Lean Into Grace – Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free

Lean Into Grace – Book Review and Giveaway

Hello friend! 🌻

I am so grateful for this brand new book written by my sweet friend Stacey Pardoe. I will share my testimony of how God used this book to minister to me as part of my book review.

Recently, Rick and I went to do our deep water aerobics at the Sports Complex here in town. When we left, it was raining and I lost my footing and fell on some steps. I ended up in the ER with two broken bones in my lower back.

After the initial shock subsided, I found myself sedated and having a conversation with God. For the last 15 years or more, I have been under the care of pain management docs because of a curve in the lumbar area of my spine.

God knows how determined I’ve been through the years to push through the pain to strengthen this part of my body despite my “one step forward, two steps back’ kind of progress. But now, this exact spot on my back was broken and the “C” curve looks more like the letter “S” to the Doctor.

Why God why?

This book is such a beautiful invitation from the Author to surrender all of our striving and self-efforts in so many areas of our lives. Stacey writes in such a gentle, vulnerable and compassionate way and her words ministered to my heart.

I am a visual person and I could picture my friend, an outdoorsy girl, sitting by her favorite window or under the hemlock trees having these whole conversations with Jesus. And it was easy for me to imagine I was there with her as she hiked the forested hills of her beloved Western Pennsylvania because my hubby is from there as well.

As you turn each page, the realization will wash over you that this Author has truly been with Jesus. I love how she takes your hand and describes HOW to lean into His grace for multiple situations. 

This book is an easy and delightful read. Every chapter was good for this girl right here who was always SO merciless with herself in every way. But I will say, the chapter that convicted me the most was chapter nine (Grace for Your Body: Treating Your Body with Tenderness). I haven’t been too kind to my body during my lifetime.

One of my favorite quotes from this book is: “We lean into grace when we turn to Jesus in our brokenness instead of trying to run from our pain or fix what feels broken in our lives.”

God doesn’t want me to lose heart because all my efforts seemed to evaporate in a single moment on those stairs. He has already brought good out of this because He’s gently encouraging me to stand, in His strength, at the proverbial starting line of this new year once more. He reset my heart and mind to begin again with Him …

Except this time, He doesn’t want me to grit my teeth like a bulldog and muscle my way through 2024 in my own strength. This will be the year I learn to lean into His grace in every area of my life. Including my body!

This book would be a fantastic one to work through in a small group setting! I can hear all the wonderful, heartfelt conversations taking place already! Study this table of contents and I think you would agree with me:

Table of Contents:

Introduction 9
1. Grace for Your Hurting Heart: Crying in the Bathroom 14
2. Grace for Fearful Circumstances: Turning the Enemy’s Weapon against Him 28
3. Grace for Your Fear of Failure: Embracing the Part of You That Can Never Change 42
4. Grace for Grumpiness: Taking Yourself Less Seriously 59
5. Grace for the Daily Grind: Scrubbing Toilets with a Joyful Heart 72
6. Grace for Wonder Woman Syndrome: Resisting the Urge to Be the Hero 88
7. Grace for Spiritual Boredom: Doing What You Love with Jesus 102
8. Grace for Overwhelming Moments: Returning to Peace When Your Buttons Are Pushed 115
9. Grace for Your Body: Treating Your Body with Tenderness 132
10. Grace for Your Destructive Habits: Eating Your Feelings 145
11. Grace for Your Relationship with Jesus: Experiencing the Tender Love of Christ 161
12. Grace for Insecurities: Looking Outward Instead of Inward 179
13. Grace for Weakness: Creating Space for God to Move 194
14. Grace for Life’s Interruptions: Stewarding God’s Assignments 208
15. Grace for Relationships: Extending Grace to the People We Love 224
16. Grace for the Sting of Rejection: Taking a Stand Against Shame 241

GIVEAWAY TIME:

This book meant so much to me that I would love to personally bless someone with a copy of it. All you need to do is comment below, let us know which chapter title above is speaking to you in this season of life. We will randomly draw a name on Monday, Feb 26, 2024.

UPDATE! Debbie Williams, you are the winner of Stacey’s beautiful new book. We will reach out to you via the email address you used to comment.

You will love this book … 🩷

Hugs and Blessings …

Lean Into Grace – Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free | Book Review and Giveaway @freshgracefortoday.com

Are you ready to receive Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?
Please CLICK HERE and I will be honored to pray with you.

Photo Credit: Canva Pro, Deposit Photos

Photo Credits: Stacey Pardoe

Stacey Pardoe spends her days exploring wild places with her three children, cleaning up messes, and writing words in the fringe hours. She lives in western Pennsylvania, where she is a wife, mentor, and teacher with a master’s degree in education. She writes weekly at staceypardoe.com

You can connect with Stacey here:

Facebook:  Stacey’s Facebook Page

Instagram: Stacey’s Instagram Page

Pinterest: Stacey’s Pinterest Page

Stacey and her beautiful Daughter Bekah came together a few years ago to write a sweet Mother-Daughter Devotional called “Girl to Girl.” I have read this book as well and loved it so much that I put a copy of it in my Daughter’s Christmas stocking to read along with my Grand Daughter, Evie. 🩷