Author: Laura Grace

I was that "unpopular" weird kid, that didn't fit in anywhere, in High School. I guess I never knew my place in life, until Jesus took me in. I've been rejected, misunderstood, left out, bullied, abused, scandalized, and labeled. In 2002 I got on a bus and left a marraige of sixteen years, that was fraught with abuse and heartache. In school, I used to be so afraid to stand in front of the class and speak, my hands would visibly shake, and I could not look at my audience without being terrified. Years later, I find myself leading a school music production, speaking in front of churches, and walking around with confidence, because I know the King of Kings is at my side. My ministry, prayers and blogs are directed toward those who feel like they were never enough. You never fit in. If I can help you in any way, if you need a special speaker to speak hope to the hurting, or if you would like a copy of my Testimony book (Grace to the Rescue) let me know. I am here for you. https://www.amazon.com/stores/Laura-Grace/author/B00DLYKCOQ?ref=ap_rdr&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=2ee12b01-8592-43a4-b4b8-daec0a37d906 With Love, Laura I can be reached at sisterzeal@yahoo.com

When Having Faith Hurts (And we don’t get the outcome we desired).

January 31, 2019January 31, 2019 Laura GraceLeave a comment

What do we do when having Faith hurts us? I’ve experienced the devestation of not having the outcome I believed I woud have (after believing, with all my heart, for something to happen.) What I see is, God honors my Faith, but my timing isn’t always the same as His.

I used to stand outside my door every single day (praying in the morning) believing for a bigger house. The house we lived in at the time was so small, it literally felt like you had to “go outside to change your mind.”

This house was 643 square feet (total) including the porch area, and when my kids came to visit, we didnt have room for everyone to sit around the table.

At Christmas time, we sat in a circle, as if we were in a tee-pee, and the coffee table became one of the chairs. It was a small, small, very small house, and we lived in it for several years. During that time, God taught me to be thankful, while having faith at the same time for “something more.”

Now, we live in a double wide mobile home, which is a blessed home to us, but probably “lost its’ value” according to the world. However, we love it, and consider it an answer to prayer! We had to adjust our faith to receive this house however, because it wasn’t exactly what we were believing for. There really is a balance between “not giving up on your faith” and staying surrendered at the same time.

”

God did honor our Faith, but he also had us make some adjustments in the process of having Faith. By his Spirit, he challenged our thinking. Isn’t that what a good Father should do?

This is our house now: garage

God is smarter than we are, and it’s not that we should just “give up on having faith” nor should we just say, “Whatever will be will be.” God commends (and honors) people who have faith. Do not shrink back! (Hebrews 10:39).

Laura Grace, Author, Grace to the Rescue, Grace to Grow, & Dsyfunctional People.

Hebrews 11:35 “Women received back their dead, raised to life again. There were others who were tortured, refusing to be released so that they might gain an even better resurrection. 36 Some faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment.

39 These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised, 40 since God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.”

grace · grace reigns · grace to grow · grace to Grow in grace · grace to grow speaking · grace to restore · grace to soar · grace to the rescue · grace wins every time · graceofgod · gracetosoar · gracetotherescueseries · gracewalk · politics · prayer · praying for your town · Praying in the Spirit with God · praying when I am hurting · prayinginthespirit · saving America · Uncategorized

Are you praying for your town (or city?)

January 27, 2019January 27, 2019 Laura Grace4 Comments

l town

What if one person prayed in every single town? Do you think it would make a difference? I believe it would. Genesis 18 says God agreed to save Sodom and Gomorrah over 10 righteous men (see below) WOW.

Remember Miss America Pageants? “I want world peace” they often say. Where does world peace begin? IN YOUR House and IN YOUR TOWN. You can’t beleive for something you have not achieved yet in your own household. Amen?

I’ve been praying for my town for quite some time now. IN fact, ever since I arrived here when I hear of issues here I pray about it. The school, the church, the local library..Post office…..

I’ve trained myself that when I hear of a problem (in my surrounding area) I go to God in prayer and petition him to help, to fix it, and make declarations of faith over the situation.

