Grace Upon Grace

In many ways, I am thankful for my hardest, darkest days. There were lessons in them, important catalysts for growth. And always, there was grace a plenty, more than enough to make it through. People have knocked me down. Circumstances have thrown me for a loop. I made it. I grew. I learned. I received God’s grace for the trial.

As you know if you read my blog very much, I love the writing of Bishop Steven Charleston. Once again, he nailed it on enduring hard days.

Do not count the days lost that were the hardest for you, for even in the most difficult times there are small graces present. We are shaped by what makes us bend, created as much by fire as by water. The lessons we learn are not always freely given, but extracted from hard ground, brought to surface only through sweat and pain. Wisdom is earned. We are what we experience. We cannot cleanse our lives of every memory, even if we wanted, but we can celebrate the courage it took to come this far, and honor the spirit that helped us not only survive, but learn.

I am thankful to have survived, more thankful to have learned, and most thankful of all to have received grace upon grace.