For by grace, you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. ~Ephesians 2:8-9
Do you choose a word for the year, or does the word choose you? I find the latter to be true for me.
Beginning of Christmas Eve, my husband, Danny, develops cold-like symptoms, but is able to make it through the candlelight service as we are scheduled to sing at church. His symptoms don't improve over the next several days, and we find ourselves at a reliable urgent care facility where he has gone previously.
The doctor runs several tests while we're there. Even though Danny has no fever and his oxygen levels are good, the test comes back positive for Covid. Oh, great! Now, I'm worried that I should be tested, too, but the doctor reassures us that she has seen lots of married couples over the years where one will get it and the other won't. Even though I'm having some drainage and a slightly runny nose, I decide to wait it out and see what happens in the subsequent days.
As we turn the car out of the medical office to head home, I spot a stand-alone store front with two large, eye-catching words in bright red: GRACE CHURCH. A retail establishment that once conducted worldly business is now inviting people into doing God's business on earth.
The word "grace" jumps out at me and gives me pause: Could this be my word for the year, Lord? I decide, as I do with the Covid test, to give it some time. But I can't help but notice how often the word turns up in the first days of the new year.
My daily devotional for the year is New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp. On January 1st and 3rd, this is what Tripp says about grace: He (God) did this (sent Jesus) so that you would not only be forgiven for your allegiance to your own glory, but have every grace you need to live for his. And - The God of eternity grants you his eternal grace so that you can live with eternity in view.
And sandwiched in between, on January 2nd, Pastor Bill Grandi who blogs at Living in the Shadow writes the following: The best gift ever given was God's redeeming grace. Sin loses its power when stacked against that.
Coincidence? I think NOT! Grace is precisely the word God wants me to ponder throughout 2025. I can't earn grace. I don't deserve it. None of us can or do. But we can all rejoice each day, giving God the glory, knowing His grace is enough. Always!
Great is your faithfulness, oh, God
You wrestle with the sinner's heart
You lead us by still waters and to mercy
And nothing can keep us apart.
So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise, oh, God
Your grace is enough, Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me.
~Matt Maher
Amen. Thank you for this post, Martha. Praying for your good health and for Danny's too. God bless you and your family.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Victor, for your continued prayers for us. I pray for you, too!
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As I read your post Martha Jane it came into my mind 'Take every thought captive and bring it into obedience to Christ'. God's Word in the mind of Christ (which we have access to when we are born again as a child of God ) is far above what the enemy will try to put into the carnal mind. God bless you and Danny with all He has for us in Jesus, our beloved Saviour.
ReplyDeleteOh, that God would give all of us the grace to take every bad thought captive and give it to Jesus, Brenda. What a great thought you've shared here! May we live for the Lord.
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First, thanks for the mention Martha. God's grace NEVER ceases to amaze me. Second, I hope Danny is recovering and you are avoiding (COVID not him). :) Third, may grace be always at your side and in your heart this coming year.
ReplyDeleteHis grace never ceases to amaze me, too, Bill, and thanks so much for allowing me to share your thoughts about it here. Praying more people will visit your amazing blog! I never did get the nasty Covid, and Danny is over his, but a runny nose? That's another story.
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A great word for the year or anytime, Martha. I pray Danny feels better soon and you stay healthy.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Diana! Yes, Danny is much better; he tested negative for Covid last Saturday. All good news!
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Praying for Danny. And your doctor was right - two years ago, I had it, and my wife never got it.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Glynn, for your prayers. Danny tested negative for Covid last Saturday, so that was great news. I have had a runny nose off and on, but I think it's because the air inside our house is so dry. Thanks, too, for sharing your same experience with Covid.
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I do pray that this round of covid for Danny is very mild and that you are protected from getting it. Your word has been confirmed and what an awesome way to receive it. this is great. Take care and y'all stay warm
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you liked it. Yes, I will check out your site.
ReplyDeleteLove and blessings!
Thanks so much, Shug! As I mentioned to Glynn and others, Danny tested negative for Covid last Saturday, and is feeling lots better. Grace definitely confirmed itself as my word for 2025 in a big way.