This keeps me busy! After that there is church, my famiy….Friends, loved ones….And yes of course, the Nation! I”ve seen many answers to prayer already! (many!!) even down to “help them find a good librarian and town Clerk!” When I lived in another town (Pictured below) I prayed for that town (daily) for years!

“Father I ask in every town in this nation, every government entity, every place there is Father, Raise up People to pray for their towns (and cities). Help them believe they make a difference too! IN Jesus’ name! I thank you that you hear the prayers of those crying out secretlly to you Father Help us to take heart and be encouraged that “People are praying”

IN Jesus’ name! amen!

Genesis 18:16-33 Abraham pleads for Sodom:

“31 And he said, “Indeed now, I have taken it upon myself to speak to the Lord: Suppose twenty should be found there?”

So He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of twenty.”

32 Then he said, “Let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak but once more: Suppose ten should be found there?”

And He said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten.” 33 So the Lord went His way as soon as He had finished speaking with Abraham; and Abraham returned to his place” NKJV -Laura Grace, Author, Grace to the Rescue, Grace to Soar

Uncategorized

Live like you’re loved cause…..You are!

January 25, 2019January 25, 2019 Laura Grace2 Comments

love transforms

Live like you’re loved……..cause you are…… When God corrects me it’s like a burst of light and I’m reduced to tears and I realize “I KNEW THAT ALL THE TIME” but it was truth down inside me (which he drew out into the open) And the tears are only because I realize wow I knew that, and the enemy had blinders over my eyes………

When God corrects it’s liberating, awesome, beautiful, brings freedom! There is NO shame or condemnation. Religion does that. God is light, in him there is no darkness at all. (including shame, condemnation or hopelessness) all of that is from the evil one. Let there be Light!!

….”There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown [complete, perfect] love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection]”…. 1 John 4:1

I love you!

Laura Grace

bible study on motherhood · disciple or follower · disciples · Disciples for Jesus · gracetogrow · gracetogrowstudy · growing · growing and church · growing in Christ · growing in christ Jesus · Kids · kingdom kids · Kings Kids · nuturing children · raising children · Uncategorized

The best Job on Earth…..

January 23, 2019January 23, 2019 Laura GraceLeave a comment

Boy, do I remember when my kids were growing up! The fear that I would mess it all up, or do it wrong, or later they would have to be on a therapists couch (because of me!!). 😲

One thing I knew (gleaning from my own teen years), is that we don’t do something because someone “Said so!!”. Teens have this need to “Find something to beleive in” and if you don’t help them find it, someone else will!

I had reflected on this, in my early years, and knew we do what we do, because we actually BELIEVE in Something. When I was a teenage, I had a poster on my wall that said “If you can imagine it, you can achieve it, if you can dream it, you can become it.”

Could I really become anything I wanted to be? Perhaps not, but the belief I could (at the time) was highly important to me. Let your child discover their limitations, and be there to catch them (with Love) when they don’t quite make it to the goal.

It’s important to plant seeds, (and use every opportunity to teach life lessons if and when we can). Kids have a need to be inspired, over things being “required” of them. Requirements work for a season, but if you inspire them, it will probably last for life! Planting seeds involves introducing concepts, versus slamming down the gavel of learning and saying “This is how it must always be done!!”

If you want your kids to lean on God, let them see you are leaning on God. If you want them to pray, let them see you praying about things (real life problems). Let them know you’ve had disappointments too & be real with them!

If you want your kids to be great, find what is great in them and cultivate that, water it, and trust God to make it grow!

Help them to understand (as much as possible) why you are doing certan things and why it’s important. It’s a full time job! (but it’s worth it).

I loved being a mother. Now I love being a Grandma too!

It truly is…….
“The Best job on Earth”…..😊With Love,

Laura Grace

Grace to the Rescue Laura Grace · gracetotherescueseries · Rescued by God · Uncategorized

Rescued…..

January 22, 2019January 31, 2019 Laura GraceLeave a comment

17 years now since I headed out to start a new life….following Jesus to “He only knew where” When I got on that bus so long ago. I asked him to lead me, I was so scared but I followed his leading. Prior to this I was a prisoner of fear, between a rock and a hard place, scared to stay and scared to leave and terrified to do anything about my situation but pray……..

