My Dad and I just went on a golfing trip south of Tucson, Arizona. If you have ever been out there you will quickly realize there is not much south of Tucson. Yet, all of a sudden in the middle of the desert there are these luscious greens. We played a bunch of golf (even though I am about the worst golfer ever) and everyone graciously allowed me to play with them. Even though I shanked every shot, and played every ball in the next fairway over.
After the second day of golf my dad took me to the border town of Nogales and then said, “Let’s go to Mexico!” Not a problem at all…Other than we didn’t have our passports! So as we are coming back into the states we are asked, “Do you have a passport or birth certificate?” “Ummmm…No.” He then proceeded to ask a bunch of questions after determining we were just idiotic tourists. He let us cross, even though we didn’t have the right documents.
It was a relaxing trip, but there were a bunch of moments that reminded me of what grace truly is….undeserved.
I didn’t deserve to be golfing with a bunch of great golfers and the immigration security definitely didn’t have to let us back in to the states. God’s grace is exactly the same way. We don’t deserve it, yet He gives it freely.

Second graders worry about what toys they own to “show off”. Sixth graders worry about what clothes they wear. Students in high school worry about what car they drive. And the cycle usually continues as adults worry if they will be able to pay their bills.

It seems as we continue to get older, the things we once thought were crucial, necessary, and “can’t live without”, seem to be less and less. Yet, it also seems, as we get older we trade our concerns for other worries. We dismiss, as time moves on, what we once thought was vital.

Does the cycle ever end? I believe it can. There is a scripture in Philippians 4 that states, “Instead of worrying, pray about everything.” Many times we pray hoping that our situation will completely change, however, many times, prayer changes us in how we think. So instead of worrying, pray about everything. Prayer can calm the present worry to be a passing thought.

Photo taken by Torley