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So glad to read in your comment above that Danny is doing much better! As for your word-of-the-year, what an inspiring word to focus on! As it happens, I just read this yesterday: "Not a day goes by without his unfolding grace" (2 Corinthians 2:16 MSG). Such encouraging truth! Our challenge is to look for it and turn it into praise!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Nancy, for sharing that scripture here from 2 Corinthians 2:16 - it's perfect! And I do love reading the MSG translation from time to time. Our challenge is, indeed, to look for grace and always turn it into praise. Danny is so much better, and tested negative for Covid last Saturday. Hooray!
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Sorry your husband had covid. Hoping you didn't get it. That is wonderful how your word for the year came to you. Take care.
ReplyDeleteI did not get Covid, Debby, PTL, but my nose is running from time to time. Danny tested negative for Covid last Saturday; I took the test today, but I'm still in the clear. And yes, I am so blessed that God sends me my word for the year in such unique and special ways. His grace is always enough for me!
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Martha Jane: You have had a beautiful word given to you. Happy New Year. We have a foot of snow on the ground, I have had COVID again. It was worse than any sickness I have ever had. It is very cold up here. I am going to have to '"bite the bullet" and get to the pharmacy to get some things but not today. Someone is coming to dig us out this afternoon. Peace and blessings.
ReplyDeleteOh, Cecelia, I'm so very sorry you had to suffer through the Covid! It is NOT pleasant in any way, shape or form. I saw that all you up in Indiana got a boat load of snow; here in GA, snow is predicted for Friday into Saturday. When that happens, everything shuts down. It's a mess. Glad to know someone is coming to dig you all out this afternoon.
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Praise God His grace is always sufficient. Loved your posts Martha. God be with you in 2025 as we walk with Him.
ReplyDeletePrayer hugs Shaz in Oz.x
Thanks so much, Shaz, and I do hope this new year finds you in better health. Yes, God's grace is sufficient and will meet all our needs.
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What a fright! I'm so glad you remain healthy and Danny's recovering! I'm glad you waited for your focus word to find you! I know this isn't what you mean, but Grace is one of my favorite words -- so much so I even gave that (name) to my sweet pup with my mother's (Evelyn) as her middle name.
ReplyDeleteAww! I didn't know how your precious pup got her name before, Myra, so I love this info. My dad's mother's name was Grace and it's my niece's middle name. I'm so grateful that grace found me and insisted on being my focus word for 2025.
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Wishing Danny a fast recovery and that you don't get covid. Grace is the perfect word for you, it was meant to be. My great-grandmother, grandmother, mother and one of my sisters are all named Grace. Prayers and blessings to you both.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Bill! Danny is still coughing, but he's now negative for Covid, so that's the good news. Believe it or not, my paternal grandmother's name was Grace and my niece's middle name is Grace, too. So wonderful that the name runs in your family, too!
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I am praying you avoid the plague! Hope Danny is recovering. Dr SIal says it is not anything like it was in the beginning.
ReplyDeleteI’m with you- when God keeps prompting me- take the hint!
New Year Blessings!
Lulu
So far, so good, as I've not gotten the plague, and Danny is getting better, though he's still coughing some. And I'm with you, Lulu - when God speaks to our hearts, we need to sit up and take notice.
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Praying for good health for both you and Danny, and that God's grace will be seen easily in both of you.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Barbara! God is showing His marvelous grace to us each and every day.
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I love your word for the year, Martha! Also how God led you to it. I pray Danny will recover soon and you don’t get Covid. Love and blessings of health and peace!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Trudy! Danny is now negative for covid, and I tested negative yesterday as I needed to double check since my nose started running. And don't you love how God will lead us in the direction He wants us to go when we choose our word? HIs great grace overwhelms me.
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Sad to say, I was in my 30s before I realized not only did I need God's saving grace, but I needed daily grace from Him. Best word ever for your New Year . . . blessings and praying for Danny's recovery and for you to stay well.
ReplyDeleteDon't feel badly about that, Vickie. I, too, was in my 30s before I realized that I needed the Lord to be in my life. His grace will always pour over us when we are seeking Him. Yes, Danny is much better and I'm okay, too, except for a mild cold.
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Thanks for sharing that great word for the year, Martha. Obviously, it's one of those eternally significant concepts that all of us need to focus on more than we tend to do. I think it's wonderful that God gave it to you the way He did, and that you're making grace a kind of "life theme" for the coming year. Sadly, though, in spite of its prominence throughout God's redemptive story, and its place in the very nature of the God we serve, it's also one of those priceless treasures we have that is easy to take for granted.
