Ann. I just love her. In just the few years I’ve know her, she has taught me much about gracious, grace-filled living. My friend Jill has the privilege of being a companion to Ann two days a week. But Jill is more than a companion…she is Ann’s friend.
Last week Ann called Jill in a panic.
“Jill, there are birds in my house,” she cried. “Please come over and help me find them. I’m so afraid.”
Jill drove over to Ann’s right away. They looked under the beds, in the closets, and behind the shower curtain. As Jill suspected, there were no birds.
After the search, Jill got down on her knees in front of Ann, cupped her face in her hands, and sweetly whispered. “Ann, there are no birds. You have Alzheimer’s disease. That’s what this is about.”
“Oh I do?” she replied. “Thank you for telling me. That explains so much.”
Ann had been told many times that she had Alzheimer’s, but she had forgotten.”
I’ve been thinking about Ann’s response all week. That explains so much.
I’ve been thinking about some of my behavior.
Fearful doubtings.
Selfish responses.
Impatient reactions.
Birds that flap their wings in my thought processes, stir up anxious emotions in my heart, and build prickly nests of less-than-Christ-like behavior.
“I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do” Romans 7:15. Yes, Paul, I understand. Me too.
Then I see Jesus in Jill. Cupping my face in His hands and looking me in the eye with compassion and grace.
“Sharon, you live in a sin-filled world. You have been saved from the penalty of sin, but you still live in the presence of sin. As long as you are here on this earth, you will struggle with raw emotions, old habit patterns, and human weaknesses yet to be transformed by the Holy Spirit. You will never be perfect this side of heaven. Don’t beat yourself up when you aren’t. That’s what My grace is all about.”
“Thank you, Jesus, for reminding me,” I reply. “That explains so much.”
He’s told me that before, but I forget. Grace.
I wonder if you have forgotten too?
On those days when you’ve messed up.
When your actions have been less than you had hoped for at this point in your walk with God.
When your emotions have been batting their wings and stirring up dust in your heart.
Jesus is telling you today. Remember…Grace.
Before Jill left to return home, Ann asked, “Can we pray together before you go?”
“Yes, I’d love that,” Jill replied.
And in Ann’s final words of their time together, Ann prayed, “Jesus, no matter what I forget in the future, help me to never forget how much I love You.”
GRACE.
If you need an extra dose of GRACE today, leave a comment below.
NEWSY Stuff
I’m almost hesitant to include newsy stuff at the end of such a poignant moment as you ponder God’s grace poured out for you, but there are some things coming up I’m dying to share.
My book, What God Really Thinks About Women: Finding Your Significance in the Women Jesus Encountered, is being released October 1. The new title will be, How Jesus Broke the Rules to Set You Free: A Woman’s Walk in Power and Purpose. The new version will have a shorter version of the Bible study included in the book, but the basic content will be the same. I couldn’t be more excited about this new title! It is already available on amazon.com for pre-order.
Right now, I have about 60 copies of the current version of What God Really Thinks
About Women. I will be selling the book and study guide combination for $9.99 (previously $19.99) and the book for $8.99 (previously $13.99). This reduced price will be as long as supplies last.
About Women. I will be selling the book and study guide combination for $9.99 (previously $19.99) and the book for $8.99 (previously $13.99). This reduced price will be as long as supplies last.
Comments 36
It’s 4:11am I up because yesterday was horrid, so bad I just went to sleep, no prayer no conversation with my husband who was trying to figure out how to cheer me up, it was pointless. I hate when I allow the circumstances of my day bringe to this point you would think bu now I would be better at this. However God I. His infinite love for me at 4:11 sends me a message from Him through you
I never received a ail from you before and how timely was that message!/Grace and to Remember His Grace. When I fall short He still lovese and nothing can separate me from His love
How awesome is that. I can fall back to sleep on that truthy Father Loves me! Glory to God!
Precious friend, our daughter is struggling with seizures and this family, 3 children and two parents plus the daughter, could use some extra grace today💞.
Thank you so much for your prayers🙏. The Wade Family
I need Grace from my children. I know there are things they can never forgive and forget. Sometimes you just have to move past certain parts of your life or you will always feel hurt and angry. Even with forgiveness the damage is done making it impossible to forget. I don’t deserve Grace but it would free them to move on and not dwell on the past any longer.
