Essential Grace Blog

There was an article I read in a women's magazine some years ago. It was about the growing trend of glamourising stress. Apparently, people get into competition on their outrageously busy schedules, their tight deadlines, their endless to-do lists and the ever raising blood pressure. I don't quite know if this has something to do with wanting to be important, or trying to paint a picture of productive energy. The point is, stress can never be glamorous. Neither can the lack of balance and pacing in one's life. The Bible speaks about suffering in terms of it being a global experience. It is not exclusive nor can it be patented. For example, when you think of suffering in the typically African perspective, it is easy to imagine that famine, floods, wars, and corruption are localized to this sad part of the world. But this is simply not true, famine, floods, wars, and corruption are well represented all over the world. Perhaps it is much easier to project so me forms of suf...

There is a quote by Joyce Meyer that says             "patience is not simply the ability to wait - it's how we behave while we're waiting" I have to admit, I am not naturally the most patient person. I know this is true for quite a few people. It can be from the smaller things like driving behind a slow driver, waiting for the toaster to pop. It can also be waiting for that elusive job opening, or for that baby you always wanted to have some day, and some day seems like five years ago. Waiting is hard. It seems to me that this is especially so when what you are waiting for is dear to your heart. I have often had no difficulty waiting for the bigger things like finishing my degree, or moving countries. This is pretty doable in most cases. But the issues begin when I have to wait on people. Waiting on your family members for example. I have had countless agonizing times of waiting for a sister or parent to make a decision that would greatly affect me...

A revelation is a beautiful thing. It is when you hear the voice of God, feel His touch, or sense His hand guiding you into a particular direction. Revelations can come in many different forms and can be on a diverse range of topics. You may get a revelation on something like cutting back on the amount of sugar you take, on the way you speak to others, or it can be something major such as letting go of a relationship that is not for you. Sometimes these revelations can be re-occurring. Particularly when you have forgotten what the message was about. I received this type of message last night after turning out the light to sleep. That and first thing in the morning is usually when I get such messages. It is a topic I have written about before and it remains a mystery to me why it keeps slipping from my mind. Why is it that we so easily decide on God's behalf? Have you ever done something and thought 'mom would flip if she saw me right now,' or 'if so and so where...