Yesterday grace was shown to me. It was bigger than the heart and eyes that were looking back at me.

Yesterday I received a phone call that woke me in a panic. It was four o’clock and I had not picked up my eldest son from school. I was angry at myself. I was sad and heartbroken for my son. Not to mention the staff that had to stay late until I picked up my son. I felt horrible. I felt I just became the leading lady in the worst mother award contest.

I have been so tired lately. I was so tired that I had been taking naps with my other two sons during the day. As I pulled up to the front doors of his school, I tried so hard to keep my tears inside. But…that didn’t last.

As soon as I saw my son’s face, my tears started to flow like a mighty rushing river. He was the only child there, but his face said something unexpected to me. A smile was lighting up his face. He had a genuine, non-hateful, non-fearful smile. As I began to apologize profusely through the rushing tears, he spoke.

“It’s ok mom. I’m going to make you something when we get home to make you feel better.”

My heart melted inside of me. I was the one that was supposed to make him feel better. I wasn’t there to get him on time. He was supposed to be mad, scared, furious, but grace is what he gave and showed me.

Grace was shown to me by my six year old son. He showed God’s love for me through his little heart, eyes, hugs, and kisses. He had every right to be angry and furious with me. Instead, he loved me! Just like our God!

I was beating myself up as my son was trying to take care of me. I was telling myself that I wasn’t a good enough mother. I was asking myself, how could I have done that? Also, what is wrong with me?

The whole time my son was telling me it’s ok, as I was just crying. He loved on me with his hugs and kisses and made sure I was ok.

Isn’t that exactly what God has done for us? God loved and still loves us so much that He sent His son Jesus to be the payment of all my sins and the world’s sins. In the bible, the book of John clearly states in chapter 3 verses 16 and 17.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

Jesus poured out his own blood for sinners just like me. His blood was the payment of all my sins as well as the world’s sins. All we have to do is accept the gift of grace which comes from faith in the gospel according to Ephesians chapter 2 verse 8.

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:”

The gospel of grace can be found in the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 15 verses 1-4.

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

We just have to have faith to receive God’s precious and freely given grace. It’s so easy, but are we ready to receive His gift?

God was telling me the whole time that He loves me for who I am even when I make mistakes. He was telling and showing me through my son.

Is or has God been reaching out to you to show and share His glorious grace?

Are you ready to have faith in Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection?

Written and Owned By: Amber Wineinger

When we began this year, a friend I work with at Hallsville, posted on Facebook that she chooses a word for the year. She studies the word chosen, prays over the word, journals the word, and more. It grabbed my attention because the past few months leading up to the new year, I have felt like I have had a dry, famine, stagnate walk with God. 

I was still in communication with God. I prayed. I was attending church. I went to church events, but something felt like it was still missing. So, I took the challenge and prayed for wisdom of choosing a word for the year. 

It didn’t take long to hear God’s discernment of the word He chose for me. 

ABIDE

It was exactly what I needed and a slap in the face, all at the same time. 

My life in 2022 was a bit crazy, joyful, fun, scary, sad, uncomfortable, full of opportunities, and full of learning! 

I started 2022 with a new position. I became the Assistant Principal at an elementary in Marshall. An opportunity that was fun, uncomfortable, and full of learning. It was a change from the only school district I knew, Hallsville. The demographics were different. The staff was different. They were a STEM campus, and ran by a new principal. 

The school year continued and started to come to a close when another opportunity came in my life. I was offered an Assistant Principal position back in Hallsville for the 2022-2023 school year. Once again, my life was crazy, joyful because I was going back to Hallsville, and full of learning. 

At first, I had no idea why God would take me over to Marshall for 6 months, and bring me back to Hallsville. But as I look back, I believe it was to be a light in the darkness. 

Matthew 5:14-16:

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Ephesians 5:8-13

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light— 9 for the fruit of the light[a] results in all goodness, righteousness, and truth— 10 discerning what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Don’t participate in the fruitless works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to mention what is done by them in secret. 13 Everything exposed by the light is made clear,"

Those in Marshall knew I was a Christian and walked closely with Christ. I was also an admin that was very organized, prepared, and tried my best to show my appreciation.

The summer came and it started out crazy, was joyful in the middle, and ended crazy. There was a last minute conference I attended with admin from Hallsville in Round Rock, Texas. Then my boys went to church camp, and as soon as they returned, we took off for Mt. Rushmore! It was a joyful vacation to be with one another and enjoy God’s beauty and man made beauty in the same place. It felt that as soon as we returned, I was beginning my new job in Hallsville, and starting my Head CHA position for the upcoming Tres Dias #14. 

