Growing in Grace

"Few people have grateful hearts like captives who have been freed and the afflicted who have been healed." -Beth Moore Being a sinner saved by grace is more than enough for which to be grateful. I have been freed from my old, sinful way of life and have experienced the healing of my brokenness. Because I have chosen to allow Christ to be the Lord of my life, I now see everything as a gift from above. The more I count the gifts, the more I see. Sometimes the blessings are big, but most of the time they are the simple things that are easy to take for granted. I am thankful to have been freed and healed. And so the list continues. . .  326. Exercise - I’m able 327. My parents - willing to take the kids over night 328. The flexibility home schooling allows us - the kids can have an over nighter at G&Gs! 329. My hubby - my best friend who still makes my heart skip a beat! 330. A new hair cut 331. A quiet house 332. A great doctor who really cares abou

More from Beth Moore's "Praying God's Word Day By Day" Pure appreciation for His presence emerges from the daily walk, perhaps in the mundane more than the miraculous. "Lord, according to Your Word, if my eyes are bad, my whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within me is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:23). Lord, this verse tells me that the focus of my gaze, where my eyes are fixed, has a monumental impact on whether light or darkness will be prevalent in my life. Please, Lord, heal my eyes - my sight! - that I might look to You my Hope and my Redeemer. Lord, even though I may feel covered in darkness, even the darkness will not be dark to You; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to You (Psalm 139:12). Cloak me in Your presence, God, for in You is no darkness at all." Focus. . . that is what counting gifts is all about. There are circumstances in my personal life that could cause me

Tomorrow marks one year since my brother-in-law, Dennis Lucero, Sr., passed away following a long battle with many health complications including stomach cancer. Sunday the 11th, Veterans Day, marks six years since my aunt passed away following her battle with cancer. Both of these people were very special to me and are missed very much. Unfortunately, disease and death are a part of our fallen world, even for believers in Christ. The Bible teaches that all trials serve a purpose in our lives (James 1:2; 1 Peter 1:6-7). In spite of this, we still wish we didn't have to endure them or see those we love endure them. We pray for healing, hoping it is God's will to allow it this side of heaven. But God's Word tells us that God created us and that all our days were ordained for us and written in His book before we were ever born (Psalm 139:13-16). Sometimes "the healing doesn't come". God may ask us to endure health problems for some time or He may choose to take

Beth Moore is another of my favorite authors. During my hubby's cancer journey a friend gave me her book " Praying God's Word Day by Day ". There were so many amazing quotes and thoughts that really encouraged me. I loved this one on joy: The greatest joy in our lives is the very thing we have deserved the least. It is an absolute gift of grace. Father, how I thank You that Your servants were also sinners saved by grace. The apostle Paul said, "I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service." Even though he was once a blasphemer and persecutor and a violent man, he was shown mercy. Like him, Lord, Your grace has been poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus (1 Timothy 1:12-14). Never let me show contempt for the riches of Your kindness, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that Your kindness leads me toward repentance (Romans 2:4).

Although Ann Voskamp's book " One Thousand Gifts " sparked my quest for joy, there have been other sources that have pointed me in the direction of counting my gifts. In reading Sally Clarkson's book " Seasons of a Mother's Heart ", I found a chapter titled "Surprised by Joy". While this chapter spoke about the joys she found in homeschooling her children, the premise was that there unexpected joys to be found in everyday life if we choose to look for them.. She ends each chapter of this books with "Thoughts on the Living Word". Here is how she ended this chapter: Eternal life does not start after we die. It is a quality of life we enjoy from the moment of rebirth. Though we cannot escape suffering in this temporal life, God's desire for us is to fully enjoy the eternal life he has given us, not just at some point in the distant future, but from the moment our spirit is regenerated with new life by the holy Spirit. He brings a