IN the Heroes of faith I could have been one who died in faith not receiving the promise (Hebrews 12) but I begged God to let me escape the edge of the sword. He rescued me! ❤

I’ve told my story and it’s up to you to decide whether it’s a story of grace and redemption, or whether I broke some relligious rule that was never understood by those who don’t care to know the very heart of God in a matter…….

Seven years ago..I wrote the first copy of this book…..

I wonder what’s next? It’s hard to grow unless first…..you are rescued……

https://www.amazon.com/Grace-Rescue-Laura-ebook/dp/B00C1SL6Y8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1548123911&sr=8-1&keywords=grace+to+the+rescue+by+laura+grace

Uncategorized

The Hamster Wheel

January 18, 2019January 18, 2019 Laura GraceLeave a comment

I call it the hamster wheel…..

Just getting busy doing good things, but I’m not sure any more if it’s all God wants me to be doing. Sometimes I just have to take a step back, take an impromptu day off, and pray and ask “What should I be doing?” It’s a good question for sure!

Jesus said apart from Him we can do nothing (Nothing beneficial, lasting or eternal).

This little note is a reminder today…..if you feel like you’re spinning your wheels, just take a moment, Ask God what you ought to be doing with your day! He gave you life, we give it back of our own free will (and he’s delighted when we do!!). This is delighting in the Lord In it’s fullest, to freely give him the freedom he gave you.

Laura Grace Scripture Ref John 15:5

bible studies · Bible study · christians growing · christlightshining · christlike · disciple or follower · disciples · Disciples for Jesus · disciplesofchrist · disciplesofchrist · everyday miracles · everyday people doing great things for God · everyday people doing missions · following God too · friends in Jesus · gracerescuedme · gracetogrow · Gracetogrowrealstories · gracetogrowstudy · gracewalk · growing and church · growing in Christ · growing in christ Jesus · growing up in Christ · growing up in Christ Jesus · growing up in God · growingingrace · Mentors and friends · Uncategorized

The Magnificent Mentor (Gods’ gift to me)

January 15, 2019January 15, 2019 Laura Grace1 Comment

When I was young in the Lord, I had a mentor. I clung to her like glue! (Like Ruth and Naomi, kind of). I learned so much from her,and was so blessed. One time I asked her to pray I’d have a double portion of what she had, (this was years ago).

She prayed it! It was a treasure to my heart, and I was always full of expectation, that exactly what she prayed would happen. Now I am older than she was when all that took place. It’s hard to believe……but here I am…..almost 57. Yikes. LOL I”m gonna share a few things she shared with me that I never forgot:

1. “Hem me in” King David asked God to hem him in. He could not do anything but God’s will (was his prayer) that God would literally prevent him from doing anything else. I treasure and use that prayer to this day.

2. “The Vision of the Well” She saw a vision, a girl trying to draw water out of a well. Every time she brought the bucket up it was empty but she tried and tried again. soon she started to cry, and gave up……at that moment a rumble occured and the well spewed water in a giant guyser blowing the bucket into the air………She said God said “the girl is you, the bucket is your expectations of answers to prayer………” the water was God coming through bigger than she could ask or think!!

3. She put her daughter in a young Miss Pageant and fully expected her to win. In Fact she felt God had put a promise i her heart the girl would win. When she didn’t win, my friend was devestated. She cried, “why did you let me believe she would win?” (heartbroken) God said “Because, if I didn’t you would not have done all that you did, and all that you did was part of my plan.” amazing!!

I remember that story when my hopes get deferred…….

These are some of the treasures I carry in my heart. Now I have my own experiences with God but back then, I lived on her testimonies toward me (and they were seeds in my heart).

Thank you God for Faithful Mentors! PS Later I had another Mentor…..a God send at exactly the right time. And I will be someone’s mentor (at times)….we all help each other and do our part! Peace! -Laura Grace, Author, Grace to Grow

Uncategorized

Don’t Let What is Happening become “Who you Are!” (A word from God today)

January 6, 2019January 6, 2019 Laura GraceLeave a comment

I was feeling defeated, sad, overcome by all the things that have been happening, here lately. It reminded me of a wind storm, that every time I got all the debris picked up from one storm, another one came right behind it. Most of these were emotional storms, but some are storms of very real circumstances. I’d been praying about it (all) for the last few days, and today the Lord spoke to my heart these words:

“Don’t allow what is happening to become who you are.”

