A little over three years ago, when I opened up this corner of my world, I knew two things for certain. One was that God nudged me to follow Him into this world of writing. The other was these written words would be laced with grace to encourage, heal and deepen our relationships with God. And now three years later, I have learned over and over how God takes our vulnerability to open up pieces of ourselves to welcome grace. We all walk a passage through grace as we live our daily lives and there are times we do it alone, while other times we share the journey with community. You all are the beautiful community who faithfully joins me here each week and your presence strengthens and inspires me when you share your own stories and beautiful insight.
[Tweet “God takes our vulnerability to open our hearts to welcome in His grace. “]
Passage Through Grace evolved in late Fall as a whisper waiting to blossom into words and conversation. The name of my blog was a gift from God even before I wrote my first word. I remember asking my sons, who both had a blog, for some advice as to how to get started. They willingly helped me, but next steps involved an invitation from God to begin and leave the rest up to Him. The timing was all God’s and the words began to spill out as I looked at ordinary life moments square in the face. The beautiful story of this space is wrapped up in the trust that the words will come and how God gifts us with grace as we face the struggles that shape and mold us along the way.
The reason for the sentimentality is the awe I feel for this amazing gift of grace. Today I am celebrating grateful grace-the beautiful union of grace and thankfulness. My story would not exist if it wasn’t for grace. My healing would be stagnant if not for redemptive grace. My relationships would not grow without life-giving grace. The words on this page would be just that-words on a page if not for God breathing life into the moments I share and the stories that seem to come from nowhere. God is the Keeper of our stories and graciously reveals our futures in His timing as He gently walks us through our past to heal and walk into the future.
I am learning through my own stories and all of you, who share so transparently with me, that my own passage through grace is sweeter because I have you journeying with me. So today I want to thank each of you for strengthening my journey by choosing to walk with me. This grace-filled community blesses and allows me to continue to share my ordinary stories each week.
The long corridor we walk down as we traverse this life is our own personal passage through grace. There are times we may not see the end of the passageway. It could be due to a lack of vision, a clouded view or seeking worldly views rather than God’s own beautiful plan. I have experienced the journey of a long passageway with no end in sight. But I can assure you that in those seasons, there is grace in every step and a light waiting to break forth as we continue to surrender ourselves to God.
[Tweet “Our life looks like a long corridor, blessed by God as our own personal passage through grace.”]
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8
Thank you again for walking with me, encouraging me along the way and showing me more of who God is through your own lovely words and prayers. May God continue to show us the way through our own passage through grace and embrace us with the strength of His love and grace along the way. The gift of grace is a treasure to unwrap, embrace and share with others. Thank you for sharing it with me.
Blessings of grace along the way,
Mary
Blessed to be linking up with these fabulous ladies!
and Dawn for Grace Moments
I love that you shared these moments of grace, Mary. I love that your focus has been continually refined by the lens of His love and the frame of grace. How much better can we be the hands and feet of Jesus when we walk together in this way.
So thankful you shared these thoughts with me over at #GraceMoments this week.
Bless you!!
Dawn
Your words mean so much, Dawn. You understand this journey of grace intimately as you walk it everyday. But grace is meant to teach us and refine us and that is what happens when we walk through the passage with God. Blessings on your week!
I’m so happy for you, Mary. I couldn’t wait to read till the end of your post. I was hoping to God you were not trying to say goodbye. And thank God it was all about your blog anniversary.
I am grateful for you. If the Lord permit maybe we will meet I’m person. It is your smiles , your love. Your encouragement that make someone like me keep writing and telling our own God given stories.
With so much love and hugs from Nigeria.
God bless you.
It did give the impression that I was thinking of giving up my writing, but God is not ready for that to happen. I am incredibly blessed to have met so many wonderful writers who share their hearts and openly share encouragement with others. Thank you for being one of those people. Love and hugs from me to you!
I’m glad you followed God’s nudge to write. You have blessed many through your words.
Keep encouraging and stay encouraged!
Thank you sweet, Lux! What a joy to have you walking this journey with me. As I’m writing this, I am trying to remember how our paths first crossed and I don’t remember but am blessed that they did. Praying we all stay encouraged in our writing journeys. Blessings!
Mary, thank you for sharing your heart with us. You are such a blessing. Happy blog birthday! Hugs
Thank you Lyli! I count myself as blessed that I have met you and we are part of this community together. Praying I have many more years of writing that God leads me through.
Hi Mary! What fun that your sons helped you get started, making it a real family affair!
Happy Anniversary, and isn’t it amazing what’s happened to you in these years of writing? So many wonderful topics, thoughts and inspirations. Being used by God and appreciated by others for sharing your stories… A true blessing both ways!
