The Pace of Grace Blog
Book Review: Jesus, Calm My Heart
By Renée Gotcher
I have enjoyed the inspiring prayers and personal application of Ruth Schwenk’s prayer prompts journal, “Jesus, Calm My Heart: 365 Prayers to Give You Peace at the Close of Every Day.” Having followed Ruth on social media, I’m familiar with her prayer prompts, and on many occasions, I’ve been one of the women she talks…
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When God Says His Grace is Enough
By Renée Gotcher
In 2 Corinthians 12:8, the persevering apostle Paul made a very reasonable request to the Lord: “Concerning this thing [a thorn in the flesh], I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me.” It seemed like the obvious solution. Yet the Lord had a different answer for Paul—removing the “thorn” was…
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Why Meditating on God’s Word Matters
By Renée Gotcher
A few weeks ago, I shared about the “key verses” note I started on my phone last fall, during a resurfacing struggle with physical anxiety symptoms. At that time, I couldn’t control how my body felt from day to day, sometimes minute to minute, but I knew I could control where I put my mind’s…
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Are You Worried You’re Not Strong Enough?
By Renée Gotcher
Are you struggling to believe God isn’t disappointed with you because you aren’t “strong enough” to face the ongoing crisis you woke up to today? Do you feel like a failure because you’re caught up in the same battering storm, and no matter how hard you try to swim to safety, you’re far from peaceful…
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Are You Struggling With Motivation?
By Renée Gotcher
Do you dread seeing the words #motivationmonday pop up on your social media feed at the start of a new week? Maybe you are still weighed down by what you didn’t finish or fix last week. Or maybe you’re worried you won’t be able to stem the tide of to-dos on this week’s list. Or…
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Will Time Outside Improve Your Mental Health?
By Renée Gotcher
Would it surprise you to learn the average American spends more than 7 hours looking at a screen each day? (DataReportal 2022 Global Overview Report). Or maybe that doesn’t surprise you? Do you find yourself inclined to retreat at home to reduce stressful daily interactions, taking care of as much as you can with the…
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Not My Will: Finding Peace in Unanswered Prayer
By Renée Gotcher
Transforming Truth “And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” – 1 John 5:14 (ESV) As a child, my experience with prayers for healing involved traveling preachers who called the sick up to the front of the church for the laying…
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Hoping for a Back-to-School Reboot?
By Renée Gotcher
Transforming Truth “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” –Proverbs 16:9 (ESV) Every year, the back-to-school season awakens an excitement in me for all things new. The appearance of aisles and aisles of crisp, colorful school supplies, the scent of freshly sharpened pencils and perfectly tipped crayons, and the return…
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The High Cost of Control: Learning to Trust Our Creator
By Renée Gotcher
Transforming Truth: “For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.’ But you were unwilling.” –Isaiah 30:15 (ESV) Last summer, a Bible study I was working on gave me a new perspective on the interwoven relationship…
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Clashing With Spiritual Siblings? How to Show Honor When You Disagree
By Renée Gotcher
Transforming Truth: “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” –Romans 12:10 (ESV) As with your biological family, it is easy to love your spiritual family, brothers and sisters in Christ, until they adamantly disagree with you. Unfortunately, social media makes it even easier for fellow believers to tear one another…
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Moving Past the Prayer Emoji
By Renée Gotcher
Transforming Truth: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” –Ephesians 6:18 (NIV) Although I know it’s not a healthy habit, I often find myself rolling over in bed to check my…
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Why Impatience is Costing You Peace
By Renée Gotcher
Transforming Truth “Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him…” – Psalm 37:7ab (NKJV) Last year, an unexpected opportunity prompted my family to seriously consider making a significant change: moving from the bustling town we’d called home for more than 15 years to a rural property in the Colorado mountains. Although my husband and…
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