Grace
Jody!
Yes, that is my name, placed where the definition of grace should be. No I am not implying I am “Grace“, but rather my life is an example of God’s grace on earth. I have been empowered and enabled to overcome. If your life has been transformed by the Risen One, you can place your name right beside mine. We are grace in action, the evidence of a powerful, loving, and righteous God at work.
God’s grace and mercy have been evident in my life from birth. I was born over three months premature weighing a little
over 2lbs and I lived. While quite common now, it was unheard of in the 70’s. Unlike most preemie’s, I had no physical or developmental issues. My lungs, heart, digestive system, and eyes worked perfectly. My older brother, who was born a year before me, was over 3.5 months premature as well but he didn’t make it. Had David lived, I would never have been born! After his birth, David was silently whisked away. My mother told she wouldn’t want to see him, that he was a blob of cells. When she saw me for the first time, she cried because she knew David had been more than a blob at birth and she never got to see him and say goodbye. All this to say, I was granted life when against all adds My life should have ended at birth.
Then there is the exhaustive list of near death experiences and ER trips. Things like falling off the top of a very tall slide and landing headfirst onto the concrete below with not so much a scratch…… well my brother and sister claim that fall “explains everything”, but I adamantly deny any such residual issues. These all pale in comparison to the Lord’s grace in my life over the last 25 years.
As I look back upon my life, I see the relentless pursuit of a Father who loved me and chose me to be His before the foundations of the earth were established. I was, and still am a head strong, bull-headed child, with a selfish and proud heart. I was the bull in the china shop, racing ahead blindly to get, see, feel, know, escape. I can not separate out even a day of my life where the Lord’s presence was not evident, actively working to draw me to Himself.
He has been my teacher, patiently answering my how’s, why’s, and earnest pleas to overcome, endure, and understand. He has been the paddle wielding father, lovingly yet sternly chastising & correcting my sinful heart when I have strayed from the truth. He has been my quiet refuge in the midst of dark turbulent storms of life. He has been my strength when I was so weak and broken I despaired of my very life. He has been the smiling father, joyfully bestowing the best that He has to offer, like His answer to my years of longing and prayer for a husband and companion. He has painted my life with brilliant strokes of loving grace. He has scraped the canvas of my life, purging from it the marred black streaks of sin, death, destruction and hopelessness. He has created beauty from ashes, and transformed the scars of bad decisions and foolishness making them monuments to His faithfulness and steadfast mercy.
He has pursued me with the energy, and passion of a lover, and though marred and scarred by sin, He has loved me and cherished me. I did not and do not deserve his regard, yet He has given it to me with great delight. I confess to you, that had the Lord not loved me, pursued me, corrected me, chastised me, healed me, and poured out His limitless grace upon my life I would be the most despised, wretched, depraved sinner on the face of this earth. I would have been crushed by pride, bitterness, wrath, depression, and a depraved heart and mind.
With His stripes I was healed. With His love I was washed and covered. By His grace I have overcome sin and death. My life is a living testament that God lives, loves, forgives, heals, and can miraculously transform the most wretched of sinners. Praise be to God that He would see fit to intervene in my life and use me as an instrument to demonstrate His power, Love, and Grace poured out onto mankind.
overcoming loneliness 
When I saw the title, I smiled. Grace is my favorite! I also like the saying, “if you wonder if you have a purpose, put your right hand over your heart. If it’s still beating, then you still have a purpose. God isn’t through yet.” 🙂
I have never heard of that quote before. I wondered how many “G’s” would be on grace : )
Beautiful post and so well written. I had to smile, I just finished writing my Blog Challenge “I” post and briefly explored the idea of purpose and destiny. I wonder what the Lord’s purpose and destiny is for you? He has done amazing things in your life so far.
Thank you for stopping by. You are right when you say the Lord has done amazing things in my life. I am blow away by His faithfulness, love and mercy.
I have not been able to locate your blog. Is it on the A to Z list?
Can you give me your blog name? I can’t find you on A to Z
God’s grace abounds. Really enjoyed hearing your personal testament of his grace in your life.
Thank you for stopping by Wanda. When He has been so good and faithful, it’s hard to be quiet about it : )
Oh this is so beautiful and touching..We are a Child Of The King..You are such an inspiration and I’m so glad we crossed paths..I just had a little grandson to be born weighing 1lb and 10 ozs. true miracles for sure.They didn’t have the technology back then that they do now..Looking forward to your wonderful, uplifting posts..Happy Easter to you..Susie
Thank you for stopping by Susie. Blessings to you. I am blessed to have stumbles upon your blog as well!!
Awesome share/write, Jody.
Happy bunny hugs & jelly beans to you.
Have a beautiful Easter
TTFN~
hugs,
Marydon
Thank you so much for stopping by Marydon. Blessings to you!
Powerful post! Your love of the Lord is so evident -it reaches out of the screen and touches my heart!
Grace is an awesome gift from God! Praise be to Him!
Have a Blessed Easter!
Hi Brianna. Thanks for stopping by. His Grace in my life has been far beyond what I deserved or could have imagined!
Jody, this was a very powerful post. Your love and passion for the Lord reach through the computer screen and touch my heart. Grace is an awesome and wonderful gift! Praise be to God!
Have a Blessed Easter!
Brianna @ Bible Bloggers
A most glorious and blessed Easter to you as well!
Hi, I just stopped by to visit your website and thought I’d say I enjoyed myself.
Thanks for stopping by!
Another beautiful job, Jody. Amen and amen!
Hi Jody! Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving me a message!! I’m so glad you did because I immediately came to your blog when I saw your note and I LOVE it! This post on Grace especially!
I have been trying to catch up to everyone else in the challenge but I took yesterday and today off. Maybe I’ll do a few of the letters tomorrow. I guess everyone else will be on H. I’ll be doing D! And possibly E. Haven’t decided yet what I’ll do. That’s what I get for procrastinating to begin with! But I’m so glad you found my blog even though it’s not on the list because now I have a link to yours!
Thanks for your blessings and wisdom in your writing! Praise God for giving you such insight!
Hi Rebecca. Thanks for stopping by. The biggest blessing I have received is stumbling upon the blogs of my forever family, and receiving encouragement and even challenges! I like to look at the comments on post of like minded bloggers and visit those. I think that is how I found you : )
Blessings
Amen and amen! You write beautifully, and I am blessed to have found your blog. Thanks for stopping by mine.
Happy Ressurrection Sunday!
Christine
Coffee in the Garden
In the Care of the Great Physician
Greetings Christine. Thank you for stopping by. I enjoyed both your blogs! It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance: ) Blessings!
I was your name on my friend Bri’s blog, and then ran across your blog today on the A-Z sign up page. This is lovely. I will be following you. I like how you are approaching the challenge, and the overall message of your blog. Very compelling.
Wow! What a story! I’m so sorry that your mom never got to say good-bye to David. That is a horrible thing to do to a mother who carried a baby she would never hold.
I love the way you wrote of God’s grace in your life. I can relate in so many ways…but sometimes I forget, so this is such a good reminder that without Him I would be wretched. We watched Passion of the Christ over the weekend and I hope and pray the reminder of what He suffered stays on my heart for a long time. That is the only way I can truly take to heart who I am, how He saved me and why I needed to be saved!
A to Z: Overcoming Through Grace overcomingloneliness I was recommended this web site by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my problem. You are wonderful! Thanks! your article about A to Z: Overcoming Through Grace overcominglonelinessBest Regards Veronica