My whole life could be a very long story of how God's grace has been more than enough for me and helped me through some rough patches. Starting with an alcoholic father who was verbally abusive who also happened to have emphysema to dealing with his death at the tender age of 15 to some rough college years that included suicidal thoughts and most recently a (thankfully short) time of very unexpected unemployment. But through it all God's grace has carried me and I continue to come through on the other side closer to Him. No matter the difficulties of life, He has always provided...a trusted male role model who spoke words of love and encouragement to a young girl who thought she was unlovable and not good enough, to friends who knew how and when to help pull me back from the edge of darkness, to anonymous sources of money right when it was needed, to a job that I love and wouldn't trade for the world, and most importantly a much stronger faith...made stronger daily through the Grace received through the Sacraments.

Thanks Alison - I'm so glad to see that you ended up in a great place. I hope and pray that it is a place where you can not only excel in your work but grow closer to Him who loves you! Keep in touch!

Well, Chris, I have a lot to share with you regarding Saturday's "retreat," which I will do, soon. In the meantime, I will share one of many "has grace been sufficient for you" instances in my life.

Our now-20-year-old son went through a tough time, including depression and many suicide attempts, starting at age 14, possibly earlier. Meds and counseling did not help enough. Eventually, he began to self-medicate with alcohol and marijuana. As he approached age 18, he spiraled down to the lowest point where all he wanted to do was get high. I was firm in working to minimize his access to illegal substances; however I was limited in what I could do. Mild violence and stealing, from us, were issues, as well. So with lots and lots of prayer, novenas, rosaries, and trust, I prayed to God to heal "T" and to do what He could, in the times our son was not in my physical presence.

When "T" turned 18, and it was no longer considered legal abandonment to "put him out," we hit a crisis issue/point and "forced his hand." T talked the good talk and walked the good walk for 36 hours and then returned to his by-then-ingrained bad habits. So ... with a heavy, screaming heart, but knowing we had to protect me, Dad, and younger sister, we threw him out. Permanently. Tough Love in its strongest iteration. A counselor told me it could be 10 years before he grew up and took responsibility for himself.

Well, with continue hope that in His time, God would turn our son's heart and mind 180 degrees, I continued to turn to God, trusting His plan and timing with grace and prayer. I hoped we wouldn't have to wait 10 years, for T to grow up, but I accepted that we might be "in it for the long haul." And I knew T might never change and grow to respect his body, mind, and soul.

I am happy to say, our son started to turn his life around 6 months after we put his items in our driveway, called him at a friend's home, and told him, "You are no longer welcome in our home." Over the past 18 months of change, he ended in a local Homeless Shelter, began to "see the light," began to attend church a little, completed a certification program through JobCorps in Kentucky, is a Deckhand on Towboats moving barges on the Mississippi and tributaries, loves his career, has been clean for 18 months, is very committed to staying clean, and has friends who support him in his decisions and actions.

This "story" doesn't convey the years of pain we endured, my painful self-questions about whether I caused T's problems and was not the right mother for T. Suffice it to say, God "held us together," as a family, even when I can't believe we three were strong enough to get through T's "shenanigans."

I'll email you some other interesting things later this week or next. And thanks for Saturday! As your teen group members probably say, "You da bomb!"

K (you'll note I updated from a juno e-address)

Kimberly - thank you so much for sharing. Amazing how God works through a parent's prayers. Glad to hear your son is doing so well. I do look forward to hearing more about your time at the retreat on Saturday.

In Christ,
Chris Faddis

It's kind of funny. I was sitting here watching Michael W Smith's live broadcast of his concert and he was playing his song titled Grace as I read through some of the responses to your post. A little ironic I know in timing, but I think the song accurately describes how God's Grace is so amazingly powerful and that we will never be able to fully comprehend it.

I was lost when ya found me here
You pulled me close and held me near
And I'm a fool but still you love
I'll be your fool for the king of love

He gave me wings so I could fly
And gave me a song to color the sky
And all I have is all from you
And all I want is all of you

It's grace, grace
I'm nothing without you
Grace, your grace
Shines on me

And there've been days when I've walked away
Too much to carry
Nothing left to say
Forgive me Lord when I'm weak and lost
You traded heaven for a wooden cross

And all these years you've carried me
You've been my eyes when I could not see
And beauty grows in the driving rain
Your oil of gladness in the times of pain

