Hamrick - Just Grace: The Transforming Power Of Gods Amazing Grace In The Life Of An Ordinary Wo

A compelling account of an extraordinary life journey. Graces love for God and His Word will challenge and encourage you as it has done for me.

Dr. Terry Hulbert, Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Columbia International University in Columbia, SC.

Just Grace

The Transforming Power of Gods Amazing
Grace in the Life of an Ordinary Woman

Grace Jordan Hamrick

Copyright 2016 Grace Jordan Hamrick.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

All Bible quotations bave been taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Wedding picture by www.wearethehoffmans.com

Cover by Mary B. Bliss www.marybliss.com

Just Grace Scripture Reference Collage by Joshua Snipes (Graces grandson)

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-9995-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-9997-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-9996-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015916782

WestBow Press rev. date: 04/07/2016

Contents

Grace in Gracethats what this story is all about: Gods incredible, redeeming, amazing grace in me, Grace Hamrick. It is the story of a woman who, but for the grace of God, would not be around to write this book. It is also a love story, for Gods grace and His love cannot be separated. Gods unfailing, redeeming love is described in His Word in Romans 5:8: But God demonstrates His own love for us in this; while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Luke 19:10 tells us, For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. That was melost. And this is my story of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, seeking and saving me.

This book is not written to point out the failures of anyone but simply to tell of Gods grace. It is about Gods love and the difference He made in my life, touching and transforming it by His grace and truth. Our great God is bigger than our biggest mistakes and our greatest failures. Psalm 107:2 says, Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story. Those He redeemed from the hand of the foe.

I wonder who will ever read this book. There is absolutely no question in my mind that God has led me to write it, but I dont know why. Is it just for me? Is recording this a healing process for me? Is it for my children and grandchildren to read about Gods faithfulness to my husband, Larry, and me? I may never know, but that is Gods concern, not mine.

I think about how God told Joshua to walk with His people around Jericho (Joshua 6). Im sure they must have felt very strange doing that. How foolish (from the human view) to walk all around the city of your enemies instead of attacking. I would have felt very silly and foolish doing such a thing as that, but God had spoken, and they obeyed. I feel foolish writing this book. I am not a writer, and I certainly dont know what I am doing, but I know this is what the Lord wants me to do, so I obey and trust the Lord with the outcome. I feel like David, who said in 1 Chronicles 17:16b, Who am I, Lord God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far?

From birth on, we will encounter myriad experiences that mold and make us what we are today. We have absolutely no control over a great number of these experiences. We did nothing to cause them; they just happened. We have created others ourselves. Life is a journey, and none of us know when it will end or where it will take us. Only the Lord knows because everyones journey is different. We walk down different paths. Sometimes the path is level and smooth; sometimes it is steep, sharp, rough, and has many curves. We never go this path alone, although at times we may feel like we do. There is always One who is with us and goes before us, beside us, above us, below us, and behind us. As Job said, But He knows the way that I take (Job 23:10a).

The journey of writing this book began October 22, 1994the night when it felt like the Lord reached down into the very core of my being and opened up a deep wound. I was attending a womens retreat in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and our speaker, Patsy Clairmont, was giving her message on hurting. While she was speaking, the tears began flowing fast and hard. I thought I was going to lose it in front of hundreds of people, but thankfully, I was able to get out of the room as soon as she finished and before I embarrassed myself.

As soon as I could leave the conference room, I walked alone on the beach in the dark for a long time, just asking, Lord, what is going on? As I talked with the Lord, the thought came to me to call Mr. Buck Hatch, a professor of many years at Columbia International University (formerly known as Columbia Bible College.). He was such a gentle, kind, and loving man, and in the past, I had sent numerous people to him for counseling. He was much loved by the students and everyone who knew him.

When I returned home to Columbia, I told Larry what had happened. Later, I began to question if the Lord really wanted me to talk with Mr. Hatch or if it had just been my idea. It took a very long time before I actually spoke with him, and even then, the Lord brought Mr. Hatch to me. It happened one night as Larry and I were at our friends, the Fews anniversary party. We were seated in their church, and Mr. and Mrs. Hatch sat right down in front of us. I knew the Lord was prompting me to ask him to meet with me. I dont know why I was so hesitant to do it because he was such a dear, kind man. I kept sensing the prompting of the Lord to just lean forward and ask him. I am ashamed to say that I didnt.

After the service, we went into another part of the church for the reception. Larry and I were in a corner of the room, talking with another couple, when I sensed someone approaching me. I turned, and there was Mrs. Hatch. I didnt even think she knew me, and yet the next thing I heard her say when I turned to look at her was, Hey, Grace. How are you?

I responded, Fine, thank you.

Then she said something like, What is the Lord doing in your life?

I was stunned, and my hands flew up to my face. I felt like a child who had been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

I said, Oh, Mrs. Hatch, the Lord has been telling me for a very long time to talk with Mr. Hatch.

I knew this was a divine appointment. I could not believe this was happening as she took me by the hand and said, Well, lets go see him now. Like a small child, I meekly followed her over to him.

Mrs. Hatch said, Buck, Grace needs to make an appointment to see you.

He was very sweet to me and said to call him later in the day when he could look at his appointment book and set a time for me to come. So needless to say, I went to see him.