The Grace Narrative

The turning of a new year begs for reflection. As we reflect, it informs what we can expect as we look to the future. It's actually in the reflection that the learning happens. It's not enough to just go through stuff. We have to process it - whether it's good or bad or just normal. Looking at our experiences of the past year through the lens of God's grace is the best place to start as we set our expectations and cast our vision for the new year. Join me today as we do just that.

We've entered the last month of summer! I'm always amazed at how fast those weeks seem to fly by. As a wrap up to summer, I wanted to do one or two episodes inspired by some songs from my summer playlist. I'm really excited about this actually! One of the ways truth gets really embedded in me is when I make connections between God's Word, music, and how I see that theme playing out in my real life. Today I'm going to tell you about what has encouraged me in my present season, and I truly hope it encourages you as well!  

It's been about a year since the first time I did a grace notes episode, so I'm really excited to share a new edition for this summer. In case you've forgotten or you're new around here, a grace notes episode is my version of answering the question, “What's saving your life right now?” It's just naming some blessings whether serious or silly that enrich my life, like grace notes embellish music. So I've just picked out a few simple things I'm enjoying in the present, that might give you ideas for a refreshing experience or even just remind you to pause and reflect with joy on your own grace notes right now.  

Happy Independence Day! What a privilege to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave, aka the USA. As much of a blessing as that is, greater still is the one knowing that our freedom in Christ is secure. This episode seemed like the perfect opportunity to express gratitude for the reality of both of these freedoms in our lives.   Scripture references for today's episode are as follows:  John 8:36, Galatians 5:13, Psalm 68:6, Philippians 4:19, 2 Corinthians 9:8 and Psalm 95:1.

A lesser known but powerful account in scripture has been such an encouragement to me lately to pursue wisdom and to take courage and find boldness in the Lord and obey as He gives me vision in my calling. I love this story! The implication I find is that by the grace of God, He uses the circumstances, history, talents, abilities and suffering in our lives to gift us with wisdom. He wants us to ask him for it and has promised to grant it. There is great hope to be found as we pursue wisdom.

We think that we are only influenced by what we noticeably decide, but we also give permission to be influenced by what we default to. It's amazing how subtle influences take over. It's very easy to do in today's culture with unlimited access to so many people and ideas. While I'd like to think that most of my influences come from sources that are aligned with my values, I'm discovering that there is a deeper level of intention I need if that's going to be the case. It needs to be a process of conscious curation.   

Despite our best efforts to avoid stress, it shows up anyway. I'm learning that as important as it is to be able to walk through it and deal with it without going under, it is equally as important to pause and process during and after - to recover and learn from it. I think one of the best questions we can ask at a time like this is, "What do we learn about God and his desire to form Christ in us?" In this episode, we'll talk about the truths we learn in a stressful season and the gift they bring when we take the time to reflect on the evidence of God's grace.

In this episode we are going to talk about following through to release damaging practices/habits/or thought patterns in order to see a positive growth in our lives.  If you listened to Ep.128 you know that we discussed the first 2 steps of the Keep and Release strategy as a way to focus our new year energy into sustainable change. Today we are talking about step 3 in this process, so let's dive right in!  

In this season when we lean into both reflection and forward thinking, I think it's important to not get too complicated and overwhelm ourselves with "new year, new me" energy. You've learned some stuff these past 12 months that has already changed you for the better! Of course, we want to continue to make positive changes, but we also want that change to be SUSTAINABLE. Today we discuss the KEEP and RELEASE practice that I've found to be an uplifting, grace-filled approach that takes advantage of the new year energy without weighing me down with unrealistic goals and standards that will never last.

It brings me great joy to be able to share about grace, especially this time of year. Christmas is upon us! Lately, I've been challenged to really look at that FIRST Christmas with fresh eyes. It's been interesting that my side hustle and my Advent study came together in a unique way to help me receive truth and I'm excited to share that truth with you in these next few minutes we have together.  

 I pray this Thanksgiving is a time for you to join in with purpose to the things Ps. 145 encourages us to do: Meditate on the wonders of God To declare His greatness in trust Remember His goodness and righteousness and share it with others May the discipline of remembering help you embrace God's way in the everyday.

“Father, we break ties with fake thanks and we choose gratitude as spiritual warfare.  Give us eyes to see and mouths that speak life, praise, truth, and grace.” -Jess Connolly I think the reason I love that prayer so much is that I believe praise for the character of God and recognition of his truth, can be POWERFUL in overcoming the hopelessness and defeat that the devil tries to use to overwhelm our souls. When I reflect on the blessings from the hand of God in the life I'm living, I noticed an undeniable fact that is like a continuous thread running through every single part - and that is that He is a God of mercy and love- He always has been and always will be. Reflect and rejoice with me in the truth of Ps. 118 "His love never quits".  