It's grace, your grace
I'm nothing without you
Grace, your grace
Shines on me
Your grace, your grace
I'm nothing without you
Grace, your grace
Shines on me oh yeah
Shines on me
Shines on me
I'm everything with you
Shines on me
Shines on me
It's your grace
Shines on me
Your grace
Oh
Your grace it shines on me
Your grace
Your grace
Shines on me
Shines on me
Your grace it shines on me
Your grace

right now my family is going through a very rough time, my 6 year old cousin has a tumor on his brain, and a couple weeks we found out that my aunt has a very early stage of cancer. Only through God's grace have i been able to continue to be calm and trusting in Gods power and kindness. While my other family members are scared, i have maintained this peace that I will continue to trust in God and everything will be okay. My boyfriend of 4 years moved this June to attend grad school in Ohio. Even though this is not as serious as the problems of my family members, Gods grace and love is what keeps us going everyday. We both know this is what is suposed to be done right now, and he has blessed us in SO many ways.

God's grace has really been needed in my household. And thankfully, He has been dishing it out (when we're receptive to it). My husband is underemployed and looking for a job that fits his skills and talents - he's been looking since May 2008. We're very grateful for his current job (puts food on the table) but desperately know that with our growing family (we have a 15 month old + one due in March) that it won't be enough. The only thing that gets us through the paycheck to paycheck way of lief and the depressing financial news (such as a pay freeze for the next 2 years) is really God. We have clung to our Faith, and frequented the Sacraments (especially Confession) more than when "things were good" (when we were in college and had way more money, ironically). We both know that God doesn't give you more than you can handle and He doesn't give children without a means to support them. When things have gotten REALLY bad, we've always had "random money" just appear - such as refund checks and insurance dividends that are always in the exact amount that we need. God is so good to us!

I would venture to guess that we're happier/more content/closer to God now than when "things were good". The more we die to ourselves and live for God, the closer God becomes, and the more open we are to receiving His grace.

Hi Kim,
Thanks for your post. It is very moving to hear how God has worked in your situation to draw you closer. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately of how God uses our "poverty" whether that is physical or spiritual to draw us closer. Its when we give our "poverty" over to God that we find the joy that our hearts desire.

Thanks again for your post but also - wanted to let you know that my wife and I did a little "official" drawing and YOU WON! :) I hope you enjoy the book. If you could email me at chris.faddis@gmail.com with your full name and address Adore Ministries will send your book to you tomorrow.

In Christ,
Chris Faddis

Hey - how do you like the Advent book?

I'm really, REALLY enjoying it. I've found that every single meditation has really spoken to me on a deeper level - it's really something I need at this point in my spiritual journey. It's almost eerie how much they relate right now, but then again; maybe not. :D

YAYYYYYYYYYYYY! I will send you an email right away! Thank you, and God bless!

Not to be glib, but it frequently ISN'T.

Not that I don't want or need it, but that I'm all too often aware of how far short I fall even WITH it.

Chris I think that is the point of Grace and certainly the point of what St. Paul mean in 2 Cor. 12:9-10 - he tells us first that he has a thorn in his side which is Satan constantly reminding him how weak he is. He goes to Christ about this and Chris tells him, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” Your falling short is where God's grace comes in - if you allow it, if you cling to it. I've felt the same way so many times - and what I've found is that when I feel weak - its in receiving Grace through the Sacraments that I find the strength I need. When I struggle with sin - it is in the grace of Reconciliation that I find the strength to face down tempation.

Oh yes, agreed. Both in thought and practice. Reconciliation especially is a
part of my regular practice when attempting to change behaviors I want to
leave behind.

I make a similar connection around themes in the book of Colossians myself.

I guess in my comment on the web site, I'm trying to underscore precisely
this point through my rhetoric. In many ways, the whole point of grace is
that it ISN'T "enough," and the more dependent one grows on it, the more
clear that becomes.

Peace and all good-
Chris

I'll kick it off with a story of my own. About a year and a half ago, I moved to Atlanta for a job - that job never came through and I ended up being out of work for about three months. It was a very difficult time for our family. I worked odd jobs as much as I could, I delivered pizzas, all the while looking daily for a job. We were in despair and had no clue how to get out of the hole we were in. There were many days when we had conversations about God's grace and how it was supposed to get us through. We began to go to Mass daily and sometimes even went twice a day. The parish near us had Mass in the morning and at 6pm.

In the thick of our plight we couldn't see it - but it is so clear to us now that it was the Grace of receiving the Eucharist daily that got us through. It gave us just enough strength to get through another day and to hope. It wasn't easy and we certainly didn't lack our days of worry, fear, and and anxiety - but if we dragged ourselves to Mass we would find that Grace would take over and at least for a little while we could feel a bit of peace.

Thank God for the Sacraments!