I love to reflect on grace. It calms my soul and gives me purpose for living and for all my experiences. Grace frees and unites.

Why do I ignore this grace and listen to the lies? Somehow I believe that what I have isn’t good enough. I worry that if I give it away and it isn’t received that there is something wrong with me. Life is full of many opportunities to get lost in the interruptions and find other ways to live that are about hard work, proving my worth, and finding happiness. Finding joy and purpose are good things, but without receiving grace, I miss out on an internal love and peace that shapes all my connections.

Receiving grace doesn’t always seem simple to me. Often I experience it when I take a risk and make mistakes or through conflict with other people. I learn to give myself compassion and pray for wisdom in the next step. I find when I am kind to myself, I want more to be kind to others. In my humanity I become more humble before my God. This can give me courage to break down the walls with my fellows and go deeper in conversations. My fears and struggles can be a bridge to bring me to the Spirit and to others in my community. Often I see them as barriers in my life, yet without them, I wouldn’t have experienced God’s grace.