How to Give Yourself Grace

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Elizabeth

I’ve written about it before in this space, but since I will never act perfectly until the day I see my Lord face to face, I will just have to continue to write about it in hopes that this act of writing will somehow help me. Perhaps it will help someone else as well.

I want so desperately to follow Jesus without having to fight against myself; I want to do the right thing at the right time without a raging internal struggle; I just want it to be easier for me to obey. Will you join me over at Embracing Grace to talk about the grace God gives us even when we can’t give that grace to ourselves? I’d love to meet you over there.
(http://embracinggrace.net/2013/11/how-to-give-yourself-grace/)

I Don’t Want to Be Holy

Posted on September 20, 2013 by Elizabeth

“Be holy” says God.

But we don’t want to be holy. We want to cling to our busyness and our pride and our little insignificant sins that really are more foundational than we would like for them to be.

Yet every once in awhile we surprise ourselves with a momentary longing to be holy. Will you join me over at Embracing Grace as I talk about what this means? I’ll meet you there.

(http://embracinggrace.net/2013/09/i-dont-want-to-be-holy/ if the above links didn’t work.)

Don’t Do This Alone

Posted on August 23, 2013 by Elizabeth

If you sometimes feel that to deny yourself and pick up your cross Every Single Day seems a bit daunting and lonely, then join me over at Embracing Grace today. Maybe we can help each other to not feel quite so alone as we carry our cross along with Christ.

http://embracinggrace.net/2013/08/dont-do-this-alone/

Turning My Temper into Beauty

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Elizabeth

I am feeling discouraged today.

It is easy for me to heap guilt and shame onto my own head.

I have tried and tried and tried yet again to keep my temper. Sometimes I succeed for the first ten transgressions, at other times it only takes one, yet at some point I always fail.

I yell, I spit ugly words through clenched teeth, I point an unyielding finger as I hiss.

Why is this so difficult? I would gladly lay down my life for these babes of mine, yet I seem unable to lay down my pride and my temper for even one day.

Is this familiar to any of you? Do any of you struggle with the same things over and over again? Join me over at Embracing Grace so that we can each share what God is teaching us.

(Go to http://embracinggrace.net/2013/07/turning-my-temper-into-beauty/ if the links above are not working)

Advising God

Posted on June 21, 2013 by Elizabeth

I think I’ve just realized that I often tell God what to do.

Yeah, I know.

It is often cleverly disguised as a request, but I’m afraid that God easily sees through my pretense and knows that in my heart I am demanding.

“Please help my girls not to fight so much.”

“Please help me to get my body back into shape again.”

“Please heal Kristina, or Papa, or Stef, so that Your name will be glorified around the world.” (See how I added a carrot on that last one?)

Will you join me over at Embracing Grace (embracinggrace.net) to finish reading about what I am learning? I would love that a whole lot.

Creative Spirit

Posted on May 24, 2013 by Elizabeth

I am an artist.

There is a piece inside of me that is most fulfilled when I am creating.

I love watching my girls create. They are so happy when they are creating something with their own hands.

All people are creative. Do you believe that? The older I get and the more people I meet, the more I believe it. All people are creative…read the rest here!

Join me over at Embracing Grace (EmbracingGrace.net) today!

Made Sacred

Thoughtfully engaging life and culture as a way of loving God and loving others

Category Archives: Embracing Grace

How to Give Yourself Grace

I’ve written about it before in this space, but since I will never act perfectly until the day I see my Lord face to face, I will just have to continue to write about it in hopes that this act of writing will somehow help me. Perhaps it will help someone else as well.

I Don’t Want to Be Holy

“Be holy” says God.

But we don’t want to be holy. We want to cling to our busyness and our pride and our little insignificant sins that really are more foundational than we would like for them to be.

Yet every once in awhile we surprise ourselves with a momentary longing to be holy. Will you join me over at Embracing Grace as I talk about what this means? I’ll meet you there.

(http://embracinggrace.net/2013/09/i-dont-want-to-be-holy/ if the above links didn’t work.)

Don’t Do This Alone

If you sometimes feel that to deny yourself and pick up your cross Every Single Day seems a bit daunting and lonely, then join me over at Embracing Grace today. Maybe we can help each other to not feel quite so alone as we carry our cross along with Christ.

http://embracinggrace.net/2013/08/dont-do-this-alone/

Turning My Temper into Beauty

I am feeling discouraged today.

It is easy for me to heap guilt and shame onto my own head.

I have tried and tried and tried yet again to keep my temper. Sometimes I succeed for the first ten transgressions, at other times it only takes one, yet at some point I always fail.

I yell, I spit ugly words through clenched teeth, I point an unyielding finger as I hiss.

Why is this so difficult? I would gladly lay down my life for these babes of mine, yet I seem unable to lay down my pride and my temper for even one day.

Is this familiar to any of you? Do any of you struggle with the same things over and over again? Join me over at Embracing Grace so that we can each share what God is teaching us.

(Go to http://embracinggrace.net/2013/07/turning-my-temper-into-beauty/ if the links above are not working)

Advising God

I think I’ve just realized that I often tell God what to do.

Yeah, I know.

It is often cleverly disguised as a request, but I’m afraid that God easily sees through my pretense and knows that in my heart I am demanding.

“Please help my girls not to fight so much.”

“Please help me to get my body back into shape again.”

“Please heal Kristina, or Papa, or Stef, so that Your name will be glorified around the world.” (See how I added a carrot on that last one?)

Will you join me over at Embracing Grace (embracinggrace.net) to finish reading about what I am learning? I would love that a whole lot.

Creative Spirit

I am an artist.

There is a piece inside of me that is most fulfilled when I am creating.

I love watching my girls create. They are so happy when they are creating something with their own hands.

All people are creative. Do you believe that? The older I get and the more people I meet, the more I believe it. All people are creative…read the rest here!