Comments on: A Tale of Two Families

By: Philip Yancey

Philip Yancey — Tue, 01 May 2018 15:09:34 +0000

In reply to Laura. Reading this makes me sad. May you somehow encounter the truth that you are wholly loved by God, who only desires the best for you. --Philip

By: Laura

Laura — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 22:40:25 +0000

I already posted and don’t really expect to have anyone to read it. I am further down the road now; intellectually and experientially I cannot honestly deny God’s existence. Even as a reprobate, I am aware of grace. I think I was just brought to a place where that knowledge had to result in repentance and salvation or rejection…and I can only say I chose sin. If I claimed “atheism” it would only be to kill the pain of having lost, traded away, the better things for selfish pride. I have a loving husband and good kids, but he is committed to the Lord and our paths are becoming more and more divergent- intellectual honesty requires that I don’t think the grass is greener- I am old enough to know better. I get wistful at moments…thinking of how I have failed my upbringing…how my siblings and stepsiblings have all chosen to follow Christ. How at the end of the day, they say “Thy will” and I say “My will.” Again, I know everybody goes astray- some return, some don’t. Free will. It’s hard knowing there is better…it’s not even about that. It’s about humility, and Jesus Christ as Lord. There are some brass tacks to Christianity. Grace is always there, but it doesn’t negate truth, and Jesus says He is THE WAY, THE TRUTH, and THE LIFE. Not a good suggestion or self help program. I cannot serve two masters…

By: denice

denice — Tue, 20 Mar 2018 00:19:47 +0000

The Law is the tutor to Christ. When children are young we teach them to obey, knowing that ultimately they won’t (from the heart) until they are made alive in Christ. It is only when they are taught young that they are sinners, that they will even think they have a need for Jesus’ grace! Who needs grace if they are not aware of their sin. Also, I think you present a false dichotomy here inadvertently. My parents were strict with sin but loving and affectionate and fun. They loved each other and showed grace to one another….genuinely repentant sinners. Have you heard of Tedd Tripp? Shepherding a child’s heart? The bottom line though from scripture is that all of us no matter the home we come from are utterly dependent on God’s grace…His spirit must open our eyes and convict us of sin; our need of a savior, grant us repentance and faith. It is indeed like the wind…we can’t see it coming or understand it, but we know where it has blown! God’s word is to be taken as a whole…he is the same God in Deuteronomy as He is in Galatians. We can teach our kids the whole bible so we see his whole character. He is loving, but he is to be feared. another great book….Brendan Beale “grace that taught my heart to fear” is excellent on this!

By: Amanda

Amanda — Tue, 16 Jan 2018 16:04:42 +0000

I am late to the conversation, but I am reading “What’s So Amazing About Grace” and searched out your page. It is only the second Philip Yancey book I have read.

I grew up without much grace. I am the youngest of 6 kids and I think my parents thought I was the last chance to get it right. We attended church regularly but during the week there was no talking about God, my mom would give me a lot of books about God to read, but it was habit to only be a Christian on Sunday’s. My mom took a legalistic stance and was strict. It didn’t work well for me, I thought my parents (and God) just didn’t want me to have any fun. However, when I came home from college for the weekend at 19, 6 weeks pregnant, and I knew I had to fess up to my parents, I was met with grace. I didn’t expect grace, but much like the prodigal child it was OK.

I have been met with grace abundantly in my job, I work in a church and I have made a lot of mistakes, and I have gone to our pastor with my “tail between my legs” to confess something, only to find out there is no rebuke — all is forgiven, now get back to work.

As a parent, I try to meet my kids with grace and compassion abundantly. I hope that it shapes their image of God into what He really is, jovial, compassionate, merciful, graceful, loving, instead of a Calvinistic God that I knew as a child. I can not control what choices they make once they are out of my home, but I will do my best to remember the grace that has been given freely to me, and pass it along.

I do not dismiss the power of prayer. I pray often for them, their future, and I have peace. Thank you for your book, it is doing a good work on my heart and in my ministry.

