Recently I have been reading the late Brennan Manning’s autobiography All is Grace. His words MOVE me and there is something about his writing that has me in tears every time I pick up one of his books. At the beginning of his memoir he writes a poem and I just want to write it out for you here even though it is a bit lengthy because it is SO good:
“This book is by the one who thought he’d be farther along by now, but he’s not. It is by the inmate who promised the parole board he’d be good, but he wasn’t. It is by the dim-eyed who showed the path to others but kept losing his way. It is by the wet-brained who believed if a little wine is good for the stomach then a lot is great. It is by the liar, tramp, and thief; otherwise known as the priest, speaker, and author. It is by the disciple whose cheese slid off his cracker so many times he said ‘to hell with cheese ‘n’ crackers.’ It is by the young at heart but old of bone who led these days in a way he’d rather not go.”
Manning was SO AWARE of his humanity and I find his honesty breathtaking. Because here’s the thing: some days I feel so crushed by the weight of my own humanity. Some days I feel as if I my failures will never let go of me. And Manning understood that. I cry when I read his books because I see so much of myself in his writing. But, here is where he teaches me so much: while Manning understood his humanity so deeply, he also understood God’s grace. He goes on:
“But, this book is also for the gentle ones who’ve lived among wolves. It is for those who’ve broken free of collar to romp in fields of love and marriage and divorce. It is for those who mourn, who’ve been mourning most of their lives, yet they hang on to shall be comforted. It is for those who’ve dreamed of entertaining angels, but found instead a few friends of great price. It is for the younger and elder prodigals who’ve come to their senses again, and again, and again, and again. It is for those who strain at pious piffle because they’ve been swallowed by Mercy itself. This book is for myself and those who have been around the block enough times that we dare to whisper the ragamuffin’s rumor – all is grace.”
While I am so aware of my humanity, I struggle to claim Manning’s mantra: “all is grace.” I’ve never known someone to cling to that promise more than he did. I can only hope that as I walk through this life that Grace will become even more real to me than it is now. I can only hope that my understanding of how much I need Grace will overshadow the crushing weight of my own humanity.
Has anyone else read Manning’s books? Have they moved you as much as they do me? Are there any other books that do this for you? Let me know in the comments below!
Until next time,
Ok these pics are just so adorable. Isn’t it a beautiful thing when reading the work of another human brings us to tears.
Thank you Renee! And yes! I think music and books are one of the most powerful ways of moving other human beings!
thank you for sharing this today. i am in constant need of the great reminder of grace. such wonderful words for a monday morning. im ordering this book on amazon as we speak!
Your welcome Kristen! I am as well!
Thanks so much for sharing some encouraging and inspiring words! Love that bag you are carrying too! 🙂
Thank you Tania! And you are welcome! I needed to hear them as well. 🙂
Loved today’s post! Hanging on…
Thanks mom!
Such a great read and beautiful photos! Very encouraging.
Thank you Chrissy! I’m glad I could encourage you.
This made me really excited to read Manning’s autobiography … so I went to buy it online … and it’s FREE for Nook or Kindle! I don’t know if it’s always free or just for a time, but I thought I’d let you know in case you wanted to share that with your readers!
Yay! Thanks for the heads up!!
Just stumbled across your blog – it’s so lovely to look at!
Thank you Kayla!
Love the shoes! Nice photos.
Thank you Erin!
praise God for His grace and for His mercy!
Amen!
I love Brennan Manning. I had the good fortune of hearing him speak during a chapel at Bethel so many years ago and it’s one of those moments that has stuck with me. I have the word “Grace” tattooed on my forearm and I preach it’s gospel and rely on it heavily on it in practice- yet in actuality I have a hard time believing in it’s capability to make up for the vast gap in all areas of my life. Thanks for the reminder, Karin. I’m going to pick some Manning for my next read.
He’s one of my favorites! That really is so great that you got to hear him speak in person. I regret that I never had the chance. I always find myself coming back to his books when I go through valleys of doubt. His ability to cling to God’s grace even when it seems so far away inspires me over and over.
You have captured such an amazing shots and the kid is so cute. I also liked your red stilettos. I am also thinking of buying a new one.
Thank you Ana! They really are one of my go to pairs of shoes!
These are such beautiful pictures! I’ve never read Manning, but I have some of his books and have always wanted to!
You definitely should Stephanie! He writes beautifully. And thank you!
You have me intrigued, and I will make sure to get a copy asap! Btw the pictures are gorgeous!
Thank you Victoria! It’s free on Kindle or Nook right now!
What adorable pics! You know, I’ve never read Mannings before but I’m definitely going to add him to my list!!
Thank you Erin! You definitely should! His books are incredibly moving.