living loved

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen. – Galatians 6:18

G…Generosity

R…Respect

A…Action

C…Compassion

E…Energy

Grace is this unearned, freely given love and assistance that God gave us through His son despite the fact that we would be so incredibly unworthy to receive it. And as I reflected at the beginning of this new year and reviewed pictures from 2025 again and again (almost aimlessly scrolling) to figure out how to start this long overdue blog, I realized something (thank you, Jesus): our lives, every seemingly forgotten moment is richly embedded with grace. These images are not just highlight reels of the year; these images have stories that include anxiety, tears, worries, and frustrations (why can’t anyone other than you boil the pierogies, Pappy??). These images contain forgiveness and love again, and again, and again…even when we didn’t deserve it, didn’t earn it, and maybe didn’t even ask for it (stupid pride).

Although a cute and purposeful acronym for this powerful word – Grace – it just isn’t suffice. How do you tell someone about a gift that is so great there are no words to accurately describe it or define it? Grace is this five-letter Christian word that we use to describe God, His love, Jesus on a cross, and yet, we fail to fully understand this incomprehensible gift that was not only freely given to us but that we must freely give to others because of His great love for us…but how?

The acronym helps…but take a look at your life. When was the last time you hugged so deeply the same person who hurt you, betrayed you, ignored you, rejected you…and the list goes on. When was the last time you looked at a brother or sister in Christ and admired the gifts and callings placed on them without regard to color, gender, bias, jealousy, comparison, pride, and all the other elements of strife we allow to take root? When was the last time you lived in the freedom that Christ set before us through the power of two wooden beams in the shape of a cross?

When was the last time you looked in the mirror and said, I forgive you for all your shortcomings and mistakes, and I know that each day you are working through the love of Christ to make you better, complete, and whole through the only One who could ever give us that kind of hope and GRACE…

Grace isn’t some 5-letter Christianese word…Grace is a gift that changed everything. Grace says, “You’re forgiven. You’re loved. You’re loved in spite of you. You’re forgiven even though you’ll need my Grace all over again before midday…but that’s ok. I love you anyway.”

Grace doesn’t beat us up for our shortcomings. Grace empowers us to be bold and try again. Grace doesn’t condemn us; Grace saves us.

Grace is my word for the year, and I pray I love you and myself better…and not through me but through Him…because His grace and love changes everything.

XOXO, Loni