And this is grace

There’s this woman named Sara Groves. She used to be a teacher in Minnesota, but now she tours as a singer/songwriter. She is one of my very favorite musicians; she has a conversational style of writing that cuts straight to the heart of the matter. Even when she introduces her songs before playing them, she proves herself to be eloquent and wise and absolutely real. Besides being, objectively speaking, one of the most stunning humans I’ve ever seen up close, her spirit is even more compelling. Sara Groves makes me want to be a more beautiful person.

There’s this girl named Julie. Julie and I have a mutual friend in Kansas City, and met up here in Nashville. She’s a nursing student at Belmont, and has gorgeous hair and a generous smile. She is high-spirited, vivacious, and truly interested in what I have to say. We have only known each other a short amount of time, but our interactions have been full of laughter and squealing and depth. I feel like I can be exactly myself around her. Julie makes me want to be a more beautiful person.

There’s this girl named Katie. Katie lives here in Nashville, and has Down syndrome. She attends high school and summer camp and Young Life Capernaum. She is exuberant and uninhibited, yelling out her emotions and dancing when she feels like it. She gives spontaneous hugs and loves people. She smiles and laughs and does not care who you are – she loves you anyway. Katie makes me want to be a more beautiful person.

To quote from a favorite Sara Groves song that I heard last night, sitting beside Julie and behind Katie, “And this is grace: an invitation to be beautiful.”