I didn’t understand at first, but he continued: “You feel rejected, that does not mean you are rejected.” Likewise, you can feel sick, but you can still say “Thank you Father I’m healed.” “Sick” is not who you are! IN Me you are healed, in me you are chosen, in me you are not rejected, in me you are not broken-hearted (that’s not who you are) even though you may feel broken-hearted, right now.

Oh, I get it Lord! “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corn 5:17). It’s not lying to say I am healed (when you feel sick) or to say “I’m chosen” when you are obviously being or even feeling rejected. It’s not a lie to say “I AM God’s child” when someone is saying you are my child, and “if you don’t act like you think I should, I”m gonna disown you. ”

You can be considered a good friend to God, while someone may feel you have been the worst friend ever, God thinks you are a good servant, while at the same time, some may question your serving abilities. We are a work in progress! The prosecuting attorney that comes at us and has to Point out “You still look sick to me, you still look weak to me, and you look pretty broken and rejected to me,” is the devil himself.

We don’t need reminders of what we are not, we need reminders of WHO WE REALLY ARE!! So if nobody will do it for you, “remind yourself” who you are in Jesus. You are not only loved but Chosen, Treasured, Valued, qualified, not rejected, and maybe a work-in-progress, but a treasured work (of His) none-theless. Do not forget WHO YOU ARE (In HIM). Remind the devil of it daily! People who believe for good things in themselves, tend to manifest good things! People who believe bad things will manifest that as well. Trust me, I know. I’ve done both.

Love to you all! Laura Grace

be filled with the spirit · don't be drunk with wine · Happy New Year 2019 · New year's eve sobering message · sobriety · sobriety, spiritually and otherwise · Uncategorized

Taking God’s discipline as a gift……did you hear me? This is important!

December 31, 2018 Laura GraceLeave a comment

So…I am not preaching to you here, Okay? I”m preaching to myself!

Today I open my email box, I see a message from Minister Glenn Jackson (a minister I have learned to trust, and follow) and it’s about correction, and God disciplining those he loves. Now, when I think of correction, I think of a Shepherd’s staff (Prodding us into the right direction). Don’t you? But what if we still don’t listen? Then what?

God’s been telling me lately, “I need to rest.” Oh Man this is hard for me! I am a person who fears not being accepted (or loved) by others if I do not seem to be doing my part! Ever Felt beaten? (I have) and is this always the devil? Or is the Lord allowing us to be “beat to a pulp” until we realize we need to do HIS will, not our own?

There is probably no greater lesson in this life than “getting our way.” as I have soberly learned.

I know this doesn’t seem to be a very happy message for you all (and I am sorry about that). But, I am pretty sober today. Speaking of sobriety, New Year’s Eve is the time most people “whoop it up” and get all drunk and stuff.

This is what I consider today (as I”m pondering the discipline of God). He allowed or let me “do whatever I willed’ for years and years. It led to nothing (and to nowhere). I drank, partied, forgot what I did, threw up in the toilet after too many drinks, Spent money I didn’t have, bounced some checks, had to pay a bunch of fees and all kinds of things i”m not proud of. It wasn’t SHAME that brought me back from the dead, it was Jesus (and his Grace) that said “Hey, you haven’t given me a serious chance in your life yet have you?”

It reminds me of the passage that says “⁹Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, ¹⁰nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. ¹¹And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corn 6).

Now I ask you, what do you want to inherit? Sorrow and death? Or Love, Peace, Joy and righteousness in the Holy Ghost? You can’t have both. God’s not keeping tabs to try and “Punish you” but at the same time…..a good parent will grab you by the neck and say “What are you doing boy?” and if you fight him, he’ll say fine, “don’t call me from Jail!”. God’s not a co-dependent. He’s not going to say oh that’s just fine and dandy, you do what you want, “I’ll just keep blessing your wanton ways and half-hearted efforts.” Does that sound like God to you? Good, cause it isn’t!

