Dan J Rondeau

Growing Into Grace Dan J Rondeau

Something I learned and came to believe, while in the halfway house, that grace was what I needed but I felt I hadn't yet understood the meaning of it. I continued to study and the verse, for by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Finally, for me I began to understand the act of grace. I had expected a definition that would tell me how to obtain it, but the verse was clear. It's a gift, you can't earn it, you can't make it, no one can give it to you. I understand; grace is God's unmerited favor. I was lifted out of pain and hunger and I recognized fate as my grace. I had not opened myself to believe that it was faith, the gift of God that raised me up by grace and not by fate. I never understood why you were so angry with religious things but now I understand. You have held yourself responsible for the acts of your parents and because, years ago, they used religion as their vehicle to defraud the community of that small city and you have found religion, in general, guilty of the crime. The acts and deeds of your father was a violation of everything religious. You have been saved by grace, even though you did nothing to earn it, you avoided those things that enabled you to receive God's unmerited favor. Your faith was shown in how you chose to live your life. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.