Unique grace

While at a seminar on Saturday I had the opportunity to hear an extraordinary woman share her story. As I sit here thinking about that session I'm hit anew with how unique God's grace looks for each of us.

What made the woman extraordinary was not that her story involved terrible abuse. In the course of my work, as well as groups in which I've participated that were devoted to my own recovery, I've heard LOTS of abuse stories. What made her so extraordinary is that she exemplified an old 12-step group saying more than anyone I've ever met. The saying being - Let go and let God.

She permeated peace. When we first got into the room it became apparent that the support staff at the conference center had rather messed up; her overheads, books & handouts were all mysteriously absent. But she just started sharing anyway; and did so in a relaxed, intimate (even though there were about 40 women in the room listening) manner. She mentioned that these things were missing but that every time she shares her story it's different so this must just be the way God wants it for this day. She was totally relaxed and at ease.

She started her story by sharing a few positive, lovely memories of childhood prior to sharing how things unraveled. It fascinated me how, although she had no spiritual instruction, she shared about remembering a day when she lie on her bed with her hands outreached and called out to God. God did the miraculous; this woman, at no point during her life, experienced bitterness toward those who harmed her. She experienced confusion and grief but no anger and bitterness. Watching her tell her story, I have no doubt it was true. God's grace for her meant she was spared the struggle with bitterness that every other abused person I've met experiences.

Although she had life experiences which could most certainly have been sensationalized; she never talked in that manner - she related her story in a simple, matter of fact manner. Honest, without Hallmark movie tidy conclusions.

She didn't come into an understanding of the good news until after she'd met her husband during college, they'd wed and then they both came to respond to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Later they both received a call from God into full time service and currently run a non profit group in Hollywood that ministers to street people and has a home for men, another for women and another still for women with children.

Although bad stuff happens in life to good people and bad people alike, still as I sit here remembering this woman's story, I'm grateful. Grateful that God is, ultimately, in control of the universe and will work things out to His purposes. Grateful that He is a God in whom I can trust.

What are you grateful for?