Grace

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
1 Corinthians 13:4-7

I felt like the Holy Spirit was really impressing upon me that you cannot talk about grace unless you talk about love. They go hand in hand. God shows us grace because He loves us. God sent His one and only Son to die on the cross for us so that we might be saved. The key word to look at is "might" in that sentence. We will never be forced by God to accept the free gift of salvation. It is our choice. However, once we have received salvation through God's love we receive grace.
"Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple"
Luke 14:33

There are two different types of grace, but only one is true. There is what Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in his book, The Cost of Discipleship calls "cheap grace" and "costly grace".

I had lived my entire life under the umbrella of "cheap grace". Cheap grace can be described as someone who receives salvation, labels themself a Christian but does not change their behavior, attitudes or choices in any way. I grew up a Christian, I went to church every Sunday and went on mission trips. However, if you looked beyond the painted on face you would see someone who was broken, looking for happiness in all the wrong places. In other words, a fake.

My prayer and reason behind writing this blog and pouring my heart and soul into this ministry is for all of us to live for "costly grace". In the scripture above you see that Jesus is talking to His disciples. He is saying that if they truly wanted to be His disciples they must leave the world behind and commit to becoming more like Jesus. It sounds intimidating. It sounds difficult. Trust me I have been there.

I was at that point in my life where I wanted to scream at the Lord saying "there has to be more than this!". He answered my call. He told told me I had to give up everything I lived for and put it in His hands. I had to make some very tough decisions, some that I still struggle with today. The decision to live for Christ isn't just a one time deal. It is a choice you make every single day of your life. All I can say is to do everything He calls you to do. Do not hesitate. It is scary and you will feel uncomfortable. But it is truly the most amazing leap of faith you will ever take. Just fall into His arms and let Him lead you.

Do not settle for cheap grace. Do not just play church and read your Bible. Do not just hope one day things will be different. You cannot not keep doing the same thing expecting different results. What is the Lord convicting you of in your heart right now?

Give Him everything you have. You will stumble and fall, but He will be there to pick you up. There is nothing in this life that compares to what God has for you. Nothing. Take the steps He has been asking you to take. Leave it all behind. He has it all under control.

Walk in faith. Become a Rock Solid Woman of God. What does it mean to be Rock Solid? Immoveable, unshakeable and transformed by the power that comes from the Holy Spirit.

I want to leave you with two passages of scripture that I know will give you a strong foundation to stand on.

Be blessed!

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:37-39

"And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualifed you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
Colossians 1:10-14