Grace Across Borders: Biblical Lessons and Global Legends

Faith. Life. Culture. Grace.

Weekly reflections to read or listen to, wherever you are.

Author: Tameka Edwards Gooden

Category: Reflection and Devotion

  • Without Apology

    Who is Jesus to you? In a world filled with different answers, I’m learning that grace gives us room to disagree—but it doesn’t require us to dilute what we believe. This week on Grace Across Borders, I’m answering that question for myself: without hesitation, without dilution, and without apology.

  • THE COST OF THE OIL

    When I first began writing this blog, my heart felt like it was sitting in limbo—waiting, hurting, and trying not to shut down under the weight of life. But somewhere in the middle of pain, prayer, and being misunderstood, God brought me back to the woman with the alabaster box. This piece is a reflection…

  • Train Up a Child: The Grace of What We Pour In

    What we pour into children matters. The songs, Scriptures, stories, lessons, and examples we give them may sit quietly for years—until one day, life brings them back. “Train up a child” is more than a familiar verse; it is a reminder that what we plant today can help shape who they become tomorrow.

  • When the Excuse Sounds Better Than the Truth

    Sometimes the excuses we make aren’t lies—they’re simply the parts of the truth that make it easier not to look at ourselves. This week, God took me back more than 25 years to a painful memory and reminded me that giving myself grace and taking accountability are not opposites. Sometimes the hardest prayer is simply,…

  • Grace in the Pause: Learning to Love the Sabbath

    What if Sabbath is more than a command to stop working? From childhood Sabbaths in Jamaica to discovering the gift of rest as an adult, this week’s reflection explores worship, community, and the grace God placed in the pause from the very beginning.

  • Grace To Use What You Already Have

    What if the thing you keep asking God for is already in your hand? This week, through Scripture, an old Chinese folktale, and some unexpected reminders, I began to realize that maybe I haven’t been waiting for more. Maybe I’ve been learning to use what God has already given me. Come reflect with me, and…

  • Grace to See the Angel Selling Cigarettes

    **Grace to See the Angel Selling Cigarettes** We often have an idea of what someone being used by God should look like. But what happens when the messenger doesn’t look the part? Years ago, on my late-night walks home in Montego Bay, I met an old lady at a little roadside stall. Looking back now,…

  • Grace is in the Neighborhood

    Sometimes the blessing isn’t the problem. It’s wondering why it took you ten years to receive what someone else got in ten months. But as my sister Sandy once said, “If God is blessing your friends, it means He’s in the neighborhood.” 🙏🏾💛 This week on Grace Across Borders: Grace in the Neighborhood.

  • Grace, Grace, God’s Grace

    What if God’s grace has been writing your story long before you were ever asked to tell it? This week, I reflect on grace, church hurt, calling, and the surprising ways God prepares us for His purpose.

  • Grace Across Borders

    This week, the Holy Spirit reminded me of a truth I didn’t realize I needed: the little things we try to carry on our own eventually become heavy. While the world says, “Don’t sweat the small stuff,” God lovingly says, “Bring Me the small stuff.” Join me as we explore the miracle of the floating…