I hope you will feel fulfilled this coming year as you enter into year #4. Who knows what ideas and thoughts will come?
Blessings,
Ceil
It is amazing that because I said “yes” to writing, God has honored the journey. He has also provided such a beautiful community and I count myself lucky to have people like you in my writing life. I pray that God continues to walk with me in this journey and provide the words that I need to write. Looking forward to what the future holds. Blessings!
Hi Mary – can’ t believe you have been writing for three years! Thank you for the unending inspiration and love. I always look forward to reading your blog. May God continue to bless you with the gift of writing.
Hope to see you soon!
Love,
Karen
PS- praying for your dear dad
It’s hard to believe myself. I love that you encourage me so well, Karen. Knowing you are always here even if in the background means so much. Thank you for the prayers for my dad. Love you!
Beautiful words, friend. Loved reading of your journey to writing. Loved this too… “there is grace in every step and a light waiting to break forth as we continue to surrender ourselves to God.”
Love you much.
xoxo
Thank you for being part of this beautiful community. Knowing that you are here is a blessing. I pray both of our writing journeys continue as we turn to God to lead the way. Love and hugs, Beth!
Dear Mary … thank you for sharing the story, your arrival to blogging, the reasons behind the title of your home space. I’m blessed to have learned from your journey of grace, from our interaction back and forth during these last couple of years or so …
These relationships that develop is blogging at its best …
You’re welcome! I love that we have known each other several years and that you bless me by being part of this community. It just wouldn’t be the same without you here! I felt very reflective this week and needed to thank this beautiful community that surrounds me with such kindness.
I love knowing the history behind the blog – thank you. Remember to let us know when you go on mission.
Glad you stopped by to catch a glimpse of my passage through grace. It is a journey that is made better by people like you. Love when you stop by.
Congrats on your perseverance in blogging and ministering to all of us, Mary! Three years is a great milestone! And thank “you” for always being so gracious and open with us! I feel your warmth coming through every time I visit your space. It’s ironic, or more likely at “God thing” that my quiet time today was about how important godly support is in our lives. You’ve reinforced that important principle here in a timely way for me, my friend! Isn’t God so amazing–using our rag-tag stories and lives to encourage and strengthen so many! Hugs to you!
God is amazing! He nudged me into this world of writing and then has been providing beautiful community to surround me. We all need support and in the writing world as we timidly push “publish”, hearing and receiving encouragement is a beautiful blessing. You are a treasured part of this community and I am grateful when I see you have stopped by to leave insight and kind words.
Mary, what a beautiful post. Congratulations on three years of faithfulness!
Thank you Debbie! I hope you will join me here more often. Blessings along the way!
Mary,
I’m so glad I found you out here in this blogosphere! Happy anniversary! With my work with Redeemer Christian Foundation taking more and more of my time, I seriously contemplated taking a break from writing, but it’s people like you that keep me keeping on. I’ve so enjoyed getting to know you and your journey. Blessings to you in many more years of writing…look how far you’ve come 🙂
Hugs,
Bev xx
I count it as such a blessing we met in the blogging world and almost in real life. You have a beautiful heart for children and that shows in your work for Redeemer Christian. Your writing inspires and I pray you continue to write. May we both look to God to lead the way and embrace His grace along the way.
Mary, I love this post! Truly, all is grace…just today, I lifted my heart to Jesus and whispered the prayer…”there, but for the grace of God, go I”…hearing the words of an old song by Larnelle Harris, “Were it not for grace….” All my grateful heart can cry is…”thank you…” Many blessings to you, Mary, and your anointed writing ability ❤️
Thank you sweet friend! What a blessing to journey through this writing world with so many beautiful people like you. Your words are a gift and leaving such kind encouragement blesses my heart. Here’s to God’s grace and beautiful community.
Happy Blogversary! Love this friend! So much THIS: “We all walk a passage through grace as we live our daily lives and there are times we do it alone, while other times we share the journey with community”
So glad you are part of this community. Counting the blessings of such wonderful blogging friends as I look back on my beginning and journey until now makes me realize how blessed I am. Thank you for being here so faithfully and journeying with me. You are a treasure!
