I’ve mentioned before that my training/background is in teaching. I taught first grade for one year, but have spent most of my time in third grade. I LOVE third graders! It’s a fun age – still young and innocent, old enough to complete fun projects, and they haven’t quite figured out what is and isn’t appropriate to share with the teacher. That has resulted in some hilarious conversations in the classroom.

Third graders are funny, y’all.

One incident occurred just two years ago. I was teaching the rules of using a period, and that particular day we were learning to place periods after a person’s initial. I explained that my middle initial is G, and so when I sign my name, I place a period after the G. Trying to make it a little more interesting for the class, I asked if they could guess what the G stood for. After a few wrong guesses, I halted the conversation when one student called out, “Grumpy?”

Ouch. Teaching third grade is not for the faint of heart. Or for  the grumpy, apparently.

For the record, my middle name is Grace. I am Bethany Grace Hernandez. (And for the record, I am the clumsiest most graceful person who ever lived. Thanks, Mom and Dad.)

When I was younger, I desperately wanted to change my name. I was not a fan of Bethany Grace. I didn’t like Bethany because I didn’t really know anyone else who had that name. It hadn’t yet become cool to be different. And I didn’t like Grace because I always got made fun for being so clumsy. (Again, thank you, Mom and Dad. And thank you, cousins. My counselor is appreciative of that vacation she can now afford due to my many family issues. I kid, I kid.) I fell, I spilled, I sprained, I face planted. Suffice it to say, I did not live up to my middle name. I was anything but graceful.

So I came up with a plan: Instead of being Bethany Grace, I would be Kathy. I can’t even begin to explain to you my reasoning behind this. All I remember is that I loved the name Kathy. (This was also around the time I told my mom that I wanted blonde hair and blue eyes instead of brown hair and brown eyes. I was a special child.)

Clearly, I failed in my measly whole-hearted attempt to change my name AND my appearance. And I learned a few important lessons along the way. Let me be clear: this is not a self-help post. It’s not a post about pulling myself up by my boot straps and getting over it (I’m from Texas, can you tell?). Today I am a (relatively) normal, confident, well-adjusted person because of one thing:

God’s grace.

The older I get, the more I am aware of God’ grace in my life. I am alive because of God’s grace. I have been incredibly blessed because of God’s grace. And even the trials that have come my way with their companions – the sleepless nights, the constant running of thoughts, the pit in my stomach that won’t go away – are a testament to the grace of God in my life. Not because they exist, but because I have gotten through it and I’m still standing. Those trials have taught me much, but what stands out at the top of the list is that God’s grace is enough to sustain me through anything.

Are you blessed? Do you have your health? Do you enjoy your relationships with family? Do you have a job that provides not just for your needs, but also many of your wants? You, my friend, have experienced God’s grace. You are still standing because of it.

Are you struggling? Are your relationships lost? Have you been given bad news by the doctor? Has your boss called you in to inform you of a new direction you are now taking? Are you working to keep everything together but it keeps falling apart? Dear one, please listen to me: you have experienced God’s grace. It may not seem like it. In fact, I know that right now it seems like just the opposite. But God’s grace is at work in your life and He wants to give you more of it! Reach out to God and take hold of His plan for you.

The other day I was completely undone by this song. It came on the radio while I was driving to work, and I had to park my car and have a good cry over the truth of it. I am overwhelmed by the grace of God my life. I am where I am because of God’s grace and I know you are too.

God’s grace will always find you, my friend. Will you allow it to change you?