Unbelievable Grace

I am so constantly reminded of God's wonderful Grace. When I began this new year, I asked God what His theme for me would be. I very quickly understood that my theme for the year was "Grace". Well, I imagined wonderful things, but by February, two important people in my life had died and I began to realize how multifaceted God's grace is.

Dictionary.com defines grace this way (theologically speaking):

a. the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.

b. the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.

c. a virtue or excellence of divine origin: the Christian graces.

d. Also called state of grace. the condition of being in God's favor or one of the elect.

Grace comes when we need it the most and when we don't feel in need of it. It is freely given by God when and where He chooses and to whom He chooses. It comes in the midst of pain and suffering, grief, fear, and joy. Sometimes we don't recognize it, but it is there. Even though I don't ever deserve it, I am so thankful that it is there for me.

In March of this year, a few weeks after my Dad died,I was blessed to go spend two weeks with my granddaughters, Natalie and Kendra, while their Dad and Mom were gone to Africa. (My son Brian and his wife, Cheri were in Africa for a month, so of course I shared the care-taking with others). They had such a wonderful adventure and today I found out that . . .

Brian's book about their African adventure has now been published. There is a link to it on the sidebar of this page and a picture of the front cover at the top of this post.




God's grace was abundant to them throughout the whole trip, just as it was to me while they were gone. I am so blessed with the family that God gave me and so proud of my boys and their families. They love the Lord and understand that Grace is abundantly available in every circumstance!

I am learning more and more about God's grace and as different areas of grace open up to me I hope to share them here. Hopefully I will be more able to share specific instances and discern what grace really is as the year goes on.

Patti

Morning Glory Garden

MORNING GLORY GARDEN

If my walk with God were a Garden, it would be a Morning Glory Garden.

You see, God has given me a gift – it is the ability to see beauty – to see God’s glory - in the midst of the weedy parts of my life.

There is a patch of morning glories near my house. They are all tangled in with blackberries and other grasses and weeds. People say that they are a noxious weed, but when they are in bloom, they are magnificent!! Underneath the thick vine are some hidden treasures, if I dare but look. They grow in the place where my mother-in-law’s gardener deposits the clippings from her flower beds. Buried beneath the vines most of the time, some of these flowers raise up through the mat and I am always amazed at how much it looks like they are all raising their faces up to God. So whether the morning glories are blooming or not – they still allow others to join in their display.

That’s how it is with me and God. As we walk through life, He shows me beauty through the weeds of my life. When I have been in pain, He soothes me, when I am sad, he holds me close and makes me smile. When I am discouraged or afraid, He gives me strength I never could have imagined. And when I am in full bloom, it is because He is shining through me and I am lifting my face up to Him.

So you see – even though I still have many weeds that invade my walk with God, when I look at Him, he shows me hidden gems beneath the surface. When I feel like I am struggling beneath the tangled mat (many times because of my own doing) He shines light and gives me room to grow – with new strength, because I had to go through the tough stuff. When I see myself as noxious and weedy – God sees my beauty, because of Jesus in me.

He provides the morning glories of my garden for growth, medicinal purposes, my own natural hallucinogenic, and to keep the ground from washing away from under my feet. And even when I feel like the ground is washing out – I can glimpse little glories daily – the face of a baby, the caring of a friend, a supportive husband, my incredible grandchildren, a “coincidental” miracle - the list goes on and on. Perhaps the greatest glory is the fact that my walk with Him – my garden - is uniquely mine – it doesn’t have to be like or look like anyone else’s garden.
His Glories are new every morning - because I am His and He is mine!
By Patti Wieland

My intro

Ephesians 4:32 and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.

Hello, my name is Patti Wieland, founder of Tender Heart Ministries. The name for the ministry came to me when I realized three things: that Jesus was a man with a tender heart, but he was not by any means a wimp, that God wants to tenderize our hearts so the seasonings of truth can enter and that the Holy Spirit can work through me when my heart is tender toward others.

I am a wife (30 years) mother, grandmother, a business owner, a sister, daughter, friend, colleague, adventure seeker, counselor, mentor coach, international christian speaker and most importantly, an agent of God’s kingdom. I know that I have been set apart for such a time as this and that God fills me with the power and might of a warrior when I need it through the shed blood of Jesus and the leading of the Holy Spirit. This may sound somewhat boastful, but it is only because of God’s presence in my life and my belief in His word that I can say these things today.

Listen to what He says in Psalm 92:12-14
“Those who are planted in the house of the Lord
· shall flourish in the courts of our God,
· shall still bear fruit in old age ,
· and shall be fresh and flourishing.

I love that! It so clearly shows that it is never too late to have an impact in Gods kingdom. I love life and when challenges come, my desire is to meet them head-on! But sometimes the enemy and my humanness get in the way. So I need to remind myself that it is time to once again “plant myself in the house of the Lord”.

When I speak to women or counsel them one on one, I want them to know that no matter what their life has been, what they have been through or where they are right now, God wants to lovingly direct them to great things for him. I want them to know that God has abundance for them and created them for His pleasure. He has appointed them for this time, this place and for His glory. I want women to know that life is so much more exiting and full when intimacy with God outweighs their fear, shame, guilt, apathy, and pain. I want them to know that they really can soar as eagles to greater heights than they ever dreamed possible. We have all read these things in God’s word, but it is so crucial that our hearts – not just our minds - know the truth of what a close relationship with Jesus does.

Because of my life experiences I also know that God loves each one of us and sees us each as the apple of His eye. So in those times when I don’t feel confidence about my walk here on earth and with Him, in those times when I don’t feel very adventurous, and when I feel totally discouraged, He holds me and loves me and cries with me. That same God that fires us up also calms us down and even carries us when we cannot walk for a while. Isn't that an awesome and inspiring truth?

I would love to share more of my life, thoughts and passions with you. You may hear about how God has been working on me and wooing me even when I was not walking with Him. You’ll probably hear how he protected me even in my own adrenaline junkie pursuits. You will find out that I am not always a shining example and my failures are many. But I always pray that women I speak to and with will hear what God wants them to hear during our time together - and that with love and transparency I can be an instrument God uses to spur them on to what they are called to do no matter what their abilities or “disabilities”.