Through Eyes Of Grace

Originally posted by Cassie Davis on https://whispersofgrace2015.wordpress.com/
 

Do you ever look at someone and wish that they could see themselves the way you see them? That they could see the potential that lies within them.  That they could see how much more they are capable of.  How much more they deserve. And that they could arise and begin walking in all of that freedom.

That freedom that is right there within their grasp……if only they would just reach out and claim it.

If only.

Recently I was thinking about someone like that in my life.  Someone I have been praying these specific prayers over for many years now.

And I began to feel frustration well up within me.

How many more prayers will it take? How many more conversations had?  How many more words of encouragement will need to be given? How much more will it take for them to see, to see themselves for who they truly are?

It’s not that I need a specific deadline or else I will choose to give up on them.  The frustration is more a feeling of mourning.  A mourning for all the time that has passed by…..and continues to.  All the time they have spent stuck in the valley when the mountain top is right there.

A mourning for the unclaimed freedom.

But, my frustration, my mourning, over this person quickly changed to a revelation as He  gently spoke something eye opening to my spirit.

…..Because you see, the way I feel about this person is the way He must feel about me.

How much more will it take for me to see myself the way He does?

How many more conversations in prayer?

How many more words of encouragement through His word?

How much more love will He have to show me before its enough to drive out the fear that restrains?

When will I fully see the potential He placed within me?

When will I finally arise and claim the freedom right within my grasp?

…..How exhausting I must be to Him, right?

But here’s the beautiful truth.  I’m not exhausting to Him at all.  Because things look vastly different when viewed through the eyes of grace.

He remains patient with me, never exhausted by me, and never leaves me.  Instead He draws nearer and nearer.  When I push away He pulls me back.  When I am discouraged He encourages.  When I run He chases after me. He fights for my freedom, the freedom He already paid for. Until I reach out and finally claim it.

He never gives up.

And neither can we.

Not on ourselves and not on others.

Cassie Davis Is the Founder and owner of Gifts That Give Back Vendor markets, Roadshow, and Store.  Wife of 18 years, mother to 3 young children, co/running 3 businesses with my husband…..living the dream.

You can follow Cassie Davis on Facebook 

You can follow Cassie’s store on Instagram

You can shop her store Gifts That Give Back Event here

You can read more blogs by Cassie here

Stay at The Inn Above the Store

About the Gifts That Give Back Event store

Several years ago, the Christmas season had begun to lose its luster. As my relationship with God grew, I realized more and more that Christmas was losing its true meaning. Out of necessity, I was just buying things for my loved ones, sometimes things they hadn’t even stated they needed or wanted.  

I was simply buying to buy. And unknowingly feeding a machine that was hurting people instead of helping. 

 

So, I began searching for more meaningful gifts and discovered that many different nonprofits and ministries sold handmade items that helped others in need. So, when I purchase a gift for my loved ones, that gift would tell a story to the one who received it. The gift they held in their hands on Christmas morning was the hands and feet of Jesus in motion. 

 

It felt good.

​

It put Christ back into Christmas for me.

 

And the Lord gave me the vision to become Gifts That Give Back.

​

Since then, that dream has expanded from a small Christmas shopping get-together in my home to a sizeable charitable vendor market, a Roadshow shop, and a storefront. 

 

You make the world a better place when you shop at a Gifts That Give Back vendor market or store. You are helping those in need both here at home and abroad.

​

Jesus instructs us to “love our neighbors as ourselves,” and our neighbors are literally everyone. Therefore, everyone is our “neighbor,” and we are called to help them. 

 

Gifts That Give Back is one way to do that.

 

Together we can change the world while we shop.