I just finished Joyce Meyer’s book Grace, Grace and More Grace. Being such a workaholic I have struggled with grace in my life. For years I assumed that as long as I was working hard and not getting into trouble that God would be happy with me. If I wasn’t working for any reason I felt guilty. I have always hated to be sick because I felt I missed good working opportunities.

God has brought me along gradually to an understanding of grace. I have gone from having no conversation at all to asking God what he wanted “me” to do. After beating my head against the wall on many projects God guided me to ask for his help with projects. I know there were many times he took pity on me and granted me favor even as I struggled to do everything myself.

Joyce’s book, Grace, Grace and More Grace is the next and hopefully the last step in my understanding that God does not want me to do ANYTHING by my own efforts. He wants to work his will through me entirely with his power and NONE of mine. These are fighting words for a workaholic like me. How can I possibly not do anything? From Joyce’s book I understand, I can’t. If I could by my willpower turn everything over to God I would have done this already. I am incapable of not trying to do things myself so I have to turn this over as well.

So instead of my agenda, on my timetable, by my efforts it is instead, God’s agenda worked through me on his timetable by his power. And I have to pray to him to take me out of the way!  Because God has a better plan for me than I could ever have for myself I will prosper immensely through receiving his grace.  I am already seeing his grace in my life more and more as I have trusted him to guide me in my move to Fischer. Even with all the obvious blessings I backslid the last few weeks into trying to do things on my own again. Luckily God took advantage of me being sick and pointed me towards the Grace, Grace and More Grace book. I am now asking him daily to take away my pride in having to be the one to do things and letting him work his plan through me. I am so blessed he cares enough about me to have led me through this journey and to continue to guide me to where he wants me to be. This is a wonderful book for anyone but especially those who feel like they are working hard but frustrated by lack of peace and fulfillment. Madalyn