Truthful Grace
Renew your heart with these inspiring articles about Christ’s Sacrifice by author and teacher, Melissa McLaughlin~ Truthful Grace. Jesus died for your sins! Amazing Grace!
By Melissa McLaughlin We Need a Hero Sometimes we need a hero. To be encouraged by someone who lives with fierce faith in God. To hear again a testimony that inspires. During my recent Bible reading, one such unlikely heroine caught my attention. Her name is Rahab. Her spirit bright with faith, Rahab threw herself … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin It is Finished The cross fades. The tomb lies empty. The Savior is alive! Glancing back, we reminisce and then peer ahead with new hope and strength. We remember the final moments of Jesus’ earthly ministry. As He drew His last breath, Jesus groaned, “It is finished.” It. Is. Finished. Three small … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin God’s love is a rushing waterfall. Steadfast cleansing refreshing Carrying life onward and forever Unstoppable. God’s love is like downy snow. Effervescent, emanating light holy pure ever-fresh Endless design and delight. God’s love is a daffodil. Announcing life after winter’s cold death. Undaunted by nipping winds or packed earth. The dawning season … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Love Through the Pain Searing pain torched my back. Longstanding back issues, combined with the strain of age and use, resulted in physical agony that brought me to a complete halt. Following therapy, medication, treatments, and all manner of medical interventions, I found myself on the surgeon’s schedule for back surgery. And … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Grateful as the falling leaves Releasing their tiny grip In joyful abandon Tumbling free Following the wind’s touch Lighting darkened alleys With splashes of orange, red, yellow, and brown Piling high in gutters and ditches Filling the world with remembrance… What once was living, though now dead, is still moving Announcing God’s … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin The World’s Definition of Love I swayed to the rhythm and hummed along, “What’s love got to do with it? What’s love but a second-hand emotion?” Recently, while sitting in the waiting room at my doctor’s office, I listened to the lyrics of songs playing softly in the background. The repeating theme … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin I have observed many controversies surrounding Christianity and the Old Testament Law. In our previous discussion on this topic, we looked at How Should Christians View the Law? Jesus and the Law (Part 1). It is critical to consider the whole counsel of God, understanding the Bible as a whole. We will … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin I stand amazed at the beauty of God’s Word, the Bible. God’s powerful plan of redemption in Christ echoes on and on. As we reflect on Psalm 24, the rich layers of God’s Word reverberate with His unchanging glory, truth and majesty. Let’s walk through this passage and ponder the wonders of … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin A Memory of Love As a child, one of the highlights of our school year was Valentine’s Day. Once a year, we brought a shoe box to school and cut an opening on top. With energetic hands, sparkling eyes, construction paper and crayons, we transformed used cardboard boxes into personal mailboxes for … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin The gift of Christ The gift of Christ I take the stain of your sin… I cleanse you with the light of my mercy. I take the sting of death… I infuse you with the joy of life eternal. I defeat hell, Satan, evil… I award you with my glorious victory. I … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin What do we fear? When was the last time you were afraid? I mean really afraid? But was it ever your own sin? Did you ever fear the consequences of your own sin? Can we hide our sin? Have you ever tried to bluff someone about your actions? Perhaps as a child … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and 10 Days of Awe The Day of Atonement, in Hebrew known as Yom Kippur, is the second of three fall Feast Days (or Festivals) listed in the Old Testament. The Day of Atonement was established by God in Leviticus 16. (Also Leviticus 23:26-32 and Numbers … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin One of my favorite summertime joys is seeing flowers arrayed in their colorful, radiant glory. My parents have the most amazing bush that blooms each year during mid-summer months. Every evening at dusk several blossoms on the Evening Primrose burst open and fully expand within about 45 seconds. First we stand back … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin A View From Above Sometimes you just need a walk in the woods. The tall trees with deep-rooted strength and leaves that whisper in the wind. The earthy smell of life in the rich soil. The woodland critters that scamper about. The sound of stillness in the woods, a welcome retreat. There … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin One of the great pleasures of summertime is enjoying fruits and vegetables fresh from the garden. The deep red tomatoes, crunchy sweet cucumbers, lush green squash and overflowing beans. The list goes on and on and on. All year we wait for one bite of this sumptuous and long-awaited delicacy. As I … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin An Artist’s Image I love to gaze upon the beauty of an inspired piece of art. My husband is an artist and I enjoy pausing to reflect on his work for long stretches of time. The dynamic colors, the flowing brushstrokes, the composition of objects in the foreground and background, the images … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Home Sweet Home Surprisingly, one of the sweet joys of a summer get-away is coming home. After all the fun, the visits to see family, the sights and sounds of new places, there is something simple and beautiful about arriving back home. Seeing the familiar. Returning to your own comforts. Sleeping in … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin For as long as I can remember, I have loved horses. Horses captivated my mind and heart as a young girl. The swift, strong gallop. The playful, childlike whinny. The glistening coat and flowing mane. I drew pictures of them, read stories about them and dreamed of myself riding these majestic and … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin