I hold you by your right hand—I, the Lord your God. And I say to you, “Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you” (Isaiah 41:13 NLT).