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Changed Through His Grace
"Have you been changed by grace?" In this insightful book, Brad Wilcox explores this life-altering question in depth. Christians throughout the centuries have used grace to describe God's favor, goodwill, and love. However, grace is more than a description of God's attributes. It is the help, power, and strength He offers as we choose to engage with Him in striving to attain those attributes. It is the help, power, and strength He offers as we choose to engage with Him in striving to attain those attributes. Grace is different from the Atonement. It is not Christ's suffering, death, and Resurrection. Rather, grace is the power that flows from those sacred moments. Grace is not a priesthood ordinance, but essential ordinances invite greater and greater endowments of grace into our lives. Grace is a divine gift, but like any gift, it must be received.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2017
89 people are currently reading
609 people want to read
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January 5, 2026
Brad Wilcox is a favorite speaker of my generation—I remember a fireside in college where I was crying from laughing so hard—and his books are great, though I’d still rather hear him speak. This book is aimed at LDS audiences, though I think other Christians who are curious will find it interesting.
Brother Wilcox explores the role of grace in our lives, how it doesn’t just save us but is an aid in life NOW. Many Latter-day Saints in particular don’t understand grace or think they can access it only after they have done their best on their own. The book explains what grace is, how it works, what Christ did for us and how it all is relevant to us now. Brother Wilcox talks about how God’s mercy and justice can both be satisfied.
As we are literally God’s children, He wants us to reunite with Him. He provides every opportunity, but we have to choose Him. If we do nothing to become like Him, giving in to selfishness and evil instead, we will be so uncomfortable in His presence, we will run. But as a perfect parent, He will succeed in getting most of us to choose Him in the end. How amazing is that?
Clean content
Listen to Brother Wilcox talk about grace here.
============================
HIGHLIGHTS
God is a “God of grace.” His gift is not a prize for the righteous. It is the source of righteousness. His help is not a reward for the worthy. It is the source of worthiness. It is not waiting for us once we change. It is the power we need throughout the entire perfecting process. No wonder we sing with all our hearts, “Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!”
Robert L. Millet calls both of these extremes [faith vs. works] “theological traps” or the “perils of grace.” He reminds us that in reality, faith and works are not at odds with each other: “Faith always manifests itself in faithfulness. Salvation may come by grace alone, but grace is never alone.”
The miracle of forgiveness is not the once-and-for-all event [friend] Stephen had pictured when he was younger. Scriptures tell us to confess and forsake, but forsaking is usually a process in which forgiveness is offered over and over again. When Stephen was younger, he thought he was mocking the Atonement by falling after feeling forgiven. “Now,” he says, “I believe those who mock the Atonement are those who refuse to try at all.”
Christ did not perform the Atonement to free us from suffering but to be able to accompany us in our suffering. What’s more, He did not perform the Atonement just to be able to understand us but to assist us. He overcame in order to help us overcome. [Friend] Tyler didn’t need Christ to save him from death and hell at that moment. He just needed support to get through difficult days and sleepless nights. Right then, Tyler didn’t need Christ to save him from his sins as much as he needed Him to strengthen him in his sorrows.
What sets Latter-day Saints apart from other Christians is not a reluctance to acknowledge our full and complete dependence on Christ’s grace but rather the possession of a full and complete understanding of salvation. Even scholars outside the Church have recognized that Latter-day Saints teach the most fully developed understanding of salvation, afterlife, and heaven of any Christian church.
Although many Christians see the Fall as disastrous, the plan of salvation allows us to see it as desirable. In the premortal existence we had progressed as far as we could without a mortal experience, which includes receiving bodies of flesh and bones like those of our Heavenly Parents. We honor Christ, whose unique birth made Him immortal and whose voluntary and selfless choice brought life after death. In like manner, we honor Eve, who was immortal in the Garden of Eden and whose voluntary and selfless choice brought birth after premortality.
Many religious leaders see our physical bodies as ugly, corrupt, and even evil. They see death as freeing our spirits from the prison of their bodies. Latter-day Saints do not see our bodies as prisons but as sacred, beautiful temples and as absolutely essential to our progression. Through Resurrection, our spirits and bodies will be united eternally, “never to be divided.”
Many Christians face a dilemma. They believe God gives common grace (what we would call the light of Christ) to all people, but saving grace only to Christians. So, if everyone has to accept Jesus to be saved, what happens to those who never hear about the Savior? Years ago people taught that these souls went straight to hell, but what does that say about God’s mercy? Today people teach that they will go to heaven regardless of their actions or choices. What does that say about God’s justice? Only in the restored gospel do we find the answer that satisfies both mercy and justice: between death and the Resurrection all spirits will have the chance to learn of Christ and accept saving ordinances performed on their behalf.
One listener [at an interfaith symposium] asked, “When all is said and done, will your heaven be larger than hell or vice versa?” Each representative responded, but it was the [member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] who described the smallest hell and the largest heaven. We believe that God is a successful parent! We believe Christ is a successful Savior! They will successfully rescue all who choose to be rescued. Because of Christ’s Atonement, the vast majority of God’s children will dwell in a kingdom of glory.
What is the purpose of resurrection and forgiveness if they only restore the status quo? To what end are we born again if we cannot also be reared to spiritual adulthood? What is the purpose of escaping ignorance and hell if heaven does not offer something more than becoming harp-strumming angels sitting on clouds? What good is life after death if progress ends? What good is finally reaching heaven if we cannot use what we have learned to help and benefit others? The answers to all these questions are found only in discovering and embracing our celestial potential.
God and men are the same divine, eternal species, and if we do not comprehend the nature of God, we cannot appreciate our divine parentage nor the very real potential we possess to become like our heavenly parents. (Andrew C. Skinner)
How will we feel when we meet the Savior? The answer depends on how like Him we have become. On that day I will not be able to shrug my shoulders and lamely declare, “I’m only human”—not when He has offered to make me so much more than that.
Receiving what God has could happen in an instant. Developing His traits longer—much longer. Elder Bruce C. Hafen and his wife Marie wrote, “Without our complete engagement, the problem is not that the Lord’s grace won’t help us grow, but that it can’t. … Were it otherwise, in our pre-earth life our Father could have simply given us enough grace and strength to perfect us instantly.” This would have made obtaining a body and life on earth completely unnecessary. God would never have put us through mortality if He could have accomplished the same purpose by giving us an immortal body instantly and spiritual maturity with a wave of His hand.
The Atonement is not just a favor Christ did for us—suffering so we wouldn’t have to. If that were the extent of it, then we could have paid justice ourselves. Christ’s Atonement is much more than that. It is an investment He made in us. The favor He did for us met the demands of justice and opened the gates of heaven so we could return to the Lord’s presence to be judged. The investment He made in us opened the windows of heaven through which He can cleanse us, remove our guilt, tutor us, perfect us, and exalt us—help He alone can give and without which we would be forever limited.
We receive God’s gift of grace though we don’t merit or earn it. We just need it—desperately! As we ask for His help, God can do for us—and with us—what we cannot do for ourselves. He doesn’t ask for us to repay Him. All He asks is that we remember Him and strive to offer grace to others as generously as He has offered it to us.
Brother Wilcox explores the role of grace in our lives, how it doesn’t just save us but is an aid in life NOW. Many Latter-day Saints in particular don’t understand grace or think they can access it only after they have done their best on their own. The book explains what grace is, how it works, what Christ did for us and how it all is relevant to us now. Brother Wilcox talks about how God’s mercy and justice can both be satisfied.
As we are literally God’s children, He wants us to reunite with Him. He provides every opportunity, but we have to choose Him. If we do nothing to become like Him, giving in to selfishness and evil instead, we will be so uncomfortable in His presence, we will run. But as a perfect parent, He will succeed in getting most of us to choose Him in the end. How amazing is that?
Clean content
Listen to Brother Wilcox talk about grace here.
============================
HIGHLIGHTS
God is a “God of grace.” His gift is not a prize for the righteous. It is the source of righteousness. His help is not a reward for the worthy. It is the source of worthiness. It is not waiting for us once we change. It is the power we need throughout the entire perfecting process. No wonder we sing with all our hearts, “Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!”
Robert L. Millet calls both of these extremes [faith vs. works] “theological traps” or the “perils of grace.” He reminds us that in reality, faith and works are not at odds with each other: “Faith always manifests itself in faithfulness. Salvation may come by grace alone, but grace is never alone.”
The miracle of forgiveness is not the once-and-for-all event [friend] Stephen had pictured when he was younger. Scriptures tell us to confess and forsake, but forsaking is usually a process in which forgiveness is offered over and over again. When Stephen was younger, he thought he was mocking the Atonement by falling after feeling forgiven. “Now,” he says, “I believe those who mock the Atonement are those who refuse to try at all.”
Christ did not perform the Atonement to free us from suffering but to be able to accompany us in our suffering. What’s more, He did not perform the Atonement just to be able to understand us but to assist us. He overcame in order to help us overcome. [Friend] Tyler didn’t need Christ to save him from death and hell at that moment. He just needed support to get through difficult days and sleepless nights. Right then, Tyler didn’t need Christ to save him from his sins as much as he needed Him to strengthen him in his sorrows.
What sets Latter-day Saints apart from other Christians is not a reluctance to acknowledge our full and complete dependence on Christ’s grace but rather the possession of a full and complete understanding of salvation. Even scholars outside the Church have recognized that Latter-day Saints teach the most fully developed understanding of salvation, afterlife, and heaven of any Christian church.
