Many years ago, while I was beginning to have an understanding of God’s grace, God asked me a question: “Who do you think is good enough to go to heaven?”

I began to count on my fingers: “Billy Graham. Mother Teresa.” And, then, I stopped. I couldn’t actually think of anyone else I thought was so good, so “holy,” so sinless that they would be good enough to go to heaven.

And then, God showed me this picture in my mind of heaven, with tumbleweed blowing across the gold streets.

I realized that heaven would be a pretty vacant place if our works got us in.

The truth is, no one is worthy enough on their own to get to go to heaven. We are all screw ups in some area of our lives. When you drive – you might be an anger screw up. If you are a sports fan, you might be a hatred screw up. I mean, I know people who literally hate a specific college or professional sports team. Maybe someone has deeply hurt you, and you can’t forgive them…so maybe you are an unforgiveness screw up. And then, there’s that Scripture – anything that is not of faith is sin. Fear is a sin. Lack of faith is a sin. Bitterness is a sin.

No one is good enough to get into heaven. Not even Billy Graham.

Do you know why? Because we are saved by faith – not by works. God knew works couldn’t factor into the criteria, because He knew we could hardly get out of bed in the morning without committing some sin that we have never been able to overcome on our own…or that we don’t want to overcome.

That’s the beauty of what Jesus did for us: “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” 2 Corinthians 5:21.

Jesus took on your sin so that you could take on His righteousness. Therefore, no tumbleweed in heaven. That’s grace – the unmerited favor of God.

It’s not a license to sin. Christians sin all the time anyway, even without a license. There is no one who does not sin. And, there is none righteous outside of Jesus’ righteousness that has been given them. Redemption – the exchange of Jesus’ righteousness for our sin – provides a level ground for all believers. We are all saints. Joint heirs. Children of God. And, when we grasp the fact that our standing with God is based on grace and not works, we lose the desire to sin. We become like Jesus. And, it means that no person can boast of their goodness – because they have none.

If none of this were not true, there would, indeed, be tumbleweed in heaven. Billy Graham and Mother Teresa would be quite lonely there. Actually, even Billy Graham and Mother Teresa wouldn’t even be there. I know one thing – if it were not for the grace of God, I wouldn’t get to go to heaven. I’m a stinker and I know it. But, the more I’ve learned about God’s love for me and God’s grace toward me, I’ve become less of a stinker.

It was in the 1990s that I first understood the grace of God. Joyce Meyer had a teaching series called, “Grace, Grace and More Grace,” and it changed my whole life! The second tape (Well, it was the 90s, so, yes, they were cassette tapes.) – “The Power of Grace” – had a permanent place in my car. And, when I would start my car, it would start playing wherever it left off when I turned the car off the last time. I played it so much that my kids named my car “Gracie the Joycemobile.” And, I wore that tape out. Three times.

One thing I began to realize was that it is the power of God’s grace and not our works that meets our needs. No matter how much you have, it will never be enough to meet your need unless you include the grace of God with it. God showed me that through to story of the feeding of the 5,000 men plus women and children.

God’s Loaves and Fishes Philosophy of Life.

The feeding of the 5,000+ is the “template,” so-to-speak, of how God works in our lives. We bring to God what we have, which is never enough to meet our need. He adds His grace to it, and not only is our need met, but there is always overflow.

My life doesn’t consist of three bins” 1. What I can do on your own; 2. What I need help from God with; and, 3. What only God can do. I have one bin, and that bin is “Help, me, God!” It’s the “apart from You, I can do nothing,” bin. It’s the “Oh, God! Give me grace! Grace, grace and more grace!” bin.

When I realized that – that grace was required for everything in my life – it freed me from every pressure of life! I don’t mean that I quit doing my part. What I mean is, I learned that I had to give to God my part – big or small – and let Him make whatever it was work.

So…what about the overflow? (Remember: You give to God what you have. He adds His grace to it. It meets your need…and there is overflow.) The overflow is for others.

We don’t hoard the overflow. It’s meant to meet someone else’s need. Or, to just be a blessing to someone. Your overflow – whether it is physical, emotional, spiritual, financial or social – is someone else’s provision or someone else’s motivation to believe and receive grace for their need.

Grace levels the playing field. It means no Christian is better than another Christian. It means no Christian has to work harder than another Christian. It means that, what tops off everyone’s bin and brings it to overflowing is – grace, and not works.

Do your part. Do it with excellence as an offering to God. Then, rest. Rest, and let the grace of God complete it to overflowing.

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton

When I’m talking to my husband (Dwight), he often says, “You should start your own blog.”

Now, I’ve never been sure whether he actually thinks other people might be interested in what I have to say…or…if he just wants me to find some other outlet for my appreciation for talking.

I do appreciate talking. I’ve always had a lot to say. In fact, I can still remember my mother, when I was about four years old, saying, “Let’s play ‘Hush Puppy’ and see who can go the longest without talking.’ “

Half jokingly and half seriously, I often say that I have an opinion about everything.

One of my favorite topics is talking about the grace of God. And, about God’s power and desire to heal. Both of those topics changed my life forever.

So, after today, when Dwight once again said, “You should start your own blog,” I started one. That means you can either blame him or thank him. I’m good with either.

There is it. The answer to, “Why?” And, I’m apt to have something to say quite often. My goal is that what I share with you will change your life. Energize your faith. Give you a new viewfinder. Make you laugh. Cause you to walk in freedom. Help you find joy in life.

Well, here goes.