This is the rest of my conversation with my friend and artist Terri Shown. I'm glad to hear that so many of you enjoyed the first part in Ep. 123! Today is the icing on the cake as we finish exploring this specific kind of renewal. We talk about different creative types and there are more stories and more authentic examples of how each one of us is called to create. You're gonna love it so let's jump right in!  

Today is the third installment inspired by Rhythms of Renewal by Rebekah Lyons and I'm happy to introduce you to my friend Terri Shown as we discuss creativity as a form of renewal. You will enjoy hearing about her experiences, her stories and her heart for sharing her creativity. Bonus note: we basically lost track of time and talked so much this is going to be a two part episode. (I could not bring myself to edit out that much content- it's just so good!) Thanks for joining in today to hear my conversation with my friend, the talented Terri Shown.  

There is no way to overemphasize the importance of connection in our lives!  My friend and counselor Kayla Little joins me in this episode of our current series based on Rebekah Lyon's book Rhythms of Renewal with some wise and practical ways of strengthening our relationship with others in order to "spur one another on" and "bear one another's burdens". 

I've been looking forward to this discussion for a long time! I get to talk with my dear friend Heather Walton in this episode which is always a treat. We talk about SO MANY things- from what a restful quiet time looks like, to tech detox, our attitude about Sabbath, and even calming the chaos that always happens when the kids get home from school!  It's a bit longer than normal - I mean, it's a strategy episode so we get nitty gritty with the details - and I just love it! One of my favorite things is at the end where Heather talks about the mission of the retreat center she is one of the founders and directors of and how to go about scheduling a time away for intentional rest.

Today's episode is going to lay the foundation for our series on Rhythms of Renewal. This is a topic I'm passionate about because it has been such a means of grace in my own life. What is the scriptural basis for the rhythms of rest, restore, connect, and create and why are they so important? Those are the questions we'll answer today.

We are squeezing as much as we can out of summer while simultaneously preparing for fall. What an interesting mix! As we prepare to talk about how to rest, restore, connect and create in future episodes, I think it's important to evaluate our daily routines to see where we might need to make room for or adjust our habits that put us in a position to receive renewal.  I hope and pray this reair of Finding the Rhythm of Your Season sets the stage for you to do just that as we embrace God's way in the everyday. 

In this episode, I'm going to share about some little gifts of grace that have made recent months more enjoyable in everyday living! It's like answering the question “What's saving my life right now?” I've said this before and I'll say it many more times I'm sure…it's in the reflecting that we actually learn from our experiences. These are the things that came to mind as I was reflecting. Some are spiritual, and some aren't- I have a practical one, a physical/spiritual one, and kind of a silly one- but all of them I consider blessings. Like grace notes in my life.

Remember Ecclesiastes 3:1  "To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." If we are going to discern our season, I think we should know what spiritual fall, winter, spring and summer look like, right? By describing physical seasons we can draw some pretty enlightening parallels that help us know our spiritual season. In this episode, we are going to focus on how to recognize winter and it's purpose in our growth. Even if you've heard teaching on this before, keep listening because the Holy Spirit is always in the business of revealing more truth as we focus on Him.   

Today we are going to dive into how viewing our spiritual growth as a cycle offers a much better understanding with deeper trust and peace than having only a conventional linear view of our lives. That's a lot of words- maybe a little philosophical sounding, but rest assured that we are going to do what we always do. We are going to identify a common challenge, share real life examples of how it's part of our narratives, and of course, discover the role that grace plays as we explore what God's Word has to say about living in the tension of this challenge.

I truly hope you are reminded today of the power of connected relationships- this gift the Lord has given us to bond with our people. The next time a loved one comes to talk to you, I hope this practice of listening with your face is something you find helpful and strengthening in your relationship. And spiritually, I hope that you find a new level of intimacy with God as you seek his face, knowing his face is already focused on you! He welcomes you and wants to show himself to you. Listening with your face is another chance to embrace God's way in the everyday.

Margins are essential for anyone desiring wholeness and freedom from "hurry sickness". I don't believe we were created to live in a constant state of overwhelm that crowds our spirit. Margins give us space to breathe and freely experience the peace and joy we all crave. Learning how to create margins has been a life-changing experience that the Lord in his grace continues to teach me about. I hope you'll be encouraged today to take steps in implementing margins. I'm cheering you on!

