Guest Blogger: Tara from Undeserving Grace

I've read many good books and blogs however, they have left me feeling as though I still don't measure up. I'm not a stay at home mom that resembles June Cleaver & Alice from the Brady Bunch mixed with being a pastor's wife and/or has a pastor for a father. 
It seems the authors always have a better gig than me or else I'm lacking in many of departments.


I've had it on my heart for several years to let others know that grace fills the gap for all that we're lacking.

I've made mistakes & even wondered myself if they were forgivable. 

I've never read a book that the author says...I'm a divorced mother of an extremely strong willed difficult loving beautiful daughter. 
Remarried to the man God made for me.
I sin alot and must ask forgiveness 20 times a day somedays more.
I talk too much. 
I'm tired most of the time.
I tend to be cynical.
I complain. 
I struggle with every single one of the fruits of the spirit. 
My thoughts are like crossing a greyhound bus with a hamster wheel.
I cry alot. 
I'm emotional sometimes I couldn't jump off the rollercoaster if I wanted to. 
I'm extremely stubborn. 
I love to procrastinate. 
I struggle to find time for the Bible. 
My crazy self loves to worry about all kinds of ridiculious things. 
I'm moody and often don't enjoy people. God's will? 
O yea I've heard of that before...the list goes on and on...  

The good part is grace is the missing link in making up for all those ugly parts of me. 

I've made grave mistakes and I had no conception of what grace meant. If someone like me, who grew up and went to church 23 years, hit a wall that felt it was necessary to punish myself to pay for my stupidity rather than immediately lean on God for what the Bible says is His "free and undeserving grace." I have no doubts there are lots of people that would live for God if they understood what grace was and how it worked. 

So the journey began and I was determined to find grace. I want my daughter to grow up and know that it doesn't matter what she's done or not done. It doesn't matter how many times she's messed up or how badly she's disappointed the people she thought loved her. 

God's grace is "free and undeserving". 

I'm using my own life experiences to show my life is far from perfect.  I may never fully grasp it all, but my daughter and others will see you can be found on the bathroom floor crying for the one millionth time breathing again after being suffocated by having no hope. But no matter how big or small God paid a great price for us not to take Him up on His offer of giving us a flood of grace when we need it most. 

We tend to think it's too big of a mistake or too small and don't want to bother God with it. Or it's not for you it's only for the more spiritually disciplined.  But thankfully for us those are all lies we tell ourselves that rob us of finding it.

I am every single one of the shortcomings I listed above but that's ok God knows I'm wired that way. 
He's the one that wired me! 
That's the point. 
We only hurt ourselves by pretending to measure up when we know we don't come close.

I've started a blog as an outlet to share the message of grace while I work on a bigger project. I promised God I'd write as long as He challenged me, gave me inspiration and the opportunity to help others.  
The more I allow Him to work the more He works. 
Funny how that works.

Enjoy the journey with me in finding grace in such an imperfect world!

And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved. Romans 11:6
www.undeservingrace.com