His footsteps fall softly in the olive grove Enveloped in verdant Garden fragrance The tender leaves, the stalwart trunks rooted and still, The young olive fruit swelling with sustenance A Garden pulsing with life Yet death casts its shadow there The earthy soil once wet with morning dew, Now soaked with the … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin When my kids were young, some of our beloved family pets were hamsters. Our first hamster was affectionately named Hammy. Hammy was a soft, brown and white, handful of cuddly love. At night, Hammy scampered through the trails and tunnels of his plastic hamster cage, like an energetic child unleashed at Chuck … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin If we jump back in time just 300 hundred years or so, we find some miraculous events sweeping through the Christian church in the United States and Britain. A spiritual revival was breaking out, the likes of which had never been seen before. So powerful and widespread was this revival, that the … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin For many years, I struggled to understand this phrase from the Bible, “the blood speaks a better word.” Bit by bit, the deep beauty these words carry has captured my heart. We Cry for Justice When we see an injustice, our hearts cry out for wrongs to be made right. For justice … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Soft pink petals Sing of a greater One Creator, Savior and King Wearing the thorns From the roses He made Jesus of You, they sing Photo by Melissa McLaughlin Additional poems you might enjoy: Vision of Red – Poem and prayer by Melissa McLaughlin He Lives – Poem by Melissa McLaughlin
By Melissa McLaughlin Jesus, give me a fresh vision you today, that I may see the depths of your love flowing down, rivers of red, drenching my parched soul, covering every tarnished sin-stain with your beautiful, holy, pure, blood. A glorious gift of your heavenly heart for my frail and needy one. Additional poems you … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin We all love to get new things. The new journal has fresh clean pages with no smudges or bent corners. The new pencil is full length and topped with a perfect, unused eraser. The new clothes have no stains, tatters or frayed edges. When we stand at the cusp of a new … Read more
Are you weary or heavy burdened? Feel like life has become a long and difficult journey? Need a rest for your soul? Pause here and let Jesus Christ restore your soul. Psalm 23
Let Jesus love you. We were created to be in a relationship with God. Love Jesus and let Jesus love you. Feeling the ragged, weary and worn from the harshness of the world? Let Jesus love you.
What do we do with a God who is both loving and holy, Savior and Judge, One who comforts and convicts?
By Melissa McLaughlin Too Far Away Oh, how we wept. She was our first child. Following a difficult pregnancy, with many scary bumps along the way, she was finally born. Though five weeks early, our greatly anticipated child was born. At first we were relieved and rejoicing simply that she was alive! Smiles, laughter, tears! … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin In Over My Head It was our honeymoon! What joy! We had decided to celebrate in Acapulco, Mexico. The food was scrumptious, the people joyful, the beaches beautiful and the water was warm and inviting. Being an avid ocean swimmer, I convinced my husband to take a snorkeling trip for an up-close-and-personal … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin New Growth Spring brings a variety of sweet memories from my past and heartwarming feelings of anticipation in the present. A fond memory from my childhood is that of my father starting seeds indoors in early spring. Sometimes in egg cartons, sometimes in small peat pots. The seeds would be carefully buried … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin New Life After a long, bitter winter even our bodies moan, yearning for spring. We wait for the sun’s strength to be emboldened. We breathe in deeply waiting for the smell of fresh earth. Daily we scour the brown frozen scenery for the smallest signs of new life. The snowdrop is the … Read more
Guest Post By The Eclectic Contrarian The First Christmas Tree The first Christmas tree was not beautiful. The lights did not catch your eye with splendor. The ornaments did not adorn or complement and decor. In fact, the first Christmas tree (Acts 5:30) was rough, splintered, uncomfortable, cumbersome, awkward and feared. The first Light (John … Read more
Thankful for Amazing Grace I am grateful beyond words for each of you who take the time to read, write and encourage me and everyone here in our walk with the Lord Jesus! I had no idea the blessings I would receive in this Christian blogging community. Thank you for helping me see Christ and … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Peace on Earth! Joy to the world, the Lord is come! One of the sweet joys of the Christmas season for me is the sound of Christmas carols flooding the air. Joyful songs that tell of the birth of Jesus our Savior, played in the stores, in the workplace and freely released … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin Letting Go One of the greatest gifts someone can give is the gift of letting go. When my husband and I were first married, we bought a fixer-upper home. The property was run down, the ramshackle house was lined with dingy green walls, the floors brittle and worn. But, oh how we … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin The End Have you ever wondered if the world is coming to an end? Ever wonder about Jesus coming back? Ever wonder about the end of your own life? What happens after we die? We can all be certain of one thing… within the next 100 years we will all die. Whether … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin John 3:16 I was mesmerized. My eyes were glued to a closely matched, nail-biting game of college football, when all of a sudden, there he was. The camera scanned the cheering crowd and then zoomed in on the young man, his face and chest painted pitch-black, contrasted starkly by the carefully painted … Read more
By Melissa McLaughlin His are the hands that formed the mountains His are the hands that flooded the seas His are the hands the shaped humankind His are the hands that came His are the hands that reached for his mother His are the hands that held hammer and saw His are the hands that … Read more