My Grace-Full Life: A New Direction BY DENISE HEIDEL

Hello, and Happy New Year! Welcome to a new year of “My Grace-Full Life” and a brand-new direction!

But first, let’s recap the history of MGFL. It began as an experiment in faith-based writing in November 2016. What I meant as a personal project became a monthly column in Forsyth Family’s January 2017 issue, and then in March that year, it evolved into what was only supposed to be a 30-day prayer prompt project. 1264 days later, on August 23, 2020, those daily prayer prompts changed again…. Now, Saturday-Thursday, I post a daily Bible verse and prayer, and on Fridays—a full-length blog. So, 2022 feels like a good year to shake things up with the column. I have actually been sitting on this plan for six months, and I’m super excited to launch this.

Over the next 12 months, we’re going to explore the “full”-ness of faith. We’ll kick things off with the flagship title—”My Grace-Full Life.”

When I chose the name for MGFL, I based it on Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” This is my favorite passage in Scripture, and it’s what I consider to be my life verse. Ephesians 2:8-9 relieves us of the burden of fighting to achieve something we can never do on our own. It reminds us that God’s grace is sufficient.

There’s a quote I have hanging in my prayer room that says: “Justice gives me what I deserve. Mercy doesn’t give me what I deserve. Grace gives me what I don’t deserve.” Isn’t that amazing? God didn’t stop at mercy when Jesus died on the cross. He gave us grace, too.

Holman Treasury of Key Bible Words explains grace: “God’s grace manifested in Jesus also makes it possible for God to bestow undeserved benefits on believers. These benefits enrich our lives and unite us together in the church. God’s acceptance of believers on the basis of grace gives us a new status: We are children of God, members of the household of God, and can relate to Him as our Heavenly Father.”

As we kick off a new year—look for the moments of grace that show up all around you. God’s grace is all around us, and because He is a loving Father, He is so generous with it.

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Verse of the Month: Ephesians 2:8-9

Song of the Month: “This is Amazing Grace,” by Phil Wickham

Recommended Reading: “What’s So Amazing About Grace”, by Philip Yancey; “Paul: A Man of Grace and Grit”, by Charles Swindoll; “Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine”, by Max Lucado

[SIDEBAR]

Subsequent months will be titled accordingly:

My Peace-Full Life
My Mercy-Full Life
My Joy-Full Life
My Faith-Full Life
My Hope-Full Life
My Truth-Full Life
My Mind-Full Life
My Fruit-Full Life
My Prayer-Full Life
My Thank-Full Life
My Worship-Full Life

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Denise Heidel

Forsyth Magazines writer since 2008. Denise hails from Gastonia, but grew up in Kernersville. With two brief stints living in other states (Texas and Ohio), Forsyth County kept calling her home, where she plans to stay. Denise has a grown son, Charlie, and shares her home with husband, Wayne, a local drummer. Denise loves her coffee and also loves animals, especially cats. In her spare time, Denise is an active volunteer for Proverbs 31 Ministries and serves in several capacities. Denise also writes a faith-based blog, MyGraceFullLife.com. On writing for Forsyth Magazines, Denise said, “I am so blessed to be a part of this incredible team, to meet these wonderful local business owners and to interact with our super-supportive readers!”

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