Although many Christians see the Fall as disastrous, the plan of salvation allows us to see it as desirable. In the premortal existence we had progressed as far as we could without a mortal experience, which includes receiving bodies of flesh and bones like those of our Heavenly Parents. We honor Christ, whose unique birth made Him immortal and whose voluntary and selfless choice brought life after death. In like manner, we honor Eve, who was immortal in the Garden of Eden and whose voluntary and selfless choice brought birth after premortality.
Many religious leaders see our physical bodies as ugly, corrupt, and even evil. They see death as freeing our spirits from the prison of their bodies. Latter-day Saints do not see our bodies as prisons but as sacred, beautiful temples and as absolutely essential to our progression. Through Resurrection, our spirits and bodies will be united eternally, “never to be divided.”
Many Christians face a dilemma. They believe God gives common grace (what we would call the light of Christ) to all people, but saving grace only to Christians. So, if everyone has to accept Jesus to be saved, what happens to those who never hear about the Savior? Years ago people taught that these souls went straight to hell, but what does that say about God’s mercy? Today people teach that they will go to heaven regardless of their actions or choices. What does that say about God’s justice? Only in the restored gospel do we find the answer that satisfies both mercy and justice: between death and the Resurrection all spirits will have the chance to learn of Christ and accept saving ordinances performed on their behalf.
One listener [at an interfaith symposium] asked, “When all is said and done, will your heaven be larger than hell or vice versa?” Each representative responded, but it was the [member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints] who described the smallest hell and the largest heaven. We believe that God is a successful parent! We believe Christ is a successful Savior! They will successfully rescue all who choose to be rescued. Because of Christ’s Atonement, the vast majority of God’s children will dwell in a kingdom of glory.
What is the purpose of resurrection and forgiveness if they only restore the status quo? To what end are we born again if we cannot also be reared to spiritual adulthood? What is the purpose of escaping ignorance and hell if heaven does not offer something more than becoming harp-strumming angels sitting on clouds? What good is life after death if progress ends? What good is finally reaching heaven if we cannot use what we have learned to help and benefit others? The answers to all these questions are found only in discovering and embracing our celestial potential.
God and men are the same divine, eternal species, and if we do not comprehend the nature of God, we cannot appreciate our divine parentage nor the very real potential we possess to become like our heavenly parents. (Andrew C. Skinner)
How will we feel when we meet the Savior? The answer depends on how like Him we have become. On that day I will not be able to shrug my shoulders and lamely declare, “I’m only human”—not when He has offered to make me so much more than that.
Receiving what God has could happen in an instant. Developing His traits longer—much longer. Elder Bruce C. Hafen and his wife Marie wrote, “Without our complete engagement, the problem is not that the Lord’s grace won’t help us grow, but that it can’t. … Were it otherwise, in our pre-earth life our Father could have simply given us enough grace and strength to perfect us instantly.” This would have made obtaining a body and life on earth completely unnecessary. God would never have put us through mortality if He could have accomplished the same purpose by giving us an immortal body instantly and spiritual maturity with a wave of His hand.
The Atonement is not just a favor Christ did for us—suffering so we wouldn’t have to. If that were the extent of it, then we could have paid justice ourselves. Christ’s Atonement is much more than that. It is an investment He made in us. The favor He did for us met the demands of justice and opened the gates of heaven so we could return to the Lord’s presence to be judged. The investment He made in us opened the windows of heaven through which He can cleanse us, remove our guilt, tutor us, perfect us, and exalt us—help He alone can give and without which we would be forever limited.
We receive God’s gift of grace though we don’t merit or earn it. We just need it—desperately! As we ask for His help, God can do for us—and with us—what we cannot do for ourselves. He doesn’t ask for us to repay Him. All He asks is that we remember Him and strive to offer grace to others as generously as He has offered it to us.
September 8, 2021
Maybe this wasn't quite 5 stars, but just for the simple fact that the author has a way of making me want to be a better person with his insights and mannerisms, I'll go with 5. I love this author's thoughtful approach to this topic of being saved through grace and how that can lead to living a more fulfilled life as we strap on the armor of God.
August 31, 2019
Although a lifelong member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I don't usually read these types of books as I've found them to mostly be intended for inspiration and/or emotional/spiritual support, which is usually not what I turn to non-fiction, essay-type writings for. I wanted to try this one out to learn more about grace since it's a common, but easily misunderstood topic. Much of it was basic principles type of stuff, which was fine, but I did find a couple new insights or thoughts here. In terms of writing style, I thought the stories of people living through various life challenges were well-placed, but oddly short - he could have fleshed them out a bit for stronger impact.
April 26, 2020
I really enjoyed listening to this book about grace and how the Lord’s power can change our lives for the better. I feel like this term “grace” is becoming more accepted into the language of our church and appreciate ways to explore its meaning and implication in my life. As members of Christ’s church we have always believed in this incredible power with which Christ blesses us, but I feel there is more discussion about it today, and I am grateful.
March 20, 2023
So many good nuggets that my thoughts keep mulling them over. The overarching thought for me though is that I need to recognize Christ's grace more in my life. It's there plenty - I just need to acknowledge it more and live with eyes to see.
September 13, 2017
I loved This book! I love this author, Brad Wilcox! I love the premise of this book beginning with the question, "Have you been changed by Grace?" My life has been changed by reading the pages of this book as I have learned more about my Savior Jesus Christ and his grace offered to me and to all mankind. I have always Felt a desire to become closer to the Savior and to appreciate more is atonement for me and all. Brother Wilcox thoroughly explains and details all about the divines gift of grace. One of the best explanations of grace and salvation offered to mankind was included in this book using a quote from Dallin H Oaks who taught that there are at least six kinds of salvation: through the Savior's Grace, he offers victory over death, sin, our worst selves, ignorance, and hell. He offers the greatest victory of all in the form of exaltation. I used a red pencil to mark many passages and doctrines as I read the teachings in this book. I know that I will re-read this book again and feel the special spirit that I felt this first time. I felt my Savior's love for me and understand his gift of grace more and I am thankful for it. I hope that the way I live will show my gratitude to Him.
July 13, 2017
An incredible book teaching how the atonement is different than grace. Many insightful metaphors that help me remember important teachings in a simple way. For example: A loving Heavenly Father can prevent our hurts, but He may not always choose to do so for the same reason a loving Earthly father will not forever run behind a child's bike. Protecting from every fall or bruise will stifle growth. There would be no test of strength, no development of character, no growth of powers. I love that! Another favorite is how he compares the Parable of Talents to Books. The two who read their books he said "well done. You have read a few books. I will now give you more. Enter into my Library." The third servant didn't care about his book so the Lord took it away-not to be mean or punish him but because the servant had already tossed it aside. This was an awesome book and it makes me excited to hear Brad Wilcox speak at education week!
February 5, 2024
“We receive God’s gift of Grace though we don’t merit or earn it. We just need it—desperately! As we ask for His help, God can do for us—and with us—what we cannot do for ourselves. He doesn’t ask for us to repay Him. All he asks is that we remember Him and strive to offer grace to others as generously as He has offered it to us. That is how we can say, ‘Thank you.’”
My mom recommended this to me and it was so enlightening! Brad Wilcox is a great writer and he had so many interesting takes on grace, it totally changed my way of thinking.
My mom recommended this to me and it was so enlightening! Brad Wilcox is a great writer and he had so many interesting takes on grace, it totally changed my way of thinking.
June 30, 2017
A short, easily read book that looks at grace from a Mormon perspective. More Mormons should probably understand that grace is how we are saved, that it is the power to succor and be succored, transformed, trusted and to trust and so much more. It is definitely how we see Christ, and we should not be afraid to use the word. Wilcox explains this simply and clearly, sometimes maybe over-simply, but clearly nonetheless.
November 23, 2017
I was expecting a let down from this book and was a little hesitant to engage. Could this be worth the time after listening to The Continuous Atonement? But to my great surprise, this may be equally as good. Brad seems to have collected so many practical examples of grace. And I love the author reading the book. Gives it something extra.
May 2, 2020
I love the way Brad Wilcox explains grace. His examples help me see how I can receive more grace in my life and how to use grace to keep improving. He says, "Making covenants is not a declaration that we don't need grace but an indication that we are ready to receive more. We each grow "from grace to grace", all of it made possible through the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
June 25, 2025
This was a fantastic book! I love Brother Wilcox. I really appreciated all of the times he brought up cancer in relationship to the Savior helping you through that or as a loved one of someone who has had cancer. I really needed to hear so much of what he said. I would love to re-read this book again in the future. Just so many gems!
April 21, 2017
I loved this book so much! I had to make myself slow down and absorb - even though I just wanted to keep reading. I have page after page of notes and thoughts to reflect upon. Grace is often misunderstood. This book breaks things down, uses lots of stories, scriptures, and hymn references to help with understanding. It's one I plan to read more than once.
April 25, 2017
This book was here for me during a time I truly needed it. I was able to read parts of this to my mom the week before she passed away, it brought peace to me every time I picked it up to read.
June 21, 2017
This is a great book for anybody who is a member of the LDS faith. But I think all christians can find something inspiring from the message in the book.
July 21, 2017
There are so many good insights in this book. It is one I would like to read again and again. If you feel that you have made so many mistakes in life that you are without hope--or if you just want to better understand the concept of God's grace--this book is for you. In other words, no matter where you are in your spiritual life, you will gain something from reading this book.
March 11, 2024
I loved this book and think every member of The Church should read it.
June 14, 2017
Brad Wilcox is the master of explaining this intriguing and vital doctrine. Period!
June 8, 2022
Fantastic look into what it means to change our lives through the grace Jesus Christ offers.
February 26, 2017
This breaks things down in such a clear, understadable way. I couldnt stop highlighting because there were so many good parts. Highly highly recommend!
