Reflecting God's Grace

When I first started this blog, I thought I might be chronicling my battle with cancer. I had a rather large ovarian mass, with one doctor telling me it was probably cancer, and I had an abnormal mammogram. Thankfully, the mass was removed and pronounced benign and the follow-up mammogram did not show any indication of growth. They will continue to monitor the spots, but for now, the cancer scare is gone.

Another reason I started this blog was to keep my family and friends up-to-date on my many medical tests and results without constantly repeating myself through phone calls and emails. While I love and appreciate my family and friends, sometime I just didn't want to talk about my medical issues anymore. This was a way to "say" it once and get it over with.

The last reason for this blog was to encourage. I titled it "A Flawed Gem" because that is how I see myself in God's eyes. It's like the diamond in my wedding ring. Somewhere along, it got a small chip in it. Several years ago, my husband offered to have the flawed diamond replaced with a new one. I refused. That was the gem he originally chose; it is precious to me. Our marriage has not been perfect, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I am not perfect, but God still holds me precious. My blog name "katofgrace" is no reflection on my spiritual "superiority." Rather it is a statement of God's grace in me. Without Him, I am just a fearful, angry child. In Him, I am a reflection of His faithfulness and grace.

So, reasons one and two are no longer needed. That leaves me with encouragement... not a bad place to be. I hope my story is an encouragement to someone who is struggling with physical or emotional battles. God is so faithful to provide the strength needed to get through any trial. I don't know what lies ahead, but I know who is directing my path. I know each day is a gift, even when it doesn't seem that way. I know that even the "bad" things that come into my life can turn out to be some of the greatest blessings in the end.

So, I'll keep on shining. Sometimes my flaws may show more than I like and it seems like they are all that can be seen. Sometimes God's grace covers my flaws and I feel I can shine to those around me. But mostly, He allows my flaws to show and His grace reflects even brighter from the chips than on the polished facets.