Grace Upon Grace Upon Grace Upon Grace

"I do not understand the mystery of grace -- only that it meets us where we are and does not leave us where it found us" - Anne Lamott

This is one of my favorite quotes. Grace astounds me. God's Grace. The Grace of my friends. Grace is such an extraordinary thing. If I have learned anything in this first year of post grad, it is how to accept and give grace. Grace for myself, grace for my friends, grace for my roommates, grace for my coworkers, for my boss. Grace for myself.

It has been almost a year to the day since I started this blog. Since I moved into MY first apartment, since I became an adult. A lot has happened in this year, a lot of growth, many steps backward, but I don't regret any of it. I have walked through things that have shaped me, taught me, broken me, gorwn me, bruised me, and pushed me. I've dealt with two different offices, gotten into an almost relationship, got my heart (and ego) bruised, joined an inter mural soccer team, made new friendships, saw my best friend get married, celebrated my brothers graduation, gone out in DC, attended 3 weddings and counting, found a church, saw my best friend graduate from my favorite place, and kept long distance friendships alive. It's been a busy year.

And through all of that I haven't always been good at showing others or myself grace. I asked way to long what I did wrong that made a relationship end, why I wasn't enough for him, I held onto a friends words said in anger and let it wedge between a friendship, I forgot what intentional, authentic, genuine community looks like. I only let God into the parts of my life that were convenient because I didn't believe he could possibly have enough grace for the messy parts, because I know I didn't. And yet here I am, a year later, comfortably surrounded by His grace even when things are messy (both figuratively and literally - I currently have an open suitcase on my floor, a full laundry basket, some tupperware that needs to be washed and a collection of cups in my room.)

I pray that I can continue to learn to accept His Grace, to give myself grace, and to give it to those around me, because grace upon grace upon grace upon grace brings me confidence.

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And as if His Grace wasn't enough, since writing this post and posting this post, he has led me into his grace, into a community called Grace. Grace community church and He has reminded me of a promise He made me, that He will provide me a community, that He has given me a heart for discipleship. Small the gate, and narrow the road that leads to life.