December 31, 2025
Found this book while clearing out my parents’ den. The author is a deep thinker who is able to pull a lot of meaning from the scriptures, hymns, and people’s life stories. I want to be more like him.
June 23, 2023
Beautiful and insightful read.
Quotes and ideas to remember:
Grace is a gift that requires a response from us. Anciently, grace was seen as a bond or pact between two people—even a binding covenant. It was a gift, but one that brought with it reciprocal obligations. (Brent J. Schmidt)
It is easy for me to see that grace requires a relationship. It seems incomplete to receive a gift and not be able to respond in a way that the giver would appreciate.
If we were to personify the relationship, the stalactite, like the vine, gives, and the stalagmite, like the branch, receives. The receiver reaches up as the giver reaches down.
In such moments [when our expectations aren’t met] we must instead draw closer to God through continued obedience and sacrifice. As we do, grace helps us learn humility, purify our motives, and expand our expectations.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught that “applying the Atonement” is accepting the “nurturing gifts of the Holy Ghost.” - Elder Neal A. Maxwell
We don’t experience the Holy Ghost’s roles in sequence. Our needs dictate when one role may be more prominent than the others. In all these roles the Spirit acts as the messenger of grace as He provides divine assistance and power.
“The power of godliness comes in the person and by the influence of the Holy Ghost… It is the messenger of grace by which the blood of Christ is applied.” - Elder D. Todd Christofferson
The comfort of the Spirit is a manifestation of grace, and it is one more way God can shape and change us.
“For us to grow, we need to trust our ability to make correct decisions.” - Elder Richard G. Scott
I see yellow lights as evidence that God trusts me. He knows I have made correct decisions in the past, and He trusts me to do it again. To me it seems like a vote of confidence that He doesn’t feel He needs to direct my every more.
It took weeks and months to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. However, it took forty years and more to take Egypt out of them.
Hebrew word translated in our scripture as vain means “meaningless and empty.” “Thou shalt not take upon thyself the name of God with empty and meaningless intent.” Renew our covenants with a sincere choice.
God has an eternal perspective. Where we see death, He sees a homecoming. Where we see suffering, He sees growth. Where we see failures, He sees the road to success.
Freedom in the future always requires healing from the past. The Lord’s grace offered Limhi’s people both, and he offers the same to us.
Sometimes in our trials help from heaven comes to us like manna came to the Israelites—just enough to sustain us from one day to the next. Peace, courage, strength, one day at a time.
As we endure and take our covenants seriously, God will send people to help and allow us to see ourselves and our struggles through a long-term perspective. He will journey with us and grant deliverance, freedom and healing.
One definition of the word trust is assured reliance.
For trust to exist, there has to be benevolence—a high level of caring, positive intentions, and fairness—but also expressions of appreciation and love. To trust God we must believe He is benevolent.
It may take us years to realize that some of the greatest evidences of God’s love are the closed doors He sends when we are praying for open ones.
“Often the circumstances life hands us are not the biggest problem. . . The biggest problem is what we tell ourselves this setback or suffering means about us and about God.” - Wendy Ulrich
“Happily, God in His omniscience can distinguish between our surface needs (over which we often pray most fervently) and our deep and eternal needs. He can distinguish what we ask for today and place it in relationship to what we need for all eternity. He will be bless us, according to our everlasting good.” - Neal A Maxwell
Grace is not a backup plan. It is not Plan B if we couldn’t live Plan A. Grace is Plan A.
Grace is not the promise of perpetual green pastures and still waters. It is the power to trust the Good Shepherd wherever He leads.
Christ did not perform the Atonement to free us from suffering but to be able to accompany us in our suffering. What’s more, He did not perform the Atonement just to be able to understand us but to assist us. He overcame in order to help us overcome.
It is His grace that empowers us to find peace when others stop seeking it.
Through the Savior’s grace, He offers victory over death, sin, our worst selves, ignorance, and hell. Ultimately He offers the greatest victory of all in the form of exaltation.
We honor Christ, whose unique birth made Him immortal and whose voluntary and selfless choice brought life after death. In like manner, we honor Eve, who was immortal in the Garden of Eden and whose voluntary and selfless choice brought birth after premortality.
The term “help meet” in Hebrew is derived from the word ezer, which can also be translated as “to rescue” or “to save.” Eve’s righteous choice saved Adam and all of us from stagnation. Thus it is not by chance that there is a tradition of men standing when a woman enters the room.
One of the most beautiful descriptions of grace is found in the scriptural term power of godliness. We read that it is in the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood performed in holy temples that this power is manifested. … It is the power to live as He lives, love as He loves, create as He creates, and experience the joy He experiences.
[The knowledge that we have the potential to become like our Heavenly parents] emboldens us at the same time that it humbles us. It makes us feel secure, and at the same time we feel small. It is at once a blessing and a huge responsibility. Consider how these paradoxes combine to motivate us and provide a sense of mission.
A sense of mission allows all of us to feel more intense joy and more profound love than what is felt by those who do not share this knowledge. We can appreciate the beauty of the world and order of the universe with heightened awareness. We can step away from the routines of sleeping and waking up to seek and find greater purpose in mortality than mere existence.
How will we feel when we meet the Savior? They answer depends on how like Him we have become. On that day I will not be able to shrug my shoulders and lamely declare, “I’m only human”—not when He has offered to make me so much more than that.
The investment He made in us opened the windows of heaven through which He can cleanse us, remove our guilt, tutor us, perfect us, and exalt us—help He alone can give and without which we would be forever limited.
The Bible Dictionary states that “grace cannot suffice without total effort on the part of the recipient. This “total effort” is not how we prove ourselves worthy of His offering. It is how we honor and take advantage of it. It’s how we use it to His glory.
Once the kings found Christ they went home by another route, but it could also mean that they themselves were different. When we encounter Christ, we are meant to be changed. We are meant to return to heaven another way.
“Indeed, the best way I know of to draw closer to God is to prepare conscientiously and partake worthily of the sacrament each week.” - Elder Dale G. Renlund
“There are so many hands to shake, so many smiles to smile, so many eyes to look into and so many hearts to touch, that I ask, ‘How can I go faster and more effectively serve in the kingdom?’” - Elder David B. Haight
Quotes and ideas to remember:
Grace is a gift that requires a response from us. Anciently, grace was seen as a bond or pact between two people—even a binding covenant. It was a gift, but one that brought with it reciprocal obligations. (Brent J. Schmidt)
It is easy for me to see that grace requires a relationship. It seems incomplete to receive a gift and not be able to respond in a way that the giver would appreciate.
If we were to personify the relationship, the stalactite, like the vine, gives, and the stalagmite, like the branch, receives. The receiver reaches up as the giver reaches down.
In such moments [when our expectations aren’t met] we must instead draw closer to God through continued obedience and sacrifice. As we do, grace helps us learn humility, purify our motives, and expand our expectations.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught that “applying the Atonement” is accepting the “nurturing gifts of the Holy Ghost.” - Elder Neal A. Maxwell
We don’t experience the Holy Ghost’s roles in sequence. Our needs dictate when one role may be more prominent than the others. In all these roles the Spirit acts as the messenger of grace as He provides divine assistance and power.
“The power of godliness comes in the person and by the influence of the Holy Ghost… It is the messenger of grace by which the blood of Christ is applied.” - Elder D. Todd Christofferson
The comfort of the Spirit is a manifestation of grace, and it is one more way God can shape and change us.
“For us to grow, we need to trust our ability to make correct decisions.” - Elder Richard G. Scott
I see yellow lights as evidence that God trusts me. He knows I have made correct decisions in the past, and He trusts me to do it again. To me it seems like a vote of confidence that He doesn’t feel He needs to direct my every more.
It took weeks and months to bring the children of Israel out of Egypt. However, it took forty years and more to take Egypt out of them.
Hebrew word translated in our scripture as vain means “meaningless and empty.” “Thou shalt not take upon thyself the name of God with empty and meaningless intent.” Renew our covenants with a sincere choice.
God has an eternal perspective. Where we see death, He sees a homecoming. Where we see suffering, He sees growth. Where we see failures, He sees the road to success.
Freedom in the future always requires healing from the past. The Lord’s grace offered Limhi’s people both, and he offers the same to us.
Sometimes in our trials help from heaven comes to us like manna came to the Israelites—just enough to sustain us from one day to the next. Peace, courage, strength, one day at a time.
As we endure and take our covenants seriously, God will send people to help and allow us to see ourselves and our struggles through a long-term perspective. He will journey with us and grant deliverance, freedom and healing.
One definition of the word trust is assured reliance.
For trust to exist, there has to be benevolence—a high level of caring, positive intentions, and fairness—but also expressions of appreciation and love. To trust God we must believe He is benevolent.
It may take us years to realize that some of the greatest evidences of God’s love are the closed doors He sends when we are praying for open ones.
“Often the circumstances life hands us are not the biggest problem. . . The biggest problem is what we tell ourselves this setback or suffering means about us and about God.” - Wendy Ulrich
“Happily, God in His omniscience can distinguish between our surface needs (over which we often pray most fervently) and our deep and eternal needs. He can distinguish what we ask for today and place it in relationship to what we need for all eternity. He will be bless us, according to our everlasting good.” - Neal A Maxwell
Grace is not a backup plan. It is not Plan B if we couldn’t live Plan A. Grace is Plan A.
Grace is not the promise of perpetual green pastures and still waters. It is the power to trust the Good Shepherd wherever He leads.
Christ did not perform the Atonement to free us from suffering but to be able to accompany us in our suffering. What’s more, He did not perform the Atonement just to be able to understand us but to assist us. He overcame in order to help us overcome.