Why am I talking about prepping for what summer entails on The Grace Narrative? It's because even though different seasons may call for different rhythms, our focus needs to stay true to what God is calling us to.  The focus He put on my heart at the beginning of 2023 was presence…that means being present in the moment with the people around me and being more aware and living in the power of the presence of the Lord. As the boys are telling me all of the things they have going on this summer, it came to me that if I want to stay present and appreciate my people, and savor this time, I might need to be a little more proactive in setting our family up for a successful summer. Listen in for some inspiration as we prep for summer together!

The thing about expectations is that when they are not met, it creates stress. We have choices in how to react when that happens. We can stubbornly hold onto the unmet expectations, deny reality, and harbor resentment which leads to exhaustion, negative attitudes, and overall defeat- in other words, burnout...or we can discard unmet expectations, accept reality, and reframe how to move forward based on what is most important. 

 Operating under high demands while feeling low control in our work is a huge stressor that ruins our motivation, exhausts us, and breeds negativity, so we have to address how to look realistically at the demands placed on us and get real about what is actually in our control. It makes a huge difference in finding answers in the midst of burnout. In this part 2 episode we are going to learn how asking and answering these 2 questions can help us: 1) "What really matters?" and 2) "What would this look like if it was easy?"      

This is the first installment of a new series we are starting related to burnout. One of the biggest challenges for people like you and me, goal-oriented achievers that pour everything into what we do, is burning out. There are several different ways of thinking and acting that lead to this state, hence the series! I plan for these to be on the shorter side, but no less impactful because we're going to be very focused on our topics, the aim being to answer these questions: How can we overcome burnout?  Where do we find grace in dealing with it? That's what we are going to talk about today, specifically as it relates to relationships in our work.

Serving the Seder meal helps our family focus on Easter in a special way. After keeping this tradition for several years now, I look forward to it so very much becauseit keeps us present in the meaning and power of Holy Week. As you listen, I hope you are drawn to remembering and celebrating Easter in the Lord's presence as you embrace God's way in the everday.

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom (Psalm 145:3, NIV). This episode is short and sweet... and hopefully will serve as a reminder for you to believe that the infinite God of grace wants to work beyond your imagination right now. It is up to us to give Him the room to do so in our hearts- to let Him be bigger!  

One of the greatest joys in life is when you find your lane and run your own race. Just recently I was inspired by one of my friends because she is so confident and happy in doing her thing that brings her joy while at the same time using her gift to minister to my family and I'm looking forward to telling you about that. My goal for today is to offer an encouraging reminder that running your race is not only a way that God shows his favor to you but is also a way to enrich the lives of others as you give the gift of grace.  

You may have heard me say this before- I am not interested in a faith that has no impact on my everyday life. I am not interested in Lent as another thing to do or some sort of legalistic requirement made up by man to prove something to God. But if it is a spiritual discipline that the Holy Spirit can work through to draw me closer to Him and to sense His presence at work, then I'm all in! And that's what I believe it can be. So with that thought in mind, let me tell you what I feel called to during Lent this year.   

As I was collecting my thoughts on this topic, I realized that the Lent discussion needs to be a two- parter. What I want to do today is to put the season of Lent into a perspective that honors its purpose by understanding its origins, and then we can start answering the question about why observing Lent is so valuable as we grow in grace.   

Have you ever thought about how many words there are in the English language that are based on grace? There are SO MANY! It's proof of our inner longing for grace as human beings and recognition of how important it is. The references that permeate our normal vocabulary are so familiar, we kind of take it for granted. But whether we realize it or not, God is in the business of showing us His grace... even through unexpected people and in surprising places. Today I'd like to share with you a story of how that has happened recently to me and served as a reminder once again of God's unlimited resources in extending grace to us.

 "Taking Jesus into the room" is an intentional recognition and statement of the truth that Jesus is WITH ME in the very basic but real moments that make up the whole of my life. It is quickly becoming an assurance and a source of relying on Him in a much deeper and profound way for me. Bringing my awareness around to the reality of the constant nature of the Lord's presence is how I want to live. Join me as we discuss how this practice works in our everyday ordinary lives.

The fact that we will experience a heavy heart in this journey is an inevitable part of life. We try our best to guard against this and arrange our circumstances to avoid feeling this way, but we all know life isn't perfect. We live in a fallen world damaged by sin. Even if a heavy heart is not your reality in the present moment, I invite you to listen all the way through to the end of this episode because there will come a time when heaviness and disappointment will overwhelm you or a family member or friend. I hope that when you need it, you can listen again and find help as you preach the truth to yourself or maybe give you some words of encouragement to minister to those that you care about. Join me today as we answer the question, "How do we respond in a constructive way when we have a heart that is heavy with sadness or disappointment?"

