Bestselling author Max Lucado explains that if teens let God’s grace change them, shape them, and strengthen them, their lives will never be the same. Today’s teens are being shaped by the pressures and disappointments of the world. But Max Lucado encourages them to take a close look at what can shape their hearts and their futures from the inside out—God’s grace. As Max explains, "God’s grace has a drenching about it. A wildness about it. A whitewater, riptide, turn-you-upside-downness about it. Grace comes after you." Wild Grace gives teens an understanding of how grace can change their lives in powerful ways, even when those lives are messed up, off track, or in trouble. Each chapter describes another miracle that happens when we allow God’s grace to work on us and through us: “Grace is God’s decision to change everything. Good-bye, earthly labels. Stupid. Unpopular. Ugly. Failure. No longer. You aren’t who they say you are. You are who He says you are. Spiritually alive. Connected to God. Amazing.” Teens will be convinced that God knew what He was doing when He made them and His grace is always there, ready to work wonders that are bigger than anything this world has to offer. Since entering the ministry in 1978, Max Lucado has served churches in Miami, Florida; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and San Antonio, Texas. He currently serves as the teaching minister of Oak Hills Church in San Antonio. He is the recipient of the 2021 ECPA Pinnacle Award for his outstanding contribution to the publishing industry and society at large. He is America's bestselling inspirational author with more than 150 million products in print. Visit his website at MaxLucado.com Facebook.com/MaxLucado Instagram.com/MaxLucado X.com/MaxLucado Youtube.com/MaxLucadoOfficial The Max Lucado Encouraging Word Podcast WILD GRACE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN GRACE HAPPENS By Max Lucado Thomas Nelson Copyright © 2012 Max Lucado All right reserved. ISBN: 978-1-4003-2084-4 Contents Acknowledgments........................................vii1. The Grace Adventure.................................32. No More Critics.....................................153. The Best Trade You'll Ever Make.....................334. Grace Is All We Need................................495. Rich with Grace.....................................636. Wet Feet............................................777. Fessing Up..........................................938. Better Than Perfect.................................1079. You Belong..........................................12710. Saved for Sure.....................................143Conclusion: When Grace Happens.........................159Notes..................................................166 Chapter One THE GRACE ADVENTURE God's grace has a drenching about it. A wildness about it. A whitewater, riptide, turn-you-upside-downness about it. Grace comes after you. You steer your kayak downriver, your heart hammering like a hummingbird's wings against your chest. Are you ready for this? No turning back now. The swirling eddies and cascading currents that lead to Monster Rock are just ahead. You surge forward, the foam flying and rapids roaring. A shout escapes your lips before you even realize it: "Wooooohooooo!" This is living. Quick paddle strokes move you past one boulder, then another. Suddenly, there it is. A black mound bigger than your garage. The Mother of All River Rocks. You know from scouting this spot that the current is your true enemy. You've got to veer left, before the raging water takes your cork of a craft, slams it against stone, and mashes you into pumpkin pulp. Time to paddle! You pull with all your strength. Your heart is beating so loudly that you're scared your eardrums will explode. Left! Left! Are you going to make it? Suddenly, you shoot through the mist into calmer waters. You did it! You've conquered the Monster! Only a moment ago your heart was pounding like a drummer on steroids. Relentless. Desperate. Now the danger has passed. You've pushed through the moment of near panic. And your heart is changing. From rushing like a freight train to the calm thump ... thump ... thump ... of a heart at rest. If only it were that easy to change the rest of your heart. You know, the part that houses those other monsters. I'm talking about selfishness. Superiority. Anger. Greed. Guilt. Nope, no easy switch for any of us. But for God? Not a problem. He's in the business of changing hearts. We would be wrong to think this change happens overnight. But we would be equally wrong to assume change never happens at all. It may come in fits and spurts, an "aha" here, a breakthrough there. But it comes. Could you use some? You stare into the darkness. Your cat slumbers at the foot of your bed. The ceiling fan whirls above you. In fifteen minutes the alarm will sound and zoom you like a snowboarder on a half-pipe into another free-for-all with teachers, classmates, tea