Grace on a Thursday: in Kyle's words

It's Thursday, and that means we're probably all ready for a little bit of grace. Things went sideways this week, somewhere. Somehow. Right? We all need it, every day. God's gentle voice, His patient correction. And His forgiveness. I'm so happy to host Kyle and her beautiful words on grace this week.

I met Kyle through Danielle's Headband Swap several months ago. We were paired up to send each other headbands. She has good taste and sent me a rad one. Then, I started following her blog, Like the Rain, and was instantly into her story. Her words, her honesty, her vulnerability about where she is on her journey...I admire that Kyle makes no apologies for being herself, for being real. And her post today! Well, she's so speaking my language. And speaking right to my heart. Show her some love for her awesomeness. Thanks, Kyle, for sharing your thoughts here today.
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this is me.

and this is my fam.

clearly, i'm outnumbered and, yes, i have a boy's name that i have hated for most of my life.

though, i have grown to appreciate it in my ripe old age of 25.

you're welcome, mom.

i try to be as honest and real as i can be with blogging, which may or may not result in you feeling a little too close for comfort at times.

like:

i have my babies at home

i don't like feet

i'm happy to have a bra on by lunch time

and my husband had an affair.

how's that for variety?

but i'm not here to talk about any of those things today.

today, it's grace.

for me, it goes like this.

when i was younger, i always got in trouble for my mouth.

i was the one who gave my opinion, whether is was welcomed or not, gave lots of unsolicited advice, and declared the truth without giving one thought to the ears that were listening.

yeah, i was that girl.

i think that i was coming from a good place, but my execution was all wrong, and most importantly, it's not what God was telling me to do.

there are times in life where, ever so lovingly, God puts us just where we need to be, to experience a specific person or situation that almost mirrors the issues in our lives that we struggle with the worst. 

it's kind of like a thief being stolen from.

where you personally feel what your actions are doing to someone else.

a year or so ago, he placed a handful of those people in my life (all at the same time, mind you).

i. was. horrified.

i mean, i knew that i hurt people sometimes, and i knew that i maybe spoke out of line a time or two, but good grief...was i as bad as they were?

when i really looked at myself, i was worse.

waaay worse.

in that time, surrounded by those people, God was teaching me.

instructing me in the way that he so often loves to do.

he spoke gently to me, he instructed me, he brought people into my life who were listeners not talkers.

people who asked questions without asserting their opinions first.

people who were life to me and gave freely of themselves to me.

and through them i saw what i had been missing.

l.o.v.e.

that's a big one to miss, i know.

but, man, i'm so glad he showed it to me.

that it's ok to speak the truth, it's ok to share my faith, it's ok to say things that may not sit well with others...as long as it's done in love.

that everything is secondary to love.

it's greater than faith and it's greater than hope.

through love my mouth will speak, my heart will give, my hands will open, my feet will move.

and by His grace, i will choose to walk in love.