Oct 25th 11 Posted by Natalie Nichols

Newsletter: Our Hope in Desperate Times | Thank You For Helping the Hurting

I believe you agree with me: hurting people around the world are in desperate need of God’s grace and comfort. From the financial crisis to the multitude of recent natural disasters, trials and hardships are everywhere. No one has escaped unscathed. Trouble and suffering have spilled over into each of our lives. Despite all the distress, Jesus promised us hope: “In this world you will have... read more

Jan 29th 11 Posted by Natalie Nichols

Fasting Day 17: A Day of Prayer for Shades of Grace

During this time of prayer and fasting with Pursuit 21, the Holy Spirit has led me to designate one day as a day of fasting and prayer for Shades of Grace Ministries. If God has ministered to you and deposited spiritual seed in your life through Shades of Grace, I would like to ask you to commit to fast and pray for us for twenty-four hours. You can choose the type of fast (full or partial). Points of... read more

Jan 6th 11 Posted by Natalie Nichols

Glancing Back and Gearing Up for What Is Ahead!

I am so excited!  The New Year is here – and we have so much to do to get ready for what I know will be our greatest year of ministry. Looking back over 2010, I am so thankful for all that God accomplished through Shades of Grace. We’ve seen countless lives transformed from the inside-out, thanks to God’s love and grace. Pursuit 21 In January 2010, we launched the first annual Pursuit 21 –... read more

Jan 3rd 11 Posted by Natalie Nichols

Top Posts for 2010

Below are the top blog posts from 2010.  I’d like to take a moment to thank you for reading throughout the past year. There are a lot of blogs to read these days, so I’m thankful when you choose this one.  I’m looking forward to sharing more good content with you in 2011!  I hope you’ll keep reading and joining the conversation through your comments. If you’re a faithful... read more

Dec 27th 10 Posted by Natalie Nichols

Ten Tips for Taxpayers Making Charitable Donations

Did you make a donation to a charity this year? If so, you may be able to take a deduction for it on your 2010 tax return. Here are the top 10 things the IRS wants every taxpayer to know before deducting charitable donations. Charitable contributions must be made to qualified organizations to be deductible. You can ask any organization whether it is a qualified organization and most will be able to tell... read more

Apr 21st 10 Posted by Natalie Nichols

Boundless Strength, Eternal Joy

Are you weak and weary? In need of strength? Do you feel sad and hopeless? Are you facing an obstacle that no human maneuvering can overcome? What you need is boundless strength and eternal joy. They are found in one place… For the past four years, I have experienced an annual health collapse that lasts between one and six months of the year.  “A collapse,” you might say, “I thought your... read more

Mar 21st 10 Posted by Natalie Nichols

A Conscious Decision

I’ve made a conscious decision. In response to the leading of the Holy Spirit, I am going to be more open about my ongoing, residual health challenges. I will deliberately post about them and make my life a little more of an open book. For several reasons, I have been rather silent on this topic in recent years: When summarizing my 20+ year story in a thirty minute session, it is quicker to... read more

Jan 1st 10 Posted by Natalie Nichols

5 Steps to Overcome Discouragement This Year

God began my first day of the year in an unusual but significant way. For a couple of weeks I’ve needed to pull journals from a decade ago in order to locate the date of a particular event. I woke in the middle of the night last night and couldn’t go back to sleep, so I thought I’d finally get the task over with and dig out my old journals. My life is apparently pretty boring because I soon fell... read more

Dec 21st 09 Posted by Natalie Nichols

Thank You for Sharing God’s Comfort

Dear Friend, Merry Christmas and a Christ-filled New Year to you! As we celebrate the gift of our Savior, I would like to personally thank you for your faithful prayers and generous support this year. Through your prayers and support, you have taken the light of Jesus Christ to hurting people in desperate need of His love. You have impacted their eternal destiny and inspired them to a deeper, more... read more

Nov 8th 09 Posted by Natalie Nichols

My Surprise Visitor

I was pleasantly surprised today when a young lady came by my house.   We met two years ago, September 5, 2007, under grim circumstances.  The first thing I heard was her voice, screaming in the night…  The following story recounts that life-changing evening: As the flames crept closer and closer all she could do was scream … It was a Wednesday night I will never forget – because it changed... read more