It is His grace that empowers us to find peace when others stop seeking it.
Through the Savior’s grace, He offers victory over death, sin, our worst selves, ignorance, and hell. Ultimately He offers the greatest victory of all in the form of exaltation.
We honor Christ, whose unique birth made Him immortal and whose voluntary and selfless choice brought life after death. In like manner, we honor Eve, who was immortal in the Garden of Eden and whose voluntary and selfless choice brought birth after premortality.
The term “help meet” in Hebrew is derived from the word ezer, which can also be translated as “to rescue” or “to save.” Eve’s righteous choice saved Adam and all of us from stagnation. Thus it is not by chance that there is a tradition of men standing when a woman enters the room.
One of the most beautiful descriptions of grace is found in the scriptural term power of godliness. We read that it is in the ordinances of the Melchizedek Priesthood performed in holy temples that this power is manifested. … It is the power to live as He lives, love as He loves, create as He creates, and experience the joy He experiences.
[The knowledge that we have the potential to become like our Heavenly parents] emboldens us at the same time that it humbles us. It makes us feel secure, and at the same time we feel small. It is at once a blessing and a huge responsibility. Consider how these paradoxes combine to motivate us and provide a sense of mission.
A sense of mission allows all of us to feel more intense joy and more profound love than what is felt by those who do not share this knowledge. We can appreciate the beauty of the world and order of the universe with heightened awareness. We can step away from the routines of sleeping and waking up to seek and find greater purpose in mortality than mere existence.
How will we feel when we meet the Savior? They answer depends on how like Him we have become. On that day I will not be able to shrug my shoulders and lamely declare, “I’m only human”—not when He has offered to make me so much more than that.
The investment He made in us opened the windows of heaven through which He can cleanse us, remove our guilt, tutor us, perfect us, and exalt us—help He alone can give and without which we would be forever limited.
The Bible Dictionary states that “grace cannot suffice without total effort on the part of the recipient. This “total effort” is not how we prove ourselves worthy of His offering. It is how we honor and take advantage of it. It’s how we use it to His glory.
Once the kings found Christ they went home by another route, but it could also mean that they themselves were different. When we encounter Christ, we are meant to be changed. We are meant to return to heaven another way.
“Indeed, the best way I know of to draw closer to God is to prepare conscientiously and partake worthily of the sacrament each week.” - Elder Dale G. Renlund
“There are so many hands to shake, so many smiles to smile, so many eyes to look into and so many hearts to touch, that I ask, ‘How can I go faster and more effectively serve in the kingdom?’” - Elder David B. Haight
May 16, 2017
This is wonderful book about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the grace He offers us. He makes all the difference. As we accept His outstretched hand of grace we are changed. He helps us become like Him. Here are a few of my favorite quotes:
"'I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me, confused by the grace that so fully he proffers me'.... Proffers is more than a synonym for offers. Adding the prefix pro to offers indicates that instead of simply extending a gift to someone, the giver takes initiative to proactively place the gift before the receiver. Think of the emblems of the sacrament. They are not simply offered to the congregation. Latter-day Saints don't approach the front of the chapel to take them. Rather, the bread and water are proffered to us--literally placed before each of us individually, even when we are late and standing in the foyer... This teaches us much about how lovingly the gift of grace is given (p. 2)."
"God is a 'God of grace.' His gift is not a prize for the righteous. It is the source of righteousness. His help is not a reward for the worthy. It is the source of worthiness. It is not waiting for us once we change. It is the power we need throughout the entire perfecting process (p. 5)."
"Grace is more than a description of God's attributes. It is how He engages with us as we strive to attain those attributes. It is the power that propels us upward toward perfection and exaltation (p. 8)."
"I once saw grace as an equation of my part plus God's part as if I had to meet some sort of minimum height requirement to enter heaven. Now I see it is not about height, but about growth. Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught, 'We do not to achieve some minimum level of capacity or goodness before God will help--divine aid can be ours every hour of every day, no matter where we are in the path of obedience (p. 8).'"
"Instead of seeing Christ as making up the difference, I now see He makes all the difference (p. 9)."
"Grace is different than the Atonement. It is not Christ's suffering, death, and Resurrection. Instead, grace is the power that flows from those sacred moments. Sheri Dew...has called it 'the power the Atonement makes available to us (p. 10).'"
"God is not enabling us to bypass His laws but empowering us with increased ability to live His laws. Grace is not the absence of God's high expectations. It is the presence of His power--a portion of His unlimited capacity that allows us to join with Him and do together what we could never do alone (p. 11)."
"'This edifice was built by volunteers who knew little about construction.'... The wooden joists beneath the floor were laid incorrectly--horizontally instead of vertically. These joists should never have been able to support the weight of the building. Nevertheless, when Christ appeared, He accepted the building as His--flaws and all. Where there were weaknesses, He provided strength and transformed an imperfect building into a holy temple (p. 12)."
"I sometimes wonder how much tolerance and acceptance Moses would receive in our modern world. What kind of reply would he get from an editor if he were to submit the Ten Commandments to a mainstream publisher today (p. 18)?"
"'Only the adversary, the enemy of us all, would try to convince us that...people don't really improve, that no one really progresses.... Don't fall for that. With the gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the strength of heaven to help us, we can improve (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, p. 20).'"
"Christ's grace means that He stands ready to transform and exalt us. He offers His divine help throughout that perfecting process. The fact that He chooses to do so means He loves us enough not to leave us just the way we are (p. 21)."
"In Louisa's home she had learned of Christ's merits and mercies, but it was only when she encountered His grace that she was changed. Like Louisa, we don't have to settle for less (p. 24)."
"Young people understand love, and they know that for it to truly exist it takes at least two people. Grace is not one-sided either. Like love, grace recognizes--even requires--a relationship (p. 26)."
"'Alma knew the covenant was not like a business deal--'you do this for God, and God will do this for you'--but it was an opportunity for them to become His, to become God's people. Every covenant with God is an opportunity to draw closer to Him (President Henry B. Eyring, p. 28).'"
"Sister Goulding reached out to include me. I remember her showing interest in my interests.... Long after I left her class and she was released from her calling, Sister Goulding continued to follow my progress. Not only would she greet me at church, but she would also call and praise me wen I gave a talk or performed a musical number. When she heard of an accomplishment at school, she was quick to write me a little note.... She made a difference at a lonely and discouraging time in my life.... My relationship with Julia Goulding helps me understand my covenant relationship with God. Was it a reciprocal relationship? Yes, but not in a win-win business arrangement sort of way. Julia certainly did not give so much to me because of what I offered in return.... Everything she asked of me was really just another way of helping me (p. 30)."
"The nurturing relationship between a vine and branch...helps me understand my covenant relationship with God. My job is not to do my part in order to receive grace, for there is nothing I can do in and of myself. In our relationship with the Lord, He declares, 'My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply (p. 34).'"
"Elder David A. Bednar taught, 'Making and keeping sacred covenants yokes us to and with the Lord Jesus Christ.' Together with Him, the burden becomes light because His strength is perfect (p. 35)."
"Meekness is not surrendering strength but surrendering stubborn willfulness (p. 36)."
"Christ came to help all of us wherever we are in the process and for whatever reasons (p. 38)."
"'The wife taking her husband's name...actually symbolizes the covenant relationship Christ has with us as members of His Church.... The taking and giving of Christ's name is reminiscent of the covenants made in baptism and in the temple through which Christ can 'sanctify and cleanse [us]...that [we] should be holy and without blemish.' It symbolizes how He 'nourisheth and cherisheth' us (p. 40).'"
"'Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He an make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace (President Ezra Taft Benson, p. 41).'"
"The reciprocal nature of grace means we are obligated, but not to fulfill our end of the bargain as much as to build and strengthen a relationship (p. 42)."
"God couldn't care less about getting paid back. His joy is found in seeing us value His gift. Receiving grace is like receiving a scholarship. It doesn't guarantee learning. It facilitates it. The scholarship donor doesn't want the money back. He or she wants it utilized (p. 45)."
"'Ordinances received and honored with integrity are essential to obtaining the power of godliness and all of the blessings made available through the Savior's Atonement.' Making covenants is not a declaration that we don't need grace but an indication that we are ready to receive more (p. 49)."
"Wanting to do everything possible to finance her own mission, she sold her violin, her most prized and nearly sole earthly possession. She said simply, 'God will bless me with another violin after I have blessed His children with the gospel of Jesus Christ.'.... Imagine the sister's surprise when by the next zone conference the missionaries throughout the mission had pooled their limited resources and purchased a violin for her (p. 51)."
"Long ago, the faithful sacrificed animals. Today that quietly place violins, size fifteen shoes, and white temple clothes on the altar. The 'what'of sacrifice has changed, but the 'why' remains the same. It is done in similitude of the sacrifice of the Savior and to invite into our lives the very grace that can make us similar to Him (p. 53)."
"Grace helps us learn humility, purify our motives, and expand our expectations (p. 54)."
"'Maybe the little kids don't get it yet, but I do. The parent with the rules is the one that really cares (p. 56).'"
"It is only with those bounds that true joy and satisfaction are found. He is not keeping us from something. He is offering us everything (p. 58)!"
"There is a difference between giving God your things and giving Him yourself. It is one thing to lay an animal on the altar and another to lay ourselves there. Sacrifice is putting ourselves int the place of Abraham. Consecration is putting ourselves in the place of Isaac (p. 60)."
"'I am a disciple of Jesus Christ with temple covenants to keep (Sister Elaine Dalton, p. 60).'"
"Because the granddaughter loved what her grandfather had loved, she received all he had. As we consecrate ourselves, we learn to love what God loves and invite more of His power into our lives (p. 61)."
