February 5, 2025

Romans 6:12-14  (HCSB)
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, so that you obey its desires. 13 And do not offer any parts of it to sin as weapons for unrighteousness. But as those who are alive from the dead, offer yourselves to God, and all the parts of yourselves to God as weapons for righteousness. 14 For sin will not rule over you, because you are not under law but under grace.

Sarah Ricciardi
Sin entangles. Sin suffocates. Sin sucks the air out of your spirit. You know the feeling. I do too, Friend. Dominion is a fitting description—how sin wants to control you and I. When we walk in Grace, sin loses its power. When we extend grace the same thing happens. The longer I walk with Jesus the more I realize that sin in my life isn’t the “big ones”—sex, drugs, and rock and roll (just kidding about the rock & roll). It’s more those sneaky ones—wallowing in defeat over not hitting my business goal, missing an error in a publication, not being as popular or recognized as my counterparts. Those are rooted in pride, rooted in self—sins. Embracing what Paul reminds, I WILL NOT walk in that. I will walk under grace, not judging myself. That means not judging others too. I remember being a kid and helping mom sweep the floor. Grandma was visiting and my mom quietly whispered, “Let me show you how to do that so Grandma doesn’t correct you.” I guess until Grandma’s visit, Mom let me sweep however I could get the chore done. Maybe that’s where my semi-relaxed approach has come with our girls. I like to give guidance, but I try to release so they can learn. I loved my Grandma, but in that moment I realized a dynamic to Mom and her relationship—criticism. We all know what that feels like. We all live in defensive or offensive mode when it comes to public scrutiny. Pictures of baby showers, gender reveals, birthdays, etc. where everything is “perfect” and pin-worthy scream, “I do it best.” (Side note: that’s why you rarely see me share—I do not do it best.) Being under grace, is living under Mom’s roof, so to speak—doing what is asked, being obedient—yet feeling the freedom to figure it out a bit as we go too. Walking with Jesus is walking WITH Him, not following a “to-do” list or checking off the boxes. Moving, breathing, being, doing life with Him. That reality is not suffocating; it is absolutely freeing. Let us walk that way, Dear Friends. Let us allow one another to walk that way, too.