ReplyDeleteI'm not one of those folks who begin the year by choosing a word or concept as my focus for the year, but I always admire those who do. Also, Diane and I will pray for Danny's swift recovery from Covid and that you don't contract it along the way.
Thanks so very much for your prayers! Danny is feeling better with each passing day, although he tends to do some coughing in the mornings. And I find that the older I get, the less I want to take any of God's amazing gifts for granted. May we all treasure His amazing grace!
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The perfect word for you!! You were led there. His grace is enough and what a blessing it is!!
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, Terri, God's grace is always enough, and I do love how He led me to this word for the year.
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Prayers for Danny and for you ❤️🙏🏽
ReplyDeleteThank you, Cloudia! Danny is getting better by the day and is Covid-free.
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I love how God kept confirming your Word, Martha. And now I'm trusting that He will bring healing to Danny, and keep you well and strong in the process. "His grace is enough for me ..."
ReplyDeleteI loved that whole process, too, Linda. God is so good, isn't He? Yes, Danny is now Covid-free and all I've had is a runny nose. By the grace of God go we.
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Martha, Grace is a beautiful word for the year! I like how your word finds you instead of you choosing it. I don't think anything is coincidence for God's children, but the Lord working behind the scenes on our behalf. For we have all received grace upon grace! God bless, dear!
ReplyDeleteGrace upon grace . . . Oh, yes, Karen! God is always looking for ways to bless His children in ways we can't always see or know at the time. He certainly had me sit up and take notice when grace kept insisting I should use it as inspiration for the year.
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I do not have a word for the year. Grace is one that my dear wife has had several times. It is what we live by. I am unable to sleep tonight. I am not feeling well, so I am commenting on some posts. We are all in God's hands.
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I sure hope you are feeling better by the time you read this, Jim. And you are so right - grace is what we live by, the infinite grace of God.
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Bom dia, Martha
ReplyDeleteLinda postagem, melhoras para o teu esposo. A graça de Deus é suficiente, que todos os dias ela nos acompanhe, um forte abraço.
Thank you, Lucinalva! Danny is getting better with every passing day, praise the Lord. God's grace will always see us through.
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so glad he is feeling better and that Grace found you! My word this year found me too. funny how that works some years!!
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, Jean, our God certainly works in ways we could never imagine. I love that the word "courage" found you and so enjoyed your latest blog post about how your word was made certain for you. Yes, Danny is feeling so much better and I'm beyond grateful.
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I love it Martha Jane. Grace! Good question at the intro, by the way: Do you choose a word for the year, or does the word choose you? I believe the Lord shows me a word or highlights a word and then I decide to keep that for the year. My word for 2025 is WHISPER.
ReplyDeleteOh, I do love your word for the year, Marja! It so mirrors the idea of God's still, small voice sounding gently in our hearts.
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You are most welcome.
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It’s amazing how God speaks to us in those little moments. His grace really is such a gift, and your story is a great reminder of that. Praying for you and Danny as you navigate this season! 🙏
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your prayers, Veronica, as they mean so much to both Danny and me. His gift of grace through His Son, Jesus, cannot be surpassed. May we all be aware that He still speaks to us today in still and quiet revelations of His truth.
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Grace is such a fantastic choice, Martha! We all need grace on a daily basis - and to give it out on a daily basis too. I love that you included the Matt Maher lyrics. I've listened to this song and all his music so many times. Hope you and Danny are both well!
ReplyDeleteMatt's music is so inspiring, Lisa, that's for sure! And we all need the grace that God freely gives to His children every single day of our lives, and it's something He wants us to share with others. We are so much better, health-wise, but are not quite at par. Thanks so much for you prayers, my friend.
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Oh, sweet friend! I hope you didn't get covid and I hope Danny is much better. There is so much terrible illness going around right now. I pray you all are both well now.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for your well wishes for both Danny and me, Cheryl! He tested negative for covid last week, but both of us have had cold symptoms that don't want to jump ship. Today was, on the whole, better for both of us. I never did test positive for covid, so PTL! Looking forward to you new devotional, my friend.
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I liked so much your article dear Martha Jane.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much, Snobe.
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