Grace

I come from a long line of Grace. No, really. My given name is Valerie Grace. My mother is Grace Pauline. My maternal grandmother is Pauline Grace and my great-grandmother's first name is Grace.

Then there is the Grace that comes after me...our daughter is Ariel Grace and her first-born daughter is Laneya Grace. And bringing-up the rear is our newest granddaughter, Remy Grace.

I have always loved my middle name. And that it has been passed down in the family makes it more special. But this five-letter name is also a word that packs a wallop in definitions! Here is just the beginning from Merriam-Webster:

a : unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification

b : a virtue coming from God

c : a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine assistance

Sometimes I need a dictionary to understand the definitions, but I also need fresh perspective and renewed understanding of what God's grace is for me. Here is a brief explanation by Chip Ingram:

I am loved and pursued by the God who made me and loves me and wants to be in a relationship with me. It really is that simple. And that profound. God's grace. I DO come from a long line of Grace after all!