grace

A Change of Raiment

Scripture Focus: “Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.” — Zechariah 3:4 Most of us have things hanging in the closets of our past that we would never choose to wear again. Some memories are easier to live with than others. We can…
The Gift I Could Never Afford

Scripture Focus: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” — Romans 3:24 I have discovered something rather embarrassing about myself: I am not particularly good at receiving things I cannot repay. Let somebody buy lunch, and some little accountant in my head immediately opens a ledger. All right.…
Where Mercy Finds Us

Scripture Focus: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” — Hebrews 4:16 There are places in every life where we would much rather God meet us somewhere else. Meet us after we have gotten ourselves together. Meet us…
The Danger of “Good Enough”

Have you ever found yourself wanting something for another person more than they seem to want it for themselves? Perhaps you’ve watched someone remain in a relationship that continually hurts them, or you’ve encouraged a friend to pursue an opportunity they keep talking themselves out of. Maybe you’ve prayed earnestly for someone to draw closer…
Seeing More Clearly

I used to have a rather romantic idea of spiritual growth. When I first became a Christian, I assumed maturity would eventually arrive like some sort of heavenly graduation ceremony. One day I would wake up, angels would probably sing a few bars of Handel’s Messiah, and I would glide through life with remarkably few…
Known and Loved: No Masks Needed

Scripture Focus: “[Love] Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” —1 Corinthians 13:7 It’s hard to imagine a life completely free from shame, embarrassment, and that awkward little inner critic that seems to keep detailed records. We cringe at things we’ve said, choices we’ve made, weaknesses we wish weren’t there,…
The Honest Truth: No Filters, Just Grace

Scripture Focus: “Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:” —Colossians 3:9–10 Let’s be honest—we all have a “best version” of ourselves we like to present.…
Running on Empty

Scripture: “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” -2 Corinthians 12:9 There’s a special kind of confidence that comes with driving on “just a little bit more.” You see the gas light come on, and instead of responding responsibly, you begin negotiating. I can make it. It’s not…
Enough for Today

There are mornings I open my Bible hoping to be surprised. I’m looking for that moment when a sentence just lifts itself off the page and speaks my name. I love when God does that. Those moments feel like the fire catching all at once, suddenly the room is warm and bright. I’ve also learned…
When the Ledger Never Closes

Forgiveness seems to always begin with a sense of unfairness. We learn this feeling early, long before we have the words to explain it. A child knows, with absolute certainty, when something should be excused. I didn’t mean it. They pushed me first. I was tired. In their mind, intention ought to outweigh impact. If…