"'Whenever you wonder if God is there and if He loves you, remember this moment. Remember God dragged me half-way around the world to hug you and that He prompted me to change my talk at the last minute for you.'.... We both knew we had been involved in what Elder Robert E. Wells would have called an adventure of the Spirit, and we were both better for it (p. 70)."
"'The power of godliness comes in the person and by the influence of the Holy Ghost...It is the messenger of grace by which the blood of Christ is applied (Elder D. Todd Christofferson, p. 72).'"
"'When a man has the manifestation from the Holy Ghost, it leaves an indelible impression on his soul, one that is not easily erased. It is Spirit speaking to spirit, and it comes with convincing force. A manifestation of an angel over the the Son of God himself, would impress the eye and mind, and eventually become dimmed, but the impressions of the Holy Ghost sink deeper into the soul and are more difficult to erase (President Joseph Fielding Smith, p. 76).'"
"I...see yellow light as evidence that God trusts me...it seems like a vote of confidence that He doesn't feel He needs to direct my every move (p. 81)."
"Enduring to the end doesn't mean living without errors. It means enduring in the covenant despite errors--remaining in the bus and continuing to play the game no matter where we currently sit or how many times we end up at the back (p. 92)."
"Another way we take the Lord's name in vain is when we give up the hope Christ offers through His Atonement. In that moment, we render His grace useless, empty, and meaningless in our lives. In sacred sacrament moments, we cannot really promise to never again make a mistake. Instead we demonstrate that we are willing to receive His grace (p. 94)."
"'Don't be afraid of mistakes. We all make them as we learn (p. 102).'"
"Stephen had been taking the easy path by sweeping his problem under the rug and telling himself it was no big deal--that everybody did it and that lots of people say it is normal and even healthy (p. 106)."
"McKenna realized that she needed the Savior's grace just as Stephen did. They both needed strength and help. The Atonement is not just about her husband receiving forgiveness but also about helping her to forgive. The Atonement is about helping both of them heal (p. 108)."
"'I believe those who mock the Atonement are those who refuse to try it at all (p. 110).'"
"We know 'God is love,' but we also know we are not always loveable. Peace comes when we remember that God sees more than mortality. He loves our pasts and futures as well as who we are now. Everything He does--even when it leaves us scratching our heads--is done with our best interests in mind (p. 117)."
"He can see beyond our flimsy facades and hypocritical masks. Fear must be replaced with faith--faith that He is honest when He tells us He brought us forth at this time for a purpose and has given us everything we need to succeed. God sees the real us. That also means that in His honesty, He sees good in us that we don't even see in ourselves (p. 117)."
"Since God is competent enough to have numberless children, we must believe He is competent enough to know and care for each of us individually. God comprehends what we cannot. His charity never faileth, and His strength is perfect (p. 119)."
"Despite all possible sources of mistrust, trusting Jesus is not new for us. It is something our spirits already know how to do. It is not out of our comfort zone. It is our comfort zone. We all trusted Jesus in the premortal world (p. 119)."
"What saved Nephi from surrendering to despair and self-reproach? It was his knowledge of true doctrine. His clear view of God allowed him to trust His grace. With this trust came a new outlook on his life. He was empowered to move forward with faith. The same blessing can be ours (p. 125)."
"'Happily, God in His omniscience can distinguish between our surface needs (over which we often pray most fervently) and our deep and eternal needs. He can distinguish what we need today and place it in relationship to what we need for all eternity. He will bless us, according to our everlasting good (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, p. 130).'"
"Earth life was never meant to be a perpetual Garden of Eden or a twenty-four-hour amusement park. It is a school, and sometimes the best teachers are the hardest ones, and the most important courses are required rather than electives. Lessons that don't challenge us rarely change us. 'The overarching purpose of Heavenly Father's great plan of happiness is to provide His spirit children
with opportunities to learn. The Atonement of Jesus Christ and the agency [it] afforded...are divinely designed to facilitate our learning (p. 132).'"
"'I guess I just want to know what the Lord desires me to learn from all this (p. 134).'"
"Grace is not the promise of perpetual green pastures and still waters. It is the power to trust the Good Shepherd wherever He leads (p. 134)."
"He did not perform the Atonement just to be able to understand us but to assist us. He overcame in order to help us overcome (p. 136)."
"Simply going through trials does not make us stronger (p. 137)."
"Grace is God's hand reaching down to us. Tyler didn't have to earn it, deserve it, or meet certain conditions to merit it. He just had to make the self-willed choice to grasp it (p. 137)."
"One of the happiest hymns I know is 'There is Sunshine in My Soul Today.' We sing, 'The dove of peace sings in my heart, the flowers of grace appear.' Were these words written by somebody who had never experienced any trials? Not at all.... Eliza (Lidie) Hewitt...started her teaching career in the late 1800s with great optimism. One day a prankster in her in the back with a slate and injured her so badly she became bedridden and was placed in a body cast for six months. On her first day out of the cast she went outside and wrote, 'There is sunshine in my soul today, more glorious and bright than glows in any earthly sky, for Jesus is my light.' The flowers of grace were there, but Lidie had to look beyond the trial and choose to see them (p. 138)."
"For those who choose to accept God's grace, there will always be flowers surrounding the stones (p. 140)."
"'No matter how hard we work, no matter how much we obey, no matter how many good things we do in this life, it would not be enough were it not for Jesus Christ and His loving grace (Elder M. Russell Ballard, p. 145).'"
"Eve's righteous choice saved Adam and all of us from stagnation (p. 148)."
"'Christ died not to save indiscriminately but to offer repentance (Elder D. Todd Christofferson, p. 152).'"
"Repentance is not a punishment for slipping from perfection. It is a step toward that goal (p. 153)."
"Jesus offers us victory over our worst selves. Not only can our sins be forgiven, but we can be born again (p. 156)."
"Elder Haight was not born again the instant he made his commitment but throughout all the subsequent years that he kept it (p. 158)."
"Today people teach that they will go to heaven regardless of their actions or choices. What does that say about God's justice? Only in the restored gospel do we find the answer that satisfies both mercy and justice (p. 163)."
"Immortality describes living forever, and eternal life describes the life lived by our Heavenly Parents. Elder Bruce C. Hafen wrote that eternal life refers not to length of life but to quality of life, which 'involves the long-term, difficult, gradual development of the capacity to live like Christ (p. 166).'"
"Elder D. Todd Christofferson said, 'Our covenant commitment to Him permits our Heavenly Father to let His divine influence, 'the power of godliness,' flow into our lives.' This includes both the power to deny ourselves of all ungodliness and the power to become 'partakers of the divine nature (p. 167).'"
"The power of godliness will not only allow us to see His face and live but also to live so that the Lord can see His countenance in us (p. 168)."
"'All those who keep his commandments shall grow up from grace to grace, and become heirs of the heavenly kingdom, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ; possessing the same mind, being transformed into the same image (Lectures on Faith, p. 169).'"
"'Since we are completely dependent on the Atonement and saved by grace, does that mean that it doesn't matter what we do in this life? No! God expects us to use His grace to live righteously because those choices determine who we become (p. 173).'"
"'If you wish to go where God is, you must be like God, or possess the principles which God possesses....Search your hearts, and see if you are like God. I have searched mine, and feel to repent (Joseph Smith, p. 174).'"
"How will we feel when we meet the Savior? The answer depends on how like Him we have become (p. 175)."
"'Without our complete engagement, the problem is not that the Lord's grace won't help us grow, but that it can't (Bruce and Marie Hafen, p. 176).'"
"God doesn't just want this elder to look like he knows Spanish or to memorize enough to skim by for a day or two. He wants him to be able to understand people's deepest concerns and fears and be able to answer their most heartfelt questions in Spanish... The language--and the process of learning it--need to become part of him. God wants all of us to internalize the gospel in the same way. We must become fluent in it (p. 177)."
"Living the gospel is more than appearances and it is the struggle of learning to live the gospel that internalizes it (p. 178)."
"'Knowledge is not power unless it is sustained by...character (Karl G. Maeser, p. 179).'"
"Coming to Christ is not the end but the means to the real end of becoming more like Him (p. 180)."
"God is not preparing mansions for us. He is preparing us for the mansions (p. 181)."
"Practice doesn't make perfect. Christ makes perfect (p. 182)."
"When we encounter Christ, we are meant to be changed. We are meant to return to heaven another way (p. 184)."
"'The closer we are to Jesus Christ in the thoughts and intents of our hearts, the more we appreciate His innocent suffering, the more grateful we are for grace Elder Dale G. Renlund, p. 187).'"
"Often in life I have felt like the disabled man in desperate need of help and healing, carried to Christ by wonderful friends and family members who have never given up on me. Other times I have tried to e the one who carries those around me. I'm not keeping score. I'm just keeping at it (p. 196)."
"Whether we are carried or carrying we all draw closer to Christ (p. 197)."
"'I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me, confused by the grace that so fully he proffers me'.... Proffers is more than a synonym for offers. Adding the prefix pro to offers indicates that instead of simply extending a gift to someone, the giver takes initiative to proactively place the gift before the receiver. Think of the emblems of the sacrament. They are not simply offered to the congregation. Latter-day Saints don't approach the front of the chapel to take them. Rather, the bread and water are proffered to us--literally placed before each of us individually, even when we are late and standing in the foyer... This teaches us much about how lovingly the gift of grace is given (p. 2)."
"God is a 'God of grace.' His gift is not a prize for the righteous. It is the source of righteousness. His help is not a reward for the worthy. It is the source of worthiness. It is not waiting for us once we change. It is the power we need throughout the entire perfecting process (p. 5)."
