Grace on a Thursday: In Angel's words

You may have met Angel already. I introduced her on my blog in this post not too long ago, where I shared about how much she has inspired me to stay committed and accountable to memorizing Scripture (for those of you who wanted to stay committed with me, are you following Angel's blog and commenting on her Moxie Memorizers posts on the 1st and 15th??). I always enjoy reading her blog because she is not messing around. It is clear to me that she seeks to follow her Lord with an undivided heart and then encourages others to do the same. You'll agree, when you read her thoughts on grace below, that she is a truly wise woman. Thank you, Angel, for sharing your heart (and beautiful photos!!) with us today

Grace on Thursday by Leslie inspires me to think deeply about the different aspects of the grace Jesus offers us. Much to my surprise and challenge, Leslie asked me to guest post for this beautiful series. Thank you, Leslie, for entrusting your readers to some of my thoughts on grace. I do not take your gift lightly! 

Readers and friends of Leslie, my name is Angel. I wear my heart on my sleeve at Living With Moxie. Leading women to love and live for Jesus is my passion. Following Jesus with all my heart is my joy. 

This is my family. My husband (Chad) and I have been married for awhile and we have four beautiful, funny, ornery, stinky kids. I love them so. God has used them to teach me great and unsearchable things about His grace. The more I love them, the more I desire to serve and please them. Is my heart the same for Jesus or do I abuse His grace towards me in continuing in the old patterns of my life? 

Isn't this picture ideal? I'm amazed at what photographers can do. We both look so dreamy and sweet. But, sometimes I'm selfish, do what I want, say hurtful things, live in such a way that I wonder why in the world he would kiss my cheek so tenderly. 

But, this is the truth. We are goofballs who love each other for reals. We work hard to use the example of Jesus' grace to us in our marriage. But this grace isn't a license to be a jerk, or take the other for granted. Grace that Jesus offers me compels me to obey Him more deeply, more fully. Far be it from me to take His grace and live in such a way that shows Him I have no regard for His death on the cross. To know Him and accept His grace towards me challenges me to show Him I love Him through my obedience. 

Do you know what sometimes happens when Chad and I live with grace towards each other? Joy. God said that if we obey His commands, His love would truly be made complete in us. Can you imagine what God's love being made complete in us must be like? My guess is we experience pure joy!

I don't know about you, but I don't want to miss out on God's love being made complete in my life. I do not want to live for myself, take His precious grace for granted, live with the lame license to keep on sinning only to continually ask for forgiveness with a false heart of repentance. There is no laughter in that...only mockery. No joy, only foolishness.

It amazes me that God sometimes chooses to teach us about His grace through our earthly relationships. If I am unwilling to take Chad's love for me for granted, if I desire to love and serve and please him, if I am challenged to increase my knowledge of how to love my family more fully, than how much more should I seek to love, serve, give, please, know, and understand my God who loves me enough to lay down His life to save me from what seeks to destroy me? And because of His grace do I keep on sinning? "By no means!" His grace beckons me to obey and live my life to glorify Him and seek to deny the icky desires of my old gross self.

Praise be to God!

Thank You, Jesus, for your grace!