By: Paul Edwards

Paul Edwards — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 01:32:51 +0000

In reply to Philip Yancey.

God drove Adam and Eve from Paradise and said, “Now you will have to earn your daily bread by the sweat of your brow.” So we have been doing that ever since.
OR
We were created to journey and grow and use our talents for the common good.
OR
Our calling is to become adults of God, and we have to use everything we have to travel that Way.

By: Crystal

Crystal — Mon, 23 Oct 2017 01:10:02 +0000

In reply to Philip Yancey. Thanks, Philip! It’s comforting to know that my more seasoned siblings in Christ have the same struggle and that it can lessen with time. All the more reason to keep holding onto my hope of being with Jesus and being completely restored with all my loved ones.

By: Philip Yancey

Philip Yancey — Sun, 22 Oct 2017 23:12:12 +0000

In reply to Crystal. That's a great question, Crystal. I had a rollover automobile accident in 2007 and while lying there facing the real possibility of death, I felt settled and calm in God's encompassing love and acceptance. In an overall way, and theoretically,I do accept it. Truthfully, though, I'd have to vote for your last sentence. There's something about us humans (pride?) that makes us want to earn our way. It may be more blessed to give than receive, but it's sometimes harder to receive than give. Grace means that God knows all this about us and loves us anyway!

By: Crystal

Crystal — Sun, 22 Oct 2017 13:35:07 +0000

In reply to Philip Yancey. I have begun reading What’s So Amazing About Grace? and you write - why do I so often act as if I’m trying to earn that love? Why do I have such trouble accepting it?- I too find these same things happening to me and I was wondering if it has changed for you since publishing this book? The copyright says 1997. Do you find that after 20 years you embrace God’s grace and believe with all your heart that nothing can separate you from his love? Or do you still struggle with accepting his grace and trying to earn it but less often?

By: Philip Yancey

Philip Yancey — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 14:01:20 +0000

In reply to anonymous. A beautiful story, movingly told. You have lived a hard life, and been Graced throughout. --Philip

By: anonymous

anonymous — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 13:57:56 +0000

My upbringing about faith was confusing to say the least. My mother’s mother is very legalistic. According to her the only Bible that has the truth is the King James Bible and the only people going to heaven are Baptists. She has made up her own doctrines based on her own interpretations and is what I would call a rogue Christian. She has a complaint against every church and every fellow believer. She is also a doom and gloom prophetess. She’s alienated and frightened everyone with her views on God’s plans for us. As a child, she pushed her views on me with the turn or burn philosophy. My mother and father were quite laxed about church and religion and told us kids to do what we wanted. Although, I respect the freedom they gave me, I yearned for their time and attention. Both of them worked and drank beer when they weren’t. I dated a preacher’s son in high school which resulted in a pregnancy when I was 15. The preacher family was angry with me and said it would be best if I did not attend their church for a few weeks. My own parents drank over their sorrows yet they welcomed me and my unborn baby. I remember telling my pastor that I felt more love and acceptance from alcoholics than I ever experienced with church goers. My son was born a quadriplegic which I learned when he was 13 months old. My parents divorced that same month. I remember telling God that I was done with him. I also remember thinking that was odd for me to do since I never thought God cared about me or was involved in my life anyway. After 14 years passed, much of which was lonely, fearful, and exhausting from meeting the daily demands of caring for my son, something began to stir in me. I found myself thinking about Jesus all the time. After about a year of this he revealed himself to me. Since then I have been obsessed with learning about him and devoting time to knowing him personally. Sometimes I go to church regularly and sometimes I don’t. I am constantly surprised about how many times I have encountered him. When I became preganant with my second child ( 15 years after my first) I said, Lord what should we name this baby? I was completely shocked that he answered me audible. He said “how about Grace?” It was so casual. I think about that often. Grace was born 9 months later. I could go on but I don’t have the time. My upbringing was 2 opposite extremes of legalism and libertarianism yet Jesus showed up. He has begun to heal many wounds and help change me. I’m still a work in progress and at times I wish it would be sooner. When I go through self loathing or am impatient with myself I remember those words. How about grace?