Are you down about not measuring up to your own standards? What about being discouraged that your goals remain unmet? As you listen to today's repair episode, I hope you'll take to heart the message that "ideal you" is not the most valuable version of yourself.

Today we celebrate the 100th episode of The Grace Narrative by hosting with a guest! My dear friend Heather Walton shares her insight on the meaning of grace. This is a thought-provoking and inspiring conversation about how God's grace is a constant throughout our journeys. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

“I am a grace representative. I choose to abide in Christ, live in joy and share the love of Jesus at every opportunity.” My calling is to represent Him and I can't do that unless I am abiding in Him…relying on His presence. If joy is found in His presence, like His word says, then it just makes sense that I would want to notice Him with me. It's not on me to produce or manufacture His presence. My role is to be aware of His presence. 

Since we've just finished the holiday season and giving and receiving gifts have been on our brains maybe I better clarify- we're going to be talking about P-R-E-S-E-N-C-E, presence; not the things we open on Christmas morning! There are many aspects to this idea of presence and so we're going to delve into that today and why it's a priority and what positive results there are when we live with presence.

The idea of heart posture is not new to me, but its impact increases the more I value it. Just as we should be careful in the way we hold, carry and position our physical bodies for our health, our heart posture has an incredible impact on our spiritual formation. In this episode we will be discussing the difference between a default posture and an intentional posture that prepares us for God's vision for our lives. 

Holy Leisure is the practice of "doing nothing for God's sake".  Today we'll learn about this practice and how it leads us to trust and rest.  It starts with adopting these thought patterns: life is a gift; we are a gift; we did not create ourselves or earn God's love and forgiveness; we did not merit new life in Christ; and our future life in glory is not something we earn. Holy leisure allows us to intentionally live into that knowledge by our actions. Then our minds, bodies and spirits can experience the benefits of this particular gift of rest that God freely gives us and wants us to enjoy.

Today's episode focuses on what I call the reminder that never gets old, because no matter how long you've been a Christ follower, the truth of God's love is something we need to constantly live in and be assured of. We learn to trust more when we are reminded of His unconditional love. Whether you are doubting your worthiness as God's child today or you're feeling confident as God's child today, I promise this discussion will encourage and inspire you.

Today we begin a series that I believe will encourage us to see ourselves more as God sees us.  We will be reading excerpts from "The Good and Beautiful You" by James Bryan Smith.  The following quote from Smith gives an overview of the subject of this episode: "Seeing our bodies- our good and beautiful bodies- as sacred instruments is essential if we are to live a vibrant life and have wellness in our embodied soul." 

“Home is that sacred space-external or internal-where we don't have to be afraid; where we are confident of hospitality and love.” That is a quote by Brennan Manning is one that I resonate with so very much. Today we are going to explore how grace meets us in seeing our external and internal homes as sacred places where we find belonging.

Savoring is a practice for connecting with God as a Christ follower. Using our senses as encouraged in Psalm 34:8, can be a powerful act of celebration and gratitude that enriches our lives. Be it in a season that we planned for, or in a season that is unexpectedly hard, we can savor in any season. We can sense God's provision and presence as we are fully present in surrendered worship. Join me as we learn how to make savoring a daily rhythm.

Today's episode is going to be a reminder of the big picture promise that brings strength and hope to the life of a Christ follower. We all experience times characterized by a particular circumstance or feature- that's the definition of season. Our tendency is to view that season as the end all-be all. But that's not actually God's view. While He is concerned with the details of our lives, He has an overarching covenant that houses all of our seasons. Let's explore this big umbrella that shelters everything else.

What do you think about that title? I'm wondering if today might be the first time you've ever thought of celebration and discipline going together in the same sentence! In this episode we're going to delve into this idea and discover that celebration is actually a spiritual discipline that grace makes possible to enrich our lives and draw us closer to Jesus.

We've talked before on the podcast about the scriptural basis of hope in the life of a Christ follower. But as is with so many things, there can be a gap between having knowledge of it and the reality of it in our actual lives. We're going to talk about why that is and how we go about sincerely believing that having hope is always in our best interest for joyful living.

Let's just be honest. At some time or another we've all felt a pull to take a plunge into something new, but we've held back.  We've all procrastinated. I want to share a little pep talk with you and encourage you to take advantage of the energy of this season and do the thing you've been putting off.