Grace.

FIRST off, I've already failed the whole "post once a week" promise.  In my defense, last week was crazy.  We had a garage sale at my house and if you know me or my family, you probably know that a garage sale for us is a big event that takes a long time to prepare for.

My mom is super sentimental and saves anything and EVERYTHING that means something to her.  She's saved every school paper, every notebook with scribbles, hair from first haircuts, and the list goes on.  SO, for the last week there has been a lot of organizing and re-evaluating.  That being said, I've been re-evaluating more than just "things" that I may or may not need.

I've been re-evaluating situations and how I've handled myself as someone who claims to know and follow Jesus Christ.  I know I'm a sinner and I know that I'm going to make mistakes, but I also know that it's my responsibility to surrender those mistakes to the Lord because I  can't do anything in my  power to be set free from them.

God has really been teaching me a lot about grace.  I didn't realize it at first, but I'm starting to understand it now.  God says in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that His  grace is sufficient for us and that His  power is made perfect in our weaknesses.  God has power to do whatever He wants.  He could totally punish us for being selfish human beings and just let us all die like we deserve, but He's so great that He provides a way out and  wants a relationship with us.  He has extended His grace  to us even though we are so unworthy and undeserving.

The last few months have been a really good learning experience for me.  I've dealt with some stuff that I would have much rather stayed out of and not been apart of.  But even now, I've realized that that was meant to happen and I was supposed to be apart of it.

Colossians 4:6 says "Let your conversation be always full of grace,  seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."  I like this verse, and not because it makes me feel good or because it's a good principle to live by, but because it stops me.  It interrupts me and it redirects me.  Most of all, it really challenges me.  The part I have a hard time with is the "full of grace" part.  My conversations should be full of grace  towards the person on the receiving end of the conversation.

I wish I could read this verse and apply it to my life in an instant; like a new nail polish color.  But, it's really something I struggle with.  Offering grace to those who I've felt I've been wronged by is hard for me, probably just like many others.  Naturally, I want to push back 10 times harder when someone starts to pull on me.  I don't want to respond with grace or mercy.

But, when I gave my life to Jesus, I gave Him everything.  Every dream, every hope, every passion, every fear, every flaw, everything.  Like I said in my previous post, God knew us before we even took our first breath.  He created us, flaws included, and created a plan for each of our lives so that we might use our strengths AND flaws for His glory!

God created JennyKate Webb and knew she'd be a little more stubborn and strong willed at times.  God knew I'd have to surrender it to Him in order to live the life that He has for me to the fullest!  And the best part -- God didn't ever expect me to do it alone.  Not only does He take it, but He continues to walk beside me and allows me to continually surrender the things to Him that I get in the way of and mess up.  God is too cool!

I hope that whoever is reading this, or if there is even ANYone reading this, that you'll be encouraged.  Encouraged to know that we get to show God's amazing grace through every conversation we have AND that even when we blow it, God still offers an extra measure of grace.  All we have to do is ask.  God is so so SO good!