“Father help us today to realize LOVE IS YOUR DISCIPLINE” and often discipline comes in the form of “giving us our way.” I pray we have the Grace to come to our senses, and escape the terrible traps of the evil one, before it’s too late. And by the way Father, Thank you for disciplining me …….and I mean it. Thank you, so much! amen” Laura Grace

Hebrews 12: For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes’. You must submit to and endure [correction] for discipline; God is dealing with you as with sons. For what son is there whom his father does not [thus] train and correct and discipline? Now if you are exempt from correction and left without discipline in which all [of God’s children] share, then you are illegitimate offspring and not true sons [at all].

abundant life · abuse · being real with God · being real with God 2 · being real with Jesus · better days ahead · bible basics · de-cluttering our lives · disciplesofchrist · everyday living in God · God heals · grace versus law · gracetogrow · Gracetogrowrealstories · gracetogrowstudy · gracewalk · Holy Spirit teaching · Holy Spirit, come · Jesus loves you · leprosy · Uncategorized · uncleanness

A Clean House (Spiritually Speaking, that is) De-Cluttering and Unclean. What does it all mean in New Testament living?

December 26, 2018December 26, 2018 Laura GraceLeave a comment

Hi! Greetings in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ! (who had me studying about clutter, just this morning!).

“Clutter” is not a word that’s in our bibles, but we now it exists. Don’t believe me? Check out the picture (above!). Do we see why we should not limit our terms and uses of language to bible language only (now?). Clutter is a real thing!

So often, we clutter our minds with opinions, useless information, all the jokes we saw online yesterday, and at Christmas especially, most of us get all cluttered up with the festivities that go with “Christmas.” It’s all good clutter, isn’t it? And yet sometimes, it is clutter, nonetheless.

It’s wierd how a study on Clutter this morning, (just one word the Spirit gave me) wound up being a study on uncleanness too! I had a friend just recently, who told me a mouse was in her trap and she wanted it disposed of. She said “I have mice” what should I do? Incidentally, she didn’t want to use poison, mostly because she didn’t want dead mouse-bodies laying around (where she could not see them.).

No, clutter is not the same as “dead things” (which were a big deal in Old Testemant times). God had special rituals listed in the Book of Numbers on how to get “clean again” and in Leviticus, and even 2 Kings, uncleanness was just a very big deal in those days.

Why? Why was touching dead things such a very big deal to God Almighty?

On top of that, why did God give Peter a Vision (Acts 10) and tell him not to call any man unclean? (Acts 10:38). Just as “back then” science had not developed to a place where people understood say “How to cook a Lobster” (and not get sick) or nobody knew that they needed to use Chlorine or something anti-bacterial to protect themselves after handling “dead things” (in order to protect and preserve one’s life), therefore, God listed everything that would bring his children harm, or potentially bring them harm, and deemed it all to be a big fat ‘No no.”

We understand clutter makes it hard for us to find “good things’ (which we have lost in the pile of clutter) and we easily understand “germs’ make us sick, dead bodies carry disease, and mold or mildew can especially cause immediate sickness (or even death!).

At the same time, we tend to clutter up our lives, and ignore the warning signs that we are spiritually “sickened” by all the things we expose ourselves to in this life.

We want God to “clean up the mess” and we need to get after it ourselves! “Clear the Way” (John the Baptist) “Prepare for his coming (answer) and not just the coming of him as the last trumpet sounds. See? We’ve got work to do!

How often do people cry out to God (for answers), and wonder why they can’t find or even see the answer from him? We get “clutter of the soul” and wonder why we can’t hear God, when he promised “the sheep will know his voice.”

What about the audible clutter in our lives? (Noise Pollution). We listen to many things, think our own thoughts, and spend a whole lot of time stressing out, trying to figure out how to solve a problem!

At the same time, we wonder why we can’t hear God very well? We clutter up our lives and wonder why we cannot SEE Him? Didn’t you promise I would see you, God? Maybe the answer is “right there” and we can’t see it, because of the clutter!

James had the answer “Purify your hearts” He said (in other words, de-clutter, get the junk out, and pay attention to him!). We want living water, but we mix it up with the defilements of this world (and wonder why it doesn’t refresh us!).

Ponder this awhile! (to be continued) ……With Love,

Laura Grace, Author Grace to Grow, Grace to Soar…….(etc and so on).