Grace means different things to different people and a few women have decided to share this with us. From different life experiences to varying favorite bible verses, each story is very unique, but you will find one thing we all have in common – we all live free.
Alice. Brooklyn, USA
“Grace to me is like a mother’s love, no matter how much I mess up, go against what she says or go off track, she always welcomes me with open loving and non-judgemental love.. God’s grace is like this, but 1000 times better.
There was once a point in my life I was a double standard Christian.. I would drink and party, and sleep around during the week and Sunday mornings you would find me at the 9am service. I would sit in church with my make up from the night before because I had just enough time to go home and change into acceptable church clothes then head home and sleep my Sunday away after church. But God always met me with Grace, love and open arms. He would never let me sit in my guilt because those times the service always seemed geared to me like my life was on display for the whole church. But the pastor would always end with an altar call that no matter how many times we messed up, God loves us, has never and shall never turn His back on us. Jesus ALWAYS loves us as we are and regardless of our past”
Essie. New York, US
“Most of my life, I constantly prioritized what people thought of me over what God thought of me. Sometimes I valued other people’s opinions over my own. It was so bad that if I though someone was mad at me -even a random person – I would literally be sick to my stomach and not be able to eat for a while. I couldn’t speak up in classes because of what people would think I sounded like. It was a constant internal struggle because most people considered me to be confident and “doing me”, and here I was obsessing over other people’s opinions in my head.
One day while binge watching YouTube videos I saw a sermon by one of my favorite people ever – Christine Caine. It was called Identity Beyond Your Past. 30 seconds in and I was floored. It was as if she was directly speaking to me when she said ‘My value is expressed in the fact that Jesus Christ died on a cross for me 2000 years ago. That’s what gives me my identity. That’s what gives me value. That’s where your esteem comes from.” I mean could it be said any better?! Now I’m not saying it suddenly changed my life/I did a 180 turnaround — but it sure did get me started, and it was Grace that finished it. Fast forward to today where I believe in myself 100% and I am no longer physical and mentally bound to other people’s thoughts about me. I live free.
In conversations with other women, I heard similar struggles. Young women all over the world are struggling with their identity because the world is pulling them in so many different directions. Wear this. Do that. Don’t be this. And that’s what started the Grace Project. A calling to let other women know that they are enough because they have Grace. Sharing our stories will not only encourage and bless others, but also start a bigger movement away from the world’s standards.
So remember, Grace is free and is yours for the taking. Be you, be authentic and live with Grace Upon Grace.”
Marie. New York, USA
“Grace means I am accepted in the beloved of God not because of anything I’ve done or will do but because He loves me. Grace means I’m as righteous as Jesus is and now the Father sees me in Him. Nothing missing and nothing lacking”
Abokuma. Accra, Ghana
“To me Grace is knowing there is someone somewhere that loves you protects you and forgive you no matter what and will never fail you. Grace to me is favor and I’m always grateful for the Grace of God.”
Stephany. New York, USA
“Be still and know that I am your God” (Psalm 46:10) When I find myself struggling or unhappy I remember this verse. I think, “be still” because I have a father in Him. A father who loves, who provides, and grace is one of his gifts!”
Ese. New York, USA
“Grace is being able to make mistakes, forgive those that have caused me pain and to forgive myself. Grace is the glow of hope in times of distress. Grace is a driving force in the power of love and reconciliation. Grace gets us closer to loving ourselves and thus loving others.”
Nkechi. Nigeria
“Grace means I am forgiven beyond what I deserve, I’m blessed more than I know, my future is set.”
Afua. London, UK
“Anyone who knows me well knows that I WORRY. Way too much. About my actions, my future, my health, my job, my family… Causing me to stress so much about my mistakes and live in fear and doubt. And this prevents me from fully accepting who I am in Christ. It is Grace that is more than enough to meet and cover me in all my broken and messy places. And it is His grace that brings me rest, and reminds me that in Christ, I am victorious, yes VICTORIOUS!”
Nanelle. Maryland, USA
“Grace is God’s gift to me. I am far from perfect and I am unashamed of my past because of God’s Grace. I am fully and totally accepted by Him now and always without condition and without deserving. I am loved and I am guarded from evil. I do not have to earn this but it is an outright gift.”
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