Amazing Grace

Many hours after going to church together, my roommate from Germany, Mathea,  and I were sitting on the couch relaxing and doing a bit of reading.  She asked me a simple question, which turned into a wonderful conversation about culture and the language of faith. 

Her question: “Katharine, what does Grace mean?”

During the sermon this morning, God’s grace was probably mentioned about 40 times.  We are saved by Grace, Grace pours through us, Let God’s grace shine out through you… but what does Grace mean? 

My roommate and I would both label ourselves as Christians, yet we come from different cultures and in this relationship lies beauty in the differences our cultures bring, including the difference in language.  She teaches me every day, by helping me to look at the lessons that have been engrained in me through my cultural lens, and in turn, I am able to look into hers. 

May our relationship grow as we break down the tip of the iceberg and dive deeper into cultural conversations of identities, language, and religion.  May I continue to be questioned about the labels given in faith by our language, and may I struggle to find the answers in order to grow in my own understand of what it means to answer God’s call of unconditional love.

p.s.  If you would like to follow Mathea's blog and have some fun translating German, you can follow her experience with Springboard through this address: http://matheasmadmemories.jimdo.com/