A Year of Sundays: The 30th Sunday (7/27/25)

This week I encountered many beautiful reminders that second chances are real—and often transformative. I witnessed individuals who were once counted out rise and flourish when someone simply believed in their ability to change. It made me pause and give thanks for the times I have been given another opportunity to try again, grow, and get it right.

Sometimes the timing is off, and the soil is too dry for our seeds to take root. But then—oh, sometimes—the time is just right, and what was once a failed attempt becomes a garden in bloom.

In the deeply moving book Trust First by Bruce Deel, stories of second chances remind us how powerful grace can be in practice:

“Grace isn’t fair; it is better than fair. It heals and restores. It sees people not as they are but as they can become” (Deel, 2019, p. 42).

When we extend trust, forgiveness, or faith—to ourselves or others—we take part in that healing. We become agents of grace.

Sunday Reflection Prompt:

Who in your life (including you) might benefit from a second chance this week? What small grace can you offer that may allow someone to blossom?

Reference 

Deel, B. (2019). Trust first: A true story about the power of giving people second chances. WaterBrook.