Grace and Embrace: All for Jesus!

Grace and Embrace: All for Jesus!

There are two little phrases that I use on repeat—“Grace and Embrace” and “All for Jesus!” If you’ve worked with me, ministered alongside me, or just bumped into me, chances are you’ve heard me say one (or both!).

Sometimes they’re just catchphrases. A quick, light-hearted mantra to break the tension or bring focus. But let me tell you a secret… they’re more than that.

You see, these two phrases are not just my go-to words—they’re the reality of my ministry. They’re the “why” behind my “what.” They’re my compass when I feel a bit lost in the demands of ministry and leadership. And they remind me that everything I do is all for Jesus.

Let’s start with “Grace and Embrace.”

It’s more than just a nice rhyme (though I do appreciate a bit of poetic flow!). Grace is that beautiful gift from God—undeserved love, unrelenting mercy, unshakeable forgiveness. Embrace is the outworking of that grace—a welcome, a belonging, a hand to hold, a shoulder to cry on.

I describe my ministry in Homelessness Services as being all about grace and embrace. Imagine this with me: spaces where the harshness of life meets the kindness of Jesus. Spaces where people who feel lost find themselves gently held by something bigger than them. That’s what I long for. That’s what I pray for. Our services, our buildings, our team culture—always to be places of grace and embrace.

Then comes “All for Jesus.”

This one fuels the fire. It’s the silent mantra I say before stepping into a meeting, the breath I take before writing a report, the prayer I mumble over spreadsheets, the accounting system, and policies (yes, even those!). Whether I’m cleaning a toilet, making a cuppa, offering pastoral care, or sorting out the monthly income & expenditure report—it’s all for Jesus.

Every appointment. Every challenge. Every moment of doubt and every moment of joy. The mountaintop highs and valley-bottom lows. I don’t do this for recognition or results or even for the satisfaction of ticking something off my to-do list. I do it for Him. All for Jesus.

So next time you hear me say “Grace and Embrace!” or “All for Jesus!”—maybe with a grin, a sigh, or even mid-chaos—have a little smile to yourself. Because now you know the heart behind it. It’s not just a saying. It’s a declaration. It’s a daily choice. It’s a reminder of who I am, whose I am, and why I do what I do.

And you know what? Maybe you want to borrow them too. Go ahead. Say it out loud. Whisper it under your breath. Shout it from the rooftops if you like:

Grace and Embrace. All for Jesus!

It might just change the way you see your day. It might just change the way you live your life.

Because it really is all for Him. And His grace? It’s always enough. His embrace? Always waiting.

Now, go grab that morning cuppa, face the day, love that person in front of you, be patient with those emails waiting in the inbox, and remember…

You’ve got this.

All for Jesus. Grace and Embrace.