God morning my brothers and sisters,
Can't believe fall is here, a sign brought on by kids going back to school. Here is hoping you all had a great summer. Finish strong.
Today, I am going to take you way back, to tell you a story from my senior year in high school—a year that was one of the toughest for me but also one that taught me some of the biggest lessons that helped me shape my life.
It was a difficult time because my stepfather had walked away from our lives, and my mother had received a promotion that required her to move from Minneapolis, MN to Atlanta, GA, halfway through my senior year. High school was one of the stable things in my life, I loved high school. I begged my mom to let me stay behind so I could finish my last year of high school. She agreed, but it meant I was navigating some of the most critical moments of my life without my immediate family close by.
During that year, I learned a lot about grace, and one of the most powerful examples came from a very prominent men in Minneapolis, it was my girlfriend’s father. You see, prom night was approaching, and taking his only daughter to prom with absolutely no ability to pay for it was more than a little embarrassing for me. But this man, showing tremendous grace and love, was sensitive enough to my situation and did something that still moves me to this day.
He invited me and three other couples to their house that evening for a pre-prom dinner. Knowing that I couldn’t afford a fancy dinner, he and his wife opened up their home and served us an elegant steak dinner that made the evening special for all of us. But that wasn’t the end of the story. As the evening went on and it was time to leave for the prom, he pulled me aside.
He knew I had a beat-up car, and as he shook my hand, I felt a set of keys in my palm. It was the keys to his precious e-type Jaguar, which he was lending me for the evening to take his daughter to prom. I was stunned and quickly tried to give the keys back, saying I could never take such a beautiful car. But he turned my hand over and said these words: “If you think this car is worth more than my daughter, then don’t take her out at all.” I was humbled and honored by his trust and grace. I thanked him, grabbed the keys, and we were off to prom.
It was a night to remember, made possible by the grace of my girlfriend’s father and mother. They showed me that grace is not something you earn…it’s a gift given freely, out of love.
So consider this, just like my girlfriend’s parents extended grace to me, consider how you can be that person in someone else’s life. Look for opportunities to show grace, kindness, and trust to those around you…especially to those who might be struggling or feeling uncertain. Your small act of grace could make a significant impact, providing someone with the confidence, support, or encouragement they need to succeed. You never know the difference you can make by simply offering grace when it's least expected and most needed.
This brings us to our Friday Fly-by word and it comes from Ephesian 2:8-9 and it says…'For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast.'
Grace is a gift, both when we receive it and when we give it. As you go about your day, think about how you can be that father figure to someone around you, offering the kind of grace that can truly make a difference in their life. It did so much for me and shaped how I choose to Love others.
I hope this has been encouraging to you all, as always, love you all! Be blessed and go be a blessing!
For more information or to inquire about our holistic coaching services, reach out to:
J.A. Dava, Co-founder, Sr. Coach at Jdava@latreiacoaching.com/ 614-638-9397, or
Paul Waldrop, Co-founder, Sr. Coach at pwaldrop@latreiacoaching.com/ 404-784-3771.
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