Saved Sister: Shaun Groves

I have been praying about what my one word would be for the coming year.

First I needed to reflect a bit on my word for the past year...

Be.

Be still, and know that I am God...

Psalm 46:10

This verse resounded for me this past year.

It echoed deep in my soul over and over again.

Especially be still.

What I came to realize is that it wasn't just about being with Him,

but it was about being present in every part of my life.

In every relationship.

In every moment.

I just needed to be.

It is something that He is teaching me from day to day

and it is something I will be taking into the coming year.

My word for this year is...

Grace.

I have been trying to put into words why this is the one word for me.

It all comes back to my life verse.

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

God's grace is a gift.

Not something I can earn.

Not something I deserve.

Something He gives to me out of His overwhelming love for me.

I want to dive deeper with Him into that grace this year.

I want to offer that grace to others this year.

A gift received to then give away.

Ann Voskamp shared in her book "One Thousand Gifts",

Eucharisteo is giving thanks for grace. But in the breaking and giving of bread, in the washing of feet, Jesus makes it clear that eucharisteo is, yes, more: it is giving the grace away. Eucharisteo is the hand that opens to receive grace, then, with thanks, breaks the bread; that moves out into the larger circle of life and washes the feet of the world with that grace.

Here is a beautiful song by Shaun Groves - All's Grace.

After I heard it, I just knew that grace was the word for my year.