Grace: A Love Story
By Portia Bates
()
About this ebook
Grace: A Love Story sharesPortia Bates' message to the world as she spells out her philosophy about God’s presence in our lives and what true grace means.
Though meant as a companion text for her stirring memoir, God Is Not Pixie Dust, Grace: A Love Story stands on its own as Portia intimately describes the exacting nature of God's course-plotting in her life and provides a model for others to dissect their own stories, revealing their own personal tailor-made path of grace in the “all is lost” moments.
Portia wrote this work of spiritual self-help for people who have survived the darkness and yet still cringe in the light. Her hope is that her words can help others gain the courage to step out into the sunshine. Most importantly, her work is a discussion of the intimacy of God's deep love for us, even in our frail and flawed humanness.
Grace: A Love Story provides an intriguing conversation with Portia as she encourages us all to unapologetically pursue our own emotional and spiritual peace.
Portia Bates
Portia Bates has spent the majority of her professional career as an educator with a primary focus on educational leadership. In 2014, Portia determined to direct her energies toward her life's purpose, which is to touch the lives of others by sharing deeply personal experiences through her down-to-earth, slightly flinching writing style. God Is Not Pixie Dust is her debut project. She recently published her second book, Grace: A Love Story. Portia lives in Maryland with her two daughters. When she is not writing, she enjoys nurturing her little family and hanging out with her girlfriends eating salty, rich food and enjoying waves of full-body laughter. She is spunky and adventurous in spirit and is committed to healing and continued growth. For more information on the author, visit www.portiabates.com.
Related to Grace
Related ebooks
For the Sake of Sharing: A Little Poetry and Random Threads of Transformative Thinking Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsA Personal Relationship Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBlessings of a Drippy Faucet: Using Life's Challenges to Become the Best Version of Yourself Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBrokenness to Better Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsRedemption Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhat The Hell: Unraveling from a Life of Deception Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsExit From Egypt - A Way to Forgiveness and Closure For Abundant Life in Christ Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFinding Grandmama God: And Talking Things Over With Her Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Sacred Butterfly Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFinding God Within The Abyss: How to Find Fulfillment Amidst the Chaos, Ashes, and Ruins of Your Plans Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHealed Not Broken: Based on a True Story Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsOut of the Darkroom, into the Light: A Story of Faith and Forgiveness After Child Abuse Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHey! No Peeking: Or how I learned to stop worrying and start embracing unrequited love Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDeliverance From the Vicious Cycle of Abuse Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsOnce Upon A Time in Heaven Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPROVERBS: A Man's Daily Journey Into The Wisdom Of God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSingle, Sanctified, and Satisfied Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGrace and Grief: A Widow's Journey with Family and Friends Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMe Versus Me: The Struggle to Be Your Better Self Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSpiritual Enzymes Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsI Was Knocked down but Not Out! How My Faith Got Me Through!!! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGod Is Enough!: Keep God First! Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFelt That: A Search for Relational Honesty and Truth Amidst Emotional Clutter and Social Chaos Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings49-Year-Old Virgin: Delayed Not Denied Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Strength of a Real Woman Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJourney to Joy: From Spiritual Rigidity to Freedom: a Spiritual Autobiography Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFor the One: Hope for the One Who Feels Like Giving Up. Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFrom Widow to New Bride in Under a Year: The Restorative Power of God's Love Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsEmbracing Goodness: How Life Works Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsWhy Me?: A Story of Abuse, Betrayal, and the Ultimate Journey to Purpose Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Inspirational For You
Rumi's Little Book of Wisdom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The One Year Book of Psalms Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The 50 Fridays Marriage Challenge: One Question a Week. One Incredible Marriage. Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Jesus Calling, 365 Devotions with Real-Life Stories, with Full Scriptures Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Lessons from the Twelve Archangels: Divine Intervention in Daily Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Celebration of Discipline, Special Anniversary Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 4:8 Principle: The Secret to a Joy-Filled Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Red Sea Rules: 10 God-Given Strategies for Difficult Times Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Anam Cara [Twenty-fifth Anniversary Edition]: A Book of Celtic Wisdom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5God Talks With Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Finding God in Anime: A Devotional for Otakus: Finding God in Anime, #1 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Calendar of Wisdom: Daily Thoughts to Nourish the Soul, Written and Se Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Knowledge of the Holy: The Attributes of God Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Journey to the Heart: Daily Meditations on the Path to Freeing Your Soul Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The New Revelations: A Conversation with God Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Antichrist Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Finding Chika: A Little Girl, an Earthquake, and the Making of a Family Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Dear Jesus, Seeking His Light in Your Life, with Scripture references Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Eternal Echoes: Celtic Reflections on Our Yearning to Belong Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Rumi's Little Book of the Heart Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Conversations With God, Book 3: Embracing the Love of the Universe Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Einstein and the Rabbi: Searching for the Soul Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/564 Lessons for a Life Without Limits Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Diary of Private Prayer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Feeding the Soul (Because It's My Business): Finding Our Way to Joy, Love, and Freedom Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5One Day My Soul Just Opened Up: 40 Days And 40 Nights Toward Spiritual Strength And Personal Growth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bonhoeffer Abridged: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5When God Winks at You: How God Speaks Directly to You Through the Power of Coincidence Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Confessions of St. Augustine: Modern English Version Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Searching for Enough: The High-Wire Walk Between Doubt and Faith Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Related categories
Reviews for Grace
0 ratings0 reviews
Book preview
Grace - Portia Bates
Preface
Grace: A Love Story is an extension of my first book, God Is Not Pixie Dust. It is a continuation of my thoughts, my growing confidence, and an acknowledgement of trusting God’s grace, which has sustained me throughout my life. This could be considered a companion book, but reading Pixie, as I refer to my firstborn,
is not a prerequisite for you to understand how grace came to be the Love Story of my life.
God Is Not Pixie Dust is an account of destruction and promises kept, of stroking the bottom of the barrel of shame, and of peace which surpasses all understanding. It is the story of a life manifested by a 2:00 am wish to a God that may or may not have been real in the heart of a girl, who may or may not have cared if she lived or died. And, it’s a ride! It’s a journey of life within a potpourri of family dynamics, encompassing a story of sexual and mental abuse by a pastor who side-skirted all consequences and went on to be crowned as Bishop.
Writing Pixie unearthed pain but also uncovered an understanding about the impossibility of my current existence that still leaves me in awe. I smile when I consider the myriad of possibilities for my life. I am grateful. I feel (mostly) peace. I am learning to be happily imperfect and I appreciate a path for me to have a close relationship with God that isn't performance based.
Let me be clear; that doesn't mean that God doesn't want me to grow. It doesn't mean that I escape natural consequences. It means that I don't get kicked out from under God's umbrella of love when my human funny bone begins to ache with my own silliness. I am loved. There is a hard period at the end of that sentence.
There are so many people who did not inherit a feeling of security in their childhood, or as they matured in other ways. I've found that getting clear about God's love for me and his steady presence in my life fills the need to stay anchored. The more deeply I delve into the subject, the more value I sense. And, at least for me, my increased worth serves as a parameter for how I treat myself, how I allow others to treat me, and how I mother my children. Clarity about my significance is a necessity; not only for me, but also for everyone in my life.
There are plenty of religious books available, written by biblical scholars, with vast knowledge of the scriptures. I am not that author and this is not that book. Until about six months ago, I hadn't seriously considered reading more than one or two scriptures from the bible in about 20 years. Yet, throughout the process of working on my spiritual wounds, I am finding my way back, slowly but surely.
I share this to point out that you won't see any scriptures in this book, nor any assurances at I totally get God,
nor a promise that if you follow my teachings, you will understand him too. I have no teachings. I have experiences that have made me a believer. I believe that God loves me deeply and sincerely.
This book was written to challenge your thinking about your individual relationship with God, and the importance of grace at work in your life. Whether you consume this book in one sitting, or savor the information over several days, take time to absorb the concept of grace and consider how it applies to your path.
Find a nice sitting place and grab a piping hot cup of coffee or maybe even a glass of wine. Both go perfectly with my tell-it-like-it-is style. Keep in mind, you are walking this walk with a person who is probably much more like you than not.
Me… "the girl who has only memorized one scripture, and I don't even know exactly where it is in the Bible, the woman who has a fondness for live go-go bands, fragrant red wine, cherry pie, and a good bit of cursing, is free. I didn't earn it in a pew. It wasn't pixie dust. It was given to me in love." ~God Is Not Pixie Dust.
Join me.
Chapter 1
Grace as a story
Let’s make sure we have a proper introduction. In case we haven’t met, I am the woman who wrote the gut-wrenching story God Is Not Pixie Dust. My book is about the reverberating consequences of being abused and controlled by my pastor, who is now the Bishop at a well-known church in my hometown. At 38 years old, with two children in tow,