Living with Grace Through Discouragement | Gracious Living

Meredith Sweetpea loves the little book by favorite author Alexandra Stoddard titled, Grace Notes, A Book of Daily Meditations.

On each page is a date corresponding to the day of the year, and under that date are an inspirational quote and daily thoughts to ponder.

Today, for example, is July 27th and the quote Stoddard shows is:

…To get where you want to go,
you must keep on keeping on.
–Norman Vincent Peale

This inspires me, because I sometimes get discouraged. Don’t you? I want to throw my hands in the air and just give up. “It’s all too much,” I cry out to the universe.

Today Stoddard shores me up with these two thoughts:

• Norman Vincent Peale preached a sermon where he inquired, “Do you know what a big shot is? A big shot is a little shot that keeps on shooting.”
• So often we become discouraged prematurely. Hang in there. Cling to what you believe is true. But most important, never give up on your dreams. Keep moving your feet.

Doesn’t gracious living demand that we have some strife in our lives, as well as grace and beauty? Sadly, it’s true. But it’s how we get through times of crisis that show our true character.

When you had a hard time in your life, did you give up? Probably not. You adjusted and moved forward.

My own grandfather used to say, “Never look back. Always look forward.” This is how to get through a discouraging time with grace. Sometimes circumstances are truly out of your control, so all you can control is yourself and your reactions to them. Look ahead and choose the best path to get you through to the sunshine again.

I love Stoddard’s idea of putting “grace notes” into each and every day, and I encourage you to read this book.

I know I will take the words of Norman Vincent Peale to heart, pick my bat up and swing again. Who knows, this time I might hit one out of the park!

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Order your copy of Grace Notes: Thoughs & Inspirations for a Beautiful Life, by Alexandra Stoddard here.