The Value of Going Through

An excerpt from the upcoming book,
Grace Spaces by Allison Bown

“Jesus’ own humanity has encouraged me in mine. His constancy in my storms quieted my heart. His compassion for my weakness washed away deeper wells of shame than I ever realized were present.

As I began to understand just how large some of my spaces between knowledge and experience still were, He chose to fill each one with an encounter of grace.

Everything Satan does works to steal, kill, and destroy. One of his strongest weapons is shame. Shame separates us from the very truth that will set us free. It shouts to hide for fear of rejection, and the enemy of your soul excels in authoring life experiences that you can point to and say, “It’s true! Hide or else you’ll be hurt!”

And when we’re in that place, Jesus has tears of compassion in His eyes.

He sees that space too, but He sees it so differently. He sees it as one of His favorite places to be with us. Sure, He loves those times when we celebrate our victories together and He rejoices in our breakthroughs. God adores showing up as the miracle-worker He truly is. But so many times in scripture, He talks about going through our difficulties with us:

“... though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” Psalm 23:4

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you,” Isaiah 43:2a

“When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned… for I am the Lord your God,” Isaiah 43:2b.

“And [God] made Israel pass through the midst of [the Red Sea], for His mercy endures forever,” Psalm 136:14

And in all those places—the valleys, the floods, the fires and the impossible situations—Jesus comes with compassion and care. He knows when we need Him most and that He is our only hope.

Our situations don’t always change, but we are transformed by God’s kindness and grace as He treasures walking with us through our Grace Spaces.”

On April 27th, this beautiful group of explorers came together to practice ways of renewing our joy through times of quiet and contemplation. After a short overview of our Grace Spaces perspectives on quiet, we spent two hours of this three hour workshop experiencing them together!

Members brought art that they shared with the group and talked about how it encouraged and inspired them in the Lord. 

We shared a “Golden Memory” from a photograph in small groups and how that memory brings gratitude and restores our joy. Then we asked Jesus what HE loved about that moment in time.

At the end of the time, we shared a picture of our younger selves and listened for what God would say to that younger woman or child to affirm them on their journey.

We all left feeling so renewed and affirmed in how God meets each of us uniquely and faithfully!

This month, your personal gifts to Grace Spaces provided 30 copies of The Higher Call to 30 women from Aglow Prison Ministry who were being trained to go into women’s jails and prisons throughout Northern California. (The books are on the table under the red arrow.) Thank you!

If you wish to give a gift, you can do so at https://www.gracespaces.org/giveagift

100% of gifts given goes towards supplying Grace Spaces materials to providing Grace Spaces materials and services to women in jails, prisons, transitional housing and the dedicated volunteers who minister to them.

Thank you!