Grace Given Grace Applied

“ Keep your eyes on the Lord! You will shine like the sun and never blush with shame.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭34:5‬ ‭CEV‬‬ “ bring me down, can’t nuthin bring me down. Your love is too high to bring me down”  ~Pharrell Have you ever tripped so hard that you wished you would’ve fallen? I mean the type of trip that you look around to see if anyone saw you or causes you to say sorry to an inanimate object like the ground or has this foolishness only happened to me??? Sometimes what seems to be our biggest trip up happens in-front everyone... I mean EVERYONE and you are simply mortified. If you’re having trouble recalling a time pardon me while I borrow a page from Sophia Petrillo ... picture it Winston-Salem 2014 my wedding day. Our ceremony was beautiful and smiles were now taking over where there were once tears of joy. As my groom and I prepared to jump the boom as they announced we were husband and wife I noticed out of the corner of my eye the runner had a small pucker in it and

“Dear friend, guard Clear Thinking and Common Sense with your life; don’t for a minute lose sight of them. They’ll keep your soul alive and well, they’ll keep you fit and attractive. You’ll travel safely, you’ll neither tire nor trip. You’ll take afternoon naps without a worry, you’ll enjoy a good night’s sleep. No need to panic over alarms or surprises, or predictions that doomsday’s just around the corner, Because GOD will be right there with you; he’ll keep you safe and sound.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:21-26‬ ‭MSG‬‬ “Sleep when the baby’s sleeping, don’t worry the housework will be there when you get up.” As a mom, I’ve heard and given this advice to moms countless times and somehow it seems next to impossible to do; at least for me at times. Trust me I want to rest but I somehow feel that if I do stop to rest that will be the end of world peace and nothing will EVER get done. There are times I am completely worn out from the first half of my day. After getting my boys down for the

“God, you’re such a safe and powerful place to find refuge! You’re a proven help in time of trouble— more than enough and always available whenever I need you.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭46:1‬ ‭TPT H.A.L.T.= Hungry Angry Lonely Tired you’re most susceptible to the devils attack ~ My Mom I yelled at my kids today... I mean full on crazed mom yelling at a 2 and 3-year-old all while my 9-month-old is screaming crying in his play-pen. Oh, by the way, I happened to yell at the same children Sunday and Monday; and my husband got some of the crazed action of me yelling at him Sunday RIGHT after church!! Might I add it’s just Tuesday, good grief. What kind of mom and wife am I for Pete’s sake? I mean goodness I couldn’t let the message from the pastor sink in and take hold before I lose my patience with everyone. All morning I’ve replayed the broken record of how I need to get up earlier try harder and then the pressure won’t seem so great and I’ll do better. As the record was just abo

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:28-30‬ ‭MSG‬‬ “People are coming over to visit and see you not your house, and if perhaps they are there to see your house instead then they shouldn’t be there”  ~ My Aunt Nette~ “Excuse the mess”. How many times have you heard or said that when people have come by to visit you? Especially when you have little people and their toys are sprawled everywhere! I know I’m supposed to love and serve my family well but I can’t help but feel a sense of panic come over me when I know someone is coming over. I want everything to be perfect. I want everything to be welcoming and inviting, the smell of clean versus the