grace and transformation..

so my dad's comment on a couple posts ago got me thinking...the life of a disciple is a life that is transformed and is being transformed by grace.  We as the church, as Christ's bride, we are as much in need of grace today as we were in the moment we realized that is what saves us...

...i started to put a question in the comments and decided to make a new post instead.  I was talkin with a brother yesterday about our desire to love on people and show them grace, the same kind of grace we were shown...but at the same time had a desire to call people towards 

transformation or holiness if you will...and while we didn't settle on any kind of answer, it's something i'm continuing to attempt to balance with my neighbors and friends...can you share a story of how you've extended grace and encouraged transformation with the same person?  

i think of my neighbor and how we've tried so hard to extend grace and love to him.  he's made bad decisions, and he'll say that, and he continues to make ones he wishes he didn't.  we are at this point where i am giving him more of a call to be transformed by God's grace, rather than just receive it like a back rub or get out of jail free card.  we've encouraged him to join our male DCAF on wednesdays where we encourage one another and while he hasn't come yet; he says he's getting it, and that he understands his life needs to be different...whether he can free himself to be transformed, rather than attempt to transform himself is still unfolding...but that's my story that comes to mind...