A Great Honor

I just received word from Melanie at Only A Breath regarding a give-away she was doing for her readers.  She has chosen my blog to be featured for the whole month of August on her blog!  So, I need to get on the ball and work up something spectacular for August.

In the meantime, please visit Melanie’s blog by clicking on the blog button below, by visiting her on Twitter at @MelanieAnneTN or on the Only A Breath Facebook page.  She describes herself as an ordinary, southern wife and mommy who loves God and cherishes each breath of this journey.  And while today she honored me, I would like to honor her for her wonderful gift.

A New Song to Sing

I waited patiently for the LORD to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire.  He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.  He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see what he has done and be amazed.  They will put their trust in the LORD.
Psalm 40:1-3

When this was read in church on Sunday, it reminded me of something in my own life.  When I was nine years old, I accepted Jesus into my heart.  I received a wonderful gift:  the gift of song.  My instrument was my voice.  I loved to sing and loved especially to sing songs to praise the Lord.

I’ve sung in churches, schools, and prisons, at weddings and funerals, on TV and radio, and as a missionary.  I’ve sung in English, Latin, Italian, German, French, Korean, and Haitian Creole.  I’ve sung arias, masses, hymns, pop, rock, and opera.  I even sang on an album.  But, what makes my heart soar, is singing praises to my Lord.

Not only did Jesus save me from the miry pit, He gave me a new song to sing.  I guess I really just wanted to tell Him “THANK YOU!”

Wise Words on Grace

Grace is not something you earn. It’s a gift you accept for yourself and give to others each day. ~ People of the Second Chance

The beauty of grace is that it gives us permission to move on. Second chances are rooted in the freedom of the future, not the painful mistakes from our past.  ~ Mike Foster

Out of the fullness of his grace he has blessed us all, giving us one blessing after another. ~John 1:16

When we see and experience the goodness of God’s grace, it initiates the process of transformation. And in this process, we make ourselves available and obedient for God to do the work of perfecting His grace in us. While it is a process of grace, it is not void of discipline and effort. ~ OneBody Devotional

If grace is water, the church should be an ocean. ~ unknown

Twas grace that taught me how to fear and grace my fears relieved.  How precious did that grace appear the hour I first believed.  ~ John Newton (Amazing Grace)

from Webster Dictionary

1. The exercise of love, kindness, mercy, favor; disposition to benefit or serve another; favor bestowed or privilege conferred.
2. (Theology) The divine favor toward man; the mercy of God, as distinguished from His justice; also, any benefits His mercy imparts; divine love or pardon; a state of acceptance with God; enjoyment of the divine favor.
3. (Law) The prerogative of mercy execised by the executive, as pardon.

A HUGE thank you to Melanie Moore over at Only a Breath for the beautiful One Word 2012 – Grace logo, which she graciously offered to do for free for all 166 folks focusing on a word for the year.