Grace in Minnesota

If you’d told me that one day, I’d be living in Minnesota — swapping magnolias for maples and sweet tea for snow boots — I’d have laughed and said, “Bless your heart.” Yet here I am, a Southern girl surviving (and loving) life in the North.

Now that it’s fall, the air’s getting crisp, the leaves are showing off, and I’m sipping my coffee on the porch in a sweatshirt, trying to soak up every ounce of sunshine before the first snowflake dares to appear. I’m not quite at the car-defrosting stage yet — but give it a few weeks, and I’ll be scraping ice off the windshield.

I came here years ago for my husband's schooling and maybe a little adventure... But what I didn’t expect to find was how much God would use these seasons (and this cold) to teach me about grace.

The Gift of a Steady Faith

One of the biggest blessings in my life is my husband. He’s been the steady, quiet kind of faithful that makes you want to know God more — not because he preaches it, but because he lives it. He’s the one who reminds me to pray first and worry less, who’s quick to give grace and slow to judge, and who somehow always knows when I need a gentle word (or a really big Diet Coke).

His faith has inspired mine to grow deeper and more personal. Watching the way he trusts God through both calm and chaos has reminded me that faith isn’t about having all the answers — it’s about knowing who to turn to when you don’t. I’m grateful that his quiet strength has become such an anchor for our family, especially when life feels like a whirlwind of schedules, snow, and teenage emotions. If you dont have someone in your life, who can help you and influence you, find that person. It can be at a bible study or mom group. If you seek these people, you will find them. God will place these individuals in your life if you ask.

Life in the Chaos Lane

I’m a mom to three incredible big kids — Andrew, my hockey-playing, trombone-blowing teenager; Owen, my creative thinker, cross-country runner, and fellow trombone player; and Olivia, my spunky, guitar-strumming, hockey-loving, saxophone superstar.

Between hockey games, cross-country meets, plays, and guitar lessons and mostly figuring out how to be three places at once, grace has become my daily bread. Some days it’s warm and fresh; other days it’s store-bought and a little stale — but it’s still grace.

There are days I feel like I’ve got this whole “mom thing” down — everyone’s fed, semi-clean, and maybe even smiling. Then there are days I’m surviving on caffeine and prayer, asking God to multiply my patience like the loaves and fishes.

Learning to Pray

Every week, I meet with a group of amazing women for Moms in Prayer — and honestly, the first few times I went, I was terrified. These women prayed out loud, confidently, like they were talking to their best friend. Meanwhile, I was sitting there thinking, Do I say “Dear God” again or is that too much?

But the more I listened, the more I learned. Their words were raw, honest, and full of love — not polished or rehearsed, just real. That group became a sacred space where I could let go of the pressure to sound perfect and just be — clay in the Potter’s hands.

And wouldn’t you know it, last week’s devotion was about exactly that — how we, as moms, are the clay, and God is the potter. We are constantly being shaped — by motherhood, by hard days, by the unexpected, and by His grace.

It hit me right in the heart because some days I feel more like a lump of clay than a beautiful vase. But He’s still working, smoothing the rough spots, and molding me into something purposeful.

Finding Grace in the Hard Seasons

In the South, I used to think grace looked calm and polished — like Sunday dresses and polite smiles. But here in Minnesota, I’ve learned grace can look a little messier — like coffee stains, carpool chaos, and a heart that’s learning to trust in the middle of the storm.

Grace isn’t about having it all together. It’s about letting God hold us together when we can’t. It is a lot to trust and to let it go, but we must.

“Yet you, Lord, are our Father.
We are the clay, you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.” — Isaiah 64:8

So if you’re in a season that feels hard or confusing, take heart — you’re still being shaped by the most loving hands there are. God’s not done with you yet. He’s creating something beautiful — even if it feels like a mess in the making. I started to write a book and it is currently in process. It is titled, "Messy Masterpiece." It is exactly how I feel- life can be so messy but it is so beautiful at the same time. Stay tuned for that. :)

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to cheer at a hockey game, and maybe sneak in a quiet prayer on the drive — just me and my Potter, talking like old friends.

XOXO,

SG

From Sweet Tea to Snow Boots: What This Southern Girl Learned About Grace in Minnesota