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Flipping The Iceberg

We are acquainted with the grace that was revealed in Jesus on the cross, but do we know the myriad of ways God’s grace was active before that, is still active beyond that? In this series, we’ll open our eyes to see a simple truth, grace is the foundation of the universe; so much bigger than any of us think. Perhaps we’ll also see that even though we talk a lot about it, we don’t have a true sense of what it means to live under the breathtaking enormity of God’s kindness.

In My Striving – The Grace of Mystery

Mar 28, 2021


Extracting the richness from life feels like endless work. To be sure, much of life’s best things are the fruit of a lot of diligent labor. But before any of us were, God created a complex, magnificent, mysterious universe for us to experience—with little effort—as a gift. While so much of my life’s joy is caught up in my achieving, in the created world, God has given me the joy of simply existing.

In My Alienation – The Grace of Belonging

Mar 21, 2021


When it comes to belonging, history has shown that we make two critical mistakes: (1) Expel anyone who violates our beliefs and rules (2) Affirm all beliefs and rules as equally valid so that everyone can belong. Both make belonging dependent on the community’s rules. But God doesn’t make following the rules a basis for our belonging. It’s founded in something else.

In My Every Need - The Grace of Provision

Mar 14, 2021


One of our sinful survival mechanisms tells us that survival is on us. We must take care of ourselves and if we are to expect anything from anyone else, it’s always transactional—quid pro quo. But there is a grace from God that also lives especially but not exclusively among His people. It says, “let me give to you what you need, even though you’ve done nothing to earn it.”

In My Immaturity – The Grace of Patience

Mar 7, 2021


Calling someone immature is never a compliment. Our impatience with people who aren’t where we want them—including ourselves—shows how much we struggle with the growth journey. The truth is, maturing is a process that takes time. And while struggling through the awkwardness and ugliness that accompanies our “becoming,” we can also find ourselves encountering the breathtaking beauty of God’s grace for us as we grow.

In My Disasters – The Grace of Redemption

Feb 28, 2021


God’s grace is the beginning of everything and will have the final word. Not only will all of our mistakes be forgiven, not only will our pain be erased, but God promises that he will redeem everything that is fallen, broken, defiled and ugly, and he will make it new. There are few things in life more powerful than knowing that in the middle of your ugliest most broken moments, God will turn your lumps of coal into diamonds.

In My Failures – The Grace of Forgiveness

Feb 21, 2021


When you’ve really hurt someone, sinned against them, you realize how powerless you are. Because in those moments, you know there is absolutely nothing you can do to make things right again. In those moments, the only source of hope is that the other person would be kind enough to absolve you anyway, in spite of you. This is where our experience with grace begins. Jesus shows us that God doesn’t treat us as our sins deserve; that’s what this season is all about.