Happy Blogiversary, Mary! Three years of sharing wonderful personal stories of grace and how it is woven through everything are well worth celebrating. Coincidentally, my sons began blogging before I did and one helped me to start the journey while the other helps keep me going now. Are your sons still writing? It’s a pleasure to pop over and read your grace-full words. You certainly have a gift of writing that blesses and encourages others on their life and faith journey. There is always a message to heed and receive. I’m blessed to have met and befriended you here, sweet friend. Keep up the good work! Xx <3
Thank you for these sweet words of encouragement. I count meeting you as one special gift from God. My younger son is still blogging but not regularly. His time is consumed with writing his thesis for his Masters right now. I love knowing that your sons also have been part of your writing journey. We are both blessed to have family supporting us in our writing. I treasure your visits here, your insight and kind words. Blessings and hugs!
So true that grace is a continual surrender even when the passageway seems dark! He is revealing to us more and more in His timing as we faithfully seek Him. I see writing as a way to figure out life, and see God’s workings through it all. Thank you for sharing your journey through the written word.
It seems you and I are on a similar page when it comes to writing. God teaches me through writing and also has sent His healing grace when I honor Him with my words. This is why I write! Thank you for sharing my journey by being part of this community.
Mary, I love stopping by your place each week. The grace you write about shines through your words. You encourage and challenge me to go deeper with Jesus. Your gentle insights are a balm and a sweet thing in my days. God’s grace is an amazing gift each of us has. Thank you for the reminders to look for it in my own days.
Blessings, friend.
Thank you and I love having you here. Your encouragement is always so kind and your presence is a gift. I would be nowhere without God’s grace. I thank God that He loves me so much to keep washing me with His redeeming grace. Blessings and thanks for being part of this community.
This is beautiful, Mary. Grace is so priceless, isn’t it? I could never take this journey of life without it. Happy 3rd anniversary for your blog! I think it has been less than a year since God directed me to your site, but I’m so grateful He sent you to write here. I thank God for you. Blessings and hugs to you!
This is lovely. It’s good to hear more about the name of your blog and I’m grateful that God’s grace is always there as we go through life, even in the times when we struggle to see the way ahead. I love that we can share our stories and experiences of God’s grace in community together.
Me too! The blogging community is such a beautiful treasure waiting to unfold when we extend God’s grace to each other. God has a way of joining people in community and for me it happens over and over again right here in my little blogging home. I am blessed you stopped by today.
Mary, this is so beautiful! So utterly gorgeous! Because that’s what God’s grace is..gorgeous! You bless us all with your beautiful writing, and I know that comes from grace..Your words inspire me today as it’s been a rough week with some issues with my
teenager, trying to navigate 18 year old still living at home..it all seemed impossible..I see glimpses of God’s grace, but your blog reminds me God’s got it handled as long as I have that mustard seed of faith..Blessings to you today!!
Your sweet words have blessed me today. I know I need a reminder often that God is in charge and He will take care of the details. I will be praying for you and your teenager. There are days that seem impossible and as soon as we let it go to God, we hear the whisper of possible floating in. Your presence here is a gift Kathy and one that I am so thankful for. Blessings!
I love that your sons had blogs first Mary. Where would we be without grace? Probably back to sacrificing animals and sheep and goat. I love hearing your blog story and you are a great writer.
Happy 3 yr. anniversary and so glad to walk along beside you in this precious journey. I’m trying to make decisions of where I am going with my blogging journey. I have ideas, but not sure they are God’s or mine. Doing a lot of praying and asking a whole bunch of questions of others right now.
Thank you for your sweet words, Debbie! My sons are more willing to try things than I am which is why sometimes I am following their leads. Blogging should be God led and I pray that this is always my focus. I will be praying for you as you seek direction for your own writing journey. Love having you here, Debbie!
Thanks for sharing the story of your blog today! That’s sweet that your sons had blogs before you did. Are they still writing?
I like the idea of grateful grace. I want to be more thankful for God’s precious grace.
My sons have done a wonderful job leading me in several areas of my life-blogging being one of them. My younger son still blogs off and on but is currently working on his thesis for his Masters so extra writing time isn’t always available. Thank you for joining me here, Betsy. I am praying we all embrace grateful grace as God’s gift of showing us He is in every detail.
Grace, Grace, God’s Grace…Grace that is greater than all our sin….. That song came to mind when I read your post today. Thank you for sharing encouragement with others. Hope you have a blessed day!
Oh, Mary, where would we be without the grace of God?
I’m learning more and more all the time that all my righteousness, all my efforts to be and to do are nothing apart from Him. He is the gift we offer, and He is the answer to all our prayers – even the prayers that we think received a “no.”
Every blessing to you today, Mary.
Grateful grace: I love that, Mary. I’ll celebrate it with you. I’m so honored to be on this walk alongside you. I’ve learned so much from your words over the last few years. Thank you for answering that call to write. It’s truly one of your gifts and I just can’t imagine all of your encouragement not being out here in the world. Much love to you, my friend.