The school year began and we hit the ground running. We were having school events, football practice, football games, Tres Dias, Serenity, LCC, and more. This is about the time it became robotic. 

Tres Dias Weekend always reenergizes me, but then of course, we have to go back to reality. We were finishing our fall break, and the boys and I were coming back from Oklahoma when our family was jolted with something scary, uncomfortable, sad, and full of learning. 

Cason, our middle son, was diagnosed with a cyst on his pancreas. Something that is unusual for a child his age. When we spoke with the specialist, he informed us that it is in a problematic area. So, Cason would need an MRI and depending on the MRI, could possibly need surgery or monitoring. Again, I still communicated with God. I prayed. I was attending church. I went to church events, but something felt like it was still missing.

If you’re wondering about the holiday season, it came and went.

Remember I said, I took the challenge and prayed for wisdom of choosing a word for the year, and that it didn’t take long to hear God’s discernment of the word He chose for me. Do you remember the word chosen for me?

ABIDE

I started with looking up the definition of the word “Abide" on the computer. As soon as the screen loaded, the part of speech for the word “Abide” caught my attention. Abide is a verb. A verb is a part of speech that shows action. When writing a sentence, the subject of the sentence shows action or does something.

So, I have to show action or do something. 

Wasn’t I already showing action and doing stuff?! 

But, was it the right actions and the right stuff?!

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary online, abide means to bear patiently (tolerate), to endure without yielding( withstand), to wait, and to accept without objection. None of this comes easy in our society of constantly working, constantly going, climbing the cooperate ladder of success in material things. In order to do all those things, we don’t just tolerate; we don’t always withstand, wait, or accept without objection. We voice our concerns, the amount of money we want for a certain job, we have to make ourselves noticeable to the world if we want all those things.

But… When I began searching in God’s word, I found that abide means to remain or stay. Very different than to just tolerate or withstand. But remain or stay where, or with who? We all know the parable of The Vine and the branches found in John 15.

John 15:1-5

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper. 2 Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes, and He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me. 5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me."

We are to remain in Christ, but that’s not all. Christ has to remain in us too. Because….

John 15:6-8

 6 If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. 7 If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples."

I know the moment we are born again in Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection, we have the Holy Spirit living in us. I have Christ dwelling in me through the Holy Spirit, but I was not fully remaining, staying, or abiding with Christ. Here is why I say this.

To Abide in Christ daily, requires a whole dependence upon the Holy Spirit using these 3 elements.

• Piety- A word usually defined as devotion and reverence to God and the directing of a person’s life to God and making the life of Grace his/her ideal. Piety is a life of faith in Jesus Christ. It is characterized by struggles, joy, failures, discoveries, seeing and not seeing, hearing and not hearing, all of which contribute to the Christian’s growth in grace. (Tres Dias Essential)

• Study- Studying is bringing the whole self to the task of learning. The first reason for Christians to study is to seek to know God more fully as creator, redeemer, sustaining, and friend. The second reason to study is to know ourselves as God’s special creation. The third reason to study is to know God’s purpose for them. (Tres Dias Essential)

• Action- It’s about sharing Christ and finding Christ in, and with other people. It is about sharing a precious possession, our life in union with God. (Tres Dias Essential)

You see, I lived my life through faith in Jesus Christ, Piety. I showed the actions of a fruitful producer by sharing God’s love at work, Tres Dias, LCC, etc… However, my stool was not standing. It was lopsided. I was missing an important leg, Study. If you remember, I said at the beginning…

“I was still in communication with God. I prayed. I was attending church. I went to church events, but something felt like it was still missing.”

There absolutely was something missing! Did I mention anything about God’s word, or studying the Bible? 

NO!!

To Abide, remain, or stay in Christ, I have to be in God’s word to remain in Him, to know Him. Now, I did pick up my bible. I read. I did study; in fact, I am still studying Ruth. However, it was not daily. It was sporadic. 

As I walk the road of 2023, I am sure it will be filled with crazy, joyful, fun, scary, sad, uncomfortable, full of opportunities, and full of learning moments. But, I will Abide with Christ daily, and it requires a whole dependence upon the Holy Spirit using the 3 elements of Piety, Study, and Action. 

Written and Owned By: Amber Wineinger