The Pace of Grace Blog
Hope is a Person—Not a Process
By Renée Gotcher
Transforming Truth: “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain.” –Hebrews 6:19 (ESV) A quick scroll through your social media feed at the beginning of a new year will likely reveal countless New Year motivational quotes and affirmations that sound…
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Five Ways to Slow Down and Savor the Season
By Renée Gotcher
Transforming Truth “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” – Romans 12:2 I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels like the retail rush into the Christmas holiday hits…
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Grateful for His Goodness When Life Feels out of Control
By Renée Gotcher
Transforming Truth: Gratitude “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.” – Psalm 136:1 This November marks three years since I started my journey to relieve anxiety, restore peace, and revive hope by stepping outside for soul-soothing walks with the Lord during a desperate season of resurfacing physical…
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An Unexpected Harvest
By Renée Gotcher
Today I’m sharing one of my devotions, “An Unexpected Harvest,” in a very special place: On the Proverbs 31 Ministries website, in the Encouragement for Today devotions series! What an honor to be among the excellent writers featured here—I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity to share what God placed on my heart with all…
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What Does it Mean to Be Missional?
By Renée Gotcher
Transforming Truth: Missional “And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.’” –Mark 16:15 (ESV) I vividly remember the year I found myself sitting next to my homeschooling sister-in-law and my first-generation homeschooling mother-in-law at the Denver Missional Women’s Conference. Both happened to be in town at…
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Three Simple Ways to Experience Spiritual Refreshment
By Renée Gotcher
Transforming Truth: Spiritual Refreshment “Six days you shall do your work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your servant woman, and the alien, may be refreshed.” –Exodus 23:12 My husband and I have always loved hiking. Before we had children,…
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Can Flowers Fuel Your Faith?
By Renée Gotcher
Transforming Truth: “And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and…
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When Christmas Isn’t Picture Perfect
By Renée Gotcher
Transforming Truth: “So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’” —Matthew 1:22-23 (NKJV) It’s Christmas Eve, and because we…
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How Can I Be Thankful in All Circumstances?
By Renée Gotcher
Transforming Truth: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” —1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV) Have you ever been floored by a crisis that hit at the absolute worst time, in the worst way? And you can’t imagine how you will move forward…
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Why Does This Suddenly Feel Like Sin?
By Renée Gotcher
Transforming Truth: “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.” —Romans 6:22 (ESV) Our attentive server whisked over to our table with a small dish holding two brightly seasoned wedges of freshly baked focaccia bread.…
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When God’s Will Doesn’t Include Healing
By Renée Gotcher
Transforming Truth: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he…
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Why Should I Meditate on Scripture?
By Renée Gotcher
Transforming Truth: “My eyes are awake through the night watches, that I may meditate on Your word.” — Psalm 119:148 The sliver of moonlight penetrating a thin gap between the slightly short blackout curtains on my bedroom window grew more intense as drawn-out minutes of sleeplessness turned into hours. I lay wide awake—yet again—trying to…
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