"Grace is more than a description of God's attributes. It is how He engages with us as we strive to attain those attributes. It is the power that propels us upward toward perfection and exaltation (p. 8)."
"I once saw grace as an equation of my part plus God's part as if I had to meet some sort of minimum height requirement to enter heaven. Now I see it is not about height, but about growth. Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught, 'We do not to achieve some minimum level of capacity or goodness before God will help--divine aid can be ours every hour of every day, no matter where we are in the path of obedience (p. 8).'"
"Instead of seeing Christ as making up the difference, I now see He makes all the difference (p. 9)."
"Grace is different than the Atonement. It is not Christ's suffering, death, and Resurrection. Instead, grace is the power that flows from those sacred moments. Sheri Dew...has called it 'the power the Atonement makes available to us (p. 10).'"
"God is not enabling us to bypass His laws but empowering us with increased ability to live His laws. Grace is not the absence of God's high expectations. It is the presence of His power--a portion of His unlimited capacity that allows us to join with Him and do together what we could never do alone (p. 11)."
"'This edifice was built by volunteers who knew little about construction.'... The wooden joists beneath the floor were laid incorrectly--horizontally instead of vertically. These joists should never have been able to support the weight of the building. Nevertheless, when Christ appeared, He accepted the building as His--flaws and all. Where there were weaknesses, He provided strength and transformed an imperfect building into a holy temple (p. 12)."
"I sometimes wonder how much tolerance and acceptance Moses would receive in our modern world. What kind of reply would he get from an editor if he were to submit the Ten Commandments to a mainstream publisher today (p. 18)?"
"'Only the adversary, the enemy of us all, would try to convince us that...people don't really improve, that no one really progresses.... Don't fall for that. With the gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the strength of heaven to help us, we can improve (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, p. 20).'"
"Christ's grace means that He stands ready to transform and exalt us. He offers His divine help throughout that perfecting process. The fact that He chooses to do so means He loves us enough not to leave us just the way we are (p. 21)."
"In Louisa's home she had learned of Christ's merits and mercies, but it was only when she encountered His grace that she was changed. Like Louisa, we don't have to settle for less (p. 24)."
"Young people understand love, and they know that for it to truly exist it takes at least two people. Grace is not one-sided either. Like love, grace recognizes--even requires--a relationship (p. 26)."
"'Alma knew the covenant was not like a business deal--'you do this for God, and God will do this for you'--but it was an opportunity for them to become His, to become God's people. Every covenant with God is an opportunity to draw closer to Him (President Henry B. Eyring, p. 28).'"
"Sister Goulding reached out to include me. I remember her showing interest in my interests.... Long after I left her class and she was released from her calling, Sister Goulding continued to follow my progress. Not only would she greet me at church, but she would also call and praise me wen I gave a talk or performed a musical number. When she heard of an accomplishment at school, she was quick to write me a little note.... She made a difference at a lonely and discouraging time in my life.... My relationship with Julia Goulding helps me understand my covenant relationship with God. Was it a reciprocal relationship? Yes, but not in a win-win business arrangement sort of way. Julia certainly did not give so much to me because of what I offered in return.... Everything she asked of me was really just another way of helping me (p. 30)."
"The nurturing relationship between a vine and branch...helps me understand my covenant relationship with God. My job is not to do my part in order to receive grace, for there is nothing I can do in and of myself. In our relationship with the Lord, He declares, 'My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply (p. 34).'"
"Elder David A. Bednar taught, 'Making and keeping sacred covenants yokes us to and with the Lord Jesus Christ.' Together with Him, the burden becomes light because His strength is perfect (p. 35)."
"Meekness is not surrendering strength but surrendering stubborn willfulness (p. 36)."
"Christ came to help all of us wherever we are in the process and for whatever reasons (p. 38)."
"'The wife taking her husband's name...actually symbolizes the covenant relationship Christ has with us as members of His Church.... The taking and giving of Christ's name is reminiscent of the covenants made in baptism and in the temple through which Christ can 'sanctify and cleanse [us]...that [we] should be holy and without blemish.' It symbolizes how He 'nourisheth and cherisheth' us (p. 40).'"
"'Men and women who turn their lives over to God will discover that He an make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace (President Ezra Taft Benson, p. 41).'"
"The reciprocal nature of grace means we are obligated, but not to fulfill our end of the bargain as much as to build and strengthen a relationship (p. 42)."
"God couldn't care less about getting paid back. His joy is found in seeing us value His gift. Receiving grace is like receiving a scholarship. It doesn't guarantee learning. It facilitates it. The scholarship donor doesn't want the money back. He or she wants it utilized (p. 45)."
"'Ordinances received and honored with integrity are essential to obtaining the power of godliness and all of the blessings made available through the Savior's Atonement.' Making covenants is not a declaration that we don't need grace but an indication that we are ready to receive more (p. 49)."
"Wanting to do everything possible to finance her own mission, she sold her violin, her most prized and nearly sole earthly possession. She said simply, 'God will bless me with another violin after I have blessed His children with the gospel of Jesus Christ.'.... Imagine the sister's surprise when by the next zone conference the missionaries throughout the mission had pooled their limited resources and purchased a violin for her (p. 51)."
"Long ago, the faithful sacrificed animals. Today that quietly place violins, size fifteen shoes, and white temple clothes on the altar. The 'what'of sacrifice has changed, but the 'why' remains the same. It is done in similitude of the sacrifice of the Savior and to invite into our lives the very grace that can make us similar to Him (p. 53)."
"Grace helps us learn humility, purify our motives, and expand our expectations (p. 54)."
"'Maybe the little kids don't get it yet, but I do. The parent with the rules is the one that really cares (p. 56).'"
"It is only with those bounds that true joy and satisfaction are found. He is not keeping us from something. He is offering us everything (p. 58)!"
"There is a difference between giving God your things and giving Him yourself. It is one thing to lay an animal on the altar and another to lay ourselves there. Sacrifice is putting ourselves int the place of Abraham. Consecration is putting ourselves in the place of Isaac (p. 60)."
"'I am a disciple of Jesus Christ with temple covenants to keep (Sister Elaine Dalton, p. 60).'"
"Because the granddaughter loved what her grandfather had loved, she received all he had. As we consecrate ourselves, we learn to love what God loves and invite more of His power into our lives (p. 61)."
"'Whenever you wonder if God is there and if He loves you, remember this moment. Remember God dragged me half-way around the world to hug you and that He prompted me to change my talk at the last minute for you.'.... We both knew we had been involved in what Elder Robert E. Wells would have called an adventure of the Spirit, and we were both better for it (p. 70)."
"'The power of godliness comes in the person and by the influence of the Holy Ghost...It is the messenger of grace by which the blood of Christ is applied (Elder D. Todd Christofferson, p. 72).'"
"'When a man has the manifestation from the Holy Ghost, it leaves an indelible impression on his soul, one that is not easily erased. It is Spirit speaking to spirit, and it comes with convincing force. A manifestation of an angel over the the Son of God himself, would impress the eye and mind, and eventually become dimmed, but the impressions of the Holy Ghost sink deeper into the soul and are more difficult to erase (President Joseph Fielding Smith, p. 76).'"
"I...see yellow light as evidence that God trusts me...it seems like a vote of confidence that He doesn't feel He needs to direct my every move (p. 81)."
"Enduring to the end doesn't mean living without errors. It means enduring in the covenant despite errors--remaining in the bus and continuing to play the game no matter where we currently sit or how many times we end up at the back (p. 92)."
"Another way we take the Lord's name in vain is when we give up the hope Christ offers through His Atonement. In that moment, we render His grace useless, empty, and meaningless in our lives. In sacred sacrament moments, we cannot really promise to never again make a mistake. Instead we demonstrate that we are willing to receive His grace (p. 94)."
"'Don't be afraid of mistakes. We all make them as we learn (p. 102).'"
"Stephen had been taking the easy path by sweeping his problem under the rug and telling himself it was no big deal--that everybody did it and that lots of people say it is normal and even healthy (p. 106)."
"McKenna realized that she needed the Savior's grace just as Stephen did. They both needed strength and help. The Atonement is not just about her husband receiving forgiveness but also about helping her to forgive. The Atonement is about helping both of them heal (p. 108)."
"'I believe those who mock the Atonement are those who refuse to try it at all (p. 110).'"
"We know 'God is love,' but we also know we are not always loveable. Peace comes when we remember that God sees more than mortality. He loves our pasts and futures as well as who we are now. Everything He does--even when it leaves us scratching our heads--is done with our best interests in mind (p. 117)."
"He can see beyond our flimsy facades and hypocritical masks. Fear must be replaced with faith--faith that He is honest when He tells us He brought us forth at this time for a purpose and has given us everything we need to succeed. God sees the real us. That also means that in His honesty, He sees good in us that we don't even see in ourselves (p. 117)."
"Since God is competent enough to have numberless children, we must believe He is competent enough to know and care for each of us individually. God comprehends what we cannot. His charity never faileth, and His strength is perfect (p. 119)."
"Despite all possible sources of mistrust, trusting Jesus is not new for us. It is something our spirits already know how to do. It is not out of our comfort zone. It is our comfort zone. We all trusted Jesus in the premortal world (p. 119)."
"What saved Nephi from surrendering to despair and self-reproach? It was his knowledge of true doctrine. His clear view of God allowed him to trust His grace. With this trust came a new outlook on his life. He was empowered to move forward with faith. The same blessing can be ours (p. 125)."
