DEVOTION: Perfect Grace

By Leila Halawe

If you have been around church for a while, you likely would have heard someone say something along the lines of, ‘I need Jesus every day to get through.’ When I first started going to church 10 years ago, I used to find that statement a little odd however as the years went on, it started to make sense and I started to understand it. Until a couple of years ago, when I found myself completely disagreeing with it. I had reached a point where I didn’t feel that I needed Jesus every day but every hour. Fast forward a few more years and I am finding that I need Him every minute.  Day to day, I find myself leaning on Jesus a lot more to get through what the day is throwing at me, whether it is good or bad.

I am also finding that I am learning to lean into His grace. More recently, I found myself having to relearn what grace looked like as I had not only forgotten how to accept it but also how to extend it. And the person that I forgot how to extend it to was myself.

If you are anything like me, it is easier to be kinder to others than myself. I find it a whole lot easier to be gracious and forgiving to others than I do to myself and as such I am my biggest critic. But God in His mercy and grace has been helping me shift that a little. And by a little, I mean He has smacked me across the head with it.  Over the last few months, I have found myself lacking the grace for myself that I easily extended to others and I have had to relearn it; I have had to step back and allow myself to get up. To sit at His feet and just be, me. To stop striving to be strong or perfect or needed or anything other than what I truly am, a flawed girl loved by a perfect Heavenly Father.

We can so easily find ourselves striving to be better, to do more, be more to more people, but more than anything, Jesus wants us to just be. I found myself taking the posture of Martha and running around trying to be all things to all people when what I really needed was to be like Mary and sit at the feet of Jesus. To be present and listen to His sweet whisper. To rest in His grace that is freely given. Instead, I found myself struggling with emotions and slips ups and stumbles and all that lead to a feeling of defeat. Sound familiar? Yeah, I hear you.

But God. No matter what season we are in, God always shows up.

In His infinite mercy and love, God met me where I was and covered me with His grace. He poured His love out and reminded me that I am an imperfect child that is perfectly loved by a perfect Father. And that was all I needed, then, now and in the days to come. His grace is freely given to us, we are to just accept it and it is more than enough. In our weakness, His grace is sufficient. In our joy, His grace is sufficient. In all things and all seasons, His grace is sufficient for us and is all we need to get through. May His grace permeate your heart and soul today and bring you the peace and joy that only comes from knowing Jesus. 

Leila (Lays) Halawe is a Sydney based coffee loving nonfiction writer and blogger. She has published a short devotional, Love By Devotion (https://www.amazon.com.au/Love-Devotion-Finding-Comfort-Through-ebook/dp/B010607E6Q), and shares her views on life and faith via her blog page Looking In (www.misslays.com). You can connect with her via Facebook at Leila Halawe Author (https://www.facebook.com/misslays/) 

and via Twitter at Leila Halawe (@LHalawe).

Book Review: Amazing Grace, by Elaine Fraser

Review by Andrea Grigg.

Grace Bradley is in a pickle. A big one. Confused and uncertain, she’s held onto a personal secret for six years, and she needs to tell someone. But who can she trust?

When she chooses to unload on her best friend, she doesn’t get the response she’d hoped for. Things get even worse when her secret gets out and goes viral, because now she has to face her family, in particular, her mother. They used to be close but Grace is pretty sure her secret isn’t going to help bridge the gap in their relationship. Or will it? And what about all Grace’s questions to do with God? How will she find the answers to those?

Amazing Grace is a thought-provoking and insightful novel about a young girl who is unsure of her sexuality and her faith. Consequently, it tackles the controversial subject of being gay and the ramifications within Christianity. (How can God love me? Will Christians accept me? Will I have any friends?)

One issue the story raises is whether we can see someone as a whole person, rather than be blindsided by their sexual orientation. I hope we can.

There are kids out there who feel exactly the same way as Grace – confused, anxious and fearful – and that is why this book needed to be written. Amazing Grace brilliantly captures the struggle of a young woman trying to work out who she is, what she feels, and whether or not God can love her.

In reading the back matter, it’s clear Elaine has a compassionate heart. She hasn’t written Amazing Grace lightly, or just to stir things up, but has come from a place of love. I’m hoping mothers, aunts, sisters and cousins will be brave enough to give this book to their struggling relative and be there for them when they’re ready to talk.

I loved how this book made me think, put me in Grace’s shoes, and caused me to pray. I hope it does the same for many. Elaine Fraser, I applaud you.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Andrea Grigg is the author of three contemporary Christian romances. You can find her on Amazon.com.au or Amazon.com. You can also connect with her on her Facebook author page, on Twitter, or simply send her an email, at andreagrigg@live.com