November 25, 2015 – Freshly Printed

Everyday Grace

So, this past year, I’ve been doing some soul searching (aren’t I always?) and Bible reading and it has occurred to me that even though I’m waking up every morning and living my life, sometimes there are still areas I’m struggling. And I’ll even admit that sometimes I don’t allow the Holy Spirit to do what He does best, which is transform me. #imaginethat

I have wonderful relationships, but they could certainly be better.

You may be significantly different from me by color of your hair, skin or eyes, but I’m pretty sure grace is not something any of us are born with. Sure we see children who have compassion for each other, but take their favorite toy away and see if they’re still as gracious. And I’ll admit, sadly, I’ve seen some adults who still have that reaction; faster than you can say “Golden Rule”.

What makes this book so special? There are many books on the topic of grace, loving others, even having the love of Jesus. What made this book stand out to me, and why am I recommending that you take time out of your precious day to read it? Because it’s unlike any other “Christian help book”.

Jessica starts out by addressing what we all need to know: that we are all sinners who need a Savior. One line from her book that struck me (and will resonate with you too) is the following: “We are a performance-based people, which is completely ironic, because our performance every days is far less than perfect. We live in performance-based relationships.” We tend to ask what others can do for us, instead of seeking to meet their needs. From there, she goes right into the truth of our need for a Savior who can meet us in that place, and change us. Once we recognize our need for love and grace, we can accept it with the help of the Holy Spirit and then let Him transform us so we can give those inhuman attributes to those around us.

The other beautiful thing about this book is that she ACTUALLY goes into HOW to give grace in the relationships we tend to have: children, friendships, communities, marriages, families, church families, and coworkers. She doesn’t give step-by-step instructions with bullet points, but provides relevant and Scriptural sound advice on how to deal with our own insecurities, so we can give the best parts of ourselves to others. We can move from “what can you do for me” to “what can I do for you” without batting an eye.

It seemed to me that every word written was necessary in this book; there wasn’t a ton of “filler”. Everything was beneficial to tie the ends together and I think it’s a lovely read, with a powerful message. Do you want to have healthier relationships? It starts with us loving like Christ.

Pick this book up today!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Baker Publishing’s book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 (http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html): “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

forgiven terri roberts

This book was incredible! I started to read it simply because I teach on the topic and struggle of unforgiveness in our lives. A video that I show to my students incorporates the “crazy” forgiveness reaction given to a family whose son murdered multiple children at an Amish school in Pennsylvania. The video has interviews from a pastor in that region, first responders who struggled to understand what happened, and an Amish man who shared that forgiving the family was mandatory in his heart, for himself, but also for the family to heal. The video’s purpose is to get the person watching it to respond or talk out the reasons they agree/disagree with the reactions of those in the video itself. I’ve often been intrigued by this story as it is not a common scenario in our culture today, of those who have been wronged. We see much more and hear more about the injustice, than see the love in peoples’ hearts to forgive.

Reading a first person account from someone whose child murdered other people gave a glimpse into a positive way to move forward from something incredibly tragic. But not only is the mother’s forgiveness significant in this story, it’s the people who were most affected: the other parents whose children were murdered.

Terri doesn’t just share the events of that day, “The Happening” as the Amish refer to it, she also shares history from their family and some events she pieced together that help her cope with how her son could do something so horrible. But the other benefit to reading this book is that she doesn’t stay in the anger or bitterness, but gives Scripture and lessons learned along the way to help others (and herself) continue to surrender the hurt to Jesus.

She is very well-spoken, and hides nothing. It’s a refreshing book on the life of a woman whose life was changed the day her son committed an act of murder, followed by his own suicide. But her strength, encouragement and hope speaks volumes. Her story of forgiveness and love amidst tragedy is a story that will stay with me for a very long time.

When anyone hears of the Amish shooting at Nickel Mines, I pray that the thought brings to mind the powerful aspects of forgiveness, letting go of bitterness, showing love when it’s undeserved, and blessing others through adversity. Please read this book if you struggle with unforgiveness. This mother shares so much of her faith, her thankful spirit, her struggle to understand, and her will to let go through Christ. It’s a great story, and one that I pray keeps getting passed on and on.