"'Happily, God in His omniscience can distinguish between our surface needs (over which we often pray most fervently) and our deep and eternal needs. He can distinguish what we need today and place it in relationship to what we need for all eternity. He will bless us, according to our everlasting good (Elder Neal A. Maxwell, p. 130).'"
"Earth life was never meant to be a perpetual Garden of Eden or a twenty-four-hour amusement park. It is a school, and sometimes the best teachers are the hardest ones, and the most important courses are required rather than electives. Lessons that don't challenge us rarely change us. 'The overarching purpose of Heavenly Father's great plan of happiness is to provide His spirit children
with opportunities to learn. The Atonement of Jesus Christ and the agency [it] afforded...are divinely designed to facilitate our learning (p. 132).'"
"'I guess I just want to know what the Lord desires me to learn from all this (p. 134).'"
"Grace is not the promise of perpetual green pastures and still waters. It is the power to trust the Good Shepherd wherever He leads (p. 134)."
"He did not perform the Atonement just to be able to understand us but to assist us. He overcame in order to help us overcome (p. 136)."
"Simply going through trials does not make us stronger (p. 137)."
"Grace is God's hand reaching down to us. Tyler didn't have to earn it, deserve it, or meet certain conditions to merit it. He just had to make the self-willed choice to grasp it (p. 137)."
"One of the happiest hymns I know is 'There is Sunshine in My Soul Today.' We sing, 'The dove of peace sings in my heart, the flowers of grace appear.' Were these words written by somebody who had never experienced any trials? Not at all.... Eliza (Lidie) Hewitt...started her teaching career in the late 1800s with great optimism. One day a prankster in her in the back with a slate and injured her so badly she became bedridden and was placed in a body cast for six months. On her first day out of the cast she went outside and wrote, 'There is sunshine in my soul today, more glorious and bright than glows in any earthly sky, for Jesus is my light.' The flowers of grace were there, but Lidie had to look beyond the trial and choose to see them (p. 138)."
"For those who choose to accept God's grace, there will always be flowers surrounding the stones (p. 140)."
"'No matter how hard we work, no matter how much we obey, no matter how many good things we do in this life, it would not be enough were it not for Jesus Christ and His loving grace (Elder M. Russell Ballard, p. 145).'"
"Eve's righteous choice saved Adam and all of us from stagnation (p. 148)."
"'Christ died not to save indiscriminately but to offer repentance (Elder D. Todd Christofferson, p. 152).'"
"Repentance is not a punishment for slipping from perfection. It is a step toward that goal (p. 153)."
"Jesus offers us victory over our worst selves. Not only can our sins be forgiven, but we can be born again (p. 156)."
"Elder Haight was not born again the instant he made his commitment but throughout all the subsequent years that he kept it (p. 158)."
"Today people teach that they will go to heaven regardless of their actions or choices. What does that say about God's justice? Only in the restored gospel do we find the answer that satisfies both mercy and justice (p. 163)."
"Immortality describes living forever, and eternal life describes the life lived by our Heavenly Parents. Elder Bruce C. Hafen wrote that eternal life refers not to length of life but to quality of life, which 'involves the long-term, difficult, gradual development of the capacity to live like Christ (p. 166).'"
"Elder D. Todd Christofferson said, 'Our covenant commitment to Him permits our Heavenly Father to let His divine influence, 'the power of godliness,' flow into our lives.' This includes both the power to deny ourselves of all ungodliness and the power to become 'partakers of the divine nature (p. 167).'"
"The power of godliness will not only allow us to see His face and live but also to live so that the Lord can see His countenance in us (p. 168)."
"'All those who keep his commandments shall grow up from grace to grace, and become heirs of the heavenly kingdom, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ; possessing the same mind, being transformed into the same image (Lectures on Faith, p. 169).'"
"'Since we are completely dependent on the Atonement and saved by grace, does that mean that it doesn't matter what we do in this life? No! God expects us to use His grace to live righteously because those choices determine who we become (p. 173).'"
"'If you wish to go where God is, you must be like God, or possess the principles which God possesses....Search your hearts, and see if you are like God. I have searched mine, and feel to repent (Joseph Smith, p. 174).'"
"How will we feel when we meet the Savior? The answer depends on how like Him we have become (p. 175)."
"'Without our complete engagement, the problem is not that the Lord's grace won't help us grow, but that it can't (Bruce and Marie Hafen, p. 176).'"
"God doesn't just want this elder to look like he knows Spanish or to memorize enough to skim by for a day or two. He wants him to be able to understand people's deepest concerns and fears and be able to answer their most heartfelt questions in Spanish... The language--and the process of learning it--need to become part of him. God wants all of us to internalize the gospel in the same way. We must become fluent in it (p. 177)."
"Living the gospel is more than appearances and it is the struggle of learning to live the gospel that internalizes it (p. 178)."
"'Knowledge is not power unless it is sustained by...character (Karl G. Maeser, p. 179).'"
"Coming to Christ is not the end but the means to the real end of becoming more like Him (p. 180)."
"God is not preparing mansions for us. He is preparing us for the mansions (p. 181)."
"Practice doesn't make perfect. Christ makes perfect (p. 182)."
"When we encounter Christ, we are meant to be changed. We are meant to return to heaven another way (p. 184)."
"'The closer we are to Jesus Christ in the thoughts and intents of our hearts, the more we appreciate His innocent suffering, the more grateful we are for grace Elder Dale G. Renlund, p. 187).'"
"Often in life I have felt like the disabled man in desperate need of help and healing, carried to Christ by wonderful friends and family members who have never given up on me. Other times I have tried to e the one who carries those around me. I'm not keeping score. I'm just keeping at it (p. 196)."
"Whether we are carried or carrying we all draw closer to Christ (p. 197)."
September 13, 2023
I ran across this book several months ago and have really taken my time with it. It has been a turbulent few months for me personally, and I have great great comfort and direction in these pages. I will be buying my own hard copy.
What a beautiful exploration of grace--something we don't necessarily explore in depth much in the church. Wilcox tells absolutely gorgeous, applicable stories throughout, and his writing is engaging for the reader (something that is hard to accomplish with a lot of doctrinal books).
Here are some of my favorite quotes/passages:
"Heavenly Father does more than allow you to feel that upward pull. He has provided a way to rise higher, almost beyond our limits of imagination, not by our own powers, bur through the power of the atonement of His Son, Jesus Christ" (quoting Henry B. Eyring)
"Like love, grace recognizes --even requires--a relationship. Many Christians see grace as a one-way infusion, not as the two-way interaction it really is."
"The stalagmite is not self-sufficient. Without the stalactite, no growth is possible--The very droplets from above contain within them the elements and the minerals of the stalactite through which they have passed. Those minerals land on the stalagmite--drop by drop, line upon line--and help it frow like what is above it until they become one...we must stop running around and just be still like a stalagmite--just let ourselves get dripped on from above!"
"When He asks us to serve Him with heart, might, mind, and strength, He is simultaneously offering His heart, might, mind, and strength."
"Worthiness is not flawlessness."
"The Lord blesses those who want to improve, who accept the need for commandments, and try to keep them . . . if you stumble in that pursuit, so does everyone; the Savior is there to help you keep going."
"If we can look back and see His hand in our lives in the past, we must press forward believing that same hand will evident in the future."
"Trusting Jesus is not new for us. It is something our spirits already know how to do. It is not out of our comfort zone. It is our comfort zone."
"Any failure is only temporary in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The decision to carry on in spite of disappointment turns the worst circumstance into success." (Quoting Patricia Holland)
"Seeing God as our coach rather than our critic, opens the door for His grace to change us."
"God is not just preparing mansions for us; he is preparing us for the mansions."
"Practice doesn't make perfect. Christ makes perfect. Without Christ's tutoring, we would be helpless. Without our willingness, His help would be halted."
"Gratitude has always been the fundamental touchstone of my spirituality. When I feel truly grateful, I know the Spirit is with me, and I am on the path. When I struggle to feel grateful, I know I have strayed."
"Often in life I have felt like the disabled man in desperate need of help and healing, carried to Christ by wonderful friends and family members who have never given up on me. Other times I have tried to be the one who carries those around me. I'm not keeping score. I'm just keeping at it."
What a beautiful exploration of grace--something we don't necessarily explore in depth much in the church. Wilcox tells absolutely gorgeous, applicable stories throughout, and his writing is engaging for the reader (something that is hard to accomplish with a lot of doctrinal books).
Here are some of my favorite quotes/passages:
"Heavenly Father does more than allow you to feel that upward pull. He has provided a way to rise higher, almost beyond our limits of imagination, not by our own powers, bur through the power of the atonement of His Son, Jesus Christ" (quoting Henry B. Eyring)
"Like love, grace recognizes --even requires--a relationship. Many Christians see grace as a one-way infusion, not as the two-way interaction it really is."
"The stalagmite is not self-sufficient. Without the stalactite, no growth is possible--The very droplets from above contain within them the elements and the minerals of the stalactite through which they have passed. Those minerals land on the stalagmite--drop by drop, line upon line--and help it frow like what is above it until they become one...we must stop running around and just be still like a stalagmite--just let ourselves get dripped on from above!"
"When He asks us to serve Him with heart, might, mind, and strength, He is simultaneously offering His heart, might, mind, and strength."
"Worthiness is not flawlessness."
"The Lord blesses those who want to improve, who accept the need for commandments, and try to keep them . . . if you stumble in that pursuit, so does everyone; the Savior is there to help you keep going."
"If we can look back and see His hand in our lives in the past, we must press forward believing that same hand will evident in the future."
"Trusting Jesus is not new for us. It is something our spirits already know how to do. It is not out of our comfort zone. It is our comfort zone."
