Why the Name Grace Carried Me?

To be honest, Grace Carried Me wasn't my first choice... or maybe even my second.

But somehow, it just happened.

And it felt right.

Growing up, my pastor would often say, "Grace stacked on grace." That simple phrase has stayed with me my entire life.

What is grace?

And why is it so important to our daily lives?

For me, grace is God's strength when I have none left. It's His peace in the middle of chaos. It's knowing that even when I can't take another step, He is there to carry me the rest of the way. 

Because there are days I CAN'T carry myself... let alone the weight of my family and caregiving.

If you've known me for any length of time, you know our family has walked through some incredibly difficult seasons. Years of caregiving, chronic illness, financial hardships, relationships crumbling, homelessness, heartbreak, praying, waiting... and then waiting some more to see what God was going to do.

There have been seasons where I felt strong.

But there have been many—maybe even more—where I felt like I was simply surviving.

When people tell me, "You're so strong," or "I don't know how you do it," or "I could never do what you do," the honest answer is...

I don't.

Not on my own.

I'm not stronger than any other mom. I don't handle hard things better than anyone else. There have been plenty of days I've cried, wanted to give up, questioned everything, and worried about far more than just tomorrow.

But through every season, every struggle, and every heartbreak, one thing has remained constant.

God's grace.

Some days His grace was simply the strength to get out of bed.

Some days it was peace in the middle of chaos.

Some days it looked like finding the right doctor.

An unexpected blessing in the mail.

Someone bringing food to my children while I sat beside Paige in the hospital.

A phone call at just the right time.

Or even a beautiful sunset at the end of an impossibly hard day.

Sometimes His grace was simply enough strength to make it until tomorrow.

His grace hasn't removed our struggles.

It hasn't taken away the hardship.

But we have never been alone in it.

He has always been there—even when we couldn't see Him, and even when we couldn't feel Him.

Not always in the ways we wanted.

Not always in the ways we expected.

But He was there.

That is why this website is called Grace Carried Me.

Because every single time I reached the end of myself...

Every time I thought I couldn't take one more step...

God, in His grace, carried me.

My hope is that when you visit this little corner of the internet, you'll find more than recipes, health tips, encouragement, or stories about our family.

I hope you'll be reminded that no matter what season—or chapter—of life you're in, God's grace is enough for today.

And tomorrow.

And the day after that.

The same grace that has carried me and my family...

...is available to carry you too.

Grace carried me yesterday.
Grace will carry me tomorrow.

Thanks for walking this journey with me.

— Jennifer