True Grace
A woman of true beauty is a
Woman who is at rest.
She exudes a sense of calm and
Invites those around her to rest as well.
She speaks comfort, she offers
Grace to be and the room to become.
In her presence, we can release
The tension and pressure that so
Often grip our hearts.
Her spacious, beautiful soul
Invites others to come, to be,
To taste and see that the Lord is good.
A woman who makes herself vulnerable
And available for intimacy- inviting others to do the same.
In her presence, you can breathe again,
You are free to be you.
She unveils her beauty and you to life.
-Staci Eldridge
My favorite line in this is "Grace to be and the room to become." Grace to be. Grace to be you and not a better version of you. What a relief it is to know that Jesus never desires perfection from me. But He is spacious enough to allow me to be 'me' in all my forms. Sometimes it is hard to find the grace to allow people to just be without wanting to change them. Don't get me wrong- I believe in changing and transforming our minds, but often times we need to hug and cherish people exactly where they are. We get judgmental and try to push them into change. I am so thankful that Jesus leads me and never pushes me. Can others find the 'grace to be' in you like you find at the feet of your Father?
Secondly, "room to become." Do I allow myself the grace to grow? Sometimes I get it right and sometimes I fail the same test over and over. But do I give myself room? One of my favorite verses is Colossians 1:15-23 (MSG). It reads:
Christ Holds It All Together
We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels- everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, He organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.
He was supreme in the beginning and - leading to the resurrection parade- He is supreme in the end. From beginning to end, He is there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is He, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in Him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe- people, things, animals and atoms- get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of His death, His blood poured down from the cross.
You yourselves are a case study of what He does. At one time you all have your backs turned to God, thinking rebellious thoughts of Him, giving Him trouble every chance you got. But now, by giving Himself completely at the cross, actually dying for you, Christ brought you over to God's side and put your lives together, whole and holy in His presence. You don't walk away from a gift like that! You stay grounded and steady in that bond of trust, constantly tuned into the Message, careful not to be distracted or diverted. There is no other Message- just this one. Every creature under heaven gets this same Message.
Do I give room to myself and in turn, those in my world? Room to grow without resistance or harshness. Room to grow without me throwing my insecurity and competiveness on them. It's easy to think we are empowering the women around us when really we just want to keep them close so we can control them better. Powerful women don't compete. Powerful women empower. Room to grow. Room to try. Room to fail. Room to stretch. I think it's a beautiful picture of being properly fixed and fit together with crowding. As a ministry head- I love watching broken and hurting people get welcomed home, serve on a team, use what is in their hand and flourish in their rightful place- without being lost in the crowd.What a beautiful thing! Healthy things grow. Same for myself. Getting properly fixed and fit together is a process. When I grow in Him, there is plenty of room to grow into my rightful place without comparison or competition.
I want to be a woman who gives grace to be and room to become. Until next time.