Sherri Lynn
I know just how you feel I have having special past with my children and I’ve been begging for forgiveness and with one of my children it just seemed as though it would never come that she could never see the truth in the situation just her emotions but I prayed and I prayed and I prayed and as I am praying for my husband salvation and the restoration of our marriage I pray for my children to forgive me and the day came when my daughter came to me and said mom I know that you have changed your life and I see that you spend a lot of time with God in prayer so I have something I need to talk to you about because the Holy Spirit told me to come and speak to you well I was very curious to what she had to say and when she was done she said I know I have pushed you away and I have been very unforgiving of the past but I want you to know that that no longer exists that I do love you and I’m glad that you are my mom so I tell you this all Sherri Lynn because there will come a day when your children will forgive they may never forget but as time and restorative healing power of the blood of Jesus those memories will be fade and they will no longer judge you by the past only love you the love of Christ so grace yes plenty of grace
How beautiful are those word’s a great reminder how much our Heavenly Father loves us,I just don’t know what to say except a great BIG THANKYOU so much for putting it that way, so easy to understand but we (I) alway’s think God will be cross I realy have to understand He is Always there for me
Thank you Lord, and thank you for that word I too had for got GRACE also it really blessed my soul to read those word of encouragement.
Have a Blessed Day
Deborah
Hi Jayne,
I definitely could use some Grace right now.
There have been things in my life lately that are dragging me down. I know they’re nothing compared to what some are going through, but enough to steal my joy sometimes. This was a good reminder.
Thanks
What a great message about Grace. I am in need of an extra dose of Grace today.
God’s Blessings to you.
Thank you for your message today. My best friend and I were taking about this very subject last night. She was really down and felt she fell short of GOD’S grace due to her illness. I assured her she was being harder on herself than GOD is. GRACE…….yes!
Yes, i need extra dose of God’s Grace today.
Grace. I needed this to confirm some things in my life. I thank you for it!
Thank you so much for this wonderful reminder and article. I continue to need God’s grace especially right now as I am pursuing legal action regarding an assault that occurred to me in the hospital this past year. It has been frustrating at times to realize that the hospital, police department and even D.A.’s office really don’t seem to want to investigate, which puts other patients at risk. But as you said, we live in a fallen world and I just have to continue to trust that God, in His infinite wisdom, will continue to heal me as well as allow me to help other victims of sexual assault. Thank you again.
Grace wow . Thank you Jesus. Knowing our past and stupid mistakes. Wanting to erase them! Listening to the VOICES. Reminders of what you did when you didn’t listen to God. Wow. The enemy is a great ACCUSER! But God commendeth His love for us ,in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Hallelujah God loved , loves us in spite of our selves. Thank you for the reminder of His matchless GRACE!
Thank you for this gentle reminder of Gods Grace. It is so often that I become discouraged with myself for falling short. I struggle with a particular area and when I fail to meet the mark I try to immediately ask for forgiveness once again, accept His grace and mercy and return full to my walk with Him.. He is my portion. I used to get stuck in condemnation.. And although the enemy tries to prevail I refuse to waste one moment there. Lord, I will not run away from You when I sin… But run directly into your open arms of grace where I can once again find Your peace and reassurance that You will NEVER LEAVE ME NOR FORSAKE ME . Thank you for woman like Sharon , for their faithfulness to help encourage and support me along this path I walk on earth . I love you.
Thank you for updating this message today, it was very comforting seeing this in my inbox before getting out of bed to get ready to take my son to summer camp. I am a 34 year old expecting my second child, a baby girl <3.. I received news at a doctors visit on Tuesday that my cervix is short. Started to worry, but with the GRACE of God, my heart began to get calmer by the minute and still is. I have a follow-up next week and was prescribed medication. I'm overwhelmed with a lot but for the sake of my baby girl that I want to assist in bringing into this world happy, safe, and healthy, GRACE is helping me keep her and myself first… just gotta breathe 🙂 Thanks again
Author
Breathing with and praying for you!
Thank you God for all the Grace you show me on a daily basis, amen!!
I needed that reminder because everyday I am battling with my soon to be 17 daughter. She calls me every name in the book, her room is like a hoarder and she refuse to do any schooling. I feel like I live in hell on earth. My husband hates disciplining, as he doesn’t have a lot of time left and he wants the kids to remember him in all good ways.So I am looked at as the enemy. I fell like they all gang up on me. I have raised 7 other kids besides her, and none of them have such disrespect. I took her to counselling when she was younger, but now she won’t listen to anything I say. I am 5 feet tall and she is about 6 feet and 280 pounds. I am scared of her. Just pray for me .
Praying for you today. I feel your pain.
I need Grace. I fell down yesterday. I feel bad about it. It hurts to struggle.
Grace! you are right, so right
Is just like you said… Jesus cupping my face in His hands and looking me in the eye with compassion and grace!
Is so easy to forget and to beat yourself, I needed this so much this week… God is so great and merciful. Thank you for being an instrument, God bless you!
God is so good! The timeliness of this message is exactly what I needed to hear. Just when I think I’ve forgiven, moved beyond, and been victorious, the “birds” show up again, and I fall back to holding something against someone who hurt me deeply. I lash out in anger and ugly words, in order to try to hurt this person. Ugh! I always apologize and ask for forgiveness, and am always met with, “I love you.” I hate the vicious cycle, and hate hearing the words that roll forth from my lips.