"Any failure is only temporary in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The decision to carry on in spite of disappointment turns the worst circumstance into success." (Quoting Patricia Holland)
"Seeing God as our coach rather than our critic, opens the door for His grace to change us."
"God is not just preparing mansions for us; he is preparing us for the mansions."
"Practice doesn't make perfect. Christ makes perfect. Without Christ's tutoring, we would be helpless. Without our willingness, His help would be halted."
"Gratitude has always been the fundamental touchstone of my spirituality. When I feel truly grateful, I know the Spirit is with me, and I am on the path. When I struggle to feel grateful, I know I have strayed."
"Often in life I have felt like the disabled man in desperate need of help and healing, carried to Christ by wonderful friends and family members who have never given up on me. Other times I have tried to be the one who carries those around me. I'm not keeping score. I'm just keeping at it."
February 3, 2026
Brad Wilcox does a really good job of making the gospel approachable. I know he caters to a youth audience, but I still enjoy reading his work. He could dial back on the alliterations just a smidge, but that's just my two cents.
Some of my favorite parts from this book:
- When I read Matthew 25, I no longer think just of money or abilities. I thnk of books: And unto one he gave five books, to another, two books, and to another one book. The first two read their books and the lord said, "Well done. You have read a few books. I will now give you more. Enter into my library!" The third servant didn't care about his book so the lord ended up taking it away-not because he was being mean or punishing the servant. He took the book away because the servant had already tossed it aside.
- In the endowment we do not see portrayals of Christ in Gethsemane, on the cross, or leaving the tomb, because the endowment is not about how Christ gave us the atonement. Rather, "the story of Adam and Eve is the story of receiving and engaging His atonement" (Bruce C Hafen). We receive grace the same way Adam and Eve did-under the direction of those who possess preisthood keys and by choosing to make and keep covenants.
- There is a difference between giving God your things and giving Him yourself. It is one thing to lay an animal on the alter and another to lay ourselves there. Sacrifice is putting ourselves in the place of Abraham. Consecration is putting ourselves in the place of Isaac.
- If we can look back and see His hand in our lives in the past, we must press forward believing that same hand will be evident in the future. If we can see He has brought us to this point, we must belive He does not intend to drop us now.
- Christ didn't suffer so we wouldn't have to. He suffered so our suffering would not be wasted. It can mean something.
- (Talking about one of his students) She had seen herself starting at one hundred percent, with each sin making her less and less. But none of us was ever perfect to start with. Repentance is not a punishment for slipping from perfection. It is a step toward that goal. The process does not take us back to one hundred percent but closer to it.
- When Christian friends have told me it is blasphemous to believe we can become like God and Christ, I have sometimes responded using the same questions Elder Tad R. Callister once asked: "Do not all Christian Churches advocate Christlike behavior? Is that not what the Sermon on the Mount is all about? If it is blasphemous to think we can become as God, then at what point is it not blasphemous to become like God-90 percent, 50 percent, 1 percent? Is it more Christian to seek partial godhood than total godhood?
- Repentance is not getting away with something, but rather finally getting startedon something.
Some of my favorite parts from this book:
- When I read Matthew 25, I no longer think just of money or abilities. I thnk of books: And unto one he gave five books, to another, two books, and to another one book. The first two read their books and the lord said, "Well done. You have read a few books. I will now give you more. Enter into my library!" The third servant didn't care about his book so the lord ended up taking it away-not because he was being mean or punishing the servant. He took the book away because the servant had already tossed it aside.
- In the endowment we do not see portrayals of Christ in Gethsemane, on the cross, or leaving the tomb, because the endowment is not about how Christ gave us the atonement. Rather, "the story of Adam and Eve is the story of receiving and engaging His atonement" (Bruce C Hafen). We receive grace the same way Adam and Eve did-under the direction of those who possess preisthood keys and by choosing to make and keep covenants.
- There is a difference between giving God your things and giving Him yourself. It is one thing to lay an animal on the alter and another to lay ourselves there. Sacrifice is putting ourselves in the place of Abraham. Consecration is putting ourselves in the place of Isaac.
- If we can look back and see His hand in our lives in the past, we must press forward believing that same hand will be evident in the future. If we can see He has brought us to this point, we must belive He does not intend to drop us now.
- Christ didn't suffer so we wouldn't have to. He suffered so our suffering would not be wasted. It can mean something.
- (Talking about one of his students) She had seen herself starting at one hundred percent, with each sin making her less and less. But none of us was ever perfect to start with. Repentance is not a punishment for slipping from perfection. It is a step toward that goal. The process does not take us back to one hundred percent but closer to it.
- When Christian friends have told me it is blasphemous to believe we can become like God and Christ, I have sometimes responded using the same questions Elder Tad R. Callister once asked: "Do not all Christian Churches advocate Christlike behavior? Is that not what the Sermon on the Mount is all about? If it is blasphemous to think we can become as God, then at what point is it not blasphemous to become like God-90 percent, 50 percent, 1 percent? Is it more Christian to seek partial godhood than total godhood?
- Repentance is not getting away with something, but rather finally getting startedon something.
November 28, 2021
This is a short, folksy interpretation of a cherished and crucial topic for Christians of all stripes - what is the grace of Christ and how do I receive it in my life? Brad Wilcox is a popular youth speaker in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is intense and relatable, and his audiences love this about him. I don't find that his style resonates with me very well, though I do appreciate some of the insights that he shares in this book. His narrative style seems to be meant for a much younger audience. He seems to pack his writing with too much anecdotal content. Rather than going deep, he covers this subject with many (too many?) broad brush strokes, and thus the opportunity to really convey some important insights about the grace of Christ feels somewhat suffocated in the tangle of his colloquial references and jaunty turns-of-phrase. In the end, I found myself doubting that I understood what definition of grace he was trying to convey. Here are two nice thoughts that sum up his book for me.
"We do not need to achieve some minimum level of capacity or goodness before God will help--divine aid can be ours every hour of every day, no matter where we are in the path of obedience." -Elder D. Todd Christofferson
"It is Jesus Christ who helps us through His Atonement. Grace is the help His Atonement makes possible." -the author
"We do not need to achieve some minimum level of capacity or goodness before God will help--divine aid can be ours every hour of every day, no matter where we are in the path of obedience." -Elder D. Todd Christofferson
"It is Jesus Christ who helps us through His Atonement. Grace is the help His Atonement makes possible." -the author
June 18, 2017
I enjoyed reading this book, and learning more about the Savior's grace in my life. I could not help but notice how peaceful I felt reading this book, witnessing to me how prevalent the Savior's grace is for all. I'd like to reread this book and use the ideas as a springboard to my scripture study.
I do want to share an experience: I read this book on a flight. At one point, I began talking with the man next to me who was not a member of the church. He examined the book, and we found common ground within our religions. Then he read the inscription that Brad Wilcox wrote congratulating my wife and I on our sealing. This man was so touched by the word "sealing" that it led to a discussion about temple marriages and the gospel, powerfully evoking thought about the commitment of marriage and the lasting impact it can have if performed in the temple. It was a powerful, organic way to share the restored gospel.
I do want to share an experience: I read this book on a flight. At one point, I began talking with the man next to me who was not a member of the church. He examined the book, and we found common ground within our religions. Then he read the inscription that Brad Wilcox wrote congratulating my wife and I on our sealing. This man was so touched by the word "sealing" that it led to a discussion about temple marriages and the gospel, powerfully evoking thought about the commitment of marriage and the lasting impact it can have if performed in the temple. It was a powerful, organic way to share the restored gospel.
January 28, 2018
Easy-to-read little treasure. Wilcox looks at the complex doctrine of grace through the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint perspective. He illustrates the points he makes using examples from his and others' lives. I found myself thinking about grace in new ways. Wilcox's writing style is easy-going yet able to deal with highly important doctrines in a clear, fun way. I highly recommend this book. It took me a few weeks to finish the book because after I had purchased it, I had reserved books on Overdrive that kept coming in requiring me to postpone this one. I think at some point in time it would be worth it to reread the entire book without interruption.
January 29, 2018
I wasn’t familiar with Wilcox or his works, other than hearing something about him speaking often to youth. I decided to give this book a go since his other works have been highly recommended to me.
Grace is one of my favorite topics. And in my opinion, one that should be discussed more frequently! Wilcox shares his experiences and knowledge compassionately and gently. This isn’t surface doctrine, it goes deep into grace.
Here are some thoughts that stood out to me from this book:
—Sometimes the righteous have more trials because they are most ready to learn
—Earth is a school
—God will successfully save all who choose to be saved
Highly recommended!
Grace is one of my favorite topics. And in my opinion, one that should be discussed more frequently! Wilcox shares his experiences and knowledge compassionately and gently. This isn’t surface doctrine, it goes deep into grace.
Here are some thoughts that stood out to me from this book:
—Sometimes the righteous have more trials because they are most ready to learn
—Earth is a school
—God will successfully save all who choose to be saved
Highly recommended!
May 11, 2017
"'Have you been changed by grace?' In this insightful book, Brad Wilcox explores this life-altering question in depth."
"Grace is not the absence of God's high expectations it is the presence of his power..."
"God sees the real us. That also means that in His honesty, He sees good in us that we don't even see in ourselves."
"God would never have put us through mortality if He could have accomplished the same purpose by giving us an immortal body instantly and spiritual maturity with a wave of the hand."
"Grace is not the absence of God's high expectations it is the presence of his power..."
"God sees the real us. That also means that in His honesty, He sees good in us that we don't even see in ourselves."
"God would never have put us through mortality if He could have accomplished the same purpose by giving us an immortal body instantly and spiritual maturity with a wave of the hand."
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