I continue to ask “The Lord Who Sees All” to heal me of the root of this issue. The word picture of the birds, will be a visual reminder to call upon the Lord when the thoughts are overpowering.
Thank you for your encouragement!
Thank you for this inspirational story on God’s grace. It helps me to know whenever I fall short the grace of God is always with me. God is awesome in all His ways and His unconditional love for us will endure forever. God bless!
I needed to hear about Gods Grace thank u
I really needed this reminder today, thank you.
Thank you for this devotional. I needed to remember that all I needed is Gods grace. Even when Im going through a lot of things in my life Gods grace is sufficient for me.
Thank you, Sharon for your commitment to share with us on an ongoing basis. I was grateful for God giving me the courage and grace to share with my campers during VBS about my Daddy and Salvation. Personal testimonies can be so powerful.Hopefully the story moved someone to give their life to Christ.
I needed the reminder. I needed the explanation. I needed my face to be cupped… And a knowing look in the eyes. Thanks.
I thank God for his unselfish loving heart that is so full of grace for us his children . It is hard to comprehend sometimes how he can love us so much and bring us back to a peaceful place with his love , forgiveness and grace. My days are filled with sunshine and song because of Gods love. Yes, there are days that are tough but I strive on knowing that God is with me all of the way, minute by minute. Thank You Lord…
I forget grace all the time. I have always had trouble keeping my relationship with God constant. I love Him, but I fail to read his word and pray a lot. I’ve struggled with some family issues lately too. This message is for my whole family. God is full of grace and mercy, He sent me several different ways of saying the same thing today, Grace. I love you anyways even if you don’t deserve it, now go and do likewise. Love others as I have loved you. Now to figure how to make that forgiveness show in my relationship to my family and to God. Almost like I have alzeimers too, how many times God has to make me look at him and he tells me that I still sin, people do too, and he loves me anyways. My prayer is with Ann, may I never forget how much You love me.
Definitely need to experience God’s grace and feel His love. Anxiety and depression have a hold on me and circumstances involving my job make it worse. Hanging on by a thread
Grace is definitely what I need today I have found myself Falling in a few places and slightly in my prayers different circumstances and situation and I know that God is for me and that he will He will bring freedom and justice in the situation as he has promised me and I continue to stand in the gap and pray my husband and my children and all of our loved ones and people who were called pray for but today I found myself getting angry and I let my emotions get the best of me and I blurted out and frustration and when I realize that it really wasn’t that important I asked the person to forgive me but I know that as the situation was happening that my Lord and Savior Jesus was forgiving me and giving me his grace I thank you Jesus for that because at times like that which hasn’t happened in a very long time I think you for your grace and love
thank you for this I am struggling with my temper. I have no patience and my reactions are so bad. I need God’s grace! I feel like I am having an out of body experiences everyday. Romans 7:15 are so true for me; to good that I would do, I don’t. But my heart so wants to. Please pray for me.
Thank you so much for this post. God has been speaking to me about getting ahead of what He is doing. I am not patient and try to help Him along which I don’t realize until after my mouth has opened or after my finger pushed send. He has called me to write and I submitted my first devotion for possible publication without studying what I had written. It came so fast from Him that I added what I wanted and pushed send. He gently prodded me back to what I had submitted, it had a huge Biblical error in it. I was crushed and so upset with myself and have been for 2 days. How could I have sent that? I read this and have decided to amend and re-send instead of thinking I heard God wrong all together about writing. With His beautiful grace and His strength I am going to slow down wait on Him and Be Still and Know that He Is God. Thank you for your ministry Sharon it ministering to me in awesome ways!
This morning I left for an eye appointment at 7015 and my appointment was at 0830. That was more than enough time. I did not pray this morning yet I read my daily devotional. I still did not pray for the Lord to be with me and my family. I usually do. On my drive I ran into traffic at every turn and missed my appointment by 15 minutes. On my drive in I realized my mistake and prayed but the prayer, in my opinion, wasn’t the best. I’m here at the clinic now and they agreed to take me instead of sending me away. For the longest time I never turned to God. I’m new to trying to talk to Him daily and pray daily. I needed to read this post because I always feel bad when I realize I didn’t do something towards God. Thank you for you words.
This was a good read, especially for me because I have been in a season of dryness, guilt and uncertainty. Having accepted the gift of Jesus for over a decade now, I have wondered why i still sruggled with some weakness that doesn’t seem to go away. The reminder of the abundant GRACE of God means so much. I continue to pray and depend on HIS strength to enable me live fully for HIM.
Keep the messages coming Sharon!
God bless you.